Helensville’s beloved Christmas Parade is in jeopardy due to lack of volunteer support on the day.
Over recent years there has been no participation in the parade by any sports clubs, and float entries from schools/preschools were significantly down this last year. It has been commented that it is these two sectors of our community who regularly seek sponsorship/funding from the wider community. It is also these two sectors which influence our youth.
We simply do not have younger people (under 60!) coming forward to serve the community as volunteers and supporters of various organisations. Our ‘active’ community is literally dying.
Unless we are assured of more manpower, the Christmas Parade cannot continue. We breached Health & Safety and Waste Management conditions, conditions of the Event Permit, in several respects in 2017. That cannot be repeated.
So come on people. Encourage the young to volunteer. Encourage their sense of community, and their place within the community. Volunteering is rewarding and builds maturity and character, including learning responsibility. Perhaps groups of young families could nominate one parent each year to miss watching the parade with their children to take a turn at being a street marshall.
We need you!
