Annual Lakewood Fourth of July Parade Set for 10 a.m.
“America Loves American Heroes” is the theme for the annual Lakewood Fourth of July parade, scheduled at 10 a.m. Thursday July 4. Prior to the parade, the Annual Lakewood Mini-Marathon Fun Run (approximately 1.2 miles; $1 entry fee) begins at 8 a.m. Both the parade and fun run begin at Lakewood Boulevard and Cambria Avenue.
Ribbons will be awarded for the best-costumed individuals (dressed as their favorite American heroes), as well as the best-decorated floats. The J.L. Long Expectations show choir will perform at Winsted Park, where prize winners will be announced and refreshments will be available.
The parade committee includes Jim Hicks, Bill Duryee, Bob Brimer and Carol Hensley.
Later that evening, the Lakewood Country Club will be providing a fireworks display at about 9:30 p.m. The fireworks will be visible from areas surrounding the Country Club.
Chamber Presents Education Community Service Awards
Three Community Service Awards for Education have been presented by the Greater East Dallas Chamber of Commerce.
Among the winners were BNR Inc., Lake Highlands High School president Donna Chereck, and the R.I.S.E. Foundation. They were recognized for extraordinary support of educational programs.
Among the nominees for this year’s awards were Lake Highlands High School teacher Dana Ballard; Dallas Academy teacher Bettye Davis; Ellen Gaconnier, coordinator of an adopt-a-school program for the Richardson BNR Inc. lab; State Rep. Bill Hammond; TU Electric’s Don Wilson; Bishop Lynch High School students; and the Electronic Sciences Cluster Advisory Board at Skyline High School’s Career Development Center.
Also nominated were the Exchange Club of Lake Highlands; Girl Scout Troop #1043 – Junior Level; Lake Highlands Elementary School and “A Space To Learn”; Lake Highlands High School student council; Lake Highlands United Methodist Church; Lake Highlands High School PTA; sixth grade teachers at William M. Anderson Elementary; Stults Road Elementary School staff; and the Texas Association of Landscape Contractors.
Old East Dallas Coalition Reviews Accomplishments
The Old East Dallas Coalition, a group of business and neighborhood activists, devotes its energies to protecting the quality of life in Old East Dallas. In reviewing the accomplishments of the past two years, former chairman Lon Williams notes the following major areas of concentration:
The Crime Task Force, chaired by Peggy Walker, expanded the network of neighborhood crime watches and assisted the Dallas Police Department’s East Dallas Storefront crime prevention program.
The Zoning Task Force, chaired by Dorothy Savage and Joe Williams, instigated the D-1 Zoning Overlay effort for an area of Old East Dallas and supported efforts to tighten code enforcement throughout the area. The group is continuing efforts to seek Planned Development zoning for Gaston Avenue between Fitzhugh and Carroll streets.
The Code Enforcement Task Force, chaired by Tim Howells and Fred Henneke, worked with Clean Dallas East in an effort to improve relationships among neighborhoods and City service departments. Yolanda Odom chairs the Clean Dallas East Committee.
The Transportation Task Force, chaired by Jim Bartholomew, sought to include Haskell Parkway in the City’s transportation plan, cooperating with the affected neighborhood, business and institutional interests.
The Education Task Force, chaired by Candy Slocum, compiled a comprehensive report on all Old East Dallas public and private schools. The report will be distributed to interested residents after additional changes are completed this summer.
The Affirmation of Old East Dallas Task Force, chaired by Sande Wilkinson, established short- and long-range goals for the committee with the assistance of Trudy O’Reilly.
