What a summer it has been! Salem’s USA 250th celebrations officially wrapped up on August 22, 2026, with our Patriotic People Parade! Nothing screams USA more than bringing together community members of all ages to celebrate, participate, and show off their patriotic spirit.
Throughout the summer, Salem Community Services hosted a variety of activities designed to bring our community together as we begin celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States. From creative artwork and friendly competition to giving back to our community, there was something for everyone!
USA 250 Coloring Contest:
We were so impressed by all of the creativity and patriotic spirit shown in our USA 250 Coloring Contest! Thank you to everyone who took the time to color, create, and submit their artwork. We are excited to announce our contest winners:
Ages 4&Under
- Rylei D., age 4
- Holden, age 4
- Gwen H., age 4
Ages 5-7
- Anna T., age 6
- Avi S., age 6
- Avery, age 7
Ages 8–10
- Mavis B., age 9
- Kenna, age 10
- Audrey P., age 9
Congratulations to all of our winners, and a huge thank-you to everyone who participated!
Patriotic People Parade
The celebrations continued on August 22 with our Patriotic People Parade, where community members came together for a fun and energetic 2.50-mile course through Salem.We saw some impressive finishing times!
The top three women were:
- Kate Rock (16:53)
- Rebecca Rios (19:55)
- Kristen Koczat (23:10)
The top three men were:
- Callum Malloy (18:03)
- Liam Hunley (18:30),
- Beckham Malloy (18:43).
Congratulations to all of our runners and participants! Whether you were racing for a personal best, enjoying a walk or run with friends and family, or simply coming out to support the event, we were thrilled to have you join us.
Red, White & Food Drive
Perhaps one of the most meaningful parts of our summer celebrations was seeing Salem come together to support our community food drive. Thanks to the generosity of our residents and participants, more than 700 food items were collected for charity!
That incredible response is a wonderful reminder of what can happen when our community comes together to celebrate while also giving back to those around us.
Thank You, Salem!
A huge thank-you goes out to everyone who participated, donated, created artwork, volunteered, ran, walked, cheered, and helped make these events possible.
Our USA 250 celebrations were an opportunity to bring Salem together, create new memories, celebrate our community, and give back while celebrating a huge milestone in our Nation’s History!We are incredibly proud of the way Salem showed its spirit this summer, and we look forward to continuing the celebration as we recognize this incredible 250-year milestone for the United States.
Thank you, Salem, for making our USA 250 celebrations one to remember!