THE RECORD

April 23, 1997

BACK TO THE EGG

Suzanne Trevis

When was the last time you saw a parade? Not on TV. Live and in colour. Has it been awhile?

Parades, for kids at least, are one of those things you remember for a good, long time. Because they're different, exciting and it usually means other good things are to follow.

I can recall quite a few parades from when I was little. Not specifically, mind you, they all tend to blur together as one big parade. But that touch of "something exciting is happening" kicks in as soon as the first drum roll sounds.

Reaching way back the first parade I can remember ever seeing was in Vancouver. I could only have been about three. We were sharing an apartment with my aunt and uncle and all I can really remember was getting them up early by jumping on the bed. They had the best (only?) view! The band was playing Scotland the Brave and for the rest of my life, when I hear that song, I think of jumping on that bed, watching the parade.

Parades here were a lot more fun. People would dress up. Sometimes we'd decorate our bikes and buggies and get to be IN the parade. Kids would run aside the different floats catching candies and strings of beads. We'd be trying to guess who's Dad was driving the logging truck or the crane, who was dressed as Smokey the Bear and so on.

Thinking back from a new perspective I seem to recall quite a few adults acting more than a little silly. Guys dressing up like girls, nurses maybe. I'm having some trouble with this one, it probably wasn't half as funny to kids. Anyway, you get the idea.

In recent years we've had a few parades. Though they are getting fewer and further between. The twenty-fifth birthday celebration brought out quite a few folks. And, despite the blockade (or maybe because of it!) one remembers that feeling of belonging. The togetherness of family, friends and community.

It's that feeling that I miss. A lot of the time I think the community is drawing apart. People don't get involved the way they did then. Maybe it's a time thing (that's my biggest excuse, too many things to do) or maybe people just don't care anymore. And then, maybe, they're just looking at it from the wrong perspective.

I got "volunteered" to help the Kinsmen get a parade together for this year's Loggers Sports. (okay, okay they didn't exactly twist my arm). It's the 30th anniversary of the first Loggers Sports in Gold River and big plans are underway to make things unforgettable.

When we started thinking about ways to drag people out to participate in a parade (which is how it always seems) we actually thought of a lot that we have to offer. The secret is to think like a kid. For some of us this comes naturally. But seriously, everyone's reaction is "I don't have time to put together a float for a parade. Do you know how (time consuming / expensive / labour intensive) this is?"

Kids don't care if its a real float or Mr So and So's truck "dressed up" to look like one. They don't care if it took 5,000 rose petals and 10 pounds of rice to "draw" Bozos face or if 150 orange garbage bag "flowers" did the same trick. We might not have huge inflatable Barneys and Caspers but, hey, have you ever seen a logging truck or a golf cart in the Rose Parade? How about a few spiced up shopping carts with "bag ladies"? Tow trucks complete with wrecks? Fishing boats? Ollie the Octopus? I think not.

We have things that are unique to our community. It's an excuse (as if we need one!) to celebrate those things.

I look at what is happening right now. Okay, what has been happening for awhile. It's all the more reason to get out and show ourselves, show our children, that there is still a reason to hope. To celebrate and to feel good about what we have, and what we have accomplished.

You don't have to do anything big and fancy, all you have to do is show up. Hey, you might even have a good time!