Dear Editor,
Many thanks to the parade committee of the 53rd Loyalty Day parade: Sam Gorruso, Gerry Garrow, Dick Blongy, Bruce Baccei, Mark and Jean Prouty, Bill Flory, Don Choiniere, Jim Mills, Sharon Corey, Bonnie Burke, Suzanne Houston, Shella Mills, Tony and Donna Manfredi, Ron Senecal, Marie Fallon, Howard & Hurley Cavacas, Donnaleen Farewell and Tom and Beverly Allen, for all the hours they put in since January. Without these volunteers the parade would not be as great as it is.
Oliva Boughton, thank you for a great job singing the national anthem.
The parade wasn’t as big as in the past and the crowd was down also because of the weather and people were recovering from the storm. We had around 150 vehicles and about 1,000 people in the parade.
Thanks to the VFW Post 648 Auxiliary and all their helpers for their great buffet luncheon and to all the local businesses that helped to provide DJ services, bartending, ATVs and drivers, press coverage from local newspapers, radio and T.V. stations, to the Rutland Department of Public Works for setting up the streets and for the use of the reviewing stand and to the Rutland Police Department for all they do to help us to make this a safe parade.
Thanks to all our people and businesses who donated vehicles.
A big thanks to all the units who attend these Loyalty Day parades and all the new units who joined this year. The people who attend and support the parade every year are the ones who make this Loyalty Day parade an enjoyable event.
Thanks to our judges John Socinski, Henry Socinski, John Sabataso and Glen Giles. It was a tough job to grade all the bands!
Winners of the high school band competition were: 1: Mill River Union High School; 2: Rutland Hugh School; 3: Rutland Town School.
Remember, parade is always the first Sunday in May. The 54th Loyalty Day Parade will be Sunday May 6, 2018.
Thank you,
Ron Fairbanks, VFW Loyalty Day parade chairman
