By GILBERT HOFFMAN Star-Courier
As the tradition of the Highlands Jamboree continues into its 55th year, the community support and participation just seems to grow.
This year, with the weather just outstanding, more people turned out for the various events than in many recent years.
The 5K Fun Run/Walk, sponsored by Habitat for Humanity, started at the Highlands Community Center on Saturday, shortly after the 7:00 a.m. sign-in. Winners will be announced in next weeks paper.
The parade was longer, noisier, and crazier than usual, as the them was Highlands… A Hidden Treasure and most floats and participants came dressed in Pirate Garb! Judges for the best floats were Brook Terrell, Ramona Villarreal, and Chelsea Read. Best of Show Float was by ZXP Tech. See box on page 2 for more results of the judging.
Then the action moved to the Highlands Elementary School, where the multi-purpose room was packed with parents and friends for the Childrens Pageant, silent auction and other awards. Please see photos and winners in this issue.
The crafts and organization booths in the gymnasium were busy, with more groups represented than ever before. A new event this year was a booth selling Homecoming Dance Tickets. A long line formed, and news came that the event was sold out before the day was over.
The Hidden Treasure also included lots of food, as the Boy Scouts had their BBQ tent, and ice cream and other vendors helped everyone fill up and enjoy themselves.
A Car Show was a peoples favorite. Sponsored by Ellard Lambert and Discount Auto Parts, a large collection of restored and vintage autos were shown. Attendees voted, and Awards were presented by Dickie Woods, as follows:
Participants Choice, #5 Cindy Valentine with a 57 White Corvette;
Chambers Choice, #2 Carl Green with a Purple 1956 Chevrolet Coupe;
Peoples Choice, #20 Barbara Slusser with a 2010 Chevy Camaro;
Best of Show, #2 Carl Green with his 56 Purple Chevrolet.
Festivities continued into the afternoon, and as the Jamboree ended about 3 p.m., it seemed that most people were not ready to go. But as an alternate, they could travel to the Highlands Junior School, where the Junior Miss Highlands Pageant took place at 2 p.m., with 10 contestants, and at 7 p.m. when 11 local girls competed for the coveted title of 2011 Miss Highlands. See elsewhere in this issue for the results of the Pageant contest.
Proceeds from the Jamboree go to support the Chamber and its activities. Official sponsors this year were Woodforest National Bank, Portraits of Texas, ZXP Technologies, San Jacinto Methodist Hospital, Constable Ken Jones, Kostka Auto Repair, United Community Credit Union, MegaSand Enterprises, Amegy Bank, Rainbow Jewelry & Loan, BJ Portascan, Timesaver, Community Resource Credit Union, and Star-Courier.