Don’t blame Matt Webber — blame the weatherman. Organizers of Cabot’s annual Christmas parade canceled the event last Sunday because of forecasts calling for severe thunderstorms that never came.
The decision to call off the parade was understandable considering the fierce downpours the night before the parade was scheduled.
Webber, who is chairman of the parade’s organizing committee, told us this week that he’s received harassing telephone messages and comments on Facebook criticizing him for canceling the parade.
“I’ve really gotten a lot of verbal beatings in the last three days. People think we just arbitrarily decided to not have the parade,” he said.
Judging by the reactions, you’d think he’d canceled Christmas itself. Some disappointment was expected, especially since it didn’t rain until after the parade would have ended. But Webber is well known for his involvement in civic groups like the Lions Club and Cabot City Beautiful. He’s even played Santa Claus at Cabot’s Santa Shack.
Whether he’s organizing health fairs for young people or citywide cleanups, Webber is always ready to serve his community. Many of the parade’s volunteers could not attend a makeup date that the organizers had scheduled, which may have caused more frustration for the more than 70 churches, civic groups and marching bands that were set to participate.
But organizers said they will keep this year’s theme, “It’s a Dr. Seuss Christmas,” for next year’s parade. So the floats and costumes can be used then.
That might not be much consolation, but fortunately there are other ways to celebrate Christmas in Cabot as a community. Today the Cabot Christmas Alliance, which provides holiday food for children and their families, is preparing food boxes beginning at 8 a.m. at the old Larry’s Pizza on Second Street.
We encourage volunteers to stop by and participate, and if you see Matt Webber there, pat him on the back and tell him thanks.
