HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-09-14-TCC-min
Minutes
Town Celebrations Committee
September 14, 2016
Parker Room, Lexington Town Offices
Members present
Linda Dixon, acting chair, Bob Tracey, Henry Murphy, Wayne Miller, Rich McDonough, Sandy Podgorski,
Dick Crogan, Julie Miller, Karen Gaughan, Kim Coburn, Glen Bassett, Suzanne Caton
Members not present
Paul Jenkins, Sondra Lucente, Bill Mix, Geetha Padaki, Dave Taylor, Sam Zales, Cerise Jalelian, Lorain
Marquis (chair), Carol Flynn, Linda Levitt, June Baer, Gina Rada (Veterans liaison).
Business
The Chair declared that a quorum was present.
The minutes of June 8, 2016 were approved.
Linda introduced a new subcommittee member, Glen Bassett.
The Committee discussed issues related to the Veterans’ Breakfast and Veterans’ Day program, which have
been approved by the Board of Selectmen:
Veterans’ Breakfast, November 5,
Breakfast will be held in Keilty Hall at Saint Brigid’s, as in past years.
Set up will be on Friday, 11/4, at 3 pm.
Sandy Podgorski reported that a draft of the flyer advertising the breakfast is complete. She distributed
the draft for comments by the committee.
Dick Crogan has started soliciting contributions of door prizes. Eight door prizes have already been
contributed.
The procedure for awarding and distributing door prizes will be changed this year; procedure is still
under discussion.
Dave Tabling will be at the breakfast again this year to take photos of the veterans. Linda Dixon has
asked him to take some impromptu photos of the breakfast that can be used for advertising next year.
The committee hopes to provide a video/slide show of Lexington veterans during the breakfast. Linda
Dixon reported that articles have been submitted to the Colonial Times magazine (and will be submitted
to the Lexington Minuteman paper when appropriate) talking about the slide show and asking veterans
to submit their photos for the video.
A web page has been set up on the town web site for Veterans’ Day:
Lexingtonma.gov/veteransday. This page contains a link to a registration form that veterans are asked
to complete for personal invitations to the November 11 ceremony. Another link allows veterans to
send in photographs for the breakfast slide show.
Committee would like to use sandwich boards to advertise the breakfast.
Suzanne volunteered to look into prices for boards.
o
Karen Gaughan volunteered to call Minuteman Tech to ask about getting students at the school
o
to make some boards for the Committee.
Bob Tracey will talk with Wagon Wheel about getting a fruit basket donated as a door prize and also
getting a loan of some small plants to use as table centerpieces.
Bob T and Wayne will pick up the Service flags from the Community Center and deliver them to Keilty
Hall on Friday, 11/4, for the set up.
Kim Coburn will talk with Hank Manz about getting the bunting usually used to decorate the Hall. Kim
also volunteered to purchase the orange juice for the breakfast (4 gallons).
Linda Dixon announced that a speaker for the breakfast has been arranged.
Gina Rada is in charge of printing the tickets for the breakfast. Michelsons has offered to be the place
to buy tickets in Lexington Center. Tickets will also be available from Gina at the Community Center.
Rich McDonough will be the committee liaison with the Rotary Club. Rich will invite Susan Carabbio,
president of the Rotary Club, to attend one of the TCC meetings before the breakfast, so the committee
can share the breakfast plans and program with Rotary, who will be serving the food.
Linda Dixon will talk with Lorain about invitations to the breakfast.
Kim will check if the High School has a recording of the band playing the Service Songs.
Glen Bassett will work with Dick Crogan on providing music for the breakfast.
After discussing the cost of hiring the William Diamond Fife and Drum Corps to perform at the
breakfast or the Veterans’ Day program, the committee agreed to forego their participation this year.
Kim volunteered to speak with one of the managers of the Corps about donating their services to future
programs.
The Lexington Minutemen will be invited to post the Colors at the Breakfast and the Lexington Police
Honor Guard will be invited to post the Colors at the Veterans Day Ceremony.
Kim mentioned to be sure and add cans of sterno to our shopping list.
Veterans’ Day Parade and Program, November 11
Linda informed the committee of the planned changes to the parade and program:
No wreaths will be laid at any memorials in town, so the parade will be shorter.
o
The indoor program will be lengthened to one hour- plus.
o
th
Since this is the 50 anniversary of the Vietnam War, a section of the program will be devoted to
commemorating it.
Lexington has been designated a Purple Heart Community so another section of the program will be
devoted to honoring Lexington’s Purple Heart recipients.
The committee is making special efforts to reach out to Vietnam vets and Purple Heart recipients so
they can be personally invited to the program.
Kim volunteered to design a special invitation to be sent to veterans to attend the Veterans’ Day
program. These invitations will be sent only to the veterans who have registered with the committee,
either via hardcopy form or online at the Veterans’ Day web page.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Suzanne Caton, Co-Secretary
Future Meetings in 2016
September 21, October 12, October 19, November 2, November 16, November 30, December 14