Editor,
I would like to express my appreciation for the glorious and meaningful Patriots Day Parade on Saturday. It was a time of great rejoicing for me as artist of the year and there’s no place that can match the glory of a parade in Laguna Beach! The weather behaved, there was not a cloud in the sky, a gentle breeze was flowing from the sea, and everyone on the parade route seemed to be smiling from ear to ear. My daughter and I rode in Don Black’s bright red vintage Mustang convertible from which we especially cheered for the music groups; I the bands and Patti Jo the choirs.
The work that goes into this celebration deserves the most praise: Sande Werthe, the remarkable leader of the parade in general from start to finish; Sandi St. John, who was greeting all the groups and keeping them “in line” from start to finish; and Ed Hanke, the head master of the entire parade. All were doing their jobs with a smile on their face and said they couldn’t wait till next year.
Although my daughter and I were so proud of the music groups, most of all we loved seeing our smiling and clapping friends all along the parade route. Happiness reigned! And the crowd was estimated at over 10,000 for a wonderful show!
Thank you Laguna Beach for making me a celebrity in my own hometown, for celebrating our Patriots Day Parade in all its glory, and for appreciating the difficult job of planning that goes into this marvelous celebration that we all love!
Carol Reynolds, Laguna Beach
