Volunteers Needed -- Skating Pond Cleanup!
The Bolton Parks and Recreation Commission is looking for volunteers to help clear overgrowth, leaves and small saplings from in front of the stone wall at Pond Park (area in front of Emerson School). The Commission is working with the DPW to prepare the basin for skating during the 2009-2010 winter season and would like to improve the aesthetics of the area before the basin is flooded at the end of the month.
The Commission plans to meet at the park on Saturday, November 14 from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Please bring work gloves, large and small clippers, rakes and of course your inner hardy-Yankee!
Holy Haunted Happenings!
On Saturday, October 31 the Bolton Parks and Recreation Commission hosted its Haunted Happenings which included a Parade down Main Street and a Halloween party at Florence Sawyer. Using last year’s event as a guide, the Commission thought even if the event quadrupled in size, we’d expect in the ballpark of 75-150 kids. Boy, were we wrong. The Bolton community came out in full force with a parade and party bringing in more than 300 kids! And, we were thrilled … absolutely thrilled. Standing in front of Florence Sawyer we watched the parade of festively-costumed kids parade over the hill and file into the school cafeteria. It was an awesome and amazing site to see everything from space heroes to Disney princesses march down Main Street.
The Commission apologizes to those kids who didn’t get the chance to fill their trick-or-treat bags with goodies, but we appreciate everyone’s good-heartedness and understanding. We just never thought you were ALL coming, but we are so happy you did! You better believe next year, we will be ready for you … for all of you!
So, the point of this letter to the editor is to thank you, to thank all of you. To thank you for coming, to thank you for dressing up, to thank you for being so great, to thank you for loving fun … bottom line, to thank you for being Bolton.
Now, to even more thank yous. Most of you know, an event like this doesn’t happen easily. A lot of people did a lot of work to make this parade a success and I’d like to thank them all.
Bolton Police Department
Working with Chief Alfano was no work at all. It is clear that he is a big proponent of community events and will do everything in his power to ensure that he and his staff provide the support needed to allow the community the opportunity to celebrate together. Chief made the closing of Main Street effortless for the Commission and worked with us during the weeks leading to the event to ensure the event was fun and more importantly, safe. The day of the event, Chief and his staff were amazingly supportive and helped guide the commission to ensure the parade started promptly and effectively. Chief even stepped in to help us carry our speakers from the parade truck into the party!
Bolton Fire Department
Chief Stephenson made getting the fire trucks reserved for the parade so easy that it was almost not even a “to do” in the giant “to do” list. It basically went like this, “Can we get a fire truck for the parade?” To which Chief replied, “Yes.” Chief made it just that easy and we had fire trucks and a group of firemen who were more helpful, involved and wonderful than anyone could have ever hoped or expected. Thank you to all of you, you made the whole parade go so well.
Don Lowe, Town Administrator
In true Halloween spirit, our own Town Administrator, Don Lowe, showed up in costume as a magician, rode in the parade and attended the party to award the coveted “best of show” award. Mr. Lowe has been a great supporter of all the projects the Parks and Recreation Commission has embarked upon and is always willing to share his sage experience with the Commission to help us better serve town.
Linda Day
Linda has been an invaluable resource for the Parks and Recreation Commission, helping to guide us in the best direction to get things done the best way. Linda helped out in more ways than can be mentioned. From helping to get our notices out to the neighbors to helping figure out how to get the electricity back up and running at Pond Park – Linda always helps to get us on the right track.
Dave Goulding
Dave Goulding, or for those who know him well, “Goody,” is just that guy who will always come through and boy did he come through for us on Saturday. When the Commission talked about who should be the Master of Ceremonies, Goody was it ... no further discussion was needed. And, as always, Goody didn’t disappoint. Showing up in an ATV with a stereo set up in the back to allow us to blast our Halloween music during the parade was just the beginning. Goody also lent his great sense of humor to the event as the official Master of Ceremonies. Goody, you are the greatest and the event wouldn’t have been the same without you. And, we’d be remiss to not thank Eric Schartner, of Schartner Farms, for loaning his ATV to the event. We needed some kind of tractor for the
parade and we couldn’t locate one. Eric came through so thank you so very much Eric!
Bolton Spring Farm
When we hit the budget wall, we were short on buying the trick-or-treat bags for the kids. We asked the Stephenson’s, who own Bolton Spring Farm, if they could donate their pick-your-own bags. Without hesitation they said, “Yes.” The bags were perfect for the kids and because of the donation the kids could collect all the goodies along Trick-or-Treat Lane and they had a bag to use for their trick-or-treating later that night.
Trick-or-Treat Lane Volunteers
We wanted our kids to earn their candy this year and have a lot of fun in the process! Rather than just have a bucket at the end of the parade, we created a Trick-or-Treat Lane and we are so thankful to the generous volunteers who helped make it happen. Along the route, with buckets of candy or favors in hand, were the following local groups or businesses:
· Bolton EMS
· Bolton Lions Club
· Friends of Bolton Fair
· Bolton Library
· Members of the NRHS drama club
· Sandra Naroin of Keller Williams Realty
· Great Brook Farms
· Per Chance Children’s Clothing Boutique
· 7th Graders: Rebecca Worden, Jackie Manyak and Natalie Lindsay.
· Individual Volunteers from Bolton
Home-baked Goody Bakers
The Commission asked parents if they would be willing to bake goodies for the event and the response was overwhelming. We wanted to offer revelers something more than just a munchkin donut and through the support of the community we did. From skeleton cookies to candy corn cookies, the snacks were as festive as they were tasty. A special thank you to all the Halloween Bakers.
The Judges and Ribbon Designers
The Commission wanted to do something special for the ribbons for best costumes. Luckily we had four very determined and creative 7th graders step up to the challenge. These kids included: Kassie Sidopoulos, Sophia Duros and Hannah and Mary Mackie. Not only did they expend the time to design and create 13 (how appropriate) awards, they also agreed to be the judges for the contest. And, it was no easy task to evaluate 300 or so costumed kids and determine the 13 best to receive ribbons. These kids deserved their own ribbon and as such, we thank them very much!
Florence Sawyer Faculty
The Commission wanted a lot of decorations for the event, but what was even more important was to have as many local kids involved as possible. Thanks to Mrs. Barry who organized an effort by all the first grade teachers to have their kids create Halloween art projects for the party. Crepe paper is great, but having chalk drawings of witches and haunted house pictures created by local kids made the décor personal and important.
Decorators and Clean Up!
Decorating the gym was no small feat. Thanks to the help of Cathy Romeo who showed up Friday night with her four girls in tow ready to help. We had more than 40 balloons to blow up and although many may not see that as a challenge for Joyce, Susan and me, the help was definitely welcome. Cathy helped blow up balloons, string streamers and anything in between. The kids all joined in too and helped get the cafeteria looking like a crepe paper haven! Thank you to the patient and hardworking kids: Kaelyn, Nora, Fiona and Declan Greene; Kristina Sidopoulos; Gracie, Ellie, Charlotte and Lucy Romeo and John Regan.
The decorating continued the afternoon leading into the parade and thanks to our 6th grade helpers Kristina Sidopoulos, Allyson Conlin, Sydney Caputo, Catie Wildman, we were able to blow up 240 helium balloons, string them and hang them along the entire parade route. These kids put a lot of miles on their Keds, that’s for sure!
And to the kids who helped run all the games at the party and were our official go-to-people: Rebecca Worden, Jackie Manyak and Natalie Lindsay.
Also, a very special thank you to Michelle Grann-Super whose name says it all. From the baked goods table to the clean up and everything in between, Michelle was there to help.
And, although it may be a thankless job at times, it’s not this time around. The Commission would like to extend a very big and sincere thank you to John Guillemette, the custodian on staff on Saturday during the Halloween Party. During the cleanup, Guillemette worked side by side with the volunteers to help get the cafeteria back in order. Guillemette also shared supportive comments on the event, of which the Commission is very appreciative.
The Emerson Circle Decorators
The Commission saw the Emerson circle as an important part of the parade route, but who would decorate it? Enter Valerie Keenan with her kids Emmalie and Fallon and Lauren Wesolowski. This team of die hard Halloween decorators circled the tree in corn stalks, spider webs and ghoulish ghosts sweeping down from the old maple’s boughs. The décor was perfect and made the parade route even more spooky and fun!
Main Street Neighbors
The Commission sent advanced notice to the neighbors of the parade route informing them of the event, but more importantly, encouraging them to get involved. Several neighbors who were in town for the event did just that! From dressing up in fun costumes, to giving out candy in the Trick-or-Treat Lane, it was just so great to see everyone involved.
Jim Boodry
The Parks and Recreation Commission was dead set on getting power down at Pond Park, but we were tight on time and budget. Jim Boodry, an electrician out of Clinton, Mass., worked with us to get the power installed so we could light our new Holiday Tree in time for the parade. Our greatest expectation was to have it powered by Oct. 31, but Boodry had the electrical all wired three weeks prior to the event!
Holly Camero, editor in chief, Bolton Common
OK, so maybe it’s a little unorthodox to thank the editor in the letter to the editor, but we are going to do it anyway! We knew the event we planned this year was going to be night and day from what had taken place last year. We needed to get that word out so people wouldn’t pass it over. Holly worked with us to help communicate to people that this year would be different, very different. The Commission appreciates the publicity greatly and the help to recruit such great volunteers for the event.
Last, and absolutely, not least …
Although they are on Parks and Recreation and, as they said “it is our duty to do this,” and, “Seeing the kids have fun is thanks enough,” I still need to thank Joyce Sidopoulos and Susan Greene for their absolute dedication to this event and the staggering amount of time, thought and commitment they put toward the Halloween Parade and Party. I can say with the utmost certainty that this event would have never taken place without the steadfast efforts by these two commission members. They are “get-it-down” people and the type of people the Town of Bolton will only prove to benefit from by having them on the Parks and Recreation Commission. It was, at a minimum, a pleasure to work with you both on this event.
I hope I remembered to name everyone who helped along the way, but if I forgot to mention anyone, please know we thank you too!
We hope you had a happy, happy, happy and happy Halloween and look forward to seeing you next year! If you have any comments on how the event can be improved on for next year, please email: parks@townofbolton.com.
Best,
Karen Regan, chairperson
Bolton Parks and Recreation Commission
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