LAKEPORT ? As the rain started to fall Friday afternoon in Lakeport, “Big Red Cardinal” was preparing for a third consecutive year in Clear Lake High School”s 2007 Homecoming parade.
Unlike other members of school”s Jr. Class, “Big Red Cardinal” is a six-foot, five inch, paper machete Cardinal on a homecoming float.
“We made it when my daughter (Annie) was a freshman, and we thought it looked so good we would keep it for another year. It”s the thing”s third year now, and its looking pretty rough — more like a messed up chicken, right now” the “Big Red”s” co-creator, Hartmut Gall, said.
The big bird was constructed in 2005 by Gall, a Lake County Sheriff”s deputy living in Lakeport, and his friend George Kieffer. Other than its bright cardinal colors, the bird holds a guitar.
After its first parade appearance, Gall and Kieffer agreed to store it away in a garage for the following year. Another year and another garage followed, and Gall was adding a touch of spray paint and repairs to the big red bird an hour prior to the parade.
“I”ve got to give George the credit for building it. It looked pretty good back then, and the kids seemed to like it. Instead of throwing it away, we cleaned it up, and thought we could use it one more year,” Gall said as he was adding a touch of spray paint to the wings.
Gall hoped the second coat of paint might protect “Big Red Cardinal” as a sprinkle of rain fell on North Main Street. Gall and the bird had arrived first, and minutes later, a giant Pac Man float drove over followed by others.
Gall”s daughter, Annie, is a now a junior and plays in Clear Lake”s High School band. Gall said she would not be riding on the float. As the parade started to assemble itself, several kids of all ages gathered around the big bird. Drive-by spectators were seen taking second looks.
The only question that remained as Friday”s parade started was whether “Big Red Cardinal” would go the duration with Gall”s daughter and other member”s of Clear Lake High”s Class of 2009.
“After this rain, I”m not sure he can make it all the way (a fourth year). That remains to be seen,” he said.
