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>> BOB: WELCOME BACK TO "NORFOLK PERSPECTIVES."
IT IS SO COOL TO SIT IN THE CHAIR AND HAVE THE FIRST CITIZEN
AND HAVE MARTIN THOMAS JR. I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU ARE COMING
ON TO TALK ABOUT THE OCEAN VIEW PARADE.
>> I AM EXCITED ABOUT THE PARADE.
>> BOB: I SEE YOU ON TV, YOU ARE A LAWYER, AND PLANNER ON THE
COMMITTEE. WHAT DO YOU DO?
>> FOR THE PARADE? I HELP OUT WITH THE WEBSITE AND
HANDLE THE LETTERS AND VIP INVITES AND GRANDSTAND AT THE
END OF THE PARADE AND HELP LINE UP PEOPLE AT THE BEGINNING OF
THE PARADE. >> BOB: WAIT A MINUTE, YOU DO
THE INVITATIONS? >> I DO THE INVITATIONS, TOTALLY
LOST IN THE MAIL. TOTALLY APOLOGIZE, I'LL GET YOU
ANOTHER COPY. >> BOB: GOLLY, DAY, 47TH YEAR.
IT IS A UNIQUE PARADE, IS THAT A GOOD WAY OF PUTTING IT?
>> IT REALLY IS. IT IS AN OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY
PARADE. >> BOB: PEOPLE COME FROM ALL
OVER THE REGION. >> EVERY YEAR ALMOST A
HOMECOMING, PEOPLE MOVED AWAY AND COLLEGE AT COLLEGE ALL COME
BACK. IT IS A CELEBRATION OF OCEAN
VIEW AND WINTER BEING OVER AND ST. PATRICK'S DAY.
ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO, MY UNCLE PART OF THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS.
>> BOB: IT IS FUN TO ORGANIZE IT, TOO.
>> IT IS. HANG OUT WITH HARDWORKING GUYS,
WE GET TOGETHER IN AUGUST TO PLAN THE PARADE.
>> BOB: YOU DON'T BRING A PROFESSIONAL PARADE ORGANIZER?
>> WE HAVE BECOME PROFESSIONAL ON OUR OWN.
>> BOB: [LAUGHTER]. HOW HAS IT CHANGED OVER THE
YEARS? >> EVERY YEAR BRINGS US NEW
TASKS TO DO WHETHER IT IS AN ISSUE HERE, PROBLEM THERE, IT
KEEPS GETTING BETTER AND BIGGER. ONLY THING WE WORRY ABOUT IS THE
WEATHER. >> BOB: LAST TWO YEARS GOOD
WEATHER. >> BEAUTIFUL.
RECORD NUMBERS OF PEOPLE, 30,000 ALONG THE PARADE ROUTE.
>> BOB: WHAT IS THE ROUTE? >> NORTH SIDE MIDDLE SCHOOL AT
GRANDBY STREET TO OCEAN VIEW, LEFT-HAND TURN AT A VIEW AND
LEFT-HAND TURN FIRST VIEW, FOUR BLOCKS, ENDS FIRST U AND
GOVERNMENT AVENUE. WE HAVE A BIG HUGE PARTY OF
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS. >> BOB: I SAID INSIDE SCOOP,
FAMILY OF FOUR LITTLE KIDS, WHERE WOULD YOU WATCH THE
PARADE? >> ALONG GRANDBY STREET ALONG
THE SIDEWALKS OR THE MEDIAN HAS CURBS.
KIDS CAN SIT IN THE BACK AND WATCH THE PARADE GO BY.
>> BOB: YOU WANT TO GET HOOKED UP WITH FRIENDS AND LITTLE BIT
OF A PARTY? >> CLOSER TO THE END OF THE
PARADE, FIRST VIEW AND MEET UP AT KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS FOR
DRINKS AND MUSIC. >> BOB: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE
PART? THE END?
>> THE END. THE JOB IS OVER NO. 1, I LIVE
THE LIVE MUSIC. PEOPLE ARE DANCING.
IT IS A GREAT TIME. >> BOB: I HAD THE PLEASURE OF
DRIVING MISS NORFOLK 2004. THAT WAS AN EXPERIENCE I WILL
NEVER FORGET, NEITHER WILL SHE. IT WAS GREAT.
IT IS THE SPIRIT OF THE PARADE THE COMMUNITY.
>> IT REALLY IS. IT IS LIKE NOTHING ELSE.
>> BOB: PEOPLE HAVE OPINIONS. THEY HAVE HAD FEEDBACK ABOUT THE
PARADE. ONE IS WHY DON'T YOU HAVE MORE
MARCHING BANDS? >> THIS YEAR WE HAVE COME
TOGETHER WITH A UNIQUE IDEA. PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE EXCITED.
TRYING TO SCHEDULE THE CITY'S MARCHING BANDS.
GOOD NEWS, NOT ONLY HAVE THEY AGREED TO COME BUT COMBINE
THEMSELVES. IT IS GOING TO BE ONE HUGE CITY
OF NORFOLK MARCHING BAND. IT MAYBE A QUARTER MILE LONG
MARCHING BAND. WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE
LOGISTICS, SO UNIQUE. NEVER DONE IT BEFORE.
>> BOB: AGAIN I HAD THE PLEASURE OF HAVING A FEW MEETING
WITH YOU. IT IS A CAN DO.
>> ARMY BAND, NAVY BAND, IRISH THEME BANDS.
>> BOB: DATE IS MARCH 15TH. >> YEP.
PARADE KICKS OFF AT 10:00 A.M. >> BOB: IT STARTS LONG BEFORE
THAT. >> PARTY AND PEOPLE SETTING UP
AND GETTING THEIR SPOTS ON THE PARADE ROUTES START MUCH
EARLIER. PEOPLE ARE READY AND EXCITED.
>> BOB: DOGS, COSTUMES? LITTLE CARS?
>> EVERYTHING. >> BOB: HERE IS THE BIG ONE,
ELECTION YEAR THIS YEAR. >> NO CAMPAIGNING ALOUD.
>> BOB: NO CAMPAIGNING? >> POLITICIANS ARE ALOUD TO
WALK, SHAKE HANDS, NOT ALLOWED TO CAMPAIGN.
WE HAVE STUCK TO THAT RULE. >> BOB: ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE A
FEW IN THE PARADE? >> THEY'LL BE THERE.
SAW SOME LEAVING. >> BOB: WHO IS THE MC?
>> MY DAD MARTIN THOMAS AND MY PARTNER PETER.
>> BOB: MARTIN, IT IS ALWAYS FUN TO SEE YOUR ENTHUSIASM.
MARCH 15TH, KICK OFF 10:00. YOU HAVE TO SEE IT IN PERSON.
THANKS A LOT. >> THANK YOU.
>> BOB: WE HAVE A BUNCH OF KIDS ON THE SOFA WORLD CHAMPIONS IN
MY BOOK AND PROBABLY IN YOURS, TOO.
STAY TUNED.