Funds still needed for July 4th Parade

POTTSTOWN >> The parade is over, the fireworks have quieted, but there is still an Independence Day matter that needs our attention.

Fundraising. (You knew it was coming.)

Once again, the Pottstown Rotary Club footed the bill for Pottstown’s excellent Fourth of July parade.

The club coordinates with the GoFourth Festival organization but does not share in its fundraising.

And this year, the club is in the red about $2,500.

You can help put them back into the black by contributing. Donations can be made to the Rotary Club of Pottstown, PO Box 227, Pottstown, PA 19464.

Checks should be made to Pottstown Rotary Community Endowment Fund (PRCEF), a 501 C-3 tax-exempt non profit organization. Contributions are tax deductible.

Organizing an Independence Day parade is no small matter.

This year it required organizing and coordinating with 60 different trucks, floats, marching units and the like.

Grand Marshall

Henry Saylor was named Grand Marshall of the 2019 parade.

He was selected for his long-time service to the Rotary Club and to the community.

He joined the club in 1967 and is one of the oldest members in age and in years of membership.

For 25 years he has headed a committee to work with PennDOT’s “Adopt a Highway” program. The club regularly cleans trash along Route 724 from Hanover Street west to Laurelwood Road.

For many years he has pulled the Rotary float in the Halloween parade with his tractor. In recent years he pulled the float in the 4th of July parade.

Saylor and his family own the Pottstown Roller Mill which is one of the oldest businesses with a continuous history in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Operating since 1725, Roller Mills is one of the oldest continually-running businesses in the country.

Until damage caused by Hurricane Agnes in 1972, the Roller Mills was located in an 18th century building on what is now College Drive, which is now a loft apartments under restoration.

Saylor served in the US Army Infantry from 19521954 during the Korean War.

Duck Race

Speaking of Saylor pulling the giant Duck down High Street, it’s useful to know how that duck helps provide funding for needy community organizations, and lots of prizes for those who buy a chance.

In conjunction with the Pottstown GoFourth activities, the Rotary Club launched 3513 plastic ducks which floated down the Manatawny Creek competing for 110 prizes in the 27th Annual Rotary Duck Race on Thursday.

Each duck represented a certificate that was purchased to support 25 nonprofit community organizations. The funds will be used to provide their program activities. Prize winners will be contacted in the near future. Branching Out

The club faced a new challenge this year.

A large tree fell into the creek and was carried downstream and deposited at a point just upstream of the pedestrian bridge to the island blocking the finish line for the race.

This caused the club to seek and alternate route for the race.

Fortunately, Aram Ecker contacted Todd’s Tree Service, and two men waded into the creek on Wednesday with chains saws and removed the tree, allowing the duck race to go on.

MARIAN DENNIS — MEDIANEWS GROUP The Pottstown Rotary made their presence known in this year’s Pottstown Fourth of July Parade with their giant blow-up duck.

EVAN BRANDT — MEDIANEWS GROUP Rotary Club volunteers collect the ducks for storage till next year’s race as the results are dutifully taken at left after the annual Duck Race in Manatawny Creek during Thursday’s GoFourth Festival. The first duck to cross the finish line was number 3869, according to preliminary results.

MARIAN DENNIS — MEDIANEWS GROUP Thousands lined East High Street Thursday to witness the Pottstown Fourth of July Parade.

MEDIANEWS GROUP FILE PHOTO The Grand Marshal of this year’s Pottstown Fourth of July Parade was longtime Rotarian Henry Saylor, seen here in a previous year, using his tractor to pull the Rotary Club’s giant duck.

PHOTO COURTESY OF AMY FRANCIS But local booster Aram Ecker called Todd’s Tree Service which agreed to remove the tree from the creek and dispose of it properly, free of charge. Duck Race saved!

PHOTO COURTESY OF AMY FRANCIS The rotary Club’s Duck Race would have been much more challenging Thursday given that on Wednesday, this giant tree branch was lodged in Manatawny Creek just above the pedestrian bridge.