This year’s Fourth of July turned out to be hot, but it was dry enough to let Shepherdstown’s parade and community picnic go forward without any major hitches. In the end, the parade included 75 entries, which was a new record. And the crowds for both the parade and picnic were great.

It takes a lot of time and effort from a lot of people to pull all this off every year, and we’re going to try to thank them all here.

Thanks are due first, to everyone who organized and participated in the many different units that marched in the parade. This year’s parade included some impressive large entries, especially those by Asbury Church, the Black Box Arts Center, and the DAR and its associated organizations. We thank them for putting so much effort into the occasion.

We also want to thank all those who turned out to watch the parade and attend the picnic. Each year, an increasing number of those who come to both events are from out of town, and say they really enjoy being here. That’s an important side-benefit of these events, certainly.

As always, we want to thank Shepherdstown’s Mayor, Jim Auxer, Recorder Lori Robertson, and other council members, for being so supportive of our 4th of July efforts. And the same goes for the town hall staff and our police and fire departments.

Last but not least, we want to thank the following individuals and companies for volunteering time and/or donating materials, services and funds to help with the parade and picnic. Many, but by no means all, are members of the Shepherdstown Rotary Club. Hopefully this list includes everyone who helped, but so many were involved that we may have missed some.

Parade volunteers:

Holly Morgan Frye and Peter Smith, who organized the parade.

Todd Coyle, parade announcer.

Michele Maiden, parade photographer.

Other parade volunteers: Teri Biebel, Jenn Biebel, Kahlen Browning, Hannah Brumbaugh, Rick Caruso, Debbie Dickenson, Howard Mills, Sandy Sponaugle, Elisabeth Staro, Rie Wilson, Meredith Wait.

Picnic Volunteers:

Terry Anderson, who planned and directed all the food and drink service at the picnic.

Paul Woods, who managed the picnic setup.

Walt Eifert, who helped with the picnic setup and, with his wife, Kim, helped staff it.

Sandy Brown, who organized and managed the picnic’s children’s activities, with help from Jenny Seeley, Ken Domina, and someone named Scott.

Other volunteers: Jeff Bowers, Kathryn Burns; Rick Caruso; Michelle and Richard Casucccio; Gary Heichel; Dick Klein; Jack Lantzy; David Manthos; Greg Mason; Keith McCall; Tom Miller; Dave and Dore Ann Miljour; Dana and Nina Orsini,;Alex Shaw; Peter Smith; Sandy and Tabitha Sponaugle; Mike Sullivan; Tom and Ann Trumble; Dann Vreugdenhil; and Bob Wyatt.

In-kind donors:

Doug Alexander, Rick Caruso, Keith McCall, Tom Miller, Peter Smith, and Bob Wyatt, who lent tents.

The Bavarian Inn, which provided free freezer space for food storage prior to the picnic, and lent four chafing dishes for food service at the picnic.

The Cacapon Institute, which provided its “Stream Cleaner” educational pinball machine for the picnic.

Miriam Conroy who lent a grill and tables for food service at the picnic.

The Jefferson Distributing Company, which donated sodas and bottled water for sale at the picnic (the proceeds from these sales and the picnic’s food sales help cover parade and picnic costs).

The Potomac Valley Audubon Society, which provided one of its children’s “Story Walks” for the picnic.

Progressive Printing, which provided a discount on posters and flyers to advertise the parade and picnic.

The Shepherdstown Volunteer Fire Department, which lent a tanker truck to provide water for the picnic waterslide, and also tables and chairs for the event.

The Station at Shepherdstown, which lent chairs for the parade.

Cash donors:

Erwin Asam; Doug Alexander; Rich and Michelle Casuccio; Walt Eifert; Gary Heichel; Dick Klein; Ann Marie Legreid; Tom Miller; David Miljour; Howard Mills; Carl Moore; Dana Orsini; Peter Smith; Tom Trumble; and Hank Walter

We say this every year because it’s true: Shepherdstown is a great place to live, in no small part because it includes so many enthusiastic, community-spirited people who are willing to pitch and work together for the common good! Let’s all do our best to keep it that way, especially in these turbulent times!

The officers and members of The Rotary Club of Shepherdstown