First Annual Parade of Lights

On January 21, 2023) we held our First Annual Parade of Lights and Outreach Celebration! We at Tri-City wanted to hold the Parade of Lights and the following Outreach Celebration to bring together the surrounding communities and celebrate the 131-year history of the Cuero Colored Schools. The event symbolized unity within our communities with God being at the center.

There was a total of 27 entries in the parade. These entries included city officials, local churches, local businesses, the Miss Cuero Court, the Cuero Gobbler football team, the Trotters (Cuero High School’s dance team), and Cuero High School’s cheerleaders. The parade started at 6 pm at Hutcheson St/W Morgan St and ended at Daule St.

Following the parade, many of the local businesses and churches then participated in the Outreach Celebration by setting up a booth. At these booths, community members were able to grab free food and snacks among other free giveaways. Thanks to volunteers, community members were also able to enjoy music, games, and face paintings.

Behind the Scenes Pt. 1

TCEC members worked with participants to line everyone up, provide participation awards, and awards to the Most Creative, Most Original, and Best Overall parade entries.

Behind the Scenes Pt. 2

TCEC members worked with participants to line everyone up, provide participation awards, and awards to the Most Creative, Most Original, and Best Overall parade entries.

Behind the Scenes Pt. 3

The Miss Cuero and Court float approaches the start of the parade route as the parade gets underway.

Behind the Scenes Pt. 4

Breath of Life Church participants walking towards the starting point as the parade officially started.

Parade in Action

The view from the TCEC golfcart that brought up the end of the parade lineup.

Words Before the Celebration

Mrs. De’Vonna Eldridge speaks on behalf of Tri-City Empowerment Council before the Outreach Celebration gets underway.

Cuero High School Trotters

At the Outreach Celebration, the Cuero High School Trotters performed for the community.

Outreach Celebration in Full Swing

Community members enjoy the free music, snacks, food, etc.

Facepainting Fun

Amber Rangel and Cevele Patton worked to make sure the younger community members had fun during the Outreach Celebration by providing face-paintings.

Game Fun

Jairus Eldridge helped the younger community members play games during the Outreach Celebration.

Some of the Tri-City Empowerment Counil Members

The ladies that worked so hard to make this event possible.

Pictured from left to right are:

Lataine Boston, Pearl Ross, Desalyn Eldridge, De’Vonna Eldridge, Dawn Green, Jessie Durresseau, Loleat Ross, Isabel Patton, Helen Whittington, Viola Holman, Susan Hill, and Wanda Zuniga

Signs displaying the Previous Location of the Daule School

We at Tri-City Empowerment Council (TCEC) would like to thank everyone who participated in the event and those who had booths at our celebration including all the city officials, local churches, volunteers, and local businesses. We’d also like to thank all the community members who came out to enjoy the parade and the following festivities.

Specifically we would like to thank the following for making this event a success:

• God

  First and foremost, we thank God for guiding us on this journey. We asked him to use us to make the parade what He intended it to be.

• City Employees and Officials

  Thank you

  Amber Fitts, she is the Museum Director and serving as the Coordinator of the Cuero’s 150th Birthday Celebration this year, for inviting TCEC to participate in the City’s yearlong celebration and for making the beautiful parade posters that were hanging around town.

  The Mayor of Cuero, Mrs. Sara Post Meyer for supporting and participating in the parade. We thank you for your continuing support.

  The Cuero City Manager, City Council Members, and all the City Employees that pitched in and did an awesome job making the parade run smoothly. Thank you for helping block the roads and providing extra lightning.

• Donations

  Thank you

  Kenneth Schumacher (Energy Waste) for providing the portable potties, hand washing stations and lights with generators.

  DJ Mathis for providing the speakers and music at the Unity Festival.

  Deacon Robert (Bob) Gibbs and Rev. John Jackson for providing the trailer for our stage.

  Michael Ruiz for letting us use your golf cart. It helped us out a lot.

  Anna Hill for letting us use your trailer to transport wood etc.

• Volunteers and Parade Set Up

  Thank you

  Ryan Varela for the wonderful job you did as the Parade Announcer. We appreciated your excitement while announcing the parade participants. Thank you also for providing the speakers, lights, and music at the grandstand.

  Jairus Eldridge for all of your help with setting up at the beginning of the parade and taking things down at the end of the festival.

  Sam Perez, Laurie Valenzuela, Carrie Torres, Cynthia Zapata, Christopher Ruiz, Cevele Patton, Amber Rangel, Carol Rodriguez, Amontre Kitchens, and Timothy Kitchens for helping to make Isabel Patton’s vision of the booths for the Unity Festival a reality. The booths were so beautiful! Everyone that registered to give to the community had a booth to set up with and give their items from. Your hard work made the festival a blessing to the community and a wonderful success!

• Parade Participants

  Cuero Police Department

  TCEC USA Flag Carriers & Dawn Green

  City of Cuero Mayor-Sara Post Meyer

  Grand Marshals-Daule Alumni

  Cuero Fire Department

  Bush’s Chicken

  Antioch Baptist Church

  Cuero High School Trotters

  Victory Family Church

  Miss Cuero & Court

  Breath of Life Church

  Lee’s Custom Balloons & More

  Cuero Gobbler Football Team & DJ Chito Varela

  Mt. Bethany Baptist Church

  Mr. Jerome Williams

  G.A.M.E.

  St. Thomas Baptist Church

  Mt. Bethel Baptist Church

  Quinn Chapel Church

  Street Sweeper Car & Truck Club

  My Father’s House Church

  Branded By Jesus Common Church

• Outreach Celebration Booth Participants

  Thank you to the following booth participants for all of the giveaways, delicious food and snacks:

  Victory Family Church

  Freedom Life Church

  Macedonia Baptist Church

  St Thomas Baptist Church

  Quinn Chapel Church

  Breath of Life Church

  Movement of Faith Church

  Antioch Baptist Church

  My Father’s House Church

  No Air Deliverance

  Branded, Lee’s Custom Balloons & More

  G.A.M.E.

  Mt. Bethany Baptist Church

  Mt. Bethel Baptist Church

  Bush’s Chicken

  Bea Long Foster Agency

  R & R Electric

  H-E-B (Cuero Location)

  Walmart (Cuero Location)

  Post Lumber Company

  Alamo Lumber Company

  Ful-O-Pep

  Also, thank you, Amber Rangel, Cevele Patton, and Jairus Eldridge for running our face painting and games booth.

The parade and following celebration were so much fun and we at TCEC enjoyed seeing all of the community members come enjoy the parade and festivities. We are already looking forward to next year’s event. We hope everyone will join us again next year for the Second Annual Parade of Lights and Outreach Celebration. Always remember to let your light shine!