Date: Fri 16-Jul-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

parade-firefighters-pipes

Full Text:

Practicing For The Parade

(with photo)

BY KAAREN VALENTA

The sounds of bagpipes filled the air behind Edmond Town Hall Tuesday night as

members of the Connecticut Firefighters Pipes & Drums assembled at the Hook &

Ladder firehouse to practice for their annual march in the Labor Day Parade.

The band usually doesn't meet for practice in July and August but this evening

nine members showed up, toting their pipes and drums.

"The fire company allows us to practice here on Tuesday evenings throughout

the year," corps member Tom Cassin said. "We wanted to return the favor, so we

march in the Labor Day Parade."

When it marches, the band foregoes its usual $1,000 fee. Besides the high

school band, it is the only band that doesn't charge to march in Newtown's

parade.

Formed in 1992, the Connecticut Firefighters Pipes & Drums is based in Newtown

but includes emergency service personnel -- volunteer and paid firefighters,

police officers, emergency medicial technicians -- from all over the state.

"We can't do many parades because some of the guys are paid personnel who have

to take a day off from work," Mr Cassin said. "We were formed to play at the

funerals of firefighters who died in the line of duty. That's our mission

statement. We also play at a number of funerals of firefighters who died, but

not in the line of duty, and at medal ceremonies and promotions, all without a

fee."

Charging a fee for parades helps the band cover some of its costs, Mr Cassin

said.

"We enjoy doing parades and it pays the bills," he said. "Although none of us

are paid, and we pay for our own uniforms and instruments, there are costs

like instruction, upkeep on our instruments, travel, and other miscellaneous

items."

Mr Cassin said the corps is happy to perform without a fee in Newtown, but he

isn't surprised that many bands are charging more to march in this year's

Labor Day Parade.

"One thousand dollars for a full band in a parade isn't much. It only goes to

cover expenses," he said. "Newtown has had a tremendous deal by getting bands

that charged less."

Recently members of the Newtown Summer Festival committee, which organizes the

parade each year, said that several of the most popular bands have raised

their fees from about $600 to more than $1,000.

"I just hope people understand why they donate to the Summer Festival," Tom

Cassin said. "It costs a lot of money for a band to march. There just isn't

any money in it (for the bands)."

Contributions toward the cost of staging the 1999 Labor Day Parade may be

mailed to: Newtown Summer Festival, c/o Fleet Bank, 6 Queen Street, Newtown

06470.