Just ten days until this year’s West Seattle Grand Parade! We’ve already reported on the news that West Seattle High School‘s state championship baseball team being chosen as Grand Marshals; today, parade coordinator Michelle Edwards announced the parade’s other major honorees:

The 2024 West Seattle Grand Parade honorees for the Orville Rummel Trophy for Outstanding Service to the Community are Neil Duncan and Bianca Thomka! Neil and Bianca are this year’s honorees due to their significant contributions to the West Seattle community.

Neil’s expansive IT skills have been instrumental in ensuring the smooth operation of multiple local organizations, including the West Seattle Chamber, The Center for Active Living (formerly known as the Senior Center of West Seattle) and the West Seattle Junction Association, where he has donated well over 100 hours to set up communications infrastructure. Bianca excels in organizing events with remarkable efficiency and cooking for community events. She has been volunteering for over eight years in the kitchen of The Center for Active Living. Every Wednesday, Bianca helps the Chef get hot lunches ready for 100 community seniors. She also assists the Chef during large Rainbow Bingo fundraising events and monthly birthday luncheons.

Together, their dedication and expertise have significantly enriched West Seattle, making them the ideal candidates for the Orville Rummel Trophy!

You can cheer Neil and Bianca, and the hundreds of other people who will be participating in the parade, celebrating its 90th anniversary on Saturday, July 20th – it starts at 11 am, southbound on California from Lander to Edmunds.

ABOUT THE ORVILLE RUMMEL TROPHY: It’s named after the man who founded the West Seattle parade in 1934, Orville Rummel – lots of background in the story we published the year we were honored with the trophy, 2010. The award was first presented in 1984. Here’s the full list of recipients along the way (no parade 2020-2021 because of the pandemic, so no award recipient):

1984: Charles and Ann Gage
1985: RB Chris Crisler Jr.
1986: Morgan and Carol McBride
1987: Margaret Miaullis
1988: Charles Jung
1989: Aurlo Bonney
1990: Katie Thorburn
1991: Dorothy Poplawski
1992: Dan Wiseman
1993: Virgil Sheppard
1994: Dorene Smith
1995: Doris Richards
1996: John Kelly
1997: Dick Kennedy
1998: Jim Edwards and Barbara Edwards
1999: Lt. David E. Cass
2000: Husky Deli/Miller Family
2001: Stephanie Haskins
2002: Forest Lawn
2003: Sue Lindblom
2004: Edgar and Ann Phipps
2005: Karen Sisson
2006: Walt DeLong
2007: David and Doreen Vague
2008: Tim St. Clair
2009: Morey Skaret
2010: West Seattle Blog
2011: Cindi Barker
2012: Shirley Vradenburgh
2013: Judy Pickens
2014: Earl Cruzen
2015: Donn Weaver
2016: Clay Eals
2017: Keith Hughes
2018: Velko Vitalich
2019: Adah Cruzen
2022: Deb Barker
2023: Erik Bell