BY MERLE MONAHAN/CONTRIBUTING WRITER
merlemonah@aol.com

IVOR—Nearly 300 people on Dec. 4 attended Ivor’s second annual Christmas Parade and Program, which concluded with the lighting of the Cody Stallard Memorial Christmas Tree.

Sixty entrants from as far away as Suffolk left The Pines of Ivor and traveled down Main Street, onto Babb Drive to the Ivor Municipal Building and back to The Pines. Four fire departments, the Khedive Shriners, floats, and past and current Ivor mayors participated.

Following the parade, the Smithfield High School Band Ensemble, Blackwater Traditions Bluegrass Band and Nottoway Elementary School Chorus entertained, while a Brunswick stew and dessert dinner was served at the municipal building.

“We were so pleased with the crowd,” said Program Committee Chairwoman Sandy Vick. “This is just the second year Ivor has had a Christmas parade. I don’t think it will be the last.”

Joanne Joyner, who assisted with the parade and is president of the Rescue Squad’s Ladies Auxiliary, which provided the dinner, said the Brunswick stew seemed to be a “winner.”

“We didn’t charge for the dinner but did accept donations,” Joyner said. “Donations well exceeded our expenses.”

This was the second year for the Cody Stallard Memorial Christmas Tree.

Cody was killed in early 2009 when he lost control of the pickup he was driving on Millfield Road in Southampton County. The 16-year-old was a junior at Southampton High School and the son of Kenneth and Tracey Stallard.