Not many places in the world will you see a night time parade. Especially not when it’s cold outside. But that’s exactly what Eagle Grove had on Saturday the 18th. In what has become a local tradition.
And so a parade of cars coasted through the streets of the city on a zig-zag course that snaked it’s way through the town. Each of them decorated with Christmas lights and decorations. A few were even adorned with wrapping paper. More than one carried a whole Christmas tree. And wherever the parade went, people were standing outside to watch, or watching happily from their windows.
“Last year, Grace Evangelical Free Church had a lighted car parade,” explained organizer Sara Middleton, director of the Eagle Grove Chamber of Commerce. “Troy and I participated. It was so heartwarming and thought provoking to see the folks waving and smiling from windows. That was the inspiration for doing this as a Chamber event this year.”
Middleton worked with Nicole Verbrugge and Josh Schild to “nail down the details” of the event this year. Schild, whose family did a memorable “Griswold” treatment to their vehicle in last years parade, served as the Chamber Board’s event liason for the parade. Verbrugge and Zach Boyer have organized several Cruise for a cause events.
And it was all for a good cause. “We collected two bags of food items and 110 donations for No Child Hungry,” Middleton said. No Child Hungry is a nonprofit member of Eagle Grove’s Chamber of Commerce, which provides food to food insecure students during school breaks.
“We are hoping to grow this event each year, because it creates joy for both the parade vehicles and the spectators,” Middleton added. “That joy exemplifies the spirit of Christmas and the soul of the supportyourlocaleverything50533 hashtag.” “We had a great time doing the Cruise for a Cause lighted car parade this year,” Middleton concluded. “It was small, but still magical.” All the smiling, happy spectators seemed to agree.
