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Shirley Fox Rogers is receiving an honor over 20 years in the making.
Rogers is the 2018 grand marshal of the annual Campbell County Christmas parade. Before she leads off the parade on Saturday, Rogers will be honored at a private reception tonight, at 6:30 pm, at the LaFollette United Methodist Church.
For over 20 years, Rogers was the driving force behind the annual parade that brought smiles to the faces of many children and adults.
Her daughter, Cindi Reynolds, said the parade became a tradition not only for the community but for her family. On numerous occasions Reynolds was drafted by her mother into helping with the parade lineup.
TOP PHOTO: Shirley Fox Rogers (right) has been known as the organizer of the Campbell County Christmas Parade by multiple generations. Her daughter, Cindi Reynolds (left) said no other holiday made her mother smile like Christmas.
“My mother has always loved Christmas, it’s her thing,” Reynolds said. “She was always able to find people to volunteer and once they did it, it became a tradition to help.”
From the floats to the candy to seeing Santa, Rogers made it her mission to give the community a memorable parade. “She just wanted to make sure children were happy at Christmas,” Reynolds said.
And despite all those years of planning the parade, Rogers was still humbled when she found herself the honoree of this year’s parade. “She was shocked,” her daughter said.
Always active in the community, Rogers has been a continual presence in the life of children. From hosting classroom parties when her daughter was in elementary school to moving into civic service, Rogers has immersed herself in the community. Aside from serving on the LaFollette City Council, she was at the forefront in the establishment of the Children’s Center, served as president of the Tanasi Girl Scout Council and is on the board for children’s programming at PBS.
Tonight, Reynolds will be among the five people slated to speak at the reception that will honor her mother.
“I have had the experience of people, adults now, introduce themselves to me and say that without Mom, they wouldn’t have had Christmas,” Rogers said.
On Saturday, Rogers will be joined by her granddaughter, Micah Reynolds, as she leads the parade that she once coordinated.
The parade is Saturday at 6 pm in downtown LaFollette. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 11/29/2018-6AM)
I am still humbled by the honor, and by this article! And, I am so appreciate of the things my lovely daughter has said about me! As she knows, she, along with those granddaughters, Micah and Kyla, are the sunshine in my life! I am blessed beyond words!