A bit of a respite
Parade and fair provide needed distraction from mayhem here and around the world
The annual fair and its associated parade provided a welcome distraction from not only the local fires, but from the threat of nuclear war with North Korea and the tragedy that unfolded in Virginia this past weekend.
There’s something about the hometown feel of a county fair and quaintness of a parade down Main Street that reinforces the good in our communities. Those types of events are part of the fabric of what it’s like to live here in Plumas County.
And perhaps there’s no better example of how local residents weave together the negative and the positive than the following two posts from the Plumas National Forest’s Facebook page on Saturday. And though these posts are specific to Quincy, they could be equally applied to any of our communities:
“9 a.m. — You can tell the character of a community by the way it pulls together during a time of adversity. And Quincy has character!!!! As day-shift firefighters are busy putting out hot-spots within the containment lines of the #MinervaFire, all the while contending with burning snags and material rolling down the steep slopes, residents are busy lining up their antique cars, horse groups and emergency equipment for the fair parade today at 10 a.m. in downtown Quincy. Now that’s called an amazing juxtaposition!
“6:30 p.m. — The drummers were drumming, vintage cars revving, Fair Sweetheart waving, crowds applauding and emergency response personnel took a well deserved hip-hip hooray! All the while a helicopter was hauling buckets of water to douse one of two small spot fires from the #MinervaFire (both were quickly contained). That’s the way Quincy rolls; balancing life. The fire remains at 98 percent contained while interior hot spots are mopped up. Some areas of the fire continue to produce noticeable heat and firefighters are making sure none might be a threat to the fireline.”
During Saturday’s parade, Smokey Bear and Plumas National Forest personnel, as well as volunteer fire trucks from Quincy and Meadow Valley, drew spontaneous applause as they made their way down Main Street. They drove past storefronts and private yards dotted with signs thanking all of the firefighters who helped to protect Quincy. As the fire continues to wind down, we want to say a “thank you” to the firefighters, but also to the community for continuing to make this the place that we want to call home.
