By Ralphine Major

It was a perfect day for a parade!  The December air was brisk, but the sun made an appearance—quite a contrast to last year’s downpour.  Watching the flurry of activity before the parade was almost as much fun as the parade itself:  children laughing and playing with their dogs in a grassy area along the edge of the street and shepherds and angels boarding the Clear Springs bus.

The parade was led by Rural Metro’s fire engine, followed by the Color Guard and Gibbs High School Marching Band.  Beautiful church floats from Clapp’s Chapel United Methodist Church, Clear Springs Baptist Church, and New Hope Baptist Church brought the true message of Christmas.  A string of festive antique cars, tractor trailer cabs, and huge dump trucks made their way along the route.  Several area businesses were represented, and the entries kept coming.  Some even tossed candy to the crowd.  There were wagons pulled by mules and lots of beautiful horses.  Those looking to see the John Deere tractors were not disappointed, thanks to Grady Lett.  We spotted Knox County Commissioner Dave Wright driving one of Lett’s tractors and Marvin Boruff driving one of his own John Deeres.  Santa looked right at home with a “Deere” pulling his float!

Larry Dougherty wants to thank all who participated, including the sponsors.  He especially appreciates the outpouring of food collected for the Corryton Food Pantry.  Pictures of the parade can be seen at GibbsRuritanClub.org website.  Mark your calendars for the 6th Annual Gibbs Christmas Parade next year on December 6.