Kaleigh Harasen has been watching the Parade of Lights since she was a baby.
The nine-year-old Special Olympics swimmer and her family are used to waving at the trucks as they parade down Memorial Avenue, a major event in Thunder Bay's holiday season now in its 15th year.
But this year Harasen will be waving to the crowd instead as she leads the parade as the marshall with a special spot on a Tbaytel truck.
Cindy Harasen said it means a lot that Kaleigh has been chosen marshall the same year that she qualified as a deep end swimmer for the Special Olympics.
"It's sort of a double honour this year," she said.
The Harasen's were asked to join the parade by the Special Olympics while Kaleigh was at a swim practice. Cindy said it was funny because at first they thought the coaches wanted to speak about Kaleigh's swimming.
"It was a pleasant surprise," Cindy said.
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The event, which hits the streets Saturday Dec. 7, at 7 p.m., raised more than $19,000 last year for children's charities.
Parade chair Greg Stephenson said they're hoping to at least see the 60 trucks that made it out last year. As for what the trucks will look like, Stephenson said it's different every year.
"It's so unpredictable people are very creative," he said."It surprises me every year."
"Expect the unexpected."
Any and all trucks are welcome right up until five minutes before the parade begins, but there is a benefit to checking out the organization's website www.paradeoflights.ca an registering early.
"If you go out early you can get a better spot," Stephenson said.
"If it wasn't for the trucks we wouldn't have a parade."
