Hopewell Valley Veterans Association to host concert and fireworks celebration

By R. Kurt Osenlund, Pennington Post June 23, 2010

The second annual patriotic event owes much to the local sponsors and volunteers who helped pull it together.

The Hopewell Valley Veterans Association (HVVA) will host a free concert and fireworks event on Sunday, June 27 at Alliger Park in Titusville.

The second-annual celebration will kick off at 7:30 p.m. with a live performance from the 78th Army Band, a 46-member group of Army Reservist musicians who’ll be treating guests to a lively mix of pop, jazz and classical songs. As observed by Lauren Rosenstock, HVVA’s community and public relations manager, the band provides entertainment for civic and military ceremonies while also serving their nation.

"The HVVA is honored to have the 78th Army Band," Rosenstock says.

Following the concert will be a 20-minute fireworks show, the perfect precursor to the Fourth of July. Residents are encouraged to arrive early, bring their families and set up picnics in the park.

Children will be given free U.S. flags and glow-in-the-dark necklaces by representatives from the event’s sponsors, who contributed on various levels. Gold-level sponsors, or those who donated $1,000, are Trap Rock Industries and Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Silver-level sponsors, or those who contributed between $500 and $750, are Hopewell Valley Community Bank and PNC Bank. And bronze-level sponsors, or those who gave between $100 and $400, include Pennington Quality Market, Wilson Apple Funeral Home, Hopewell Valley Lacrosse, Amboy Bank and Hopewell Valley Uniformed Fire Fighters Association Local 3897.

All sponsors helped with funding the fireworks show.

A number of additional area organizations assisted with the organization of the patriotic event, including the Pennington First Aid Squad, the Pennington Fire Company, the Hopewell Fire and Emergency Medical Unit, the Union Fire and Rescue Squad, the Hopewell Township Public Works Department, the Hopewell Township Parks and Recreation Department and Boy Scout Troop 1776.

"We’d like to thank the organizations and the event committee members," Rosenstock says. "We appreciate the free time they volunteered to assist with planning the event."

The HVVA will be accepting fireworks donations throughout the evening. While food is welcome, alcohol is prohibited. The rain date for the event is Wednesday, June 30 at 9 p.m. Those individuals looking for more information in the instance of inclement weather are encouraged to turn to local Comcast channel 95 or Verizon channel 30.

"Our association is proud to offer the fireworks event for residents despite the recent recession," Rosenstock says. "Local corporations came together and collaborated with us to make this community celebration possible."

Alliger Park is located at 203 Washington Crossing-Pennington Road in Titusville. For more information on HVVA, visit www.hopewellvalleyveterans.org.