Dedham Middle School Marching Band Debuts in Parade

It was a warm, sunny Saturday recently, when
band instructor Katie Cervone, gathered her students for one last lap around Fallon Field in Roslindale. The 40-plus students, clad in their 
black DMS uniforms, met at the field early that morning to fine tune their marching skills. For weeks, the DMS students met with Mrs. Cervone before and after school for rehearsal.

The Dedham Middle School Marching Band was making their debut after being invited to participate in the 60th Anniversary Parkway Little
League Parade.

State Rep. Ed Coppinger (D, West Roxbury), who marched in the Parkway Parade himself as a youth, wanted to increase the size of this
event and get other communities involved. Rep. Coppinger received some
great help from State Senator Mike Rush and Coucilors John Connolly,
Matt O'Malley and Rob Consalvo.

Each year the Parkway Parade has a theme, and this year's was dedicated to the veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

As Boston Police Area E-5 Sgt. Kenny Jameson led the way in his cruiser, state Sen. Rush, a lieutenant in the U.S. Naval Reserve, Boston Police officer Daniel McMorrow, a master sergeant in the U.S. Marines, honorary "Lord Mayor" Rich Gormley a U.S. Marine Corp. veteran, and a host of others fell in to line.

Team by team, the players and coaches joined the Dedham Middle School Band and the New Liberty Jazz Band.

A good portion of the 2 1/2-mile route, from Fallon Field in Roslindale 
to the Guy Cammarata Baseball Complex on Baker Street in West Roxbury,
was lined with well-wishers, parents, family members and local shoppers.

Joe Castellano, President of the Parkway Little League, met the group at the field and announced his plans to continue fund-raising for a new Bunker Field complex. Also on hand at the ballpark was "Wally" the Red Sox Green
Monster and Larry Lucchino, President and CEO of the Boston Red Sox.
Mr. Lucchino told the crowd that he was so impressed by their efforts, that
the Red Sox would be making a donation to their cause.

Congratulations go out to Mrs. Cervone and the 43 boys and girls from the 
Dedham Middle School who helped make this event such a success!