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Home My WebLink About2016-10-19-TCC-min Town Celebrations Committee Minutes of Meeting October 19, 2016 Cotton Room, Cary Hall Members present Lorain Marquis, Chair; June Baer, Suzanne Caton, Kim Coburn, Linda Dixon, Carol Flynn, Mary Hutton, Cerise Jalelian, Sondra Lucente, Rich McDonough, Julie Miller, Bill Mix, Sandy Podgorski. Members not present Glen Bassett, Dick Crogan, Karen Gaughan, Paul Jenkins, Linda Levitt, Wayne Miller, Henry Murphy, Geetha Padaki, Dave Taylor, Bob Tracey, Sam Zales. Business The Chair declared that a quorum was present. The Chair introduced new member Mary Hutton, former state employee at the Department of Revenue, and guest Ed LoTurco from the Lexington Veterans Association and LexMedia, who will be helping out with the production of the slideshow. The minutes of October 12, 2016 were approved. The next meeting is Wednesday, November 2, 2016. Veterans’ Breakfast, November 5 Rich McDonough: Confirmed Rotary’s attendance at a committee meeting before the breakfast. Suzanne Caton: has received permission to place a sandwich board advertising the breakfast in front of Cary Hall. After Hank Manz informs her of the dimensions of the sandwich board they are borrowing, Karen Gaughan will get posters printed. Sandy Podgorski: So far, she has processed 28 photos for the Veterans Slideshow with 8-10 more to be done. Sandy introduced Ed LoTurco, who described how he would convert the slides into a video, add music, and put the finished product on a flash drive and/or a DVD. LexMedia will provide the music. We will borrow Hank Manz's equipment to run the slideshow. Sondra Lucente: waiting for the shopping list of supplies to purchase for the breakfast. Linda Dixon: Gina Rada, Veterans Services Agent, has obtained 100 commemorative Vietnam medals. The Committee felt that the breakfast was the appropriate venue to award these medals and discussed some ideas but came to no firm conclusion. Veterans Day Parade and Program, November 11 Cerise Jalelian: has invited Boy Scout troops to line up at 9:30 for the 10:00 parade start. She is concerned that, with the 30-minute gap between the end of the parade and the start of the indoor ceremony, there will be attrition. June Baer: mentioned that the Visitors Center sells replicas of the original Purple Heart that George Washington awarded his troops. Could the Committee use them in some way? The group felt that, while presenting them to actual Purple Heart recipients was not appropriate, they would think of other possible uses. Linda Dixon: Responses from Vietnam veterans and other veterans are beginning to come in. The current count of veterans and family members is about 25 but that number should grow. All speakers and program elements are confirmed. Dick Michelson will lend us the actual bell from the USS Lexington CV-2 that we can ring eleven times during the moment of silence in the opening of the program. Gina Johnson and Paul Roth will install their memorial portrait walls in the lobby of Cary Hall on Wednesday, November 9 for public viewing. Two major stories will appear in the Lexington Minuteman on November 3 and there will be coverage in the Colonial Times as well. Several members offered suggestions on other publicity outlets. Bill Mix: offered to find a crewmember or descendant from the USS Lexington to ring the ship’s bell. Kim Coburn: offered to design the printed program, once the text is provided. We need to get the bunting for draping in Cary Hall from Hank Manz; Wayne Miller has the special ties for securing bunting to the railings. Sandy Podgorski: We might consider giving an honorarium to Gina Johnson and her brother Paul Roth of Operation Home Ties for their considerable logistical efforts in installing their walls of portraits. Lorain said she would look into the advisability of such a gesture. New Action Items Karen Gaughan: Get posters printed for sandwich boards; set up boards at Cary Hall and St. Brigid’s for breakfast. Bill Mix: Try to recruit someone associated with the USS Lexington to attend the Veterans Day Ceremony and ring the ship’s bell during the moment of silence. Sondra Lucente : Complete the shopping for the breakfast, once given the list of supplies Linda Dixon : Complete the script for the ceremony program in time for the November 5 dress rehearsal; send program text to Kim. Kim Coburn : Design the program for the Ceremony. Lorain Marquis: Check whether honorarium to Operation Home Ties is appropriate/permissible. Committee: Decide how to distribute Vietnam Commemorative Medals The meeting was adjourned at 8:20 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Linda Dixon, Co-Secretary Future Meetings in 2016 November 2 (Parker Room, Town Offices) November 16 (Cotton Room, Cary Hall) November 30 (Parker Room, Town Offices) December 14 (Parker Room, Town Offices)