A Carbon County official who is prominent in the Jim Thorpe community has been selected to serve as grand marshal of the 21st Annual Jim Thorpe Halloween Parade, which will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday.

Ronald J. Sheehan, the current county treasurer now in his 14th year, will have the honor of leading the parade, which is now in its fifth year of management and coordination by the Jim Thorpe Lions Club, sponsor of the event since 2011.The parade will begin at the Jim Thorpe Area High School, turn left onto Center Street and proceed three blocks to Ninth Street. At that point, the route will turn right onto Ninth Street and go one block to North Street (Route 903), where it will make a left turn. The line of march will travel down North Street to Fifth Street, turn left onto Fifth Street and proceed to Center Street, where it will turn right and proceed to Second Street, where it will disband.After the parade, buses will shuttle parade participants back to Memorial Park, where there will be awards and refreshments for all of the parade participants.Donations to help defray the costs of the parade will be accepted by the Lions Club along the parade route.Anyone interested in participating or donating can contact Jim Trainer, 570-325-4104.About the grand marshalSheehan, 50, is a lifetime resident of the county-seat community, having graduated from its high school in 1983.He spent nine years in the banking industry before taking a position in the county Controller's Office in 1992, leaving there upon being elected county treasurer in 2001.Previously, he served years on the Jim Thorpe Borough Council; was secretary of the Memorial Park Commission and the Planning and Civil Service commissions, both in Jim Thorpe; and is the current secretary of the Jim Thorpe Area Sports Hall of Fame.An integral part of the Carbon County Ancient Order of Hibernians, he is a charter member and its first treasurer, and is a founder of the St. Patrick's Day Parade, having served as its grand marshal in 2007 and being named Hibernian of the Year in 2004.Sheehan is president of the Evergreen Cemetery board of directors; vice chairman of the board of directors of the Jim Thorpe National Bank; and executive director of the Asa Packer Mansion, a post he has held since 1996.The grand marshal is a 28-year member of the Jim Thorpe Lions Club, a past treasurer of the Mauch Chunk Historical Society, past president and treasurer of the Jim Thorpe Rotary Club, and co-chaired the Community Nurse Program and the World War I and World War II Monuments Restoration Committees.Decorating contestThe Lions Club will also sponsor a "Halloween House-Decorating Contest" in conjunction with the parade. Gift card prizes will be awarded to homeowners whose properties are judged the best in three categories - Best Theme, Scariest and Most Original.Property owners planning to participate must register to be considered for prizes. Registration for the home-decorating contest will be accepted until Wednesday.To register, visit

Halloween.jimthorpenews.com or call Jim Trainer at 570-325-4104. They will be asked to provide their name, address, telephone number and whether or not they plan to use lights in their decorating.Judging will take place on Thursday until 7 p.m. Winners will be notified by telephone on Friday.