by Edward
Paul Greiff
Maritime Captain Scott Shields, the official head of the non-governmental agency deploying hurricane Katrina rescue teams from around the country in Louisiana and Mississippi, will be the guest of honor at "A Celebration of Life - Day in the Park Festival" on Sunday, October 9, 2005 at the Putnam Valley Town Park.
This event, which was scheduled long before hurricane Katrina, is being hosted by Mr. Frank Demarco, Supervisor of the Parks & Recreation Department, and Mr. Andy Powers, President of LeisureTyme.Net
During the past year, PV Parks & Rec Supervisor Frank Demarco has generated many firsts for Putnam Valley Town Park. His exciting and visionary ideas for the Town Park have brought events such as Town Day, Movies, Summer Concert Series, and a U.S.A. Boxing Match. Now he is in the process of co-hosting with Mr. Powers, a "Celebration of Life Festival."
This event is the official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Town Park Dedication and will host many dignitaries. But it is also an event to honor "Bear" and Search and Rescue (SAR) teams.
"Bear" was the first Search and Rescue dog on the scene at the 9/11 World
Trade Center disaster. He worked 18-hour days and is credited with
finding more victims than any other dog. Bear is the most decorated
dog in America. While working the site, a wound he sustained became
cancerous and Bear died one year later of multiple forms of cancer.
Captain Shields and his work are legendary, so much so that when hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana, that state's Governor, Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, requested that Captain Shields and the Bear Search and Rescue Foundation teams be deployed there.
What Mr. Demarco and Mr. Powers had originally planned to be a pleasant "Celebration of Life Day" has turned into a very serious and desperate plea for funds to support the real-life rescue efforts of the Search and Rescue teams now in Louisiana.
Captain Scott Shields has deployed a multi-faceted SAR team of over 200 volunteers to Louisiana as of Friday, September 2, 2005. This team is made up of air, land, and sea rescue volunteers.
Zodiac Maritime Training Academy has supplied 22 inflatable boats and Maritimes Solutions of Freeport, NY has donated 37 of these large inflatable boats. Their mission is to come into the towns from the sea, extricate survivors and take them back out to sea where larger boats are waiting to transport them to safety.
In a recent e-mail Captain Shields writes, "We ask for your support. We expect that this operation will fully deplete the Foundation's resources. Whatever you can do to assist will be appreciated. We have promised to make Bear's legend a legacy for all who serve so that others may live. We will keep this promise. Pray for us all!"
Frank Demarco and Andy Powers are planning a "Celebration of Life - Day in The Park" like no one has ever seen before. According to Mr. Demarco, Sunday's program will start at noon with a ribbon cutting and park dedication ceremony at the Town Park Pavilion. Many dignitaries including Secretary of State Daniels are scheduled to be there.
This will be followed by a very brief tribute to the Town's Patriot Garden by Legislator Vinny Tamagna and a remembrance of all who serve. Councilman Robert Tendy will sing our National Anthem.
Then Captain Scott Shields will be introduced along with the Search and Rescue teams and their K-9 companions. Demonstrations are planned along with a game of hide and seek between the SAR dogs and the kids in the audience.
Games, activities, food, prizes, raffle, 50/50 and more are planned for the next few hours along with the music of the Hey Baby band. More Sugar writes, "This band has been rocking the Tri-State area for 21 years with their style of R&B and high powered brass and roll versions of your favorite 60s and 70s songs."
Following them is the legendary T.J. Tomlin Big Band of Jazz and Swing. A band made up of five saxophones/flutes/ clarinets, four trombones, four trumpets, a piano, a bass and drums, but no Guitars. These musicians are traveling from many different states just to be here. They are a talented group of musicians having played for Big Bands such as Duke Ellington, Count Baise, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Doc Severinsen, Artie Shaw, Les Elgart, Tommy Dorsey . . . and the list goes on.
For the grand finale they are working on getting the West Point band to accompany a spectacular fireworks display that July-4-Ever Mike Ilissyn says will out-do Town Day.
All of the net proceeds from this event will be given to the Bear Search and Rescue Foundation so they can continue to "risk their lives and serve so that others may live."
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