Mayor Pro Tem Anthony Bennett has been named The 2024 Roseboro Christmas Parade Grand Marshal.
The 2024 Roseboro Christmas Parade grand marshal is Mayor Pro Tem Anthony Bennett.
Born and raised in Roseboro, Bennett has dedicated decades of his life to serving Roseboro as a town commissioner and, since 2018, mayor pro tem. When asked about his life in Roseboro, he proclaimed “Life is great. No complaints at all.”
Born in 1950 in Roseboro, Bennett attended Charles E. Perry School for his K-12 education. As a Rosenwald School, Charles E. Perry was built for the education of African-American children with funding from the Rosenwald Fund, which built over 5,000 schools across the American South in the early 1900’s.
Bennett has been invested in giving back to the Charles E. Perry community long after he graduated (and the school eventually closed). In collaboration with stakeholders, Bennett began a 4th of July tradition for the community to enjoy that has endured for over 20 years. He described Charles E. Perry as a “friendly community,” adding that despite economic struggles, “We didn’t know what being poor was – we shared with everybody.”
In 1968, Bennett moved away from Roseboro to Stanford, Conn., where he raised his children. After 21 years up north, the commissioner returned to Roseboro in 1989. He notes, resoundingly, that “I had enough of the city life,” and muses that he was used to the Roseboro way of life again in just one week.
After his return to Roseboro, Bennett began his long and impressive public service journey. He was appointed town commissioner in the mid-1990s by former Roseboro Mayor Roland Hall; “And I’ve been here ever since,” he says with a smile. Bennett’s 30-year tenure on the town board has allowed him to be an invaluable contributor to downtown revitalization and remodeling efforts undertaken over the years. He was appointed mayor pro tem seven years ago – this means that Bennett assumes the position and responsibilities of Roseboro mayor in the absence of his superior, current Roseboro Mayor Alice Butler.
For his years of service and true connection to both the people and place of Roseboro, town officials said they were honored to announce Bennett as the 2024 Christmas Parade grand marshal. “Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem Bennett, for embodying the spirit of Roseboro and for tirelessly serving the needs of our community,” a town official said.
You can find Bennett leading the Christmas parade float procession on Friday, Dec. 13 in downtown Roseboro at 7 p.m. Visits with Santa and food trucks begin at 5:30 p.m. at Roseboro’s very own “winter wonderland” at Roseboro Common.