Field Day parade was colorful, packed full of first responders

by Dan McClelland

There were heroes galore in Saturday’s Tupper Lake Field Day parade- some were in capes, but most weren’t.

In keeping with the parade theme, “Not All Heroes Wear Capes,” first responders aboard various types of emergency vehicles from around the area were over a hundred strong. Costumed and caped heroes were less plentiful but very noticeable- and mostly children aboard several colorful floats.

The parade represented a lot of hard work by veteran Tupper Lake Woodsmen’s Days parade organizer: Amanda “Bird” Lizotte, who signed on to this job to help the town’s recreation director and overall event organizer Laura LaBarge. Right up until parade time Amanda ripped up and down the Demars Blvd. parade route aboard her ATV making sure everyone was lined up correctly and ready.

Amanda says she’s already looking forward to making the second annual version better with more entires.

The parade went off at 11a.m. sharp, just as planned and hundreds of parade fans lined Tupper Lake’s main connecting artery to welcome the procession.

This year’s announcer was the Free Press publisher and alongside him were a distinguished panel of local leaders: Acting Town Supervisor Mary Fontana, town board members John Gillis and Tracy Luton and Village Trustees Jason McClain and David “Haji” Maroun.

The kids on the mile-long parade route awaited candy they knew would come their way from almost every parade entry, and flow it did. The dentists in town will be busy in coming months.

Leading the parade was the family of the late Clint Hollingsworth, his wife, Alison and children Lily and Cash. Clint was named the inaugural Field Day parade’s first grand marshal, in recognition his many community contributions, his belief in the community and its residents and his dreams for it, should he had more time to lead the town.

The family’s convertible ride was escorted by SUVs of the Tupper Lake Police Department, driven by retired Chief Tom Proulx and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department.

The Hollingsworth honorees were followed by the trucks of the Tupper Lake Fire Department, under the direction of Chief Royce Cole. The department boasts 50 well-trained volunteers from Tupper Lake and ten from its substation at Santa Clara.

In the TLFD procession were its 2020 Chevrolet Silverado pulling a smoking house, its 2020 Can-Am Defender UTV pulling the dive team rescue boat, the department’s 2003 Pierce Dash rescue pumper, carrying its jaws of life, the 1999 International Pierce Pumper, in service at Santa Clara, the 2018 Sutphen Monarch Pumper, the 2000 Pierce Dash ladder truck, its 1995 Pierce Lance Pumper, a 2006 International Seagrave tanker and its 2006 Ford Seagrave mini-pumper.

Riding shotgun and in the bucket of the 100 foot ladder truck was Santa Claus himself.

Following the Tupper Lake firefighters and their rigs were their colleagues from the Saranac Lake, Bloomingdale, Long Lake, Piercefield and Paul Smith’s-Gabriels department, all in freshly polished trucks. The Saranac Lake department’s pick-up was pulling the department’s big red air boat- an impressive craft. Piercefield volunteers brought along their mini pumper and their yellow full-sized pumper. The Long Lake firefighters came aboard their 2020 Rosenbauer Tanker Pumper.

The Tupper Lake Volunteer Ambulance and Emergency Squad, led by EMS Supervisor Josh Clement, used the parade to show off its brand new 2022 PL Custom Ambulance, which just arrived in recent days. Squad Chief Lenny Clement was piloting the squad’s new wheels.

The ambulance was dedicated in honor of the late Johnathan “Thunder” Damon, a paramedic who died while on duty here in 2020. Many of the local volunteers and supporters accompanied the chief and the new life-saving vehicle.

Deputy sheriffs with the St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department came from Canton headquarters with their pick-up, pulling a trailored UTV.

SARNAK (Search & Rescue of Northern New York) came out to the parade wearing bright orange t-shirts. SARNAK works closely with the state Department of Environmental Conservation and various law enforcement and emergency agencies to help with communications and logistics during many back country rescues.

Behind the SARNAK rig and riding proudly aboard her horse was a lady sporting a flag pointing out the many first responder agencies that keep us safe and that come to our aid in emergencies. The horse and rider were part of the Adirondack Health entry.

The staff at Adirondack Health rarely misses a local parade and the Field Days first one was no exception.

Mercy Living Center’s decorated van led its delegation of marchers.

Adirondack Health has been providing sophisticated medical care to this area for more than 100 years. The local hospital also provides the community with two excellent facilities here- the Tupper Lake Medical Center and Mercy Living Center across from it.

Staff members armed with plenty of candy stepped lively behind the Mercy van.

Tupper Lake’s Family Matters Resource Center produced an enthusiastic pack of marchers- both adults and children. The center, which is free and open to the public, promotes play groups for children, support groups for adults and adoptive and kinship families support groups, along with a wealth of information.

Also in the parade was the new owner of Homenergy, MX Fuel and Propane. The company services a large part of the North Country with a variety of home heating products.

Probably the most unique of all the entries in Saturday’s parade was a delegation of students from the school district’s Red & Black Players, under the direction of George and Liz Cordes.

The young and talented performers sang the lively “Seize the Day” from the popular production of “Newsies,” much to the delight of the judges and the parade watchers nearby. The kids nailed the song.

The LaLonde family here represented the Geomatics Land Surveying company in its pick-up. Waving vigorously to the crowd in the back with a pack of her young friends was Tupper Lake’s ROOST connection, Katie Stuart LaLonde.

If you were looking for caped crusaders, they were all squeezed into the Town of Tupper Lake Day Camp float, with colorful cartoon vistas of “booms and bangs” everyone associates with the crime-fighting superheroes.

The day camp has been in operation for 10 years. It’s a six-week summer program that offers local and visiting children library and arts education, swimming lessons, various types of outdoor recreations, field trips and just plenty of worthwhile and meaningful fun.

Another local institution that never misses a parade is Tupper Lake’s Wild Center and they were back this time with the otter and a collection of bees and butterflies which are nature’s first responders. These hidden heroes of the natural world serve as early warning signs of unhealthy environments, the Wild Center participants said.

The Massawepie Scout Camp produced another nice float, commemorating the camp’s 70th anniversary and saluting the heroes that the first responders are.

The rail bikes that Tupper Lakers will see a lot more of beginning next month down at the Tupper Lake depot were previewed aboard the Adirondack Railroad Preservation Society’s entry in the parade this year. The new franchise in town guarantees easily pedal led rail experiences of the Adirondacks that can’t be seen any other way.

Revving their powerful rides in the parade were the members of the Gunfighters Motorcycle Club- Adirondack chapter. They were all either active or retired law enforcement officers and know first hand what it takes to be a first responder.

A miniature version of Tupper Lake’s Lizotte Logging was a solid piece of this year’s parade when the Lizotte kids rode their ATVs and UTVs and pulled tiny loads of logs to promote their dad, Scott’s logging business. And the kids had a ball doing it.

Scott Tessier put some of his machines from his growing paving business in the parade to promote it a bit. Part of the Tessier Paving contingent included Lukas Matthews driving the company’s 2005 Peterbilt, the owner driving his 1989Kenworth dump truck towing a big paver and Dalton Baker piloting a work truck and company enclosed trailer.

Frosty the snowman was placed squarely in the back of the Tupper Lake Snowmobile Club’s truck pulling its float with over a half dozen sleds ridden by local folks. The club expressed its thanks to the responders who keep the trails and its members safe every winter. “Think snow,” was also their collective message.

Club mainstays Kelly and Reese Fleury joined the group in their UTV with a tiny sled in the open trunk.

Mac’s Safe Ride produced its well-decaled van for the parade and to remind everyone here that it is in service now from 8p.m. to 3a.m. every Friday and Saturday night. Its mission, and a well-appreciated one here- is to make our roads safer for everyone and to reduce the number of drug- and alcohol-related injuries and deaths in our community.

Ann Hoag’s Cabin Fever Floral and Gifts brought their antique recreational trailer out for a ride in the parade. “Cabin Fever wants to thank all first responders for their bravery and selflessness when protecting and assisting us when we’re in a crisis.” That was a message universally shared by all the groups in the parade that day.

The Village of Tupper Lake was well represented in the first town event of its kind here. Driving the village’s 2006 Sterling Dump Truck was Ben Casagrain. Dylan Miller was driving the village’s 2006 Peterbilt Vac Con sewer vacuum rig. Ryan Savage piloted the 2016 John Deere backhoe. Like all the pieces entered in the parade, all the rides were freshly polished.

Herbie French from Fine who owns French Trucking brought to town his bright orange 2020 Peterbilt 389, especially designed for heavy hauling.

The village’s electric department produced some of its giant bucket trucks for the parade: a 2013 International driven by Chris Zaidan, a 2020 International driven by Joel Boudreau and a 2013 International driven by Rick LaLonde.

Perhaps the company or organization with the most entries was Kentile Excavating owned by Jason Merrihew and Adam Boudreau. They entered over a half a dozen of their shiny black pick-ups, a back hoe and a dump truck or two. Special guest that day was the company founder, Herbert “Bucky” Kentile, who was all smiles. The growing company- even after 40 years- is a supplier of topsoil, sand and gravel. Kentiles will tackle any land clearing, road construction or excavation job, including septic systems, foundation preparations and landscaping. Its sister company is Northern Diesel, which provides on site diesel service and fabrication work.

Last but certainly not least in the parade were two pick-up loads of Tupper Lake’s fabulous and season-winning Riverpigs, with loud howls and cheers for their fans along the parade route.

After the parade the first responder entries in the parade lined up along the firemen’s strip in the park for closer inspection by any kid who wanted to climb up and check them out. Many youngsters and their parents took advantage of the generous offer from the first responder agencies.

Although it was a tough decision for the judges, three winners were selected as the best parade entries Saturday. First place was the Tupper Lake Volunteer Fire Department with its smoking house float. The second best parade entry, in the judges’ opinion, were the super heroes aboard the Tupper Lake Summer Camp float. Third best entry was the Saranac Lake Fire Department’s truck and rescue air boat.