Cora Price, parade junior grand marshal, offers candy as she rides with Santa and Mrs. Claus Saturday during the Mount Olive Christmas Parade sponsored by the Mount Olive Area Chamber of Commerce. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Jimmy Williams, Mount Olive Christmas Parade grand marshal, waves to the crowd as the parade moves down Center Street. The parade is sponsored by the Mount Olive Area Chamber of Commerce. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
The Mount Olive First Pentecostal Holiness Church nativity includes live sheep and even a camel. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Children check out how much candy they picked up during the Mount Olive Christmas Parade. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Saturday’s annual Mount Olive Christmas Parade featured 120 entries. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Saturday’s annual Mount Olive Christmas Parade provided excitement for young and old alike. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Parker Jones, 2024 Queen of the Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair, was one of several queens to participate in the Mount Olive Christmas Parade. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
The Grinch, who was on his best behavior, waves to the crowd lining the streets for Saturday’s Mount Olive Christmas Parade. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Mount Olive VFW Post 9959 member Ray Harrell, left, hands out candy to Pete Sargent of Seven Springs who was collecting candy for his 2-year-old daughter Sienna during Saturday’s Mount Olive Christmas Parade. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
A child reaches out for a candy cane being handed out during Saturday’s Mount Olive Christmas Parade. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
The Southern Wayne High School Marching Saints provided Christmas music during Saturday’s Mount Olive Christmas Parade. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
The Sudan Shriners Mini-Rigs perform during the Mount Olive Christmas Parade. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Riders on the Bethel Church float toss out candy during the Mount Olive Christmas Parade. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Bundled against the cold, 2-year-old Sienna Sargent played in the bed of a pickup truck while enjoying a sucker and expressing her delight as entries in Saturday’s Mount Olive Christmas Parade passed by.
The annual parade, sponsored by the Mount Olive Area Chamber of Commerce, featured 120 entries including Santa. Cora Price, parade junior grand marshal, rode with Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Local high school bands provided Christmas music. There were commercial and homemade floats, cars, motorcycles, walking units, fire and rescue vehicles and more — including a large amount of candy tossed out to the people lining the parade route.
Children and adults alike scrambled to scoop up the treats including Sienna’s dad, Pete.
However, he had a different approach. Sargent held up a cloth bag that people on the entries would toss or place candy in.
The family also attended the Nov. 23 Seven Springs Christmas Parade where he collected candy for Sienna as well.
Asked how much candy he had collected, Sargent said, “I don’t know — a lot.”
He joked that Sienna isn’t allowed a lot of candy at one time.
“She probably has a sucker every now and then,” he added. “We eat the majority of it.”
The family attended the Mount Olive parade last year as well — they like all of the free candy tossed out during the parade.
“I just like seeing a lot of people come out in the town together,” Sargent said. “I’m glad the culture is still there, the Christmas Spirit.”
The parade was great with no major issues, Chamber President Julie Beck said.
There was a great turnout for the Friday night activities as well that included the traditional lighting of the town Christmas tree at the Southern Bank Parklet.
The most popular Friday events were roasting marshmallows and meeting Santa, she added. Other events included Pickle Train rides, decorating Christmas cookies, a Christmas ornament craft, popcorn and drinks.
Jimmy Williams served as the grand marshal.
Each year, the Mount Olive Area Chamber of Commerce accepts nominations from the community for the grand marshal.
The Chamber seeks grand marshal nominations for someone who volunteers and gives back to the community; deserves credit for good deeds completed; and is an inspiration toward making the community a better place to live, work and play.
Williams, 90, has a long history with Mount Olive and Wayne County, Beck said.
“Jimmy has positively impacted many lives through coaching, teaching and volunteering,” she added. “When the committee met to select a grand marshal, Jimmy’s name was at the top of the list. He has dedicated his life to making a difference to students, teachers, athletes and Mount Olive citizens.
“We are proud of his many accomplishments and call him our hometown hero and friend. Naming Jimmy Williams as the grand marshal is our way of showing our gratitude for his outstanding service to Mount Olive and the surrounding area.”
Williams earned degrees from Atlantic Christian College, East Carolina University and the University of Mount Olive and education has been a vital role of Williams’ life.
He has served as a teacher/coach at Walstonburg School, teacher/coach at Mount Olive High School, principal at Southern Wayne High School, headmaster at Wayne Country Day School, principal at Mount Olive Middle School, superintendent of Wayne County Public Schools and vice-president of Institutional Advancement at the University of Mount Olive.
Williams has been actively involved in his community as well. He served as the president of the Mount Olive Lions Club, president of the Mount Olive Rotary Club, chairman of the Mount Olive Housing Authority, chairman of the Mount Olive Chamber of Commerce, member of the board of adjustments for the town of Mount Olive, president of Southern Wayne Country Club, teacher of the First United Methodist Church for 35 plus years and chairman of the First United Methodist Administrative Board.
His active involvement in his community has earned him numerous awards including being named Coach of the Year several times, member of the Hall of Fame for the North Carolina Independent School Association, member of the Athletic Hall of Fame at the University of Mount Olive, recipient of the Boys Club Medallion, Order of the Long Leaf Pine for the state of North Carolina, Paul Harris Fellow in Rotary Club and the Wayne County Cornerstone Award from the Wayne County Chamber.
Williams is married to Frances Howard Williams and has a daughter, Karen Williams Moore, and son, James E. Williams Jr.
He has seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
