Boat parade, fireworks show
this Saturday!
The Guardian-Journal photo/Michelle Bates
The Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Department
will be out in full force this holiday weekend on land and water. Deputies,
along with the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, will be patrolling the
water to make sure boaters follow safety rules and regulations so that everyone
can have a good time safely. Pictured above are Sheriff Ken Bailey, left, and
Deputy Jeff Pugh.
The Guardian-Journal
The Lake Claiborne Boat Parade and Fireworks Show is
expected to be spectacular this year.
With boats lining up at 7 p.m. at Pleasure Point, the boat parade will begin promptly at 7:30 p.m. Also to note, the first 50 boats
will receive a free 2008 Claiborne Parish Boat Parade and Fireworks Show hat.
These hats are on sale at Pleasure Point, Parden’s Paradise and Homer Loans for
$10 each.
Boats will leave Pleasure Point at 7:30 p.m., where the parade route will continue from Pleasure Point Marina to Port-Au-Prince,
Parden’s Paradise, the Coleman Creek Subdivision, Public Boat Launch off Hwy.
146 (White Lightning Road), Lake Claiborne State Park, and Sport Point. No jet
skis will be allowed.
Parade participants are asked to decorate boats in
patriotic themes with red, white, and blue. They are asked to follow in a
single line along the shoreline so all spectators will have a great view.
Again, no jet skis will be allowed in the parade.
Boating Safety
All boaters this year are asked to follow a few simple
rules so that everyone on the lake will remain safe and all can have a good
time.
Boat owners are cautioned to prepare their boats for the
event by checking to see that the running lights operate properly and that
sufficient life jackets are aboard. That means there should be enough life
jackets on the boat for each passenger aboard. Children 12 and under must wear
a properly secured life jacket at all times while on the water.
Once night falls, boats must have their white running
lights on even when the boat is not running and while they are watching the
fireworks display.
When the fireworks are over, boaters are asked to take
their time leaving and watch out for other boats. Lake Claiborne will be shut
down as the parade is in progress. The Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office and
the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will be patrolling the lake
to make sure all boating safety laws are observed.
If boaters have any questions about laws on the water,
safety concerns about their boat, or general questions about boating safety,
please contact the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries at 371-3049.
Fireworks Display
The Fireworks Display will begin at “dark,” approximately
9 p.m. Please take note that neither boats nor individuals will be allowed
within 420 feet of the firing area, because of the rules governing the safe
distance from the shooting site; however, there will be an area on the end of
the dam nearest the spillway where people be allowed to watch the show.
Other areas around the shores of the lake will also have
a good view. The best view will be from the boats and barges, where hundreds of
people watch each year.
Most of the fireworks have been paid for in advance, but
Claiborne Fireworks Inc. is asking for donations in order to make their first
payment in a timely fashion. To make a donation, please send contributions to
Claiborne Fireworks Inc., P.O. Box 181, Homer, LA 71040. For comments or
questions, please call Dick Dorrell at Homer Loans at 318-927-0039 regarding
the boat show. For comments or questions regarding the fireworks display,
please contact Fred Lewis at 318-927-9180.
Please remember that the boat parade and fireworks show
will be held on Saturday, July 5.
Be safe when shooting fireworks this
weekend
The Guardian-Journal
Independence Day is this Friday, and Claiborne Parish
officials are asking all citizens to be safe this year when shooting fireworks.
Homer Fire Chief Dennis Butcher said it is important that
children always have adult supervision when shooting fireworks.
“The best thing to do is to use common sense,” Butcher
said. “If you have doubts, don’t do it. Children should always have adult
supervision when shooting fireworks.”
He also warns that it is not safe to hold fireworks in
your hands and don’t put fireworks in glass containers.
In addition, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and
the National Council on Fireworks Safety offer the following safety tips:
Always read and follow label directions;
Have an adult present;
Buy from reliable sellers;
Use outdoors only;
Always have water handy (a garden hose and a bucket);
Never experiment or make your own fireworks;
Light only one firework at a time;
Never re-light a “dud” firework (wait 15 to 20 minutes
and then soak it in a bucket of water);
Never give fireworks to small children;
If necessary, store fireworks in a cool, dry place;
Dispose of fireworks properly by soaking them in water
and then disposing of them in your trashcan;
Never throw or point fireworks at other people;
Never carry fireworks in your pocket;
Never shoot fireworks in metal or glass containers;
The shooter should always wear eye protection and never
have any part of the body over the firework; and
Stay away from illegal explosives.
Butcher and all Claiborne Parish officials wish all a
safe and happy Fourth of July.
is set for Saturday, July 5th. The Patriotic Boat Parade will start at Pleasure Point at 7:30 PM and will be led by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries and the Claiborne Parish Sheriff's Office. The Fireworks Display will begin at dark (about 9:00 PM).
