Toni Pelletier has been named the grand marshal for the sixth annual Arroyo Grande Village Christmas Parade slated for Sunday, Nov. 30. She was chosen for her involvement in Village activities and volunteer work for a variety of events and committees

Pelletier, the owner of the Village Salon and a member of the Arroyo Grande Village Improvement Association board, moved to San Luis Obispo County in 1978 and was a partner in the old Schoolhouse Plant Nursery on Los Berros Road, said a VIA spokeswoman.

She went back into the hair business in 1982 at the Village Salon in Arroyo Grande and joined the VIA because she had a complaint about two-hour parking restriction in the Village, which she eventually had rescinded, the spokeswoman said.

In her 26 years in the Village, Pelletier has held every board position on the VIA and currently serves as secretary. She also writes a column in the VIA’s Village Newsletter, spotlighting business members and events.

She has volunteered with the Arroyo Grande Strawberry Festival in a variety of capacities along with her husband, Mark, and has participated on committees for the former Peddler’s Faire and Easter in the Village.

She also co-organized the Village Book Faire for four years.

In addition to volunteering at Santa’s house during the holidays, she has volunteered with Arroyo Grande In Bloom, Elegant Evening in the Village and the Arroyo Grande Valley Harvest Festival and Christmas parades.

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The Village Christmas Parade — which covers perhaps the shortest distance of any parade in the entire county — is slated to step off at 5 p.m. at Traffic Way and West Branch Street.

It will travel through the Village along East Branch Street to City Hall, where it will conclude with a Christmas sing-along and a tree-lighting ceremony.

Designed as a small, family-style, hometown holiday parade that encourages community participation, the parade will include local officials, carolers and, of course, Santa Claus.

November 24, 2008