Advertising doesn't come cheap, and when you're the girls lacrosse team at Armstrong High School, you're looking for any way to gain exposure.
"Lacrosse still isn't that big of a sport here, so it's cool to have other people see that we have it at our school," said Mari Verbeten.
That's why Verbeten and some of her lacrosse teammates are using their creative juices — and a little sweat equity — to transform a wooden trailer into a float that will serve as team's rolling billboard.
"This is the first year we're able to do this, so it's pretty exciting for all the girls to get together and make the float and be in the parade," said Kaylee Roy.
A lack of interest in the late 1980s led to the demise of the Armstrong homecoming parade.
"I think it's an awesome idea and it should turn out pretty well," Verbeten admitted.
More than 20 years after the last parade, there's nothing but interest amongst these girls as they try to create the most unique float possible.
"We're gonna have an elk in the middle of the trailer," Roy said, describing their float. "It's gonna be standing on a net where we trapped the elk."
The design probably won't make Elk River fans happy, but they can settle that battle on the field. These girls have a parade to worry about.
"It's a fun thing to do as a school, gets the community involved, and also gets the little kids to come and see what high school is like," Verbeten said.
The parade begins Friday at 4:30 p.m. in the Armstrong upper parking lot. There will be tailgating immediately after, followed by the homecoming football game against Elk River at 7 p.m.
Delane Cleveland
dcleveland@twelve.tv
Oct. 4, 2012