April Glasco, the founder of Second Chance Last Opportunity, wanted to get her nonprofit's message out.
What better way than building a float that would appear before thousands of spectators Nov. 11 at the annual Santa's Grand Arrival Parade that snakes down Cattlemen Road at the University Town Center?
But, of course, first it had to be built. They found a hauling trailer for the base and went to work.
"We started working, and it looked like a trailer," Glasco said with a laugh. "Then we got to the middle (of the process), and it still looked like a trailer.
"But three days ago, we added the purple to it, which is the color of our building."
The volunteers felt a sense of pride. They were ready.
"Everything was done by us," Glasco said. "It was hands-on. It was a lot of fun, … a team effort."
She said her nonprofit is an emergency crisis center and the message is about empowerment, and hope.
Other nonprofits had similar messages. April Barnes of Blaze of Hope said her nonprofit pays the bills to support children who have family members in the hospital. Besides the float they built, they were throwing out glow-in-the-dark bracelets.
Every inch of Cattlemen Road was packed with spectators, many who were waving glow sticks to add to the festive holiday season lighting all along the corridor. The event began with high-wire artist Nik Wallenda crossing high above Cattlemen Road to pass the 50-foot Christmas tree that flashed on when he arrived.
He ever-so-slowly maneuvered his long balance pole around the top of the tree, and finished his exhibition safely to a huge applause.
The parade was capped, of course, by Santa's arrival.
Nik Wallenda puts a charge into the crowd as well as the 50-foot Christmas Tree at University Town Center by crossing Cattlemen Road on the high wire Nov. 11, 2023.
Photo by Jay Heater
Santa floated into University Town Center with Mrs. Claus to cap the Santa's Grand Arrival Parade Nov. 11 on Cattlemen Road.
Photo by Jay Heater
Ovation School of Musical Theatre performed in the parade.
Photo by Jay Heater
The Tara Dance Team had the opportunity to perform for thousands of people.
Photo by Jay Heater
The Circus Arts Conservatory and Sailor Circus featured all kinds of acrobatics as the float was moving.
Photo by Jay Heater
The Suncoast Renaissance Festival float featured a sword fight.
Photo by Jay Heater
The Blaze of Hope nonprofit gets recognition for his cause with a float in the parade.
Photo by Jay Heater
Toy Land was one of the themes for participants in the parade.
Photo by Jay Heater
The Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance was represented with a float at the parade.
Photo by Jay Heater
Fighting fires would be more fun with this crew riding on top of a fire truck.
Photo by Jay Heater
Aloha Party Experts showed they know how to throw a party, and make a float. More than 3,200 balloons were used in making the float.
Photo by Jay Heater
The Second Chance Last Opportunity cruises past the judges' booth during the Santa's Grand Arrival Parade.
Photo by Jay Heater
Mote Marine President and CEO Michael Crosby guides his ship through the Santa's Grand Arrival Parade route.
Photo by Jay Heater
The Lakewood Ranch High School Silver Stars Dance Team perform for the judges.
Photo by Jay Heater
Suzanne Hoffman was still putting the finishing touches on the Nate's Honor Animal Rescue float for the Santa's Grand Arrival Parade.
Photo by Jay Heater
Jacob Hendrickson of Pack 126 (Peace Presbyterian Church) had a big chore in front of him. He had to carry his pack's flag.
Photo by Jay Heater
Sarasota's Hong Chen and his daughter, 4-year-old Stella, check out Elsa of "Frozen" before the Santa Grand Arrival Parade.
Photo by Jay Heater
Parrish's Shantel Norman sings the National
Anthem to get the festivities started. She also was a judge for the parade entries.
Photo by Jay Heater
Lakewood Ranch 3-year-old Sutton Bode points out something fun to her mom Heather Bode before the Santa's Grand Arrival Parade.
Photo by Jay Heater
Everywhere you looked during the parade was something that would make you smile, including this gingerbread man on a float.
Photo by Jay Heater
Pam and Wayne Robbins of Venice take a photo under a light-up holiday ornament.
Photo by Jay Heater
Jillian Glass, 13, and Kristen Glass, 6, have a great time before the Santa's Grand Arrival Parade. What do they like the most? "All the decorations," Jillian said.
Photo by Jay Heater
Holiday parade characters get their instructions in a parking lot before the Santa's Grand Arrival Parade.
Photo by Jay Heater
The toughest part of Nik Wallenda's high wire walk was getting his balancing pole around the 50-foot Christmas tree.
Photo by Jay Heater
Nik Wallenda begins his walk across Cattlemen Road to kick off the Santa's Grand Arrival Parade.
Photo by Jay Heater
The parade rout along Cattlemen Road was packed for the Santa's Grand Arrival Parade.
Photo by Jay Heater
Isaib Trujillo had one of the toughest jobs at the Santa's Grand Arrival Parade. He had to hold a support that held the high wire tight for Nik Wallenda.
Jay Heater is the managing editor of the East County Observer. Overall, he has been in the business more than 41 years, 26 spent at the Contra Costa Times in the San Francisco Bay area as a sportswriter covering college football and basketball, boxing and horse racing.
