By Owen Sexton / [email protected]
Located less than 20 miles southwest of Mount Rainier, the small town of Mineral offers scenic views of the stratovolcano as well as opportunities for kayaking, boating and fishing on Mineral Lake.
And although the Mineral Lions Club hosts many events throughout the year, from fishing tournaments to the town’s annual Fourth of July fireworks display, it hasn’t hosted a parade in two years, according to Mineral resident Michele Gronzo.
“The last one we had was so great and everyone said, ‘Why don’t you do it?'” Gronzo said. “So I was talked into organizing it. My friend Pam and I and Mike Gordon are doing the groundwork… it’s a little grassroots movement.”
Minerals Labor Day Parade 2024 will take place on Saturday, August 31st at 2 p.m. Gronzo and her co-organizers are still recruiting participants for the event.
Participants will meet at 1:00 p.m. at the Neighborhood Christian Center, 127 Mineral Road N. Once the parade begins, it will head south down Dixie Avenue, turn east onto West Front Street, and continue down Front Street toward the Mineral Lake Lions Den Campground.
Parade participants currently include the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office and other county officials, Washington State Patrol officers, the U.S. Forest Service, Smokey the Bear, and the Morton School District and several local residents in vintage vehicles.
Even though the hospital cannot participate in the parade, Gronzo added that Arbor Health Morton Hospital has donated money for candy to give away and face painting supplies for the children participating in the parade.
“It will be as big or as small as that, depending on who shows up,” Gronzo added. “…It won’t be the Rose Bowl parade, but it’s fun to bring the community together, out of their homes and talking to their friends, so we’re not all separated.”
Gronzo added that Mineral resident Bobbie Johnson will host a bake sale parallel to the parade, with all proceeds going to the Neighborhood Christian Center’s backpack program, which provides school supplies to area children.
“She sacrifices her time to make sure this can happen,” Gronzo added.
Additionally, small American flags will be distributed to parade participants. Gronzo said they are working on getting free popcorn to participants as well.
Anyone in Lewis County interested in participating in the parade can contact Gronzo at 360-492-5436 or email [email protected] to learn how to participate.
