HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-10-21-TCC-min
Minutes
Town Celebrations Committee
October 21, 2015
Cafe, 201 Bedford Street
Members present
Lorain Marquis and Rich McDonough, Co-Chairs; Diana Bishop, Suzanne Caton, Kim Coburn, Linda Dixon,
Carol Flynn, Karen Gaughan, Cerise Jalelian, Julie Miller, Wayne Miller, Bill Mix, Henry Murphy, Sandy
Podgorski, Bob Tracey
Members not present
Paul Jenkins, Melanie Lin, Linda Levitt, Sondra Lucente, Geetha Padaki, Dave Taylor, Sam Zales.
Business
Declaring that a quorum was present, Lorain introduced new member Diana Bishop, recently retired
from a career as a consultant in health care analytics.
Gina Rada, Veterans Services Director for Lexington/Bedford, and Glen Bassett, retired Marine and
prospective committee member, attended as guests.
The minutes of October 7, 2015 were approved with minor corrections.
Discussion of Expanded Program for Wreath-Laying at Memorials
Sandy and Linda have prepared a script to describe the memorial trees and plaques on the Battle Green
honoring 8 Lexingtonians who perished in World War I. To help locate these memorials, the committee
will place a flag at each tree. After the wreath laying ceremony at the Obelisk, the Narrator will read
the script about the WWI memorials. There will be no wreath laying, but there will be the standard
volley and Taps and Echo. Gina will obtain the flags and coordinate their placement with Sandy.
The Korean and Vietnam wars will now be commemorated in two separate ceremonies, even though
they are memorialized on the same stone. Each ceremony will consist of a description by the Narrator; a
wreath laying; a volley by the Minutemen; and Taps and Echo.
Veterans’ Breakfast, Saturday, October 31, 2015, Keilty Hall
Dick Crogan will handle the arrangements for an appropriate POW/MIA setup.
Ticket sales:
Gina Rada reported sales of 106 tickets as follows: Community Center, 50; Bedford COA,
20; Michelson’s, 20, Lexington Minutemen, 16. Committee members and invited guests will total
another 30. A feature story about the breakfast in tomorrow’s edition (October 22) of the Minuteman
should help to sell a few more. Lorain must give Neillio’s a head count by Tuesday, October 27.
Dick Crogan will bring a boom box for the playing of service songs.
Gina will send Cerise all names gathered so far from ticket purchases and Cerise will update the
database she prepared from last year’s attendance.
Door prizes
: Sandy reported that there are now 25 door prizes in hand.
Table decorations
: Bob Tracey has met with Wagon Wheel and they have agreed to supply, on a loan
basis, pumpkin-themed centerpieces for the tables. There will be no charge as long as we return the
materials promptly after the breakfast.
Table setup
: Julie will find out whether the tables will be already set up on Friday October 30 when we
arrive for setup, and whether we can leave the tables in place at the conclusion of the breakfast.
Veterans’ Day Parade, Wednesday, November 11, 2015
There will be a walk-through of the parad e and wreath-laying ceremonies on Thursday, November 5,
2015 at 10:00 a.m. (rain date Friday, November 6). Everyone will gather at the Police Station.
Glen Bassett will serve as Narrator for the Parade and Rich McDonough will be the Master of
Ceremonies for the indoor ceremony.
Bob Tracey will order the wreaths (we need one extra to cover the separate Korea/Vietnam ceremonies).
Cary Hall has been confirmed as the venue.
Kim will check with the Lexington High School Band to insure that they will handle logistics of stage
setup and stage seating arrangements.
Sandy will contact Wilson Farms to request a donation of carnations as gifts to veterans.
Participation by a Hanscom unit:
A Girl Scout Troop at Hanscom Air Force Base has asked to participate
in the Parade. The Committee approved issuing an invitation, not only to the Girl Scouts, but to the Boy
Scouts as well. Carol Flynn will be the liaison up to parade day with Cerise taking over thereafter.
The Committee felt that two other groups who asked to participate were more suited to the Patriots Day
parade.
Dance Around the World, Saturday, October 24, 2015
Kim Coburn reported that plans for this multicultural event have come together very well, with 13
dance groups participating. There will be a major story in the October 22 issue of the Lexington
Minuteman
. The event opens at 5:30 with the sale of various ethnic foods. Dancing begins at 5:45 and
continues at 9:30. Volunteers are welcome to help decorate the gym from 3:00 to 5:00, and to stay and
help clean up at 9:30.
New Business
Sam Zales is seeking more funding for his Martin Luther King Day program. He will be asked to
submit a proposal.
Lorain is beginning to prepare for the Patriots Day Parade. In addition to posting a general application
to the committee website, she will send an invitation to all participants from last year’s parade.
The meeting adjourned at 8:20 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Linda Dixon, Co-Secretary
Future Meetings:
2015
November 4, November 18; December 2; December 16
2016
January 6; January 20; February 3; February 17; March 2; March 9; March 16; March 23; March 30; April 6; April
13; April 27; May 11; May 25; June 8; June 22.