submitted by Jean Barber
The Berlin 4th of July Parade Committee is pleased to announce the selection of long-time resident, Jane Fitzgerald, as the 2011 July 4th Parade Grand Marshal. Jane, more affectionately known as “Auntie Jane,” has been involved with the parade for 17 years. She is still active today as Committee Chair.
Jane is a Director and Charter Member of the Berlin Central School Alumni Association. She continues to be involved in the annual BCS Alumni Reunion. She is a member and former secretary of
Taconic Valley Historical Society; current treasurer of the Eastern Area Senior Service Center in Grafton and a member of all local area senior citizens groups.
Jane is a member of the Parish of Our Lady of the Snow Catholic Church in Grafton and Berlin. She held all offices at one time or another in the Altar Rosary Society from its inception until her retirement in 1988, and she volunteered for many activities.
In October 2010, Jane was honored as a recipient of the Capital District Senior Issues Forum’s Lifetime Achievement Award through the New York State Office for the Aging for her longstanding and continuing contributions to society and a lifetime of service to community.
Jane was born in Bennington, VT, the oldest of three sisters. She and her sisters grew up in Berlin, where her father was a farmer and her mother a schoolteacher. Jane is a 1940 graduate of Berlin Central School where she volunteered at the school library and served as Class President, a position that became a lifetime one. Until recent years, her classmates looked to her to coordinate an annual get-together, an outing they looked forward to each year.
She was “Transportation Director” for her nephews, Alan, Ross and Terry Bentley as they were growing up. She laughed as she said, “Now the tables have turned.”
Jane was employed at Montgomery Ward in Menands where she worked for one year before starting her career with Taconic Valley Bank in Berlin. She retired in 1988, after 37 years, from what then was Fleet Bank. Subsequently, she was employed for another 15 years at Jiminy Peak ski rentals until 2003. In 1980, when Berlin Central School needed someone to serve as Chief Election Inspector, she readily accepted. She served in that post for 28 years until 2008.
We are pleased and proud to honor “Auntie Jane” and say, “thank you” for her exemplary community service and for many jobs well done!
Parade Route Extended
The annual parade will be held in Berlin on Monday, July 4th. The parade route is extended this year. The 1.7 mile parade steps off at 11 am from the Berlin Elementary School, continuing north on School Street to Park Avenue, left on Park to Community Avenue, left on Elm Street to State Rt. 22, right on Rt. 22 to North Main Street and down to end of South Main, left on Rt. 22 to Park Avenue and right on Park Avenue. Marchers may end at the Berlin Fire House parking lot. Floats and vehicles will continue up Park to School Street returning to the school. For your convenience, off-street parking is available at all churches on Main Street, the Bank of America and the Berlin Fire House.
Further Entertainment
Hill Hollow Band will generously provide further entertainment in the Berlin Fire House parking lot immediately following the parade.
For Information
If interested in participating or for more information, please call 658-2624.