|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|||||||||||
|
Local |
|||||||||||
|
‘Cat Walk’ added to parade festivities By ANDIE LEATHERMAN, LTN Staff Writer Nov. 26 - CAT SQUARE – A 27-year-old community tradition continues Saturday, Dec. 8 when church floats, school bands, Shriners, horses, all terrain vehicles, fire trucks and other vehicles decorated for the holiday parade through “downtown” Cat Square. Youth at Trinity Lutheran started the parade in 1974 and have kept it alive into the 21st century. Equestrians and ATV riders must pre-register and pay a $1 entry fee this Saturday at Cat Square Superette. All other entries are free and no pre-registration is required. Voters can decide the community’s mayor, Miss Cat Square and Little Miss Cat Square at the same time during an unofficial election. Nominees for this year will be announced Wednesday. Last year’s mayor, Barbara Houser, will end her term by judging parade entries. All entries wanting to participate in the contest, garnering winners a sign announcing the honor, must line up along Zur Leonard Road by 1 p.m. on Dec. 8. The parade will travel from the intersection of Zur Leonard and Cat Square roads east toward Cat Square and end at the intersection of Bill Sain Road. Jamie Houser, one of the parade organizers, estimates thousands will attend the annual event. Parade entries will number around 100 with an additional 200 horses, Houser speculates. Former Times-News reporter Sabian Warren will return to Lincoln County as the parade’s grand marshal. “It’s a chance to see a lot of people I haven’t seen in a while,” Warren said. “There are a lot of colorful characters in Cat Square. It’s a fun event.” Warren covered several parades during his 14-year tenure in Lincolnton. “I always had a good time doing that story.” According to Warren, “never in my wildest dreams” did he imagine getting the chance to be a part of the parade. Warren has been the assistant editor at the Morganton News-Herald since 1998. Organizers hope to start a new tradition on parade morning, a fundraising Cat Walk from the Lincolnton courtsquare to Cat Square. “People have made that trip thousands of times. It will be fun to say I’ve walked from the courtsquare to Cat Square,” said Jerry Sain, a walk organizer. Walkers will solicit pledges for the 11.3 mile walk. The walk benefits a new scholarship fund. The recipient must be a high school senior involved in community, church and extra-curricular activities. Participants should register at 7:30 a.m. Saturday morning on the east side of the courtsquare. Sain describes the scholarship as a chance for the parade to give back to the community. “We’re really excited about it.” Anyone may participate or sponsor a walker. Forms will be available Saturday during elections. For more information, call Sain at 704-276-2277.
|
|||||||||||
|
© 2001 Lincoln Times-News |
|||||||||||
|
||||||
|
