2011 Secular Holiday Greetings Float in
Corvallis Holiday Parade

For a 3rd year in a row, Corvallis Pedicab graced the annual Holiday parade in Corvallis with its people-powered presence.
Our theme is Secular and Peaceful Holiday greetings. About 40 participants joined us on foot
and on bicycle, with a total of 3 pedicabs present. Part of this year's float was dedicated to the memory of
Michele Tresler Ulriksen, an secular author and dear friend who unfortunately took her own life this past March.
Her family rode along in one of the pedicabs as we wished, "Happy Holidays!" to the masses.
A very special thanks goes out to those who participated and gave financial support toward this effort.

Dan Crall is a dedicated freethinker and spiritual agnostic with an Earth-based, Secular outlook, and is proud
to offer a more Secular holiday message amidst the usual holiday clichés. Corvallis is located in the county with the lowest
church attendance in the country (25%), and it seems logical to have that representation in the Holiday parade.
The community is supportive and largely receptive to this annual tradition, and a number of individuals
and groups were generous to make a contribution.

A huge thank you goes out to the following:

Center for Inquiry - Portland Chapter

Valerie White, on behalf of the Dept. of Peace

Jim and Lisa Wenschlag

Mike and Cyndi VanHandel

Torsten Pihl

Courtney Childs

Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science

Various attendees at the after-party

2010 Secular Holiday Greetings Float in
Corvallis Holiday Parade

For a 2nd year in a row, Corvallis Pedicab and others from the community took part in the annual Corvallis Christmas Parade.
Like last year, our theme was a non-religious Holiday message; we rode the streets with signs that read,
"Be good for goodness' sake," "Peace on Earth," "War is not the answer," and we wished people, "Happy Holidays."
Around this time of year, we are bombarded with reminders to buy more than we can afford, to fulfill the obligation of
Holiday spending and gift giving. Of course, there is also plenty of religious symbolism, and, if you're watching the
wrong network, fearful cries of the "War on Christmas."

Dan Crall is a dedicated freethinker and Unitarian Universalist with an Earth-based spiritual outlook, and is proud to
offer a more Secular holiday message amidst the usual holiday clichés. Corvallis is located in the county with the lowest
church attendance in the country (25%), and it seems logical to have that representation in the Holiday parade.
The community is supportive and largely receptive to this new annual tradition, and a number of individuals and groups were
generous to make a contribution. A huge thank you goes out to the following:

Center for Inquiry Portland/Eugene

American Atheists

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Corvallis

Valerie White, on behalf of the US Dept. of Peace

Bob Peckyno, on behalf of Imaginarium Records

Michele Tresler

Bruce and Diana Carsten

anonymous donor

Torsten "Thor" Pihl

Robert Heald

Mike and Cyndi VanHandel

Linda Sebring

August Brunsman

Reverend Billy and the Church of Life After Shopping

The friendly pedicab driver arrives in festive style.

An entourage of cyclists accompanies the pedicab in wishing people a peace, happy Holiday season.

Other float participants.

2009 Secular Holiday Greetings Float in
Corvallis Holiday Parade

On Friday, November 27, 2009, the Corvallis Lions Club held its 25th annual Holiday parade along 4th St. in Downtown Corvallis.
This was a great way to not only get both pedicabs in the parade, but to spread a more peaceful, Secular holiday message at a time
when consumerism, "Christmas" and Santa Claus stand to dominate the landscape for the next month. Dan Crall drove the main pedicab
with the messages "Peace on Earth" and "Be good for goodness' sake" while assistant driver Tony Noble drove cab #2, sponsored by the
Downtown Corvallis Association.

....The float dedicated to peace and goodness for goodness' sake included a banner at the lead, the pedicab itself, Don Boucher on his bicycle
with another "be good for goodness' sake" sign and several community members walking with PACE flags and the state flag. Special thanks
goes to Alan Deitch and his family, Ellen O'Shea and James Emmanuel for their help with walking and waving the flags.

This was a community sponsored float: Crall solicited small donations from friends, community members and organizations to cover costs
such as printing,entry fee, lighting and the small get-together held afterwards to thank parade participants. Donations ranged from $5 to $30.
There was an overall wonderful response from those who believe in peace and/or a more secular message for the Holidays, and several parade
organizers expressed gratitude and welcomeness. It is hopeful that this can become a tradition for the Holiday parade. Depending on where
the company is next year, perhaps a few floats dedicated to bicycle commuting, secular holiday messaging and other positive ideas can fill
the streets on this day after Thanksgiving mainstay.