Letter: Parade of Lights

Editor, The Friday Flyer

We would like to thank the Yacht Club and especially David and Jennifer Dain and the Parade Committee for a wonderful Parade of Lights. The Yacht Club worked very hard to get sponsors and encourage clubs and individuals to participate by entering a boat. The results were obvious, more boats, new clubs and families and really innovative displays. We would like to thank the generous sponsors for donating the prize money.

We won the Commodore’s award for “Saving Butterflies.” As a member of the Board of Audubon International, Ted has long championed “Monarchs in the Rough,” a program to plant milkweed plants on golf courses to increase the monarch butterfly population which has been in serious decline. We have spoken to library groups, rose societies and garden clubs about setting aside a 10 ft. by 10 ft. patch for milkweed in every yard. Residents of Canyon Lake have reported watching the caterpillars ravenously eat the plants, form chrysalises and ultimately emerge as monarch butterflies. That was the reason for the float’s theme.

Being out on the water during the Parade of Lights is magical. Everything is so beautiful at night and it’s fun visiting the parties by boat to make sure everyone enjoys the entry. Thanks to the Barrera family, Joe, Patrick and Amanda for support with muscle and eagle eyes (some buoys are not lit at night).

We plan to donate the prize money to Helping Hands because so many families are hurting at this time of year. Merry Christmas.

Nancy Horton