South Side Irish Parade Committee Unveils Grand Marshal, Honoree

A beloved Chicago nonprofit and a local business mainstay will be in the spotlight at this year's South Side Irish Parade.

The parade committee announced the grand marshal and community honoree Feb. 6. Chicagoland non-profit the Mulliganeers will lead the parade, and County Fair Foods was tapped as the community honoree. 

The Mulliganeers organization has been assisting children and families with special medical needs since 1995. County Fair, a family owned and operated, independent local grocery store has been a mainstay in the area, providing families with a vast selection of fresh products and top notch customer service for 50 years. 

Grand Marshal the Mulliganeers began with humble beginnings as a group of four close friends who often heard of tragic stories involving children wondered what would happen if they collectively worked together to build a community to give these kids a second chance.
 
The Mulliganeers recipient families as they are known, are often ordinary working families who may have a child born with a rare, complex syndrome or experience a sudden or ongoing illness which requires ongoing extensive medical care.

"They embody the spirit of community and work hard through a volunteers to find donated supplies and services," according to a release from the committee. "They are frugal, enabling them to spend 93 cents of every dollar raised on a Mulliganeer family rather than administrative costs."

The Mulliganeers have had a significant impact throughout the Chicago area including in local communities of Beverly and Mount Greenwood. To date, they have raised and distributed over 4.3 million dollars providing over 261 Chicago area families with support.
 
"The South Side Irish Parade feels the Mulliganeers truly align with our values and mission of how community, family and friendship can have an extraordinary impact on others."
 
To learn more visit the Mulliganeers website. 

The South Side Irish Parade Committee also dubbed this year's honoree, County Fair Foods.
 
County Fair has been a mainstay of the community, a local grocery serving generations of families providing them with a vast selection of fresh products and top notch customer service.
 
They remain a steadfast supporter of a variety of community events including the South Side Irish Parade as a major sponsor and numerous other activities throughout the neighborhood.

Additionally, they support local schools and parishes as participants in the Manna gift certificate program providing a stream of needed revenue to area families and institutions. 

County Fair and their owners, the Baffes family, are recognized as community leaders who instill their commitment to family and community, and applauded for their consistent support and generosity. The store will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year.

If you wish to support the 2014 South Side Irish Parade, there is a fundraiser on Feb. 22 at 115 Bourbon Street at 3 p.m. Tickets can be purchased here. The cost is $30, which covers food, drink and entertaining from The Matt Ladd Band and Sean & Charlie.