ALDEN -- Pride welled in Ralph Ross' voice as he gestured to the dozens of people lining the short stretch of road that winds through town.
Spectators clapped, waved and cheered under brilliant blue skies Monday afternoon as veterans groups, shiny red fire trucks, the local Boy Scout troop and others in the Alden Memorial Day parade slowly passed.
In Alden, Ross said, such things aren't taken lightly.
"These parades mean something to people," Ross, 78, said. "It's unity -- we worship together, we have parades together, we live together. Look at those seniors; look at the smiles on their faces. That's different than if they just sat at home and watched TV."
Alden, which hugs the shores of scenic Torch Lake, looked the part of a red-white-and-blue small town in the hours leading up to the parade. Flags stuck from flower pots and fence posts, fire crews worked to clean their rigs and the marching band from nearby Mancelona High School prepared to perform.
Jill Drinkwine worked behind the counter at Higgins Store, a fixture in Alden. As visitors came in she reminded them of the parade, set to kick off at noon sharp.
"We have a small parade, but it means a lot to the community," Drinkwine said. "Everybody knows everybody ... you go to a bigger parade, and you don't know half the people. Here, you do."
Drinkwine's sentiments were echoed by many others who believe small-town parades carry a bit more weight than similar events in bigger communities. Those marching in small parades aren't just faces in uniform, they said, they're people in uniform. People with stories to tell.
"We know the people that have served in the armed forces, and you know the personal things they've gone through," Bellaire resident Joe Baker said. "It's more close-knit in a small town; they're your neighbors, they're your friends. In this case, it's my son."
His son, Joe Baker II, already spent one year in Iraq and will leave June 11 for another tour. Baker II, who's in the National Guard, carried a large flag in the parade.
Perhaps the most familiar face was that of Alden native Guy Barber, 87. The World War II veteran has lived in Alden for almost his entire life -- "except for when Uncle Sam wanted me," in his words -- and has been a part of Alden's parade for as long as he or anyone else can remember.
Monday was no change, and he plans to be a part of the event for as long as he can.
"It's very important for the health of the town, I think," said Barber, who served in Europe. "They've done it for so long, and it's very important to have it. People have to know what the others had to go through."
Yet for all the fuss and pride wrapped up in the annual Alden Memorial Day parade, it nearly didn't happen this year. Longtime organizers bowed out for various reasons, and only weeks ago the event seemed dead in the water.
Enter Alden native Priscilla Miller, who simply wouldn't stand to see the event fall by the wayside.
"When I heard about it, I couldn't believe it," she said. "I said, 'I think we better have a parade.'"
So she set forth pulling the event together and succeeded with flying colors. The lively parade wrapped with a memorial service at the Depot, complete with taps, the Pledge of Allegiance and a short speech about sacrifice from a local reverend.
Miller's father died during World War II, and she said Memorial Day means much to her personally.
"I believe that it's remembering those who gave up all of their tomorrows so we can enjoy our todays," she said.
Sue Acord, of Alden, was proud to see Miller pull the parade together on such short notice.
"When you're from a small town, you just feel connected," Acord, 66, said. "These are the things that keep you feeling connected."
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