THOMAS EARL CLELAND, GRAND MARSHAL OF CHRISTMAS PARADE IN NAHUNTA, DECEMBER 4TH, 1999

SPEARHEADED PUBLICATION OF "THE STORY OF BRANTLEY COUNTY:" Cherishing the memories of his early growing up experience in Brantley County, Thomas Earl adopted Brantley County history as a retirement project in 1994.  Seeking out support from other interested persons, together they founded The Brantley County Historical and Preservation Society, Inc.  He served as its President for the first four years.  His accomplishments include: (1) Assembling  many genealogical booklets as a member of Brantley County's Historical Society.  (2) Created and edited  the Society's newsletter, "Armadillo Tracks," since its inception on January 1, 1995, a publication which inspired a fantastic growth in the Society's membership.   (3) Spearheaded publication of Brantley County's very first history book, "The Story of Brantley County," and served as Chairman of the Book's Development Committee.  (4) Researched and authored most of the "The Story's" topical history section.  "The Story" was published in October, 1999, a hardback edition which made the entire county proud. 

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GRAND MARSHAL: The people of Brantley County honored Thomas Earl Cleland's leadership effort by selecting him Grand Marshal of Nahunta's Christmas Parade on December 4, 1999. His wife, Sylvia accompanied him on this festive parade event. The nostalgia of this "famed parade ride" was seeing old friends and relatives along the parade route, passing by the old Dewitt Moody/Sibert Jones grocery store (across from present day office of Brantley Enterprise), and the old Royal Theater on Florida Avenue (now Ivory Palace Church), working two part-time jobs as a high school student.  

In between those "two memories" was the  "Old Sweet Shoppe" which served as a "hang-out for teenagers" during the mid-1940s, and the place where he had met Sylvia, his bride to be, 45 years earlier.  These were  memories of a Nahunta teenager that grew-up in Brantley County, left to get an education and earn a living, and returned  to spear-head publication of Brantley County's very first history book.   

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