When the Mountain Laurel Festival Parade winds through downtown Clarkesville on Saturday, the Rev. Terry Rice will be at the front.
Rice will serve as Grand Marshal. The Clarkesville Lions Club chose him for the honor in recognition of his many years of service in ministry to our community.
Rice has been a pastor for more than 50 years. He was pastor at Level Grove Baptist Church from 1990-2016 and has served as interim pastor at eight other churches in Northeast Georgia.
In addition to his pastoral duties, Rice worked as a volunteer chaplain at Lee Arrendale State Prison for four years. He currently teaches at the Victory Home – an addiction recovery center for men – in Tallulah Falls.
He spent four years in the U.S. Navy before joining the ministry.
A parade 200 years in the making
Saturday’s parade is one that’s been two centuries in the making. It will pay tribute to the county’s bicentennial year with the theme, “Happy Birthday Habersham – 200 Years Strong.”
Parade line-up starts at 8:30 a.m. behind the Habersham County School Board Office on Stanford Mill Road. The parade will wind its way down Washington Street through downtown beginning at 10 a.m. It will end up at the County Administration Building (old county courthouse) on Monroe Street/Hwy. 115 (see map below).
There’s a 70% chance of rain in the forecast Saturday. Organizers say the parade and festival will go on, rain or shine.
Habersham Medical Center is sponsoring a Kids Fun Run and 5K race prior to the parade starting at 8 a.m. The race begins at Habersham EMC located at 6135 Hwy. 115, Clarkesville, GA 30523.
The Mountain Laurel Festival runs from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. For a complete list of activities and schedules, click here.
