Pleasanton Celebrates America's Birthday in Style

Six months of planning led to a spectacular day, thanks to Jerri Long, co-producer with W. Ron Sutton, and their committee of volunteers for Pleasanton's annual Fourth of July concert, picnic and celebration at Lyons Wayside Park Sunday afternoon.

"We started planning in January," said Long, who is well known in the city for her years as Public Information Officer of the Pleasanton Unified School District, and for various volunteer posts over the years. "But I think I'm going to move it up to November next year."

Hundreds of Pleasanton residents, family members and friends filled the park for the picnic, concert and celebration. Volunteers managed to coordinate a surprising number of activities, recognitions and performances into the 90-minute event.

The well-coordinated effort began promptly at 12:30 p.m. with the crowd singing "Happy Birthday" to America, accompanied by the Pleasanton Community Concert Band led by conductor Bob Williams.

Following the band's performance of "Variations on 'America,'" members of Boy Scouts Troop 908, American Legion Post 238 and Veterans of Foreign Wars post 6298 approached the stage to the band's performance of "Boy Scouts of America March" in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts.

Even "Uncle Sam" was there. Sam, who is otherwise known as Pleasanton's Ward Belding, is an accomplished vocalist who volunteers to dress up and perform at Pleasanton's patriotic events.

In addition to the singing and instrumental performances, a series of readings and addresses added a theatrical element to the day. Pleasanton's Poet Laureate Deborah Grossman's original poem, "Boots on First" was written specially for the  Fourth of July celebration.

The poem, in eloquently phrased verse, recalls the emotions felt by friends and families across hundreds of years, including present time, when America's soldiers have headed to war out of respect for their country and her towns.

Later, keynote speaker Ann Collins of Orinda, whose son-in-law is a former member of the Pleasanton Community Concert Band, addressed the crowd, stunning event-goers into silence with her words of passing American family lore down through the generations.

"The evolution of freedom is still on the move," said Collins, an African American who reflected on her family's history in the South. Collins was brought to happy tears following her speech when several of her sons, daughters, nieces, nephews and grandchildren surprised her with a group greeting.

Among the moving readings at the celebration was a three-part oratory blend of famous speeches from John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther, Jr., and Teddy Kennedy, read by Ward Belding, Ann Collins and Bob Williams.

Compiled by Jennifer Fredette, Ph.D., a 2000 graduate of Amador Valley High School, the piece, entitled "Blended Voices: A Memorial Trilogy," transcends generation, races and politics in its expression of American patriotism. Fredette earlier this year joined the political science faculty as professor at the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at the University at Albany State University in New York.

Honorees of the annual Ed Kinney Community Patriot Award included Brad Hirst and Dave and Rosiland Wright.

In his acceptance speech, Brad Hirst asked residents to continue to "do the very best you can" to make Pleasanton the best place to "work, play and do business."

Volunteers such as the 18 members of Boy Scouts Troop 908, who arrived at 9:00 a.m. for setup and stayed until 4 p.m. after cleanup, represent the spirit of community pride Wright expressed.

"It's good for the boys to get out and stay involved," said Troop 908 leader Ray Mowry of his volunteers, who ranged in age from 11 to 16. "We're a service oriented group."