(Cushing)– The weather just wouldn’t cooperate. Certainly, you can expect a bit of cold weather and maybe even some snow at Christmas time in Oklahoma. What nobody expected was a disaster in the form of an ice storm that knocked out electricity for days and in some cases weeks. But the ice storm did arrive in mid-December, and many holiday events became casualties of the recovery process, which for many people, is still underway.
One of the casualties appeared to be Cushing’s Centennial Christmas Parade, which had been scheduled to take place in Downtown Cushing on December 15th, just days after the storm hit. But many people did not have power yet, and those that did were busy beginning the cleanup process.
A decision was made to postpone the parade, and change the focus to include Cushing’s recovery from the storm.
The parade will still celebrate the Oklahoma Centennial by honoring Cushing’s Past, Present and Future, but will also include a ceremonial burning of ice storm debris (provided by and under the supervision of Cushing Fire Chief Brent Kerr).
The parade will start at 2:00 PM on the west end of Broadway in Downtown Cushing, and proceed eastward to Little street. It will be led by Parade Marshal Marian Cubbage. After the parade, there will be live entertainment, including winners from the Entertainment Showcase at the 2007 Festival in the Park.
Parade Entries Include:
Entries:
Cushing Police Department
VFW
Grand Marshall Marian Cubbage
Cushing High School Marching Band
Mayor Lynda Smith
Payne County Commissioners and Gloria Hesser, Chairman of the Board
Noel Bagwell – Payne Co. Sheriff
US Martial Arts Training Center
Stanley’s Rent To Own
Bank of Cushing
Cushing CHS and CMS Choirs with Former Cushing Choraliers
Pawnee Bill Museum
Lion’s Club
Horse In Around Ranch
Cimarron Correctional Facility
Girl Scouts Daisy Troop 712
Payne County’s Junior Miss Scholarship Program
The Wayfaring Cruisers
Biker’s Against Child Abuse
Payne County’s Fairest of the Fair
Cushing High School Varsity Cheer and Dance Teams
Miner Electric
Cushing Equine Nags Club!
Dance Star Productions
Jim’s Truck Center
Cushing Fire Department
Hypatia Club
Entertainment Showcase Winners
Akdar Shriners
CREC
Burggraf Disaster Restoration
First Baptist Church – The 3 Kings!
Those scheduled for entertainment and speakers are:
Brent Bruner, Chamber President 2008
State Representative, Lee Denney, who will read a centennial story to the children present.
Mayor Lynda Smith
Presbyterian Promises – the children’s choir from 1st Presbyterian Church.
Kevan Beeler, Kara Wilman, Madison Wilman, Carman Cates, and Amber Haskins will perform. They are all winners from this year’s Entertainment Showcase during the Festival in the Park.
Cushing Choraliers – present, past and future
Dance Star Productions
Cushing High School Band
The Chamber of Commerce which has been organizing the parade (and the reorganization of the parade) is also providing a Hospitality booth for the parade entrants at Cushing’s Downtown Centennial Park.
And although the weather in Oklahoma is unpredictable, the most reliable forecast for the weather right now is for partly cloudy skied and temperatures in the upper 40’s.
The public is cordially invited to come and enjoy the parade, and to celebrate Cushing’s Past, Present and Future.
