MV Advancements after the UFO Festival parade
On May 18th, McMinnville hosted the UFO Festival, and MV Advancements was proud to be a part of the parade that kicked off the festivities.
This year, MVA Direct Support Professional Lauren Hurliman led the charge by organizing our efforts and constructing the float with the DSA team and her husband. Our float’s theme this year was ‘E.T. Phone MV Advancements,’ and Lauren did an amazing job. The float featured a PNW forested backdrop with a full moon that read MV Advancements and showed E.T. flying away on his bicycle, just as it happened in the film.
“It was a great volunteer opportunity for our DSA staff and the people we support,” Lauren said. “We decided to change it up this year and I didn’t think we had ever styled an E.T. Extra Terrestrial design. I pictured E.T. in the PNW and I knew we could accomplish it.”
The float was a spectacle, but the real highlight of the parade was all of those who joined us in walking and riding. Direct Support Professionals and supported individuals poured out of each department of MVA, eager to be a part of the event.
People living at each of the MVA Homes sported their alien best. Several DSA groups were arranged, picked up, and hurried to the parade line. Combined, there were 24 people proudly representing MVA in the parade.
“I am so happy to be a part of such an amazing company that truly makes a difference in other’s lives,” Lauren said. “Our goal is to make everyone feel more independent and positively connected to the outside community, and I think we accomplished this that day.”
The day before the parade, we went to pick up the flatbed trailer we were planning on using to carry the float, and we realized we did not have a truck large enough to pull it. Pretty big problem when you are less than 24 hours from kick-off.
Luckily, MVA has great friends. Rick King is a true friend to MVA and when we reached out to him for help, he immediately volunteered his own truck, trailer, and personal time to drive for us in the parade. It wouldn’t have been possible without his commitment.
“I just wanted to help MVA because I know a lot of employers who have hired through MVA and have always heard positive things,” Rick said. “I thought of it as just returning the favor for everything the organization has done for our community.”
We are thankful to Lauren, Rick, and all the community members who came out on May 18th to support us in the parade
