McHenry Water Well & Pump float a hit in Fiesta Days Parade

The McHenry Water Well & Pump float was a big hit at the Fiesta Days Parade because John Matthesius put a lot of work into the float and because there was a big turnout of volunteers, including: (From L to R) Wayne Seeley and Buzz Schert (in back), C.J. Adams, Beau Bristol, Tracy Bristol, Makayla Bristol, John Matthesius, (Front to back) Gavin Bristol, Jodie Bristol Bristol,  Sarah Bristol and Mike Kutnick. Rich Rostron is on the safe side of the camera.

They were the hit of the McHenry Fiesta Days Parade Sunday, July 19. The McHenry Water Well & Pump float was one to remember – the company truck, driven by owner John Matthesius, pulling a float adorned with a claw-foot bathtub. You don’t see that in a parade often. And, better yet, it was functional.

More than functional, the claw-foot bathtub was in use. From start to finish, Wayne Seeley, of Visual Horizons (type of company) ‘bathed’ in the claw-foot bathtub.

The float was Matthesius’s baby. He worked on it for several months – searching high and low to find a claw-foot bathtub he could use. He then mounted the tub on a platform above a tank of water and ran pipes so the shower would flow.

Behind the tub, at the back of the float, Matthesius mounted a bubble machine. This meant that, the entire parade route, the float was pumping out bubbles as Seeley bathed in a one-piece Victorian-style bathing suite.

Along the parade route, the most-often repeated phrase was, “Look mommy, that man is taking a bath.”

Between Seeley bathing and the bubbles, the float was a particular hit with the younger set. Judging by the laughter, the adults also appreciated the humor.

As Matthesius drove, and Seeley bathed, others also assisted with the float. The volunteers, like Matthesius and Seeley, were members of the MC3 McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce business networking group, as well as some family and friends.

Sitting in front of Seeley and the tub was Rich Rostron, with Rich Publicity, a provider of content driven marketing. Rostron handed out candy and popsicles to volunteers who handed out the candy. Those volunteers included Buzz Schert of Alpha Laser Engravings and Beau Bristol with Garage Doors & More. Schert was assisted by his C.J. Adams. Bristol was joined by his wife, Tracy Bristol, brother, Gavin Bristol, sister-in-law, Sarah Bristol, and their children, Jodie and Makayla Bristol.

One of the most important volunteer positions on the float, however, was Mike Kutnick, a realtor with Berkshire Hathaway Starck Real Estate. Kutnick sat in the front of the truck next to Matthesius. Kutnick was the navigator. While most accepted the primacy of this position, Rostron had the audacity to question the importance of Kutnick’s role.

“Navigator?” Rostron asked. “It’s a parade. You follow the float in front of you.”

In response, Rostron received a condemning ‘you-just-don’t-understand’ look from the others … and then silence.

Other volunteers have operated the float with Matthesius previously, such as when he was in the Wonder Lake 4th of July Parade. He’s also taken the float out in the (other) parades.

“Other than Rostron’s whining about the navigator, everyone had a great time,” said Matthesius. “Next time, we’ll put Rostron in the tub. He’s due, anyhow.”