text: Coleman parade committee gives thanks - Midland Daily News
  https://www.ourmidland.com/opinion/letters/article/Coleman-parade-committee-gives-thanks-14926730.php
  Coleman parade committee gives thanks
  Published 1:25 am EST, Monday, December 23, 2019
  The Coleman Community Holiday Parade committee would like to take this opportunity to thank several people who helped to make our recent annual food drive and holiday parade a success in Coleman.
  To our parade sponsors -- the Coleman Lions Club; Coleman Chapter #281 Order Of The Eastern Star, Warren Lodge #427 F&AM and the Coleman V.F.W. Post 1071 -- we thank you for sponsoring the parade and afterglow party.
  Congratulations and thank you to Dean Retzloff for accepting us the honor as grand marshal and allowing us to show our appreciation for his many years of supporting the community's parade. Also, to the Coleman Lions Club it was an honor to pay special tribute to you and thank you for your outstanding service to the Coleman community.
  Our appreciation to Bruce Hadd and the elementary honor society students for taking on the project of preparing 200 luminaries, placing and lighting the them along the city streets for everyone to enjoy. We also thank Mr. Hadd, staff and students at Coleman Elementary School for their participation in collecting $78 worth of pop cans for our fireworks display.
  A huge thank you to Lane Dexter and students of the Coleman High School for preparing a beautiful parade banner, with a special thanks to the students who carried the sign.
  A special thank you to the City of Coleman for the warming barrels placed along the city streets. It was a cold night and everyone enjoyed keeping warm by the barrels and especially enjoyed the hot chocolate provided by Coleman United Methodist Church.
  Parade watchers enjoyed the holiday music while waiting for the parade, thank you Jack Tigner.
  Thank you to the Coleman Business Association for sponsoring the wreath decorating contest, along with the 50/50 raffle and donating the proceeds to next year's fireworks. With special thanks to the teachers and students from the Coleman Elementary school who prepared the wreaths for auctioning. Congratulations to Ms. Lisa Filhart's class for being selected as the best wreath by the community and receiving a pizza party compliments of the Coleman Business Association. Ms. Lynch's class received the highest bid on their wreath netting $30. A total of $220 was raised to help support the fireworks another year. Congratulations to all the classes!
  The Coleman community saw the biggest and brightest fireworks display immediately after the parade. We extend our thanks to Sam Brandon, Mike and Melissa Andrews for their efforts in making it happen.
  A huge thank you to the community for supporting the pop can drive project and their monetary donations received to finance the fireworks.
  To Dean Retzloff of Coleman Auto and Bike; Dave's Super Service, Jennifer McCormack, superintendent of Coleman Community Schools; area churches and organizations and the entire student body and staff at Coleman Community Schools: We thank you for your continued support and for doing all the extras to help make our parade a success.
  Thank you to this year's judges Dan and Roni Howard, Pastor Scott and Megan Marsh and Carla Rellinger. Great job in selecting the following parade winners.
  Best of Parade: Coleman Auto & Bike
  Best of Theme: Bass Hardware -- Coleman
  Grand Marshal: M&M Feed -- Coleman
  Special Award: Barber family
  Organization/Group: Welcome Barbeque & 18 Taps
  Family: Ray Hubble
  Religious: McGreavy's Manager
  Music: Kids Time Preschool
  Commercial: Dan Dan The Mattress Man
  Big and Bright: Midland County Road Commission
  Parade Committee Choice: Don Richards -- Harrison
  Out of Towners: EAA Aviation -- Mount Pleasant
  Best Of Parade (Animal category): Pam Millhisler -- Beaverton
  Judges Choice (Animal category): Strawberry Farms
  Out of Town (Animal category): Grace Powell & Kaylee
  Committee Choice (Farm category): Greg Redman
  Big & Bright (Farm category): Mel Cozat
  Special Award (Farm category): Geneva 4 H Group
  Lastly, thank you, Page family for making sure Santa arrived to bring his holiday greetings to our community.
  I would never be able to put the variety show, parade and fireworks together without the help of Parade Committee members, Roy Smith, Bill and Gayl Brugger, Ken and Darlene Clarke, they are the best and so appreciated.
  To everyone who participated, watched, or just showed your support, thank you. Our community's holiday activities would not have been successful without each of you, we may be a small town, but we do things in one big way!