Page 8 - Reedley Expodent 12-21-17 e-edition

Electrical parade winners
Santa at Alta Elementary
Santa Claus made his annual visit to Alta Elementary School on Dec. 15. Santa visited each classroom and passed out candy and other prizes. The school’s ParentTeacherClubdonatedmoneyfor thegiveaway.
TOP: Stephanie Cortez’s kindergarten class posed in their pajamas with Santa
The Reedley Exponent A8 Thursday, December 21, 2017
Here are the top three floats chosen by judges at the Dec. 7 Electrical Farm Equipment Parade in downtown Reedley.
ABOVE: The judges selected the Dinuba- based Iglesia Apostolica la Mision Chil- dren’s Ministry as the top float for 2017. The float had the theme of “Bethlehem City! Home to the Greatest Super Hero of Them All: Jesus Christ!”The float featured a number of custom built props and designs.
RIGHT: The second-place Reedley 4-H Club float honored superheroes from comic books and movies to real-life superheroes such as doctors, police officers, firefighters and military personnel.
LOWER RIGHT: Super Clyde, the Reedley College mascot, walks along G Street in his superhero costume. The float was the third-place choice among the judges.
Photos by Jon Earnest / The Exponent
and Al the Eagle, the school mascot.
Vicki Nishida / Photo Contributed
ABOVE: Darla Plano’s first-grade class also took a group photo with their fa- mous Christmas visitor.
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that indicated what type of gift to buy for the mothers and their children.
Gym members Cristal Jones, Kathy Wilson and Carrie Orlopp worked together to help coor- dinate the event. They said in a news release that any gym mem- ber not wishing to buy a gift can make a cash donation.
“This year, the plan is to use any cash donations toward a gift card for groceries and Sam’s Shoe Store,” the release stated. Toys
Jon Earnest / The Exponent
were being collected through Thursday, Dec. 21.
The teen mothers in the pro- gram range in age from 15 to 20 years.
“It’s great to know that they’re going to have a gift for their child,” Betancourt said. “We’ve done gifts for all the girls as well because they’re kids, too.”
Betancourt said the toy give- away is welcomed by the pro- gram, which has suffered recent cuts in funding as grant money disappeared. She said Kings Canyon Unified School District stepped in with some short-term funding.
A group of doves owned by the White Doves of Dinuba organization fly off after being released during the Wreaths for Reedley Veterans Ceremony at Reedley Cemetery on Dec. 16. About 200 people attended the annual event. Volunteers place wreaths at gravesites of veterans for the Christmas season.
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The ceremony opened with the Reedley High Navy Junior ROTC presenting the colors, and the audience then recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
After students from St. La Salle Catholic School laid a wreath at the cemetery’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Gary Barsoom performed taps on the bugle. Susan Lusk and her grandson, Joe Fenton Lusk III — nephew to Joe F. Lusk II — released a single white dove provided by White Doves of Dinuba. Workers then released a group of doves from containers, and the birds flew in a circle around the cemetery’s military veterans’ section.
Susan Lusk praised her crew of volunteers who trans- ported 18 trucks filled with wreaths to the cemetery and unloaded them without inci- dent. The entire task was com- pleted in about 20 minutes.
“It was like a well-oiled machine,” she said.
Lusk said the Go Fund Me account has raised money for about 1,200 wreath stands — including about 450 stainless steel stands.
“We’re aiming for 7,500,”
Jon Earnest / The Exponent
Attendees recite the Pledge of Allegiance as the Reedley High School Navy Junior ROTC unit presents the colors during the Dec. 16 Wreaths for Reedley Veterans event at Reedley Cemetery.
Jon Earnest / The Exponent
she said. “These cost about $1.25 each and we want to have a fund to replace wreaths
as they get damaged.” Wreaths for Reedley Vet-
erans welcomes the help of volunteers to help take down the wreaths on Saturday, Jan. 6. Lusk also encouraged more people to come out to the cer- emony in 2018.
“We hope to start rivaling the Memorial Day [event],” she said.
Volunteers who want to help with wreath removal can contact Lusk at (559) 859-2865.
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