Category Archives: Hometown Heroes

Coppell to Host Parade to Honor Gold Medal Olympian Chiaka Ogbogu

Photo courtesy of UT Athletics

Join the City of Coppell and Coppell High School for a parade to celebrate Coppell’s own Gold Medal Olympian, Chiaka Ogbogu, on Saturday, August 14 at 9 a.m. Bring signs, banners and flags to show support and cheer on Ogbogu as she brings home the gold!

The parade will take place in the eastbound lanes of Parkway Blvd. from Buttonwood Ct. to Cowboy Dr. in Coppell. After the parade passes, attendees are encouraged to walk to the Coppell High School Arena for a presentation by the Coppell City Council, naming Saturday, August 14, 2021, as “Chiaka Ogbogu Day!” Coppell ISD Superintendent Dr. Brad Hunt and CHS Principal Laura Springer will also recognize Ogbogu as a Coppell Cowgirl Gold Medalist during the presentation in the CHS Arena.

Intersections along the route will close temporarily beginning at approximately 8:50 a.m. and will remain closed until the parade has passed. Westbound Parkway traffic will remain open. Intersections along westbound Parkway Blvd. will be open for right turn only during the parade.

Ogbogu, a 6-2 middle blocker, was raised in Coppell and attended Coppell High School, where she helped lead the Coppell Cowgirls volleyball team to state titles in 2011 and 2012. Ogbogu was named the Gatorade Texas Volleyball Player of the Year in 2012 and has played professionally in Italy, Poland and Turkey. Ogbogu joined the U.S. national team in 2018. She competed in the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, where she helped the team win gold.

Thousands Turn Out to Honor Aerospace Trailblazer and Hometown Hero Wally Funk

PRESS RELEASE

Mary Wallace “Wally” Funk rides with Mayor William D. Tate in the Hotel Vin Cadillac

Thousands lined up today to honor hometown hero Wally Funk during a parade down Historic Main Street and a presentation on Peace Plaza at Grapevine Main Station. 82-year-old Funk was honored for her pioneering ride on Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin ‘New Shepard’ suborbital space tourism rocket.

Young and old alike were present holding signs that read “Fly, Wally, Fly” and other words of support for Funk. Along the half mile stretch from the top end of Main Street to Peace Plaza at Grapevine Main Station, crowds lined the sidewalks and rushed up to the vintage Cadillac Funk rode in as she passed by offering praise and support. Upon arriving at Peace Plaza, hundreds more waited in anticipation of the continued celebration.

The parade included the members of National Space Society of North Texas; Frontier Brigade Band; Wally Funk; Mayor William D. Tate; Members of the 501 st Star Garrison North Texas Squad in full Star Wars costume; City Councilmembers Sharron Rogers, Leon Leal and Duff O’Dell; Blue Origin Vice President of New Shepard Mission and Flight Operations, Audrey Powers; and Head of the New Shepard Program, Steve Bennett.

During the presentation on Peace Plaza, representatives from Blue Origin and others spoke about Funk. Mayor William D. Tate presented a personal message of appreciation and a proclamation from the City of Grapevine announcing August 7, 2021 as Wally Funk Day.

Funk addressed the crowd and spoke from the heart as she shared her appreciation for the overwhelming support from friends and her hometown community. An ice cream social was held following the presentation and commemorative replica lapel pins like the one Funk wore into space and Astronaut Ice Cream, donated by Space Center Houston, were handed out to attendees.

ABOUT WALLY FUNK

On July 20, 2021 Funk made history by being the oldest person at 82 years old to rocket into space. She has been a pioneer in aerospace and a trailblazer for women in aviation and space flight since 1960. She was the first female flight inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration, and later became the first female air safety inspector with the National Transportation Safety Board. Additionally, she has been the chief pilot for several aviation schools across the country and has taught more than 3,000 pilots how to fly.