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Friday July 03,
2009
Friends
Of the River present fourth annual July 4th
San Bernard River Boat Parade : details
CLICK
HERE
New Parade Registrants please
fill out
the entry form(Click
here) and
call the Taylors @ home #964-4402 or cell
#236-8498
Nelson and Vanessa Taylor... and R.D.
Friends Of the River
Members of the Month
Nelson was
raised in Freeport and Vanessa in Angleton,
but they both arrived at the San Bernard
River at about the same time. They met on
the River and married on the River. They
discovered that they had an equal passion
for the River. They knew that their view
from their deck of the San Bernard was very
special, and that the fish they caught and
ate out of the San Bernard, and the boat
trips they took on the San Bernard, and the
wildlife that they watched on the San
Bernard was something they always wanted to
have for themselves, and for others who
enjoyed the river, and for future
generations; if there was anyway they could
be part of protecting it—they would be first
in line.
They were asked by the owner of Dido’s
Restaurant, Pete Smirch, to take over the
16th annual dying San Bernard River
Christmas Boat Parade and Home Decorating
Contest and said, “What the heck!”
The planning of the first boat parade
was a bit tricky, but it ended up being a
huge success with 21 boats entering.
In the years that followed their
first parade, the
Taylor's
fine tuned their planning process and each
year the San Bernard River parades were a bigger and better success.
In 2004, a
core group of friends attended a boat parade
awards dinner at the
Taylor’s house, and
they formed the Organizing Committee for
Friends Of the River.
They, at that time, decided to add
more boat parades; and had a total of FOUR
parades.
That year, there was a Memorial Day,
Christmas, Labor Day, and 4th of July
parade.
They know that they can “do” parades,
but four parades was entirely too many for
the parade chairpersons.
So, they have now narrowed down the
parades to two a year, the Christmas Boat
Parade and Home Decorating contest and 4th
of July Parade.
Both are always well attended,
supported, and received year after year.
Along with boat
parading, Vanessa currently serves on the
Environmental Committee and oversees the
water testing on the river.
Nelson currently fishes, boat rides,
and generally watches the river adjust to
its new habitat.
R.D.( a.k.a. River Dog) keeps
squirrels away, lets Nelson know when fish
are on the line, and gets his exercise
opening the ice chest to “ fetch” for his
master!
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