Keizertimes., March 04, 2016, Page A16, Image 16

PAGE A16, KEIZERTIMES, MARCH 4, 2016
KEIZERTIMES file/Craig Murphy
The First Slavic Baptist
Church truck (top) and May
Trucking entry (above) have
long been well lit for the
Festival of Lights Holiday
Parade and have been crowd
favorites. After 25 years, the
parade’s run has ended.
PARADE,
continued from Page A1
said. “This event has been
made possible year after year
because of the awesome
teams and their passion, our
dedicated entries, sponsors and
community supporters. We
feel very blessed and honored
that we have been able to
produce this wonderful event
and create wonderful holiday
memories for our local and
regional communities.”
Mitchell told the Keizertimes
on Tuesday the hope had been
someone else would take over
the event.
“We looked for someone
and no one took it,” she said.
“We met with big and small
companies. We tried to get
people locally to take it and
run with it. It's just time for
us to retire. We want to enjoy
our retirement while we are
healthy. It takes a lot of time
and volunteer hours to do
an event, 3,500 hours a year
minimum. That's a lot of giving
back to the community.”
Last year's parade came in
the midst of several days of
rain. The rain stopped shortly
before the parade began down
River Road, but the weather
forecast appeared to keep some
people from both participating
and viewing.
Weather issues were always
an issue to contend with, not
surprising since the parade
took place the second Saturday
of December.
“We had no control over
Mother Nature,” Mitchell
said with a laugh. “Contrary
to popular belief, I don't
have a direct contact with
Mother Nature. We've been
very blessed with the weather.
Every time the parade started,
the rain stopped.”
Mitchell said not finding
someone to take over the
event was a sign of the times.
“We really wanted to have
a great event and to have
someone take it over,” she said.
“A lot of people don't realize
how much money and time it
takes. There's a new generation
that doesn't do a lot of
volunteering. The other thing
that needs to be addressed is
volunteerism. That's such a
huge part of our community.”
Mayor Cathy Clark met
with Mitchell last Saturday
and got the news before it
went public.
“I'm very thankful for
volunteers like the Mitchells
who have given so many
years of their lives for an
event so wonderful for our
community,” Clark said on
Tuesday. “They have raised
so much for non-profits that
help the community. They
have created so many special
memories. I wish them well in
their retirement.”
Mitchell isn't sure yet what
her December will look like
this year.
“I haven't had a Christmas
for 23 years,” she said. “I'm
lucky to get a tree up and
lights on each year. It's going
to be real hard. I don't think
we'll be around for Christmas.
It'll be very hard for Bob and
I. We really want to enjoy our
retirement. We gave our 23
years to the community. It's
a bittersweet thing for us, it
really is.”