Olney hosts 17th annual March for Jesus

One of the several floats present at the March for Jesus event in downtown Olney which ended its journey at the First Baptist Church parking lot. (Photo by Thomas Wallner)

Pastor Chad Edgington and other members sing songs in the civic center for those attending the March for Jesus event on Oct. 3. (Photo by Thomas Wallner)

The 17th annual March for Jesus wove its way through the town of Olney on Saturday, Oct. 3 with a line-up at Tommy Perkins Park. The parade started at the park on S. Avenue and turned the corner to go down Main Street heading west to Avenue J, and then looped back down Elm and head to the First Baptist Church parking lot. Floats of children, marching parents, and even a lawn mower were among the many parade participants. 

 Verma Fobbs and Chief Barry Roberts led the parade while holding hands and singing hymns.

The Christian Motorcycle Association s Drill Team gave a demonstration on their motorcycles after the parade and they ran through a series of drills which featured high-speed crossovers, counter-rotating circles, figure eights, and other maneuvers which entertained the audience. (Photo by Thomas Wallner)

Fobbs founded the March for Jesus and along with a team of organizers in Olney, has put on the event all these years since 1999. Fobbs looked around and saw that people were marching for all sorts of things, but as she saw that nobody was marching for Jesus, so she started the march which has gone on for the long 17 year stretch. 

The march was not only a parade through the city with the goal of spreading good will and the gospel of Jesus Christ, but a motorcycle show along with entertainment in the civic center.

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Directly after the parade in the First Baptist parking lot the Christian Motorcycle Association’s Drill Team gave a demonstration on their motorcycles as they ran through a series of drills which featured high speed cross-overs, counter-rotating circles, figure eights, and other maneuvers which entertained the audience. 

The parade participants then made their way to the civic center for a free lunch and a special program, live music from members of the First Baptist Church, children’s activities like bounce houses and a puppet show, and door prizes and giveaways which included six bikes. Jesse Erhart the director of the Refuge Mission, a large youth outreach center under construction in Olney, was the guest speaker for the event.

Olney hosts 17th annual March for Jesus