Just $15,000 could save the Conejo Valley Days parade
By Nancy Needham nancy@theacorn.com

People in cowboy gear smiling and waving as they ride by on horses. Lively band music filling the air as children in uniforms march and play musical instruments. Brightly colored floats with flowers and balloons passing by spectators.

These parade images are what motivate 70-year-old Barbara Kloster to keep hoping someone will answer her plea for $15,000 to keep the Conejo Valley Days parade going for another year.

"If we let it go this year, I believe we will never get it back," she said.

She fears the 51-year-old tradition of the community coming together for a couple of hours on a Saturday morning, watching friends and family members go down Thousand Oaks Boulevard on foot, horseback or in a variety of vehicles, will be over for good.

On Dec. 7 she met with members of the City Council and Conejo Recreation and Parks District, organizers of Conejo Valley Days and other citizens to find out what she could do to keep the parade and rodeo alive.

"When I walked into the meeting it felt like the cancellation of the parade and rodeo was a done deal," she said.

When she left, she felt there was no hope left for the rodeo, but Don Hegarty of the Thousand Oaks Kiwanis told her he would make sure there was manpower to run the parade if she could find a way to pay for it, she said.

"The Kiwanis have run the parade forever and would continue to do it if someone could come up with roughly $15,000," Hegarty said.

He said the city already provides police, barricades and cleanup. Cash for stipends for school bands, printing costs, trophies and other expenses are needed.

"I would be glad to call 50 or more people and ask them to contribute if I knew who to call," Kloster said.

She already tried Amgen and was turned down, she said.

The meeting was the result of Councilmember Claudia Bill-de la Peña's call for city staff to look into what could be done to save the parade and rodeo, Kloster said.

The meeting examined whether or not businesses on T.O. Boulevard were in favor of the parade or not.

Conejo Valley Veterinary Hospital, 1850 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., is right on the parade route. The hospital's practice manager Nancy Wohl is a fan of the event.

"The parade is a big part of our city's history. It's a great tradition, and I was sad when I heard it was not going to happen this year," Wohl said. "We come in early, watch the parade and just open a little later in the day."

The council was going to have the issue on its agenda before the last meeting of the year, but it was postponed and may be discussed on Jan. 9.

Councilmember Dennis Gillette, who has a complete set of Conejo Valley Days badges and was the 1989 general chairperson, is expected to speak.

Someday, because of the efforts of Kloster, Hegarty and others, city leaders of tomorrow may also talk about their parade memories.

If someone--a person, group or business--comes forward in the meantime with the money and saves the parade, they'll be a big hero in the community, Kloster said.

She can be reached at (805) 494-8755.