The holiday season accounts for parties galore, and some of those parties are community wide events of celebration. This year’s Charles Town-Ranson Holiday Parade was very much a celebration of community and joy.
Our very own Outdoor Education Center (OEC) had a float in the parade this year, created and assembled by our Leaders in Action (LIA) students with some help from our staff. During the after school program our students painted plywood panels that were later attached to a frame, set in a truck bed, and topped off in holiday garland and bows.
On the day of the parade, the students came and joined in the march. Everyone dressed up as woodland creatures to show our enthusiasm and appreciation for our furry friends. Along the route, the students helped pass out promotional flyers and candy to spread the word about the OEC, our summer camps and other educational programs.
Though the weather was cold and brisk, the students kept a positive and enthusiastic attitude while they ran up and down the parade route. It was, most definitely, a successful day for the OEC, our LIA students, and the local community.
(Kate Nelson is an AmeriCorps Vista at FLOC’s Outdoor Education Center).
