Leon Barlieb has been a resident of Eldred Township for each and every one of his 86 years, 11 months and 23 days. During those years Barlieb farmed, drove a school bus, worked in a feed store, and was a business manager for a dairy and the Pleasant Valley School District as well as a member of the school board.

"All in all I gave 43 years to Pleasant Valley," Barlieb said. "One day five members of the school board quit so I stepped in and filled one of the positions."Now Barlieb has been tapped to serve his town as the grand marshal of its very popular Halloween Parade."I always used to attend the parade when I had a companion," Barlieb said. "But since my companion Lillian Smith passed away three years ago I really don't attend as much as I used to, especially in the winter months."The parade is scheduled for this coming Sunday. The parade route starts at St. Matthew's Church Grove, will travel down Church Lane onto Fiddletown Road and finish on Kunkletown Road at the Kunkletown Volunteer Fire Company.There will be judging of costumes beginning at 12:15 p.m. and the parade will start at 1. The categories for costumes include most original, cutest, ugliest, best pair, best group and best float.Participants must be preregistered to win one of the three cash prizes."In the past the grand marshal always gets to be driven around in some classic, old convertible," Barlieb said. "I don't know the details, but I am looking forward to being a part of the parade this year. It is an honor and a wonderful courtesy they have extended to me."