8 yr. old Organizes Parade for Iraq-bound Dad

BLACKMAN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) - Eight-year-old Rylee Dreffs wanted to give her father a proper send-off before he's deployed to Iraq.

So she organized a parade in his honor, right in their own Jackson-area neighborhood.

Last night's procession for Army Master Sergeant Shawn Dreffs featured a dozen children parading around the street and singing songs. About 50 people showed up to watch.

Rylee planned the event as a surprise to her 38-year-old father after finding out that a local military unit being deployed to Iraq was getting a parade.

He's a member of a different unit.

The 19-year veteran will be eligible to retire from the military after completing his 400-day tour. He works for Consumers Energy as an information technology analyst.