UPDATE Sunday May 20
Parade organizers have shared the latest update regarding the West Seattle Parade. Dave Vague detailed the news:
"Thanks to the spectacular generosity of the West Seattle and Greater Seattle communities we have donations enough to now hold the parade as scheduled on Saturday, July 21, 2012 at 11:00 AM! Inquiries and support came from all over Seattle and even as far away as Chicago.

In addition to the individual donations made by many of you we have three great organizations sponsoring the American Legion's West Seattle Grand Parade this year: our returning sponsor from last year - the West Seattle Y, and two new great sponsors this year - Sound Advertising Group and International Parking Management! A huge thank you for all of your participation, we really can't do it without you.

Along with the parade rolling forward, we can now also reveal something new this year - the Float Dodger 5K run that will take place up and down the parade route just before the parade. Clowns, pirates princesses and now sweaty runners! What a day this will be!"

UPDATE 9:45pm
The American Legion Parade committee for the West Seattle Parade met this evening and got the latest updated totals on contributions to make the parade possible. As of Wednesday evening the total is $3900 (they needed $3500) that is actually in the account. $2500 of that came from primary parade sponsor West Seattle YMCA with the remaining $1400 coming from individual donors. More monies have been pledged and/or promised from companies and individuals but the details and names are not being released at this time.
We will post a more complete story on the parade preparations on Thursday.

UPDATE: 9:25am
After the West Seattle Herald and other media publicized the potential of losing the West Seattle Parade for the first time in nearly 80 years donors have come forward and donated and/or pledged to donate well more than the $3500 necessary to defray the cost of barricades for the event. Jim Edwards who with Dave Vague has been working on the project on behalf of the American Legion said, " At this point we have actually more than we asked for though some are donations and some are just pledges but any money donated would help cover the other costs associated with the parade. We're hoping to get the parade on more secure financial footing with the addition of the 5k FloatDodger fun run."
Edwards said that one or more donors have said they would pay the entire additional cost. A meeting is planned to work on the details of exactly where the parade funding stands. This story will be updated

Original post:
Dave Vague and the organizers of the West Seattle Parade, a local tradition that goes back almost 80 years have issued a stark warning. If $3500 is not raised by June 1, the parade will be cancelled. It's been part of West Seattle history, honored in a mural on the post office wall, and part of every native West Seattleite's memory.

Vague sent this note:

"We want to thank everyone in the community who has donated to help put on the West Seattle parade so far this year, however, we're still $3,500 short of the funds needed to put the parade on this year. As you know we now are responsible for the cost of the street barricade signs and the bid has come in at $7,000, and so far we have only been able to raise half that amount.

If we are unable to raise the additional money needed by June 1 we need to cancel the parade this year.

This was to be the parade's 79th year, and as added excitement include a 5K run before the start.

We are in desperate need in finding a sponsor or donor for the remaining funds by the end of May.

If anyone would like to donate or become a parade sponsor please contact Jim Edwards (wsbigband@ureach.com) or Dave Vague (vagued@comcast.net) or visit the parade website donation page here: http://thewestseattleparade.com/Donate.html