Merry Christmas from the JWC!
by Thom Van Vleck
Me driving my Ol' Truck in the Christmas parade pulling our float.
Recently the Jackson Weightlifting Club had a float in the Kirksville Kiwanis Christmas Parade. The take collections for warm hats, gloves, and scarves for the needy and we added to their collection. We decorated up the truck and trailer and my kids got about a dozen friends to walk in the parade, hand out candy, and ride on the trailer that was covered in lights and loaded with boxes wrapped to look like presents. Sure, the “presents” were really my boxes used for weight training but it looked good!
My lovely wife rode on the trailer. She has been my personal Christmas present that I've gotten to wake up to every year for nearly 3 decades!
What you can’t see is my two oldest were carrying a JWC banner to lead our group and all the kids handing out candy along the side. A bonus was it was Ethan Van Vleck’s birthday so we all went out for a birthday dinner afterwards.
We are a small town but I'd guess about 500 folks were out for the parade! And Santa was even there....though he looks suspiciously familiar...like someone I know.
The Jackson Weightlifting Club has been a part of my family’s life for over 75 years and 4 generations. What you see is the 5th generation. The JWC is much more than just lifting weights. So, from the JWC family to your family….Merry CHRISTmas and a happy 2015! As my Grandpa Dalton Jackson, the founder of the club would ALWAYS say, “The best is yet to come”! Amen!