Poultney: Four Seasons of Fun! And the fun just kept coming all weekend long on the Fourth of July, 2022. The Boat Parade on Lake St. Catherine and the Martin Devlin Fun Run were back in action; pancakes and maple syrup were alive and well. The parade floats were extra-creative this year, and the fire engines were sparkling. The Bhakta family held a barbecue and lemonade stand on campus, and fired up their alembic still for the first time. During the evening, puppets, magicians, and dancers were excited, and the fireworks seemed even brighter, as if they were really going “out of this world”.
The winners of the annual Lake St Catherine Boat Parade held Saturday were:
Most Patriotic winner: Boat #6, Adam Wunderlich. Runner up: Boat #18, Ryan Bagley
Funniest winner: Boat #7, Ramirez Family. Runner-up: Boat #13, Mike and Chris Gay.
Most Original winner: Boat #12, Goldman Family. Runner-up: Boat #10, Wysolmerski Family.
Best Overall: Boat #3, Megan Frueh. Runner-up: Boat #4, Mary Papasso.
Photos of the decorated boats and names of the entry appear on the website of the Lake St. Catherine Association at https://www.lakestcatherine.org/blog
The Martin Devlin Memorial 5-K Fun Run drew 144 people from around the country this year. The Overall Winners were Owen Burnham of Vermont (male) with a time of 19:38, and Alexandra Walsh of Texas with a time of 17:54. The Most Senior runners were Bob Nesbit and Mary Gale, both from Georgia. Griffith Bowen of Vermont was the youngest male runner at age 7, and Emma Hassenback of Maine was the youngest female runner at age 4 ½. Organizers Kerry Devlin and Renee Baupre White said they were pleased with the turnout and hope for even more next year. The real winner was the Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice of Southwestern Vermont, which received the proceeds from the run.
Before the parade started, the Poultney United Methodist Church held a pancake breakfast at the church on Main Street which was well attended. Magician Tom Joyce entertained in front of the LiHigh School while a huge crowd lined East Main and Main Street waiting for the parade. DJ John Saltis graciously provided his equipment for a public address system, and announcer Bob Williams imparted a wealth of information about the event itself, about Poultney, and about the parade participants. The theme this year was “Poultney: Four Seasons of Fun”.
Judging of the parade entries took place in East Poultney before the parade left the starting point. Eric Hier of Northland Real Estate, Ryan Mahar of Donna Johnson Physical Therapy, and Rich Mikkelson of the Bentley House Bed and Breakfast (all located in Poultney) viewed the entries for the Poultney Area Chamber of Commerce awards, and made the following choices:
The Revive Church of Fair Haven won for “Business That Best Depicts The Theme”. The Poultney Fish and Game Club took home the award for “Most Patriotic”. The Knights of Columbus, based in Fair Haven, won for the float that “Best Depicts The Theme”, and Slate Valley Trails of Poultney for “Most Photogenic”. The award for “Best Depicts The Organization” went to the Turning Pointe Dance Studio of Granville, NY, which showcased its beginner and advanced students learning dance steps in Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Hip-Hop, or Irish Step Dancing.
Near the front of the parade were crew members of the USS Vermont, a submarine based in Groton, Connecticut, who chose Poultney’s parade because of the large numbers of people who attend. They and their support group are working to establish closer relations with people in the state after which their ship is named.
Besides the floats, the parade featured fire companies, rescue squads, bicyclists, tractors, a magician, and even two stilt walkers. There were also horses, politicians, veterans organizations, and members of the Cairo Shrine Club in Rutland. Poultney Constable Dale Kerber followed at the rear.
Festivities continued at the Bhakta GMC Campus after the parade. The Bhakta family held a barbecue, including a lemonade stand, with proceeds benefitting the Green Mountain Community School. The EnerJazz Big Band group performed and there were other activities going on as well, including a ceremony to celebrate the first firing of Bhakta Spirits alembic still.
The No-Strings Marionette Company was back at Poultney Elementary School at 5:30 PM with a delightful performance for children and their families. Magician Blaine Goad performed at 6:45 PM with a good crowd cheering him on. DJ John Saltis and his family provided evening dance music while people waited for the fireworks to start at dusk, to finish off a satisfying Fourth of July celebration in Poultney.
Thanks go to organizer Jonas Rosenthal and his committee who organized the event, found vendors, arranged volunteers, and provided publicity, and to all the volunteers and others who participated in making the event a success. Look periodically next year for more information at www.PoultneyRecreation.com and www.PoultneyAreaChamber.com and on the PACC Facebook page http://facebook.com/poultneyareachamberofcommerce/
Donations for next year’s event are still needed; anyone who wishes to donate should send a check made out to the Town of Poultney, with “4th of July” on the memo line. They should be sent to the Town of Poultney, 9 Main Street, Poultney, VT 05764.
The Fourth of July Event Committee and the Poultney Area Chamber of Commerce wish everyone a wonderful rest of the summer!