Parades have always meant a lot of work to me. My previous experience participating in parades (yep, parades...plural....lots and lots of them) has always left me sweaty and exhausted. All three of my daughters were Winona Winhawk Marching Band members while they were in high school. I was the band booster president for that fine organization for many years. One of my primary responsibilities was to recruit parents to "water the band". Recruiting and watering, both tough jobs with very little glamor. Watering the band meant walking backwards and trying to put water in a band members mouth in between songs while they stayed in step. We tried our best to keep their mouths off the bottle and provide a steady stream of cool water to keep them hydrated (we always lost a member or two to heat each summer). I have many memories of dousing kids with water, loosening braces and once nearly flushing a contact out of an eye because my aim was so bad.
I have also walked in many a parade in Southeastern Minnesota in support of political candidates. I managed two campaigns for a Minnesota House seat. Parades are mandatory in politics. It's all great on the block where they love your candidate, folks cheer and want to shake your hand. It's a little awkward to come face to face with the opposition as they come out of the porta-potty you are in line for but you respect anyone who will put themselves out there in a parade.
Winona's community has a great parade as part of our annual "Steamboat Days" celebration. I have marched in many of them. This year, our Superintendent, Dr. Scott Hannon drove the convertible in our Winona Area Public Schools Sesquicentennial unit. I got to ride and wave. No sweat, no stress, no injuries....I highly recommend it. It was great to see so many people there. Winona is a great place to live!
No comments:
Post a Comment