This Halloween L&C Floats Above The Rest

Alexander Gent
agent@lc.edu

 

Lewis and Clark Community College once again participated in Alton’s Halloween parade with a “Little Shop of Horrors” themed float. According to Laura Inlow, Media Services Manager here at LC, this is the school’s third year preparing a float for the annual parade which has run for 102 years now.

Inlow along with Creative Services Manager, Korin Fishcher, are the driving forces behind Lewis and Clark’s participation, having been here since 2009 and 2008 respectively.

“We didn’t have a float back then, but being huge Halloween fans, she and I both wanted to do one,” Inlow said. “We finally did one in 2015 and have done one each year since!”

LC has won an award for its floats each year and even took home first place this year. Part of the importance of LC’s participation in this event is the way that it brings together volunteers from different departments and clubs across both campuses, as well as former students.

According to Inlow, “Students from the art department decorated the tombstones in our second “Bring Careers to Life” float in 2016”. The Truck Driver Training Program provides a rig to pull the float and faculty members such as Louise Jett and Kent Scheffel have even participated as past performers on the floats.

“It was fun to walk in the parade again, though it seemed much shorter this time, which is probably because the last time was nearly twenty years ago as a boy scout with Scout Master Bill Youngberg,” said Chris Gent a Lewis and Clark Alumnus, and volunteer with the float this year. “It was an honor to be able to represent my Alma-Mater to my community”.

The parade has always had a huge following. Organizers estimate between 10,000 and 30,000 people attend each year depending on the weather conditions.

“Our float, pulled by Truck Driver Training’s tractor, is like a rolling billboard in front of a captive audience,” said Inlow. “We also just love spending Halloween with the community we serve and love!”

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