Bob Dunning celebration nears!
April 03, 2021
Community members are invited to celebrate Davis Enterprise columnist Bob Dunning’s unprecedented 51-plus-year career by viewing a virtual show Friday, April 9, on YouTube and by participating in a socially distanced vehicle parade on Saturday, April 24.
The virtual celebration, which runs from 4 to 5 p.m. and can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8JQBnfTOAc, will feature highlights of Dunning’s long and storied career, including his tennis match with Bobby Riggs, his many hosting gigs for nonprofit organizations — highlighted by a visit by legendary comedian Bob Hope to raise money for the expansion of the Davis Senior Center — and his coverage of innumerable community, high school and UC Davis sports events.
Special appearances by friends, elected officials and community members are planned. The event, which is being presented with the help and support of Davis Media Access, is hosted by retired city of Davis public relations manager Bob Bowen.
A previously announced Zoom show has been replaced by the YouTube streaming broadcast, to enable more viewers to enjoy the action.
Then on Saturday, April 24, the celebration will take to the streets with a vehicle parade beginning at 11 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial Center parking lot, 203 E. 14th St. Cars, bikes and other wheeled contraptions are welcome, and decorated vehicles are encouraged.
“Please do not park in the Stephens Davis Library parking lot,” says Nancy Keltner, one of the parade organizers. “We do not want to get in the way of the library’s important curbside service, which it is providing as a COVID safety measure.”
Participants are asked to arrive before 11 a.m. for the line-up, then the parade will make a huge loop featuring 1.4 miles of right turns only. Coming out of the parking lot, vehicles will head west on 14th Street, pass Dunning and his family on the corner of 14th and Oak Avenue, turn north on Oak, then east on Covell Boulevard, south on F Street and west on 14th.
Vehicles wishing to depart the parade may go straight or left at any point.
“If you’re having such a good time that you want to make a second loop, please feel free,” says Bowen, who will serve as the parade announcer. “Just show up at the Veterans to line up before eleven; we are honoring Bob, so let’s get those engines revvin’!”
There will be no live spectators, as a safety measure. Details about how and where to watch the parade later will be forthcoming. For questions, email Keltner at [email protected].
Lastly, donations are still being accepted to endow a scholarship in Dunning’s name. An annual $1,000 grant will be awarded to a graduating senior in the Davis school district who is considering a career in journalism.
The Davis Odd Fellows Lodge is handling the scholarship contributions, which may be tax-deductible. The EIN is 47-4578511 and the Charitable Trust number is CT0247740. Make checks payable to “Davis Odd Fellows Helping Hands Inc.” (and write “Celebrating Bob Dunning” on the memo line of your check). Mail contributions to Lea Rosenberg, Odd Fellows Lodge, 415 Second St., Davis, CA 95616.
Donors are asked to specify how they wish their names to appear in the thank-you ad, and those who want a receipt for tax purposes should provide their email address.
A Facebook event page is at https://fb.me/e/43gAW5hRV and a web page is at https://www.smartzgraphics.com/bob-dunning-scholarship. Both are being updated as more information becomes available.
There's no good reason for this type of banal cluelessness:
“If you’re having such a good time that you want to make a second loop, please feel free,” says Bowen, who will serve as the parade announcer. “Just show up at the Veterans to line up before eleven; we are honoring Bob, so let’s get those engines revvin’!”
There will be no live spectators, as a safety measure."
Posted by: Todd Edelman | April 03, 2021 at 04:13 PM