Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps has been named the 2016 Legends & Pioneers Award winners by the Labor Day Parade Committee.

Parade Committee President Beth Caldwell told The Newtown Bee this week that there were a few reasons why she and the committee decided to honor NVAC this year.

"They are our choice for that honor for a number of reasons," Ms Caldwell said August 30. "They are wonderful people, always giving of themselves, even when there are incidences during the parade."

It is not unheard of for the ambulance corps, paramedics, or any combination of the town's five volunteer fire companies to be dispatched to an emergency during the parade.

"It's also their 75th anniversary, and that's a pretty cool thing," she added.

In addition, Grand Marshal Dr Robert Grossman has long been associated with NVAC. Among other positions, the retired surgeon has served for the past ten years as its president.

"Dr Bob has been, and still is, instrumental in the corps. He's a big part of that organization," Ms Caldwell said.

NVAC has been positioned within the first escort division of the parade on Monday, well ahead of the majority of the day's marchers. Corps members will be behind the Parade Judges - this year, six members of NVAC - and will escort the grand marshal along the parade route.

"They will be up front, close to Dr Bob, because of his relationship to them," Ms Caldwell said. "Each year we try to link the judges to the parade theme, or the grand marshal."

Mike Collins, chief of NVAC, will be joined by corps members Liz Cain, Cathy Dahlmeyer, Ken Lerman, Kristin Peterson, and Steve Rambone on the grandstand.

The Legends & Pioneers Award is an honor established by the parade committee eight years ago.

"The reason for the award is that there are a lot of groups who have participated year after year, and have never been recognized with an award," Ms Caldwell explained. The first Legends & Pioneers Award, in 2008, went to The Rocking Roosters Square Dance Club of Newtown, a group of men and women that traditionally dances its way along the full length of the parade route in colorful costumes.

"They are such a great group, and really symbolic of the diversity of Newtown," Ms Caldwell said. "So the award goes to what we kind of think of as our unsung heroes, groups that are always there, always represented. This is our way of recognizing them."

Additional honors will be named for parade participants following Monday's presentation of the 55th annual Newtown Labor Day Parade.