51st annual Poway Days Parade is Saturday

It’s almost time for the 51st annual Poway Days Parade, which begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday along Poway Road.

The parade route begins at Pomerado Road and continues down Poway Road to Bowron Road.

More than 80 entries are already registered for the parade, and Pauline Getz, chairwoman of the parade and president of the sponsoring Rotary Club of Poway-Scripps, estimated that there will be more by Saturday. “I think we’re going to have another delightful parade,” said Getz.

This year’s theme is “Water Wise in Poway,” and parade entries will be competing for the mayor’s trophy, the best theme representation award and the Rotary service award.

There will be judges for each category. The mayor’s trophy, which is awarded to the best overall parade entry, will be judged by Corrie Vaus, wife of Mayor Steve Vaus, and Olga Singer, wife of City Manager Dan Singer. The Rotary service award, which is awarded to the best representation of service to the community, will be judged by Rotary District 5340 Governor Janice Kurth. The final award, best theme representation, will be judged by Mary Mitchell, a Poway realtor who has managed the parade judges several times in the past and is taking a turn doing the judging this year. Mitchell is also involved with the Poway Soroptimists.

This year’s grand marshal will be Sheriff’s Capt. Jeff Maxin, in charge of the Poway sheriff’s station since April 2014. Sue Herndon, a longtime resident, civic leader and businesswoman, will be the parade’s honorary grand marshal.

Maxin said he was looking forward to the parade. “I’ve been in several parades before, but this is my first time as an honored figure,” said Maxin. “I’m honored and humbled to be chosen as the grand marshal.”

Maxin said he would be representing the Sheriff’s department, not himself, and would be joined by a contingent of deputies and staff in the parade. “I’m as good as the people around me,” said Maxin. “I represent a very, very good organization.”

Also joining Maxin in the parade will be his nine-year-old son, Jake, and Georgia Pucci, the nine-year-old granddaughter of Lt. Julius Faulkner of the Poway station.

Maxin was suggested by Poway Mayor Steve Vaus in recognition of the city’s low crime rate — the lowest of any city in San Diego County and among the lowest in the state. Maxin is a 26-year veteran of the department who has served in a wide variety of assignments. His Poway station duties also include overseeing the Ramona substation.

Herndon has been selling real estate in the area since 1985 and is well known for her charitable activities. A Rotarian, she is a passionate advocate on behalf of children and adults with special needs and last year launched the successful “Jack-O-Smash Family Fun Festival,” which returns this year on Nov. 1.

The announcers along the parade route this year will be Dave Mason from 105.7 MAX-FM, Sam Bass from KYXY and Jay Riordan, who has previously also announced at Rancho Bernardo’s Spirit of the Fourth parade. Getz said the parade has been made possible this year by an anonymous Rotarian, who stepped up and donated $5,000 after the parade failed to secure a commercial title sponsor. “We can literally say the Rotary is putting on the parade this year,” said Getz.

Getz said the parade is still accepting monetary donations and still needs volunteers. Donors or potential volunteers can visit https://www.powaydaysparade.org/ to find out more information.