HANCEVILLE – What a day for a parade! "Months and months of drought, and now it rains," complained one observer in the crowd. But the complaints were all made with smiles, as the Hanceville Civitan Club put on its 27th annual Cullman County Christmas Parade in Hanceville Saturday afternoon. Rain started less than an hour before the parade and continued through the conclusion of the open house at Hanceville Fire Station No. 1, but it didn't seem to dampen anyone's spirits, as crowds lined the road and flowed into the station for food and fellowship afterwards.
Hanceville Civitan President Nancy Horton gave the Tribune the parade numbers: 25 emergency vehicles (police, fire, EMT), 27 motorcycles, 40 horses, three local high school bands, and a total of 127 entries. Emergency vehicles came from Hanceville, Walter, Johnson's Crossing, Good Hope, Logan, Bethsadia and other departments. The high school bands came from Hanceville, Good Hope and Vinemont. Steady rain didn't seem to deter any of the participants from doing their part.
"Our theme was ‘God, Country and Local Heroes,’" Horton said, "and in honor of that we had four grand marshals this year: the fire chief, police chief, public works chief and mayor." Those are Hanceville officials: Fire Chief Rodger Green, Police Chief Bob Long, Public Works Superintendent Rusty Fields and Mayor Kenneth Nail.
The parade made its way from Wallace State down to the fire station where Civitans served food and drinks and kids could visit with Santa and Mrs.Claus and meet Spider Man dressed in his finest Christmas tights!
Horton and Hanceville Civitan charter member Joann Walls spoke about a special project the Civitans have going on that figured into the planning for this event. This is the 100th year of Civitans International, and local groups have been asked to celebrate with projects incorporating the "100" theme.
"We set a goal of having 100 entries in the parade, but we got 127," said Horton, happy with the excess.
Walls pointed out that they had cooked 100 hot dogs to sell, along with chips and drinks. Proceeds from these items will help fund the club's scholarships given annually to two Hanceville High School seniors.
Aside from the parade and open house, according to Horton, "Every member (in Hanceville) is giving 100 diapers to First Source (a counseling and support service for women with unplanned pregnancies), and every member is giving 100 cans of food to two local food banks."
Both ladies expressed gratefulness to the participants in the parade, and happiness that the community would turn out on such a day for a good cause.
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