03/22/2023
The Quartz Hill Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the Grand Marshall of our 71st Annual Almond Blossom Festival Parade, Bruce B. Hailstone !
Many long time AV residents know that Mr. Hailstone's name is synonymous with realty and COMMUNITY, making him the perfect representative of this year's theme, "Deep Roots & Blossoming Friendships."
In 2000, Mr. Hailstone, as the president of the Greater Antelope Valley Association of Realtors, became more involved with the Quartz Hill Chamber of Commerce. Having been a member for years, he decided it was time to get more involved. He was invited to join the QH Board of Directors, and became Chamber President in 2001.
Bruce first came to the AV as a teenager, via Edwards AFB (Go Scorpions!) and by 1980 he was an engineer. De Hailstone was an Orange County valley girl, but came to the AV for housing affordability in 1990, and eventually bought in Almond Valley Estates.
Bruce & De had been professional Realtor friends for years, when De helped to run the business and she also became involved in the QHCC. Bruce & De eloped to Italy where they were married in a 1200AD Castle and honeymooned in Florence.
After many years driving the Miss, Jr Miss, & Little Miss Quartz Hill in the Almond Blossom Festival Parades and other community parades, that lead to emceeing a number of Miss QH Pageants. During the 10+ years of being on the QHBOD, they facilitated current Chamber/Sheriff presence, involving the entire community and converting an old duplex house into the gem it is today.
As a host on local radio, Bruce's show became a sounding board for local efforts like the flooding of downtown QH, which was finally resolved by the county after decades! Remember the 'NO Walmart' across from QH High School?
Bruce and De helped the QH Chamber keep our quaint community on the local map with one of the oldest parades in the valley, the Almond Blossom Festival & Parade. Several of those years, Bruce announced both the pet parade and the ABF parade. Their support included the Welcome to Quartz Hill signage on the SW corner of 50th West & Avenue L, where Bruce B. Hailstone, the voice of real estate, practiced his business before retiring in 2020.
Bruce has since survived a collision which totaled his Harley motorcycle; healing from that, in 2021 was diagnosed with stage 4 lymphoma cancer. 15 months later after Bone Marrow Transplants, and God's good grace, De's and your prayers were answered, and Bruce was declared cancer free! They sold the house and have been traveling the western coast ever since!
Thank you Bruce for being such an integral part in helping QH to establish and feed our DEEP ROOTS and always being a beacon to welcome more BLOSSOMING FRIENDSHIPS!!
To register as a parade participant, visit the Quartz Hill Chamber website!!! www.QuartzHillChamber.com and click on the parade graphic!
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