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UP WITH NOWHERE TO GO.I'M DEBRA DUNCAN, THE HOST OF GREAT DAY HOUSTON, AND I'M GLAD THAT MY OUTFIT'S ALREADY PICKED OUT, AND SO IS EVERYBODY ELSE'S UP HERE.
UH, K TWO U CHANNEL 11 IS SO HAPPY TO ONCE AGAIN BROADCAST THIS PARADE.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, OVER THE YEARS, IT'S THAT MOMENT IN OUR CITY WHERE YOU COME TOGETHER AND SAY, NO MATTER WHAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH, WE KNOW IT'S GONNA BE OKAY.
THERE IS NO ONE WHO WANTED TO SEE THE SHOW GO ON MORE THAN THE HONORABLE MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER.
THAT DECISION WEIGHED HEAVY ON HIM LAST YEAR, BUT THE KINDNESS IN HIM ALSO WANTED EVERYONE TO BE SAFE.
SO HERE WE ARE WITH ANOTHER CHANCE TO HIGHLIGHT OUR WONDERFUL CITY AND SHARE WHAT WE'RE THANKFUL FOR.
AND KOU CHANNEL 11, UH, FOR, FOR BEING THE TELEVISION SPONSOR FOR THIS EVENT.
AND I DO RECALL LAST YEAR, YOU KNOW, THE RAIN WASN'T GONNA STOP US.
SO HOPEFULLY WE ARE PRAYING FOR NO LIGHTNING.
AND, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS, THIS YEAR'S PARADE.
UH, THE HOLIDAY SEASON IS JUST, IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER.
UH, I'M ALREADY MAKING OUT, UH, MY WISHLIST AND, UH, AND IT'S A FAVORITE TIME.
OUR FAVORITE TIME OF THE YEAR.
THE HOLIDAYS ARE ABOUT FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND ENJOYING THE 73RD ANNUAL HEB THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER THE 24TH.
GENERATIONS OF HOUSTONIANS HAVE ENJOYED THIS FREE FAMILY FRIENDLY PARADE, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING MY FELLOW HOUSTONIANS LINING THE DOWNTOWN STREETS.
AS WE CELEBRATE TOGETHER, OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS ARE HERE AND THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE CITY HELP MAKE EVENTS LIKE THIS A REALITY.
AND I APPRECIATE VERY MUCH THEIR SUPPORT.
I ALSO APPRECIATE HEB SUPPORT OF THIS ICONIC PARADE.
THEIR TITLE SPONSORSHIP ALLOWS THE PARADE TO CONTINUE TO DELIGHT US WITH FRESH AND CREATIVE ELEMENTS EACH YEAR, START, SAY FRESH AND, AND, UH, FOOD, BUT IT'S
UH, LISA, THANK YOU, UH, AND THE HEB FAMILY FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND KEEPING THIS 73RD YEAR OLD THANKSGIVING DAY, UH, PARADE TRADITION ROLLING.
AND I'M TRULY GRATEFUL FOR ALL, UH, YOU AND THE TEAM AT HEB DOES FOR THE CITY.
HCA HOUSTON HEALTHCARE IS A FAMILY OF HOSPITALS AND OTHER HEALTHCARE FACILITIES SERVING THE GREATEST HOUSTON AREA.
DAY AFTER DAY, THEY COMMIT THEMSELVES TO THE CARE AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE HUMAN LIFE ABOVE ALL ELSE.
SO THANK YOU SAMANTHA COLEMAN AND TEAM FOR YOUR CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN THIS PARADE AND THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON.
GIVE IT UP TO HCA HOUSTON EL CAMP, THE LARGEST RODEO IN THE WORLD.
UH, THE HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO ALSO RETURNS AS A PARADE SPONSOR.
UH, THANK YOU TO PETER MAVIC AND THE ENTIRE HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND, AND RODEO BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR YOUR SPONSORSHIP AND YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR COMMUNITY.
GIVE IT UP TO THE HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO.
BRINGING SANTA TO TOWN TO CLOSE OUT THE PARADE IS HIGHLAND VILLAGE SHOPPING CENTER FROM THE NORTH POLE, RELOCATED TO HOUSTON, TEXAS.
I WANT TO THANK HEIDA MA BEAUTY BAI AND LAUREN LIL AND TEAM FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THIS PARADE AND FOR HELPING US TO GET US ALL IN THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT.
PLEASE GIVE IT UP TO HOLLAND VILLAGE SHOPPING SANTA.
I WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GET YOUR HOLIDAY SHOPPING STARTED AT HOLLAND VILLAGE AND TO ENJOY THOSE BEAUTIFULLY LIT PALM TREES ALONG WEST TIMER, CELEBRATING THEIR 50TH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR.
OUR OFFICIAL PARADE HOTEL SPONSOR, THE HYATT REGENCY DOWNTOWN HOUSTON, WILL BE OFFERING SPECIAL PACKAGES FOR THE THANKSGIVING WEEKEND.
GIVE IT UP TO THE HYATT REGENCY DOWNTOWN HOUSTON.
AND I WANT TO THANK OUR BROADCAST PARTNER.
I ANCHORED THERE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS BEFORE MOVING ON, UH, KHOU TV, CHINA
AND A SPECIAL THANKS TO DEBORAH AND DALE.
ALSO, THANKS TO MY DIRECTOR, I SHOULD SAY THE CITY'S DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL EVENTS, SUSAN CHRISTIAN AND HER ENTIRE TEAM.
FOR ALL THE HARD WORK IT TAKES TO PRODUCE A WONDERFUL PARADE OF THIS MAGNITUDE EACH AND EVERY YEAR, GIVE IT UP TO SUSAN AND SPECIAL EVENTS VANCE.
AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, I COULDN'T DO ANY OF THIS WITHOUT OUR SPECIAL PARTNERS.
MY SPECIAL PARTNER IS MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL, SO I CERTAINLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY
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ALCORN AND COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY KAMAN, WHO ARE WITH US TODAY.AND, AND COUNCIL COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER MIKE KNOX IS A COUNCIL COUNCILMAN, ALSO WITH THE HOUSTON LOBSTER SHOW AND PARADE.
AND THEN, UH, ALSO CALL US CIARA FROM DISTRICT DAYS.
GIVE IT UP TO ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL DOWNTOWN ON NOVEMBER THE 24TH FOR THIS YEAR'S THANKSGIVING, UH, PARADE.
AND IT'S NOW MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE OUR TITLE SPONSOR, LISA HUFFMAN, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS OF HEB HOUSTON LISA.
I'LL TAKE CHEERING FOR HEB ANY DAY.
IT'S WONDERFUL TO BE STANDING UP WITH YOU HERE AGAIN TODAY.
MY FELLOW HEB PARTNERS AND I ARE SO PROUD TO JOIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND MAYOR TURNER ONCE AGAIN IN SHARING THANKSGIVING WITH OUR FELLOW HOUSTONIANS.
CAN YOU BELIEVE HEB HAS BEEN PART OF THIS PARADE FOR 16 YEARS NOW? IT'S AWESOME.
WE'RE ALWAYS THANKFUL FOR THE PRIVILEGE TO CELEBRATE, WHETHER IT'S LEADING THIS FANTASTIC PARADE THROUGH DOWNTOWN, SHARING WITH THOSE IN NEED OR FILLING YOUR HOLIDAY TABLES WITH ALL THE FRESHEST AND MOST FLAVORFUL GOODIES AVAILABLE TO CREATE MEMORIES WITH YOUR LOVED ONES.
NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE ARE THRILLED TO ENSURE THAT THIS TRADITION CONTINUES, ESPECIALLY AFTER A FEW YEARS OF HICCUPS THAT HAVE KEPT US FROM MOVING FORWARD.
BUT YOU KNOW, I HAVE A GREAT FEELING ABOUT THIS YEAR.
IT'S GONNA BE AMAZING, AND SO IS THE PARADE AS WE KNOW.
UH, WE LIKE, AS YOU KNOW, WE LIKE TO SHAKE THINGS UP A LITTLE BIT AND SHOWCASE MORE PAGEANTRY, MORE PIZAZZ AND JUST PLAIN OLD FUN.
UM, WITH THAT, LET ME GIVE YOU A FEW HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS YEAR'S PARADE.
THIS YEAR'S PARADE WILL BE LED BY HOUSTON'S NEWEST RESIDENT AND PHILANTHROPIST CURTIS 50 CENT JACKSON.
MOST OF YOU KNOW HIM AS ONE OF THE WORLD'S BESTSELLING MULTI AWARD-WINNING RAPPERS.
BUT LET ME TELL YOU, IN ADDITION TO HIS MUSIC AND A THRIVING AWARD-WINNING, WINNING TELEVISION AND FILM CAREER, CURTIS HAS IMMERSED HIMSELF IN HELPING TO LEVEL UP HOUSTON IN ALL DIFFERENT WAYS SINCE HE'S BEEN HERE.
FOSTERING LEADERSHIP SKILLS IN YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY, IN ADDITION TO SUPPORTING THE NAACP TOY DRIVE, HOUSTON'S CHRISTMAS EVE SUPER FEAST, THE HOUSTON SYMPHONY.
AND OF COURSE, LIKE EVERYONE DOES, THE HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO.
IF THAT DOESN'T DEMONSTRATE A HEART FOR PEOPLE, JUST LIKE THE SPIRIT OF GIVING HOUSTONIANS ARE KNOWN FOR, I DON'T KNOW WHAT DOES.
AND THERE'S MORE, NOT JUST 50 CENT, BUT BACKED BY MAYOR TURNER'S SPECIAL INVITATION, OUR 2021 PARADE GRAND MARSHALL, DR.
PETER HOTEZ, PROFESSOR AND DEAN OF THE NATIONAL SCHOOL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AT BAYLOR.
YES, HE DESERVE, BEFORE I EVEN FINISH, HE DESERVES A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
HE'S ALSO CO-DIRECTOR OF THE TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, SO FOR VACCINE DEVELOPMENT.
AND WE ALL KNOW WHAT A HUGE ROLE HE'S PLAYED DURING THE PANDEMIC WHILE HE'S RETURNING AS OUR SPECIAL GUEST.
YOU MAY ALL REMEMBER THE PARADE WAS CUT SHORT LAST YEAR DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT LIGHTNING HE'S TALKING ABOUT.
AND WE ARE THRILLED TO GIVE DR.
HOTEZ ALL THE HONORS THAT HE DESERVES.
FOLLOWING TRADITION, WE'LL HAVE NO LESS THAN A DOZEN FLOATS AND 20 HIGH FILING BALLOONS GLIDING THROUGH THE ROUTE.
MY PERSONAL FAVORITE, TOM TURKEY AND ALSO SANTA CLAUS WILL MAKE APPEARANCES ALONG WITH MARCHING BANDS, SPECIAL PERFORMERS, AND THE APACHE BELLS WHO ARE CELEBRATING THEIR 75TH ANNIVERSARY AND MUCH, MUCH MORE.
WHILE THE 73RD ANNUAL HEB THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE IS FREE AND OPEN TO EVERYONE IN THE PUBLIC, I'M HAPPY TO SHARE THAT ONCE AGAIN, WE WILL HAVE A FEW SEATS FOR THE SPECIAL PURCHASE AT THE WEBSITE, HOUSTON THANKSGIVING PARADE.ORG.
THANK YOU MAYOR TURNER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING US TO JOIN YOU.
THIS IS ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR WHOLE YEAR.
I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT DAY FOR ALL OF US AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU THERE.
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES HER LAST YEAR NO ONE COULD FIND TOPO CHICO.
UM, AND MAYOR, I WAS JUST WITH FITTY SENT THE OTHER DAY.
AND HE TOLD ME SOMETHING I DON'T THINK WE ALL KNEW.
HE SAID BEFORE YOU WERE A NEWS ANCHOR AT CHANNEL 11, YOU WERE ALSO A RAPPER.
HE WAS LIKE, MY NAME IS MAYOR TURNER AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW, I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU'RE COMING TO THE SHOW,
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THEY DELIVER MORE BABIES IN ANY OTHER HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.
THEY TREAT MORE THAN 1 MILLION PATIENTS A YEAR.
THEY HAVE 13 HOSPITAL LOCATIONS ACROSS HOUSTON AND 11 FULL SERVICE EMERGENCY ROOMS THROUGHOUT GREATER HOUSTON.
PLEASE WELCOME SAMANTHA COLEMAN, VP OF NURSING INFORMATICS, HCA, HOUSTON HEALTHCARE.
I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF NURSING INFORMATICS FOR HCA HOUSTON HEALTHCARE AND I AM SUPER EXCITED TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL TODAY.
HCA HEALTHCARE'S MISSION IS ABOVE ALL ELSE.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO THE CARE AND IMPROVEMENT OF HUMAN LIFE AND THAT COMMITMENT TRULY EXTENDS BEYOND THE WALLS OF OUR HOSPITALS.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO IMPROVING MORE LIVES IN MORE WAYS, AND WE ARE PROUD TO ALIGN OURSELVES WITH KEY COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO PROVIDE RESOURCES TO THE POPULATIONS WE SERVE AS WELL AS ACCESS TO THE HIGH QUALITY CARE THEY NEED.
WITH THIS AS OUR FOCUS, I AM SO PLEASED.
HCA HOUSTON HEALTHCARE IS A SPONSOR OF THE 73RD ANNUAL HEB THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE.
FOR THE FOURTH YEAR IN A ROW, WE WILL BE HONORING OUR AMAZING NURSES.
DURING THE EVENT, OUR DAISY AWARD WINNERS WILL BE MANNING OUR FLOATS REPRESENTING THEIR HOSPITALS.
AND IF YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE DAISY AWARD, IT'S A NATIONAL PROGRAM THAT CELEBRATES OUR NURSES.
THESE NURSES HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED BY THEIR PATIENTS AND BY THEIR PATIENTS' FAMILIES FOR EXCEPTIONAL CARE.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WE ARE INCREDIBLY PROUD OF ALL OF OUR HEALTHCARE COLLEAGUES.
THEY CARE FOR OUR PATIENTS AND THEY CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER EACH AND EVERY DAY.
WE ARE THRILLED TO BE ABLE TO SHOWCASE OUR STAFF TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON DURING THIS EXCITING PARADE.
SO ON BEHALF OF HCA HOUSTON HEALTHCARE, THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR PARTNERS.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO JOINING EFFORTS TO MAKE THIS YEAR'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, COORDINATING ALL THE FLOATS, THE DANCERS, BAND MEMBERS, BALLOONS, WALKERS, CARS, THE PARADE IS LIKE WELL HERDING CATTLE AND NO ONE DOES THAT BETTER THAN THE WORLD'S LARGEST LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO.
PLEASE WELCOME PETER MASTRO, CHIEF STRATEGIC PLANNING OFFICER WITH THE HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO.
MS. DUNCAN, THANK YOU FOR THE INTRODUCTION AND ON BEHALF OF BRADY CARRUTH, THE CHAIRMAN OF OUR BOARD AND CHRIS BOWMAN, WHO IS PRESIDENT AND CEO.
THE HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO HAS BEEN A PROUD SPONSOR OF THE ROAD OF THE PARADE SINCE 2017, AND WE ARE DELIGHTED TO BE PART OF IT AGAIN THIS YEAR.
WE'RE LENDING OUR SUPPORT AS SPONSORS TO WHAT'S REFERRED TO AS THE HOUSTON IS TRADITION SEGMENT OF THE RODEO.
AND YOU CAN ALL IMAGINE WHAT'S ON THAT SEGMENT.
THE RODEO AND THE THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE SHARE A COMMON BOND.
BOTH EVENTS ARE DEEPLY ROOTED IN THE TRADITION OF HOUSTON AND BOTH EVENTS ARE FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENTS THAT WE'RE VERY PROUD OF.
THE RODEO IS A YEAR-ROUND ORGANIZATION.
WE'RE ALSO A YEAR-ROUND ORGANIZATION WITH A YEAR ROUND IMPACT AS WELL.
AND WITH THAT IMPACT THE HOUSTON TRADITION SINCE 1932, WE CELEBRATE OUR WESTERN HERITAGE AND WE SUPPORT, WE ARE SUPPORTED YEAR BY YEAR BY THE COMMUNITY AND ALSO BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON ITSELF.
AND WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL OF THAT SUPPORT.
IT'S BECAUSE OF THIS UNWAVERING SUPPORT AND THANKS TO THE DEDICATION OF OUR 35, 30 5,000 VOLUNTEERS THAT THE RODEO HAS BEEN ABLE TO COMMIT OVER 50 $550 MILLION TO THE YOUTH OF TEXAS.
WE'RE GEARING UP TO CELEBRATE THE 2023 HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW RODEO.
IT'S SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY THE 28TH THROUGH MARCH 19TH.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOU JOINING WITH US AND CELEBRATING IN OUR TEXAS SIZE CELEBRATION AND OF WESTERN HERITAGE.
AND IN THE MEANTIME, GET READY FOR A GREAT THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE THANKS TO HEB.
IF YOU'VE DRIVEN DOWN WESTHEIMER NEAR HIGHLAND VILLAGE LATELY, YOU KNOW THAT IT'S ALREADY BEAUTIFULLY LIT.
'CAUSE DURING THE HOLIDAYS IT IS TIMES 100.
IN FACT, WHEN THE DECORATIONS GO UP, IT'S THE OFFICIAL NOTICE TO START MAKING YOUR LIST AND CHECKING IT TWICE.
AND BY THE WAY, YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED LIKE WHERE SMITH AND LEWINSKI USED TO BE.
A TWO STORY BUILDING, A NEW TWO STORY LULULEMON.
THIS JUST IN, PLEASE WELCOME A LAUREN LEO WITH HIGHLAND VILLAGE SHOPPING CENTER,
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WOO.THANK YOU DEBORAH FOR, UH, THE LITTLE SECRET, I GUESS IT IS OUT.
BUT YEAH, SHE SAID IT BEST ABOUT, UH, THE DECORATIONS.
THEY'LL BE UP VERY, VERY SHORTLY.
UH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.
HIGHLAND VILLAGE IS PROUD TO BE HOUSTON'S LANDMARK SHOPPING CENTER.
AND, UH, ONCE AGAIN, WE, WE PROVIDE SAFE SHOPPING, CONVENIENT SHOPPING, AND OF COURSE GREAT DINING AS WELL WITH VARIOUS RESTAURANTS AND ALL TYPES OF GENRES OF FOOD.
UH, BUT WE, WE DELIGHT YOU AND WE WANT YOU TO ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAY SEASON WITH US.
AS DEBRA MENTIONED, THE BEAUTIFUL HOLIDAY LIGHTS THAT YOU SEE WHEN YOU DRIVE DOWN WESTHEIMER OR WHEN YOU'RE TAKING A SHOOL, UH, STROLL SHOPPING AS WELL, INCLUDING THE GIANT RED BOWS.
WE LOVE PUTTING THOSE UP EACH AND EVERY YEAR.
AND AS I MENTIONED, THEY'LL BE UP VERY SHORTLY.
UH, NOW ALSO BE ABLE OR BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR HIGHLAND VILLAGE ON CHANNEL THIRTEENS NOVEMBER 19TH AND CHANNEL TWO'S HOUSTON LIFE BROADCASTING FROM HIGHLAND VILLAGE ON DECEMBER 2ND.
UH, ONCE AGAIN, WE ARE HAPPY TO BE PART OF THE THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE PRESENTED BY HEB.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US.
AND LAUREN, I LOVE THE HOW, HOW Y'ALL PLAN.
'CAUSE THERE'S CRAVED CUPCAKE ACROSS THE STREET, THEN THERE'LL BE LULULEMON, YOUR WORKOUT GEAR ACROSS.
LAST YEAR WHEN WE CANCELED THE PARADE, SEVERAL DANCE TEAMS WERE IN THE HYATT LOBBY AFTER COMING IN FROM THE PARADE ROUTE.
AND YOU COULD TELL HOW DISAPPOINTED THEY WERE THAT THE PARADE WAS CANCELED, BUT IT WAS SOMETHING WE HAD TO DO.
A WOMAN ASKED IF I WOULD TAKE A PICTURE WITH THEIR TEAM.
INSTEAD, WE ENDED UP DOING THEIR ENTIRE DANCE ROUTINE FOR FACEBOOK LIVE RIGHT THERE IN THE LOBBY.
AND THEN ANOTHER GROUP CAME UP AND SAID, CAN WE DO IT TOO? SURE.
SO WE BASICALLY HAD THE, THE WHOLE PARADE PERFORMANCES IN THE LOBBY, BUT IT WAS REALLY COOL TO SEE THE PEOPLE WHO WERE CHECKING OUT STOPPED AND APPLAUDED THEIR EFFORTS.
AND WE SAW THE HOTEL STAFF ALSO PAUSE TO ENJOY THE SHOW.
UH, SO YOUR LOBBY IS A SECOND STAGING AREA AS WELL FOR THE PARADE.
SO THIS YEAR, IF WE CANCEL IMMEDIATELY, JUST GO TO THE LOBBY AND THAT'S WHERE IT'S GONNA TAKE PLACE.
NO, YOU'RE RIGHT, YOU'RE RIGHT.
BECAUSE WE HAVE, ACTUALLY, OUR METEOROLOGISTS HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, SUNNY AND SEVENTIES, WHAT'S COMING OUTTA THEIR MOUTH? SUNNY AND 70.
UH, PLEASE WELCOME JOHN SCHAEFER, THE MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR THE HYATT REGENCY DOWNTOWN.
I, I WANT TO BE ON RECORD AS SAYING WE'RE, WE'LL BE THE STAGING AREA, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA BE THE HOST FOR THE BREWERY
WE'RE HAPPY TO ONCE AGAIN, BE A SPONSOR AND GREAT CITIES, UH, ARE PARTNERSHIPS LIKE THIS, GREAT PLAYERS AND A GREAT CITY HAVING GREAT EVENTS.
AND WE'RE VERY, UH, PROUD TO LET YOU KNOW THAT 50 YEARS AGO THIS YEAR, WE WERE THE FIRST HOTEL IN DOWNTOWN.
AND AFTER A $50 MILLION RENOVATION, UH, WE'RE LOOKING PRETTY GOOD IN OUR 50TH YEAR.
SO WE'RE EXCITED TO HOST THIS ONCE AGAIN AND PROUD TO BE A PARTNER IN THIS GREAT EVENT.
ALTHOUGH THE PARADE PARADE DOESN'T HAPPEN UNTIL THANKSGIVING MORNING, THIS WOMAN AND HER TEAM HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS ALL YEAR ROUND.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, PRODUCING A NUMBER OF OTHER EVENTS FOR THE CITY EVERY YEAR, OFFERS DIFFERENT CHALLENGES AS WE KNOW FROM WEATHER TO SECURING GRAND MARSHALS.
IF A ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE HAPPENED, SHE'D JUST ROLL OVER THEM WITH THE FLOAT AND KEEP IT MOVING.
PLEASE WELCOME THE HEAD OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, A SPECIAL EVENTS SUSAN CHRISTIAN
THAT, THAT EXACTLY, YOU KNOW, UH, I LOVE THIS EVENT.
AND MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, THE SPIRIT THAT YOU HAVE AROUND EVENTS EVERY DAY BECAUSE YOU ARE A LEADER NATIONWIDE OF, UH, JUST GOES TO SHOW YOU WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE LEADER, UH, IS IN, IN LOVE WITH THE EVENTS AS SPONSORS ARE AND AS THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE ARE.
SO YOU MAN, UH, IT'S A PLEASURE TO WORK, WORK WITH YOU.
NOW, SAYING THIS, HE ALSO HAS A FEW DEMANDS, AND I WANNA SAY THIS IN FRONT OF OUR SPONSORS, IT'S IMPORTANT.
HE SAID EVERYTHING BIGGER AND BETTER THE NEXT 14 MONTHS, AND THEY'RE ALREADY PRETTY BIG.
BUT WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THESE SPONSORS AND WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS MAYOR, OUR TELEVISION PARTNER, EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THIS EVENT, MY TEAM, IS THAT IT IS SUCH A JOY TO WORK ON BECAUSE WE SEE THE ESSENCE OF HOUSTON, UH, ALL AROUND US, AND PEOPLE ARE HAPPY AND THEY'RE STARTING THESE GREAT TRADITIONS IF THEY DON'T ALREADY HAVE THESE GREAT TRADITIONS WITHIN THEIR FAMILY.
SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF THIS TEAM FOR STAYING WITH US THROUGHOUT, YOU KNOW, PANDEMICS AND, AND OTHER CHALLENGES THAT SOMETIME ARISE BECAUSE OF THE VALUE, THE BENEFITS THAT THEY GET, BUT ALSO THE IMPACT OF THIS EVENT ON THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY, 73 YEARS.
THAT'S A LONG TIME THAT PEOPLE
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HAVE COME TO THIS EVENT.SO I WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, GO TO THANKSGIVING PARADE.ORG AND, UH, YOU WILL SEE, UH, THE LINEUP WE CONTINUE.
IN FACT, UH, UH, LISA, YOU, YOU MENTIONED THERE WERE 12 FLOATS, UH, 12 FLOATS, AND I THINK WE GAVE YOU THAT STAT ON FRIDAY.
SO THANKS TO OUR FRIEND AL KANI, HE'S AT, HE'S ALSO BRINGING IN SOMETHING THAT SUPPORTS, UH, UH, OUR GRAND MARSHALL.
AND LET ME TELL YOU WHO REALLY GOT THE GRAND MARSHALL TEAM.
IT WAS MAYOR TURNER AND AL KANI WHO ACTUALLY DELIVERED THE GRAND, THE REC GRAND MARSHALL.
SOMETIMES THESE GUYS THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE JUST SUCH MEGA STARS, REALLY HARD TO GET AHOLD OF, UH, RELATIVE TO MAKING A COMMITMENT, UH, OF THIS, OF THIS MAGNITUDE, RIGHT? SO IT'S, IT'S ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER THAT GETS THE, GETS THE JOB DONE RIGHT.
I ALSO JUST WANT TO ANNOUNCE THAT, UH, ONE OF OUR FAVORITE STARS, UH, IT'S BEEN A HOUSTONIAN, UH, BUN B UH, WILL BE PERFORMING.
HE WAS TO PERFORM LAST YEAR ON THE HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND, UH, AND RODEO FLOAT.
HE'S COMING BACK THIS YEAR TO PERFORM, OF COURSE, HE STARTED RILL BURGERS AND THAT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, HE HAS THE, THE NUMBER ONE BURGER IN THE NATION.
UH, BUT WE HAVE SO MANY INCREDIBLY CREATIVE, UH, PERFORMERS AS WE, WELL AS VISUAL ARTISTS MAKING THESE INCREDIBLE FLOATS.
BIG SHOUT OUT AGAIN TO MY TEAM.
PLEASE GO ON, UH, THANKSGIVING PARADE.ORG.
LOOK AT THE, UH, WHERE, YOU KNOW, PICK OUT YOUR SPOT, WHERE YOU'RE GONNA BE ON THE ROUTE.
PARKING IS SIMPLE, REALLY SIMPLE ON THANKSGIVING DAY, BECAUSE THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT ARE DOWN HERE ARE THE WORKER BEES, THE VOLUNTEERS, AND, UH, AND ALL OF YOU, UH, WE LOOKED, WE LOOK FORWARD TO ABOUT 250,000 LINING THAT ROUTE.
WE WANT YOU TO START YOUR TRADITION WITH US EVERY THANKSGIVING MORNING.
SO PLEASE GET IN THE SPIRIT, JOIN US.
AND YOU CAN TELL BY ALL THESE GUYS RIGHT HERE ON THE STAGE JUST HOW MUCH WE LOVE HOUSTON FOR 73 YEARS NOW.
SUSAN, DID YOU HEAR THE, THE LATEST ABOUT CENTO? DID YOU, WHAT'S THAT? I, I DON'T EVEN KNOW.
UH, HE DID WANT ME TO CONVEY THAT BECAUSE OF INFLATION.
HE'LL NOW BE REFERRED TO AS $1, BUT, UM, WE, UM,
THANKFULLY WE'VE CONCLUDED THIS PRESS CONFERENCE, BUT, UH, WE ARE GONNA HAVE EVERYONE REMAIN ON STAGE FOR A GROUP PICTURE, BUT THEY ALSO ARE, UH, ABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS Y'ALL MIGHT HAVE OUT THERE.
ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? ANYONE? YAY.
PICTURES AND GROUP PHOTOS THERE.
NO, I, I, I I WON'T BE PERFORM
YEAH, BUT I DO WANT TO, I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE 50, UH, FOR HIS, UH, UH, PARTICIPATION IN IT.
I MEAN, HE MOVED, UH, FROM NEW YORK TO HOUSTON.
THIS IS HIS RESIDENCE NOW, AND HE'S COMING IN A HUGE WAY.
UH, TREMENDOUS JOB WITH OUR KIDS, ESPECIALLY IN OUR LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES.
I MEAN, HE'S REALLY INVESTED HIS TIME AND RESOURCES THERE ALONG WITH AL ALKER.
AND THEN WHEN ASKED TO, UH, BE THE GRAND MARSHALL HERE, UH, LITERALLY HE HAS WORKED TO KIND OF CHANGE HIS SCHEDULE AROUND TO PARTICIPATE.
SO WE'RE JUST HONORED ON THAT FRONT.
EZ, UM, HE MISSED OUT OF THE PARADE LAST TIME, BUT HE IS SO DESERVING, UH, THAT WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE GOOD TO BRING HIM BACK AND TO ACKNOWLEDGE HIM.
SO THAT'S HOW, THAT'S A HUGE DEAL.
AND THEN I, I DO WANNA JOIN SUSAN AND THANKING AGAIN THESE SPONSORS BECAUSE WITH INFLATION AND EVERYTHING GOING UP AND SO MUCH UNCERTAINTY IN THE WORLD, UH, PEOPLE CAN CERTAINLY HOLD ON TO THEIR DOLLARS.
BUT, SO I WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THESE SPONSORS FOR BEING SO GENEROUS.
SO YOU CAN'T HAVE A MAJOR EVENTS WITHOUT 'EM.
SO ANYWAY, THAT'S ENOUGH FOR ME.