A New Look At An Old Tradition

It was Red Ribbon Day again in Moore today.  Every year, the whole town turns out to either parade down Broadway to Main to Eastern and the high school, or to line the route and get candy.  The purpose of the parade is supposed to be to raise awareness about drug abuse, and to help prevent it.  It's a traditional place for candidates for local office to show up to campaign, for local celebrities to be called upon to be Grand Marshall.  (Gary England was one year, this year it was David Payne.) (Yes, weather forecasters and storm chasers are celebrities in Moore, Oklahoma.)
One tradition for our entry was missing this year.  My dog Bear died two years ago, and Julie's dog Mollie did, too.  Melvin is still around, but doesn't like the parade.  Julie didn't walk this year, and so the announcers couldn't make their annual joke about her Corgi Melvin.  ("See that little brown dog?  He's so short, he doesn't have feet, he has INCHES!!")
This year, the parade still had plenty of drug-free emphasis, but it had a whole lot more "Moore Strong" slogans. This year the parade takes place five months after a very nasty set of tornadoes came through and tried to wipe part of town off the map.  Just like in 1999.  People are still displaced, many no longer live in Moore while they wait for homes to be rebuilt.  Still, we had one of the largest turnouts EVER for that parade, even though it sprinkled rain. 
There was an even greater party atmosphere at the parade lineup than usual.  Everybody was smiling, people were stopping and hugging friends and acquaintances, it was lovely to see.  This is how a community is SUPPOSED to be.  Supportive, connected, ok, maybe a little bit sappy, but close and caring.  We got big waves and smiles from the crowds, not just because we had a horse and carriage with us to promote the Big Read of True Grit for our library system, but because people were glad to see us.  This town loves its library.  They cheer for us when we come out for the parade.  They really miss us when we are closed.  They ask about staff members they haven't seen for awhile.  (I was on vacation for a week recently.  I got many "good to see you"s from customers when I came back.)

The picture at the beginning of this post is of the float from Cross Timbers United Methodist Church.  They are but one of the groups that have supported the schools that were damaged in the tornadoes.  I think one thing says it all on this float.  HOME.  Moore is home.  For some of us it is an adopted home, but home it is.  Where our hearts are, where we feel cared for, where we can relax and spread out. It's a place with all the amenities of a large metropolitan area, but where I can still run into people I know when I go almost anywhere around town.  (Whole OKC Metro is like that, really.)
Many friends and family members who live elsewhere have said we should leave, but we can't.  Our church family, our library family, and our home are here.  We have a nicer home than we could afford anywhere else.  I have a job that I love, one that makes a difference in this community. We have found a church that is very close to our hearts.  We've been here twenty years now.  It's home. We have been through hell with this community.  There is a bond here, whether the hell was the Murrah bombing in '95, or the tornadoes in '99, 2003, or just this past May,we came through it together, it knits us very close here in the heart of the heartland.
Oh, I will still get frustrated with our politicians and with the willful ignorance of a few, but I will still love this place and its people.  I will still be here hoping to help connect them to the books and other resources they need for lifelong learning. 
Here are a few photos from my experience of the parade this morning.  Betsy, the Clydesdale, was pulling a carriage which held one of my PLS colleagues dressed as Maddie from True Grit. Several of my coworkers were walking alongside the carriage and our Friends volunteer (and half of my "fan club") Vickie Kelly was there as well.  (Vickie comes to all my voice recitals.  I therefore call her and her husband John my fan club.)
In order to help banish the gloomy drizzle, I led our little group in a verse of "Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin'" (It is astonishing how many people in Oklahoma know the words to songs from the show.)
Here's me and Betsy, the horse. (I am skinnier than I look.  Was wearing thermals under this outfit! I am not a parade rookie! Also note the Aussie Outback hat instead of a cowboy hat!)

And here's one of just Betsy

Here's one of my coworkers handing out candy, and some of the crowd along the way.

Here's another coworker and one of our True Grit signs.

Our town really DOES have True Grit.  We've been kicked in the teeth by Mother Nature numerous times, and we always get back up and keep on going.  We were out in force today to prove that we are drug free and Moore Strong.

Yes, this year the parade felt like it meant just a bit more than it has in the past.  LOTS more entries in the parade, more people out to cheer us on, and everybody in much better spirits than I can recall seeing there in a long, long time. 
Well, got my copy of True Grit downloaded.  Guess I better get busy and read it. :-)