Southside Church, organizers of the Spirit of Christmas Lighted Parade, proudly announced Brownwood Regional Medical Center volunteers as this year’s parade Grand Marshal.
BRMC Volunteers help the community while also assisting hospital staff and patient families. The volunteers have served 1,002,917 hours from August of 1969 to date. They also have provided over $738,000 in scholarships to the allied health fields since 1974.
BRMC CEO Chip Camp stated, “The volunteers are truly a blessing to so many every day at the Brownwood Regional Medical Center.”
Eric Evans, parade coordinator for Southside Church explained how the grand marshal is chosen.
“Each year we look to recognize organizations that exemplify the spirit of Christmas and the Pink Ladies and Blue Men, as we like to call them, are tremendous examples of those giving of themselves to help someone else,” said Evans.
Brownwood Regional Medical Center is a big part of the parade this year, not only being associated with the grand marshal, but also as being a sponsor of the event.
“We are so excited that Brownwood Regional Medical Center has stepped forward to be our Presenting Sponsor this year, and this is such a perfect fit for our Grand Marshals to be so closely tied to the hospital,” said Evans.
This year’s parade will kick off on Thursday, December 5th at 6:30 PM and will feature marching bands, dancing drill teams, lighted floats with great Christmas music, local dignitaries from all across Brown County and a visit by Santa himself. The parade route will begin at Carnegie & Adams and travel Center Avenue to North Broadway, down Fisk, to Baker and will end at the Brownwood Coliseum.
Last year there were over 100 floats/entries along with over 1,500 people in the parade, over 3,500 spectators watching, 100+ volunteers. The participation is expected to be even greater this year. The parade will be televised by KTAB TV and broadcast live on KOXE.
Food venders from local non-profit organizations have been added to this year’s festivities to help families get a great seat early to watch the parade and enjoy the evening as well as help these organizations raise funds for their cause.
Everyone is encouraged to enjoy watching the parade along Fisk Avenue, starting at the Courthouse and south to Baker Street. The parade is the same along the entire route so spectators do not have to stand in a crowd of people seven deep to watch the parade.
Parade line up begins at 4:00 PM with street closings. Organizers ask the public, “Please do not cross any barricades as this is dangerous for participants and spectators alike.”
Southside Church of Brownwood is in their 5th year of coordinating the operations of the parade. For additional information go to www.southsidebrownwood.org and click on the parade link and for pictures from past year or visit Southside Church on Facebook at Brownwood Parades—Southside Church.
Pictured are the active charter members of the volunteers – Joanie Thomas, Lucy Harley, Florence Hass standing along-side Chip Camp, CEO Brownwood Regional Medical Center.
