If you want to know whom to thank for Morgan Hill
’s fine, two-day Independence Day celebration, the list is long.
But the most praise should be heaped upon the heads of the
Independence Day, Inc. committee, headed this year for the first
time by Daryl Manning.
If you want to know whom to thank for Morgan Hill’s fine, two-day Independence Day celebration, the list is long. But the most praise should be heaped upon the heads of the Independence Day, Inc. committee, headed this year for the first time by Daryl Manning.
You should also thank the City Council for allowing the city to co-sponsor the affair and dozens of businesses and private folks who sent money when it was needed. But the people who rolled up their sleeves and got down to work planning two days of fun for the entire town, take notes below.
Planning Committee members will stand out because they wear special striped shirts and hats, all alike. Stop them and give them a pat on the back. We’ve been on this committee and we know what a monumental amount of work it is. Be sure to pick up an events program at The Times and BookSmart downtown and at each event.
• If you want to thank somebody for the best-ever parade – it’s been happening for at least 110 years, thank Bob and Maureen Hunt. They’ve been organizing this complicated affair for many years. With 220 entries, this is the biggest parade in the Bay Area. Go Bob and Maureen. (11:30 a.m., Sunday, July 4, downtown)
• Karen Crane earns kudos every year for rehearsing 200 schoolchildren for the Patriotic Sing. Crane also organizes the Patriotic Essay Contest and winners will read their work during the sing. She was helped by Lisa Balch and Teri Larice. (6-7 p.m. Saturday, July 3 at the Britton Gym, Keystone Avenue, off Monterey Road, just north of Main Avenue.)
• Dennis DalPoggetto organizes the Old-fashioned Street Dance into a fine old family-friendly, neighborly event, one you can bring the kids and grandpa to. It’s a non-embarassing place for dates too. Check out the food, drinks, live entertainment from The Usual Suspects and the Star Spangled Banner sung at 7 p.m. In friendly downtown from Main to Dunne avenues. DalPoggetto was helped by Steven Stratton, Brooks Carpenter and Manny Padilla. (7-10:30 p.m., Saturday, July 3)
• Early Sunday morning, runners and walkers will gear up, (some in costume) for the 5k Race/Walk starting at P.A. Walsh school. This is Charles Weston’s second year organizing the race. He’ll be helped by Kevin Kemp. (Registration starts at 6:45 a.m., race starts at 8 a.m., West Main Avenue)
• Dawn Marie Breyer is the Family Festival in the Park chair this year. The event is designed to entertain Morgan Hillites of all ages between parade end and the fireworks beginning and is always a terrific way to while away the afternoon picnicking, playing and listening to music. Rides and activities in the Kids Zone will be joined by a Diaper Derby and a Pie Eating Contest, live bands and some surprises. Be sure to check out the World War II army encampment set up near the duck pond. The kids and grandparents will love it. (12:30-7 p.m., Community Park).
• Fireworks, of course, are the biggest deal of all. $10,000 worth of spectacular pyrotechnics will begin at dark. The best views are from Community Park but the elevated part of the show can be seen from east and west hills. Tim Gall is the fireworks chair – again.
These event chairs are not alone but are supported by dozens of helpers. Bob Snow handles the entertainment, Michele Naylor and Cindy Adams the golf tournament (held the Friday before the Fourth), Rich Gamboa is vice-president and also wrangles the slick, magazine format IDI program – free around town. Be sure to pick one up.
Clean up is handled by John Tawney, logistics by John Geddes jr., and Jon Lautenschlager, marketing and PR by Jeri Waxman, sales by Monique Dubois and Santa Alvarez, volunteers by Jennifer Grifall and Debbie Tawney, fundraising by Rich Gamboa and Jeff Dixson and police liaison by Lt. Joe Sampson.
The rest of the team includes Jeff Roth as vice-president, Brigitte Heiser as secretary, Marie Haluza handling the money, security by Andy Jones and Bob Gomez, legal affairs by Steve Penn, computer support by Ava Geddes, photography by Scott Gustafson, beverages by Mark Dean and parking by Hamdey Altayyeb.
The City of Morgan Hill has co-sponsored the events for several years and provides some funds for operations plus quite a few city staffers volunteering their own time.
IDI has collected many sponsors big and small, including Cochrane Road Self Storage, Fry’s Electronics, Guglielmo Winery, Anritsu, Marie Callender’s, Nob Hill Foods and South Valley Disposal.
And we don’t want to forget the fine people at St. Catherine’s Catholic Church – past whose doors the parade marches. Because the Fourth falls on a Sunday this year both sides gave a bit and the parade will go on as always. The parade will begin later, at 11:30 a.m. and St. Catherine’s will cancel its noon Mass. Thank you Father Gene O’Donnell and the parish council.
Now it’s time to do our part. Get the family out to these events. All are free though food, beverages, T-shirts and rides are for sale and help pay for the celebration whose costs top $90,000. And feel free to stay after an event and help clean up. To volunteer, even now, contact Debbie Tawney at 782-0927 or
wr******@pa*****.net
Details about all events: www.mhidi.com/
