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UH, I'M DEBORAH DUNCAN, THE HOST OF GREAT DAY HOUSTON AT KHIU CHANNEL 11.
AND I, UH, AM PLEASED AGAIN TO BE THE HOST OF THE HEB THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE THIS YEAR.
UM, I DON'T WANNA SOUND LIKE MY MOTHER, AND I'M GONNA SOUND LIKE MY MOTHER WEREN'T.
WE JUST HERE YESTERDAY ANNOUNCING THE 2023 PARADE.
TIME HAS PASSED SO FAST, BUT AS USUALLY HAPPENS IN HOUSTON, THE YEAR BRINGS SOMETHING WITH IT THAT REMINDS US OF HOW IMPORTANT COMMUNITY IS.
AND THIS YEAR IT BROUGHT THAT THING CALLED DERECHO, WHICH NONE OF US KNEW WHAT IT WAS UNTIL IT SHOWED UP, RIGHT? AND THEN HURRICANE BARRELL, AND PEOPLE ARE STILL STRUGGLING WITH THAT.
BUT THIS IS THAT TIME OF YEAR WHEN WE COME BACK AND WE SAY, IT'S OKAY.
IT'S GONNA BE OKAY, BECAUSE WE CELEBRATE COMMUNITY AND WE'RE THANKFUL FOR THAT COMMUNITY.
SO, SOMETHING ELSE THAT CHANGED OVER THIS PAST YEAR, WE HAVE A NEW MAYOR INVOLVED IN THE HEB THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE.
SO PLEASE WELCOME TO THE PODIUM, THE HONORABLE MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER.
AND THANK EVERYONE THAT CAN BE HERE.
KIND OF A CELEBRATION, QUITE FRANKLY, MORE THAN AN ANNOUNCEMENT.
UH, ONE, IT'S A CELEBRATION THAT WE GET TO EXHIBIT HOW GREAT HOUSTON IS IN REAL TIME.
WE'RE GONNA BRING INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, SPONSORS, EVERYONE THAT'S GOING TO ENJOY OUR 75TH ANNIVERSARY IS HEB THANKSGIVING PARADE, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28TH.
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ALL PAUSE AND REALIZE HOW BLESSED WE ARE, OBVIOUSLY, TO LIVE IN THE UNITED STATES, BUT CERTAINLY THE BEST COMMUNITY IN THE UNITED STATES.
SO WE, WE, WE WILL BRING EVERYONE TOGETHER AND WE'RE SO PREPARED BECAUSE WE'VE DONE IT SO MANY TIMES SUCCESSFULLY, BUT YOU ALWAYS LOOK FOR NEW OPPORTUNITIES.
IN FACT, IT'S ALWAYS INTERESTING TO ME, I SEE THE RODEO AS ONE OF OUR ANCHOR SPONSORS.
ALWAYS WONDER ABOUT PEOPLE, DR.
BE THAT HAVE JUST MOVED HERE FROM WHEREVER, MAYBE CALIFORNIA OR THE NORTH, AND THEY GET TO SEE OUR RODEO PARADE.
I BET THEY WENT, WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN THE FOURTH LARGEST CITY IN AMERICA? WELL, WE SHARED THIS, UH, EXPERIENCE THE THANKSGIVING PARADE, UH, WITH EVERYONE IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND WE ALSO WANT TO INVITE EVERYONE, WHETHER YOU'RE A NEW ARRIVAL IN HOUSTON OR IF YOU'VE BEEN DOING IT AS LONG AS I HAVE, IT'S JUST ONE GREAT EXPERIENCE.
AND THE REAL EXCITING THING IS YOU GET TO BRING YOUR GRANDSONS WHEN YOU'VE BEEN WATCHING AS LONG AS I HAVE.
SO THEY WERE INTRODUCED TO IT YEARS AGO, FIVE AND SIX.
THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO MAKE OF THE BALLOONS AND THE PARTICIPANTS, BUT NOW IT'S A MUST ATTEND.
SO I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE THAT'S HERE.
IT'S A GREAT DAY TO BE A HOUSTONIAN.
WE'RE GONNA BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER, AND WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE TO THANK TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE.
OBVIOUSLY, I'VE MENTIONED HCB AS OUR TITLE SPONSOR.
THE RODEO IS OUR FULL-TIME PARTNER IN THE ENJOYMENT OF HOUSTON'S CULTURE AND, AND ALSO SITCO.
SO IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CORPORATE COMMUNITY TO JOIN HANDS WITH A CITY ACTIVITY AND SHOW HOW WE COLLABORATE WITH ALL OUR ENTITIES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, CHARITABLE CORPORATE VOLUNTEERS THAT MAKE IT POSSIBLE.
AND OF COURSE, WE COULDN'T HAVE A SUCCESSFUL EVENT WITHOUT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
SO LET ME ASSURE EVERYONE AND THE CHIEFS ARE PRESENT THIS MORNING.
WE'RE TAKING EVERY PRECAUTION TO LET EVERYONE KNOW, KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN, HAVE FUN.
BUT IF YOU SEE ANYTHING THAT'S A LITTLE UNUSUAL, TELL A FIRST RESPONDER.
I UNDERSTAND FIRE CADETS ARE GONNA PARTICIPATE IN THE PARADE AND ASSIST US WITH SOME OF THE FLOATS.
SO I'M PRETTY WORKED UP AND YOU'VE HEARD ENOUGH FROM ME.
BUT AS A MAYOR OF HOUSTON, I WANT EVERYONE TO ENJOY THIS GREAT OCCASION.
WE'RE PREDICTING VERY NICE WEATHER.
HEB THANK YOU FOR OUR ANCHOR SPONSORS.
AND I HAVE A REAL FUN OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE, LISA HELPMANN.
SHE AND I HAVE WORKED IN NUTRITION PROGRAMS LONG YEARS AGO WHEN SHE WOULD COME TO THE STATE TO HELP US GET FROM THE AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT SOME NUTRITION PROGRAMS FOR THE COMMUNITIES ACROSS HOUSTON.
SO NOW IT'S FUN TO WATCH PEOPLE BE SO SUCCESSFUL.
AND NOW ONE OF OUR TOP LEADERS CERTAINLY HEADING HEBS PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT.
SO LET ME YIELD TO LISA WHO'S GONNA TELL US ALL THE HARD WORK.
OH, AND I CAN'T BRING UP SOMEONE WITH HEV AT HER LEVEL WITHOUT THANKING THEM FOR THE ASSISTANCE DURING OUR CHALLENGING STORMS. HEV IS JUST
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ALWAYS THE FIRST ONE THERE AND DO SUCH A COMPLETE JOB.I'M NOT SURPRISED THAT THEY'RE HERE THIS MORNING.
IN FACT, WHEN WE GOT READY TO ASSIST FOLKS IN, IN FLORIDA DURING NEAR STORM THAT DAY, WHO DO YOU FIRST, WHO DO YOU THINK WE MENTIONED FIRST? HEB? WE'LL, WE'LL GET A LOAD OF WATER ON OUR HEB TRUCK AND HEAD TO FLORIDA.
SO THANK YOU HEB FOR ALWAYS BEING WITH OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND OUR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
AND HERE IT IS ONE MORE TIME, SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA CELEBRATE AND HAVE FUN WITH.
WELL, IT'S PRETTY HARD TO FOLLOW THAT.
I HOPE I I MEET EXPECTATIONS, BUT THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THOSE ARE INCREDIBLY, INCREDIBLY KIND WORDS AND IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY.
WE, YOU KNOW, ECHO EVERYTHING THAT THE MAYOR SAID, THAT WE ARE SO THANKFUL TO BE A PART OF THIS INCREDIBLE CHERISHED HOLIDAY EVENT WITH THE GREATEST COMMUNITY THERE EVER WAS.
WE ARE SO LUCKY TO BE HERE IN HOUSTON AND BE SUCH A BIG PART OF THESE FESTIVITIES TO CELEBRATE WITH OUR FELLOW HOUSTONIANS.
WHAT I CAN'T BELIEVE IS THAT WE ARE CELEBRATING 75 YEARS OF THIS PARADE, 75 YEARS SPREADING JOY TO SO MANY FAMILIES AT THIS BEAUTIFUL HOLIDAY TIME.
WE AT HEB HAVE BEEN A PART OF THIS PARADE FOR THE LAST 18 YEARS.
AND IT'S ONCE AGAIN, MY HONOR TO ANNOUNCE THE GRAND MARSHALL FOR THE 75TH ANNUAL THANKSGIVING DAY, HEB THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE.
I'M PLEASED TO SHARE THAT ON A YEAR COMING OFF OF SUCH AN INCREDIBLE SUMMER AT THE OLYMPICS, THAT NINE TIME OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST CARL LEWIS WILL ADD GRAND MARSHALL TO HIS LONG LIST OF ACCOLADES THAT INCLUDE, LET ME GET THIS RIGHT, OLYMPIAN OF THE CENTURY.
IT'S ONLY FITTING THAT CARL LEAD THE 2024 PARADE THROUGH DOWNTOWN TO HONOR HOUSTONIANS WHO COMPETED IN THE PARIS 2024 OLYMPICS AND THE PARALYMPICS.
AND A LOT OF THOSE HU THOSE OLYMPIANS WILL BE JOINING US IN THE PARADE AS WELL.
WE WILL ADD 19 COLORFUL AND UNIQUE FLOATS MADE RIGHT HERE IN HOUSTON, 20 PLUS HIGH FINEING BALLOONS, SIX MARCHING BANDS, NUMEROUS SPECIAL PERFORMERS.
CAN YOU TELL I'M GETTING EXCITED.
AND MAYBE EVEN A GROCERY CART OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, AT HEB, WE'RE INCREDIBLY THANKFUL TO LEAD THIS FANTASTIC PARADE THROUGH DOWNTOWN THIS YEAR, EVERY YEAR, AND PARTICULARLY WITH A GREAT NEW MAYOR.
SO IT'S A SPECIAL TIME OF YEAR FOR US.
AND AS PART OF OUR HEB SPIRIT OF GIVING THIS BELOVED EVENT IS AMONG THE MANY CELEBRATIONS THAT WE LOVE TO SHARE WITH OUR PARTNERS, WHICH IS WHAT WE CALL OUR EMPLOYEES AND THE COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE GREAT STATE DURING THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.
AS ALWAYS, WE'RE GRATEFUL TO BE HERE TODAY TO CELEBRATE WITH EACH OF YOU.
AND ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND OUR 160,000 HEB PARTNERS, LET'S KICK OFF THIS HOLIDAY SEASON SO WE CAN HAVE A VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING.
I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO DEBORAH
YOU KNOW HOW YOU CAN TELL WHEN SOMEONE'S NEW TO HOUSTON, RIGHT? THEY'RE LIKE, WE'RE GONNA GO GROCERY SHOPPING AT THE HEB.
YOU WANNA COME ALONG? WE'RE GOING TO THE HEB.
WHAT WERE WE GONNA SAY? I FORGOT TO GIVE CHANNEL 11 A SHOUT OUT.
OH, YOU COME ON UP AND GIVE CHANNEL 11 A SHOUT OUT.
AND OF COURSE, WE, WE COULDN'T MAKE IT COMPLETE WITHOUT EXCELLENT COVERAGE BY CHANNEL 11.
AND DEBORAH'S GONNA BE THE SPECIAL, UH, PERSON THAT DAY FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND.
SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE ABSOLUTELY FOR HOUSTON FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
AND CHANNEL 11, IT'S TRULY OUR PARTNER.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
ALRIGHT, SO WHEN WE GO THROUGH BAD TIMES, WE KNOW HOUSTON KNOWS HOW TO COWBOY UP AND COWGIRL UP.
AND THEN IN THE GOOD TIMES, WE KICK OUR HEELS UP AND HAVE A GREAT TIME.
NOBODY DOES IT BETTER THAN THE HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO, THE LARGEST OF HIS KIND IN THE WORLD.
CHRIS BOWMAN, THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND A RODEO.
IT'S GREAT TO BE WITH EVERYBODY TODAY.
THE HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO HAS BEEN A PROUD SPONSOR OF THE ANNUAL HEB THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE SINCE 2017.
THANKSGIVING IS A DAY TO BE WITH FAMILY, MAKING MEMORIES AND HAVING FUN JUST LIKE RODEO, WHICH IS WHY WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE THANKSGIVING PARADE EACH YEAR AS ONE OF THE OLDEST THANKSGIVING DAY PARADES IN THE COUNTRY.
THIS EVENT, MUCH LIKE HLSR, IS ROOTED IN TRADITION.
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THAT THERE IS NO GREATER SENSE OF PRIDE THAN BRINGING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER.MUCH LIKE THIS PARADE, THE HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOWN RODEO WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THE BACKBONE OF OUR ORGANIZATION IS OF COURSE, 35,000 VOLUNTEERS WHO HELP MAKE OUR YEAR LONG IMPACT ON THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA.
NOW FOR 92 YEARS, OUR ORGANIZATION PROUDLY PROVIDES HOUSTON WITH AN ANNUAL PREMIER EVENT WITH A MISSION TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT WESTERN HERITAGE AND AGRICULTURE, ENTERTAIN AND SUPPORT YOUTH EDUCATION.
WE HAVE PROUDLY COMMITTED MORE THAN $600 MILLION TO TEXAS YOUTH IN EDUCATION FOR OUR 92 YEARS.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO EVOLVE OUR SUPPORT OVER THE COMING YEARS.
SO THANK YOU TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THANK YOU TO MAYOR WHITMEYER FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND OUR VOLUNTEERS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART OF SOMETHING SO SPECIAL TO HOUSTON AND YOUR SUPPORT TO ALLOW US TO CONTINUE TO SUCCESSFULLY PUT THE RODEO STAPLE TRADITION AS WELL.
SO WITH THAT, AFTER THANKSGIVING, WE'LL GO THROUGH SOME HOLIDAYS IN DECEMBER, ROLL TO JANUARY.
MAKE SURE YOU MARK MARCH 4TH THROUGH THE 23RD.
IF YOU HAVEN'T FOR OUR 2025 SHOW AS WE HELP, UH, WE HOPE YOU WILL JOIN US, UH, FOR A MEMORIAL, UH, MEMORABLE, I SHOULD SAY, AND FUN CELEBRATION OF WESTERN HERITAGE.
GET READY FOR A GREAT THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE AND LET'S RODEO IN 2025.
AND OF COURSE, BETWEEN NOW AND RODEO IS THAT OTHER THING THAT'S COME.
I SAW YOU, I HEARD YOU SNEAK IN THAT HOWDY A LITTLE BIT EARLIER.
WE GOT A, WE GOT A GAME TO PLAY, DON'T WE?
ALRIGHT, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NO STRANGER TO THE PARADE AND IS RETURNING FOR A SECOND YEAR.
PLEASE WELCOME KATE ROBBINS, THE GENERAL MANAGER OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS FOR SITCO.
UM, AND THANK YOU, UH, FOR THAT ANNOUNCEMENT.
SO HOUSTON HAS AN AMAZING TRADITION WITH THE HEB THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE.
AND AS WE'VE DISCUSSED, THIS YEAR MARKS THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY.
SO ON BEHALF OF SITCO, A BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND ALL THE SPONSORS WHO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
SITCO IS SO EXCITED TO JOIN THE CITY, HEB AND THE LIFE, THE HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO, AND BRINGING THIS FESTIVE CELEBRATION OF ART CULTURE AND PEOPLE TO OUR COMMUNITY ONCE AGAIN.
AND WE'RE HAPPY THAT THE TRADITION CONTINUES.
SO, LIKE THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THIS PARADE, SITKO IS ALSO CELEBRATING AN ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR.
WE HAVE 10 YEARS OF OUR SIGNATURE PROGRAM CARING FOR OUR COAST, WHICH SUPPORTS THE PROTECTION AND RESTORATION OF OUR DELICATE COASTAL ENVIRONMENTS AND INLAND HABITATS.
SO DURING THE PARADE, YOU'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO SEE OUR CARING FOR OUR COAST PROGRAM VISUALLY REPRESENTED ON ONE OF OUR FLOATS, ALONG WITH OUR HOUSTON AREA PROGRAM PARTNERS.
AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE, UH, THE HOUSTON PARKS AND REC AND ALSO THE HOUSTON PARKS BOARD.
SO DURING THE LAST DECADE, WE'VE INVESTED $7 MILLION IN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION.
AND WE RECENTLY AWARDED ANOTHER $1 MILLION IN GRANTS TO CONTINUE THIS IMPORTANT WORK.
IT'S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY, I HAVE TO SAY, MUCH LIKE THE THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE TRADITION, ALTHOUGH OBVIOUSLY OURS IS NOT AS LONG, 10 YEARS VERSUS 75.
SO WHETHER IT'S CARING FOR OUR COASTS OR PROVIDING SCHOLARSHIPS TO DESERVING STUDENTS OR SPONSORING OUR HOMETOWN PARADE, CIGA IS COMMITTED TO HOUSTON AND ALL THE COMMUNITIES WHERE WE LIVE AND WORK.
SO JUST, UH, REALLY QUICK ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I HAVE A FUN FACT AND IT KIND OF FITS IN WITH WHAT THE MAYOR WAS SAYING.
UH, BACK IN 2003, I HAD JUST RELOCATED FROM TULSA, OKLAHOMA TO HOUSTON, UH, WITH OUR COMPANY AND WHO KNEW IT, BUT THREE MONTHS LATER, I WAS ACTUALLY RIDING ON ONE OF THE THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE FLOATS ALONG WITH MY TWO KIDS AND FULL BLOWN COSTUME.
IT WAS REALLY, REALLY A LOT OF FUN.
UH, A GREAT WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, YOU'LL SEE US HERE BRIGHT AND EARLY ON NOVEMBER 28TH, AND I HOPE TO SEE YOU HERE TOO.
ALRIGHT, THINK ABOUT THE TOUGHEST THING YOU EVER PLANNED, WHETHER IT WAS A WEDDING, A BIG PARTY, WHATEVER.
NOW ADD LIKE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AS YOUR GUEST
I THINK AFTER WE STOP THE PARADE AT THE, YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR WE GO.
THANKS FOR JOINING US, EVERYBODY.
WE HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT BLESSED THANKSGIVING.
AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT, SOMEBODY STARTS WORKING ON THE NEXT YEAR.
AND THAT IS SUSAN CHRISTIAN WHO HANDLES SO MANY OF THE EVENTS THAT HAPPEN IN OUR CITY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST THE EVENTS, IT'S THE FOSTERING OF THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND BRINGING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
SO PLEASE WELCOME SUSAN CHRISTIAN, OUR EVENTS COORDINATOR TO THE PODIUM.
YOU KNOW, DEBORAH, YOU HAVEN'T SANG FOR US YET.
ARE YOU OKAY TODAY? YOU FEELING OKAY? ALRIGHT, COME ON, COME ON.
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WHAT ARE WE SINGING? CHESTNUTS, ROASTING ON AN OPEN PIE.EVERYONE KNOWS WE START WITH TOM TURKEY, BUT WE ALWAYS END WITH SANTA CLAUS AT THE HEB THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE.
AND BEFORE I GET INTO A LOT OF DETAILS, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, THE MAYOR AND, AND KATE, SO MANY HAVE TALKED ABOUT SAFETY AND, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M SO PROUD OF IN THE 39 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE, GOOD GOD, I'M THE, I'M CELEBRATING ANNIVERSARIES TOO HERE ANYWAY, IS THAT WHEN WE GET AROUND A TABLE TO PLAN THESE HUGE SIGNATURE EVENTS, WE HAVE THE WHOLE TEAM AROUND THE TABLE.
FRANKLY, IN THE EARLIER DAYS WHEN I STARTED WORKING FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WE WERE PRETTY SILOED MAYOR.
BUT TODAY AND FOR THE LAST, UH, FEW DECADES, UH, MY PARTNERS IN THE, WITH THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT, PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEERING PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AND SO MANY OTHERS, A RA, UM, WE ALL SAT AROUND THE TABLE SO WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO PLAN FOR, WHAT TO EXPECT, WHAT TO ANTICIPATE.
PLEASE WELCOME MY TWO FRIENDS, OUR FIRE CHIEF, OUR POLICE CHIEF DIAZ AND MUNOZ TO OFFER REMARKS.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TODAY, MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
UH, THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE DAY.
WE LOOK SO, SO FORWARD TO THE THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE.
I MEAN, IT IS A GREAT TIME IN HOUSTON.
IT IS A BEGINNING OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON, UH, AND IT'S A GREAT TIME FOR US TO JUST GET TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY.
UH, WE HAVE A GREAT COMMUNITY, A GREAT CITY.
UH, THE PARADE ROUTE IS FANTASTIC.
IT HAS SOME INCREDIBLE RIDES, UH, SOME FLOATS, THE BANDS.
IT'S, IT'S JUST A GREAT TIME FOR EVERYBODY.
AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW, THAT THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN PUTTING THIS EVENT ON FOR DECADES SAFELY.
UH, WE HAVE A VERY HEAVY FOOTPRINT OF SECURITY FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO MAKE SURE THAT YOU BRING ALL YOUR LITTLE KIDS, COME OUT AND ENJOY IT.
BRING A LITTLE BIT OF PATIENCE, RIGHT? BECAUSE IT WILL BE FULL.
WE ANTICIPATE A LOT OF PEOPLE.
SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY, AND WE LOOK SO FORWARD TO THIS INCREDIBLE 75TH YEAR OF THE THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE.
HEB THANK YOU TO ALL THE PARTNERS AS WELL.
THANK YOU MAYOR, UH, FOR ALL YOUR AMAZING SUPPORT.
UH, BEFORE I FORGET, I WAS JUST, UH, CONFIRM THAT WE ARE GONNA HAVE A MR. POTATO HEAD FIREFIGHTER.
LOOKING, LOOKING FORWARD TO SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
THERE'LL BE 16 CADETS SO THEY CAN START SEEING THE THANKSGIVING DAY PRIDE.
THAT WE HAVE IN THIS, IN THIS CITY, RIGHT? AND THEN I GOT BETTER NEWS THIS MORNING.
I GOTTA TEXT, MY SON WILL BE ON MILITARY LEAVE AND HE'LL BE AT THE PARADE AS WELL.
AS, AS CHIEF DIAZ MENTIONED, THE MAYOR HAS MENTIONED THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL YVETTE.
HOWEVER, WE STILL TAKE ALL THE PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES, RIGHT? OUR FIRE DEPARTMENTS ARE POLICE DEPARTMENTS.
EVERYBODY ELSE IS GONNA BE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF EVERYONE.
UM, AND WE ARE GONNA HAVE OUR FIREFIGHTERS THERE, OUR SPECIAL EVENT COORDINATORS, SPECIAL RESPONSE GROUPS.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT DAY FOR HOUSTON.
UH, LOOKED AT THE WEATHER, UH, LOOKS GOOD RIGHT NOW.
AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, THE CITY HAS A LOT TO BE THANKFUL FOR.
GREAT LEADERSHIP, YOU KNOW, GREAT COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND HEB THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UM, JUST A LITTLE ON A PERSONAL NOTE, THE CEOS FROM MY HOME AREA, UH, FROM EDINBURG, TEXAS, SO THAT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO KNOW.
THAT'S WHY HE'S GOT A GOOD HEART.
BUT THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH AND LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL AND HAVING A GREAT TIME.
TELL YOU WHAT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S BETTER THAN, UH, FIREFIGHTERS CARRYING A FIREFIGHTER, MR. POTATO HEAD, UNLESS IT WERE THE CALENDAR FIREFIGHTERS.
NOW WAIT A MINUTE, MAYBE THE CALENDAR FIREFIGHTERS.
ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT,
UH, BUT ANYWAY, I REALLY APPRECIATE MY PARTNERS SO MUCH.
YOU KNOW, TRADITION, MAKING MEMORIES HAPPEN, UH, HAVING FUN COMING TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY.
UH, SOMEONE SAID, BRING YOUR KIDS.
I THINK THAT WAS CHIEF, UH, DIAZ.
BUT ALSO, WHEN YOU LOOK OUT AT THE OVER 200,000 PEOPLE THAT ATTEND OUR PARADE, WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE IS GRANDMA TO GRANDKIDS.
AND YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE GREAT CULTURAL DIVERSITY THAT WE HAVE, NOT ONLY WATCHING THE PARADE, BUT ALSO IN THE PARADE.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THAT, UH, CIVIC CELEBRATION IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE CAN HAVE AS THE FOURTH LARGEST CITY IN AMERICA, BECAUSE WE, POSITIVE INTERACTION IS NEGATIVITY CREEPS AWAY.
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SO PROUD OF THAT.WE CAN BE SO CREATIVE, BUT IF WE DON'T HAVE THE SPONSORS TO FUND OUR EVENTS, WE CAN'T DO THESE FABULOUS EVENTS FOR HOUSTON AND TO SHOW OFF HOUSTON.
SO, YOU KNOW, UM, I REALLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO COME DOWN.
AND MIGHT I ALSO ADD, WE HAVE ABOUT 1.7, 1.8 MILLION PEOPLE WATCHING THE SHOW, UH, ON TELEVISION OR IN STREAMING WITH OUR PARTNERS WITH, UH, K-K-H-O-U.
SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, CHANNEL 11.
WE HAVE 19 FLOATS, 21 BALLOONS.
WE HAVE SIX MARCHING BANDS, EIGHT STOP PERFORMING GROUPS.
IN FACT, I WANNA STOP RIGHT NOW.
DO YOU SEE THESE LOVELY, UH, CHARACTERS FROM TUTS? THEY WILL BE, UH, OUR OPENING SHOW, OUR OPENING NUMBER, AS WELL AS OUR CLOSING NUMBER.
SO WE'RE DOING, WE'RE OPENING WITH NEWSIES BECAUSE A, A COUPLE OF NUMBERS FROM NEWSIES BECAUSE WE'RE CELEBRATING THOSE GREAT OLYMPIANS THAT WE WATCHED, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, ALL THE ENERGY WE COULD AND ANXIETY THAT WE COULD THIS SUMMER.
UH, SO WE'RE STARTING OUT WITH NEWSIES, AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, BY THE TIME THAT SANTA COMES ON OUR SANTA FLOAT, WHICH WE HAVEN'T HAD AS A PERFORMANCE FLOAT SINCE DEBORAH STARTED ANCHORING AND STOPS SINGING.
SO NOW OUR, OUR, UH, OUR SANTA FLOAT WILL HAVE A FABULOUS, UH, DUET, UH, SINGING FROM, UH, FROZEN, THE MUSICAL FROZEN, BUT MULTIPLE PERFORMANCES IN BETWEEN.
THE APACHE BELLS ARE HERE FROM, UH, TYLER.
WE HAVE ALSO, UH, THE BELLEVILLE BRA MADURA, AND SO MANY OTHER GROUPS FROM AROUND THE REGIONAL.
AND OF COURSE HERE LOCALLY TO HOUSTON.
UH, WE HAVE A LIMITED NUMBER OF, UH, THE, THE PARADE IS OF COURSE, FREE.
I ENCOURAGE YOU OBVIOUSLY DRESS APPROPRIATELY IF IT'S COLD.
AND HALF THE TIME IT IS BRING, UH, BLANKETS.
BUT ALSO WE HAVE PREMIUM SEATS, UH, THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE.
IT COSTS $28 AND 25 CENTS, WHICH INCLUDES SERVICE FEE.
IF YOU WANNA GO, UH, ONLINE, YOU CAN PURCHASE THOSE TODAY AT WWW UH, DOT HOUSTON THANKSGIVING, UH, PARADE.ORG.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE PLENTY OF PARKING.
I'D LIKE TO BRING UP THE PARKING MAP.
UH, THIS IS OUR ROUTE MAP AND WE START AT LAMAR AT SMITH.
WE GO NORTH TO, UM, TO WALKER EAST, TO MILAM SOUTH, TO PEAS WEST TO LOUISIANA.
AND THEN, UH, WHEN WE GET TO CLAY, WE'LL TAKE ANOTHER WEST TO SMITH.
UH, SO WE'LL BE PUBLICIZING THIS MAP.
WE HAVE PLENTY OF PARKING AROUND, OF COURSE, UH, AROUND THAT, BOTH IN, UH, STREET PARKING, BUT ALSO, UH, IN PARKING LOTS.
AND THEN, UH, WE HAVE METRO WHO WILL BE RUNNING ON THEIR HOLIDAY HOURS.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO EXCUSE TO MISS THIS INCREDIBLE SHOW THAT WE DO FOR HOUSTONIANS.
AND IN FACT, I GUARANTEE YOU WHOEVER'S COOKING THE TURKEY BACK HOME, THEY'RE GONNA WANT Y'ALL TO GET OUT OF THE KITCHEN.
SO BRING THE KIDS ON DOWN AND JUST HAVE A BLAST.
I DO WANNA GIVE A, UH, BIG SHOUT OUT TO MY TEAM, BUT I'M GONNA TELL YOU, THIS WOMAN, ANNA CARPENTER, SHE'S GONNA COME AND OFFER, UH, A FEW REMARKS IN SPANISH AND TELL OUR SPANISH VIEWERS, UM, ALL ABOUT THE PARADE.
UH, BUT I AM, I'M SO, UH, HONORED.
UH, I'VE KNOWN ANNA FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND SHE REALLY, UH, DOES SO MUCH GREAT WORK FOR THE, THE MAYOR.
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THANK YOU.AND, UH, DOES THE, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THE PARADE? WE COVERED IT.
WELL, I, I WOULD ASK ALL OF OUR, UH, PARTICIPANTS TO PLEASE, UH, STAY HERE.
I THINK WE HAVE RECE, UH, I'M SORRY.
BE SURE AND GET THE COFFEE AND DANISH, UH, BACK IN THE BACK FOR EVERYONE.