After a seven year absence, Barbara Cushman decided to build one more float for the Centralia Halloween Parade and came away with the coveted Harley Queen Trophy.
Cushman gathered with more than 40 members of her family to claim the top prize at the Carillon Tower after the parade.
“Took me and my husband 3 months to do. I’d had a double lung transplant about 14 months ago and I haven’t built in 7 years so I thought I would try one last time. This is my last time and I thank God for everybody here to help me and I did it in memory of my son.”
Cushman says the float honoring the Wizard of Oz was done the old fashion way.
“Together with newspaper, cardboard, glue and everything was just hand done.”
And Cushman also was credited for her work on a float by her sons, Robert and Rick Boxx, that took first place in the Family Division. It honored Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin.
Grand Marshal Patty Williams selected the Timmons Family Spooky Spectacular for the Grand Marshal’s prize.
“It’s a fabulous parade and everybody in Centralia and probably the surrounding County is here. It is jam packed and quite an honor to be the grand marshal. I think every kid I taught before was screaming at me tonight and that is the best part. It was really fun.”
Parade Chair Butch Mathus says everything went well.
“It was beautiful. We couldn’t ask for better weather, great participation. 41 floats to judge and stiff competition but it was great. Tip of the hat to everyone who participated. I want to thank everyone who helped to make this possible, from all of our sponsors to the community.”
Mathus takes a few months off before starting to work on next year’s parade.
