Latinos celebrate a day of heritage in Camden

By BRIDGET SMITH • Courier-Post Staff • June 30, 2008 CAMDEN — For a few hours on Sunday, the city's streets transformed into a sea of Puerto Rican pride. Latinos of all ages lined the streets clad in red and white and waving their Puerto Rican flags to celebrate the Parada San Juan Bautista, an event to honor the patron saint of Puerto Rico. Virgilio Mendez Sr., who said he has attended every parade since 1966, compared the day to Christmas. "This is the one thing everybody waits for every year," said Mendez, a lifelong city resident. "People come from Trenton, from Philadelphia for this." Spectators danced up and down the sidewalk as musicians made their way along the parade route. Children cheered and waved as motorcycles, bikes, custom cars and even the city's emergency responders passed them. Jennyfer Santana, who served... [read full story]