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On Friday, Nov., 2nd I had a chance to sit down and have a chat with State Senator Dave Kelley about the City Palm Springs Festival Of Lights Parade. Senator Kelley has always been a supporter of the parade and this year is no exception. Here is our conversation:
Senator Kelley: What's the date of the parade?
Al: Dec. 1st, the first Saturday of December. You are going to be in it. What are your feelings about the parade?
Senator Kelley: Oh, it's fabulous, here (in Palm Springs) you are the premier tourist attraction for golf in the state of California except pebble beach, but you got more golf courses then pebble beach, the only thing you're missing here is the water, you got all the sand and everything else. It's all part of the ambiance of tourist attraction down here, and of course you go right by the old theater where they have the Palm Springs Follies right now, and I've been to see it, I'm sure that you've seen it too. It's absolutely fabulous. This season, with what's happened in New York, are they going to have Military there (at the parade)?
Al: The Marine Corps Band will be there. Some people have suggested that because of the involvement in Afghanistan that perhaps we should consider canceling the parade. What are your feelings about that?
Senator Kelley: No, life should go on... I don't think we should cancel the parade.
Al: There are some members of the Palm Springs City Council that have expressed less than enthusiastic support, not just because of the Afghanistan situation, they seem to feel that it's really not a good thing for the city and they don't see any redeeming value in it. Do you have any comment about that?
Senator Kelley: I don't want to know who that is, but I think the festival of lights, the more you do this the more you draw attention to Palm Springs and what you want for here in Palm Springs. If you 're gonna go on again off again, one year on one year off and that sort of thing, you don't build up the camaraderie, you don't build up the history, you don't build up the esprit de corps if you start bouncing back and forth or you don't have it because of some concern. If you're gonna have a festival of lights, keep doing it year after year. Some years it's probably better attended that other years, but you can't quit now unless you want to quit altogether, you gotta keep going, you gotta have it.
Al: This is our 10th annual parade and it's looks like it's going to be a long future. Last year we had 50,00 to 60,000 people attend, this year should be even more. Is there anything you want to say to those council members that may be unenthusiastic about the parade?
Senator Kelley: This parade is a unifying spirit for our community.
Al: We don't call our parade the Christmas Parade, but the festival of Lights Parade because we understand that Christmas has always been a Christian holiday. However Christmas has become an American holiday and whether your Jewish, Muslim, or Hindu it shouldn't matter, you still should be able to appreciate the spirit of the holidays. That's the message we want to give.
Senator Kelley: The little kids don't know the difference.
Al: They see Santa Clause and they all love him, and Santa will be there (at the parade).
Senator Kelley: This (the parade) is the spirit of the season, that's what it's supposed to be. I think the whole thing is Palm Springs. It's the season we all look forward to, I don't think we should change anything. The city should, if anything, spend a little more money on it (the parade), maybe we could get the State to contribute something.
Al: We will see you with your wife on Dec. 1st at the Festival of Lights Parade.
Senator Kelley: Thank you, we'll be there and we look forward to seeing you there as well.
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