Standing on the judge’s platform Friday night at the annual Jena Christmas Parade evoked many memories as I briefly reminisced with Parade Coordinator Mickey Cockerham while watching the beautifully lit floats pass by. For many years, my dad, Sammy Franklin, was in charge of the annual Christmas parade and all his children were involved in helping line up the entries and get it rolling under his watchful eye.

In 2002, the biggest change ever in the Christmas parade occurred when Daddy received permission to change from its typical Saturday, daytime parade, to a nighttime event after watching the success of the Columbia Nighttime Christmas Parade.

The success of that first nighttime Christmas parade was so great that every parade in Jena since has been held at night.

Although that first nighttime parade was memorable, it was no match to what would happen just five years later when a devastating fire took place as the parade ended and the jolly old man himself, Santa Claus, was dumped out of the fire truck he was riding so the firetruck could head to the fire.

The Jena Christmas Parade used to line up at Jena Elementary School (located across from LaCabaña Mexican Restaurant today), travel through town turning right on LA 127 and then it would end at Jena High School.

Also for many years, the main attraction of the parade was Santa Claus, who was always at the end of the parade riding atop one of the Jena Fire Department’s firetrucks. For several years, Jena resident Cleveland Poole volunteered (with some persuasion from Daddy) to wear the Santa suit and bring smiles to thousands of children.

That 2007 parade started as any other with many floats and marching units making their way through town with Cleveland Poole perched high atop the firetruck in his Santa suit throwing out candy as fast as he could while waving at excited children.

Back during that time, I was taking pictures of the parade, just as I had many others, from the judge’s platform in downtown Jena. This was also a time when nearly all of LaSalle Parish had police scanners to keep up with what was going on, so by the time the parade had passed the judges stand and I was through taking photos, I was back in my truck about to head home by the time the parade turned on East High School Drive to end at the school.

At this same time, my police scanner came alive. The dispatcher was calling on all fire departments to respond to a fire in the former Mac’s Big Star building in Jena. In 2007, three businesses were operating out of that one building, including Jena Cleaners, Video Connection and Sheila’s Bargain City. It was later determined the fire started in Jena Cleaners.

As quickly as I could, I made my way around the back streets of Jena and parked near the building, which was completely engulfed in flames, to take photos as fire trucks from many departments (many of whom were just in the parade) began arriving to put out the fire.

As I was taking photos of the firemen working on the scene, my cell phone rang with a frantic Laura Poole Thomas, Cleveland’s daughter, calling asking if her dad was at the fire.

“He was on the fire truck and we were supposed to pick him up at the school but neither he nor the fire truck is here,” she said.

I searched the scene and could not find Santa anywhere and a short time later received another call that Santa (Cleveland) had arrived safely at home.

According to the jolly old man himself, as the dispatcher called out for firetrucks to respond to the fire at the end of the parade, the firetruck he was riding stopped short of the school and he was told to disembark.

In Sammy Franklin’s editorial the following week, he described it this way: “The truck did make a quick stop to unload Santa before they proceeded to the fire.”

Mr. Cleveland had a slightly different account: “They hollered at me to get off while they kept revving the motor!”

Getting on and off the top of a firetruck is no easy task for a fireman, much less someone who is not accustomed to it and wearing a Santa suit, but realizing their urgency, Mr. Cleveland got off the truck as fast as he could then watched as the truck sped away with lights and sirens a blazing headed to the fire.

For the past hour, he had been the object of attention. He was in the spotlight and fame was achieved as he was treated as royalty from the mobs gathered along the parade route. But in a split second, he was left alone, destitute, with no sleigh or reindeer to come to his aide.

So, he did what any Santa would do. He walked home.

That’s right, Santa Claus was dumped and was left to make the lonely trek to his house on foot.

Granted, he lived less than a quarter of a mile from where he was dropped off, but nonetheless, he was a Santa on foot in the cold night air.

To my knowledge, two things never happened again after that night Santa got dumped. First, Santa no longer rides on the firetruck during the Christmas parade. A special float is designed each year now.

Second, Cleveland Poole never wore a Santa suit again. He officially retired after one of the most exciting experiences Santa ever encountered on that fateful night in 2007…that is, if you don’t count that disputed claim of him running over someone’s grandma one year.