News
Vets lead Christmas parade
By Wendy Joan Biddlecombe | Hernando Today
Published: December 9, 2012
BROOKSVILLE - Thousands of people lined the blocks of downtown Brooksville Saturday to watch and march in the 38th annual Christmas parade.Published: December 9, 2012
The parade, sponsored by the City of Brooksville and the Kiwanis Club, honored veterans, and men who served in World War II, Korea, the Gulf War, Vietnam and the War on Terror led the charge as grand marshals.
Before the parade, James Bravico, the Vietnam veteran serving as a co-grand marshal, joked his legacy has stretched from Hicksville, N.Y., on his native Long Island to Brooksville. Bravico, a Marine, was deployed to Vietnam in 1967 as an electronics repair technician and served as a rifleman from January to November 1968 during the Battle of Khe Sanh in South Vietnam.
"It's important for kids to see us out here and steer their thoughts to joining the military one day," Bravico said. "It's a great organization, and I'm happy to be here."
Dave Hamilton, Kiwanis Club member and past president, said one of the great things about the parade is all the different things to look for. Marching bands, floats, dancers, Shriners and Boy and Girl Scouts are just a handful of the more than 100 groups that participated in the parade.
Many Brooksvillians lined up well before the 10 a.m. start time. Kids wrapped up in blankets sat on the curb while adults passed around thermoses of coffee. Bagpipes skirled, and a brass band warmed up to "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and "Joy to the World."
Last year, rumors spread like wildfire that the parade was canceled when city council members eliminated fee waivers for events such as parades in an effort to balance the budget. The Kiwanis Club of Brooksville paid about $2,500 in fees for crowd control and traffic direction last December. But, according to Hamilton, this year the fees were waived with no problems at all.
"We're all happy," said Hamilton, adding even if the city did waive the fees, the parade would have gone on with the Kiwanis Club picking up the tab.
"The budget is tough on folks, but this year we're good, and the second Saturday of every December we're going to put on a parade."
wbiddlecombe@hernandotoday.com (352) 544-5283