HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-03-20-TCC-min
Minutes
Town Celebrations Committee
March 20, 2013
Training Room, Room 201, Hadley Public Services Building
Members Present
Suzie Barry, Dick Crogan, Linda Dixon, Mary Gillespie, Jo-Anne Granger, Sondra Lucente, Barbara
Manfredi, Julie Miller, Wayne Miller, Bill Mix, Sandy Podgorski, Charlie Price and Bob Tracey
Members Not Present
Paul Jenkins, Henry Murphy and Dave Taylor
Visitors
Ryan Lennon, Veterans’ Services Officer
Doug Lucente, Treasurer, Lexington Lions Club
Bill Poole, Captain Commanding, Lexington Minute Men
Business
Suzie Barry convened the meeting at 6:25 pm.
Minutes of both February 27, 2013 and March 13, 2013 were approved with changes.
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Head of Littleton’s 300 Committee asked to attend our meeting to see how we
arrange a parade, types of units we include, etc.
Patriots’ Day Parade 2013
Applications Update.
Mahoney’s Garden Center is definitely interested in entering a float and will mail in
the application.
There has been no response from Wells Fargo.
Estabrook’s float questions have been answered.
Parade Ambassadors. Linda Dixon has 23 recruits. Dick Crogan canvassed most all
town businesses with recruitment flyers. For interest, Linda is asking participants to
identify the publicity source they responded to:
past ambassador
o
recruitment by an ambassador
o
LHS newsletter
o
recruitment by a Town Celebrations Committee member
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Volunteer distribution ranges from four Lexington adults and ten LHS students to nine
others that include Lexington and a few Arlington middle schoolers.
Sponsorship Update. Sponsorships are slowly coming in with three or four new ones
this year – Incite Architecture, Seasons Four and Cambridge Savings; Chase Plumbing
has expressed interest. Thought among committee members was given to rewriting the
sponsorship letter for 2014 to clarify the link between gift opportunities and banner
recognition.
Sunday Parking. Suzie met with the Interfaith Council. The Police Department will make
a plan and follow up. Grace Chapel will not have access to LHS parking lot. (Parking that
day is limited only to units boarding buses for transport to east Lexington to sign in and
parade line up.) First Baptist Church changed their service time to avoid parking issues
and parking should not be a problem for St. Brigid’s since that community has service
time flexibility.
Vehicles Update.
Harry Allen’s antique oil truck is entered.
Frank SanSeverino, Lexington dispatcher, is trying to encourage other towns to
enter their trucks in the parade.
Miscellaneous.
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Suzie will ask the 300 Committee for volunteers, especially to help with the buses.
Hopefully Brookline Bank employees can help again this year.
Bob will approach Stop & Shop for a donation of bottled water.
Navy Band North East will not participate; LL Bean Bootmobile will come; Middlesex
County Sheriff’s office is still pending.
There has been no response yet from Waltham American Legion and Tony Barrie
Bands.
LexMedia has not shared their plans yet for setup.
No update at this time regarding chief marshal.
Gold Star mothers will march and be on the reviewing stand.
Patriots’ Day, Monday, April 15, 2013
Ceremony on the Green. Announcement of award winners is planned for April 10,
2013 at Town Meeting.
US Army Update.
As a result of sequestration (introduction of automatic spending cuts), Major Ed
Matthias notified Suzie on Friday afternoon, March 15, 2013 that Secretary of
Defense Hagel cancelled all military band travel. Therefore, the four units of the Old
Guard will not be coming to Lexington.
Board of Selectmen would like the Town Celebrations Committee to fill the Old
Guard’s slot. Suzie contacted the following groups to ask about their availability:
Middlesex County Volunteers Fifes and Drums (not willing to perform on
short notice),
Colonial Williamsburg (not available)
Lexington Bicentennial Band (Jeff Leonard will contact them next week)
Norwich University could possibly do a short 10-15 minute program as well
as bring a small drill team. The group will be in touch.
Other replacement options were discussed at length including a proposal that we
have a picnic on the green, perhaps even offer buggy rides around the green area.
Some members felt that the weather would not be warm enough just yet for this
activity. Other suggestions – have a muster, invite a high school band to perform,
ask if the West Point band is available. (If West Point can come, Suzie prefers that
they march in the parade.)
Sondra Lucente heard the Original Shepherd’s Pie Dixieland Band perform in
Westford last summer and gave them a rave review. She contacted Frank Austin to
ask if the group’s schedule would accommodate a performance in Lexington. The
band is an 8-person group that offers a one-hour program. Frank was very
interested and will be in touch.
The committee would be happy if two bands (possibly Norwich University, Original
Shepherd’s Pie Dixieland Band, Bicentennial Band or the Reminisants) could fill the
Old Guard’s spot.
Suzie will ask the Fire Department if the two ladder trucks could be used to hang
the large American flag across the avenue (from the visitors’ center corner to the
library).
Media.
Linda will contact Jim Shaw to cancel the Old Guard’s performance in the
Colonial Times. A revised events’ program will be sent to Lexington Patch and
the Minuteman tomorrow. A suggestion was made to send a committee photo
to all the publications.
Committee will work on revising the flyers (cancelling out the Old Guard) at the
next meeting.
Reenactment. There is nothing new to report.
Youth Parade. Suzie will send scouts information to Sandy and Jo-Anne.
Memorial Day 2013
No report at this time.
Veterans’ Day 2013
Veterans’ Breakfast. The breakfast has been scheduled for November 2, 2013 at St.
Brigid’s. Registration will be at 8:30 am, breakfast served at 9 am. Lions and Rotary Clubs
will be invited to help the committee.
Meeting adjourned at 8:30 pm
Respectfully submitted by Sandy Podgorski