WS Chronicle

On the day set aside to celebrate the influence fathers have on society, thousands of people lined the streets of downtown Winston-Salem to celebrate the life and legacy of a man who never had any kids of his own but helped raise hundreds of children right here in Winston-Salem: the late Moses “Mo” Lucas.

For more than 60 years, Lucas mentored children at old Patterson YMCA branch until it closed in the 1980s. He is most known for his well-dressed, smooth stepping drill teams that performed in countless parades and other events here in the city and across the country. Even after he retired from the YMCA, Lucas remained a fixture at the Winston Lake YMCA on Waterworks Road.

The annual Mo Lucas Father’s Day Parade held on Sunday, June 18, started on Trade Street and ended at the Winston Square Park on North Marshall Street, where residents enjoyed free food, live entertainment, and other excitement. This year’s celebration was the first where Lucas was not leading the way. Lucas passed away shortly after the 2016 celebration. 

Michael Terry, president of the Mo Lucas Foundation, said although Lucas wasn’t there his spirit lives on through the hundreds of children he mentored over the years. Longtime mentor and supervisor at the Carl H. Russell Sr. Community Center Ben Piggott said, “Mo Lucas taught me.

“I’m thankful for everything he gave to me because it made me want to give back. Just being here I’m honored,” he continued. “He taught me everything I know. He was the ultimate father.”