By Melanie Patterson

The North Jefferson News



The grand marshals at this year’s Trafford Christmas parade are two young people chosen for their dedication.

Pam and David Samuels chose their son William Samuels and family member Amy Reid as the honored guests for Saturday’s parade.

The Samuels organize the parade every year along with William, Amy and family friend Marcie Thomas.

William Samuels, who turns 13 on Christmas day, and Amy Reid, 14, daughter of the Samuels cousin Nona Reid, have been helping with the parade for about seven years.

“They have lined people up so many years in the sleet, snow and rain,” said Pam Samuels. “They’ve never complained once about the weather.”

One of the features of the parade that Samuels is most proud of is the large number of area fire departments that participate.

Those that bring fire trucks include: Trafford, Warrior, Cane Creek, West Blount, Locust Fork, Dallas-Selfville, Corner, Palmerdale, Kimberly, Morris. Also, Blount EMS brings an ambulance.

A couple of new entries this year will be a Birmingham Waterworks lowboy and track hoe, and a replica of the Dukes of Hazzard’s Dodge Charger, the General Lee.

And, of course, Santa Claus will take a trip from the North Pole that day to be in the parade.

There is no entry fee to be in Trafford’s Christmas parade on Saturday.

“We do ours strictly for the kids,” said Samuels.

The staging area is at noon at the Trafford Ball Park.

“If they show up, I’ll put them in,” Samuels said.

For more information, call Samuels at 647-0778 after 10 a.m.