Special Announcements for the
19th Annual Lawrence St Patrick's Day Parade!
Lawrence Journal World News Story
Sunflower Channel 6 Video News Clip
Press Conference
Thursday March 2, 2006
I can only begin to explain what an honor it is to be serving as chairman for an organization whose volunteers dedicate themselves so thoroughly to benefiting our charitable causes and who put together such a wonderful community event, the Lawrence St. Patrick’s Day Parade is in its 19th year and to date the fundraising efforts of the committee has provided more than $340,000 to local charities with its focus being on the young people of our community. To remind everyone, the organizations we are funding this year are the Douglas County Friends of Children in Foster Care Foundation, the Health Care Access Clinic, and Douglas County/Kansas State Research and Extension 4-H and Youth Development. These organizations reach out to so many of our community’s children and we want to help. To that end we are here today for several special announcements regarding this year’s upcoming activities.
Our premier events are happening over the next several days and we hope everyone in this community will find a way to share in the fun and the spirit of giving that our activities represent. Some events have already taken place such as the Trivia Tournament, which raised $2,500 and last Friday night we sold $2,800 worth of shirts and novelties at one of our two T-shirt Pub Crawls.
This Saturday March 4th the committee will be hosting its Annual Charity Benefit Auction at Liberty Hall. Doors will be opened at 5:30PM for viewing the auction items; silent bidding will begin at 6 O’clock. The live auction will begin at 7PM. The Master of Ceremonies will be the unmistakable Voice of Lawrence, Mr. Hank Booth, assisted by Channel 6’s own notable personality Jennifer Schack. I want to thank both of them along with our auction coordinators, Debi Drummet and Brenda Brown, for all they have done and will do to make this event a success. One of the exciting items that will be up for bid is a guided fishing package provided by professional bass-angler, Cecil Kingsley. (Debi will speak shortly about other special items and activities that will be included in Saturday night’s festivities. Appetizers to be Catered by Sonya and pizzas by Johnny’s)
With little time to recover; on Saturday March 11th the 5K Shamrock Shuffle will be held at and behind Johnny’s along the Kansas River levy. Many thanks go to both McDonald and Anthony Chiropractic Clinics for sponsoring this event and to Jim McDonald for all of the coordinating effort that it entails. And, a very special thanks goes to Rick Renfro for his facilities and for the good food that he provides for everyone who participates in the season-opening fun run. (As a reminder, if you love pizza, Johnny’s will be catering pizzas for the auction.) Pre-registration for the 5K-run is available for $15 and includes a special, run T-shirt for those who register in time. Day of the race registration will be $18 and begins at 7:00AM with a start time of 8 O’clock.
That same day, the “Luck of the Irish Motorcycle Poker Run” is being held, Saturday March 11th. It will be starting from the Slow Ride Roadhouse, registration at 12 noon, leaving by 1PM. The proceeds will be presented to the Lawrence St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
In addition, on Saturday March 11th, there will be a Dart Tournament and Chili Cook-off at the Red Lyon Tavern. Registration will be at 12:30 and tip-off at 1:00PM. Proceeds also presented to the Parade. (As a challenge to those who think they can make great chili, I fully intend on winning the title for best chili of the day.)
Now, for the Parade on Friday March 17th the parade will begin from South Park at 1:00PM and will proceed through Downtown, across the river, down Locust Street, and through North Lawrence.
We want as many people to participate in the parade as possible. We are still accepting Parade entry applications but to reserve your place in the lineup applications need to be in our hands by Friday, March 9th.
Applications for the Parade and the 5K Shamrock Shuffle as well as other information for all events are available online at:
http://lawrencestpatricksdayparade.com
Applications may also be obtained at Cottin’s Hardware on Massachusetts St. or at McDonald Chiropractic at 23rd and Haskell.
Additionally, 5K Shamrock Shuffle forms are available at most of the sport shops and athletic clubs around town.
Further information is available by calling 749-6677.
In addition to our events, I have a few special announcements.
First, in memorial, this year the committee has lost two close friends of the parade, Tim Griffith who assisted us for many years at Liberty Hall with our Charity Benefit Auction and Mike Wilson our Parade Committee’s first Chairperson, both passed suddenly. Their goodwill and kinship will be greatly missed.
Next, today we have some very special people that I would like to introduce and to explain or at least describe their involvement in the parade. A good friend of Lawrence and a long time fan of the Parade, this year’s Grand Marshal, Mr. Cliff McDonald. He is a key member of our community, a friend to many and an honorary uncle to many who know him. (A few words from Cliff)
Furthermore, we have a couple of hardworking members of our community who are being honored in this year’s parade as our Senior King and Queen Vern and Ila Russell. Ila.
Vern was in the U.S Navy for 4 years and in the reserves for 28 years. He was in the South Pacific and Korea while on active duty. He served as a Commander of the American Legion for multiple terms. He has served as Commander for the V.F.W. for 3 terms and currently has a position with the district. He was awarded national recognition for recruiting activity for the military overseas. He has been active with sending phone cards to the military in Iraq. He has worked for the city of Lawrence for more than 20 years.
Ila served as President of the V.F.W auxiliary for 3 terms and is now serving a second term as treasurer. (A few words from Vern)
I thank you all for coming. (We will all be available to answer questions afterward.)
Finally, I would like for Ms. Debi Drummet to step up and share some of the exciting things going on with Saturday night’s upcoming auction.
--Roger Browning, Chair
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2006/mar/03/former_jayhawk_lead_st_pats_parade/ http://www.6newslawrence.com/news/2006/mar/02/parade_committee_prepares_celebrity_and_sports_auc/
For information please call 749-6677,
email: info@lawrencestpatricksdayparade.com,
or visit our website at http://www.lawrencestpatricksdayparade.com.
