Fairfield Rotary plans Christmas Eve Parade

FAIRFIELD – The Fairfield Rotary Club will host its 99th Christmas Eve Parade on Friday night.

Just as in years’ past, the parade will begin at the Iowa National Guard Armory on West Stone Avenue at 5 p.m. It will follow the same route as always, with Santa and his reindeer leading the way. Santa and his elves will throw candy to parade onlookers before making their final stop on the west side of Central Park to meet the area’s good little girls and boys, around 6-6:15 p.m.

This year’s parade will honor Larry Nash, who announced his retirement from Rotary after 57 years in the club. Nash is a retired dentist, and his tenure in Rotary saw him provide dental health care to children in Xicotepec, Mexico, and residents of Cartagena, Colombia. Nash and his wife Janet have built houses for Habitat for Humanity, and after Hurricane Katrina, he traveled to Mississippi to help repair the damage. Nash has been recognized as Fairfield Volunteer of the Year and Fairfield Citizen of the Year.

Colleen Stone, interim president of Fairfield Rotary, said the club is planning to have a float for the Chamber Singers of Southeast Iowa, who will sing Christmas carols. One float will be dedicated to a set of brass bells.

“Someone in that truck will be banging those bells, wearing lots of ear protection,” Stone said.

Stone, her husband Carl, their grandson Henry and youngster Vera Runyan will dress as elves and ride in Santa’s sleigh.

“We’ll be throwing out little bags of candy to people on the route,” Stone said.

At the conclusion of the parade, kids are invited to visit Santa in his sleigh on the west side of the square and whisper in his ear what they want for Christmas. He’ll have candy waiting for them, too.

“It looks like the temperature Friday will be OK,” Stone said. “It will be freezing, but we’ll be bundled up.”

The event is free for the public, a community service that Fairfield Rotary provides. Funding for the event comes from club member dues.

Stone said Fairfield Rotary has maintained this tradition of hosting a Christmas Eve parade for every year except during World War II. She said lots of Rotary members lend a helping hand, and gave special credit to Dave Reiff and Linn Cornick.

On Saturday, Dec. 18, Rotary Club members met at the armory to prepare the parade floats. They were joined by three members of, Fairfield Interact, Rotary’s youth arm, and four members of the Fairfield Lions Club. Stone said Rotary was pleased to receive help from the Lions because they were short on volunteers that day.

The complete route of the parade is as follows:

• Start at 1501 West Stone Avenue Iowa Army National Guard Facility North Parking Lot.

• Turn West on West Stone Avenue to North 23rd Street.

• Turn South on North 23rd Street to West Grimes Avenue.

• Turn East on West Grimes Avenue to North 22nd Street.

• Turn South on North 22nd Street to West Burlington Avenue.

• Turn East on West Burlington Avenue to Sixth Street.

• Turn South on South Sixth Street to West Adams Avenue.

• Turn East on West Adams Avenue to Maple Street.

• Turn South on South Maple Street to Madison Avenue.

• Turn North on South Highland Street to Burlington Avenue.

• Turn West on East Burlington Avenue to “D” Street.

• Turn North on North “D” Street to Broadway Avenue.

• Turn West on East Broadway Avenue to Court Street.

• Turn South on South Court Street to Burlington Avenue.

• Turn West on Burlington Avenue to Main Street.

• Turn North on North Main Street stop at the middle entrance to Central Park.

Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com