First-class parade opens Saturday’s Field Day

by Dan McClelland

The Town of Tupper Lake Recreation Department produced a first-class parade to open the second annual version of the Tupper Lake Field Day Saturday.

It was again under the skilled direction of veteran parade organizer, Amanda “Bird” Lizotte, who directed a number of Tupper Lake Woodsmen’s Association parades in the past. Mrs. Lizotte also rode in a parade here for the first time, at the insistence of her children.

The parade began in the parking lot in the town hall and emptied out into the village park.

Like most parades here the procession was punctuated by several police vehicles- with lights flashing and sirens sounding. Retired Police Chief Tom Fee piloted one.

This year’s announcer was again Dan McClelland and sitting in the judges’ gallery were Bridgette Shaheen, Village Trustee Jason McClain, Town Councilman Rick Donah and Councilwoman Mary Fontana, who again this year worked closely with Recreation Director Laura LaBarge planning the Field Day event.

Leading the parade was a side by side carrying officials from the Barton J. Tarbox/ Phillip Smith Amvets Auxilary No. 710. Walking along or riding were some of the members including Cindy Hoyt, Denise Divirgeles and Jeannie Kavanagh.

Right behind them was a trio of marchers representing the Tupper Lake Honor Guard, led by Commander Mike Larabie. He was accompanied by VFW Post Commander and Town Councilwoman Tracy Luton and retired Adirondack Adult Center Director Ray Bigrow.

Next came the shining and polished fleet of the Tupper Lake Volunteer Fire Department, featuring several pieces the volunteers have purchased themselves in recent years.

In one of the first trucks perched high above the crowd lining Demars Blvd. was this year’s grand marshal- Mike Russell, a.k.a. Tupper Lake’s Santa Claus.

As the announcer said, few people here donate the amount of time in community service here that Mr. Russell does.

Not only does his gifts to the community span the six or eight weeks before Christmas when he attends dozens and dozens of activities both public and private, giving every community kid the opportunity to sit on Santa’s knee and whisper their wishes into his ear many times each season.

In that same altruistic fashion Mr. Russell gives his time and labors selflessly and constantly throughout the year, doing whatever any one or any group calls on him to do.

He’s one of Tupper Lake’s biggest and loudest sports boosters, attending most matches of many school teams and has long been an active member of the Tupper Lake Football Boosters, helping to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to promote the sport and to make significant field and infrastructure improvements to the Rotary Club track and grid iron field.

Mike and his late brother Ralph cooked dinners for years at many of the community big banquets and fundraisers from the kitchen of the Knights of Columbus Hall on High Street.

It was clearly evident at the parade that Mike is deeply loved by his family.

Over 50 members of the Russell family- spanning three and four generations- participated in the parade, all dressed in bright red garb and hats as their Santa’s many elves.

Some rode in cars, like the family’s matriarch, Mike’s older sister Sally Poirier, alongside her brother, Tom. Some, including many of the younger Russells rode on a brightly decorated float and some marched behind in support of their brother, father, grandfather, uncle and great uncle, all overjoyed and proud to see Mike Russell so deservedly honored.

Russells came from all around the country. On the float were two of Mike’s elderly aunts, who came for the honoring of their nephew.

Never before have there been so many Russells in a local parade.

The Russells won first prize in the float category.

In one of the fire trucks were Merrick Cole and Cooper Willett, sporting the trophy their nine and ten under baseball team won the night before when it faced the number one seed, Saranac Lake Rapid Roofing team and won 4 to 3 for the league championship.

Like the Tupper Lake volunteer firefighters the small but dedicated staff of the Tupper Lake Emergency and Rescue Squad was well represented with several of its ambulances.

In one of their rides, EMS Supervisor Josh Clement was carrying a passenger and special guest, Wyatt Damon. Wyatt is the son of Jon Damon who passed away while on duty when he was working with the local squad in 2020.

Ambulance 568 was driven by Chief Lenny Clement and Ambulance 569 was piloted by driver Kate Beaudette and EMT Phyllis Larabie. Volunteers and supporters accompanied the rigs on foot.

The Piercefield Fire Department with its very small but very dedicated membership placed its polished pumper into the parade line-up.

Right behind it came a driver and the 2005 American LeFrance from the Long Lake Fire Department.

Andrea O’Neill, driving her prized 2007 Ford Mustang convertible, special edition with Mike Arsenault in the passenger seat, let out a huge howl of protest when the announcer purposely announced the collector’s vehicle was owned by her husband, Mike. Andrea lambasted the parade announcer at the VFW beer tent later that afternoon.

Mac’s Safe Ride, which is staging several important fund raisers this summer to help underwrite its operation, entered its van, well-decaled with its many supporters’ names and logos.

Its mission is to keep local roadways safe by keeping people who partake in drinking alcoholic beverages from behind the wheel on weekend nights. It’s a program that has been lauded by many visitors as something this community should be very proud to have to keep residents and visitors safe.

Behind the wheel of the van was one of the organization’s most dedicated drivers, Connie Kennedy.

Geomatic’s Land Surveying is now owned by Robbie LaLonde of Tupper Lake and in his trucks were a number of his friends and family members, including he and Katie’s infant son, Landen, who she held up for the judges to admire.

In the firm’s second truck was employee Joe Dembik and his girl friend, Jolene.

Dave Mattison entered his classic 1961 Chevy Apache truck.

The Adirondack Arc, which is dedicated to providing opportunities to people with developmental disabilities to lead full and meaningful lives, produced an entry of dozen of the folks under its care, all true fans of The King of music, in many colorful outfits.

The star of the entry was, of course, Elvis, proving the point of many that Elvis is still with us and living in Piercefield. Great costume, Elvis!

The judges determined the entry of Adirondack Arc was worthy of the second place prize for best float.

A freshly cleaned school bus, a piece of the local school district’s fleet, accompanied by several teachers including Kate Bennett and Laurie Mitchell, was a reminder to all local residents of the importance of the institution and its education of our young people.

The district’s push these days is to get as many residents with school-aged children hooked up to the federal school lunch program. People can apply online and this year the district will be offering free breakfasts and lunches.

Girl Scout Troop No. 4170 was nicely represented by a handful of local girl scouts.

Next up was Town Clerk Laurie Fuller piloting her shined up 2002 Ford convertible and in the passenger seat was her dad, retired co-owner of LeRoy’s Auto and one time village trustee, Richard “Bucky” Clark.

Jessie Kavanagh, owner of CJE Framing and JK Motorsports rounded up all his children and nieces and nephews to sit aboard a trailer of a half dozen sleds. The very able builder and repair man was at the wheel of one of his company trucks.

MX Fuels, which recently purchased Homenergy, had one of its fuel delivery trucks shined up for the parade.

A Tupper Lake Youth softball team, coached by Erica Stevens, also joined the line-up.

Riding on two well decorated floats entered by the town recreation department were the lifeguards at Little Wolf Beach, whose job it is to keep every swimmer safe, and the town’s very popular summer day camp on a float filled with local kids. Asked to yell “Tupper Lake” by the announcer in front of the judges, they screamed it.

It may have helped the campers win third prize as a float- an honor shared by the lifeguards.

Pat Bedore, co-owner of Stacked Graphics, worked out a car loaded with tee-shirts and driven by Mary Churco and her sister-in-law, Andrea, in the passenger seat. He fired dozens and dozens of shirts into the crowd from his shirt gun, much to the delight of folks along the parade route who caught one.

As a business, Kentile Excavating entered the most vehicles- over six full-size dump trucks, some pick-ups and a piece of heavy equipment or two, all driven by Kentile Excavating employees.

Up front were the owners: Adam Boudreau and his family and behind him was his partner Jay Merrihew in big rigs and then the team of the fast growing local company were in tow.

The company founded by the owners’ grandfather, Herbert “Bucky” Kentile, specializes in land clearing, road construction, foundation preparation, the installation of utilities and septic systems plus landscaping. In winter the crew turns its attention to plowing, sanding and snow removal.

The Tupper Lake Sportsman’s Club presented a brightly colored float, with angler and club mainstay Mike Savage trying to repeatedly catch the big one with his fly rod.

The club, known for decades as the Tupper Lake Rod and Gun Club, now offers an archery range, skeet range, rifle range and is the deservedly proud sponsor of numerous events including its giant Northern Challenge the first weekend of each February and its Mountain Challenge 3-D archery shoot the last weekend of August.

The Village of Tupper Lake’s department of public works had a couple of its heavy equipment piece entered in the second annual Field Day parade this year.

Concluding the procession were several dozen motorcycle-riding members of the Gunfighters MC Club, the members of which are many former police officers and correctional officers.

Also on their bikes were some of the members of the Warthog MC Club.

Laura LaBarge and Amanda Lizotte offered thanks this week to the individuals and organizations that fielded entries this year, and hope that more will join next year’s version of it to showcase their programs and services.