Selma resident Seymour Cohn was given the honor of leading one the city’s highly anticipated Christmas celebrations.

The Selma City Council has selected Cohn to lead the upcoming Selma-Dallas County Christmas Parade as the grand marshal. The annual parade, which starts at 10 a.m., will begin at the corner of Washington Street and Water Avenue.

“I think he’s absolutely perfect to be the grand marshal of the parade, because our Christmas parade celebrates our town,” Becky Nichols, the director of the Selma-Dallas County Public Library, said. “I don’t know of any person that has celebrated our town, through his very long life, like Seymour.”

Cohn, who was named the Selma’s Rotary Citizen of the  Year in 2005, has dedicated a part of his life to bettering the community.

You can find Cohn behind the front desk of the Selma-Dallas County Public Library every week. He has been volunteering there for more than 22 years.

“Seymour has been a real leader in volunteering here,” Nichols said. “He’s been so quick to participate.”

In past years, Cohn has also volunteered with the Vaughn Regional Medical Center and the Meals on Wheels program by delivering meals to the Selma Area Food Bank every week.

He also helped run the Eagles family department store business located in the Dallas County area.

His work with the community has earned him recognition from various local organizations including the Selma Kiwanis Club, Rotary Man of the Year, Selma Exchange Club, Salvation Army Recognition, Chairman United Appeal for one year, and the State of Alabama Senior Citizen Volunteer of the Year.

“He’s invested himself, his life, and his family into this town,” Nichols said. “He’s a perfect example of someone that ought to lead a parade.”