Hospital rescues Christmas parade

By WAYNE QUESENBERRY/Staff

Wytheville will have a Christmas parade this year after all. A request by Wythe County Community Hospital to sponsor the event was approved Monday night by Wytheville Town Council.
“Our management team felt like there needed to be a parade,” the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer Eric Deaton told council. “We know it’s short notice.”
The Wytheville-Wythe-Bland Chamber of Commerce announced earlier this year it would not sponsor the 2009 Christmas parade. The chamber’s parade committee had sponsored the event for many years but cited lack of help for not undertaking the project this year.
“We appreciate you taking on the duty,” Mayor Trent Crewe told Deaton.
The 2009 Christmas Parade will be held Saturday, Dec. 12, at 3 p.m. on Main Street. The theme will be “’Twas the Night before Christmas.”
Deadline for entries will be Wednesday, Dec. 9. Forms will be available at the hospital.
There will be three categories for float entries: church group, civic group and commercial entry. Private entries may enter but will not be judged for prizes.
Also welcomed to enter are beauty queens, antique vehicles/tractors, horses, walking characters, cheerleaders and others.
There will be no entry fees charged. All entries must be decorated in Christmas-related themes.
None of the entries can feature a Santa Claus and no candy can be given away during the parade. Communities will be limited to one fire or rescue vehicle.
The parade lineup will begin at 1:30 p.m. at the Super Dollar store on West Main Street. Units will travel down Main Street, turn left onto First Street, then left onto Monroe Street and right into the municipal parking lot.
Winners will be announced at the conclusion of the parade. Prizes will be awarded.
In other action Monday evening, council:
 Reappointed Donald Elmore to the Smyth-Wythe Airport Commission for another four-year term.
 Reappointed Artie Hall and Mark Dillon to the Wytheville Recreation Commission for three-year terms.
 Adopted an ordinance on the first of three readings to revise payment for mileage for town employees using their personal vehicles on town business. The proposed reimbursement will be 40 cents per mile which is an increase from the current .325 cents per mile.
 Adopted an ordinance on the first of three readings imposing regulations on derelict structures.
Wayne Quesenberry can be reached at 228-6611 or .