Let’s start with the overall July Fourth celebration effort. The volunteers and committee continue each year to provide such a great event and local activity. There’s not another such event in the area that generates that much energy and people to join in and share at a local level, and with it as a national holiday for enhanced respect and value !

The community and visitors owe the Fourth of July Committee great thanks and appreciation for all they do, on their own time and expense! Also, thanks to all the local businesses that sponsor, contribute, and participate. Great local support.

These efforts speak so highly to the dedication of so many to the continued impact and value the annual celebration provides the whole Warren, and beyond, region!

On the other hand, there is a disappointment as a very important resource and tool of and for the community. But let’s start with some very positive points, then to the rest.

The parade, the 77th for Warren as I heard, was as strong today as it was 60 and more years ago when I attended as a child.

Both my wife and I are natives of the area, had to move away for career reasons, and have visited many times through the years. It’s now been about 10 years or more since we had visited for the parade and fireworks, so we decided to attend and support again this year. The streets were full of observers, the children were anxiously awaiting the treat tosses from the parading crews!

The local businesses appeared to be busy and fully supporting the parade. Brought back great memories of the many years of the parade. And proud that it is still thriving today !

We ran into old friends and neighbors we hadn’t seen in many years, including one fellow former “Hooktown” friend who had left Warren in the 1970s, and this year brought his wife, their daughter and son-in-law and their young toddler!

Three generations proudly returning and sharing! And equally enjoyable, we stood with a friend since grade school and their family who have stayed in The Warren area, and were joined with their 3 children from 3 states and the grandchildren of those. We also stood with a couple who are very active in the local music entertainment sessions. We saw former work associates from both my wife and my years at former local employers.

All in all, a very enjoyable, memory generating, and reassuring trip that the Warren community and all those communities surrounding the county strongly support the event, the value of a celebration to bring local and former residents and friends together!

On the other hand, It is with difficulty that I write this letter, but several members of the community and I have expressed disappointing opinions of the Times Observer coverage of the events throughout the weekend, and after.

It seems that there was no newspaper “coverage” of the weekend events in the days following the celebration. No pictures, no stories of the fun and excitement of the parade and fireworks, and no thanks to the volunteers, the parades and the visitors

This celebration provides the most important attraction for the entire community, areas surrounding, and as important for guests and former area people to return, to contribute to the local economy, and share in what is such a safe, family oriented, and free to participate group of events.

The Fourth of July celebration is critical to Warren! The value and impact of the committee, the volunteers, the community Public Safety Teams, and parade participants are unequaled for similar activities in the community! The thousands of residents and visitors to the celebration are provided an unequaled opportunity to enjoin and share in such.

Still, the community, the local residents, and the many many visitors look forward to 2026 for the next great July Fourth celebration. And it will be the 250th anniversary of our Great Nation.

Let’s hope for another outstanding event package, complete with outstanding media partnering, to maximize the value of the July Fourth Celebration in Warren.

Paul Borger is a Warren native residing in Tecumseh, Mich.