A Parade To The Top Of The Mesa

By NICK YAMASHITA

The Progress

Local conservation group ‘Save Our Mesa’ followed up last week’s cleanup event on the Mormon Mesa with an OHV Parade on Saturday, March 13 beginning at approximately 11:00 am. The OHV Parade was a first-of-its-kind event meant to involve the whole community in an Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) procession up to the top of the Mormon Mesa in protest of a utility-scale solar power generating facility being proposed for the entire area atop the mesa.

“We wanted to make this fun for the families and still get our message across of the importance of saving our mesa from the Battle Born Solar Power Project,” said Lisa Childs, the co-founder of Save Our Mesa.

The festivities started around 9:00 am as the supporters and entrants into the parade arrived with their OHVs just south across from the Clark County Fairgrounds Rodeo Arena on the eastern side of the Logandale Ballfields Parking lot. The OHVs lined up to get decorated in colorful paint by Holiday Windows, a local window painting company owned by Connie Mortenson, Courtney Villezcas, and Esther Jones. All the painting supplies and labor were donated.

About ten OHVs were entered in the parade along with a number of other cars and SUVs.
After all the vehicle entries were painted, the parade began. The procession headed south on Heyer, running by the Moapa Valley High School, turning east on Ron and up to Airport Road. Just past the airport, the OHVs turned east on Mormon Mesa and continued up to the top of the mesa.

Several people documented the parade with video and photographs. Also along the way multiple neighbors in the area were watching and waving at the processioners. Most observers were along by the airport.

At the top of the Mormon Mesa, the group got together and gave thanks for the location and the support of the event with comments from local leaders and a raffle drawing of prizes donated.
“This was great!” said Jeanette Shambaugh, “I am so glad everyone made it!”

The big winner of the prizes was Lois Hall who won multiple prizes but donated back a few won items for some other attendees to win. Prizes were donated by Sugar’s Home Plate, Xtreme Stitch and Print, NAPA Auto Parts, Lin’s Grocery, Cal’s Auto, Ace Hardware, YoshiYama Photography/Under the Mtn Martial Arts, Ace Hardware, True Value Hardware, Kuppa Joe, and a private donation from Lyn Collins.

“I have to thank everyone for coming and supporting this cause, especially the businesses and people who donated prizes, time, supplies, and heart to this cause,” said Childs. “Thanks so much to Holiday Windows for their creativity and making our OHVs parade ready.”

“Please keep watching our social media sites as we will be announcing more events and news in the near future,” Childs concluded.