Rockville Centre Letters to the Editor

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Thanks to RVC for another successful parade

To the Editor: 

The Rockville Centre St. Patrick’s Parade turned 20 last Saturday, and this year’s parade was the biggest and best yet.

We started the day with a beautiful and moving Mass in the newly renovated St. Agnes Cathedral. Then, promptly at noon, the parade’s 20th grand marshal, Michael O’Reilly, proudly led more than 130 marching units up Maple Avenue, which was beautifully lined with American and Irish flags. The crowds were huge and at some points three deep. It appeared that smiling children outnumbered adults three to one.

To accomplish an event of this scope takes organization, participation and synergy of many people, both in the community and within the parade organization. We would especially like to thank the Village of Rockville Centre, village officials, the Police Department, the Fire Department and the Department of Public Works. Their commitment to the parade is crucial, and we could not have done it without their expertise, planning and operational support. 

We would also like to thank all of the parade’s sponsors — their funding helps us raise as much money as possible and impacts our charities year after year.

Rockville Centre is an amazing town with a heart that reaches out to many, and on behalf of the entire 2016 St. Patrick’s Parade Committee, we applaud you, the Rockville Centre community, for your outpouring of support once again! You have embraced the parade’s motto of “Caring and Sharing” and we thank you for making the 20th annual St. Patrick’s Parade a huge success for us and our 2016 charities: the Balinasloe Eagles Special Olympics Club, based in Galway Ireland; the Children’s Tumor Foundation and the Tommy Brull Foundation.

See you next year, when we turn 21 in March 2017.

Michael Cosgrove and Bonnie Dreska

2016 Rockville Centre St. Patrick’s Parade co-chairs