Grand Marshals Announced For Memorial Day Parade In West Hartford

WEST HARTFORD, CT — (Contributed press release): The West Hartford Memorial Day Parade Committee announced the appointments of Dawn Morris and her father Retired Colonel Charles Carlton, U.S. Army as the 2018 Grand Marshals. Dawn Morris is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and served as a captain in the Army’s 530th Supply and Service Battalion at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Presently, she is executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Webster Bank and Webster Financial Corporation. Morris is the executive leader of the Webster Women’s Initiative Network (WeWIN) – dedicated to enhancing women’s professional growth.

In 2017, she was honored by the Hartford Business Journal as one of eight Women in Business who is leaving a lasting legacy in Connecticut. Morris also received the 2017 Girl Scouts of Connecticut Breakfast Badge Award, in recognition of her achievements and contributions to the community.

Morris serves on the Governor’s Prevention Partnership, as well as the boards of Hartford Stage, Girl Scouts of Connecticut, and Marketing EDGE. Morris is joined with her father Ret. Colonel Charles Carlton as Grand Marshal.

Charles Carlton is a retired U.S. Army Infantry Colonel who served two combat tours in Vietnam and Cambodia (1967-70) as well as other sensitive Cold War assignments during a 28-year career from 1962 to 1990. A 1962 graduate of the Virginia Military Institute, Carlton also has a graduate degree in Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma. In addition, he is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College.

During his career, Colonel (ret.) Carlton served as a battalion and brigade level commander. Some of his last assignments included Special Assistant to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Commander of a Joint Task Force in Central America during the Contra-Sandinista confrontation, and as a participant in the removal of Noriega in Panama in 1989. During his career, he also served tours with the Fifth Marine Regiment, the Seventh Cavalry Regiment, and the 82d Airborne Division.

The parade is scheduled for Monday, May 28, and will commence promptly at 10 a.m. from the corner of Woodrow Street and Farmington Avenue and proceed to the Town Hall.

Assembly of parade units will take place at 9:30 a.m. in designated areas west of Woodrow Street on Farmington Avenue.

Honorary Assistant Parade Marshals include the Honorable Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut Nancy Wyman, U. S. Congressman John B. Larson, State Representatives Andrew Fleischmann and Derek Slap, and West Hartford Town Council and Board of Education.

Immediately following the parade, a brief memorial service will be held at the Connecticut Veterans Memorial, corner of North Main Street and Farmington Avenue. In the event of rain, the ceremony will be held at the Town Hall Auditorium at 11 a.m.

The Memorial Day ceremony includes a keynote address by the Grand Marshal Dawn Morris and a welcome by Town Manager Matthew W. Hart, serving as emcee, a veteran of the U.S. Army and U.S. Army National Guard.

The ceremony also includes a benediction by Rev. Kenneth Frazier, a Navy veteran and Senior Minister of the First Congregational Church, Waterbury, and a speech by Mayor Shari Cantor. Moe Fradette, Vice Commander of American Legion Hayes-Velhage Post 96, will recognize high school students who are entering the armed forces after graduation.

The National Anthem will be sung by Arman Chowdhury of Hall High School and “Taps” will be performed by Thatcher Slocum and Aaron Mark of Sedgwick Middle School

Three color guards will present: West Hartford Police Department led by Assistant Chief of Police Daniel Coppinger, West Hartford Fire Department led by Fire Fighter Ryan P. Shea, and American Legion Hayes-Velhage Post 96 led by commander Rock Goodwin.

Any organization wishing to participate in this year’s parade should send an email to Renée McCue at Renee@WestHartfordCT.gov or call 860-561-7521. Additional information is available at www.WestHartfordCT.gov/MemorialDayParade.

Contributed photo