our blog written by Ann Marie Ricci

June is here and the Fourth of July seems right around the corner. The April Sound Civic Association Board is gearing up, with Events Chairperson Helen Barricklow’s fine leadership, to again host the ever-popular Independence Day Parade. The parade will be on Wednesday morning, July 4. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the cabana in front of the Country Club. Who can participate? We welcome decorated golf carts, non-golf carts (bicycles, go-carts, motor scooters, etc.), patriotic pets, antique, classic, specialty and collector cars. After sign-in, the golf carts will assemble on Reserve F forming a large circle or two while the cars will line up along the curb to wait for the beginning of the parade.

The Patriotic Pets will be judged at 9:15 a.m., the golf carts and non-carts will be judged at 9:30. About 9:45, the Star Spangled Banner will resound across the field and announcements of prize winners will follow. Golf cart prizes categories include: Most Patriotic, Best Theme, and Judges’ Choice. There will be first, second and third prizes for Patriotic Pets and for non-golf cart entrees. At 10 a.m. sharp the actual parade, led by the April Sound security car and the fire truck, will head off up the Boulevard. This year the parade will go to the east side of the Boulevard first, traveling up the Boulevard to April Wind North, to April Wind East, to April Wind South, then turning right at the Guard Gate for a return along the Boulevard. There will be a left turn onto April Waters North, continuing around that big circle to turn right on Spring Lake, traveling to April Waters West, turning left and continuing all the way on April Waters West back to the stop sign at April Waters North, turning right to continue back to Reserve F to disband.

Of course, there can be no parade, without people willing to decorate their golf carts or bicycles, doll up their precious pets, shine up their fancy cars, and come down to join in the fun. The entire neighborhood is welcome to come see the line-up process (it’s very exciting to walk along and see how creative folks can be with decorating for the parade!). The Club will be serving drinks and breakfast tacos for purchase near the sign-up cabana. It’s always a very festive, happy neighborly atmosphere in the time before the parade begins.

We are looking for veterans who would like participate, and convertibles for them to ride. If you are a veteran and would like to be in the parade, please contact Ann Marie Ricci at 936-447-1336 or Helen Barricklow at 936-588-2033. And, a parade is no fun for the participants if no one comes out to watch! So, gather your friends and family and, if the parade is going by your home, get out and cheer. Or, ask someone along the parade route to sit in the yard, or gather along the Boulevard. Of course, there WILL be candy for our young watchers!

The weather was perfect for Sunday's 17th Annual Civic Association Golf Party and everything went off as smoothly as can be expected with such a big event. Scores of ASCA supporters helped in all kinds of ways to make the Golf Party the success it turned out to be. It takes a village – it really does! And, there are many folks and businesses who deserve appreciation. First of all, our fearless and dedicated Chairman, Terry Delasalle, spent months organizing. All along the course different businesses spent the afternoon greeting golfers and handing out delicious drinks and treats. Those very important Platinum sponsors included Weisinger Materials, Quality Fruit, Texas Roadhouse, Culvers, the Peters Family, the Tibbetts Family, the Allen Family, and Mac Roofing Company. There were twenty-five additional hole sponsors, one Diamond, 3 Platinum, 2 Silver, and 19 Bronze. Steve Barricklow headed up the logistics team who set up and took down all the sponsor signs, tables, cabanas and chairs along the course. The registration teams for golf and dinner, the silent auction team, hole watchers, and all who helped in any way came together to make the day such a success are much appreciated. The silent auction team worked acquired, compiled, and set up all the items to be offered for the fun bidding wars. The highlight of the auction was a champagne party donated by a group of friends that, after a frantic round of final bidding, was won by our Diamond Sponsor Melanee Tackaberry.

At the end of the evening, Terry Delasalle announced the winners of the golf play. The winning team was Randy Amason, Denise Glass, Cindy and Mike Venable. The raffle winners were also drawn and Melanee Tackaberry won the Primo XL400 Oval Grill and Table Cart, while Olivia Holland won the O.N.E. Country Club dues paid for one year – a great value! Matt Crews won the large Boze speaker, Olivia Holland and Debra Bates took home the small Boze speakers. As the evening ended and everything was put away and loaded up, everyone on the committee felt it was a very worthwhile effort. All the money made last Sunday will be wisely spent on our many community projects and stay right here to benefit our neighborhood. What could be better? Thank you one and all!

All new memberships between now and July 4th will be entered in a draw for an awesome “Keeping Cool With the ASCA” basket. The basket has a Flamingo Cooler, two tumblers, Flamingo Pool Float, Aqua Fan Bottle, $30 Movie gift card to The Grand Theatre, and $20 in Chiller Bee gift tokens.