Finding a way to involve over a thousand children in a parade float can be a bit of a challenge for any float committee chairman. But Crystal Saddler of the South Jordan Utah Daybreak Stake was determined to make sure that the Primary kids of her stake would be able to remember their experience of being a part of the annual Days of ’47 Union Pacific Youth Parade.
“I wanted kids to feel like they were a part of our stake float,” she said. While the children were able to walk with the float during the Youth Parade, Saddler wanted them to remember their experience as something more than walking in a parade. “We wanted the kids to have ownership and be a part of the float,” she said.
The committee tossed around ideas like gathering hearts or stars to represent the children of the Primary. But then they decided to collect photos of each Primary child in the stake. When the photos were collected, they were formed into a picture mosaic of President Thomas S. Monson, which hung on the back of the float. The float, which features President Brigham Young wearing sunglasses, was designed around the motto, “Future’s So Bright.”
“I wanted to get kids involved to show them that by following the prophet, your future is better,” Saddler said.
Twenty stakes were involved in the youth parade held Saturday morning, July 22. Each found ways to involve the Primary kids in the floats or parade. For instance, those in the Bountiful Utah East Stake, which had the theme “Shoot for the Stars: A vision of my future self,” wore bright yellow shirts with different careers written on them. Ryan Bradley, who is fascinated by the study of ancient life, proudly showed what he had written. “My shirt says what I want to be when I grow up: a paleontologist,” he said.
Joining the parade were school bands, community organizations, parade royalty and dignitaries including Sister Joy D. Jones, Primary general president, police officers and other individual performers. Hundreds of community members lined the street along 500 South to watch the parade. Each float was inspired by this year’s Days of ’47 theme, “Pioneers — Visions of a New Horizon.”
“Your future is as bright as your faith,” was the theme of Greta Mortensen’s stake float. Primary children of the Salt Lake Olympus Stake, including Greta, got to wear sailor hats and wave sticks with ribbons or other sea life on the ends.
“I guess if you have a lot of faith, then you have a really bright future. The more faith you have, the brighter your future will be,” Greta said. She said that the early Mormon Pioneers put “all their faith in the Lord to carry them to a place they’ve never been to and some of them had never heard of.”
“I enjoyed the excitement and anticipation I felt from the children as we visited before the parade began,” Sister Jones told the Church News. “I met two young girls who were walking with other children from their stake, each representing actual pioneers. I wish everyone could have seen the smiles on the faces of the children along the parade route. It was a sight to behold. I am very grateful for the dedication of those who make this parade a treasured memory for our children as they honor the nobility and courage of our pioneers.”
