Outlaws, gunslingers take over Dayton
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DAYTON — A band of outlaws and gunslingers boldly walked the streets in Dayton as the annual Dayton Daze parade wound its way around the tiny town twice last Saturday. Renegades were a welcome sight during this year’s outlaws and gunslingers themed event - and could be seen all over the place – packing hoglegs, sporting stubble and bad attitudes. The ladies could be outlaws and gunslingers, too, and their costumes ranged from soiled doves to school marms to horsewomen, and most of them had a shootin’ iron tucked in a holster or their boot or some other handy area.
This year marked the 105th Dayton Daze event, and while neighbors visited, children ran around and dogs roamed the town. The parade boasted its usual array of horseback riders, fire trucks, vintage cars and tons of candy for the kids. A giant sailboat on its trailer and a stagecoach full of floozies and outlaws drove slowly around town.
While it was great fun, complete with the parade, sailboat rides, catered food, vendors, a car show, a bazaar at the Dayton Church, free wine tasting at Mission Mountain Winery, kids games, raffles and auctions, the celebration also serves a good purpose, one that helps everybody.
All proceeds from Dayton Daze go to support the Chief Cliff Volunteer Fire Department.
Stan Bain, a trustee for the CCVFD, was the grand marshal of the parade, accompanied by his wife Sharon.
Bain, the other trustees and many of the volunteer firefighters are establishing a Quick Response Unit with money from last year’s event. Three Emergency Medical Technicians for the Dayton/Rollins/Elmo area received training with the funds, too.
Bain said the all the volunteer firefighters and most of the trustees have their Cardio Pulmonary Respiration and defibrillator training.
“The fire department has never been in better shape,” Bain said. “I’m really proud of those guys.”
The CCVFD would like to buy a new truck, a tender, with this year’s Dayton Daze fund.
“It takes a lot of money to maintain all the equipment,” Bain added.
All the volunteers and the EMTs put in so many training hours, he said. The EMTs need to be certified and licensed by the state.
“The community supports us and we support them,” Bain said, explaining that the fire department will be offering CPR and defibrillator classes for the community this fall and again in the spring.
