Plans are underway for this year's Labor Day Parade.

The 57th annual event will step off at 10 am Monday, September 3. "Serving The Community" is this year's theme, and Bagel Delight owner Eunice Laverty has been named as this year's Grand Marshal.

Ms Laverty has been the proprietor of the Church Hill Road bagel shop for 22 years. She launched that career after retiring as a full-time social worker.

Generations of residents and visitors have visited Bagel Delight (formerly Bagelman) for its dense bagels and myriad toppings, and all have been greeted by Ms Laverty and her ever-present smile.

Countless groups have benefitted from her generosity, receiving large donations of fresh bagels and cream cheese to feed participants in various events.The Newtown Bee on June 27. "The deadline for participant applications is August 10. The sooner we receive applications, the sooner we can start building our lineup."https://newtownctlabordayparade.org/ Line-up/participation questions can be directed to Ms Kopcik and Ms Roland at 475-444-3126 or participate@newtownctlabordayparade.org.

Her business is a regular stopping point and safe haven for dozens of students heading into or out from school during the academic year.

Saturday morning errands and weekend worship services often also seem to be planned around a stop in to see Ms Laverty, who opens the shop every morning and more often than not, is also the one to close its doors each evening. She is always smiling. She greets most people who visit her shop by name and asks how they and their family and/or friends are doing.

For those reasons and more, the Labor Day Parade Committee selected Ms Laverty to be its Grand Marshal this year.

The parade route will again begin at the corner of Main Street and Currituck Road. Marchers will travel south along Main Street, turn left onto Glover Avenue, and then bear left onto Queen Street. The route will follow Queen Street to its conclusion at the intersection with Church Hill Road.

Reviewing stands will be set up on Main Street at the flagpole and on Queen Street in front of Bank of America. The Judges Stand will be adjacent to the Queen Street Reviewing Stand.

Applications for those who would like to march in September are available. Melissa Kopcik and Meredith Roland are again serving as the line of march coordinators for the second year.

"Meredith and I would like to remind participants to get their applications in as soon as possible," Ms Kopcik told

Line-up that Monday morning will begin at 8 am. Organizers will provide additional details, including where each group, club, school, et al, should line up, closer to the date of the parade.

Applications are available at the parade website.

According to Ms Kopcik, it costs approximately $30,000 to put on the Newtown Labor Day Parade.

"We are working hard to reach that goal," she said. "We are incredibly thankful for those who have supported this long-running community event thus far and thank those in advance for your consideration in sponsoring."

Among those who had signed on to offer financial support for the parade as of June 28 were Newtown Savings Bank, as Presenting Sponsor; Teamsters Local 1150 and Ingersoll Auto of Danbury, both as Platinum Sponsors; Caraluzzi's Market, Leahy's Fuel, Newtown Veterinary Specialists, and Norcom CT, all as Event Sponsors; Newtown Pools as a Parade Route Sponsor; and Brautigam Land Surveyors, Beth Caldwell, Curtis Packaging, My Place Restaurant, Newtown Junk Removal, and Newtown Woman's Club, all as Sunshine Sponsors.

Details on the different sponsorship levels are available online.

Residents are also invited to send donations of any level to the parade committee.

In addition, Ms Kopcik said, "the committee is always looking for new members and 'day of' support."

Anyone interested in volunteering can contact Ms Kopcik through the phone number and e-mail address mentioned earlier.