A statue of two children reading will be donated to the South Butler Community Library by the Comperatore family at Corey's Cruise in Saxonburg next month. Submitted photo

Before Corey’s Cruise begins on July 12 in Buffalo Township, Saxonburg will host its own parade and ceremony in remembrance of Corey Comperatore, who died during the assassination attempt on now-President Donald Trump in July 2024.

Saxonburg’s event starts at 9 a.m. on Saturday, July 12 — the day before the one-year anniversary of the shooting — and will serve as a lead-up to the main event, Corey’s Cruise motorcycle ride and memorial concert.

The ride begins at Freeport Area High School with registration opening at 7 a.m. Kickstands go up at 11 a.m. The ride concludes at No Offseason Sports in Russellton with the memorial concert.

Participating in the events will be Comperatore’s wife, Helen, and his two daughters, Allyson and Kaylee. During last year’s tragedy, Comperatore — a former chief of the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Department — shielded his family with his body and died as a result.

The parade will start at the Saxonburg Memorial Presbyterian Church at 9 a.m., and proceed straight west on West Main Street toward the South Butler Community Library.

“We have two bagpipers leading, playing ‘Amazing Grace,’” said event organizer Scott Docherty. “Then, we have two people dressed up like Washington and Emily Roebling.”

“There’ll be some Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts in the parade,” said Michelle Lesniak, director of the South Butler Community Library. “We’ll be handing out miniature American flags for people to wave.”

During the parade, the Comperatore family members will ride in a Ford Mustang, which was Corey Comperatore’s favorite vehicle.

Once the parade finishes at the library, the three Comperatore family members will present to the library a bronze statue of a boy and a girl reading books, donated in Corey’s memory.

Serving as guest speakers for the Saxonburg portion of the event will be experienced race car driver and motivational speaker Karen Salvaggio, and multiple karate black belt holder Amy Giles. Salvaggio will speak on dreaming and achieving big, while Giles will perform a session on self defense.

The motivational sessions will take place inside the library. Lesniak recommends that interested attendees register for the sessions by calling the library in advance.

Docherty stresses the plans are not political.

“This is about a first responder that lost his life,” Docherty said. “This is about getting money for the first responders. Everything we raise is going to go to local first responders in this area — police, EMS and fire.”