Miss Cassopolis Courtney Kuemin (top left) and her court, Stephen Walker, Nicole Irwin, Zach Newton and Jennifer Stickles ride on the float the community helped raise $1,000 to build for the Blossomtime Parade. (Leader photo/SCOTT NOVAK)

Just when it looked like Miss Cassopolis and her court were not going to be able to have a float in the Blossomtime Parade, the community stepped up in a big way.

Needing more than $1,000 to have a float in the parade and only a week to come up with it, people and businesses in the Village of Cassopolis raised enough money to make one of the court’s most memorable appearances become a reality.

Miss Cassopolis Courtney Kuemin, first runner-up Nicole Irwin, second runner-up Jennifer Stickle, along with Mr. Cassopolis Stephen Walker and runner-up Zach Newton are forever grateful for the generosity of the community.

“We didn’t think we were going to have a float at all and everybody rallied around and helped by pitching in money and anything else they could do to help,” Kuemin said. “They donated money, they offered to help us work on the float and they did whatever they could to build this float. It’s an amazing feeling.”

Kuemin remains in awe of how everyone got the job done.

“I don’t know how they did it,” she said. “We are beyond grateful. Without their support none of this would have been possible. It’s an amazing feeling to represent such a giving and charitable community.”

Kuemin said it made participating in the Blossomtime Parade more special. She also knows that the court couldn’t have shared it without the help of others.

“I have talked to former Miss Cassopolis (representatives) and asked them what was one of the most memorable times and they said it was building the float.

“It really brought my court closer together and it was really a blast,” Kuemin said.