Exchange Club Extends a Huge Thank You to the Community

On a hot and humid morning, the 108 participant groups completed the Madison Exchange Club’s 34th annual Fourth of July Parade in approximately one hour and twenty minutes.  Starting at the Stop & Shop parking lot, and continuing through downtown Madison on the Boston Post Road to its final destination at the Surf Club, this year’s parade featured a rousing and colorful theme  “America…Yesterday, Today, Forever”.

Bob Dunlop, newly appointed on July 1st as President of the Madison Exchange Club, commended Mike Catalano, annual Chairman of the Parade, for demonstrated excellence in design and execution in putting the Parade on the streets.  Because the Madison Exchange Club annually funds and plans every aspect of the July Fourth Parade, it’s a yearly effort under Mike’s tutelage to involve the maximum number of community groups including youth organizations, town government, civic and state representatives, and local businesses.

This year was a record, however, in terms of the number of people filling the streets in accompaniment with fascinating floats, entertainment, bands, antique and high performance cars, and ancient and current police cars and fire engines.  Near the beginning of the Parade was Fillmore McPherson, First Selectman and his supporting staff; and not far behind Fillmore walked Noreen Kokoruda, State Representative of 101st District and Ed Meyer, State Senator of the 12th District.

At the core of the excitement was the Madison Exchange Club’s own participants including the Excel Clubs at Polson and Daniel Hand High School. In an age where support and involvement in our community and with our youth is critical, discovering the personal fulfillment one can receive from volunteering to help make one’s community a better place to live improves the school environment for all.

In addition to its own Clubs started and tutored by the Exchange Club, major winning sports teams from Daniel Hand as well as Youth Groups were featured from all major sports including DHHS State Championship Football and Golf Teams as well as Varsity ice hockey, tennis, gymnastics, volleyball, Cheerleaders, and wrestling teams.