12/20/07
New Christmas tradition starts at Randolph’s Landing
By Jerriod Grizzle

JERRIOD GRIZZLE/Manning Times

John and Melissa Black stand outside their home near Randolph’s Landing in front of their Christmas decorated golf cart last Saturday. Melissa initiated the parade when the annual Boat Parade was cancelled due to low lake levels.

Melissa Black had a question. With lake levels so low, how do we carry on the tradition of a parade at Christmas time?

Black said while she was sitting with family and friends the inspiration for the parade suddenly came to her.

“Then it came to me. Why not have a golf cart parade,” said Black. “I thought to myself, we couldn’t have the boat parade so why not do something else.”

Black along with her husband John said that they always watched the annual boat parade from their home.

With newfound Christmas spirit at the idea of a golf cart parade, Black passed out flyers, told friends and neighbors and advertised in local newspapers.

To her surprise she had an overwhelming response.

“I had a lot of calls from people wanting to join in and so everyone wound up getting together,” she said.

Other residents felt the same as Black about wanting to participate, to carry on the tradition of their lakeside community parade.

“The lake is not up to where we can do it with boats but the spirit is still there and we can shine because of our good community and a great bunch of people,” said Jay Parnell, another local at the landing. “The low lake level is not going to stop us, just like the snow didn’t stop Santa Claus.”

So, last Saturday evening, with a much appreciated drizzling rain and a not so appreciated cold wind, country-style Christmas music roared in the background as 28 decorated golf carts and four-wheelers lined up slowly along Randolph’s Landing.

Blinking colored lights, stereos and some with roof top decorations such as Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph covered the carts to celebrate Christmas.

There were even some eccentric decoration styles such as strobe lights. One four-wheeler rider even decorated with red lights covered with shotgun shells.

One by one the golf carts moved slowly through the winding route waving at passers by and the people who looked through their front windows at the spectacle.

This reporter got the chance to ride along in the parade with Vicki Parnell, Jay’s wife who is also an avid country fan and her son, Jessi.

“I hope it will be the start of an annual parade to bring the community together. The fact that everyone came out in the rain is amazing,” Vicki Parnell said.

The brightly lit carts wound through the seven-mile parade route with country artist Kenny Chesney playing holiday music in the background.

“You know, it just puts everyone in the holiday spirit,” she said.

Parnell’s cart later was voted best overall.

The parade, ended at Pasta De Casa with a concert where the Parnell’s preformed.

Residents who took part in the parade danced the night away.

With the parade such a hit, Black said she was going to try and do the parade next year, if not before.

“We may have one on July 4,” she said.