Parade To Take Alternative Route
submitted by Jean Barber
The Berlin July 4th Parade will step off from the Berlin Elementary School, School Street, on Friday, July 4, at 11 am and will follow a revised route this year due to local construction on the Elm Street Bridge. [private]Rather than its usual turn off Park Avenue onto Community Avenue to Elm Street, the Parade will continue straight down Park Avenue to the intersection of NY Route 22. It will turn right onto Route 22, continue north to North Main Street, turn left onto North Main and follow its usual course to the end of South Main, returning to Route 22. Marchers will turn left back onto Route 22, then turn right onto Park Avenue,
ending at the Berlin Firehouse parking lot. Vehicles and equipment will turn right off of South Main, then left onto Southeast Hollow Road, ending back at the Berlin Elementary School.
Viewing And Parking
Please keep this temporary route in mind when scouting out your viewing spot for the Parade this year. Please also be considerate of the many homeowners along the route and spectator chairs placed on sidewalks. The streets, especially Main Street, can get very congested for the Parade participants when vehicles park at the curb. For safety reasons and for better viewing for all spectators, we encourage the use of the free parking areas established at churches on Main Street, the Berlin Firehouse and the former Berlin Town Garage. Look for parking signs. Since the parade will be extended along Route 22 this year, you might consider giving the participants your support along that part of the route as well.
Join The Parade
Gather your friends, family or organization together and join the parade! This year’s Parade theme is “Imagine This!” Decorate a float or a bicycle. Costumed walkers, horses, cars, boats, antique equipment and marching groups are welcome. There is no entry fee, and it is not a requirement to follow the Parade theme; it is offered only as a guide. Be creative! Use your imagination! We can’t wait to see what your creative minds come up with this year!
There are cash prizes and ribbons for floats and ribbons for other established categories. Prizes are also awarded to fire companies for best appearance and most marchers in line. Registration is not required, however, it is much appreciated for planning purposes. Participation forms and further information are on the Town of Berlin website at http://berlin-ny.us or call Jean at 658-3010 or Carol at 658-3936. You can also reach us by email at berlinjuly4thparade@yahoo.com.
Dianne Mosher – Grand Marshal Of The 2014 Berlin July 4th Parade
Well known for her energetic and spirited work with her students and in the community, the Berlin July 4th Parade Committee is pleased to announce Dianne Mosher, Berlin Central School Family and Consumer Sciences teacher, as Grand Marshal for this year’s Independence Day parade to be held on July 4 at 11 am.
Dianne began her career with Berlin Central School District in 1984 substituting for two years, until 1986, when she accepted a fulltime position teaching seventh grade Home and Careers Skills at the Petersburgh School. In her second year, she taught an additional gym class as well. She was appointed head teacher at the Petersburgh School in 1988-89 and continued teaching Home and Careers Skills.
The 1989-90 school year brought a move to the middle school in Cherry Plain. There she continued as Home and Careers Skills teacher, teaching some middle school computer classes as well before starting her high school teaching career in 1991 as Family and Consumer Science teacher, the position she currently holds.
Born January 7, 1956, in Cambridge, NY, the second of three children of Donald and Dorothy Dusha, Dianne attended Cambridge Elementary School until sixth grade when the family moved across the border to Arlington, VT. Throughout her childhood and high school years at Arlington Memorial School, Dianne actively participated in community organizations, including Girl Scouts and 4-H and many extracurricular school activities including band, chorus, drama club musicals, field hockey, basketball and Future Homemakers of America (FHA). She graduated from high school in 1974 and obtained her Bachelor’s in Home Economics Education/Cooperative Extension Education from University of Vermont in 1978. She later continued her education at Sage College where she received a Masters of Elementary Education in May 1990.
An especially influential experience for Dianne was her involvement in Future Homemakers of America (FHA) during her high school years. One of her fondest memories was in 1972 when she was presented with the opportunity, and attended, the National FHA Meeting in Los Angeles, CA. As an FHA member, she not only served as a Chapter and State Officer but was selected to the National Committee to create a program of the organization: The Planning Process.
Because of her experience in Future Homemakers of America (FHA), Dianne was eager to offer the students at BCS the same opportunities and, in 1990, started a local chapter of FHA as an extracurricular school activity. As the national organization evolved, in 1999, it changed its name to Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) which today has 35 chapters across New York State and a national membership of over 225,000 young men and women in nearly 7,000 chapters. Through FCCLA, Dianne has led the local group in a number of services to the community, including Toys for Children at Christmas, participation in the NYS Teen Safe Driving Initiative, the annual FCCLA Rock-A-Thon and the annual Rescue Squad and Fire Department Breakfast. The FCCLA teams up with the school catering class to cook and serve breakfast to local heroes in appreciation for their volunteer efforts.
One stand out memory she has as FCCLA Advisor is when, in 2005, the group, as part of an anti-bullying program, presented the play, “Pickin.” They performed locally and then, with a grant received through “Stop the Violence,” they took the play on the road to approximately ten different schools throughout New York State. They ultimately presented “Pickin” at the annual NYS FCCLA Meeting. Ten students joined the BCS FCCLA Chapter that year to participate in the play.
In other school-related undertakings, in addition to teaching classes and her FCCLA activities, Dianne was instrumental in reorganizing the BCS Drama Club in 1995 and assisted former high school English teacher, Valerie Kavanaugh, in the production of the students’ first play that year, adding a musical production in the spring of subsequent years. She continued assisting with the musicals each spring until Valerie’s retirement at which time Dianne continued her efforts working with Karen Day through spring 2013.
When the High School Principal felt a need for a class for teens not interested in auto mechanics or other similar classes, Dianne developed a catering class which she has taught over the last four or five years. The class proved to be popular, with approximately 100 students having completed the course, which included cooking and serving meals for senior citizen groups and occasionally a wedding or other larger event catered for a volunteer teacher or former student.
Outside of school activities, as if that doesn’t keep her busy enough, Dianne is a Lay Leader for the United Methodist Church. She is currently studying ministry through the Church and is working to become a certified Lay Minister. She preaches once a month at both the Berlin and Methodist Churches.
Dianne has been honored with several awards including the Crystal Apple Award (a BCS award to an outstanding staff member for contributions to the community); the 2003 NewsChannel 13 Educator of the Week; the J.C. Penney Award (for contributions to students); the 2005 Academy for Character Education at Sage Colleges Award (teacher leadership award for anti-bullying program play, “Pickin”, presented through FCCLA) and the 2014 Academy for Character Education at Sage Colleges Award (teacher leadership award for her work with teens and distracted driving). FCCLA awards include the NYS FCCLA Distinguished Service Award, the Master Advisor Award and the Alumni Achievement Award (FCCLA Hall of Fame).
Dianne credits three people as being the most influential in her life, the first being, Jane Aaron, her high school Home Economics teacher. “It was her influence that led me to choose my teaching career. Because of her, I love to sew and cook, and parenting and family life is a part of that, too”. She credits her father, David Dusha, as well. She laughed as she said, “He always told me that I shouldn’t become a teacher because there were no jobs, which just made me want to do it even more!” Finally, she recognizes her high school music/drama teacher, R. Joe Godfrey. “He was always 100% involved and was the type of teacher I have become. He sewed costumes, built sets and included elementary children in the play,” she said.
It was the summer of 1984, when Dianne’s husband, Bruce, was recruited by Paul and Gerri Greene to work on the Mapledale Farm. Bruce grew up in Bennington, where they met over the summer while she was home from college. “I always said I wanted to marry a dairy farmer,” she said. Dianne and Bruce have three grown boys. Ross, 33, works in marketing and lives in Raymond, NH, with his wife Jennifer and their son, Lane, born in August 2012 (the highlight of Dianne’s life) and another child due in July. Twins Craig and Ryan are 31. Craig works on Mapledale Farm, owns a D.J. business and resides in Berlin with his wife Alicia. Ryan travels extensively for his marketing job, with his home base being Berlin.
Please join us in congratulating Dianne as we honor her for her dedication toward the education and guidance of her students, and for teaching them by example that they alone can make a difference in their community and beyond.
Donations Appreciated
The Parade Committee appreciates the tremendous support you have shown us over the years. The cost of the Parade is funded almost entirely with private donations. We need your sustained support to continue this time-honored tradition. Marching bands, supplies, postage, awards and other expenses continue to increase and add up quickly. We would love to offer more entertainment when available, however, it requires your support. Whether you will attend this year as an annual tradition or will be bringing your family for the first time, please consider sending your contribution to us at the address below. Should you prefer to offer your support in person, we would be pleased to accept your contribution prior to the start of the Parade at the sign-in/registration desk outside the Berlin Elementary School between 8:30 am and 10:30 am. There will also be Parade Committee members available to accept your donation immediately following the Parade at the Berlin Firehouse. We accept donations year-round. No amount is too small, and your support is greatly needed and appreciated. Please make your contribution payable to Berlin July 4th Parade Committee, and mail to P.O. Box 66, Berlin, NY, 12022.[/private]