Grand Marshal of 46th Annual Joplin Christmas Parade Announced

Freeman Health System is pleased to announce Dr. Derek Miller will serve as Grand Marshal of the 46th Annual Joplin Christmas Parade. Dr. Miller, Freeman Orthopaedic Surgeon, is a Joplin native and currently serves as Freeman Medical Staff President. Additionally, Dr. Miller travels to Haiti on mission trips to perform surgeries for those in need.

After a procession of emergency medical services vehicles, Dr. Miller will lead the Joplin Christmas Parade, followed by approximately 100 parade entrants. The theme of this year’s parade is “A Hollywood Christmas.” Entrants are encouraged to revisit favorite holiday favorites and decorate accordingly.

The parade will take place at 6:00 pm Tuesday, December 6. The parade route starts at 15th and Main Streets and runs north to Third Street. Those unable to attend may view the parade online at fourstateshomepage.com/livestream.

Funds generated by the 2016 Joplin Christmas Parade will go to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals®, which provides assistance to children from birth to 21 years of age in a 14-county area in Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma.

About Freeman Health System
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. For 2017, Freeman earned dozens of individual awards for medical excellence and patient 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 more than four years in a row, and The Leapfrog Group awarded Freeman the highest grade possible in the Fall 2016 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.