By MYRON F. DITTMER Jr.
President
Mount Hood Park Association
MELROSE — The Mt. Hood Park Association held its 37th annual July 4th concert at Mount Hood Memorial Park & Golf Course in front of the beautiful and rustic clubhouse.
The weather was perfect under partly cloudy skies with the largest crowd in recent memory attending the concert. Families and residents were treated to a musical mix of both patriotic and show tunes provided by the Middlesex Concert Band under the direction of conductor Mark E. Olson, who is director of bands at Harvard University and is an accomplished trumpet player.
This concert was supported, in part, by a grant from the Melrose Cultural Council. We also would like to thank the following organizations for their help and support: free popcorn and lemonade for the children was provided by Sagamore Golf, Inc., Hillside Press of Melrose provided the programs, and the Melrose Park Commission and Park Department for their logistical support of the event.
Myron Dittmer, association president, in his opening remarks, noted that the concert was dedicated to Donald Adelman who passed away in May and was one of the founding members of our Association. Don served six years in the Navy Reserves. Also recognized was Bill Gardiner who has been on the Park Commission for many years. Bill recently decided to retire from his position as chairperson of the Park Commission. During Bill’s long tenure, as chairperson and through his leadership, he has guided the Park Commission in implementing significant improvements at Mount Hood Memorial Park and Golf Course including all our city parks and open green spaces. He, along with Joan Bell, Superintendent of Mount Hood, have been great partners in all these successes and our city could not have had two better stewards for our numerous parks and green spaces in Melrose.
Dittmer also noted that, although today we celebrate our nation’s independence from Great Britain back in 1776, last month we also celebrated the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion which began the final push to end the war in Europe. That day, June 6, 1944 holds a special day for him since his dad was a participant in that invasion. He noted that his father never talked about his time in the service while he was a child – but one day he discovered a wooden box in a drawer with a Bronze Star and other medals and ribbons. This was the day he learned that his dad was a WWII hero. His father’s generation was called “the greatest generation” because it was his generation that fought and defeated the greatest evil and tyranny threatening all humanity in the 1940’s. A moment of silence was requested for all those who have given their lives over the past 248 years for the freedoms we enjoy here today.
The Association continued the tradition of ending the concert with “Stars and Stripes Forever,” in which all children were given American flags while marching around the venue happily waving their flags.
The Mt. Hood Park Association is dedicated to the protection, preservation, and promotion of Mount Hood Memorial Park. To learn more about the Association, please visit our recently renovated web site at www.mthoodpa.com.