Big Thank you Jane Hanafin and Jane Raymond for hosting, Judging and organizing

Boat parade winners

Best Overall…..Scott Fisher, Kathy Laizure and Pat and Chris Hardaway (Ice Cream Truck)

Best Bribe…..Chris Wieland and Melissa Whitby (Tikki Boat with Pain Killers!)

Best Self-Propelled Boat…Jim and Sally Logan (Sam I Am)

Most Patriotic….Janet and David Smith

Best Music…Wayne and Sharon Fewell

About the Judges

Joshua Carlucci is originally from California and is a former high school teacher and chef. An MFA candidate in the Creative Writing program at the University of Memphis, he is also a food writer and special contributor to the Daily Memphian and Operations Manager at OUTMemphis. Check out his “$10 dollar deals” articles on The Daily Memphian!

Melissa Donaldson is from Crittenden County, AR and is a dear friend of several WGL residents. She has a lot of judging experience – first with Esperanza Bonanza in Marion – and for the last 22 years as a Memphis in May BBQ judge. She enjoys spending as much time as she can with her friends on Walnut Grove Lake and judging the boat parade this year was an honor and privilege to her.

Elaine Miner is a native of Wynne, AR and has lived in East Memphis in the Richbriar subdivision for 41 years. There she raised three children with her late husband Fred. This was her first Independence Day celebration at WGL, and she was thrilled to be asked to judge the boat parade contest. She enjoyed the bribes and being able to see the fireworks up close from a pontoon.

Connie Ribeaux, a retired Fed Ex executive from southern FL, was in Memphis visiting Jane’s sister Peggy – her college sorority sister. She was thrilled to be at her first WGL celebration that she had heard about for years, and was more than thrilled to be included as a judge