We look forward to seeing you at the next parade:
Saturday, December 10, 2022 @ 11 AM
2022 GRAND MARSHAL
Captain Anthony Valverde is a paramedic who has been with the Glendale Fire Department for 18 years. He has been married to his beautiful wife Micaela for 16 years, and they have three wonderful children. Their oldest is 22-year-old Dominique, who is an aesthetician. Their son Christian is 20 and an EMT for Buckeye Valley Fire Department. Amaya, who is a student at NAU, is the youngest at 18.
On Mother’s Day of this year, Captain Valverde was with his family at Lake Pleasant when they came upon a family in a small boat that was capsizing. One of the elderly family members was unconscious in the water and tangled in the rope. The Valverde family immediately began rendering aid. They relieved the family member trying to hold the woman above water by cutting the rope and then holding the woman until Peoria’s Fire Department Boat arrived. Once the woman was being treated, they helped the family into their boat and brought them safely to shore.
HONORARY GRAND MARSHAL DON MELLON
Don Mellon moved to Arizona in 1974. In 1980, he opened his first McDonald’s franchise. He received the Ronald Award – San Diego Region in 1981, was named the Chamber of Commerce Man of the Year in 2003, was McDonald’s Owner of the Year and received the Ray Kroc Golden Arch Award in 2005, Business of the Year award in 2007, Phoenix Business Journal – Small Business of the Year award in 2008, and named a Luke Air Force Base Honorary Commander in 2010. He is a Rotarian leader and recipient of the Tin Man Heart Award in 2012 and Men of the Year Meals of Joy Award in 2018. His family was awarded the Most Giving Family in 2008 by the SW Valley Chamber of Commerce. After opening and operating 21 McDonald’s restaurants across the Valley, Don retired in 2020. He said all the McDonald’s he owned belonged to God. What he thought was a part-time, dead-end job 50 years ago, became a passion where God was glorified. In 2012, Don, along with Dr. Walt Kallestad and Mayor Weiers, organized the first Hometown Christmas Parade. He resides in Buckeye, with his wife Dorothy, has two sons, and nine grandchildren, and gets fired up about Jesus.
HONORARY GRAND MARSHAL DR. WALT KALLESTAD
Dr. Walt Kallestad grew up living in a Pastor’s home. Following his graduation from Luther Theological Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, he served as an ordained Lutheran Pastor at Community Church of Joy (now Dream City Church) for 38 years. During that time, the church grew to several thousand participants, developed a 187-acre campus with a K-12 Christian School, senior living center, home for special needs young adults, fitness center, multi-family housing community, numerous restaurants, and became a teaching church to more than 50,000 pastors and leaders around the world. Walt has a tender-hearted love and appreciation for pastors, church staffers, and their families. He came to Community Church of Joy in Glendale with a clarion call and passion to build a church for people who didn’t go to church. He continues to seek out marketplace leaders and servants who desperately need the Lord. Walt is also involved in mentoring pastors and business leaders, as well as running a gas and oil company supplying gasoline and diesel to Mexico. In 2012, Walt, along with Don Mellon and Mayor Weiers, organized the first Hometown Christmas Parade. Walt recently married an amazing godly woman. He has two adult children with his late wife and three sensational granddaughters!
Event proceeds and donations go to support:
Here's How YOU Can Get Involved...
Donate food to Hope for Hunger or sign up your Business or Organization to become a collection spot!
Parade Route
Parade Details
When
December 10, 2022 @ 11 AM