HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-01-07-TCC-minTOWN CELEBRATIONS COMMITTEE
MINUTES (virtual)
January 7, 2026
Full Committee Members Present: 9
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
Vacancy: Ix
ABSENT
Subcommittee Members Present: 7
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 ABSENT
Bill Kelm ABSENT
Bonnie Karshbaum (sub)
Brianna Bennett-Karshbaum
Vacancy: 5x
LIASONS:
Karen Tyler, Veterans Liaison ABSENT
Douglas Lucente, liaison to the Select Board ABSENT
GUESTS:
Yifang Gong, past member
Christine Lin, representative of MLK Day
Sara Sheikh
7:02 PM: Per the Meeting Agenda. Dave called the meeting to order and
Sudha recited the Zoom introduction. Dave welcomed everyone,
established a quorum and pulled up the Minutes of December 17, 2025.
The motion to approve was seconded. The motion was unanimously
approved. Dave instructed Lorain to send the minutes to Sudha to send
to the town.
Meeting Summary
Quick recap
The Town Celebrations Committee meeting covered updates from
various groups including MLK Day of Service representatives and the
Town Human Rights Commission, followed by a review and approval of
previous meeting minutes. The committee discussed parade planning for
Patriot's Day 2026, including budget considerations and event logistics,
while also addressing plans for Tower Park reenactments and security
needs. The conversation ended with discussions about MLK Day of
Service events and their connection to other community initiatives,
including the Arch lighting event and Memorial Day leadership
coordination.
Welcome and Volunteer Acknowledgments
The meeting began with introductions and welcome of guests: Christine
Lin and Sara Sheikh, who shared their interest in MLK Day of Service
planning. The Committee thanked Sondra for hosting a successful
Holiday Party
Patriot's Day 2026 Planning Meeting
The main focus was on planning for Patriot's Day 2026, where an event
planner proposal was discussed, requesting up to $50,000 in funding.
Cerise reported on parade planning, noting 46 applications received with
a $72,000 total funding request. The committee discussed parade budget
constraints and responsibilities, with Ashley inquiring about the parade's
financial status. The conversation ended with a discussion about the
Dance In's role in the parade, with Thelma Goldberg seeking to return to
their traditional pre -parade performance.
Parade and Reenactment Planning
The group discussed plans for an upcoming parade and related events,
including a Tower Park reenactment and a morning battle reenactment.
Cerise suggested starting the parade earlier at 1:30 PM to better
coordinate with Tower Park activities. The group agreed to use ticketing
instead credentials for the reenactment, with Celebrations handling gate
management and the Friends and Family section. Jamie and Bonnie
discussed security needs for Tower Park, with Bonnie offering to help
manage crowd control in a golf cart. The group also addressed the need
for additional volunteers at the staging area, which would begin 30
minutes earlier than usual.
Patriots Day 2026 Planning Updates
The group discussed plans for Patriots Day 2026, including sponsorship
efforts led by Lorain, who reported that forms, letters, and mailing lists
have been approved and work is underway with Lexington Graphics for
printing. David announced that the parade theme will be "America 250,"
and Ashley agreed to spread the word through social media and the
Lexington Times about accepting applications for parade participation
and sponsorships. The team also needs to update the website with
awards information and finalize details for Patriots' Day weekend, with
Cerise planning to recruit ambassadors and discuss the Grand Marshal
selection in a future working group.
MLK Day of Service Events
Sara, chair of the MLK Day of Service, outlined the week's events,
including a movie screening, storytelling night, panel on voting rights,
dance performance, and a community conversation on race, with the
goal of engaging diverse community members and raising funds for
HBCU tours. Lorain requested a written list of events, which Sara
confirmed is available on their website. Christina emphasized the
importance of educating the community about Black history and
encouraged participation in the events. Sudha expressed interest in
coordinating Memorial Day leadership, with plans to meet with Linda
for further guidance.
Respectfully submitted on January 21, 2026
Lorain Marquis, Secretary for this meeting and
Ad Hoc in December, 2025, and January & February 2026