Human Services

Picnic in the Park

Michael Rudd, Chair
Karen Ahearn
Isabel Bailey
Lois Rudd
Meg Gaudet
Rebecca Purcell
Dot Higgins
Marion Pohl
Frank Okurowski
Ann Lang

Until a thundershower forced the curtailment of our outdoor activities, Picnic-in-the-Park enjoyed nearly three hours of food, games, hot air balloon rides, music and fun. We were fortunate to be able to move the Concord Band inside the National Guard Armory and finished the day with great American music and birthday cake.

Our volunteer organization is fortunate to have the assistance of several Town Departments in the execution of this event. We received the wonderful help of Danner DeStephano of the Concord Recreation Department and Peter Flynn and his crew from the Concord Public Works Department. Without their help, this event could never take place. We also received assistance from the Concord Light Department for the power, the Massachusetts National Guard for the use of their armory and the Concord Police Department for providing personnel for public safety,, their community van and the radar baseball toss. We received in-kind support from the following: Concord Bookshop, Country Kitchen, Crosby's Marketplace, Frank Cannon, MacRae-Tunnicliffe Funeral Home, re/max Walden Country (Balloon), the Purcell family in Memory of Peg, The Toy Shop of Concord and Trinity Episcopal Church. Finally, Sherry Cabot and Liz Berk helped organize the popular field games and Bruce Barker proved a great Master of Ceremonies

Picnic in the Park depends on generous citizens and community businesses to provide the funds needed to produce this event. We received strong support from the "Picnic Backers" and the following businesses, who generously funded the music and children's entertainment at this year's event: Cambridge Savings Bank (The Concord Band); Cambridge Trust Company, Dee Funeral Home and Cremation Service (Southern Rail); Fritz and Gigi/The Children's Shop, Harold F. Nichols Insurance Agency (Tanglewood Marionettes); Middlesex Savings Bank, Shoemaker & Jennings (Moonbounce); and td Banknorth (Southern Rail).

Anyone interested in participating as a volunteer or booth-holder in next year's Picnic-in-the-Park should drop us a note at P. O. Box 1075, Concord. The Committee would love to hear from you!

Every holiday needs a parade! These youngsters started off the Picnic in the Park festivities.

The West Concord Family Festival

Susan Hackett Hegarty, Chair
Anita Caulfield
Patricia Caulfield
Fay Erhardt
Danner DeStephano
Tracy Flanagan
Mark Garvey
Dot Higgins
Sarah Kussin
Hilary Taylor
Betsy Thiel
Joe Saia

The West Concord Family Festival was established in the early 1990's to celebrate Concord's Birthday (September 12th) and to generate funds for the renovation of two important buildings: Harvey Wheeler Community Center and the Fowler Library. It has grown in popularity and size since then, and each year there are local charities the committee agrees to support with funds raised. The Festival is always on the weekend following Labor Day. Over the years the original ham and bean dinner has transformed into a pasta bash, at which the Selectmen serve every year .This year the Pasta Bash was catered by our own local Vincenzo's Ristorante.

The Festival day starts off with a parade managed by Concord Recreation Department. Local businesses, such as Verrill Farm and Marshall Farm are often seen marching along the Commonwealth Avenue route. This year's parade marshal was Carrie Flood. She is a native of Concord and has served the Town as a lifelong volunteer including serving as a Selectman and being one of the founders of the Festival!

The Festival funds are raised through raffle ticket sales, pasta bash ticket sales, amusement rides and over a hundred donations from businesses and residents alike.

This year, the Festival gave away a total of $6,300. The following were recipients of the funds raised:

• Scholarships Taylor Maslowski and Lauren Zwicker

• Concord Recreational Day Camp

• Concord Area Preschool Scholarships

• Chamber of Commerce bulletin board at the West Concord Depot

• Meals on Wheels

• S.T.E.P. program

• Concord Police K-9 Unit

• West Concord Beautification Project to enhance the business landscape of West Concord

The Committee meets about five times and communicates by telephone and email to plan this large and important event. If you would like more information, please visit our web site.

Public Ceremonies and Celebrations Committee

Pam D'Ambrosio
Wayne Busa
Nancy Crowley
Mary Fasano
Ruth C. Lauer
James Macone
Mark Merlino

The Ceremonies and Celebrations Committee has the responsibility of organizing, coordinating and managing the celebrations sponsored by the Town of Concord. Celebrations included the Honored Citizen Ceremony, March 12; Meriam's Corner Exercise, April 8; Patriot's Day Parade, April 17; Dawn Salute, April 19; Memorial Day Ceremonies, May 29; Veteran's Day Flag Retirement, November 11. The observances are recorded in the photographs in this Annual Report.

Fritz Kussin, 2006 Honored Citizen

The Public Ceremonies and Celebrations Committee is grateful to the many who helped make the celebrations of 2006 so successful-Town officials, the staff of various Town departments, cchs Music, the vfw, the American Legion, the Minutemen, the Concord Independent Battery, Middlesex 4H Fife & Drum Corps, and all participants. Once again, many thanks to the supportive people of Concord, Massachusetts.

At a reception at the Town House on March 12, Fritz Kussin was selected as Concord Honored Citizen for 2006. Fritz received this honor for his extensive volunteer and community service for over 40 years. In the Town House Hearing Room bursting with loving family and friends, Fritz was entrusted with the safekeeping of the Boston Post Cane and the Commemorative Clock.

Honored Citizen Fritz Kussin and his wife Gigi led the Patriots Day Parde in the traditional horse and buggy.

The Meriam's Corner Commemoration gathered crowds to honor the people and the events that so significantly shaped our country 231 years ago during the British retreat from Concord, on April 19, 1775. Many Meriam family members were present and stirring music was provided by the 4-H Fife and Drum Corps and the Middlesex County Volunteers.

Patriots Day

Cmdr. Roland Wadge, Petty Officer 1st Class David Kirkland (left), and Petty Officer 2nd Class William Power (right) were honored to be a part of this annual commemoration of the event which sparked the birth of our nation. Always appreciative of our Navy personnel, the crowd along this year’s parade route cheered and applauded as the usns Concord contingent marched by.

Patriots Day was celebrated with five Divisions of musicians, Minutemen companies, color guards, and dignitaries from neighboring towns, the State, the nation, and several foreign countries with ties to Concord, led by Honored Citizen Fritz Kussin and his wife Gigi. The parade marched to the North Bridge to commemorate the engagement between the Minutemen companies and British troops with a wreath laying ceremony. The Concord Independent Battery salutes with a series of cannon volleys from the field adjacent to the Old Manse and the parade returns to Concord Center. All participants enjoy a collation at the Hunt Gym.

Cran Tara marches over the North Bridge on Patriots Day.

Dawn Salute

6AM on April 19th saw Dr. Samuel Prescott, portrayed by Curt Wells, arrive on horseback at dawn to sound the alarum that the Regulars were on the march. R. D. Sahl, portraying Colonel Barrett, received Orders from the Boston Committee for Safety to prepare Concord. The Concord Minutemen fired salutes. The Concord Independent Battery, positioned by the Old Manse, fired several volleys and the First Parish bells tolled.

Memorial Day ceremonies occurred at Kenny Dunn Square in the morning and at Monument Square in the afternoon after stops at both St. Bernard's Cemetery and Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. Wreaths were laid at the Memorials and the Roll of Honor was read.

Each year veterans, residents, Town Officials, military, and musical groups gather early on the morning of Veterans' Day to burn flags and remember the honorable sacrifices of our neighbors on our behalf.The parade assembled at the Pritchard gate of Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. The colors were raised and To The Colors was sounded. The parade moved to the base of Author's Ridge where the Pledge of Allegiance was given by local Scouts, America the Beautiful was played by the 4H Fife & Drum Corps, and the history of the ceremony was read. Firefighters aided in the respectful incineration of the flags. After dismissal, attendees enjoyed refreshments at 51 Walden, courtesy of the Friends of Performing Arts and Dunkin Donuts.

Flag Receivers Joe Fasano, Rick Wheeler, and Pakrad Giragosian helped retire worn American flags in a respectful way.