As I mentioned last week, another successful and exciting Daffodil Parade is “in the can” (that’s TV talk for filmed, edited and on air) and those of you who had children, family or friends in the parade can now view the Grand Floral Street Parade on TV Tacoma or Click. That’s channel 21 for those of us who live outside the city of Tacoma. You can find the schedule of broadcast replays at www.tvtacoma.com and it plays 12 times throughout the month of April or you can watch it online at the Web site.

Here’s a roll call of loyal “floaters” who were responsible for creating a float that won two awards this year: Ben DeGoede, Jon Swanson, Rick Schively, Chris Mason, Chris Karr, Ron Williams, Sandi’s Sign, April VanLierop, Jackie Bechtold, City Council members Ed Hannus and Leroy Goff, Ted and Jan Hackmann, Carol Hannus, Petra Karr, and a lot of other folks who helped with finishing touches before the parade. Thanks so much for all your time, resources and efforts.

In addition to these great volunteers, we also had another dozen or more loyal Sumnerites who volunteered to work as parade ambassadors. When downtown hosts an event that draws 15,000 people to Main Street like the Daffodil Parade does, you can imagine the need for additional personnel who can assist with parking, parade unit staging and disbanding, through traffic and all the general questions that come from our welcomed visitors. Chief Galle said it was much appreciated.

And speaking of Chief Galle, boy did I have a great time this past week going high heel shoe shopping with him and City Attorney Brett Vinson. I mentioned at my last City Council report that I was a little disappointed in the red loafers the chief was going to wear at the Pierce County Prosecutor’s “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” event to raise money and awareness for the Sexual Assault Center of Pierce County. I mean seriously, how hard it is to walk in flat shoes? He might as well have painted his work boots pink. To my delight and surprise, he took my comments seriously and enlisted the help of not only Mr. Vinson as a fellow walker in the event, but myself and Carmen Palmer, city communications director, as personal shoppers to find more appropriate footwear for the event.

So we all went shoe shopping (with a camera I might add). I can honestly tell you that in 30 years I have never laughed so hard when shopping for high heels. First of all, it’s not easy to find pointed-toe, spike-heeled pumps in the larger and wider sizes that were needed. And to be blunt, they both need a little instruction in how to walk more smoothly when wearing women’s footwear. I can hardly wait to see how they do in the mile-long walk on April 30.

Stay tuned for more details on Chief Galle and Mr. Vinson’s efforts to support a great local cause and, again, a big thanks to our community volunteers for another great year of parade traditions. Just two more reasons it’s fun to spend some time in Sumner.