Memories from the "Days of '47" 2010

"You can accomplish anything that you are asked to do; if you replace fear with faith, trust in the arm of the Lord and not in the arm of flesh, prepare for, seek for, listen to, and act upon personal revelation; and when the bit comes to the bit... just "do it'."



I was completely overwhelmed when nearly a year ago Mike and I were called into the stake presidencies office and asked to build a float for the "Days of '47 parade". How could I do this monumental task? Why me? Those are just two of the questions I asked myself. But it didn't take long for me to realize that I had to do this... I just had to figure out how.

We were blessed with an amazing committee (many of whom are pictured in my previous post) who worked long and tirelessly on this project for many months. Richard Rowe (who drove the float in every parade), Mike, and Keith Maloy (all three in this photo) along with Kim McKean transported the float 'to and from' six times in the past week, three of those times were to SLC, Sandy, and back to WB in the wee hours of the morning (when I say wee I mean 3-4 am; wee).

I think that each member of the committee became attached to 'our float'. Mike named all of the kids. Here we are posing for a picture with 'Jim'. That is 'Hank' in the background, ever vigilant in pushing the handcart, and always with a smile on his face. You can't see 'Sally' in this picture, but she is there too, pushing at the back.

On Saturday July 24th I arrived (alone) at our staging area between 1st and 2nd south on West Temple, at 3:30 am. Our float (with the men previously mentioned) would not arrive for another hour (float transporting is time consuming). Once I established where our float would be, I settled myself on my blanket on the grass of the Salt Palace. I lay there and looked up at the stars in the night sky, it was beautiful and so peaceful. Although I could hear the quiet hum of voices as people were milling around the floats, I felt like I was all alone. I don't imagine that I will ever again be lying on the grass on West Temple at 3:30 am. It was an experience that I won't soon forget.

When the transport team arrived they quickly began putting the float together.

This is a man who has been up since 2:30 am and just returned from a 7:30 am meeting in front of the conference center where he received his official badge. Did you see him on TV? Twice last week!!

About 5:30 am more people began to arrive, including youth and children. Judging would begin at 6 am and any floats that had people on them or walking beside them needed their people to be in place for the full effect. Promptly at 6 am, small clusters of official looking people with clipboards began moving about the floats. At 7:45 winners began to be notified of their awards. There was no big gathering or announcement, members of the parade committee just came up to you and gave you your award. Shortly afterwards, a large banner with the name of the award on it arrived at the winning floats. The banner would precede the float in the parade so that everyone would see that it was an award winner. Mike and I and Keith were the only ones there when the religious float chairman came to us at our float and presented us with the 'Theme Award'. We were very happy, I was particularly happy when our banner arrived. You may remember a previous post when I mentioned that I didn't care too much about awards... it turns out that I did.

As our time to enter the parade drew near, Keith and I followed the float up West Temple to 1st south, it then turned east and went to State Street and then north to South Temple. Our float entered the parade on the corner of State Street and South Temple at 10:27 am. Seven hours after my arrival at the staging point.

It was an amazing moment seeing our float enter the "Days of '47" parade and hearing the announcer introduce it.

There are our cute little boy scouts (we only met hours earlier) Mike and Martin carrying our 'Theme Award' banner.

This was my last view of the float in the parade. After it disappeared from our sight, Keith and I walked the city blocks back to where our vehicles were parked. I then drove to Liberty Park where the parade would end. On the way there my emotions overcame me and I alternately wept and laughed. We did it! The float was completed. It was in the parade.

Eleven months ago I was overwhelmed with fear and anxiety as I faced a challenge that I wasn't sure I was capable of. Today I am overwhelmed with gratitude... gratitude for those pioneers whom we honor by participating in this parade. Gratitude for new friendships formed. Gratitude for those who were there just when we needed them. Gratitude for the tender mercies of the Lord. Gratitude for the knowledge I have of who was really in charge. I will never forget this experience... Onward and Upward.