Clowns in face paint and 189-year-old Mary Wade herself showed up to march Friday in the 10th annual Fair Haven community parade.
The parade followed a route from Chatham Park Square and ended in Mary Wade Gardens.
David V. Hunter, president and CEO of Mary Wade, and Ivette Alvarez, an organizer for the event.
“May is older Americans month, and we wanted an event for the Fair Haven community at large. Sometimes it’s hard for residents to go out to the parades, so we decided to bring the parade to them,” said Mary Wade CEO and President David V. Hunter. “ Schools and families are welcome here. I love doing things for the Fair Haven community. There are wonderful people here with a great spirit.”
Isis Davis-Marks Photo
Students from Betsy
Students from local schools, such as the Betsy Ross Arts Magnet School, came to the parade and the ceremony afterward to perform and participate in the festivities.
“I want to thank you, members of Fair Haven, for having such a great community,” Mayor Toni Harp said during the ceremony for the 10th annual parade.
The parade started in 2008 as a way to bring a patriotic parade to those physically unable to get to one themselves. It has become an anticipated annual event to celebrate pride in the historic, diverse, and fun Fair Haven community. It usually includes an impersonator of the late Mary Wade, after whom the senior living facility and community anchor was named.
Every year, the home gives an Outstanding Leadership Award at the event. This year, the award was given to David Weinreb, a sixth-grade bilingual teacher from Fair Haven School, who teaches many students who are immigrants.
David Weinreb, second from left, with David Hunter and state legislators Al Paolillo, Juan Candelaria, and Martin Looney.
“I was happy to receive the award because I love helping the community. Fair Haven is an easy place to ask for help, find partners, and plan projects. I’m excited to connect students to the town, and I’m so appreciative of the fact that the community accepts visitors for field trips,” said Weinreb (pictured).
In addition to teaching, Weinreb has volunteered as a Spanish interpreter, helped to secure over $9,000 in grants for Fair Haven schools and the Fair Haven community, and partnered with the New Haven Land Trust Beautification program to install vegetable gardens and picnic tables.
“It feels good to see him win because he teaches me a lot of different things. He takes us on field trips and parades like this,” said Selvin Ventura, a sixth-grader in Weinreb’s class.
Overall, the parade aims to both highlight the achievements of members of the community, and serve as a stabilizing force in Fair Haven.
“Fair Haven has been really generous, and there is a lot of friendliness and collegiality here Mary Ward is the largest employer in Fair Haven, and we’re pleased to do a lot of work as a community,” said Lisa Hottin, the director of development.
David Weinreb, second from left, with David Hunter and state legislators Al Paolillo, Juan Candelaria, and Martin Looney.
This you tube is for all of them.
Stealers Wheels - Stuck In The Middle With You
https://youtu.be/8StG4fFWHqg