DDD Members, Provider Take First Place in Coolidge Days Parade

Festooned with colorful, red, white and blue streamers flowing and balloons bobbing,
TOPS CDE takes 1st place for their entry in the Coolidge Days Parade.

The thrill of the sights, sounds and excitement of a parade can only be topped by one thing:  winning first place honors for your parade entry.  And that’s just what happened to DES Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) members at the 2019 Coolidge Days Parade.

DDD members who attend a day treatment and training program at Child Development & Education (TOPS CDE) pulled together their creative juices, problem-solving and communications skills to create an award-winning parade float.

“They started three days before [the parade],” said co-owner and CEO Aquilina Mendez-Faultner.  The team came up with a “Captain America” theme for their float and entered it into the commercial vehicle category.

DDD member, Trevor Rubio, helped string balloons, cover the float with stars and put up the banner.  Another DDD member, Gabby Carrillo, applied red and white streamers.  “Everybody got to participate,” said Mendez-Faultner.

On parade day, members rode or walked alongside the float and passed out treats to spectators.  “One member rationed the candy to be sure the little kids at the end of the parade would get some, too,” said Mendez-Faultner.  “They’re definitely concerned about how it goes--the whole process. The people involved, the spectators, everything.”

This year, in addition to handing out candy, the group also passed out miniature American flags.  “Some kids got candy and some kids got a flag,” she said.  “Anytime I saw a vet or somebody in a military hat, I would give them a flag.  That was a big hit … it seemed like they [the spectators] wanted those more than the candy.”

After the parade, the DDD members took part in a carnival while Mendez-Faultner set up an information booth for her organization. That’s when one of the judges approached her with the 1st Place trophy.

Each participant enjoyed different aspects of the day.  For Rubio, the carnival was the fun part.  “I played games and [ate] food.”  For another DDD member, Samantha Steele, it was passing out candy.  And for Carrillo, it was winning 1st place.  “It’s our first time winning a trophy,” she said.  And now the entire TOPS CDE team is floating on air.

Among the trophy winners are (left to right) Aquilina Mendez-Faultner (CEO of TOPS CDE),
Gabby Carrillo, Samantha Steele, Trevor Rubio and Veronica Taylor (DTA Manager).

By Lyn Riley