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Newtown, CT, USA
Newtown, CT, USA
Newtown, CT, USA
Newtown, CT, USA
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What A Day!

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What A Day!

To the Editor:

What a day… from start to finish this year’s 50th Anniversary Labor Day Parade was amazing!

A big thank you to Lee Glover, our First and Fiftieth Grand Marshal. Thanks for starting the parade off with style along with our striking assembly of Past Grand Marshals. To our judges, thanks for coming on board!

Many thanks to all our sponsors. We couldn’t march down Main Street without you!

A special thank you goes out this year to First Selectman Pat Llodra and her staff and Chief Michael Kehoe and the Newtown Police Department. The rescheduling brought challenges to us all. Thank you for your support, flexibility, and last-minute attention to detail.

To the Ambulance Garage — your kindness and support of our guests and committee members did not go unnoticed. Thank you for being such gracious hosts.

We couldn’t do it without Nancy Crevier and The Newtown Bee, The Newtown Highway Department, Northeast Communications, Sugar Hill Auto Service Center & Towing, Newtown Country Club, Jantris Marketing Services, and the Newtown High School Cheerleaders. Thank you Hoa Nguyen and Newtown Patch for your daily reminders and coverage. Thanks to Newtown Florist for the honoree flowers, to Lynndel and Ken of Michael’s Greenhouses for the mums and to Steve Paproski for the hay bales. Thank you Bagel Delight and Dunkin’ Donuts for the snacks and Louise of My Place for letting us borrow your parking lot. And for our last-minute help with convertibles, thank you Todd and the gang at Ingersoll Auto.

A big thank you also to all our individual donors. Your contributions are viewed as a vote of confidence from the residents of Newtown to keep the parade marching.

Hats off to The Newtown Rotary, this year’s recipient of the Legends and Pioneers Award. You played a major role in the first Labor Day Parade and you’re always there for us. A special salute to Alfred Green, World War II veteran, Purple Heart and French Chevalier recipient. You make us proud Al!

And who were those guys up in the cherry picker?! Thanks Al Potter of Newtown Arbor and John Klopfenstein for giving us a bird’s-eye view of the National Flags. Those flags bring tears to my eyes.

And how about our emcees? Mary Ann Murtha, Mike Giarratano, John Klopfenstein, and our special guest emcee Monsignor Bob Weiss. Your enthusiasm is infectious!

Special thanks to our street directors, Mike Giarratano, Jim Setz, Andy Cluff, Dan Cruson, Peter Tomasulo, Connie Widman, and Dave McCarthy. And to our bus drivers, Denise Buckley and Phyllis Page, thanks for ride!

Fried dough at the parade? You bet! Thank you Stacey Olszewski for orchestrating our first Labor Day Fair. Speaking of orchestras, many thanks to the Newtown High School Marching Nighthawks and the Band Parents. We appreciate your support and flexibility.

The parade would not go on without our committee: Brian Amey, Robin Buchanan, Steve Bigham, Dan Cruson, Tom D’Agostino, Kym Stendahl, Kelly Stendahl, and Ellie Whalen. This handful of dedicated members puts together the largest Labor Day Parade in the region, an amazing accomplishment!

And finally, thank you to all the participants and spectators for coming out for the parade this year. We appreciate your participation, support, flexibility and most especially your love of the parade. You are the heart of what makes Newtown special.

With Gratitude,

Beth Caldwell

Newtown Labor Day Parade Committee President

14 Church Hill Road, Newtown                             October 11, 2011

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