Child’s random act of kindness leads to holiday parade of visitors

Beth Fink and her neighbors know how to throw a party, at least when it comes to the Christmas holiday season.
Last year they decided at the last minute to host a holiday parade of visitors to their Owatonna neighborhood along 16th Street S.E. In what they thought would attract maybe 10 people ended up attracting thousands, Fink said.
It was so busy that it created a traffic jam in the neighborhood. “We’re hoping to have that issue again this year,” Fink said, adding she hopes even more people will get involved than last year.
They will host another parade through their neighborhood on Thursday, Dec. 9, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The fun will feature Christmas lights and decorations, holiday music, a visit from Santa Claus and hot cocoa and cookies to pass out as cars drive through the neighborhood.
The neighbors will also be taking up donations for We All Play and Toys for Tots, a pair of nonprofit organizations benefiting the community. Last year, they raised about $5,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters and Rachel’s Light.
“We did it last year with COVID knowing that people needed some holiday cheer,” said Fink, a special education teacher with Owatonna High School.
The idea arose out of Fink and her husband Eric completing a family project with their sons, Max, 9, and Zac, 6. As part of 25 Days of Random Acts of Kindness during December, Zac thought it would be fun to do a parade.
“Seeing how much they enjoyed it was so worth it,” Fink said. “Having them give back to others and give back kindness was cool to see.”
Fink doesn’t know exactly how many neighbors are participating in the event, but she has noticed more are putting out lights than last year. “My neighbors have worked hard on this,” she said. “We have worked together to try and make it bigger and better.”