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With gratitude and appreciation

Today I am dedicating my entire article to thank each and everyone that took part in the 11th Annual Easter Parade, helping make it a huge success.

Many times when we are so occupied and busy with a community project we forget to congratulate and thank everyone involved for they are the ones that made the event possible.

Sometimes it is very difficult to find people willing to donate their time and energy serve on committees. Many people that you ask to help and serve come up with every excuse under the sun not to take part or to get involved … NOT SO !! with our Easter Parade Committee and our community in general … They were all ready to help in anyway they can.

I want to thank all of this year’s Easter Parade committee members for their great contributions and help: Joyce and David Stephens, Amy Hupp, Bob Marshall, Jeremiah Runyon, Carrie Carlson, Janet Joachim, Susan Abdella, Amanda Stevens, Tina Perkins, Sharon Coleman, Rita Campbell, Debby Nesselroad, David Creel, Julie Hinton, Tammy White Carole Hanlon and Mike Smith.

I also want to thank all the first responders who were represented in great numbers along with the Parkersburg, Vienna, Belpre. Police and Fire Departments, Sheriff’s Department, Health Services, State Fire Marshal and 911.

A big thank you to Mayor Joyce, Health Department and City Officials for their continued support and help.

A thank you to our judges Christina Myer, Kyle Lyon and Tommy Shriver.

This parade would not be possible with out our support from the sponsors who deserve a very special thank you year after year.

Elks Lodge 198, Hobby Lobby & T.S., WVU Medicine, Superior Logistics Ohio, Vinyl Werx Graphics — Bobby Marshal, Bodyworkz by D & S.

I am going to list the names of the people who pitched in and took part by their donations, help and work before, during and after the parade on Saturday.

Sign Gypsies — Mid Ohio Valley, Lowes of Vienna, WVU-P, United Bank, Amanda Stevens — ArtsBridge, Andrew Walker — Easter Bunny, Todd Jackson, Parkersburg News and Sentinel, WTAP TV, Parkersburg Actors Guild, WesBanco, City of Vienna, Lori Ullman, John Chalfant, Jered Stephens, Nancy, Erin, Emily Cunningham, Brenda Matheny, Katrina Dickason, Luvia Hernandex, Alex White, Carisa Smith, Kim Stone, Ashley Flowers, Family Carpet, Results Radio, Eddie Smith, Emerson Lanes, Dan Campell Electric, Rural King, Fire Chief Jason Matthews, Captain Scott Elliott, David and Sarah Pryor, Grady Ballard, Lakyn Campbell and friends, Lamp Exterminating and everyone else who took part in and enjoyed viewing Saturday’s event.

(I apologize in advance if I failed to mention anyone in the list of names).

This is what you call community unity. With a year we all had such as 2020 I feel like we all got closer and became a huge family.

Thank you Mid-Ohio Valley for your support and love I truly appreciate each one of you more than words and can say! This community is the BEST, because when I came here 55 years ago I felt love and welcome from everyone.

So this is the reason my friends that I volunteer and help to let you know that I’m thankful for YOU!

To me it is an honor and pleasure to be able to work with events in our community because of your continued support and the great people of the Mid Ohio Valley.

I am proud to announce that for the parade we received 1,800 non-perishable items to be donated to PHS food pantry, North Parkersburg Baptist Food pantry, Friendship Kitchen, Soup Kitchen, St. Francis Church’s Soup Kitchen and Food Panty, Gabriel Project and Vandy Jr. High Food Pantry.

Remember to drive by PHS after dark and view the lights “WISHING YOU A HAPPY SPRING”!!!

I will be on the Wood Society Telethon on WTAP on Sunday from 5:30 to 6:30 so give me a call …

Below are some recipes for your Easter Dinner.

Till next week

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EASTER BRAID

1 package active dry yeast

1/4 cup water

1 cup scaled milk

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup softened butter

4 1/2-5 cups sifted flour

2 eggs

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1/4 teaspoon mace, optional

1 cup seedless raisins, dark or golden

Soften active dry yeast in warm water. Combine milk, sugar, salt and butter. Cool to lukewarm. stir in about 2 cups of flour; add eggs and mix well. Stir in yeast. Add lemon peel, mace, raisins and remaining flour to make a soft dough. Let rest 10 minutes. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic. Place in lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover and let rise in warm place until double (about 1 1/2 hours.) Punch down; let rise until almost double, about 1 hour. Divide and round dough into 2 balls, one for each loaf. Let rest, covered for 10 minutes. For each loaf: Divide one ball in fourths. Shape 3 parts into strands 12 inches long, tapering ends. Line up strands 1 inch apart on lightly greased baking sheet. Bread loosely without stretching dough, beginning at middle and working toward either end. Seal ends well. Divide remaining dough in thirds. Shape in strands 8-9 inches long, tapering ends. Bread loosely and place atop large braid, tucking ends of small braid into large one. Cover and let rise until double. Bake loaves at 350 for 25-30 minutes. While warm, spread with sugar glaze.

Sugar Glaze:

Add 3/4 cup hot water to 2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar and 1 teaspoon butter; mix until well blended. Thin with a teaspoon of more water to drizzle over warm Easter Braid.

Note: To make Hot Cross Buns, cut dough with 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter; shape in buns. Place on greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise. Snip a shallow cross in top of each bun. Brush with beaten egg white. Bake as above. Let buns cool, then fill crosses with Sugar Glaze using pastry tube.

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HOPPING BUNNIES

1 package active dry yeast

1/4 cup water

1 cup milk, scalded

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup shortening

1 teaspoon salt

5-5 1/2 cups sifted flour

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons grated orange peel

Soften active dry yeast in warm water. Blend milk, sugar, shortening and salt. Cool until lukewarm; stir in about 2 cups of flour; beat well. Add eggs, mix well. Stir in softened yeast. Add orange juice, peel and remaining flour to make soft dough. Let rest 10 minutes. Knead dough 5-10 minutes on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic. Place in lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover; let rise in warm place until double (about 2 hours). Punch down; cover and let rest 10 minutes. To start bunnies, roll dough in rectangle 1/2 inch thick on lightly floured surface. Cut dough in strips about 1/2 inch wide and roll between hands to smooth. Using a 10-inch strip of dough for body and a 5-inch strip for the head, on a lightly greased cookie sheet, make a loose swirl of the body strip. Swirl strip for a head and place it close to the body (they’ll grow together as dough rises.) For the ears, pinch off 1 1/2-inch strips and roll between hands until smooth and cigar-shaped. Let point make tip of each ear; snip off opposite end and place ear next to heat. Pinch off a bit of dough and roll in ball for tail. Or, you can make twist bunnies, with a 14-inch strip of dough, on a lightly greased cookie sheet, lap one end of strip over other to form a loop; now bring end that’s underneath up over top end, letting one extend to each side for ears. Pat tips of ears to shape in point. Roll small ball of dough and place atop dough at bottom of loop. Cover and let rise in warm place until light and nearly double (45-60 minutes). Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes. Frost while warm with Sugar Glaze using pastry brush.

***

PINEAPPLE TURNOVER BISCUITS

Combine 1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, melted and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; divide in 10 muffin cups; center each with a California walnut half. Add 1 teaspoon pineapple syrup to each cup; top with a refrigerated biscuit. Bake at 425 12-15 minutes. Invert pan immediately on serving plate. Cool 1 minute before removing from pan.

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