In a display of creativity and community spirit, the Luttrell Public Library emerged with pride as we received the Best Float Award at this year's Luttrell City parade. The library's Christmas Clifford the Big Red Dog float, captivated the crowd and left a lasting impression on parade-goers of all ages.
The library's float, a creation crafted by a dedicated team of staff and volunteers, transported spectators into a children’s literary story. The theme, "Paws to Read at LPL” showcased Clifford ready for Christmas. Spectators lined the streets, cheering as the library's float glided by with Clifford barking and his theme song playing over a loudspeaker.
As director of the library, I would like to express delight and gratitude for the community's overwhelming response to our Clifford platform and to all those who volunteered to get the float prepped for the parade. "We wanted to bring the joy of reading to life, and winning the Best Float Award is a heartwarming acknowledgment of the hard work and creativity our team poured into this project.” A big thank you goes out to the LPL staff, Mel Criswell and Michelle Faulkner, for their diligent work. Thank you, Frankie and Missy Slagle, for pulling our float with your Clifford Jeep, and a big thank you to Missy Slagle for being Big Red Clifford! Also, gratitude goes to the City of Luttrell and Mayor Jerry Lawson for lending the trailer and all our volunteers, Tori & Cannon Blankenship and Kenzlei & Beau Lawson for helping us decorate. A shout-out of appreciation goes to Caleb Dyer (Luttrell City Commissioner and Library Board Member), Greg Ingle (Luttrell City employee), and the man driving the yellow jeep (The Wasp), Terry Smith, for getting the trailer hooked to the jeep. That took teamwork. Thanks to the Friends of Luttrell Public Library organization we had lots of candy to give out to the children. Lastly, I want to recognize the Girl Scout Troop 20094 for the 300 packages of stuffed animals with candy they made to give out to all the kids. The children loved them! The GS troop was unable to participate due to sickness. I sure hope you are feeling better. This Christmas float truly was a community effort.
The library's participation has reinforced the library's role as a cultural cornerstone. It was a true crowd-pleaser though the other floats in the parade were amazing, as well as, other participants, such as the fire department, local basketball team, cheerleaders, business owners, antique cars, tractors, horses, and more. As the library continues to serve as a hub for learning and creativity, this experience reinforces its commitment to fostering a love for literature and bringing the community together through shared experiences.
Library Director, Kimberly Todd