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Here Comes Santa Claus In Westchase Parade

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By JASON GEARY The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 5, 2007

WESTCHASE - Before jumping into his reindeer-powered sleigh, Santa will ride along Westchase streets in a vintage firetruck.

The third annual Santa Pre-Flight Parade will take place from noon to 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

The Westchase Community Foundation, a nonprofit organization that has given away about $30,000 in the past three years to help Westchase families with seriously ill children, organizes the event.

Each year, thousands of parade watchers attend the festivities, said Dan O'Brien, the foundation's president.

"Everyone comes out because they can't miss the sirens," he said.

The parade has about 14 entries including floats, sheriff's office cruisers and a firetruck from Hillsborough County Fire Rescue. Raymond, the Tampa Bay Rays team mascot, will serve as master of ceremonies.

Some Westchase villages will throw block parties that day with some of the parties attracting a couple of hundred people to each, O'Brien said.
Parade participants often throw beads and candy to the crowds, he said.

During the parade, residents will donate unwrapped toys to a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office drive for needy children, O'Brien said.

"We pile them on the firetruck as we go by," he said.

The parade route moves along streets through more than a dozen of Westchase's villages, a few of which are gated.

From noon to 2 p.m., the parade will travel through The Vineyards, The Shires, Keswick Forest, Woodbay, Glencliff, Wycliff, Bennington and Glenfield.

From 2 to 4:30 p.m. it will wind through Harbor Links, Radcliffe and The Greens.

Finally, Santa will make his way from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. through The Fords and The Bridges before entering West Park Village.

Nonresidents are encouraged to watch about 4:30 p.m. as the parade travels along Gretna Green Drive north of Linebaugh Avenue or during the final stretch down Montague Street into West Park Village. Gretna Green and Montague are off Linebaugh, about a mile west of Sheldon Road. Santa will climb off the firetruck, greet those in attendance and turn on the Christmas tree lights.

For information, call O'Brien at (813) 920-0350.

Reporter Jason Geary can be reached at (813) 865-1505 or jgeary@tampatrib.com.

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