Freeman Announces 45th Annual Joplin Christmas Parade Winners

JOPLIN, Mo. – The 45th Annual Joplin Christmas Parade, held December 1, featured the theme “The Music and Miracles of Christmas.” Crowds lined Main Street cheered as the parade made its way from 15th Street to Third Street. Chosen from approximately 115 entrants, the winners are:

Best Use of Theme

• Community: Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Missouri
• Corporate: Arvest Bank
• Faith Based: St. Mary’s Elementary School
• Equestrian: JOMO Horse Posse

Judges’ Choice

• Community: Carthage Shrine Train Crew
• Corporate: Gilster-Mary Lee
• Faith Based: Southside Baptist Church
• Equestrian: Trinity Circle Horses Healing Hearts

Band

• High School Division – First Place: Joplin Eagle Pride Marching Band
• High School Division – Second Place: Diamond Wildcat Marching Band
• Middle School Division – First Place: Joplin South Middle School Marching Band
• Middle School Division – Second Place: Joplin East Middle School Marching Band

The parade generated $2,795 from entry fees, which go to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. A separate event, Santa Meet-and-Greet generated another $607.46, bringing the total to $3,402.46. 

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals provides assistance to children from birth to 21 years of age in a 14-county area in Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma. All money raised stays local, helping children and their families. Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals helps furnish and maintain Freeman Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, provides funding for local community organizations pediatric needs and provides pediatric emergency equipment for area agencies.

Freeman Health System – Celebrating 90 Years
Locally owned, not-for-profit and nationally recognized, Freeman Health System includes Freeman Hospital West, Freeman Hospital East, Freeman Neosho Hospital and Ozark Center – the area’s largest provider of behavioral health services – as well as two urgent care clinics, dozens of physician clinics and a variety of specialty services. In 2015, Freeman earned dozens of individual awards for medical excellence and safety from CareChex®, a quality rating system that helps consumers evaluate healthcare providers. U.S. News & World Report ranked Freeman one of the top Hospitals in Southwest Missouri in 2014-15, and The Leapfrog Group awarded Freeman the highest grade possible in the Fall 2015 Hospital Patient Safety Score. With more than 300 physicians on staff representing more than 60 specialties, Freeman provides cancer care, heart and vascular care, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopaedics, children’s services and women’s services. Additionally, Freeman is the only Children’s Miracle Network Hospital in a 70-mile radius. For more information, visit freemanhealth.com or facebook.com/freemanhealthsystem or follow Freeman President and Chief Executive Officer Paula Baker at twitter.com/freemanceo. #FreemanTurns9