It has been more than three months since three members of the Dancing Grannies were killed in the Waukesha Christmas Parade, and now the group is getting ready for their first performance since that day.
All the smiles, music, and swishing pompoms makes Wednesday afternoon's practice look like any other rehearsal from the Dancing Grannies.
But this year's St. Patrick's Day dance through Milwaukee will be in the shadow of four people who won't be with them.
"It's a little nervous," said Dancing Grannies co-leader Pamela Wennesheimer. "But I'm taking Ginny and Lee with me."
Ginny, Lee, Tamara and Bill, three members and one volunteer whose lives were taken last November when a driver sped through the Waukesha Christmas Parade.
Just two weeks later, the remaining members donned their white hats and gloves and their sparkly blue sweatshirts. They linked arms and bravely walked in Franklin's Christmas Parade.
The Waukesha parade was Kathi Schmeling's first time dancing with the Grannies.
"We want to come out and be good examples for everybody and show we haven't crawled under a rock," she said.
Now, with new performances ready to go, the ladies will march through Milwaukee with memories of their best friends.
"She's in my heart and you can't get her out of there," said Wennesheimer.
Their hats will have the number 4 for the members lost and two little pompoms in honor of Ginny.
"Oh, she's looking down on us," Schmeling laughed.
"She's up there probably telling us, 'come on you guys, you look good, do it right!'" Wennesheimer added.
