The 42nd Annual Garnett Area Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade Saturday evening was a huge success. Though the weather was a bit brisk, there was a wonderful turnout. This year’s theme was “Christmas Lights for Winter Nights.” Dorothy and Walter Lickteig were honored as Grand Marshalls. Todd Allen Crawford, a fourth-grader at Garnett Elementary, chose the winning theme and was given the honor of riding in the parade with Santa on the fire truck.

Our prize-winning floats were:

• First Place — Friends of the Prairie Spirit Trail “Winter Wonderland”

• Second Place — Selma United Methodist Church “Sharing the Light of Jesus”

• Third Place — Guest Home Estates “Lighting Up Winter Nights with love, friends and family”

We would also like to thank the following entities for their participation in the parade:

• VFW Post No. 6397 and American Legion Post No. 48

• ACHS Band and its director Jeff Russell

• The ACJSHS Cheerleaders and their sponsors Trish Wittman and Tina Wolken

• Local Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops

• ACHS Crimson Dancers and their sponsors Eileen Burns and Renee Duke

• Garnett Saddle Club

• Kansas River Gang

• The Garnett Police Department

• The Garnett Fire Department

• Anderson County Emergency Management

• The City of Garnett staff, especially City Manager Joyce Martin

• The Garnett City Commissioners and Anderson County Commissioners

• Announcer Preston Peine

• And many other churches, businesses, organizations and other members of the community

A special thanks to our judges, Stacy Rycheck, Helen Cramer and Jenni Keith. Chamber members who made special donations of their equipment or services included Brummel Farm Service, Beckman Motors, Medicine Shoppe and Miller Hardware.

Our other volunteers — Don Lile, Scott Rogers, John Gordon, Mike Norman, Jeri Troyer, Milton Yoder, Patrick Klein, Jessica Solander Klein and Bradley Ruppert — helped to fill in the gaps to make this all possible.  We sincerely appreciate everyone who braved the cold to ride in, walk in or simply watch the parade.

— Submitted by Mary Lou Ruppert, office administrator, Garnett Area Chamber of Commerce