By Rupert Howell

Everyone is invited to join in a Shriners’ Parade as participant or spectator this Saturday with line-up a 9 a.m. and start time at 9:30.

Line-up is at Watts Street at American Legion Park  with the route coming towards Batesville’s Downtown Square on Broadway straight through to the gazebo, then taking a right across the railroad track towards Stubbs and ending at Batesville Police Department on College Street.

South Panola AFROTC will provide a color guard while Batesville Junior High School will provide a 20 piece drum line.

The National Champion South Panola Tiger football team is scheduled to participate along with South Panola’s award winning Fastpitch Softball team as well as Little Miss Batesville, Emma Ray Estridge.

Of course Shriners will be on hand with their little cars and cycles and club members are urging any church groups, politicians and others to join in the parade.

The parade precedes initiation ceremonies the Shriners will be having in Batesville Saturday.

The Wahabi Shriners support 22 Shriner children hospitals. Local Shriner Ricky Swindle said two children from Panola county are currently being treated in a Shriners hospital in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Local club president Mark Shields said the local club follows up with needs for families whose children have been accepted to a Shriner’s hospitals. Money raised goes to these hospitals which usually deal with orthopedic problems and burn victims according to Shields.

Club secretary Ricky Swindle noted, “We are Shriners. We have fun and help children.”

Swindle guaranteed Saturday’s parade to be the best parade possible on a 10-day notice. Those interested should contact Swindle at 934-1235 or Batesville Police Chief Tony Jones at 563-5653 by Wednesday.