Santa delights kids at Holiday Parade of Lights

The Holiday Parade of Lights was a resounding celebration of holiday cheer for the city of Mountain Home, organizers said after the Friday night event was concluded in bitter cold weather.

The parade was sponsored by the Mountain Home Chamber of Commerce/Retail Merchant Committee. The theme for the parade, was "Follow The Star," a theme created by 6-year-old Kyle Crockett, winner of the Chamber's Christmas Parade of Lights Theme Contest.

Children and their families lined up on American Legion Boulevard in preparation of seeing the various floats and the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus.

A total of 37 floats took part, representing different entities from all over the community ranging from the Idaho National Guard, the Girl Scouts, the Mountain Home Police Department, Mountain Home Alumni, Faith Lutheran Church, the Great Basin Blues Festival and others.

The parade featured late float entries from Moxie Java, Daisy Troop 64 (Girl Scouts), Cornerstone Home Improvement and Girl Scout Troop 442.

Mayor Joe B. McNeal began the parade, arriving in between floats from the Mountain Home Fire Department. Mayor-elect Tom Rist and fellow city council members Mark Russell, Richard Urquidi, and Alain Isaac were a part of the panel judging the floats. They were joined by Kathy Jeffries of Idaho International Bank and Troy Clark, owner of McDonald's on Airbase Road.

The floats were judged in two categories, Best Float and General Entry. The prizes for best float were $500 for first and $250 for second and for general entry, $250 for first and $100 for second. The winners were:

Best Float

* 1st Place -- United Metals.

* 2nd Place -- Church of Nazarene.

* Honorable Mention -- Jovial Jerry's

General Entry

* 1st Place -- ATV Club.

* 2nd Place -- Cornerstone Home Improvement.

* Honorable Mention -- Bastida Towing.

During the parade, Tigs, the Tiger, mascot of the Optimist Youth program, met the children viewing the parade and gave them candy canes.

The highlight in the mind of every child watching was the appearance of Santa and Mrs. Claus, who arrived on a fire truck with their eight trusty reindeer perched on top of the ladder.

After Santa drove past her, 3-year-old Abby Smith said, "I love Santa. He is so cool."

Santa and Mrs. Claus ended up back at Triangle Park where McNeal led the residents in a hearty "Merry Christmas" toward the yuletide couple. After the truck stopped and Santa and Mrs. Claus exited, the reindeer flew into the night sky as the fire truck ladder was raised and the American flag was put on display.

Santa and Mrs. Claus also threw out candy canes to the waiting children, and after getting off the truck, took time to greet a long line of children.

McNeal also cued the timing of the lighting of the Christmas Tree, a tree that included 1,200 lights, the most ever for the tree, and the newly purchased 5-foot Bethlehem star.

Local children assisted in making ornaments and decorations for the tree. Airmen from Mountain Home Air Force Base, volunteered to help the children string the decorations and put them up on the tree,

"I lived here for 33 years, and for this being my first time at the parade it was great," said Mark Hitesman.

"This is awesome, I enjoy seeing the kids and the tree lit up, this was great for my first time at the parade," said Johnny Moncada.

D & D Tree Services volunteered their time to help decorate the higher points of the tree with the children's ornaments.

Elmore Masonic Lodge No. 30 AF & AM, gave out free hot dogs and hot chocolate, "The Lodge got a great response from the people," said McNeal.

The key parties involved all shared the same joyous sentiment,

"It was fantastic, a great number of float entries and the turnout was tremendous. We had a great time," said Toni Noland, Retail Merchant Committee Chairman.

"It was a fantastic parade, everyone who participated did an outstanding job," said Debbie Shoemaker, executive director of the Mountain Home Chamber of Commerce.

"It went fine. I enjoyed it. It was a nice way to start off the holiday season," said City Councilman-elect Geoff Schroeder, (who took part in the parade by driving a John Deere for the float representing Girl Scout troop 442).

"I think it was a fantastic parade, the Merchant Committee and the Chamber of Commerce deserve a lot of credit. The night-lit parade was Steve Gustaphson's and Toni Noland's idea. The first year (last year) was good, this year was even better," said Rist.

"It was a great turnout from the parade entries and the crowd, it was the best I've seen yet," said Russell.

"I think it was an awesome parade, everyone who took part with the floats did a great job, the lights were great, it was fun," said Urquidi.

"It was wonderful, the Merchant Committee needs to be commended for working so diligently in putting a class act like this together for the community. It really started the holiday season off on the right foot," said Isaac.

"The parade was excellent, it was bigger and better this year, I think everyone responded greatly. I think the timing of the tree lighting went well. Overall, it was an outstanding parade and everyone who took part did an outstanding job," said McNeal.