Huge crowds enjoy AFAD

The AFAD parade was filled with patriotic floats and themes.

Perfect weather drew near-record crowds to the 44th Annual Air Force Appreciation Day celebration of the area's military Saturday.

Estimates of the crowd along the parade route ranged from 5,000 to 7,000 people, and at least 10,000 people spent time in Carl Miller Park where well over 100 booths were set up for the crowd to enjoy.

The party actually began Friday night, with the traditional corn shucking. Volunteers shucked the corn that would be part of the next day's free barbecue meal in a matter of minutes. Shortly afterward the annual Fun Run/Walk was held, with more than 100 runners and walkers taking part.

The main events took place on Saturday, beginning with the VIP breakfast early in the morning for local Air Force leaders and AFAD boosters, followed by the parade.

With a flight of four A-10s from the Idaho Air National Guard providing the flyover to begin the parade, and led by Grand Marshal Larry Ashcraft and new Wing Commander Col. Charles Shugg, the two-hour-long parade began winding its way through Mountain Home on its way to Carl Miller Park.

With the late arrivals added in the parade featured more than 150 entries, nearly 300 vehicles and floats, and approximately 2,400 participants.

"We had more floats in this year's parade than I can remember in a long time," said parade chairman Sue Gross. "There were a lot of very decorative entries."

Despite the best efforts of local law enforcement, crowd control was a problem this year, with children surging into the streets to grab the candy thrown from the parade entries. Some drivers of vehicles had to briefly stop until the children could be cleared from the streets.

In what is becoming an AFAD tradition, the fire department again set up its ladder truck at the end of the parade route, just beyond the VIP stand in from of Carl Miller Park, and draped the huge American flag the Silver Wings organization had given it across the street.

The patriotic nature of the event was evident throughout the day, as American flags and yellow ribbons were featured on a large number of the parade entries.

Missing from the parade this year was the popular entry of M-1 tanks and Bradley AFVs from the Idaho National Guard. The guard unit, including scores of Mountain Home residents, is currently training in Texas in preparation for a one-year deployment to Iraq.

Throughout the afternoon the crowd enjoyed the activities in the park, including martial arts demonstrations and music by the Air Force Band "Galaxy." In addition, more than 4,000 people took advantage of the free barbecue put together by the Chamber of Commerce.

A number of raffles were held during the day by the Chamber.

Mary K. Richey and John Wilson each won a $500 cash prize, Bev Lucia won a certificat to the Anniversary Inn, Jessica MacMillan won a certificat to Cactus Pete's, Tanna Milburn won a DVD, Judy Walton won some camping equipment, Wally Cornfield won a digital camera, Jim Sexaur won his and hers bikes, Sabrina Williams won a gift certificate for an air purifier from Foster Health, Mary Mosley won a night in the Hilton Inn Jacuzzi Suite, and Rebecca Ryan won a night in the Best Western jacuzzi Suite.

The prizes may be picked up at the Chamber of Commerce office, which will call the winners.

The base's Logistic's Readiness Squadron, with its touching tribute to two soldiers it had worked with who were killed in the Mideast, won the People's Choice Award among the various AFAD parade winners.

Second place in the People's Choice competition, voted upon by the public in the park, went to the 366th Medical Group, and third place went to the Optimist Ag Youth Group.

Other parade winners, by category, were:

Animal -- 1st, Elmore County Fair Board; 2nd, Lisa Simpson; 3rd, Cantrell Chuckwagon.

Commercial 1 -- 1st, Global Travel; 2nd, Advanced Services; 3rd, T&V Marine.

Commercial 2 -- 1st, Albertson's; 2nd, DECA (the base commissary); 3rd, Medidian Speedway.

Classic vehicle -- 1st, Idaho Youth Ranch (1946 Buffalo Pathfinder fire truck); 2nd, Bob Ruth (1934 Chevrolet fire truck); 3rd, Col. Ted and Nancy Thompson (55 GMC truck).

Military -- 1st, Mission Support Squadron; 2nd, 366th Logistics Readiness Squadron; 3rd, 366th Civil Engineering Squadron.

Open -- 1st, Mothers of the Military; 2nd, High Desert Sledheads; 3rd, Red Hat Society's Vivacious Violets chapter.

Religious -- 1st, Daughters of the Utah Pioneers; 2nd, Grace Lutheran Church; 3rd, Faith Lutheran Church.

Service -- 1st, Tin Lizzie Patrol of Mountain Home; 2nd, American Legion Post No. 26 Voiture 40&8; 3rd, American Legion Post No. 26 Color Guard.

Youth -- 1st, MHAFB Child Development Center; 2nd, K Dance Studio; 3rd, Boy Scouts of America Troop 57.

The judges gave the Best Overall award to the Albertson's float.