A Holiday Thank You

Received from the Town of Tolland:

The Saturday after Thanksgiving, more than 700 Tolland residents gathered on the picturesque town green for the town’s annual Holiday Tree Lighting and a new Fire Truck Torchlight Parade. 

The spirit of the holiday season filled the air as these generous residents donated more than 400 pounds of food and $416 for the Tolland Food Pantry.

The Tolland Fire Department and the town’s Permanent Celebration Committee joined forces to sponsor the event. We would like to publicly thank those who made the day possible.

The tree lighting could not have been held without the help of Kathleen Bach, Clem Langlois Jr., Hans “Red” Hansen, Beverly Bellody, Sharon Tierney, John Shimanski, Don Jakoboski, Stephen Palumbo of Rock-Vern Electric; Lala Kahn, manager of the local Dunkin’ Donuts; Tolland Girl Scouts and Juniorettes and volunteers Danielle and Samantha Ecabert, Nike Oyelola, Katie Curtis, Alison Farrish, Daisy Garrett, Elise Phelan and Rebecca Heilman from the Tolland High School Vision club.

The new Torchlight Parade was a big hit. It featured the South Windsor Fire Department winning first place, Hebron Fire Department winning second place and the Staffordville Fire Department winning third place. Other participants included the Broad Brook Fire Department, the Columbia Fire Department, the Town of Vernon Fire Department, the West Stafford Fire Department, the Windham Center Fire Department and the Tolland Fire Department. We send a special thank you out to our parade officials Dave and Doreen Shaw and Patricia Gargano.

The fire department would also like to thank the following individuals, organizations and businesses for making the torchlight parade possible: Glenn and Holly Johnson, Dave and Doreen Shaw, Bev Bellody, Fran Weigand, Patricia Gargano, Betsy Tanner, Clem Langlois Jr., Sue Ellen Henry, the Tolland Fire Department membership, the Tolland Fire Department Fire Police Unit, the Tolland Fire Department Explorer Post 40, the Tolland Resident State Troopers Office, the First Baptist Church of Tolland, the United Congregational Church of Tolland, St. Matthew Church, O.V. Enterprises, Morrison & Johnson, Bergeron Excavation, Bill’s Auto Parts, NAPA Auto Parts of Tolland, Johnson Auto Body and Anderson Automotive.

Finally, thank you to all of the Tolland residents who made it a special event for the community.

Celeste Senechal, President, Permanent Celebration Committee                                                

Douglas Racicot, Assistant Fire Chief, Tolland Fire Department