Grand Marshal Willis will lead East Moline Labor Day parade

The Quad City Labor Day Parade will begin at 11 a.m. Monday, Sept. 7, in East Moline. A news release says it's the official, labor-organized, Labor Day Parade represented by various union organizations, high-school marching bands, elected official, social service organizations, clubs, entertain and cultural organizations from around the Quad Cities.

The City of East Moline staff worked hard to help find a way around the current construction on 15th Avenue and 12th Avenue (River Drive.)

The parade steps off at 11 a.m. at the John Deere Harvester Works parking lot off Harvest Way. The route will be: West on 12th Avenue around to 10th Street, south up to 15th Avenue, West on 15th Avenue to 4th Street, where the parade will end.

"This annual parade is fun for everyone," said Dan Gosa, president of the Quad City Labor Parade Alliance. "The families who come out to see the parade with their kids and neighbors enjoy seeing the big industrial equipment and trucks driving by, listening to the music provided by our high-school marching bands, and watching the fun entertainment and cultural groups go by. When workers rise, communities rise. That's what Labor Day is all about."

This year, the grand marshal will be Carlton Willis, IBEW Local 145 retiree.

Willis is a respected union leader, community volunteer, and long-time advocate for working families whose service spans more than four decades. A 1976 graduate of Davenport West High School, Willis began his union career in June 1978 as an apprentice wireman with IBEW Local Union 145. He attained journeyman wireman status in June 1982 and went on to build a 40-year career with the local.

He accepted numerous leadership and service responsibilities throughout his career. He was elected recording secretary of IBEW Local Union 145 and served in that role for six years before he was elected president of the local. He also served on negotiating committees, the local's Labor Management Committee, and the Executive Board of the Iowa Electrical State Conference.

In addition, he represented working people as a delegate to the Quad City Federation of Labor and served as a trustee on the local union's Apprenticeship Committee.

His commitment to organized labor extends well beyond the workplace. For many years, he has supported political campaigns in both Iowa and Illinois, contributing at every level from knocking on doors and distributing literature and yard signs to phone banking. He has served on the IBEW Local Union 145 Political Action Committee for more than 30 years and remains active in the committee.

Although Willis retired in February 2018, his service has never stopped. He continues to contribute his time and experience to local boards and committees and remains a hands-on volunteer for the Labor Day Parade, helping with setup and take-down. He and his wife Susan have been married for 42years and have a son, Dan.

For more information or to volunteer for the parade, email here.

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