REGATTA PARADE

Saturday, August 15, 2009

ASTORIA

photos courtesy of Glenn Whaley (Daffodil Festival)

by Carol Kapua:

Greetings to you all,
 
The parade in Astoria went very well. We had a great crew down there. Walter, Heidi and Mac drove the truck and float down. Kurt, Tamara and Shelby drove their van down and I drove our van down with Judy, Bobbi, Azzlinn, DC, Hunter and Rebecca met us at the hotel. We left on Thursday so that some of us went to the Admiral's reception which again was very nice. Al and Eric met us there also. Frank and his family met us at the hotel also. 
 
Everyone brought food and as usual we all ate very well.
 
Friday we went sightseeing and shopping and just had fun. Judy and Bobbi did not do everything as they were on the packet. We did add the glass blowers to our list of a must see. Cannon Beach is always a great place to visit. Frank and his family got wet in the Pacific Ocean. His girls really had a great time. They were a lot of fun to be around.

The parade went well. Much to everyone's surprise we were led down the parade route by our very own bigger than life FAIRY (in real life AKA DC). He was the hit! He lost a bet to Azzlinn and he had to do this. There are pictures of him on the website. He even made the Incider Press Paper (Wenatchee Applarians) in color. Joining our group to walk with our float was Assistant Director General Tom Robbins and his wife Leah (from Wenatchee Apple Blossom) and also from Wenatchee Al Kissler (Apple Blossom Board Member and Applarian) and his grandson Eric who helped Hunter carry the banner. It was a perfect day for a parade. We won the Ambassadors award.

Thanks to all who went to this parade and especially to all the cooks for the great food. For those of you who did not go we had homemade cinnamon rolls and the best chocolate chip cookies ever.......

We canceled the Monroe parade because we needed to clean out the rest of the caboose and figured on the help of those that were going to do that parade could help but it did not happen. Those that did help were Judy, Jodi, Nancy, Angie, Chuck and the Doty Family. Darin brought his truck for the dump run and we sorted everything out for storage and what could be salvaged. Thank you for a great job to all that did help on the 2 cleanout sessions. As soon as I get the spread sheet back the prices will be gotten and then we can turn it back over to the insurance company for restitution. Hopefully this next week we will settle on the big printer because we had a separate policy on it.

On Saturday (September 5th) is the parade out at the Tulalip Tribes. They have created their own festival of sort called Tulalip Days for this weekend. I know that you all will be attending. We will leave from the Tribal Court parking lot at 10:30am. For those of you who do not know where that is, it is on the Secret Road. Go out 4th Street onto the reservation and the light just past Arby's turn left and go down past the Tulalip Best Western Hotel and it is there on the left side (it is the old casino employment office).  We have had some challenges with the City and cannot park the float trailer nor the bleachers at the caboose or at public works - so we had to go to the tribe once again for help and they have graciously allowed us to park our equipment out on the reservation at this location. It is secured, fenced in area.  No more seagulls! We are able to use the south end of the parking lot which is gravel. Thank you, Jack Bell - and thank you, Tulalip Tribes! Thank you, City of Marysville for allowing us to park the bleachers down at Public Works for the past three years! The Tulalip Tribes are also looking for temporary office space for us too.

We are now down to 4 more parades. Tulalip Tribes (Sponsor Parade - 9/5), Leavenworth (Autumn Leaf - 9/26), Issaquah (Salmon Days - 10/3) and Marysville (Merrysville for the Holidays - 12/5). Richard is driving Leavenworth and Chuck will be doing Issaquah.  Richard may be driving over early for Leavenworth so I will be getting back to all.  Chuck will drive down the morning of the 3rd and then back home.

The bleachers will be going over to Central Washington University on 9/10 and returning in October.

Thank you to everyone who took their time and helped clean out the caboose so that we can start over again. Thank you to Jack again for all the help with the Tulalip Tribes in our time of need.

Remember the BBQ on 9/19/09 at 3pm at my house.  This is the installation of our new officers and new board members.  It is important for you all to be here for that.