WOOGMS: A 60-year Labor Day tradition that marches on in Lake View

CHICAGO - You can’t have Labor Day without a parade. 

And on a beautiful Labor Day, there should be more marchers than watchers. That is the idea behind a North Side tradition known as "WOOGMS."

Officially named the Wellington-Oakdale Old Glory Marching Society, WOOGMS for short, this tradition has been celebrated every Memorial Day and Labor Day since 1962.

"My parents were in the first parade. I came along two years later, and I've marched in every parade since," said parade organizer Mike Lufrano, who knows the WOOGMS story by heart.

"It started with one guy, Al Weisman, who lived in the house behind me," Lufrano said. "Just decided to teach his son about patriotism, and he marched around the block. And they talked about America, and they talked about the flag. And a couple of neighbors said, ‘what are you doing?’ And he told them, and they said, ‘can we join?'"

And join they did. Over the years, the parade has grown. 

On Monday, more than 1,000 people marched. Many former Lakeview residents return to the neighborhood just to take part.

They call it the "Do-It-Yourself Parade."  

"You won't see people standing on the curbs watching a parade go by," said parade organizer Liz Cohen. "We are the parade. So everybody here on foot, on a bicycle, in a stroller."

Some participants on Monday were experiencing WOOGMS for the first time. 

"We just moved to the neighborhood a month ago," said Sarah Whiteside. "We learned about it yesterday. Our neighbors told us, 'Come on out!"

Another beloved WOOGMS tradition involves former Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White. 

Now 90 years old, White has been bringing his drum corps and tumbling team to WOOGMS for half a century. 

"It's rare. It's wonderful. It's beautiful," said White. "I see all these wonderful kids, the dogs, the people."