The community of Rimbey can proudly celebrate a collaboration success story with the completion of a newly designed parade float; created to highlight and advertise what Rimbey has to offer residents and visitors alike.
“We just decided we wanted something that would show off what Rimbey has to offer,” said Rimbey Chamber of Commerce past-president Jackie Stratton.
In the past the community had used a sandwich board and an antique truck to do the trick but decided it was time to take itto the next level.
“I don’t think we’ve ever had a float as long as I’ve been here,” said Stratton.
“We want people to know, especially in these tough times, Rimbey is open and we’ve got lots to do and lots to see,” she added. “It’s promoting us and we need to promote us, nobody else will.”
The Town of Rimbey contributed $700 and the chamber provided matching funds, but Stratton says if it were not for all thetime, expertise, labor and materials donated by community members the float would not have seen fruition.
“The ones that were asked really stepped up,” said Stratton. “There’s thousands of dollars.”
Everything from printing to gathering supplies, welding to hours upon hours of pom-pom fluffing was donated to get the creation parade-ready.
This year the Rimbey float will have participated in four parades; Ponoka, Rimbey, Westerner Days and Bentley.
Each parade takes approximately two hours of set up preparation. “Those early morning parades are really early,” said Stratton.
“It’s a sacrifice to do it, people need to know that,” she added.
Community contributors to the Rimbey Float project include:
Rimbey Builders Supply – donations for construction
Nikirk Bros – donations for construction
Lazer Energy – donations for construction
Front Line Compression – fabrication assistance
Wolseley – donations for construction
Carrie Korpinski - Apex Landscaping – assistance prepping decorations
Sydney Stratton – works at Empress Coffee Shop – assistance prepping decorations
Town of Rimbey - monetary
Rimbey and District Chamber of Commerce (70 members strong) - monetary
Behren Signs – printing float panels
Parkland Automotive – fabrication of float
Mackenzie Stratton – designing float panels
Scratchin’ the Surface – float design and prep of decorations, coordinating parades
Legacy Ford – truck to pull float (Rimbey, Ponoka)
Paskapoo Park (driver Larry Varty) – 1980 Kenworth pick-up to pull the float (Red Deer, Bentley)
Volunteers/Ambassadors at the parades: Mayor Rick Pankiw and wife Sue Pankiw, Taylor Pankiw, Ilya Durmanov (ATB and Chamber Board Member), Alana Wright (MNP and Chamber Board Member), Journey Giesbrecht, Melvin Durand, Larry Varty, Jackie Stratton, Mackenzie Stratton, Sydney Stratton