Yesterday, Dec. 11, the 49th annual Old Town Orcutt Christmas Parade went off (almost) flawlessly. The weather certainly cooperated, but more than anything else our town showed once again how very much it embraces the principles of community. We had wonderful support from the citizens who attended the event in droves and from the merchants in the affected area for being so committed to their community. These merchants participated with sponsorship funding, and by allowing the necessary business interruption that comes from closing a main thoroughfare for a couple of hours on a Saturday.
Moreover, the support given in the form of participation—from school marching bands to floats, with Vespa scooters and classic cars in between, and, of course, the Santa Barbara County Fire Department Station 21 providing the asphalt-compatible sleigh for Santa Claus—also showed that this town is a tremendous place for us to call “home.” I’d also like to recognize once more the community involvement of our Grand Marshal, John Will.
On behalf of all of the volunteers forming the many committees that provided the working force to organize and execute this parade, and on behalf of the hosting partners—the Orcutt Lions Club, the Lions Clubs of the Santa Maria Valley, and the Orcutt Community Foundation—thank you all and we wish you a very merry Christmas!
This article appears in Dec 16-23, 2010.