Space For Floats In Brooksville's Christmas Parade Dec. 13

There's still time to be part of the holiday procession set to roll through historic downtown Brooksville - but it will require a global mindset.

The Kiwanis Club of Brooksville is once again the sponsor and organizer of the annual Christmas Parade and seeks entries.

This year's theme is "Christmas Around the World," so participants are encouraged to think globally to provide some international flair to their floats, said Robert Watts, a Kiwanis Club member and parade organizer.

The theme helps celebrate the 2008 Great Brooksvillian award winner, Dr. Paul Farmer. Farmer, a former Brooksville resident, has dedicated his life to bringing health care programs to impoverished people throughout the world.

"With Paul Farmer as our hometown hero and all the good he's done throughout the world, we thought it would be suitable," Watts said.

Entries are coming in at steady pace despite uncertain times, he said.

"We were a little concerned this year with the economy, but we really have a lot of them in," he said.

"Papa Joe" Giarratana and his wife Donna, owners of Papa Joe's Restaurant in Brooksville, are this year's grand marshals. The couple, always quick to agree to participate in fundraisers for community causes, deserve the recognition.

There also still may be time to sponsor the parade and get a spot in the program, Watts said.

Three events celebrate Farmer

The public will have three chances to meet Farmer that day.

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.

And 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 non-profit Partners in Health.

For information, call Tricia Bechtelheimer at (352) 796-3519.

For more on Partners in Health, visit www.pih.org.

Be in a parade

To find out how to enter the Brooksville Christmas Parade slated for Dec. 13, call Robert Watts at 796-2926 or visit www.kiwanisclubofbrooksville.org.