Christmas came a little early to Portage on Saturday as the community celebrated the holidays with a parade and a lighting of Frank Gilbert Jr. Memorial Park.
Each year, many towns around the region kick off the holiday season with a parade and a celebration and Portage is no different. Portage has been hosting a ceremony for the past twenty years and it has become the kickstart for the season each year.
“We’re celebrating Christmas!” exclaimed Mayor James Snyder. “This is celebration much like any other city has, but it’s great to be out here with everyone who’s excited to start the holidays. It’s truly the best time of the year.”
To start those celebrations the city put on a special holiday parade. The parade got started with a police escort, shortly followed by a group of motorcyclists and Patriot Guard Riders, the Willowcreek Middle School Choir, Mayor Snyder and his family, the Portage Fire Department, and Santa with Mrs. Claus. The parade made its way down the street and around the corner to Gilbert Park where everyone gathered to celebrate.
Joe Clark, Rich Stover, Dennis Holland, and Dave Coleman were all a part of the motorcycle group who rode in the parade and said that they love participating and being a part of the event every year.
“It’s always fun being the reindeer every year,” Clark joked. Stover, who rides in various different parades and is a Patriot Guard Rider, said this parade is when he and his good friends get together and ride around for for the good of the community. “There’s no such parade without a motorcycle parade and Santa Claus. Other than that we really just want to be involved with such a great event for the city. We want help out and be a part of this any way we can, especially because this is our town.”
All of the participants in the parade walked for the good of the community. The Willowcreek Choir have been walking in the parade for the past eight years, and if Choir Director Natalie Franks is involved they will continue to be a part of it for years to come.
“It’s a great way for the kids to get involved with community service through music. We’ve traveled through rain, sleet and snow - sometimes with only five kids - and we’ve still been a part.” Franks stated.
All of the students who took part in the parade and sang carols at the park volunteered, and that’s something Franks is proud to see. “This is something that really gets them to see the good that the city does. It’s a great way for them to see that the city puts on something special each year and they’re always glad to be a part of that,” she explained.
The Willowcreek students weren’t the only ones who wanted to contribute to something special. The Myers Elementary Student Council were on hand to sell cookies and hot chocolate too all of the cold attendees. All of the money raised by the sale went towards a charity of the kids choice, which lets them contribute in their own way to the betterment of others. Ashley Bocian, a fourth grade teacher, and Danielle Jacobs, a kindergarten teacher, joined their students at the park and agreed that it’s important for the kids to be involved with the event.
“They really enjoy being out here, despite it being cold - but that’s why we have the hot chocolate!” Bocian exclaimed. “All of the kids who are here are in student council but they volunteered to be a part because they wanted to be. That’s really special to see kids so young coming out to help the community.”
While the choir was singing and the student council were handing out treats kids were getting their picture taken with Santa, courtesy of Walgreens, and families were getting their own pictures with Mrs. Clause. Mayor Snyder also took time to read the children The Bottom Shelf Elf, a book that has become a tradition in the celebration. Once all other celebrations were finished, the park was finally lit up with thousands of multicolored lights. The trees were accented with warm colors and the gazebo became a glittering centerpiece in the town’s holiday celebration.
Next year there will be another parade, another switching of the lights, and another chance to get a picture with Santa - but this year was another spectacular example of the holiday spirit and the charitable community that loves to celebrate it.