Residents enjoy rainy parades

Local residents braved rainy weather to usher in the holiday season by attending annual Christmas parades in Exeter and Cassville on Dec. 3. Dressed in ponchos and rain boots, parents and youngsters lined downtown streets for this year's festive events.

Cassville's annual nighttime parade was sponsored by the Cassville Area Chamber of Commerce.

"Given the weather, I was very pleased with the parade," said Mindi Artherton, chamber executive director. "We have some real troopers in southwest Missouri.

"It was by no means perfect weather conditions, but we still had several parade entries and a good crowd lined Main Street," said Artherton. "Thank you to everyone that devoted so much time and money to the parade. I know it was wet and chilly, but it turned out well."

This year, the Cassville United Methodist Church's holiday float took home the top prize in the religious division. All Points Recycling earned first place in the commercial devision, and the Cassville High School FFA claimed the top prize in the non-religious division.

Other Cassville Christmas parade winners included: Southwest Marching Trojan Band, first place, marching bands; Son Rose Trail Riders, first place, horse division; Ron and Kim Patrick, Volkswagen hot rod, best decorated vehicle; Daniel and Jennifer Pendergraft, 1923 T-Bucket, oldest vehicle; and Ryan and Bowen Preddy and Ryan and Kaden Wilson, 1955 Belair, most unusual vehicle.

The 2011 Cassville Christmas Parade Committee included: Justin Gates, Mark Kelley, Kelly Mills, Dale Assing, Dusty Reid, Annette Henderson, Mike and Shana Perez and Jo Ellen Fielding.

Exeter Christmas parade

Area residents also braved wet weather to attend Exeter's annual Christmas Parade on Saturday. The procession was led by Dale Mitchell, who served as this year's grand marshal.

Exeter's City Choice Award was presented to the Exeter First Baptist Church, which entered a festive holiday float.

Other Exeter parade winners were: Southwest High School FFA, first place, and Exeter Carnival king and queen, second place, school floats; Exeter First Baptist Church, first place, and Bethlehem Freewill Baptist, second place, religious floats; Jimmy's Pre-owned, first place, and Butterfield Fire Department, second place, non-religious floats; Son Rose Trail Riders, first place, and David Bowman mules and wagon, second place, best presentation horses; Gene Robbins, first place, best of show horses; Ron Patrick, Volkswagen hot rod, first place, and Larry Averman, Model T hot rod, second place, oldest vehicles; Cassville Cruisers, first place, and Johnnie Hilery Construction four-wheelers, second place, best decorated vehicles; Carl Harlow race car, first place; and Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA), second place, most unusual vehicles; Southwest Marching Trojan Band, first place, musical bands; Southwest High School flag team, first place, and Lauren Mitchell, Southwest High School twirler, second place, non-musical marching units; and Donnie Cooper, 1938 tractor, first place, antique tractors.