Allan Appel Photo
Marian Lemley (aka Mary Wade) and Lennie Celestin are neighbors living at the Mary Wade Home.
“I age well,” said 162-year-old Mary Wade as she gave encouragement to first-time clown Lennie Clestin — who in turn was coping with a touch of stage fright — as they arranged their costumes and formed up for the fourth annual Fair Haven Community Parade.
He needn’t have worried. Applause greeted the jaunty clowns, school bands, officials, and community organizations, 39 festive units in all, as the parade drew a record 600 participants and onlookers in its rousing circumnavigation of the Mary Wade Home in Fair Haven Friday morning.
Having formed up at Chatham Square Park, promenaded down Clinton, and turned onto Pine, the band of the Bishop Woods School paused and smartly saluted the dozens of Mary Wade residents with a stirring tune for young musicians by composer Greg Hillis called “Alpha Squadron.”
Among the other schools participating: Clinton Avenue School, which led off the parade; Augusta Lewis Troup, Christopher Columbus Family Academy, St. Francis and St. Rose of Lima, and the crisply marching drummers and other musicians from James Hillhouse High.
Dr. Sue Sundholm and Mary Wade certified nursing assistant Megan Lemieux.
Sue Sundholm, who’s 99, was stirred by all the rhythms and the smiling faces of the young people. She could barely keep on her sun hat. She called the marchers “healthy and beautiful.”
The chief organizer of the parade was Rufina Durazzo of the Mary Wade Home.
Lemar, Senate staffer staffer Joey Rodriguez, and Looney.
State Sen. and Majority Leader Martin Looney praised the rapidly growing parade while recalling predecessors: Back in the 1970s and 1980sGrand Avenue businesses organized “Fair Haven Day” parades whose route of march was along the river. “I used to edit the program books,” he recalled. He pronounced Friday’s fourth edition “a revival of a vibrant community tradition.”
Mary Ann Moran with Assistant Police Chief Luiz Casanova, who received the first Mary Wade award. “The parade and neighborhood are getting better every year and we’re going to improve even more,” he said.
At the parade’s end Mary Ann Moran was given the the third annual Mary Wade Outstanding Leadership Award. She was recognized for her initiating a tutoring and homework help program for the kids at Quinnipiac Terrace, among other stalwart contributions over decades in Fair Haven.
Clown Jessica Hernandez, also a Mary Wade certified nursing assistant, but today Polka-Dotty, along with Lennie Celestin.
Lennie Celestin strutted his clown stuff in front of his Mary Wade neighbors just fine. Marian Lemley said she had no doubts about him, as he had performed “Under the Boardwalk” at the recent Mary Wade talent show.