They celebrated the Fourth in winning style: Modesto parade awards announced
Modesto Junk Co., in business on Ninth Street since 1920, topped the award winners at a Fourth of July parade a few blocks away.
The Modesto Kiwanis Club put on Wednesday's event, which once again drew a large crowd. The awards:
- Best overall trophy: Modesto Junk
- Overall theme trophy: RE/MAX Executive
- Overall equestrian unit: Allstate Insurance Ramirez Agency/South Modesto Business United
- Individual equestrian: Blazer from Stepping Stone Ranch
- Equestrian club: Thundering Farm Supply Percherons (Stanislaus Farm Supply)
- Farm entry: Exact Corp.
- Antique car (pre-1940): J.S. West & Cos.
- Classic car (pre-1973): Frank Sherman
- Custom car: Legacy Limousine Services
- Antique car club: Modesto Area A's
- Custom car club: Highway 99 PT Cruiser Club
- Motorcycle group: Modesto Police Department
- Marching band: Modesto High School
- Musical group: YES Company
- Military unit: American GI Forum
- Color guard: American Legion Post 74
- Corporate: Roberts Auto/JMI Rocks
- Ethnic group: Latino Community Roundtable
- Nonprofit group: Stanislaus Special Olympics
- Comical/entertaining : Modesto Shrine Club
- Kids group: Central Valley Hoopsource
Help at a time of loss
Families mourning stillborn babies can get help through "Angel Care Bags" donated to three Stanislaus County hospitals. They came from the Sienna's Wings Foundation, created by a Turlock couple who suffered such a loss last year.
The 30 bags include a pamphlet on the foundation, an angel pendant, a bookmark poem, a candle holder, photography services by Liz E Studios and information on the Jessica's House infant loss support group, among other things. The bags went to Emanuel Medical Center in Turlock and Doctors Medical Center and Memorial Medical Center in Modesto.
Jeffrey and Elizabeth Severson started the foundation in memory of daughter Sienna.
And finally ...
Abel Vera, who attended California State University, Stanislaus, brought help of another sort to the World Cup in Moscow.
The Fresno Bee reports that Vera, a wheelchair user since a 2000 traffic accident, brought another chair to donate on his trip through his new group What Pushes You?
He at first planned to give it to a hospital or orphanage but instead chose a man struggling with a beat-up chair at a soccer fan festival in Red Square. A video of the moment with the unnamed man was a hit on Russian media.
Vera works as a behavior specialist at Coalinga State Hospital, in the city where he grew up.