Don't Make Volunteers Pay To Participate In The Parade
Donât Make Volunteers Pay
To Participate In The Parade
To The Editor:
I struggled with whether or not to write this letter. As someone who has been involved in town, I am most appreciative of the service of all our volunteers.
The Labor Day Parade is an incredible part of our town; an event that holds a place in our hearts, has an incredible history, and is a product of donations and hours of work.
Our volunteer fire departments are also an incredible part of our town. The savings our volunteer departments provide and the hours they put in to keep us safe are rarely recognized.
What better place than our hometown parade to recognize all these men and women do for our town! Sadly, our parade committee asked them to pay for that recognition.
I have corresponded with the parade committee on this issue. While I appreciate their response, I still disagree with this message, and think it is important to share it with Newtowners who likely are unaware.
After hearing what was going on from several Sandy Hook firefighters, I contacted the parade committee. I heard mixed answers: that the Sandy Hook Fire Department is being asked to pay for a specific band because they are too costly, or that Sandy Hook has âtoo manyâ trucks so they need to pay, or that the parade is simply too long. Of the five fire departments, Sandy Hook covers the largest area of land and the most homes ... because of their larger district they have raised money to buy more trucks to better serve our community. Why not let them show their fellow citizens where their hard-earned fundraising money has gone ... trucks and equipment that, in the moments when itâs most needed, protect people and save lives!
The parade committee tells me a few years ago they were mandated to shorten the parade. By who? And the fire departments paying for their trucks doesnât shorten the parade.
Not only do our fire departments spend countless hours protecting us, they spend hours training, maintaining their facilities, and raising funds to do all this. Asking them to pay to have their trucks in the parade is a disrespectful slap in the face to the men and women who give so much to our town. They shouldnât have to pay to show their trucks to their own town: the very people they protected after the hurricane, snow storm, and countless other times.
I understand funds are limited and some people want the parade to be shorter, but it is the one day our whole town comes together, and our volunteers deserve to be recognized for their service, trucks and all. I hope that next year the fire department awarded by this yearâs judges as the âBest Fire Departmentâ doesnât have to pay to participate. No other volunteer organization should be asked to pay either. Hopefully over the next year the parade committee can find a way to raise funds for the spectacular event we all love without making this request of our townâs incredible volunteers.
Sincerely,
Sarah Hemingway
10 Overlook Knoll, Sandy Hook                      September 5, 2012