By: Jennifer Marino
"We're very, very excited," said Jane Dorney Husser, parade manager. This is the eighth year for the parade, which bills itself as "the parade that cares and shares." There will be some new features this year, and many familiar faces among the nearly 100 participating groups. As always, the parade will feature Irish dancers, Hibernians and Irish wolfhounds. Before the parade, there is a commemorative Mass at St. Agnes Cathedral at 9 a.m. This year, Monsignor Tom Hartman, of the God Squad, will be giving the homily.
Each year, three charities benefit from the event and the fund-raisers leading up to it. The charities come from three categories - national, Irish and Rockville Centre-focused. This year's charities are the Boomer Esiason Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Project Children and Friends of RVC 911 Memorial Foundation. Since its inception in 1997, the parade has raised over $203,000 for charity.
The national charity was founded by former N.Y. Jets quarterback Boomer Esiason after his son was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. Project Children is an American-Northern Ireland partnership that seeks to show Protestant and Catholic children they have nothing to fear from one another by arranging for Northern Irish children to spend the summer in America. The friends of RVC 911 Memorial Foundation raises money to pay the college tuition of children of Rockville Centre victims of the World Trade Center tragedy.
In addition to fund-raisers during the year, the parade itself also brings in money. For every banner in the parade, a sponsor has donated $1,000 to $10,000.
Joseph K. Collins was named this year's grand marshal. He is president and founder of Collins Building Services Inc. of New York City. His Irish roots go back to counties Tipperary and Meath, and he has been a supporter of the parade since its inception. It seems that grand marshal genes run in his family: His grandfather Patrick J. Collins was grand marshal of the New York City parade in 1917. Collins also serves on the board of directors of non-profit organizations like Telecare and Covenant House, and is a supporter of the Mercy Home in Brooklyn and the Lifeline Award Organization. Collins will be honored at the Grand Marshal's Reception March 19, the night before the parade.
Dorney Husser said there will be several new pipe bands, including the Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh, who are coming specifically to honor Collins. Also participating are the Catholic Club Pipes and Drums from Breezy Point and the Saffron United Pipe Band from Long Island, as well as groups from New Jersey and Westchester. The St. Raymond's School band, from East Rockaway, is returning, and so is the Pilot Shop from Baldwin. The Disabled American Veterans are participating for the first time.
There will be two special marchers in the parade, brothers Timmy and Sean Ledwith from Lynbrook, Marines who served in Iraq last year. Anthony Geraci, manager of Kasey's in Rockville Centre, helped get his neighbors and childhood friends involved. "They were flattered to be asked," he said.
The only thing that's left is for Dorney Husser to hope that the luck of the Irish comes through with good weather.
