 So ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to the 2023 4th of July parade. We're glad you're here in the White River Valley Chamber of Commerce. We'd like to thank the following sponsors for their support of today's events. The Frankenberg Agency has graciously sponsored the judges stand this year, and our parade judges this year are Kyle Bette, Charlie's Annie, and we have Senator Mike McDonald with us this year. So thanks to them. And I'm Tom Hardy, I'm the emcee, and here is our parade. 1923 Model T4. This beauty is 100 years old this year. It's David Taber Sr. He's carrying that grand marshal who this year is Claude Young, who's one of our truly unsung heroes. Claude's been taken care of our recreation fields for the last 20 years and sure I'm there in great shape for all of us. It has many years of great work. And Claude of course also served in the Navy for 25 years. So thank you Claude for all your efforts in your service. Thank you to our grand marshal. Our local Veterans Color Guard Honors men and women who have served in all branches of the service. Thanks for all you've done for our nation. You give us hope and a reason to carry on the free nation and vital communities every day. The American Legion Post 9 Color Guard. Billy Lynch is driving the post Jeep. There you go Billy. Happy Fourth. This beautiful willies has been used at several veterans funerals over the years up here in the Veterans Cemetery. It is a beautiful piece and we thank him for bringing it. One more time to show us that green core color. There's Miss Randolph team Layla Grimaldi. She was the first ever team contestant to walk across the Miss Vermont team stage in 2023. It was an enlisted service member. Next year should be the first team member ever to walk the stage. That's an active duty service member. Braun Schoolcraft with the American birthday cake. Celebrate all who fought for our freedom. Braun's pulling the cake when he is in T. Ferguson. Getting into downtown. The Catamount Pipe Band. Vermont's premier Scottish bagpipe band. An intergenerational organization dedicated to preservation and promotion of Celtic music, tradition, and culture. The Catamount Pipe Band. The rec field immediately following the parade. Pulled by one of Rayner Shine's vehicles is Randolph's first fire truck. 1923 Ario Speed Wagon. The Rat Taborth Wheel. The Village Fire Department is full of energy to help all those in need. And they are helping us every day here in Randolph, the Randolph Village Fire Department. If you haven't stopped and bought a raffle ticket for the Gun Raffle yet, you can do so. They'll be around during the day for that. If you're looking for a job, McDonald's is hiring. Hey, good wages, great first job. Learn a little bit about responsibility and getting to work on time. Our local one is hiring. CV Oil, we welcome them. Who goes to the fork to celebrate heating our homes every year? Right? What? Come on. It's warm today, but it won't be in January. CV Oil's there for us. The Middle Branch Grange presents a giant birthday cake to celebrate the birthday of our country, the Middle Branch Grange. I got my tutor. As small as Randolph is, we boast to Rotary Club. This is the Randolph Sunrise Rotary Club. They celebrate the model of rotary service above self. Does it make that four way test? It doesn't make that four way test. You ought to be thinking about doing something else. It's the Randolph Rotary Game Club is celebrating all things fish to hunt for. We also celebrate the reintroduction of the famous duck race. The duck race will be held between 2.30 and 3.00 p.m. today, concluding the post parade festival. So make sure you get your duck race tickets. Five bucks. I won 500 one year. Randolph Center Fire Department is with us today. They're also, we thank them for all the hard work they do, completely volunteer, celebrating the work of firefighting to benefit all of us in our community, both in the village and in the town. It's the Randolph Fire Department. Mountain Campground is with us. The seasonal campers at Able Mountain Campground celebrate camping a great way to vacation anytime and check out all the carts that are with us today from Able Mountain Campground. It's Team Tabor Racing. And they'd like to thank all their sponsors that make it possible. They're all listed right there. And they thank them very much for making it possible to race with Team Tabor Racing. It's the Bethany UCC United Church of Christ. The Peast Doves are a worldwide symbol representing something we can all use a little bit more of these days. We celebrate all the efforts to promote peace in our world. It's Bethany with the Peast Doves. Well, they don't really need an introduction, but here comes the Royalton Town Band. The band's participation in the parade today is sponsored by Vermont Heritage Real Estate and Good Music gives everyone a reason to celebrate. It's the South Royalton Town Band making music for 151 years. And the crew from Blakeman Towing. Their trucks operate out of South Royalton and serve folks who need assistance all over the White River Valley. They have the energy to get out and give help to all who need it. It's the Blakeman Towing Team. But they're still walking. It's the RUHS Class of 71 inviting you to hop on the reunion bus and celebrate all our high school years. The Class of 71 can't remember much of the 70s, however. But they're trying. They're trying. Hop on the bus if you remember the Class of 71. Let's hear it for the Class of 71. Folks, it's the Friends of Kimball Library reminding us to go forth and read. The Friends of Kimball Library. There's a book sale today over here on Pleasant Street. Make sure you get on over and buy some books. Lots of books, Jane says. Lots of books. Thank you, Janet. Jane for carrying the sign. It's Catamount Solar. Welcome, Catamount Solar, who bring decades of skill, experience, and enthusiasm to both residential and commercial solar celebrating our renewable energy. It's Catamount Solar. Go local. And the Bethel Fire Department has always gone forth working hard together for all of us. Ah! Ah! Dungest of the Rogers family up there driving already. Oh, my God, you got Matt on the truck. Look out, everybody. Matt's on the truck. Matt's in town. Bethel Fire Department. It's Mascoma Bank wishing us all a happy Fourth of July. And Kyle, she's got you beat with a whole outfit. Battle of the Banks. So Valley Bowl is celebrated. Another great year of bowling, the 18th, and highlighting their perfect games, the 800 series championships, going forth to grow in love with the sport and our future kids, who bowl for free. Go to kidsbowlfree.com at Valley Bowl. You hear that? Two free bowling games every day, all summer long. They're open every day. 17 or under, go to valleybowl.com. Set it up, knock them down. It's Bethel Cub Scouts Pack 202. They're happy to be here today, and they're going forth with fun and full energy of scouting. It's the Scouts who want to join the Scouts from unpack202 at gmail.com. Join the Scouts. It's Mordio Wreck and their camp kids who are going forth towards Mordio Wreck for movement and fun. And a big shout out to Colby for learning the truck to haul things today. See how I drive that? It's the Ridgeline Outdoor Collective, formerly known as RASTA, celebrating 10 years of building and maintaining human-powered recreation opportunities in Randolph, Rochester, Pittsfield, Brandon Gap, and the Braintree Mountain Forest. They also run the popular youth mountain biking programs for all kids ages 1 to 100. Go forth and bike. The world's in Tools LLC, Matt Coatrack. If you're in need for a few tools, you just give Timmy a call, and he'll show up at the door and take all your money. He's glad to do it, as Matt Coatools just give Tim a call any day at 802-356-2264 or mattcoatools.com. Logan's property maintenance is going forth to help make our community beautiful. Logan and his friends will show up. They'll reclaim your driveway, walkway, wash your house, do whatever needs. Just give Logan a call. He might even bring Dylan along with him. LPM, Logan's property maintenance. You've got a property maintenance need. Just give Logan a call. It's the Mountain House Dance Company. Welcome them, celebrating clog dancing in all our communities, raising our spirits with music that makes you want to dance right along with them. And thanks to the Williams Brothers Builders for that float today. Celebrate and go forward with the Mountain House Dance Company. Go John! Go Dove! Shake Go! Rease Across America. Chris and Gail Billings have taken on the absolutely huge task of starting a Rease Across America group and supporting the effort to ensure that every veteran's grave at the Vermont Veterans Cemetery gets a Rease this year. If folks order through this group for every two Reats ordered, there'll be a free one. And that'll help spread the word. So we need 2,000 folks to sponsor to cover the 3,000 graves that are here in Randolph. And this year we've got some memorial graves represented on the float. And if you know someone that should be represented, you just get a hold of Gail and they will take care of that. Chris and Gail will do it. You give them a call. It's Rease Across America. That's Colin Evans in his classic American muscle car there, by the way. And Tom and Bobby Young in their 2019 Chevy Corvette. Go on, line them up, line them up. There's this collection of off-road vehicles showing its energy galore today. They're fun to watch. It's the Green Mountain Crawlers. It's the South Royalton Fire Department. Glad to have them with us today, as always. Another set of firefighters who are also with us today. So we thank them for their service. It's the South Royalton Fire Department. You practice and you're not. Chandler Center for the Arts celebrates youth every year with Fourth of July Summer Youth Musical. And members from the cast of Grease are singing and dancing to celebrate and go forth. They did a great production of Grease this year. It is the Chandler Center for the Arts Youth Production Grease. Great job, guys. One of yours got his 1978 Chrysler Cordova with Rich Corinthian Leather. It's the Brookfield Fire Department joining us once again. Brookfield Volunteer Fire Department is next in the line up of brave firefighters who've joined us today and we admire their tireless energy. And we're glad they're here. Next up is the Grease Christian Church. They were with us today wishing everyone a wonderful Independence Day celebration at Grease Christian Church. The features at Firemall Fix-a-Top is iconic Gladiola Firemall. Tractor Mike is leading the way for the Central Vermont Tractor Club. This club has a whole line of antique tractors we're seeing today. We celebrate the long history of farm equipment. The farmers who every day work to provide us with the nourishment we need. They have more energy than almost anybody. And boy, they're proving it today when they come out with their antique tractors to show them off to us. It's the East Randolph Fire Department next in the line of folks who are here with us today and the cooperation between the three Randolph departments is extraordinary. We celebrate their work together. Now, you want to just hold that new tanker there for a second? This is East Randolph's new tanker. And driving the tanker is Kevin Taylor who's been chief for 24 years and the department is dedicating the new tanker to the chief. This truck will be dedicated to the chief's name. Let's hear it for Kevin Taylor who's been chief for 24 years for all of his service to the community. Thank you, Kevin, and congratulations on the new tanker. We'll find us tonight now running around looking like the iconic newspaper man. We've got Tim Calabro, Ed Orner of the Herald, and he's been out here taking pictures all day. Thanks, Tim, for all the Herald does for us in this community. And here we are with the DAV Department Commander of Vermont, Dennis Bacchus and his wife is driving. We thank them for being here today. Doris is past commander of the DAV auxiliary and we celebrate their contribution of our veterans that have made to this country each and every day. So thank you, Dennis and Doris. It's the red, or the clever clover 4-H Equestrians. Thank you. Past, present, and future is past 4-H members, present 4-H members, and some futures. On the buckskin, New England's patriot is Stella Velu, her mom, Sarah, is walking with her. Stella soon hopes to be a future 4-H member. Next in line is Olivia Campbell riding Jesse, her liver chestnut quarter horse with whom she competes in barrel races. And Olivia is past 4-H member and is shown in many venues. Her mother, Yvonne, is on the ground with what she has for many years. Riding next is Addy McCarthy riding Raised on Radio, a black registered Morgan owned by Gregory Manning and leased by Addy for her 4-H project. It's Addy's first year of horse 4-H and on the ground with Addy is her mother, Roxanne, who's also a big part of helping with 4-H and enjoys the kids and the horses. Our next rider is Cheryl Manning riding Whipple Tree Danbury Wyatt, a bay registered Morgan gelding belonging to her grandson Gregory Bashon. Gregory is unable to ride at this time due to a car accident. So Cheryl is riding to honor Gregory and both she and Gregory are past 4-H members. And riding Mariah, a registered paint mayor, is Greg Manning. Greg is the past 4-H member in the cattle division. He now enjoys riding horses and helping with 4-H. The clever Clover 4-H Equestrians. Can he shovel it out? He can shovel it in. It's Representative Jay Hooper, one of our state representatives celebrating the 4-H of July by being a pooper-scooper today. And we have an ex-officio pooper-scooper here at the judges' table in Senator Mark McDonnell. Jay is going to save that to take Bunt, Montpelier as if they didn't have enough. Good job, Jay. It's the Arts Boss, rolling along since 2010, traveling art music studio, pop-up theater, markerspace, library, it engages children in the fun of creativity through free arts education. From the moment they go aboard the bus, kids and parents find inspiring, innovative activities prepared just for them. They are celebrating going forth with colorful, creative design for more than 13,250 children in our area that have been through the Arts Boss. Hey, if you're looking for some great fresh food, the Poulin family celebrates farming by going forth every day to honor and support Poulin and Daughter's Farms where you can get maple creamies, you can get syrup, beef, ice cream, jam, eggs, donuts, you can get all, so stop on out at Poulin and Sons, Poulin and Daughters rather, and celebrate the four. Celebrating the future women farmers of America there with her oxen, what a pair, beautiful, beautiful pair. And this is West Meadow Apiaries coming up, a honeybee farm located in Randolph, Vermont Poulination and Raw Honey. What great things to celebrate. And the bee pollinators go forth every day. They remind us that they're living the sweet life just like we are. So go forth to be kind, be humble and be grateful. Holly and Clover Merriam are riding with their horses as well, just ahead of them. So go forth, be kind, be happy, be humble, and be sweet. Stockwell's Garage is showing us six tow trucks in their street rod of course, supporting our communities in times of auto crisis. These road warriors are always needed throughout the year. And we celebrate our tow truck personnel who go forth to help us. It's Stockwell's Garage. One of those things. It's Mike driving out, my God, Gary. These folks keep us out of trouble by taking care of our roads and highways plowing the way, taking care of all the projects in town. It's the Randolph Rock Crew. Thank you to all our town workers and by the way, the town's hiring if you're looking for a job. They've got a couple of great positions on the town crew so get a hold of it. Hey, it's the Bear Mountain Jammers. Hey guys, if we could have you hunk the right hand side of the highway if we're trying to get an ambulance through. So just hunk the right hand side. That's the Bear Mountain. Folks, if you buy the tracks, the train is coming. So step back to the tracks. Who is right here with us and going to join us on the police force. Congratulations, Chelsea. Let's celebrate. Thank you for celebrating the 4th of July in Randolph. There's lots of food vendors around. Don't forget the duck race today and some of the bands are down at the rec field so swing on by and enjoy your fourth year in Randolph.