Troy's September 11th Memorial

First, thank you to everyone who provided feedback on my last post, "What matters most to you about Troy." I will respond to some of your points, questions, concerns in my next post later in the week.

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Today, the following article regarding a September 11th Memorial in the city of Troy I wrote appeared in the Troy Record. To date our coordinating committee has been actively meeting and planning. A location has been identified and design is well underway. Both these items will be announced publicly very soon. In the mean time, if you haven't read the article it's below for your enjoyment and if you would like to contribute the information to do so is below as well.

Memorial Logo Courtesy of Ralph Renna

Troy's Treasures: Building a Sept. 11 Memorial

Sept. 11, 2011 will mark the 10th anniversary of one of the most significant days in our nation’s history. The events that occurred that early September morning will shape our nation for generations to come. This day has come to be known as Patriot Day, a day of remembrance. Each year we take time to honor those who were lost in New York, Washington, DC, and Pennsylvania; with those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country in the defense of freedom.

To mark this anniversary and to provide a lasting tribute, the members of the Uncle Sam Parade Committee have invited representatives from the local veterans association, police and fire departments, and the City or Troy to join them on a coordinating committee to design, raise funds, and build a Sept. 11 Memorial in the city. The committee has received the support of Mayor Harry J. Tutunjian and is actively planning and fund raising for the memorial.

In the days that followed that fateful September day the response by the general public and our local public safety agencies was outstanding. What began as a rescue mission and soon turned into recovery required hundreds of man hours to sift through the rubble that was the World Trade Center. Almost immediately hundreds of people descended on Lower Manhattan to lend a hand to the effort. Personally, I spent nearly 30 hours over the weekend of Sept. 14 working with other civilians and the US Marshals to recreate the infrastructure that was destroyed as the towers fell. Members of all our local public safety departments jumped to action and made their way to New York City. Members of the City of Troy Police and Fire Departments, along with many local agencies answered the call and for that, a part of this memorial will be dedicated to remembering the local response.

“We will never forget,” this is the mantra repeated in tribute to the tragedy. We will never forget the innocent victims, especially those who were members of our community in Troy and Rensselaer County. We will never forget the bravery of our young men and women who when called to war unselfishly put themselves on the line to defend our country. As a community and a country we have a lot to be thankful for and remembering, honoring, and celebrating these events and these individuals is just the right thing to do because it provides us with perspective. Why should we construct a Memorial because it is our responsibility to do so. We owe it to those that sacrificed and suffered, we owe to those who will come after us to help them understand, and we owe it to ourselves. As a nation and as a state we survived and became even more united. Wasn’t the immediate response of patriotism heartwarming? It appeared that every house on every block and every car antennae had an American Flag proudly on display. We will not forget these events and the September 11tMemorial of Troy will be a proper and respectful remembrance for generations to come.

Time is of the essence with less than nine months to complete the project. The committee understands the significance of this project and is committed to achieving each milestone on schedule. To properly mark the anniversary the Parade Committee has rescheduled the 36th Annual Uncle Sam Parade to the following Sunday on Sept. 18 so that on Sept. 11, 2011 they can host a memorial dedication and service marking this 10th anniversary. Between now and then, as a community, we have a lot of work to do.

We are actively contacting various members of the community seeking your support. The committee’s goal is to primarily fund the construction of the memorial through the use of private dollars. If you would like to contribute to the memorial please mail it to: The Uncle Sam Parade Committee Sept. 11th Fund, PO Box 109, Troy, NY 12182. The Uncle Sam Parade Committee, Inc. is a non-profit corporation with federal tax-exempt status under the provisions Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. A portion of the memorial’s design will include a memorial walkway. Individuals and groups will have the opportunity to sponsor a paving brick. The pavers can be engraved in your name or in honor or tribute to a friend or loved one. More information on the walkway will be made available soon.

For up-to-date information on the Memorial join our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/troy911memorial or to learn about corporate sponsorships email us at troy911memorial@gmail.com.

The Count Down Has Begun!

We are less than one month away from the 35th Annual Uncle Sam Parade and Celebration... However the festivities are set to get underway next Saturday August 21st with the Miss Uncle Sam Pageant.

This is the last call for entrants for the Miss Uncle Sam Pageant. Alta Reynolds, director of the Uncle Sam Pageant, is now accepting applications from young ladies from Rensselaer County. The pageant will be held on Saturday, August 21, 10:00am, and conducted in St. Augustine's Hall located on the corner of 114th Street and 4th Avenue in Lansingburgh.

For brochures and more information please write to: Uncle Sam Pageant, Alta Reynolds, 8 Bank Street, Troy, NY 12180 or call Alta at 274-7294. Don't miss out on being named to the Miss Uncle Sam Court during this milestone 35th Anniversary Year!

This year's parade will feature a number of new bands and participants and there is a rumor that the US Air Force may make a quick but special appearance to mark this very special year. A fun time is guaranteed for all.


The following is a list of events leading up to and including the 35th Parade:

1. Uncle Sam Jam and Power in the Park Car Show
at Powers Park on Saturday August 28 from 2:00pm to 8:00pm









2. Annual Uncle Sam Grave Side Ceremony conducted by the Veterans of Lansingburgh.
at Oakwood Cemetery Saturday September 11th beginning at 10am

3. Annual Citizen of the Year Brunch conducted by the Uncle Sam Parade Committee
at the Veterans of Lansingburgh Saturday September 11th following the Grave Side Ceremony. For tickets call me, Jim Gordon, at 365-2270.

This year we honor John Murphy the owner of Snowman ice cream of Lansingburgh as our Citizen of the Year. We will honor our Grand Marshal Mayor Harry J Tutunjian and our Humanitarian of the Year David Hamilton.

4. 35th Annual Uncle Sam Parade
5th Avenue from 125th to 106th Streets in Lansingburgh. Parade marches rain or shine.

5. Uncle Sam Celebration
at Kinickerbacker Park, live music featuring THE HOLLIES, BADFINGER, & BILLY J KRAMER and THE DAKOTAS with Blue Hand Luke in one of their final shows together and Donny "Elvis", an international food court, rides and games for the kids, and FIREWORKS! Beings at the conclusion of the parade.


Finally on a Side Note: The Parade Committee is currently conducting a ticket raffle. For a $100 chance you have the opportunity of winning a grand prize of $10,000 or one of our eight other prizes that range from $1,000 to $250.... Only 250 tickets will be sold.... if your interested or would like more information please email me at jgordon003@nycap.rr.com... All proceeds will benefit the 2010 Parade and Celebration.

The British are coming!

As I have mentioned several times on this blog we have hired a world renown music act to help celebrate the 35th Anniversary of the Uncle Sam Parade and Celebration... To further example the international harmony shared between the United States and the English we will be joined by Billy J Kramer and the Dakota's, the Hollies' Terry Sylvester (inducted into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame in 2010), and Badfinger's Joey Mulland as they present their Liverpool Invasion show. These three legendary stars will perform a show full of hits that include "Long Cool Woman," "Bus Stop," "Come and Get It," "No Matter What," "Bad to Me," and "From A Window" to name a few. This will prove to be a must see show and it's FREE!!! Prior to to this performance Donny "Elvis" will return once again this year along with Blue Hand Luke... Three acts... a day full of family fun and entertainment... Sunday September 12 following the 35th Annual Uncle Sam Parade and Celebration...



The Uncle Sam celebration is a two day event... On Saturday September 11th beginning at 10am The Veterans of Lansingburgh will conduct the Annual Uncle Sam Grave Side Ceremony in Oakwood Cemetery. This is a celebration of patriotism honoring those who serve and have served and the legacy of "Uncle" Samuel Wilson... Following the grave site ceremony the Parade Committee will host the Annual Citizen of the Year Brunch at the Veterans of Lansingburgh. Stay tuned for more information on the brunch and the 2010 honorees.

Side Note: The Parade Committee is currently conducting a ticket raffle. For a $100 chance you have the opportunity of winning a grand prize of $10,000 or one of our eight other prizes that range from $1,000 to $250.... Only 250 tickets will be sold.... if your interested or would like more information please email me at jgordon003@nycap.rr.com... All proceeds will benefit the 2010 Parade and Celebration.

Finally, last call for entrants for the Miss Uncle Sam Pageant. Alta Reynolds, director of the Uncle Sam Pageant, is now accepting applications from young ladies from Rensselaer County. The pageant will be held on Saturday, August 21, 10:00am, and conducted in St. Augustine's Hall located on the corner of 114th Street and 4th Avenue in Lansingburgh.

For brochures and more information please write to: Uncle Sam Pageant, Alta Reynolds, 8 Bank Street, Troy, NY 12180 or call Alta at 274-7294. Don't miss out on being named to the Miss Uncle Sam Court during this milestone 35th Anniversary Year!

Uncle Sam Parade Activities

The Uncle Sam Parade Committee kicked of its 35th Anniversary year with a “Murder Mystery Dinner” fund-raiser. Over 100 people packed the Plesantdale Fire Hall the evening of April 10 to participate in a program titled “The Meatpacker Slaughter.” Attendees worked as a team to interview the characters that were involved in the murder of Samuel Wilson’s fictional grandson. The actors are members of a local non-profit theatre group which donates their time to help community organizations, such as the Uncle Sam Parade, raise money. They scripted and acted out the entire program while wearing period costumes to add to the authenticity. Actually, now that I think about it they agreed to “work for food.” For the dinner portion of the event the Parade Committee volunteers prepared a hot turkey dinner with all the trimmings. It was like Thanksgiving in April and the desserts were divine! But the participants couldn’t allow themselves to get too wrapped up into the meal because there was a case to crack! In the end the murder was solved and every in attendance had an outstanding time. With the feedback and reviews we received, there definitely will be future Mystery Dinner’s.

Rockin' Evening in Knickerbocker

As I previously wrote this is a banner year for the Uncle Sam Parade. A major announcement will be coming in the following weeks regarding a world renowned act that will be headlining the post-parade celebration at Knickerbocker Park. This act is comprised of three individuals who fronted three influential bands during the 60’s and 70’s. One of which is a recent inductee of the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame. Stay tuned...

Miss Uncle Sam Pagent

REMINDER: Alta Reynolds, director of the Uncle Sam Pageant, is now accepting applications from young ladies from Rensselaer County. The pageant will be held on Saturday, August 21, 10:00am, and conducted in St. Augustine's Hall located on the corner of 114th Street and 4th Avenue in Lansingburgh.

The young ladies will compete in five age categories for the honor of being selected the top of their age group. The categories are: Little Miss age 4-6; Young Miss age 7-9; Pre-Teen age 10-12; Teen Miss age 13-15; and Miss Uncle Sam age 16-18. In addition to the winner of each category, two runner-ups will be recognized as well.

Please note that to be a contestant each young lady must be a resident of Rensselaer County, never been married, and never had a child or pregnant at the time of the pageant or while serving as a member of the Miss Uncle Sam Court. The last two qualifications at first may seem absurd but there are specific reasons we mention them.

The categories include competitions based on poise, personality, and appearance. An optional Miss Photogenic category is judged on photos submitted by the contestants. Each contestant will receive a trophy for participating. While the winners will also receive crowns, banners, and trophies, and the runner-ups will receive special trophies.

Miss Uncle Sam and her court have the opportunity to serve as goodwill ambassadors throughout the year by attending parades, charity and community events, and working with children.

For brochures and more information please write to: Uncle Sam Pageant, Alta Reynolds, 8 Bank Street, Troy, NY 12180 or call Alta at 274-7294. Don't miss out on being named to the Miss Uncle Sam Court during this milestone 35th Anniversary Year!

Monumental Year for Uncle Sam's Parade

The Uncle Sam Parade Committee has begun to plan their 35th annual parade and celebration. And to celebrate this milestone the committee is putting together what will definitely be a memorable event. Big announcements pertaining to a world-renown musical act and other special additions for this years extravaganza will be made throughout the spring and summer. This will be one event you will not want to miss, so mark your calendars Sunday, September 12 the parade will kick off at 12 noon this year and will immediately be followed by the celebration in Knickerbacker Park.

Each year our festivities begin with the crowning of a new Miss Uncle Sam and her court. Alta Reynolds, director of the Uncle Sam Pageant, is now accepting applications from young ladies from Rensselaer County. The pageant will be held on Saturday, August 21, 10:00am, and conducted in St. Augustine's Hall located on the corner of 114th Street and 4th Avenue in Lansingburgh.

The young ladies will compete in five age categories for the honor of being selected the top of their age group. The categories are: Little Miss age 4-6; Young Miss age 7-9; Pre-Teen age 10-12; Teen Miss age 13-15; and Miss Uncle Sam age 16-18. In addition to the winner of each category, two runner-ups will be recognized as well.

Please note that to be a contestant each young lady must be a resident of Rensselaer County, never been married, and never had a child or pregnant at the time of the pageant or while serving as a member of the Miss Uncle Sam Court. The last two qualifications at first may seem absurd but there are specific reasons we mention them.

The categories include competitions based on poise, personality, and appearance. An optional Miss Photogenic category is judged on photos submitted by the contestants. Each contestant will receive a trophy for participating. While the winners will also receive crowns, banners, and trophies, and the runner-ups will receive special trophies.

Miss Uncle Sam and her court have the opportunity to serve as goodwill ambassadors throughout the year by attending parades, charity and community events, and working with children.

The current Miss Uncle Sam, Alexis Foster, and her court Miss Teen Myranda Delcostello, Little Miss Caileigh Sawyer, Young Miss Alexis Vautrin, and Pre-Teen Miss Sylvie Lemieux, have been a highly active bunch and they could have been found throughout the Greater Capital Region participating in a number of events. This group of young ladies did and outstanding job and have set the bar high for their successors. Congratulations girls on a job well done!

For brochures and more information please write to: Uncle Sam Pageant, Alta Reynolds, 8 Bank Street, Troy, NY 12180 or call Alta at 274-7294. Don't miss out on being named to the Miss Uncle Sam Court during this milestone 35th Anniversary Year!