Williston Observer 7/7/2022 by Williston Observer

Williston

Fourth of July Scrapbook — pages 1-7

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Community comes together for concert, ice cream social

Parade packs the village BY KARSON PETTY Community News Service

BY KARSON PETTY Community News Service Sunday evening’s Independence Day events attracted music fans, avid readers and ice-cream lovers of all ages. The Dorothy Alling Memorial Library started off the events at 4 p.m. by opening the doors for the library’s annual book sale at Williston Central School. After two hours of people book browsing, the Village Green went relatively quiet until 7 p.m., which gave the Town Band time to warm up their instruments, and the Williston Federated Church time to ready the Ice Cream Social station. People started trickling onto the green well before the show; the entire back lawn was a sea of spectators in lawn chairs by the time the concert began at 7 p.m. With new band director Jane Lambert conducting and band president Kathy Schaw serving as master of ceremonies, the band performed a mix of old standards, movie scores and international pieces — with appropriate and humorous descriptions in between. The setlist included marches like Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes Forever,” musical numbers like “Seventy-Six Trombones” and movie medleys from “Star Wars” and “Pirates of the Caribbean.” Lambert led the musicians of various ages and abilities, dedicating their performance both to the large audience in attendance and to the memory of long-time band member and conductor Kim Tokarz, who passed away this past February. “I think the fact that we’re dedicating the concert to her tonight is helping (the band’s) playing,” Lambert said. Upon entering an uncertain retirement following almost 35 years of band instruction in Vermont public schools, Lambert welcomes her new position with the Williston Town Band. “This has been a real blessing,” she said, “and I feel very honored.” Schaw was thrilled with the spectator turnout. “If we could get half as many people at

ABOVE: Williston’s Boy Scouts present the colors to start Williston’s Fourth of July parade Monday morning. BELOW: Fireworks on Monday night cap off the Independence Day celebration. OBSERVER PHOTOS BY AL FREY

our normal concerts it would be wonderful,” she said. She also reflected on the significance of the event for the town. “I think it’s what makes Williston what it is,” she said, “such an amazing community with people that come out for all these kinds of events.” As melodies carried across the green, a line of people awaiting a tasty dairy treat wound its way to a horseshoe of tables manned by Williston Federated Church volunteer scoopers. Rev. Paul Eyer could be seen greeting see CONCERT page 24

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With Covid seemingly in the rearview, this year’s Fourth of July parade and activities on the Village Green spread much joy and appreciation. People from all around Williston, young and old, began lining the parade route through the village as early as 9 a.m. on Monday. The warm air and clear sky made for ideal parade conditions, and leading participants rolled out from the Johnson Farm like clockwork just before 10 a.m. By 10:05 a.m., the drums and horns of the Williston Town Band could be heard on the march, while Boy Scout Troop 692’s flag-bearers crested the rise in front of Town Hall. They were followed by this year’s parade grand marshals: Liz Demas, Lynn McClintock, Cathy Kohlasch and Sally Dattilio. The four teachers, recognized for their commitment to elementary education and community involvement, rode in the back of a sleek, red convertible. They waved and voiced greetings from their mobile perch, driven by Williston resident Prineet Amid. Amid was happy to lend his vehicle to the celebration and loved the opportunity to directly participate in a wonderful town event. “It was a fun opportunity and a great experience,” he said. As one of Amid’s grand marshal passengers, Kohlasch was grateful for the feelings of recognition, connection and togetherness that came with the honor. “It’s nice that the community decided to recognize us four educators who taught many students that came through over the last see PARADE page 24

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