Letter to the Editor

To the Editor:

Each 4th of July celebration brings new traditions, new faces and creates new memories. Until 1983’s parade, the 4th of July queen and her court made their royal journey down Front Street by car. That is the year Beta Sigma Phi took on the responsibility of creating a float. Wire, plastic, and a simple wooden frame on the back of a truck were turned into a throne worthy of their majesties. Each year since 1983, Beta members have met, with help from their spouses, to assemble and dissemble the queen float. It’s been a labor of love, a contribution to the community. And now it ends. After thirty-one years, it’s time to retire. I am in awe of those longtime Beta Sigma Phi members who made the float happen for all or most of those thirty-one years! Chloe Edgely, Larraine Kagee, Marlene Messmer, Leonora Moore and Olinda White. The Chamber of Commerce is seeking a new group to carry on the queen float tradition.

Alice Rooney