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St. Pat's parade to focus on families
By Denise Dick
BOARDMAN
Wear your green, grab your shamrock and come to one of the Mahoning Valley’s biggest St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.
The 32nd annual Mahoning Valley St. Patrick’s Day Parade steps off at 1 p.m. next Sunday on Market Street at McClurg Road, proceeding north on Market and ending at DeBartolo Place.
“The theme of this year’s parade is ‘Families — The Heart of Ireland,’” said Joyce Kale-Pesta, parade president. “In the Irish culture and every culture that immigrated to the United States seeking the streets paved with gold, leaving their family was the hardest thing they had to do. Sons left mothers and fathers for the new world but never forgot to send their paycheck home to take care of the family they left behind.”
About 160 entries are expected, and trophies will be awarded for Best of Parade, Best Irish Theme, Best Float, Best Band, Best Pipe Band, Best Drum Line, Best Marching Unit, Best Novelty and Best Color Guard.
The Vindicator, Clear Channel and WFMJ TV 21 are the parade’s major sponsors.
Larry Moliterno, township trustees chairman, said the township is happy to have the parade return.
“It’s something that our citizens look forward to every year,” he said. “Boardman is a great venue for the parade, and we’re very proud that the committee recognizes that.”
Kale-Pesta said the parade committee believes the route provides a perfect view for all spectators to see everything.
“We are very happy to be in Boardman,” she said. “For the last couple of years, we have had the support of only two trustees. Thankfully, this year, all the trustees voted to continue supporting the parade.”
Last year, former Trustee Kathy Miller voted against having the parade in the township, citing concerns about personnel costs.
Boxer-turned-movie- director Ray “Boom-Boom” Mancini serves as the grand marshal. Youngstown native Mancini, who now lives in Los Angeles, is the youngest of three children of an Italian father and an Irish mother.
Richard J. Billak, chief executive officer of Community Corrections Association Inc. of Youngstown, is the Lord Mayor of Kil- kenny. Kilkenny is the name of an old Irish settlement, formerly in the Poland Avenue- Gibson Street-Franklin Avenue area of Youngstown.
Joe Illencik Jr. is the recipient of this year’s Ockerman Award, recognizing his contributions to the parade.
The Thomas Jr. and Mary Therese Driscoll Family will receive the Patrick Chrystal Youth Award as part of parade festivities. Tom Driscoll, father of the couple’s 14 children, suffered head injuries in a Jan. 25, 2009, accident on Interstate 80 in Hubbard.
He spent several weeks in the hospital in a coma, and his recovery continues.
The family has participated in the Gathering of the Irish Clans each August by providing activities for Irish youth.
Another highlight this year is Bishop George Murry of the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown, who will be leading the football teams of Ursuline and Mooney high schools to celebrate their state victories.