Chesapeake Christmas parade seeks volunteers for route

This year the Great Bridge Jaycees will parade a couple of new aspects in front of the public. And the Chesapeake Parks and Recreation Department is asking for volunteers to help make sure this 38th annual Christmas procession runs smoothly.

The parade, titled "A Child's Magical Christmas," will march down Mount Pleasant Road, South Battlefield Boulevard and Cedar Road on Dec. 6.

Anyone 18 and older wishing to act as a parade route volunteer - organizers are hoping to bring about 200 on board - may do so by attending a free training session Nov. 18 at the Great Bridge Community Center. Church groups, businesses, civic leagues and community-service clubs are welcome.

The Jaycees are bringing two new aspects to the parade - a revive grand marshal and a food drive. Organizers have tabbed NASCAR star and Chesapeake native, Ricky Rudd, as the grand marshal.

"This will be the first time we've done this in a while," said parade chair Renee Leftwich. "And Ricky Rudd certainly helped put us on the map. We've wanted him for years, but with his busy schedule and sponsorships, he could never find the time."

Rudd won the 1977 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year award, earned the 1992 International Race of Champions Champion award, and in 1998 was named one of "NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers."

"What a great way to begin the grand marshal again, than to have Ricky Rudd lead our parade," Leftwich said.

While the public waves at Rudd and the other participants, they'll also have a chance to help feed the region's hungry.

New to this year's parade will be a large trailer, drawn along the route, to accept non-perishable donations for the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia.

"With the economy being questionable nowadays, there are a lot of children and adults in our area in need of food or food assistance," Leftwich said. "Currently donations are low, and the food bank experiences heavy use during the holidays."

If each person along the route - which is estimated to be anywhere from 15,000 to 20,000 people - donates just one item, a lot of people will benefit.

"We ask the public to please bring a jar of peanut butter, a can of food, or a box of cereal, rice or pasta," she said. "We're hoping to get the mascots from the participating Chesapeake high schools to help along the route."

The annual maximum number of units is set at 75, which this year will include the marching bands from Deep Creek, Grassfield, Great Bridge, Hickory and Western Branch high schools, as well as from Currituck County High.

"We're excited we were able to include a North Carolina school," she said. "We draw quite a number of people from across the state line, so now those folks from North Carolina can see one of their own in the parade."

Leftwich said the parade's popularity has escalated.

"We've always been this wonderful, small-town parade, but since we switched holding it from Thursdays to Saturdays, we've really grown," she said. " It's now a Chesapeake family tradition. And since we now hold it on weekends, it's helped considerably with the traffic."

Eric Feber, 222-5203, eric.feber@pilotonline.com