Esplanade parades holiday spirit in Lakewood Ranch
The Wienermobile, Crewe of De Soto help Esplanade residents celebrate holiday season.
By
Pam Eubanks
| 9:48 p.m. December 5, 2017
East County
Neighbors
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Esplanade Golf & Country Club resident Joyce North stepped off her holiday-decorated golf cart Dec. 5 and turned for a better view of her community’s first Christmas parade, which continued to trail behind her.
North spearheaded the golf cart section of the parade, which featured 21 golf carts.
“Did you see how many were decorated?” she said. “I love that everyone got into it.”
Her husband, Jack North, was a fireman for 30 years in Fairlawn, Ohio, where the couple regularly participated in parades as part of his duties.
Now living in Lakewood Ranch, it felt good for them to help start a new tradition.
More than 100 people participated in the parade itself, walking in groups, riding bicycles and motorcycles, marching with banners and riding on golf carts. There were even appearances by the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, Planter’s Nutmobile, Bradentucky Bombers roller derby team and the Crewe of De Soto.
Parade-goers started the parade at Esplanade’s amenity center and made the roughly half-mile journey to the wellness center, where residents gathered for a post-parade celebration with drinks and complimentary chips and hot dogs.
Bill Wolfe and Charlie Shachat spearheaded the parade.
Patrick Cyganiewicz and Jaydon Carvin hold their banner proudly.
Nancy Groff waved from the back of the golf cart of Jack and Joyce North.
Nancy Bombino and Kathy Arentz are all smiles as their husbands, Mike Bombino and Denny Arentz, wave from the back of the golf cart.
Paige, with her owner Eileen deBouer, not pictured, watches the parade from her front lawn.
Lynda Solimine, Barbara Richards, Nancy Berks and Tracy Clark, front, are part of the Dirty Dozen float, which represents their martini club.
Little Caesar greets spectators along the parade route.
The Planter's Nutmobile even made an appearance, as did Oscar Mayer's Wienermobile.
The Bradentucky Bombers women's roller derby team rolled through Esplanade.
DeSoto Heritage Festival Princess Alyssa Kopinsky passes out beaded necklaces.
The Crewe of the DeSoto Historical Society brought its ship and crew, including Roy McKenzie.
Wen Gill decorates his golf cart in blue and white.
Larry Deanglis rides with a group of bicyclists.
Esplanade residents gathered at key parade areas or in their front yards to watch the parade.
Mark Prucnell, as Santa, is on the last golf cart.
Hernando Desoto surprises Jill Brewer and Beverly Pullen, who had a "Frozen" themed golf cart after the parade.
Joyce North, who organized the golf cart parade participants, makes sure to get a photo opportunity with Little Caesar.
Lynn Gelsomin shows off her sweater as a walker in the "Ugly Sweater" brigade.
Madonna inspired "Ugly Sweater" parade walker Wendy Vanzegeren laughs with fellow walkers Diane Ruzicka and Lynn Gelsomin after the parade.
Kelsey Chinskey, Shelley Chinskey, Valerie Wolf, Tim Chinskey and Jack Wolf enjoy time together at the wellness center after the parade.
