One thing I have learned is that good friends have other good friends. This is a series of stories about “friends of my friends”. The post below is the story for November 21, 2015.
My goal in 2015 is to learn or get re-acquainted with 365 people and doing a daily post on the “the friend of a friend” is helping me get closer to my goal.
Today is a great day in Lumberton, NC. On the Saturday before each Thanksgiving Lumberton hosts it’s Christmas Parade. It is a day where our next door neighbors Ron and Coleen Brown allow us to host a collective parade watching party in our front yards. The parade route runs along Elm Street and comes past both of our homes.
The scene in front of our house during the parade.
Today is a day when I get to see a lot of people that I don’t get to see on a regular basis. More importantly I get to see a lot of children. When we first moved into our home in 1999 we saw our own small children and their friends.
Today at the parade our children are no longer small. The small children in some cases belong to the friends of our older children or neighbors. Doesn’t matter who they are they all get a big kick out of the floats, bands, fire trucks, tractors, vintage cars, beauty queens, and big men in little cars (The Shriners).
One of the floats in the parade that will be up front and will include members of Lumberton’s City Council.
The Council is made up of 8 members with one of them being our back door neighbor. Erich Hackney represents Precinct 8 and always makes an appearance pre and post parade at our parade party.
(l-r) Joe Osman-Erich Hackney-Tony Jenkins taking in the 2013 parade.
Erich is a veteran having served in the US Army in Germany from 1978-1981. He currently works as a criminal investigator for the Robeson County District Attorney. He also is a great neighbor who is constantly vigilant in keeping an eye on the coming and goings in the neighborhood. Erich was most recently elected in 2013 and has been serving Lumberton on the Council since 2001.
Even though Erich will be a VIP located towards the front of the parade the person the small children want to see is Santa.
The Friend-ERICH HACKNEY
The Friend of the Friend-SANTA
The man that makes kids smile
As the last float comes down Elm Street with Santa riding on his sleigh there are lots of happy children. My photos below are just a few that Santa makes happy, Not all the children are young.
Annsley Britt
Lizzie Williamson
Rex and Kelli Willoughby Two oldest children
Princess Collection
coach4aday 
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