At Ross Medical Education Center in Midland, Michigan, the holidays are a time to come together, have some fun, and join their community in celebrating. This year, thousands of parade-goers dressed in ugly sweaters, Santa hats, and other holiday gear lined a Midland parade route on a chilly Saturday morning for the 38th Annual Midland Santa Holiday Parade. The parade was themed A Very Merry Midland, and the residents of the local community, as well as everyone in the parade, were very excited about the holiday season and being a part of it.
The Midland Ross campus joined in by walking the parade route in a crowd. They marched through town, proudly displaying a Ross banner, handing out Medical Assistant program and Nursing Assistant program brochures, and tossing candy to those in attendance. The staff, faculty, and students that participated and brought their families were thrilled to be a part of this long-standing, local tradition with a variety of other organizations and individuals in their community. The Ross campus loved being a part of this season’s parade and are already looking forward to next year.
Beginning in 1985, the Midland Santa Holiday Parade has continued to exist and grow as a non-profit organization. However, no matter how large the event gets, it has always been pulled off by a small, but very dedicated group of volunteers. Although it’s a good time for all and families look forward to the tradition, the foundational purpose of the event is to run a holiday parade while providing the local Salvation Army’s Toys for Tots program with some much needed funding. The Midland Santa Holiday Parade would not be successful without the generous support of local sponsors. Because the parade’s sponsors fully fund all of the operating expenses, all entry fees are directed to the local Salvation Army’s Toys for Tots program.