By LINDA CHION KENNEY
The 39th annual Alafia Lighted Boat Parade brought together friends, neighbors and families for an enchanting touch to holiday revelry, where heart-warming stories were heard for the asking.
Behind the scenes at the Riverview Civic Center and Park were members of the Rotary Club of FishHawk-Riverview, who received high marks from 2004 Riverview High graduates Stephanie Lyons and Honey Castro, who first attended the event as six-year-olds.
This event “brings a sense of old family traditions, that Riverview is always a place we can come back to, that Riverview is home,” said Lyons, with her daughter, Haylee.
Linda Chion Kenney Photo
From left are Rotarians Susan Hill, Gerry Gutenstein and Jackie Fields.
Linda Chion Kenney Photo
Rotarian Tonya Walsh is all smiles at the chili cook-off held at the 2023 Alafia Lighted Boat Parade.
“It means community, and that’s important,” added Castro, with her daughter, Violet. “It means togetherness.”
That the event is set to celebrate 40 years next year is not by chance, as it was the Riverview Rotary club, now the Rotary Club of FishHawk-Riverview, that stepped-up to stage the event after the chamber stepped aside years ago.
“It was a good community event that we didn’t want to see go down the drain,” said Rotarian Jackie Fields. “A lot of our members are passionate about it. As a club we just adopted it, and we love it.”
Among the aficionados is veterinarian Kimberly Tyson, owner of Four Paws Veterinary Hospital in Riverview, who for years has chaired the annual event, featuring lighted boats, a chili cook-off and a meet-and-greet with Santa.
“This was the biggest parade yet in recent memory,” Tyson said, “and the most decorated and most attended.”
Registered by Gabby Aten, this boat placed fourth in the 2023 Alafia Lighted Boat Parade.
The boat registered by Ralph Griffin placed third in the 2023 Alafia Lighted Boat Parade.
Placing second in the 2023 Alafia Lighted Boat Parade was this boat, registered by William Kingsworth.
According to Tyson, 26 boats had been registered to join the flotilla, which traveled west to east on the Alafia River to the River’s Edge Bar and Grill in Gibsonton, for a post-parade celebration. There, prizes amounting to $750, funded by River’s Edge, were awarded to Best Decorated boats. Placing first to fourth, respectively, were boats registered by John Snay, William Killingsworth, Ralph Griffin and Gabby Aten.
Tyson, through her business, provided Amazon gift cards, amounting to $225 collectively, for the top-three chili cook-off finishers. Placing first through third, collectively, in a field of 12 entries, were Hope For Her (Elizabeth Vejar), Michael Broussard (Flying Locksmiths) and Steve Flanagan (Steve’s Computer Rescue).
As for the boats in view from the Riverfront bleachers and grass, “I was blown away by the creativity, which was absolutely amazing,” said Libby Hopkins, who as a parade judge attended the event for the first time.
Veteran attendee Kisha Perry, who supervises the Gardenville Recreation Center in Gibsonton, joined again in judging duties.
“This event is a beautiful expression of people coming together and having common goals and that’s to socialize, make memories and have fun with their families,” Perry said.
Sitting on the pier, on the river’s south bank, “I’m having my experience as a judge,” Perry added, “but I know the people behind me are creating beautiful memories that will last a lifetime.”
Count among them Castro and Lyons, the Riverview High graduates, who attended the parade event presented by Chris Ligori & Associates, attorneys at law.
“We’re definitely grateful for the volunteers, for their time and volunteering to put this on for the community and for keeping the tradition alive,” Lyons said. “I’ve never met them, but I would like to thank them.”
In turn, Rotarians say their involvement with the club leads to their own moments of gratitude, and, especially so, for Tonya Walsh, who oversees the chili cook-off. She credits her club involvement for saving her husband’s life.
That’s because Rotarian Ed Odum, a club member, “donated his kidney to my husband, Andy Walsh, about six years ago, and my husband is alive today,” Walsh said. “And now we get to go on a plane to visit our grandson, Andrew John Walsh V, for Christmas.”
As for the event overall, “This is the one event that we don’t really worry about making any money,” Walsh said. The only cost for attendees is the $5 chili cook-off fee, which, in turn, helps fund scholarships and a donation to Friends of the Park.
The club’s second signature annual event is the crawfish boil, first proposed by Rotarian Broussard, set now for its 14th year, April 13, at Founders Square Park at Winthrop Town Center in Riverview. The Crawfish & Craft Beer Festival reaches deep into Broussard’s southwest Louisiana roots and passions for food, water and community. In turn, the annual festival raises tens of thousands of dollars for Rotarians to support local nonprofits and scholarships for youth.
That the club is a family is not lost on Rotarian Betty Huth, of Huth & Booth Photography.
Huth & Booth Photography
This boat, registered by John Snay, won first place in the 2023 Alafia Lighted Boat Parade.
“What I like about the club is the commitment of its members, and the way everybody treats another as family,” Huth said.
“If you need something done, they step up and do it.
The club meets Monday at noon at Gasparilla Pizzeria & Growlers in Lithia, at 1028 East Bloomingdale Ave. For more, visit www.fishhawkriverviewrotary.org/. For more on the club’s signature events, visit www.alafiaboatparade.com and www.luvcrawfish.com/.
The Riverview Civic Center, at 11020 Park Drive, sports a meeting hall, covered picnic pavilions, playground, fishing pier, boat ramp and canoe/kayak launch. Visit Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation at www.HCFLGOV.net/.
