Alumni Parade Rolled and Rocked

The 58th Annual Springfield Alumni Parade started late, but once it began to roll it rocked...from Clinton Street to Riverside Middle School.
http://www.vermontjournal.com/content/springfield-alumni-parade-rolled-and-rocked

Springfield Alumni Parade Rolled and Rocked Submitted by VT Journal on Wed, 06/20/2012 - 7:59am By Cindy Johnson SPRINGFIELD, VT -The 58th Annual Springfield Alumni Parade started late, but once it began to roll it rocked...from Clinton Street to Riverside Middle School. Shiny tractors, classic cars, and candy-colored, racing-striped hot rods revved up to start things off. Gail Koledo, Vice President of the Alumni Association, said they had sold 500 boxes of popcorn, with much thanks to the Springfield Cinema for helping out to meet the demand. Gail, the class of '83, is a third generation graduate of Springfield High, her kids are fourth, and her grandchildren will be the fifth someday, she said proudly. Riding in the sunshine of success were SHS 2012 valedictorian Sarah Gray and salutatorian Lauren Fish. The lucky Millett scholarship recipients smiled and waved as they rolled by, while the superintendents and principals of SHS took their places in the procession. Sinai Joe's Clown Unit zipped about on their tiny ATVs spreading fun with their zany antics. And Bob Flint, from the class of 1980, rode as a special honored guest. Springfield Citizen of the Year Marita Johnson sailed by in style on a canary yellow Camaro. Two other floats highlighting the day included the Back to '82 float with Rocky III and a miniature house representing an average home price of $66,500 in 1982, and a replica of the recently replaced bridge spanning the Black River to the Fellows Building-the new home of the Springfield Health Center. The Shriners of Brattleboro unit of the Cairo Oriental Band, the Gurney Bros. mechanical pipe organ, kilted bagpipers, and a fife and drum corp in colonial dress marched down Main Street adding the music of the day. The gold and purple Cub Scouts on a float complete with a camping tent held the road. Then the proud and stoic National Guard marched solemnly by, followed by the Relay For Life, the Parent Child Center, and wagons of flowers and cut-out cows heralding the Windsor County Agricultural Fair coming up on July 7 and 8. Springfield alumni canvassed the parade route collecting for the Scholarship Fund which awarded $12,000 to worthy Springfield graduates this year. Kelly Stettner of the Black River Action Team kept the Town clean by making the rounds up and down the route collecting empty bottles and cans. At the end of the route there was RJ's food truck and Friendly's provided ice cream treats and a bouncy tent was set-up for the kids. Other Alumni weekend events included the 9th Annual Alumni Golf Tournament at Crown Point Country Club on Friday and the S.H.S.A.A. Annual Banquet at the Elks Club Friday evening. On Saturday following the parade, the Alumni Association held its annual meeting under a tent at the Riverside Middle School followed by both the men's and women's Springfield High alumni soccer games at Brown Field in the late afternoon.