Another month has passed as we approach Andover’s 75th Annual Fourth of July celebration. As mentioned last month, committee members have been reaching out to town and area organizations to solicit floats. Out of the 40 organizations we planned to approach, over half have been contacted. Float entries aren’t limited to organizations. Individuals, families, and friends can also enter a float. We are hoping for a spectacular parade this year.
The theme is “Remember When? 1942-2017”. Examples: any historical event, figure, movie, or technology in that time period. The sky is the limit! Bear in mind the committee is considering a generous grand prize for our 75th year!
We continue to look for new attractions for the event, such as the Bektash mini cars and additional marching bands. We hope to have them confirmed soon.
Recently the committee viewed hundreds of photos of past Fourth of July celebrations dating back to 1958, to select photos for the upcoming Andover Town Report. This experience was so much fun, the committee decided to display many of them as a slide show on the 4th. They will be found in the Stone Chapel. Be sure to stop by there to take a trip down memory lane.
During our exploration of old photos, we found several photos of the old fire truck that the committee formerly used for fundraising. It was a wonderful way to reach out to the community for financial help with the celebration we have all grown to love.
The kids riding on the truck and running to houses to collect for the fireworks had a wonderful time. But as the years have gone by, insurance requirements have changed and we are no longer able to do this. Our current fundraising methods are: ads in our program, raffles, mailings, and door-to-door soliciting.
The door-to-door soliciting has become a Herculean effort on the part of a few dedicated people. It has become apparent to the committee that this will soon become unsustainable. All options are being explored to find an alternative to the door-to-door soliciting. The committee will be looking to our citizens for help!
If you enjoy laughter and the feeling of camaraderie, please contact one of our members and join our enthusiastic committee. You won’t regret it! (Doug Phelps, 802-310-1045; Donna French, 735-6131; Bob Ward, 735-5061; Beth Frost, 735-5562).
Anyone thinking of entering a float, please contact Donna French at 735-6131 or e-mail her at dlfrench@nulltds.net for early registration. Another option is to send a message to Andover, New Hampshire Fourth of July on Facebook.