Bel Air Independence Day Committee Thanks Community for Support; C. Milton Wright Named Parade’s Best Harford County High School Band

From the Bel Air Independence Day Committee:

To the Editor:

On behalf of the Bel Air Independence Day Committee, Inc., I wish to thank the greater Bel Air and Harford County community for its response to this year’s parade. The weather was hot — maybe the hottest ever for a July 4, although as I recall, July 4, 1999 was pretty hot, too — and I was concerned about the effect this would have both on the parade participants, and of course on the spectators; we were also, of course, worried about the forecast of thunderstorms.

Well, as we now know, it was nothing but sunny, clear and HOT during the parade. I was amazed at the size of the crowd, considering the blazing and sweltering conditions, and I want to compliment the citizens of the Town of Bel Air and of Harford County for their behavior. The entire parade showed greater Bel Air to be the patriotic, fun and accessible family-oriented community it truly is.

Many people do not realize that the Bel Air July 4th Parade, as part of the overall Independence Day celebrations in Bel Air, is funded and run by an independent not-for-profit organization, the Bel Air Independence Day Committee, Inc., which has a vision of what the parade should be, and tries, to the best of its ability, to bring this vision to reality. Of course, the Committee relies on the contributions of individuals, businesses and municipalities — contributions of time, effort, and funds.

In these challenging economic times, it is surely significant that our Committee has received such support from our community, beginning with our premier sponsor, Harford Mutual Insurance Company. Other major sponsors were Jones Junction, our Program Sponsor; Band Sponsors Balsamo, Stewart, Lutters & Ruth, CPAs; Buontempo Brothers/Tower Restaurant; The Festival at Bel Air Shopping Center; HAR-CO Maryland Federal Credit Union; Jones Junction; Klein’s ShopRite of Maryland; Oak Contracting, Inc.; Plaza Ford; PNC Bank; SAIC; TD Bank; and Triad Mechanical Services.

Sponsoring organizations overall include the Bel Air Auxiliary Police Unit, the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company, Inc., the Town of Bel Air, and the Lions Club of Bel Air. The Committee also received contributions from dozens of individuals and businesses, as listed in our program and on our web site (http://www.belairjuly4.org).

I wish especially to thank the Town of Bel Air Commissioners and Town Administrator Christopher Schlehr; Police Chief Leo Matrangola; Deputy Chief Rick Peschek, the entire Bel Air Police Department, and Town of Bel Air Public Works personnel, led by Chuck Tracy and Mike Cornett, for their help. Joyce Oliver and Laura Stafford from the Town of Bel Air Administration helped a great deal as well, especially arranging for the use of the Bel Air Reckord Armory! Band Directors Mary Lynn Twentey of C. Milton Wright High School, Richard Hauf of Havre de Grace High School, Tony Domenico of Bel Air High School, Brendon Bickham of Edgewood High School, Lewis Blandon of Joppatowne High School, Ronald Burke of Patterson Mill High School, Craig Harvey of Fallston High School and Marc Bolden of John Carroll School also deserve high marks for turning their bands out in such great numbers and with such great spirit, in the midst of summer vacation, and on such an uncomfortably hot day!

To the many businesses, churches, clubs, individuals, organizations and groups who participated in the parade — you truly exemplify what it means to be public-spirited, patriotic and community-minded. Your floats were wonderful; the decorated floats, cars and marching units were many and colorful; your patience and spirit of fun kept shining right until the end of the parade.

I want to also thank our elected public officials for their cooperation and spirited participation.

We all send our grateful appreciation to the residents and businesses on Bond Street, Rockspring Road, Ellendale Street and Gordon Street, who kindly allowed us to marshal the parade in front and all around them on during the afternoon and evening! Particular thanks goes to Klein’s ShopRite, which gave us total use of their parking lots at their Main Street location and those of the ShopRite Gas-N-Go filling station from 4 pm until the parade was over. We also owe a great debt of gratitude to Harford Mutual Insurance Company, our Premier Sponsor, which allowed us to use its parking lots to marshal marching units and notable people, to the Bel Air Presbyterian Church, which let our beauty pageant representatives relax in air-conditioned comfort, and which provided food and drink to our parade marshals, and to the Aegis/Homestead Publishing, which allowed us to use its parking lots on West Pennsylvania Avenue for our equestrian staging.

Without all this support, we could not have held the parade.

It takes hours and hours of commitment and hard work from many volunteers to make a parade happen, and I need to send many, many thanks to our marvelous parade marshals: Matt Heidenreich, Shelley Reft, Aaron Cahall, John Cubbage, Vince Nohe, Jeff Dyer, Drew Dyer, Alex Krowzow, Clint Deriemaeker, Steve Pugh, Lindsay Leedy, Bill Smith, John McCutcheon, Dave Andrews, Lisa Williams, Jason Burkhouse, Dylan Burkhouse, Don Berk, Matt Siebold, Greg Cooper, Joseph Camello, Ron Eastridge, Jack Deal, David Williams, Anne Siebold, Beth Siebold, Janet Leedy, Mary Dean, Connie Rosser, Jeremiah Rosser and Olivia Rosser. Refreshments & Shuttles were handled by Hayden Ravert and William McCutcheon.

Mary Anne Williams did a wonderful job decorating the reviewing stand, helped out immeasurably by Charlie Walls and volunteers from the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company. Great job, guys! Communications were ably handled by Don Stewart. Thanks also to Boy Scout Troops 777 and 313, many of whose members were our marshals, and to the Fountain Green Swim Club, our parade sponsor and banner carriers.

Don Morrison did a wonderful job narrating the parade, assisted by our third-time-ever electronic parade narration communication team, which used text messaging to make sure the order of over 150 different parade units was relayed from the start point to the reviewing stand, exactly as the units deployed. The texting team included Kim Politz, Robert Duff, David Blum, Rachel Eibling and Perry Thompson.

Thanks also goes to the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company, Inc., and especially to Assistant Chief Rick Davis, and to Charlie Walls, our parade Fire Companies Marshal. Our Parade Judges (who choose to remain anonymous) did fine work evaluating and ranking the various units in categories for performance and appearance awards and prizes. The complete list of parade prizes and awards is posted on our web site and is also sent to the Aegis for publication.

My vote for the “unsung hero” award this year goes to parade marshal Jack Deal, our Equestrian Marshal, whose tact and creative ideas made the experience of our equestrian participants run smoothly and easily. We also received tremendous support from Aberdeen Proving Grounds, whose new commander, General Robert Ferrell, attended our staging and marched with his color guard in the parade!

And finally, I’d like to personally thank Don Stewart, President of the Bel Air Independence Day Committee, Inc., for his hard work, support, sensitivity, organization, dedication, flexibility and thoughtfulness. As I said above, the Committee has a vision of what the parade should be. I’ve been privileged to have been the Parade Chairman now for 20 years — but I know that without the visionary ideals of our President, Don Stewart, nothing of value would happen in Bel Air on July 4! Thanks, Don, for everything.

Sincerely,

Michael I. Blum
Vice President and Parade Chairman

4 July 2012 Results

DAYTIME EVENTS

Hamster Races — 22 total participants

1st: Lou Lou, owned by Anna Williams of Whiteford
2nd: Sam, owned by Izzy Wheeler of Perry Hall
3rd: Mr. Nibbles, owned by Brandon Ghio of Bel Air

Turtle Derby

Box Turtles — 76 total participants
1st: Turtley, entered by Tyler Lavinski of Bel Air
2nd: Crawlie, entered by Madison and Chase Thompson of Aberdeen
3rd: Bubble Bee, entered by Paris Maye of Bel Air

Other Turtles — 57 total participants
1st: Octavius, entered by Curtis Himmler of Fallston
2nd: Wolverine, entered by Stephan and Elizabeth Cullinan of Bel Air
3rd: Junior, entered by Shawn Flemming of Bel Air

Frog Jumping — 210 total participants
1st: Louie Mama, entered by Hayden and Ella Celio of Bel Air – 144 inches
2nd: Leapster, entered by Sage Thorpe of Darlington – 123 inches
3rd: Jumpy, entered by Kyle Shanton and Sam Lynch of Jarrettsville – 115 inches

Horseshoe Pitching

Women’s Singles:
1st: Vickie Smith of Darlington
2nd: Bre Smith of Darlington

Women’s Doubles:
1st: Velma Schleicher of Bel Air and Desiree Hare of Belcamp
2nd: Vicki Smith and Bre Smith of Darlington

Men’s Singles:
1st: Jeff Cooper of Delta, PA
2nd: Mark Farrington of Bel Air

Men’s Doubles:
1st: Dennis White and Dan Molino of Perry Hall
2nd: Tim Siford of Fallston and Mike Lewis of Kingsville

Bicycle Rodeo

Best Decorated — Girls: Jayda Gullion of Bel Air

Best Decorated — Boys: Norman Jones of Delta, PA

Ages 5 and under: TRAINING WHEELS
1st – Berky Barso of Bel Air
2nd – Jacob Risling of Bel Air
3rd – Garrett Kimmel of Baltimore

Ages 5 and under:
1st: Zach Tamanini of Forest Hill
2nd: Trent Wrzosek of Bel Air
3rd: Kaitlyn Calland of Street

Ages 6-8:
1st: Danny Rodier of Bel Air
2nd: Jimmy Calland of Street
3rd: Norman Jones of Delta, PA

Ages 9-10:
1st: Brett Buckman of Bel Air
2nd: Aiden Bennett of Bel Air
3rd: Michael Garland of Bel Air

Ages 11-13:
1st: Chase Donelson of Bel Air
2nd: Jake Borrows of Bel Air
3rd: Aubrey Hoover of Bel Air

Uncle Sam Says

Ages 7 and under:
1st: Morgan Hennigan from Bel Air
2nd: Maggie Donahue from Bel Air
3rd: Seth Panowitz from Bel Air

Ages 8-10:
1st: Chase Vogue from Bel Air
2nd: Jessica Sparr from Bel Air

Ages 11-13:
1st: Jessica Douglas from Whiteford
2nd: Connor Lorenz from Bel Air
3rd: Morgan Reinhardt from Whiteford

Ages 14+:
1st: Kayla Williams from Whiteford
2nd: Sharon Pindell from Bel Air
3rd: Stacey Sheetz from Bel Air

Watermelon Eating Contest

Ages 6 and under:
1st: Morgan Hannigan from Bel Air
2nd: Grace Buckleman
3rd: Will Barto from Fallson

Ages 7-10:
1st: Katie Airey from Forest Hill
2nd: Emma Sheridan from Bel Air
3rd: Kyle Roeder from Whiteford

Ages 11-16:
1st: Luke Dippel from Fallston
2nd: Sabrina Mills from Forest Hill
3rd: Megan Burton from Bel Air

Ages 17+:
1st: Aynsley Grove from Bel Air
2nd: Matt Fodel from Bel Air
3rd: Mike Borns from Forest Hill

***

PARADE RESULTS

Parade sponsors included:
• Balsamo, Stewart, Lutters & Ruth, CPAs
• Buontempo Brothers/Tower Restaurant
• Festival at Bel Air, sponsor of the Alliance Drum and Bugle Corp
• HAR-CO Maryland Federal Credit Union
• Jones Junction Auto Dealerships
• Klein’s ShopRites of Maryland
• Oak Contracting, Inc., sponsor of the Edgewood High School Band
• Plaza Ford
• PNC Bank
• Point Breeze Credit Union
• SAIC
• TD Bank
• Triad Mechanical Services

6 independent Parade Judges viewed the parade, whose theme was “Land of the Free!”, and awarded the following prizes:

FLOATS:
1st Prize: $400: BAHA’I’S OF BEL AIR
2nd Prize: $300: OAK GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH
3rd Prize: $200: HARFORD COUNTY FARM FAIR
4th Prize: $100: HEART OF DAVID WORSHIPPERS
5th Prize: $75: BEL AIR TERPS FOOTBALL
6th Prize: $50: RIPKEN BASEBALL
7th Prize: plaque: WAMD RADIO

EQUESTRIAN UNITS:
1st Prize: $100: SHINING EYE PERCHERONS
2nd Prize: $90: AMERICA IN MINIATURE
3rd Prize: $80: UNCLE MILTIE’S MINIS
4th Prize: PLAQUE: KLINE FAMILY CARRIAGE

ANTIQUE VEHICLES (plaques):
1st Prize: SMITH FAMILY ANTIQUE VEHICLES & TRACTORS
2nd Prize: TOM HARRINGTON’S 1962 CHEVY
3rd Prize: CORBIN FUEL ANTIQUE DELIVERY TRUCK

COLOR GUARDS (plaques):
1st Prize: HARFORD COUNTY DETACHMENT, MARINE CORPS LEAGUE
2nd Prize: CHARLIE COMPANY 22ND BATTALION
3rd Prize: AMERICAN LEGION POST #29

MOBILE UNITS (plaques):
1st Prize: MT. ARARAT MASONIC FAMILY
2nd Prize: STRICTLY BUSINESS CAR & TRUCK CLUB
3rd Prize: INSANITY 4X4 TEAM
4th Prize: MD STATE POLICE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

MARCHING UNITS (plaques):
1st Prize: GIRL SCOUTS OF CENTRAL MARYLAND
2nd Prize: CUB SCOUT PACK 936
3rd Prize: CUB SCOUT PACK 999

EMERGENCY VEHICLES (plaques):
1st Prize: LEVEL VFC
2nd Prize: JARRETTSVILLE VFC
3rd Prize: ABINGDON VFC

COMIC/NOVELTY ACTS (plaques):
1st Prize: UNCLE SAM ON PENNYFARTHING CYCLE
2nd Prize: ABERDEEN RECYCLERS
3rd Prize: ROSMAN’S 4TH REGIMENT OF SAMS

THE HARFORD COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL BEL AIR JULY 4 PARADE TROPHY is awarded for 2012 to:
C. MILTON WRIGHT HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING MUSTANG BAND

BANDS, DRUM & BUGLE CORPS, MAJORETTE CORPS (plaques):
1st Prize: BEL AIR COMMUNITY BAND
2nd Prize: JOHN F. NICOLL PIPES & DRUMS
3rd Prize: CAROLINA GOLD

NOTABLE PEOPLE (plaques):
Most Patriotic: MISS MARYLAND’S OUTSTANDING TEEN
Best Presentation: DELEGATE SUSAN MCCOMAS
Most Popular with the Crowd: HARFORD COUNTY LITTLE FIRE CHIEF
Seemed Happiest to Be in the Parade: HCPS TEACHER OF THE YEAR & NURSE OF THE YEAR

JUDGES AWARDS FOR SPECIAL MERIT:
HAVRE DE GRACE HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING BAND
PATTERSON MILL HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING BAND
EDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING BAND
THE PHILIPPINE HERITAGE BAND
HALL’S HONEY POTS
MISS BEL AIR INDEPENDENCE DAY 2012 STEPHANIE MEADOWCROFT

Winners of awards in the parade are contacted by the Bel Air Independence Day Committee, Inc., to arrange delivery of their prizes. Parade awards winners may also call Michael Blum at 410-893-1700.