West Valley Days ‘Bigger And Better’

Thu., June 8, 2000

By Stacy Schwandt stacys@spokesman.com

Seconds after the last fire engine in the West Valley Days parade passed the corner of Grove and Locust, Brianna Heid was ready for more.

“Let’s go to the carnival,” the five-year-old cheered.

She’d already caught pieces of bubble gum tossed by a clown. She’d marveled at all the dogs parading with the Spokane Dog Training Club. And when the Lilac City float rolled by, one of the princesses waved right at her. That was her favorite part, she said.

“It’s so fun.” she said.

With Saturday’s blue skies drawing hundreds to West Valley SCOPE’s sixth annual parade and carnival, it is safe to say most everyone agreed.

“The celebration is getting bigger and better every year,” said Millwood Mayor Jeanne Batson, who enjoyed the carnival from one of Millwood City Park’s shady picnic tables.

Both Batson and parade organizer Jan Geiger thought community spirit motivated folks to join the festivities.

Geiger was glad. If neighbors get better acquainted, she said, they are more likely to look after each other. “That’s really the theory behind SCOPE,” she said.

Each year SCOPE, which stands for Sheriff’s Community Oriented Policing Effort, raises about $1,500 from the festival. It is the group’s only fund-raiser.

“We do try to make everything as cheap as possible so it’s a family affair,” said Bill Langdon, president of West Valley SCOPE.

Indeed, everything from hot dogs to raffle tickets sold for $1.

For 50 cents, kids could try the ring toss, the milk bottle throw or, if they waited in the longest line, the lollipop tree. There, kids pulled a lollipop from a board drilled with hundreds of holes. If the one they chose had a colored stick, they won a stuffed animal.

“The kids love this one, ‘cause even if they don’t win, they get to keep the lollipop,” said volunteer Brenda Davis.

Adults in the crowd sang along with the Rock Bottom Band as they played favorites like “Sweet Home Alabama.”

Between sets, SCOPE raffled off prizes donated by more than 70 local businesses. The group also gave away five brand new children’s bicycles in a free drawing.

“That part is our way of saying thank you to the community,” SCOPE president Langdon said.

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