An excited group of senior citizens from the Helping Hands Caregiver Resource, located at the Seventh-day Adventist Church on Penn Valley Drive, submitted their entry form to participate in the recent Rodeo Parade. Helping Hands provides activities for dependent adults, aged 18 and older, in a safe, nurturing environment, while allowing their caregivers respite time. The Rodeo Parade was certain to be a fun way for the seniors to be an active part of our community. Following weeks of anticipation, May 16 — the day of the parade — finally came. The Helping Hands seniors were excited and raring to go as they found their place in the parade lineup. They waited with anticipation in the shade of a big oak tree at Western Gateway Park. Slowly the procession started. The Beale Air Force Base Color Guard, the U.S. Army, the grand marshall Louie Osterude, Supervisor Hank Weston and other honored guests led the procession. The seniors followed in place not far behind. They struggled, some with walkers, to keep up with the flow. Within a short period of time, the parade halted due to the seniors’ inability to maintain the pace. Disappointed, they left the lineup, making way for those behind them to move forward. All at once, their disappointment ended as the Robinson Enterprises-Citizens Bank of Northern California, bright turquoise blue semi-truck-and-trailer float pulled up and offered the seniors a ride. They climbed on and found a secure seat on one of the many hay bales that sat amid a sea of bright orange umbrellas. Their enthusiastic smiles were back; once again they were part of the Penn Valley Rodeo Parade! The Robinsons originally came to Penn Valley in the 1860s to run a cattle ranch. Today, this well-known entrepreneurial family operates out of Nevada City and has diversified from logging into petroleum, construction projects, convenience stores and many other ventures. Citizens Bank of Northern California is a true community bank. Its 90 employees volunteer in at least 77 local organizations and share their earnings with over 100 local nonprofit agencies. In the Penn Valley office, the branch manager Lori Jayne, the relationship manager Julie Frenzel-McEnroe, and Nicole Amaral, a friendly teller, all believe that Citizens Bank is truly “all about the people.” I am sure the seniors and staff at Helping Hands will gladly attest to that. To view a fun video of the Parade created by Lake Wildwood resident and community volunteer Herb Lindberg, simply visit the Web: http://www.lindberglce.com/videos/webshows.htm.

Susan George is co-chair of the Penn Valley Chamber of Commerce.