SHORELINES

for 250 children in surrounding communities and will deliver the gifts just in time for Christmas. The Woman's Club of Gadsden Holiday Tour of Homes Earlier this month, the Woman's says Denise Floyd of the Woman's Club. Each year's tour is different, offering a variety of homes, décor ideas and a chance for people in the community to mix and mingle during the holidays. Women from the Club of Gadsden hosted a Holiday organization work hard each year to Tour of Homes. The tour featured five provide the community with another private homes in Gadsden and along holiday tradition. the shores of Neely Henry Lake, in Christmas Boat Parades addition to the Gadsden Museum of What would holidays on the lake be Art and the Woman's Club. "The money raised from the tour goes to our annual scholarship fund," without Christmas boat parades? Each year on the second Saturday of December, the annual Lay Lake On Smith Lake, Eddie Hand, Christmas Boat Parade illuminates the publisher of Smith Lake Living Magazine, lake with holiday lights and decorations. and organizations and businesses This is the boat parade's 19th year. will host their 10th annual Santa on One of its founders, Joe Sullivan, Smith Lake event and boat parade. says his children, like many in the The event at the Smith Lake RV Park community, haven't seen a Christmas is open to the public, free of charge. without the popular parade. More "It's a great family event," Hand than a family event, Sullivan sees the says. "We do this for the kids in the parade as a way to give back to the community; it really is a lot of fun." Lay Lake community. "This started out as a few people The afternoon-long event features a golf cart parade, Christmas caroling, wanting to decorate their boats for a live nativity with children from area Christmas years ago and has turned churches, a visit from Santa and ends into a tradition for everyone on the with a boat parade at dusk. lake," Sullivan says. Now, the Lay Lake Home Owners Boat Owners group pitches in as well, making sure this beloved holiday For more information on the parades, visit www.laylakehobo.org and www.smithlakeliving.com. — Allison Westlake tradition continues each year. Above left: Photo by Meg McK inney — This year's Woman's Club of Gadsden Holiday Tour of Homes featured decorations at the McMichael home on Neely Henry Lake. Above right: File photo by Chris Jones — The Lay Lake Christmas Boat Parade is a tradition for the entire community. S hor el i ne s | 2013 Vol:4 19

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