Dubbed by some as Mr. Hartsville or Volunteer Extraordinaire, Mark Presley has been given the honor of leading this year鈥檚 Hartsville Christmas Parade. The parade, sponsored by the Hartsville Trousdale Chamber of Commerce & Tourism, begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14.
鈥淢ark is beloved by this community,鈥 said Terri Merryman, Executive Director of the Chamber. 鈥淲e are thrilled to have Mark as the Grand Marshal of this year鈥檚 parade.鈥
Presley admits he is humbled by the opportunity.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 see that I鈥檝e done anything for the community that others wouldn鈥檛 do,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 just enjoy serving and helping people.鈥
鈥淭his is my first time to ever be a Grand Marshal,鈥 added Presley. 鈥淢y grandfather started the 4th of July parades in Hartsville in the 鈥70s. The parade stopped for a few years but now I am the organizer of the parade.鈥
Organizing parades isn鈥檛 all that Mark does for his community. He serves as County Commissioner for District 1. He is a committee member on the Parks & Recreation Committee as well as the Public Works Committee. He has also been appointed to the Board of Zoning Appeals.
As the previous assistant manager at the Hartsville Foodland, Presley was instrumental in starting a curbside service for the grocery during the COVID pandemic. He also shopped for and delivered groceries free of charge to seniors residing in town.
He owns a photography business and enjoys taking pictures at local sports and community events. He is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatments and looks forward to feeling better and getting back to taking pictures.
Living in Hartsville for most of his life, Presley is married to his wife, Misty, who teaches ESL at the local elementary and TAP at Trousdale County High School. He has two children. Presley is the assistant store manager at Mike鈥檚 Foodland in Lebanon, Tennessee.
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