HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-11-05-TCC-min TOWN CELEBRATIONS COMMITTEE
MINUTES (virtual)
November 5, 2025
Full Committee Members Present: 11
We have 12 full members and 1 vacancies-total 13 full members
QUORUM: 7 full members
David Grabel, Co-chair
Sudha Balasuryan, Co-chair
Cerise Jalelian
Lorain Marquis
Susan Stering
Sandy Podgorski
Linda Dixon
Sondra Lucente
Mary Hutton
Geetha Padaki
E. Ashley Rooney
Honorary:Robert Tracey
Vacancy: lx
Subcommittee Members Present: 8
We have 10 members and 5 vacancies=total 15 sub-committee members
Elizabeth Elsie Xu
Simon Rubenstein
Sharon Spaulding
Pam Winters
Jamie Lee
Hong Xie ABSENT
Seema Badaya NOTETAKER
Bill Kelm NOTETAKER
Bonnie Karshbaum (sub) ABSENT
Brianna Bennett-Karshbaum ABSENT
Vacancy: 5x
LIASON: Karen Tyler, Veterans Liaison
Not in attendance:
Douglas Lucente, liaison to the Select Board
7:05 PM:per the Meeting Agenda, Sudha called the meeting to order and recited the zoom introduction
and then passed meeting to Dave Grabel. Dave welcome everyone, established a quorum and pulled up
the Minutes of 10.22.25. The motion to approve was seconded. Votes were unanimously approved. Dave
instructed Cerise to send the minutes to Sudha to send to the town.
VETERANS DAY BREAKFAST EVENT
Presenter: Lorain Marquis
Veterans Day planning sub-group is working on:
November 1, 2025 at Knights of Columbus Hall
Lorain reported on the success of the event. TCC members contributed their input and comments about
successes and room for improvements. The working sub-group will meet separately to review the details
of things which went well and room for improvements. Lorain reported on cash contributed at the event
and will provide a separate working group report. A"lessons learned" spreadsheet is available for input
by TCC members.
PATRIOTS DAY PLANNING-April 18,2026
Cerise reported that the initial stakeholders meeting was held on October 30,2025.
The next meeting is December 2, 2025. The schedule for the weekend will be finalized at the next few
meetings.We will not have a youth parade. Jamie and Simon delivered that the Minute Men will conduct
a scaled down version of Tower Park on the late morning prior to the parade which will attract crowds to
East Lex. Dave and Cerise met with Julia Flood in the town communications office to prepare the parade
applicants. We will set criteria for parade units to deal with anticipated number of applications for the
parade to cap at 90. Dave and Cerise will finalize the draft application to roll out at a date to be
determined. Inquiry was made whether an event planner can be hired to assist with the parade. Cerise and
Dave will meet to set a schedule for the working group.
ANTIQUE CAR RALLY(non-rolling) on November 11, 2025 (a� 11AM-1PM at Church of Our
Redeemer parking lot. Dave Grabel said we have 62 participants including owners of the cars with 40 cars
and 17 veterans. The parking lot will be full with 2 spots per car for viewing. Dave suggested reserving
parking for car rally and handicap access,with the overflow to park at the municipal lot. Dave asked
Sandy for a sandwich board to direct people to parking lots. Dave asked Ashley to help with
communications and to send a reminder email to veterans. Theme will be "Cars Cider and Celebration"
plus 10 dozen donuts. LHS band will be playing out front of the church; William Diamond Fife & Drum
Corp will be at the back of the parking lot and the bands will switch off and go to the back parking lot
after 30 minutes. The group discussed logistics for parking access,reception coordination and
spearheading the crowds into the church reception during the 2 hours. Linda asked TCC members to
arrive by 10:30AM to start getting organized. Linda provided an outline of a script for the ceremony
portion of the car rally event. Some TCC volunteers will appear by LOAM. Dave will provide a few
copies of the vehicles list to check in cars. Cerise will bring the racecar flags to direct traffic inside the
parking lot. The Girl Scouts will post their flags. The Lex Police Department Honor Guard will be on
site. Each TCC member offered to bring supplies which will be helpful to success of the event. Steve Cole
will pick up the donuts at Wilsons and coffee from Starbucks. Ceremonies will be held at 12:30PM.
Publicity will be posted for the social hour at 11:30-12:30 and ceremony(a� 12:30PM. Sharon Spaulding
will prepare the donation box and signs. Linda is bringing the poster to be donated to VA Hospital. Lorain
has nametags for TCC members.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS.None.
ADJOURNMENT
8:16 PM: Meeting Adjourned by unanimous vote by hand after motion by Lorain and seconded by Linda.
NEXT MEETING: December 3,2025.
No meeting on November 19, 2025.
Respectfully submitted on November 5,2025
Cerise Jalelian, Secretary Ad Hoc
September, October,November Meetings 2025