After 14 years of chairing the Hazel Dell Parade of Bands, Dellan Redjou is passing the torch. But Redjou, a 52-year-old Battle Ground resident who co-owns Smokey’s Pizza in Hazel Dell with her husband, Wayne, went out on a high note.
This year’s parade, which was held May 15, boasted 165 entries, including 29 bands, and attracted an estimated 40,000 attendees.
“It really was just a spectacular parade this year,” Redjou said. “It could not have gone better.”
Running the parade is a lot of work, but Redjou had fun with it.
“There’s a lot of energy, you meet a ton of people, and I just enjoyed it,” she said.
Still, for everything there is a season. Shelly Palmer and Brad Lothspeich will take over the leadership role for next year’s parade.
“It’s time,” Redjou said of the decision to relinquish her role as chairwoman. “Doing something for 14 years is long enough. It’s time for new blood to come in with new ideas.”
Redjou will continue to help with the parade even though she’s no longer its chairwoman.
“I don’t think they’re going to let me go that easy,” she said, laughing.
Gospel Sons born again
When the Gospel Sons regrouped a few months ago to sing at a 90-year-old fan’s birthday party, it was supposed to be a bit of a lark — not a full-blown career resurgence.
But that’s what seems to have happened. The vocal quartet, which toured the region for years but disbanded about a decade ago, had a blast at the party. Then they got roped into a couple of reunion concerts at the Ridgefield Nazarene Church.
“It went really well,” said lead singer Don Smith. “It was kind of surprising.” Both shows were standing room only and drew more than 1,000 people, he said.
Now, Smith said, the reborn group is developing a website and working on a new CD. And they’re booked to sing at Smith’s church, the Fourth Plain Church of the Nazarene, during an Independence Day celebration.
“So many great things have happened,” Smith said. “We’re kind of amazed how people have rallied around this.”
In addition to Smith, the group consists of tenor Terry VanderStoep of Woodland, baritone Stan Kirschenmann of Five Corners and bass Jerry Watson, who lives in La Pine, Ore.
Bits ’n’ Pieces appears Mondays and Fridays. If you have a story you’d like to share, call Erin Middlewood, 360-735-4541, or e-mail features@columbian.com.
