OUR LAGUNA:Parading with Pasos and palominos

“Unique” means one of a kind — the only. It is an overworked, mostly incorrectly used word and editors hate it.

However, the Laguna Beach Patriots Day Parade can claim a “unique” entry to which even the word police shouldn’t object. The U.S. Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard that clip-clopped its way along the parade route is the only such unit in the country.

“It’s the last one in the corps,” said Gunnery Sgt. Ivan “Gunney” Collazo Sanchez, who is in charge of the four mounts.

All of the corps’ horses are palominos. One of the parade horses, 3-year-old Norman, was adopted in June from the Bureau of Land Management in Nevada, the sergeant said.

“He made his main event debut in the Rose Bowl Parade,” he said.

Norman was picked out of the bureau’s annual mustang — wild horse — roundup, along with two others.

“It is rare to find a palomino mustang,” said parade wrangler Emily Quilter. “Herd animals want to blend in. A palomino stands out like a sore thumb in the midst of a dark herd, easily spotted by predators.”

Iwo Jima and the other two horses in the parade are more than 20 years old — about 80 in equine years, Quilter said.

Human veterans also strutted their stuff in the parade. Their entry included a hybrid car.

“If every veteran in the country drove a hybrid, we could cut our dependence on oil in 10 years,” claimed Bill Holiday.

Mike Morrison judged the vehicles in the parade. Nancy and Gary Beverage and Suzi Chauvel judged all the other entries as they passed the reviewing stand in front of City Hall.

Laguna Beach Police Capt. Danell Adams rode in the parade but not in the department entry and not in uniform. She was undercover, wearing a Peruvian poncho and dark glasses, riding her horse Khan Valiente CHR, a Peruvian Paso, a breed known for their smooth gait.

“They are born with that gait,” said parade Grand Marshal Joan Irvine Smith, a notable horsewoman, seated on the reviewing stand.

Jo Ann and George Key sat nearby. Key is the great-great grandson of Francis Scott Key, who wrote the poem in 1814, adopted in 1931 as the lyrics for “The Star Spangled Banner” that inspired the parade theme, “Proudly We Hail.”

Parade honorees Patriot of the Year Lawrence A. Smith, Citizen of the Year Bree Burgess Rosen, Junior Citizens of the Year Mary Beth Trout and Marshal Neal Thomas, and parade committee President Charles Quilter II also reviewed the parade from the stand.

Quilter has served as parade committee president seven times. A retired U. S. Marine Corps fighter pilot, he was honored as Patriot of the Year in 1993.

“This is the fourth year in a row that the parade finished on time — within a minute,” Quilter said.

Entries ranged from the Third Marine Aircraft Wing Band from Miramar to the Laguna Beach Elementary School Chorus.

When the chorus finished singing the national anthem for the judges, 2000 Grand Marshal Skipper Carrillo yelled “Play ball!” from his seat in front of the reviewing stand. The chorus serendipitously sang “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” virtually the theme song of the baseball-loving Carillo.

Numerous marchers broke ranks to shake Skipper’s hand, a show of affection that he treasured.

“Respect and love are the best rewards,” said Carrillo, who has also been awarded the Exchange Club’s Book of Golden Deeds.

Spectators saw 91 parade entries, but what makes it go are the volunteers, many of whom have worked behind the scenes for years.

Hal Werthe chaired the committee in 1979 and 1985, ably assisted by his wife, Sandi, both still active. He operates the shuttle that ferries VIPs and volunteers up and down the hill to and from the staging area. She is the committee treasurer. Jean Law is secretary.

Parade photographer Doug Miller is first vice president of the committee. Marv Johnson is second vice president.

Johnson, Don Black, also in charge of VIP vehicles, and Boy Scout Troop 35 are the “No Parking” sign team. Police Explorers help control traffic.

The explorers would have had a real mess on their hands if Police Chief Michael Sellers hadn’t alerted the Secret Service that Park Avenue and downtown streets would be closed to vehicular traffic about the time presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton was due to arrive in town for a fundraising luncheon at a Top of the World home.

Sellers said he advised Clinton’s bodyguards to use the Crown Valley Parkway exit instead of the 133 and go up Temple Hills Drive, and take Alta Laguna Boulevard to Park.

“We [police] work all the time with the Secret Service,” Sellers said.

The 2007 parade committee also included Jim Law, Sande St. John, Karen Ford, Jim Rue, Anne Johnson, Barbara and Jim Pemberton, chief starter Howard Levin and marshals that included 2005 Patriot of the Year Edward Hanke III, Bill Morris, Mike Lyons, Anne Wood, Carolyn Miller, assorted members of the Chocolate Lovers of America and retired Fire Department Captain Eugene “Diz” D’Isabella, who drives the department’s 1931 Seagrave pumper engine in the parade.

Committee volunteers included Joe Jahraus and announcers Sonny Budd and George Wood on a sound system rigged by Budd and Jerry Ford.

John Kountz and the Laguna Beach Emergency Communications Team kept parade volunteers in touch on Saturday. John Campbell took care, as he has done for years, of the committee’s insurance requirements.

In addition, the committee commended city Community Services Director Susan Cannan, Police Sgt. Robert Rahaeuser and Gavin Kettle; Tivoli Too, where the awards presentations were made; and the Bank of America and Citizens Business Bank, which presented essay contest winner Lindsey LoJacono and cover artist Brian M. Rosney with $100 U.S. Savings Bonds.

“Patriots Day is a day to really think about how good you have it,” Lo Jacono wrote. “To be grateful and to pay tribute to the people who risk their lives for our freedom and to spend time with our loved ones and to have fun.”

And that is what the parade is all about.