Washington Grove Town Archives The Grove Band, circa 1918, played at patriotic events and for each new company of soldiers departing for training camp during World War I. Organizer and Washington Grove resident Roy McCathran is at far left.

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Bob F. Knill/For The Gazette Cheerleaders Carolyn Rapkievian (left) and Pat Kreger encourage their fellow Washington Grove residents during the softball game July 4 in Washington Grove. Despite the extreme heat and devastation from severe thunderstorms less than a week before, residents upheld the annual event.
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Bob F. Knill/For The Gazette David Rapkievian provides a horn section for his fellow Washington Grove residents during a softball game July 4 in Washington Grove. Despite the extreme heat and devastation from severe thunderstorms less than a week before, residents upheld the tradition of the annual event.
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Bob F. Knill/For The Gazette Washington Grove residents and coaches John Hutchinson (left) and Tom Land (center) shake hands after a softball game on July 4 in Washington Grove. Despite the extreme heat and devastation brought by severe thunderstorms less than a week before, residents upheld the annual Fourth of July softball game.
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Washington Grove Town Archives Chuck Hawk of Washington Grove drives his decorated truck in Washington Grove's July Fourth Parade in 1972.
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Bob R. Knill/For The Gazette Washington Grove resident "Elly" Briggs tallies the scorecard after the annual softball game on July 4 in Washington Grove. Despite the extreme heat and devastation from severe thunderstorms less than a week before, residents upheld the annual Fourth of July game.
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Bob F. Knill/For The Gazette Ann Briggs (left) hands out trophies to the team coaches, Tom Land (center) and John Hutchinson, after the softball game on July 4 in Washington Grove. Despite the extreme heat and devastation from severe thunderstorms less than a week before, residents upheld the annual Fourth of July game.
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Washington Grove Town Archives (From left) Washington Grove residents Reggie Norton, Brenda Gumula, Mary Challstrom and Alice Negin, dressed in costumes, pose during the July Fourth Parade in Washington Grove in 1998.
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Bob F. Knill/For The Gazette John Hutchinson congratulates fellow Washington Grove resident Peggy Booher during the softball game on July 4 in Washington Grove. Despite the extreme heat and devastation brought by severe thunderstorms less than a week before, residents upheld the annual Fourth of July game.
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Photo from Kathy Lehman Kathy Lehman of Washington Grove plays marching quads, a type of drum, in the Independence Day parade in Washington Grove in 2010.

Washington Grove Town Archives The Grove Band, circa 1918, played at patriotic events and for each new company of soldiers departing for training camp during World War I. Organizer and Washington Grove resident Roy McCathran is at far left.

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Although some cities in Montgomery County canceled Independence Day celebrations due to the major storm that hit the area June 29, the small, tight-knit community of Washington Grove banded together to keep its 100-year Fourth of July tradition alive.

Despite broken windows, downed trees and power outages, Washington Grove’s wacky parade, softball game, picnic and costume contest carried on.

“People help each other here. It’s typical of Washington Grove,” said 40-year resident Betty Knight, whose neighbors strung extension cords from their house to hers to keep her cool until she regained electricity.

Debris rerouted the annual parade, but the town still marched. Though the softball game and picnic, which were originally scheduled for July 1, had to be pushed to July 4, there still was time for everything.

“It’s a goofy parade. All the kids dress up and some eccentric adults. It’s all very tongue in cheek,” said Kathy Lehman, Washington Grove town clerk and parade participant since she was 10.

The tiny town of 225 houses started the day with a costume judging and flag raising before marching in a parade, accompanied by the local band called the Maple Lake Muskrat Band and Marching Society of Washington Grove.

Loaded with trumpets, bass drums, saxophones and even a helicon, a precursor to the sousaphone, the band marched through Washington Grove playing patriotic compositions.

Muskrat band director Ellsworth “Elly” Briggs led a group that ranged in age from 15 to 80. He has been directing the band since 1966, and many of the players are his former music students at Gaithersburg High School.

“It’s a fair amount of work for me. I have to make folders and get the music,” said Briggs, 80, who has only missed two parades in his 46-year tenure as band director.

The parade is led by the mayor, who traditionally rides a tractor.

“One year the mayor ran into a fence,” Lehman said. However, this year Mayor Georgette Cole rode a golf cart decked out in patriotic ornamentation.

Once the parade died down the town moved on to its softball game, colloquially called THE GAME.

“If there are too many people, everyone still plays,” Lehman said. “If it’s a little kid, we’ll give him five strikes.”

The day ended at the stone fireplace in Woodward Park where a crowd gathers for an Independence Day picnic.

Hot dogs are served every year, and families bring their pets along.

Other Washington Grove traditions have been discontinued. In the late 1970s, the girls dressed up in ball gowns for a beauty pageant. Then they drove around town and into Gaithersburg.

“It was like we were going to prom,” Lehman said.

Rain or shine, storm or no storm, Washington Grove’s tradition marched on.

“I don’t think of [the Fourth] as some national thing. I think of it as community,” Lehman said.

smaucione@gazette.net