THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, December 14, 1994 TAG: 9412130111
SECTION: ISLE OF WIGHT CITIZEN PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Linda McNatt
LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines
Somebody up there apparently has paid no attention to the tune the Real Smithfield Jaycees croon every year around this time. And the tune has nothing to do with the holiday season. Rather, it's ``Don't Rain On My Parade.''
The Jaycees sponsored their eighth annual Christmas parade down Main Street last weekend. And for the eighth consecutive year, drizzle met the floats and marchers and bands.
If it's not truly the case that Mother Nature is frowning on the parade, last Saturday's weather certainly made it seem to be the case, Jaycee president Stephanie Scheibe said.
``It pretty much rains every year, kind of like it was Saturday,'' Scheibe said Monday morning.
``The rain and last minute cancellations hurt us a little in the number of units,'' she said. ``But we had a lot of helping hands. We got them lined up in record time.''
And one thing's for sure. Every man, woman, child and dog - that's right - dog - who got out there smiled, sang, danced and did whatever they had to do deserves a big ``10'' simply for enthusiasm.
And the winners were: Bands - Smithfield Middle School, first; Hardy/Carrollton Marching Band, second; Floats - Windsor School of Dance, first; Carrollton Elementary Chorus, second; Isle of Wight Parks and Recreation, third; Marching units - European Dance Studio, first; South of Broadway, second; Southside Ballet, third.
Now, that may sound simple, but it wasn't. I judged the parade for the second consecutive year as did John Edwards, editor of the Smithfield Times. Our third judge this year was Clay Byrum. Clay is Atlantic Regional Director of the Jaycees in his official capacity, a deputy with the Southampton County Sheriff's Department in his spare time.
And he's apparently a cool head at both jobs. In the judging, he was quick to tap me on the arm when I was overly impressed with a flashy car or those really neat big boomer motorcycles to remind me that all it took for those guys participating was a little spit and polish to get the vehicles ready.
The kids marching and on floats, Clay pointed out, went to a lot of work to practice and decorate the floats. The judging had to lean a bit in the direction of those who obviously worked the hardest.
The motorcycles were impressive. It was certainly nice of the Gold Wing Riders to come all the way from wherever they had to come to participate in the Smithfield Christmas Parade.
The Antique Car Club couldn't have been more fun. The old cars and trucks were decorated for the holidays and the drivers and riders were obviously tuned into the spirit. And the Total Image Car Club with its array of customized vehicles couldn't have been any flashier.
But, yeah, I had to admit. The award for real spirit had to go to those kids with the European Dance Studio, splashing rain water off their pointy-toed elf slippers as they did flips and cartwheels along the street.
And it had to go to the Windsor School of Dance for its spirit and enthusiasm and for that wonderfully-inventive golf cart made up to look like a Flintstones vehicle and to Fred and Barney, whoever they were.
And how about the Smithfield Middle School Band? They were the only band, except for the younger Hardy/Carrollton Marching Band, that showed up to march out there in the rain. And if you didn't know differently, you would certainly have thought they were at least a high school band. Both bands were great.
Believe me, the judges put a lot of thought into the scoring for creativity, precision, theme, costumes, music and enthusiasm. Each of the 39 entries got from 1 to 10 points for each category. As we got colder and wetter, we probably got more generous with points. I know I did.
And speaking of points, well, a lot of them have got to go to the Jaycees' president.
Stephanie, who works at Virginia Power's Surry Nuclear Plant as a health-physics technician, took over as Jaycee president three months ago when the first president this year resigned.
Then, just a week before the annual parade, she was handed the responsibility for that, when the parade chairman had to go out of town.
``She just kind of said, `Here's what I have,' '' Stephanie told me.
Stephanie, with a lot of good help, she said, managed to pull a parade together in a week.
And it was wonderful. ILLUSTRATION: Photos by KARI McNATT
Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus arrive on a farm machine.
The Smithfield Middle School Band was one of two bands in the
parade.
by CNB