Thanks to West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival president Tim Winston for sending photos, as promised, of the Hi-Yu float’s 2008 parade debut in Sequim this weekend — on Friday, you may recall, he put out an urgent call for driving help to get it there; drivers came through, but that wasn’t the end of the crisis, as you’ll see in the next round of photos — and there’s an “emergency meeting” tonight to figure out how to get through the season — read on:

Between now and West Seattle Grand Parade time in mid-July, the Hi-Yu float and court are scheduled to represent West Seattle in five more parades – continuing next weekend in Port Townsend. But an ugly problem reared its head again in Sequim:

Winston explains: “All went well, until the float overheated with 2 blocks to go. This has been a persistent problem with the old engine, but this time was particularly distressing, since this is the flattest, coolest, shortest parade on the schedule. It doesn’t bode well for the summer.” (We wrote about the problem last year; then it manifested in the Seafair Torchlight Parade, tow truck and all; the engine was described then as a 40-year-old Oldsmobile V-8.) So here’s what happens next — Winston says, “We are having an emergency meeting Monday night at the float barn, 38th & Alaska @ 7pm, to discuss our participation next week at Port Townsend and a plan for completing the summer schedule. Anyone interested is welcome to attend. We will figure out something – the volunteers’ resourcefulness is always amazing. It is clear that this is the absolute last go around for this float vehicle. If West Seattle is going to continue to have a float, we need to replace the vehicle and trailer. This will take about $30,000, but would give the float program a basis to operate for many years, be safer for our volunteers, and consume significantly less time for transportation and maintenance.” Where’s that money going to come from? That’s the $30,000 question. Maybe the Seafair Pirates can help plot a raid for it? They tried pilfering the Hi-Yu banner in Sequim:

So what if they can’t make it to those other parades, you ask? Says Winston: “The participation of our float in parades not only promotes visitors and business to West Seattle, it is a primary reason that we are able to attract floats and community sponsored entries to the American Legion Grand Parade during the Hi-Yu Festival.” So West Seattle’s own parade is at stake here, too. Stand by for more on what you can do to help – or go to tonight’s meeting if you can.