Westport Lions Club

By Lucille Bresee

For The Review-Mirror

        Mother Nature provided a beautiful day Saturday for the annual Santa Claus Parade, sponsored by the Westport Lions Club.

        If you were riding on a float, passing out treats for the children or just a spectator or part of a musical entry, you had to feel the excitement and admit having the Christmas spirit.

        Parade judges had a difficult task in choosing a winner of the ‘Closest to the Theme’ category as there were several excellent choices. The winner was the Catholic Women’s League with their aptly-tiled float ‘No Room At the Inn’.

        The ‘Most Creative’ category went to the Lions Club for their Scrap Metal Recycling Project.

        The final plaque, for ‘Honorable Mention, went to West Winds Ranch. This float delighted the children especially as it had real live animals like an alpaca, pot bellied pig, young goat and a white rat, to name a few.

        Elswood and David Gamble with their beautiful Belgian horses have been a part of our parade almost every year.

        It wouldn’t be a parade without a band, so everyone welcomed the Perth Citizen’s Band, the Rideau District High School Band and the Spencer Evans trio with Jeff and Seamus Cowan.

        A variety of vintage and other specialty cars drew a lot of attention, ranging from a 1956 Chevrolet through a wide range of models up to 1971; all spic and span and to many present evoked nostalgic memories.

        There were a number of eye catching floats from local businesses, individuals and some with a religious theme reminding us what a giving time of year this is and that the theme, also tells us that, the Night Before Christmas isn’t very far away.

        One star of the Parade was 95-year-old Gordon Garvin, representing local Royal Canadian Legion, No. 542 and almost dwarfed on his scooter by the Bison from the Armoured Vehicle Electronics and Communications School in Kingston. This huge Armoured vehicle of the Electronics Warfare Unit had the little folks in awe of its size. Vehicles from the Westport Depot No. 4 of the Rideau Lakes Fire Department, police and Emergency vehicles, generous clowns giving out candy added to an exciting time.

        Following the Parade, the children had an opportunity to speak with Santa and receive a bag of goodies from Lions Club elves at St. Edward School.