A Heartfelt Thank You to Our Amazing Monte Nido Parade and Picnic Volunteers

What a day! The Monte Nido Parade and Picnic was an absolute blast, and it truly wouldn't have been possible without the incredible dedication and hard work of our wonderful volunteers. From setting up the festivities to ensuring every last piece of water balloon was picked up, your efforts made this year's event a resounding success. We are so incredibly grateful for your time, energy, and unwavering community spirit!

Our 60-year plus tradition (no kidding!) cannot happen without the elbow grease and heart-felt contributions, big and small, provided by YOU. As parade and picnic co-chairpersons we want to give a huge shout-out to everyone who lent a hand.

The festivities kicked off with your creative juices as we all went “Be Crazy.”  Yehuda Netanel, as he has done for so many years, rounded up the floats, trucks, bikes, scooters and two-legged participants at the Edenwild bridge.  Led by flag and banner bearers, Kayden & Ryder Franco, Theo Vassiliadis and Ace Adler, our local 67 fire crew started off the parade, followed by grand marshals Sally & Josh Livingston waving to the crowds atop Mark Mehner’s vintage fire truck with Bill Bischoff at the helm. As the parade wound its way towards Fleeman’s Meadow, traffic on Cold Canyon Road was paused by CPH officers, coordinated by Joan Slimocosky.

For the third straight year the picnic festivities were launched by Lauren Buckman and daughters Brooklyn & Charlie so beautifully singing the national anthem.

Who else but Tod Stobie would lead the day and call the games as master of ceremonies? A true master, indeed.  Parade participants earned kudos and awards from judges Beth Bardovi, Mo Bardovi, David Still, Lois Love, Wayne Pepper, Gloria Serleto and Rose Duffy.

Have you ever wondered how the meadow is transformed to celebrate the day?  It all starts with the generosity of property owners Dana & Grace Benson and the graciousness of our neighbors Cisco & Barbara Adler, the current residents. We are so grateful for the use of the meadow.  Doug Rosen once again broke out his tractor to make sure there were no potholes to fall into, Ryan Cupps provided the Starlink connection that made ticket sales possible by the team of Ann Monahan, Mary Helen Young, Joan Slimocosky, Alison Sherman and Sean Foran. Setup was skillfully handled by the crew of Alison Sherman, Stephanie Cupps, Jennifer & David Still, Roger Savatteri, David Fryman and Sean Foran.  All those tables and chairs?  They were provided by Suze Randall, Jane & John Cudworth, Roger Savatteri, Mary-Helen Young, Jennifer & David Still and Joan Slimocosky.

If you visited the ice cream and drinks station that was Kayden & Ryder Franco who helped you.  Watermelon?  That was David Still with the knife.  The ever-charming Ily Bakery was brought to you by Redfoo Gordy, Jasmine Ferreira and little Ily herself.

Tunes were provided by the delightful, right from our own backyard, Blue Dolphins with the PA System provided by Buck Sanders.

Behind the scenes Jennifer & David Still and Zadi Diaz kept us well informed on the website and Edy Crowder crafted charming home-made signs hung by Wayne & Julia Pepper.

The Raffle was a huge hit, and we raised vital funds thanks to the amazing generosity of our local businesses and talented individuals. Your donations provided some truly fantastic items and experiences for our attendees!  You know who you are but for everyone else, here they are…Alice McDonald, Traci Katz, Kristen Woods, Bernadette Agcaoili, Michal Rouse, Jennifer Still, Shifra Wylder, Susan Bischoff, Shannon Sellers, Candace Johnston, Luci Norris, Shannon Sellers, Elizabeth Santonastaso, Samantha Carpenter, Bella Frymer, Heidi Stompe, Jane Cudworth, Lisa Mehner, Betsy Polatin, Marty Ikkanda, Tony Vassiliadis, Stephanie Cupps and Alison Sherman.

And, finally, the thankless job of cleanup was tackled by Joan Slimocosky and Kyle Mlodzik.

Thank you once again to every single person who contributed to making the Monte Nido Parade and Picnic a truly memorable day for our community. We couldn't have done it without you!

Do you have a favorite memory from the parade or picnic? Share it in the comments below!

With gratitude for the truly remarkable community that we are,

Candace Johnston, Tony Vassiliadis and Gary Bardovi

Parade and Picnic Co-Chairpersons