By Barbara Augsdorfer, Editor for the Effingham Herald
For a first-time event, the Springfield Navigator Lighted Christmas Parade on Dec. 7 seems to have been quite the success.
“We’ve gotten nothing but positive feedback,” said Tommy Morgan, one of the event’s organizers, along with Frank Norris of Effingham Talks.
Families with lots of kids lined Pine Street and Laurel Street in Springfield despite the temperature dipping well into the 40s before the parade started. Kids played and did cartwheels in the grass while waiting for the parade.
Floats and entries lined up in the parking lot of the Board of Education building on Ash Street and wound around the streets of Springfield. Parade participants handed out candy and walkers stopped for photos with spectators – especially the Grinch, who at one point distracted an ECSO deputy and attempted to steal one of the award plaques. He was caught, returned the plaque, and then remembered that his heart had grown three sizes.
Entries were judged by Leslie Fields, Dee Moncrief, Vera Jones and Tracey Mydell.
More than 37 entries participated and at the end the following entries were awarded plaques: First Place -- Ratchford Law Firm; Second Place -- Effingham Developmental Services; and Third Place -- Combat Baseball.
Pauline Shaw, founder of the Effingham County Navigators, was the grand marshal.
There were no entry fees to participate in the parade, but each entry had to be lighted. Most had music.
Morgan said that the whole idea of the parade was to give the Effingham Navigators exposure. “And now we want the whole world to know about the Navigators,” Morgan said.
The Navigators is an advocacy group for families with children and young adults with special needs. It grew out of these kids and their love for sports.
In 2018, Effingham County native and retired Houston Astro Josh Reddick, along with Clarence Morgan, were the driving forces in developing an adaptive ball field for kids with special needs to play baseball.
For more information about the Effingham County Navigators Team, click on its Facebook page.
