By Clyde Noel

Town Crier File Photo

Town Crier Correspondent

54th annual Kiwanis Pet Parade set for Saturday

With a little help from Kiwanian friends, pets of all sizes, shapes and colors will parade down Main and State streets 10 a.m., Saturday, in the Kiwanis 54th annual Pet Parade.

The wailing siren of an antique police car will set thousands of children and their beloved pets marching in the annual parade starting at the corner of First and Main. Typically, hundreds of spectators line the parade route, but observers often note the number of participants sometimes outnumber those watching on the sidelines.

Shiny convertibles with local VIPs waving to the crowd will join the hundreds of pets, followed by marching bands, school groups, marching units and horses.

It’s a big event for the Los Altos Kiwanis Club, originally formed specifically to conduct the parade. When the Mountain View-Los Altos Kiwanis Club decided to drop the Los Altos Pet Parade in 1947, members from Los Altos formed their own club and continued it.

“After 54 years, it’s a luxury for the Los Altos Kiwanis Club to do this every year. It’s different every year and you don’t know what will show up,” said Karen Melbye-Smith, president of the Los Altos Kiwanis Club. “It’s a privilege to give back to the community in this fashion.”

This year’s parade will change little from previous events, said parade chairwoman and Kiwanis member Carol Hanzlik.

“It’s one of the old-fashioned things in town that have stayed,” she said. “There have been three generations of people in it. I’m looking forward to it - it’s going to be a good one.”

Because of an incident last year involving a “spooked” horse, city officials were not going to allow any horses at this year’s parade, Hanzlik said. But members of the Paso Peruvian horse group persuaded officials to allow a limited number of horses. Two groups totaling 15 horses are scheduled to participate.

This year’s grand marshal for the parade will be Los Altos Police Chief and Kiwanian Lucy Carlton, who is serving her final year as chief. The police department’s D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) car also is scheduled to appear, and the San Jose Sharks’ mascot, Sharkie, might also participate, Hanzlik said.

New families with small children hear about the Pet Parade and come as an introduction to the community. As the years go by, the parade becomes a tradition and they continue to attend as a family.

Kiwanis member Soosan Rigi helps organize the pets before the parade and enjoys the social atmosphere. “The people who take part in the parade are usually community members,” Rigi said. “You get to know them and their pets.”

Kiwanis member Alex Myers is an annual parade worker.

“I have had numerous jobs in making the pet parade a success,” Myers said. “In the past, I have been the starter, but this year I’m going to see that the big dogs don’t snarl at the cute and proud little darlings.”

After the parade, which runs less than an hour, the Town Crier will hold its annual Pet Parade Contest in the Community Plaza, at the intersection of State and Main streets. Prizes will be given for best overall participants, most creative and unusual entries, and best pet and owner look-alikes.