The Clearwater Community Volunteers held their Anniversary Celebration of the 17th Annual Winter Wonderland Holiday Festival and Charity Drive on December 11th. On the corner of Drew Street and Ft. Harrison Avenue, a Christmas playground has sprung from the barren asphalt of the parking lot behind the Osceola Hotel, driven by the organized tenacity of the Clearwater Community Volunteers (CCV), working with local charities, for the benefit of members of the community.
On Friday, December 11th, Winter Wonderland will hold their Special Anniversary Celebration of the 17th Annual Winter Wonderland in Downtown Clearwater. In conjunction with the city’s scheduled “Holiday Light Up” and “Miracle on Cleveland Street”, this winter holiday village will enhance the community’s holiday spirit. The evenings celebration will be kicked off by community leaders: John Doran, City Councilmember; Rod Irwin, of the City Managers Office; Deacon Maurice Mickens, of the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church; Pat Harney, Public Affairs Director for the Church of Scientology and of course, the much anticipated secret-surprise entrance by Santa Claus. The special Anniversary Celebration will begin at 6:30 PM sharp.
Although, the “Miracle on Cleveland St.” and the city’s “Holiday Light Up” in Clearwater’s Cleveland Street District (Downtown), has been postponed until December 11th due to a 70% chance of rain forecast, Winter Wonderland still intends to open the Christmas Village as scheduled on December 4th – 20th, weather permitting.
The Church of Scientology’s Clearwater Community Volunteers (CCV), invites you to join them for the grand opening ceremony of the 17th Annual Winter Wonderland in downtown Clearwater. As is tradition each year, this magical winter holiday village – which runs for seventeen consecutive evenings - is opened with an official holiday light up by community leaders: City Councilmember John Doran, CCV, the Church of Scientology and of course, the much anticipated secret-surprise entrance by Santa Claus. The special Grand Opening Ceremony will take place at 6:30 PM on Friday, Dec. 4, 2009.
The 17th annual Winter Wonderland in downtown Clearwater will open on December 4th, but construction is already underway. Beginning on October 31st, a team of industrious “elves” began building the holiday village, located on the corner of Ft. Harrison Avenue and Drew Street. These hardworking volunteers are helping Santa and the Clearwater Community Volunteers bring holiday joy and magic to children throughout the community.
Winter Wonderland is in its 17th year in downtown Clearwater, literally bringing thousands of people into downtown every year. Our holiday village has the purpose of being a food & toy drive for the needy in our community, in addition to creating a wonderful holiday experience for children of all ages, so as to instill a hope for the future.
As a result of Winter Wonderland, we have warmed the hearts of thousands and have delivered literally tons of food and toys to families in need over the years.
Winter Wonderland is put on each year by Clearwater Community Volunteers (CCV), a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. Donations to CCV are tax deductible.
The Clearwater Community Volunteers (CCV) is excited to announce: the 7th annual “Fashions with Flair” silent auction and fashion show fundraiser on Saturday, August 29, 2009 at the Belleair Country Club from 11 am to 2:30 pm.
CCV is the volunteer arm of the Church of Scientology in Clearwater, and is a non-profit charitable organization made up entirely of volunteers. The CCV produces the huge Easter Egg Hunt in Coachman Park in Clearwater every spring and “Winter Wonderland” – its annual holiday charity drive in downtown Clearwater featuring 5 village buildings, 90 live pine trees, a fully functioning stage with entertainment, tens of thousands of tiny white lights, pony & train rides, a playground, a giant slide and bouncy house, and of course Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Remember, Remember the 5th of December.
Urgent weather alert! Doppler weather radar at the Clearwater Downtown Partnership has just confirmed a 100% chance of an unprecedented blanketing of snow during the City of Clearwater’s annual Holiday Light Up on the 500 block of Cleveland Street. Expect complete road closures due to strolling carolers, gift vendors and merriment of the sort on Cleveland Street from 5pm – 8pm between Garden and Fort Harrison Avenues.
When Chairman Bill Sturtevant of the Clearwater Downtown Partnership was asked what he attributed the unusual weather pattern to he said Santa ordered it, towards the goal of strengthening our merchants by bringing more people to downtown. Bill further remarked that the board acted fast and decided to seize the opportunity in Downtown and established this event as our annual:
“Miracle on Cleveland Street.”
One of Bill’s colleagues Eleanor Lyda also stated since schools will be closed at that time a giant 10 foot snow slide is being brought in for children to toboggan down and play in the snow flurries.