THUNDER BAY – For 24 years, Dave Dolph has been decorating his truck and taking part in the annual Parade of Lights.
He was back again on Saturday night, lit up on hot chocolate and ready to roll.
Dolph says he wouldn’t miss it.
“When I was born, I was born with bronchial asthma. I was in an air tent. Back then, there was hardly any help for kids. Now there’s help for kids and do my best to take care of it,” Dolph said, in recognition of the four charities that benefit from the parade each year – the Therapeutic Riding Association, Special Olympics, the George Jeffrey Children’s Foundation and Autism Ontario Thunder Bay.
“I even got my oldest boy to help me this year, and he’s all pumped into it. You see the atmosphere here. People are talking, it’s like a community its own.”
With more than 150 entries, it wasn’t surprising to see people lining the parade route 90 minutes and more before its scheduled 7 p.m. start time.
Former Thunder Bay Police Association president Greg Stephenson, the long-time chair of the parade, said he’s been involved for 21 of the 25 years and he had no idea what the event would grow into from its humblest, earliest days.
“There were some years we barely had 50 (entries),” he said. “When you’re trying to do a long route like this, you drive really, really slow to make it look longer. So, we’re ecstatic. We have 152 registered this year, and the vary from Jeeps all the way up to semis. We’re very excited and the weather, thankfully, has cooperated and it’s going to turn out to be a nice night.”
Stephenson said the crowds are what it’s all about – that and the charities.
“When you go over the (Main Street) bridge and you see the crowds at Toys R Us and along the Harbour Expressway and then turn, it’s mind-blowing the amount of support we get. It’s three weeks until Christmas, it’s a night parade and I always say Thunder Bay is lucky because we have two distinctly different parades and they get to go to both.
“I just think it’s the atmosphere. You look at the efforts that people are doing, it’s fun. And it support four charities that are worthwhile to support.”
Last year the Parade of Lights raised more than $44,000. This year’s total is not yet available.
