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Hernando Today

Saturday Is Busy One In Brooksville

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By TONY MARRERO

Hernando Today

Published: December 12, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - Forget the recession - for a day at least.

There are reasons to be festive and to hit the streets of Brooksville, say organizers of a host of activities planned for Saturday.

The annual Christmas Parade will roll again thanks to the Brooksville Kiwanis Club, a free festival and concert are in the offing, and a former Brooksville resident who has made global impacts is coming back to receive the city's highest honor.

The parade, sponsored and organized by the Kiwanis Club, will begin at Hernando High School with nearly 110 entries, said Robert Watts, club member and parade organizer.

That's about the number of entries that rolled last year, he said.

"Which, in this economy, is a good thing," Watts said.

Floats will feature a global flair - this year's theme is "Christmas Around the World."

"Papa Joe" Giarratana and his wife Donna, owners of Papa Joe's Restaurant in Brooksville, are this year's grand marshals. The couple were asked as a way to recognize them for their untiring support of community fundraisers.

The theme also is a nod to the 2008 Great Brooksvillian award winner, Dr. Paul Farmer. Farmer, a former Brooksville resident and Hernando High School graduate, has dedicated his life to bringing health care programs to impoverished people throughout the world.

Farmer and his daughter Catherine are expected to ride in the parade, toward the end just before Santa.

The Christmas Parade will be broadcast live on Bright House Channel 622 and streamed live on the Web at www.hernandocounty.us.

The parade will be re-broadcast throughout the holiday season. A few dates include: Dec. 13 at 7 p.m.; Dec. 15 at 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.; Dec. 17 at 1 p.m.; Dec. 18 at 9 a.m.; and Dec. 20 at 7 p.m.

First Baptist Church is bringing back its Christmas festival on its front lawn. The church stepped in last year after the city, which had organized a festival at City Hall, asked the community for help to save taxpayer money.

The event will feature free food, games, prizes and live entertainment.

"I think it's just the joy of the kids and the people coming and enjoying the activities," said Cindy Lyman, the church's office manager, when asked why the church decided to hold the festival again.

The Bandshell Bash, hosted the second Saturday of every month by the Hernando County Fine Arts Council and the Brooksville Business Alliance, will feature Lindsay Taylor, a country singer and songwriter from Tampa.

Also on the bill is the St. Anthony's Bell Choir, and Santa is expected to make an appearance.

Honoring a Great Brooksvillian

The public will have three chances to meet Farmer on Saturday.

He will sign copies of the book "Mountains Beyond Mountains, the Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World," by Tracy Kidder, at 1:30 p.m. at the downtown library branch, 238 Howell Ave. Copies of the book will be on sale.

City officials will present Farmer with the Great Brooksvillian award at a 4:30 p.m. ceremony at City Hall, 201 N. Howell Ave.

Farmer will present a lecture about his efforts at 5:30 p.m., with a reception to follow, in a tent set up at the corner of Jefferson and Orange streets. Tickets are $100, and proceeds will benefit Farmer's nonprofit Partners in Health.

The event is already considered a success with more than 200 sold, said Tricia Bechtelheimer, a fellow Hernando High graduate and a reception organizer.

"We're very close to our goal, which in today's economy we think is wonderful," Bechtelheimer said.

For more information on the reception, call Bechtelheimer at 352-796-3519.

For more on the Farmer events and his organization Partners in Health, visit www.paulfarmer.classquest.com and www.pih.org.

If you go

A host of events are on tap to celebrate the holidays in Brooksville and a visit by Dr. Paul Farmer, this year's winner of the Great Brooksvillian award.

Here's the schedule:

10 a.m.: Brooksville Kiwanis Christmas Parade. Procession begins at Hernando High School, travels south on Howell Avenue and Main Street, then east on Broad Street, ending at Bell Avenue.

Noon to 2 p.m.: Christmas Festival at First Baptist Church of Brooksville, 420 Howell Ave. Admission is free

1:30 p.m. Book signing by Farmer at the Brooksville library branch, 238 Howell Ave.

4 to 8 p.m. Bandshell Bash featuring Lindsay Taylor and St. Anthony's Bell Choir, at the Community Activity Center, 205 E. Ft. Dade Ave.

4:30 p.m. Ceremony to present Farmer with the Great Brooksvillian Award, at City Hall, 201 N. Howell Ave.

5:30 p.m. Reception featuring a talk by Farmer, in a tent set up at the corner of Jefferson and Orange streets. Tickets are $100, and proceeds will benefit Farmer's nonprofit Partners in Health. For information, call Tricia Bechtelheimer at 352-796-3519.

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