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Thousands brave heat for Brandon's July 4 parade

TBO.com/Kevin Brady

Emily, Abbey and Ellie White, front, join their friend Jacqueline Divincenzo all wore the same dress for the parade.

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By KEVIN BRADY | TBO.com

Published: July 4, 2009

Sweltering temperatures didn't stop thousands from turning out today for Brandon's annual salute to Uncle Sam.

Early birds had already claimed the shady spots along Parsons Avenue by 8 a.m. for Brandon's annual Fourth of July parade, now in its 51st year. Shade or not, spectators came prepared with sunscreen, tents, water, umbrellas, soda and super soakers the order of the day.

About 50,000 people turned out to watch the parade with Scout troops, veterans' and military groups among those marching along Parsons Avenue and along Robertson Street.

April Gilletti had her spot on Robertson picked out an hour before the parade.

"My husband is on active duty with the military so this is a big holiday for us," Gilletti said. "It's going to be a family tradition from now on."

The parade was also a coming out party for Brandon's new honorary mayor.

The Community Roundtable announced the winner just before the parade with Connie Smaldone, a Realtor with South Shore Real Estate Group in Lithia, taking the honorary title. Candidates in the race host fundraisers for local charities of their choice. The candidate who raises the most money claims the title.

"I was surprised but it feels great," said Smaldone as she rode in a convertible along Parsons Avenue. She plans to continue promoting and raising awareness for community charities during her term. "That's really what this is all about."

Smaldone's campaign raised $16,000. Her chosen charities are Kids' Charity of Tampa Bay, which aims to improve the quality of life for foster children and families; A Kid's Place, an emergency assessment shelter recently opened on Lithia-Pinecrest Road; All Children's Specialty Care Guild, which provides resources for children who need hospital services; YMCA Camp Cristina, an outdoor adventure camp in Riverview; and the Campo Family YMCA in Valrico.

Smaldone ran against Barbara Jones-Keplinger, a community service officer for the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office substation in Riverview, and James Jensen, owner of Brandon's Next Level Printing also on Kings Avenue in Brandon.

Local charities were the real winner in the mayor's race said Janine Nickerson, vice president of the Community Roundtable. In all, the three candidates raised $22,500 for charity. The late James Young still holds the record for recent campaigns. He raised $75,000 in 2005.

"We are going great guns today," Nickerson said. "We have 100 units in the parade today and we usually only get that number in an election year."

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