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July 4, 2009

Parade preparation paves way for holiday fun

Annual event paves way for holiday fun

By ANNA JOLLY

PLATTSBURGH — It's an hour before the Fourth of July parade starts to roll.

Participants situate themselves in the lineup and polish the fire trucks and vintage cars that will soon wind around Plattsburgh city streets.

Parade coordinator Kelly Donoghue glances down at his watch as he drives up Cumberland Avenue. At this moment, his job is to ensure that the bustling staging area is organized and safe.

"There's a lot of last-minute adjustments that happen at this point," he says. "Some show up with more vehicles or people than they originally thought so the space projections change."

Another time check shows just 40 minutes until Donoghue must get the parade moving.

Some participants have yet to arrive while others search for the numbered traffic cone that corresponds to their position in the parade.

Donoghue is prepared for these hectic last minutes, as this is his fifth time coordinating the Fourth of July parade for the City of Plattsburgh.

"The same challenges present themselves every year," he explains as he picks up speed in a small open vehicle. "That mostly involves traffic concerns, but that's why communication with City Police and DPW (Department of Public Works) is so important."

His cell phone rings and he's hailed down repeatedly during the short drives on Cumberland Avenue.

Safety both for parade participants and the public is always on his mind. This comes naturally to Donoghue, who serves as assistant director for Clinton County Emergency Services.

"There are a lot of children here and some of these vehicles are so large that drivers won't be able to see them," he says.

One of the newer parade rules is that candy must be handed to children and can't be thrown into city streets.

Children chase the candy, so again this is a safety measure, he explains.

As the minutes pass, Donoghue knows Plattsburgh residents are setting up lawn chairs along the parade route and chatting with friends.

"Once it gets under way, I'm still concerned about everyone's safety, but I also feel a sense of pride to know that people are enjoying the day. That's what all the volunteers and the City of Plattsburgh wants."

That sense of pride is evident in the parade's first float, a birch-bark canoe that represents the quadricentennial of Samuel de Champlain's discovery of Lake Champlain.

"This year is special because of this historical celebration. It brings the community together," says Jane West, who showed off the float at Fourth of July parades in Champlain and Altona.

Richard Favreau, the man playing Samuel de Champlain, takes his place in the canoe just before 2 p.m.

That's precisely when Donoghue reappears to get the celebration started.

Donoghue watches that canoe round the first corner of the parade route.

With that part of the job complete, the focus shifts to the expectant crowd.

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