www.hoodrivernews.com
Hood River News, Wednesday, July 8, 2015
A9
July 4 rolls out the fun, despite the heat
Photos by Ben Mitchell (parade) and Kirby Neumann-Rea (Jackson Park)
ANTONIO GALVEZ of Parkdale rides his Frisian horse, Goliath, and
the “Beautiful Bounty” of Immanuel Lutheran Church (Non-Profit
co-winner) wave from a flatbed.
Annual festivities bring out
crowds in Hood River, Odell, Bingen
By KIRBY NEUMANN-REA
News editor
Barbecue smoke wafted
over an empty main lawn of
Jackson Park on July 4.
Oh, there were people
there — it was a well-attend-
ed community July 4 Cele-
bration to follow the parade.
Long lines of people formed
to savor the Hood River Fire
Department’s annual barbe-
cue — but to beat the 90s heat
they took their plates of food
and crowded the park’s shad-
ed periphery while they ate
and listened to music.
Meanwhile, in Odell, the
annual parade delivered its
usual variety of folks on
cars, horses, ATVs, motorcy-
cles, and on foot, and the un-
usual sight of a helicopter
flyover. The parade flowed
into El Mercado del Valle
farmers’ market at neighbor-
ing Mid Valley Elementary
School. See page B6 for a
page of Odell photos.
Independence Day got an
“Independence Eve” preview
with the
first live
R a d i o
Inside
Tierra
For more July 4
s h o w
photos turn to
f r o m
page A3 (Inde-
Bingen
pendence Eve);
Theater.
pages 9-10 (HR
T h e
events) and
event,
pages B6 and
p laying
to
a
B10.
packed
house,
benefited The Next Door Inc.,
food bank programs in Klick-
itat County, and Hood River’s
efforts to support the com-
munity of Kumari, Nepal,
heavily damaged by earth-
quakes this spring.
Musical groups Harmony
of the Gorge, Los Temerosos
and others performed at an
event that brought the may-
ors of Hood River, Bingen
and White Salmon on stage
together, and the theater and
radio audiences heard Amer-
ican folk songs, patriotic
numbers, love songs and
even a protest song, tongue
twisters in English and
Spanish, the poetry of
William Stafford, and more.
July 4 got started with the
Kollas-Cranmer Memorial
Run from Odell to Hood
River — details on page A7 —
and the run/walk melded
into to the July 4 parade, as it
does each year. On a flatbed
truck, the grand marshals —
FISH food bank volunteers —
waved while wearing match-
ing green shirts.
The Portland marching
and The Beat Goes On did
lively sets on the move and
then gave a lengthy concert
after the parade, complete
with dance and baton teams
on that hot Jackson Park
lawn. Local band Willie and
Nelson did two long sets, and
emcee Keith Doroski, attired
in U.S. flag-decked shirt and
cowboy hat, kept the pro-
gram moving. (Doroski also
rode in the parade perched in
the bucket of his company
truck, see below.)
“Several people have told
me that this was the best pa-
rade ever,” said Tom Yates of
Hood River Lions, who coor-
dinate the July 4 events.
“The local entries are getting
better every year and it was
special to have the 90-plus
members of The Beat Goes
On marching band be in the
parade and put on a 40
minute program in Jackson
Park after playing our coun-
try’s National Anthem. It is
nice to know we can give
some monetary prizes to the
category winners from the
entry fee.”
Parade winners were:
■ Youth — Gorge Kids
Triathlon
■ Commercial — (tie)
Western Antique Aeroplane
and Automobile Museum
and Doroski LLC (Gate Latch
And Door)
■ Non-profit — (tie) Love
Wins (celebrating Supreme
Court decision on same-sex
marriage) and Immanuel
Lutheran Church
■ Music — Hood River
Gold Stars
■ Special Mention —
American Legion
■ Touched By Award —
Hood River Fairgrounds’ rid-
erless horse, honoring de-
ceased veterans; Sushi
Okalani, supporting FISH
food bank.
“My thanks to more than a
dozen generous businesses
who helped sponsor the
music. Add to that the City of
Hood River, Hood River
Chamber of Commerce and
the Hood River Rotary Club. I
also thank all the volunteers
who helped on the parade
route and in the park,” Yates
said.
Yates noted that while
there were fewer people in
the park as usual, “we were
fortunate to have the coolest
days in this latest hot spell.
The westerly breeze made
both the parade and park ac-
tivities tolerable. We also
had some new vendors in the
park.”
FOUND HELMET
Yates reported that as the
events were winding down a
mother reported her son’s
lost green-colored bike hel-
met.
“With an announcement
from the stage, it was found
Your
Mortgage
Lender
Call Bernie today
541-490-0167
Bernie Dittenhofer
Licensed Mortgage Banker
NMLS #2550 NMLS #114231 ML 832-21
FISH GRAND MARSHALS greet the crowds; below, at Jackson Park Miles Chavez, 6, takes turns with his sister, Madeline, 9, tossing the
bean bags, and firefighters grill burgers (and check cooking temperature).
A division of Mann Mortgage, LLC
509 Cascade Ave., Suite F, Hood River
Apply at berniedittenhofer.westcorpmortgage.com
and is waiting for the family
who asked for help. However,
I didn’t get the name of the
mother except that her fami-
ly lives up on the Heights
somewhat close to the park.
So, I hope she contacts the
Hood River News (541-386-
1234) so they can get word to
me. One more good reasons
why Hood River is such a
great place to live.”
PORTLAND’S The Beat Goes On
baton team members enjoy the
parade. It was the group’s first
visit to Hood River, and they
stayed for a 45-minute music
and baton set at Jackson Park,
music ranging from Sousa to
Chinese folk to Lady Gaga.
PLEASE turn to page A10
for more July 4 photos.
M T . H O O D P O D I A T R Y
K E S S A M A UR A S , D P M
Diabetic Foot Care
Foot and Ankle Wounds
Diabetic Shoe Program
Skin and Nail biopsies
Ingrown Nails/Infections/Warts
Custom Orthotics
Sports Medicine/Injuries
and Fracture Care
• In-office Ultrasound
and Fluoroscopy
• In-office Non-Invasive
Vascular testing
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
• Pediatric foot care
• Conservative and surgical
management of bunions,
hammertoes, neuromas
• MLS Laser
Therapy Treatment.
Painlessly & effectively
relieves pain associated with
arthritis & bursitis, tendonitis,
sprains and strains, sports in-
juries, post-surgical swelling
and occupational injuries
1700 12th St., Ste B • Hood River • Se Habla Espa ñ ol
5 41 . 3 8 6 . 1 0 0 6 • 5 4 1 - 3 8 6 - 1 2 8 4 F a x • www.mthoodpodiatry.com