The Buckboard Days Parade and Festival Committee
The traditions and pageantry of the Buckboard Days Parade & Festival is entering its 51st year in Rowland Heights. We hope this page will give you a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes of this annual event and how it all comes together.
Buckboard Days began in 1971 as a fund-raiser for the Rowland Heights Junior Women’s Club to raise money for the various charities they supported. Today, it is an event put on to bring the community of Rowland Heights together for a day to celebrate our western history, have fun, and enjoy each other.
The Parade itself requires the dedicated involvement of a large group of volunteers. When all work together, it is intricate but not difficult, and is a very rewarding experience. The parade and festival benefit the entire community and is the largest event for all of Rowland Heights.
The parade committee volunteers include a mix of about 150 students and adults. The Rowland Heights Park staff sit on the committee and help organize the festival. Everyone works together to plan and put on the parade and festival annually. Adults help teach students about volunteering.
Our Values
- Striving for excellence in what we do
- Respecting the Rowland Heights heritage
- Being innovative and inspirational
- Practicing teamwork with passion, commitment, and enthusiasm
- Promoting volunteerism, diversity and community support
- Teaching students the benefit of leadership and volunteerism
- Operating with honesty and integrity
- Bringing people together
- Enjoying community spirit
2023 Parade Leadership Board includes the following
Chair, Vice Chair, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, Past Chair
Chair – David Martinez
David moved to Rowland Heights in 1975, after visiting the area in the mid-60s during the summer. He visited a local ranch as part of a Mother’s Day Care Center Summer Camp, riding horses, feeding chickens, drying out rattlesnake skins, and generally enjoying the area, “What a Cool Place” he remembers saying. In the community he was a Little League Coach, Cub Scout Leader, Filmed the Rowland Raider All-American football leagues, the Hacienda Height Cougar All American Football teams. He helped with the Rowland Water Polo Team, help start Rowland’s First “Adopt-A Highway” group, working with Southern California Edison. In 1978 his boy scout troop was in the Buckboard parade. This will be David’s 6th year as chair for the Buckboard Days Parade.
Vice Chair – Joel Wynne
Rowland Heights is a great community to live in and be a part of. I first listened and watched from the outside as members of the community worked and battled to make the buckboard days parade a successful event. I am a member of the RHCCC and routinely attend meetings, helping to voice concerns and help keep our area a rewarding place to call home. I am interested in helping whenever possible and where needed. My message is for community.
My message is to be part of the the solution while not ignoring problems.
It is my pleasure to be part of the Buckboard Days Parade committee for the first time this year and look forward to seeing everyone in person at our annual parades.
I am enjoying working with our committee and hope to have successful parades, year after year in our community.
Recording Secretary – Teri Malkin
Teri has been a resident of Rowland Heights since 1974. She is a retired high school teacher, who has been active on the Parade Committee for many years, most recently as Recording Secretary. In the past, she coordinated the 1st Scholarship Pageant for the Buckboard Parade’s Royal Court. She serves her community as a Neighborhood Watch captain, on the CAC as a community advisor to the sheriff, is affiliated with the Youth Science Center and is on the Board of YSC. She’s a former First Lady of a local Kiwanis Club too. Currently, she’s on the RH Community Planning and CSD Planning Committees. She is active on local social media sharing information about happenings in the community. She’s a member of RHCCC, Plum Crazy Ladies Red Hat chapter and RH Women’s Club. She was recognized as a “Woman of Achievement” by her State Senator and as “ Citizen of the Year” by the RH Women’s Club.
With her husband, David, they established and annually fund the Malkin Family Scholarships for RUSD students entering “caring professions”. They are proud stewards of the first “Little Free Library” in Rowland Heights. Both she and her husband have been honored as Rowland Heights Community Heroes.
Corresponding Secretary – Brittnie Gildea
Brittnie Gildea is a resident of Chino and has been working at Rowland Water District since 2012. She has a passion for water and knew she wanted to work in the “water industry” since she was in college. She graduated from the University of La Verne with her Bachelor’s Degree in Communications. Brittnie oversees all the Community Outreach and Education for Rowland Water District and loves the time she gets to spend with the students and teachers at the schools. She has been a part of the parade committee for several years and serves as the Corresponding Secretary. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, riding her dirt bike, enjoying nature, going to the beach, travelling the world, and dancing. Brittnie is excited to bring the parade to the community and see all the residents come out and enjoy an awesome show full of excitement.
Treasurer – Bibi Leung
Bibi has been a resident of Rowland Heights since 1995, is the current President of Marketing Promotion Image, Inc. Bibi has served in the Rowland Council PTA as Treasurer, and Vice President of Scholarships. She was also the President of Alvarado Intermediate School PTA 2013-2014. Bibi joined the RH Buckboard Day’s Parade Committee in 2015 and has served as Co-Chair of the Committee from 2016 to 2021. Bibi and her family are active volunteers of the Priceless Pet Rescue in Chino Hills. They are also very involved in their Home Owners Association meetings and activities to keep their neighborhood a safe and a pleasant environment. For fun, Bibi loves traveling, scuba-diving, snowboarding and spending time with her beloved family and their rescued puppies.
Past Chair – Lynne Ebenkamp
Lynne moved to Rowland Heights in 1970 and is a retired registered nurse and physician assistant. She has served as a volunteer on the Buckboard Parade Committee for several years, having been treasurer from 2017-2019, and is a past co-chair. She served as a member of the Rowland Unified School District Board of Education 2013-2020, is a past officer of the Rowland Heights Community Coordinating Council. Lynne and husband, Ted, have enjoyed volunteering in Rowland Heights and they have both been honored as Rowland Heights Community Heroes and past Grand Marshals of the Buckboard Days Parade. Lynne recently moved To Las Vegas Nevada where she is enjoying her retirement. This will be her final year volunteering for the parade and she has enjoyed seeing the interest in the Parade grow and flourish.