The Villages Twirlers & Drum Corps gathered for their weekly Thursday rehearsal at La Hacienda Recreation Center knowing they were giving their annual charitable contribution to Villagers for Hospice. The Twirlers had no idea they were going to be receiving a check, too.
“This is a big fat giant super-duper surprise,” Ann Pelle, Villagers Twirlers Captain, told the Twirlers. Kevin Harrington, owner of FaceTime with Kevin, a facial aesthetics and skin care company in Fruitland Park, stepped up with Pelle to present a check to sponsor their performance in the Citrus Bowl Parade. The check presented was for $2,000 and will be used to pay for televising their performance. The Citrus Bowl parade is on Dec. 29 and it will be televised on Jan. 1.
Before the surprise check the Twirlers presented a check to Villages for Hospice, which will go into the building fund for the expansion of the Cornerstone Hospice campus on Morse Boulevard and County Road 466. Sue Fentress, part of the management team for Villagers for Hospice, accepted the check, thanked the twirlers and told them to stay tuned because the plan is to break ground on the building project in the spring 2017. The Twirlers earn the money for their charitable contributions with yard sales and a pancake breakfast.
Harrington when presenting the check said he wanted to support them in their endeavors. A personal friend of Pelle’s for years he has stayed in touch with the happenings of the twirlers and was happy to step in when a sponsor was needed.
“It is always a pleasure to watch you,” Harrington told the twirlers.
The Villagers Twirlers, always a busy group, have six events in the next week and a half and that is before the holiday season really gets started.
“We are always looking for twirlers, flaggers and drummers to join the group,” said Pelle. “Especially flaggers are needed right now.”
If you would like more information, contact Pelle at (352) 259-0012. You can also keep up with them by visiting their website, www.thevillagestwirlers.com.