Our view: No hesitation in Cloquet's holidays

The many huddled paradegoers along Cloquet Avenue last Saturday evening came for the annual Santa’s Home for the Holidays finale of fireworks. But they also collectively told a story about Cloquet.

It’s one of a community rich in its expressions of kindness and good cheer.

Consider Bob and Julie Noffsinger, who years ago rescued a wooden sleigh from a junkheap, then used it to become fixtures in the parade as Santa and Mrs. Claus. When they couldn’t pull up the tail-end of the parade this year, fellow veteran John Prouty and his wife, LoraLee, stepped in for the night. He’s 81 years old. It was hovering around 10 degrees. Still, there was no hesitation.

There was also no hesitation on the part of West End businessman Zach Wehr, who donated red paint for the sleigh, or both auto shops in the West End — Lyn’s Auto Body harbored the sleigh, giving up their storage and workspace for volunteers to get it in parade shape, and Bridges Customs loaned a trailer to pull it on.

There was no hesitation from Wood City Motors either, which used one of its pickups to pull the sleigh and brought a half-dozen kids to hand out candy. Additionally, the auto dealer conducted free cookie decorating and magic shows for scores of families throughout the day inside its toasty showroom on the south end of town.

And there were so many wonderful floats, twice as many as registered, that didn’t hesitate to show up. Congratulations to Kolar Automotive for winning the trophy for Best Lit float, Lakehead Harvest Festival for Most Festive, and Shooting Stars Dance for Judge’s Choice.

So many families like Josh Hamilton’s also didn’t hesitate to show up. They wore their snowmobiling clothes to the parade. Hamilton told us, on page 11 of this issue, that “Every year we partake in the Christmas stuff the city puts on.”

It wouldn’t happen without the city’s public works and parks staff or its police, who all do such a good job at helping make the parade as safe and smooth as possible. The city council deserves a huge thank-you as well, as the city funds both the fireworks and the coordinator stipend.

There are so many others, too, that form the tapestry of Santa’s Home for the Holidays. No one person or group is responsible. More thanks go out to Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Cloquet and Fond du Lac police, Boy Scout Troop 171, Churchill Elementary, Cloquet Public Library, Cloquet American Legion and Auxiliary, Cloquet VFW and, of course, the Cloquet Area Fire District’s crew at Fire Station 1, where the barrel fires and s’mores cast a warm glow both over the event and in our jolly bellies.

None of those groups and people hesitated this year, and neither did the downtown business owners who started the parade 27 years ago as a way to combat the doldrums which had descended during a period of heavy road construction.

When it comes to Cloquet and its holiday spirit, we notice there’s no quit in Cloquet. Which is why we’ll never hesitate at the Pine Knot News to take notice and help where we can. Thank you, Cloquet. You tell a delightful holiday story.