As the month of July quickly approaches, an annual event that started in 1881 is starting to take shape, the Mandan Independence Day Parade. One part of planning this event is picking a Grand Marshal to lead the parade. The parade committee has announced that lifelong Mandan residents Wally and Eileen Joersz have been named the 2010 Grand Marshals.

“We are honored that Wally and Eileen have agreed to accept this honor,” says committee member Dennis Friesz. “Mandan is a better place because of these two individuals.”

“The process of choosing a Grand Marshal is not an easy one,” says parade committee member Marlo Anderson. “The process takes a few months as the committee makes nominations, votes and then contacts the nominee.”

Wally’s belief in his community and himself has helped him to achieve the success he has experienced as a leader in the Mandan- Bismarck area. After graduating from Mandan High School in 1951 he married Eileen Hunke in 1953. They are the parents of seven sons. They are also the grandparents to 20 children and great-grandparents of nine children. Wally and his brothers, Marvin and Bob, purchased the family business from their father in 1969, later acquiring Lockbeam Hardware, thus establishing Marv’s Hardware. They were partners in Williston County Market in Williston, which later became Econo Mart. Wally also established Randy’s Super Valu in New Salem, which was managed by his second son, Randy Joersz.

Wally was an active member of the Mandan Jaycees, instrumental in founding the Mandan Booster Bunch and serving as its first president. He worked to establish Prairie West Golf Course. Wally has also served on the Mandan Hospital Board, Medcenter One Board and the Mandan School Board for nine years, serving as chairman for five years. He has served on the Fort Abraham Lincoln Board, Mandan Chamber of Commerce and was actively involved in the merger of the Mandan- Bismarck Area Chamber of Commerce.

Wally, who has been in the grocery business all his life, has been very active in the North Dakota Growers Association for many years, serving many positions, as well as chairman. He was presented with the Good Government Award and Spirit of America Award by the National Grocers Association. Wally was presented with the North Dakota Community Leadership Award by the Greater North Dakota Association. He was only the second North Dakotan to be elected to the Board of Directors of the National Grocers Association, where he served for six years.

The Mandan Independence Day Parade, the largest parade in North Dakota, will start on the east end of The Strip on Sunday, July 4, at 12:30 p.m., arriving on Main Street at 1 p.m.