Pride, Optimism, and Coloring Contest Winners

Even in this summer heat, my thoughts keep returning to a beloved Christmas tale.

After all, those of us who live, work, and/or otherwise love the Park Cities recently endured our Whoville moment.

The oh so Grinch-like COVID-19 pandemic stole away the beloved Fourth of July Parade, leaving behind no candy tossed from red, white, and blue floats, no bicycle decorating contest, and no picnic full of freebies in Goar Park.

With apologies to author Theodor Geisel, no puzzler is needed to explain what happened next.

With leadership from the Rotary Club of Park Cities, residents proved, as Dr. Seuss might say, that, “Maybe (Independence Day), perhaps… means a little bit more!”

This section celebrates the community spirit and patriotism demonstrated by all who showed off their Stars, Stripes, and Service by participating and supporting a modified 2020 Fourth of July Celebration.

Congratulations to all the winners, and thank you to those who voted online to choose the newspaper’s People’s Pick. It looks like you and Rotary’s volunteer judges agreed.

Annually, the Rotary Club uses the parade to bring in donations for the North Texas Food Bank, and this year’s paradeless celebration helped the cause, too.

“We raised $32,150 on behalf of the North Texas Food Bank, and when combined with the matching partners of NTFB, a grand total of 283,650 meals were provided for those in need,” parade committee chair Sarah Oliai announced.

If you missed the 2020 July Fourth of July Broadcast, you should check it out at parkcitiesrotary.org or on the Park Cities Rotary YouTube channel. It showcases Girl Scouts, music, youth, and timely thoughts from elected leaders.

Finally, the sacrificing we make “to rid ourselves of an oppressive foe, in this case, a devastating virus,” shouldn’t diminish community pride and optimism, Rotary Club president Barbara Jeffries said recently. “I am hopeful we will be celebrating Independence Day together next year and every year after.”

I am, too.

Jump into out 2020 Fourth of July Special Section:

For nearly 40 years, People Newspapers has worked tirelessly to tell the stories—good, bad, and sublime—of our neighbors in the Park Cities and Preston Hollow. To support our efforts, please contact [email protected] for advertising opportunities. Please also consider sharing this story with your friends and social media followers.

Share this article...
Email this to someone
email
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Share on LinkedIn
Linkedin

William Taylor

William Taylor, editor of Park Cities People and Preston Hollow People, shares a name and a birthday with his dad and a love for community journalism with his colleagues at People Newspapers. He joined the staff in 2016 after more than 25 years working for daily newspapers in such places as Alexandria, Louisiana; Baton Rouge; McKinney; San Angelo; and Sherman, though not in anywhere near that order. A city manager once told him that “city government is the best government” because of its potential to improve the lives of its residents. William still enjoys covering municipal government and many other topics. Follow him on Twitter @Seminarydropout. He apologizes in advance to the Joneses for any angry Tweets that might slip out about the Dallas Cowboys during the NFL season. You also can reach him at [email protected]. For the latest news, click here to sign up for our newsletter.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.