Dear Editor,

Thank you to all of those who participated in making the 36th Annual Lions Club Christmas Parade a most memorable occasion. The parade helps to mark the beginning of the Christmas season in Effingham County. Our grand marshal for the 2015 parade was our community’s United Way staple, Bonnie Dixon.Of course, she was the belle of the party.

With all of the lively, creative and interactive floats and entertainment in this year’s parade, it was hard to choose only one winner from each category. I don’t envy the judges! The winners are:

Best Antique/Classic Auto — Dennis and Linda Baxter-31 Model “A”

Best Commercial Float — El Real Mexican Restaurant

Best Dance/Gymnastic Group — Britt’s Dance Company

Best Civic Float — Hinesville-Fort Stewart Shrine Club

Best Band — Effingham County High School

Best Overall Church-Oriented Float, by church attendance:

1. Under 100 members — Goshen United Methodist Church

2. 101-199 members — St. Luke’s Episcopal Church

3. 200-399 members — Gateway Community Church

4. 400 members and above — First Baptist Church of Rincon

A special thank you to the Parris Island Marine Corps Recruiting Depot for its participation in this year’s parade. As always, we appreciate their service in the community and throughout our country.

We are most grateful for the community’s continued support of our mission to support sight programs and services including vision screening, eyeglass recycling and hopefully in the new year, a mobile vision clinic through the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation. Please make plans to join us next year; the Saturday before Thanksgiving on Nov. 19, 2016. We look forward to seeing you there.

On behalf of the Rincon Noon Lions Club, we wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Destiny Bradshaw

President, Rincon Noon Lions Club