The Blennerhassett Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution entry makes its way down Market Street during Saturday’s Parkersburg Homecoming Parade. The chapter won first place in the non-commercial division. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

PARKERSBURG — Entries embodying the Parkersburg Homecoming Parade’s theme of “Fun in the Sun” received awards from a trio of judges Saturday.

The Pizza Station, with a slice of pizza waving from a pickup pulling trailer decorated with surfboards, took first place in the commercial category, while a colorful aquarium built by the Blennerhassett Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution earned top honors among non-commercial entries.

The full list of winners follows:

Commercial

* First: The Pizza Station

The Pizza Station took first place in the commercial division at Saturday’s Parkersburg Homecoming Parade. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

* Second: Eyemart Express

* Third: Hardee’s

Non-commercial

* First: Blennerhassett Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution

* Second: One Church

* Third: Tiny Miss Photogenic Autumn Fest

Parade entrants donate food to local pantries, and Crea8ive of the Mid-Ohio Valley contributed the most.

“They brought a U-Haull van filled with food,” said Lori Roberts, Homecoming board member and co-coordinator of the parade. “They are committed to fighting hunger where they see it. And they do this three times a year.”

Group co-founder Joshua E.B. Smith said they collected donations and purchased more than $1,400 worth of items including sanitary wipes, cereal, light snack foods, portable foods, baking material and restaurant-grade supplies.

“The Parkersburg Homecoming Festival is arguably the hardest event our team does every year, but we are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be part of it,” Smith said. Homecoming “is the event that inspired us to form C8C, and we look forward to it every year. Our next big goal is our annual Christmas Parade/Winterfest fundraising period, which started for us immediately after we completed our donation to the two pantries supported through the Festival. As always, we’d love to work with the community to earn new sponsors, donors and volunteers.

“Together, we can all fight hunger – like a bunch of nerds,” he said, invoking the group’s slogan.

Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com.