Something special will be in the city of Ottawa's Festival of Lights parade the day after Thanksgiving.

Don and Betty Gillette would suggest the special treat — besides Santa — will be the unique calliope from Ohio, Ill., that they booked for the holiday procession through downtown to Washington Square.

"It is a first for our parade," Don told The Times. "The huge organ is mounted on a 1937 Chevy flatbed truck and it will make quite a loud impact rolling down streets."

We suggest parade watchers, however, also pay special attention to something else this year. And make a lot of noise when you do.

This will be the last parade for Don and Betty of Gillette Parade Products. After 30 years of building floats and hand-stapling letters to more than 3,700 floats, they are retiring.

For the last time the couple will be pulling Santa through the streets to his house near the park.

"I'm really looking forward to it," said Don, who is now 75 years old and recovering from a triple bypass.

"I just may miss that the most," said Betty, wiping away a tear during her interview this week with Times reporter Steve Stout. "When you see the joy in the little children's eyes when they see Santa on my float, it brings me so much joy. It makes all the hard work and long hours of putting the float together worth it."

This year, when that float goes by, let's make sure the Gillettes know how much this town appreciates what they have done and given back to the community. Let them hear all along the route resounding cheers, applause and shouts of, "Thank you!"

In fact, wouldn't it be great if as they passed children on the street, some would hold up signs saying:

"Best of luck!" "Thank you!" "We will miss you!"

That's what it comes down to. A business that started as a volunteer project and grew into a career and a venture that brought pleasure to so many will finally end for Don and Betty Gillette.

We wish them the best ... and a front row seat for any and all local parades that want to attend.