Village holds parade, service

WINTERSVILLE - Many area residents turned out to the annual Fourth of July parade and memorial service Saturday.

Parade-goers lined up along Main Street to watch the more than 50 units march the parade route from Riesbeck's Food Market to Kroger.

This year's theme was "We love our local heroes," and several area police and fire departments were featured in the event, including the Wintersville Police and Fire and Rescue departments, Hillindale Fire Department, Bloomingdale Volunteer Fire Department and Pottery Addition Fire Department.

"I think this is a nice thing the village does for the residents," Wintersville resident Susan Barbour said. "The weather is beautiful. We just enjoy it. It's nice to be with the other people of the community."

"We're in Wintersville all the time," said Sherry Moore of Steubenville. "We're retired, so we just like to get up in the morning and see what's going on. We like doing things in the local community."

Following the parade, residents gathered at the Veterans Memorial Park for a memorial service.

Monsignor Kurt Kemo of Blessed Sacrament and Our Lady of Lourdes lead the invocation before Mayor Bob Gale, master of ceremonies for the event, introduced the featured speaker, Bryan Felmet, former Jefferson County prosecuting attorney and lieutenant colonel with the U.S. Army.

"I asked (Felmet) to come here today because he has served his country and he has served his county," Gale said. "I could think of no one better to speak today."

"It's an amazing day," Felmet said. "It's a celebration of our country and what it took to get here today. It was an honor to be asked to speak today."

Felmet noted that this year's Fourth of July was also a special day because the village chose the theme the event around the local police and fire department officials who "sacrifice themselves" to serve others.

"It's truly an amazing thing they do," Felmet said. "We can't ever pay them or thank them enough for what they do, but it's days like today that we can celebrate them. Theirs is a calling fraught with risk."

Felmet continued, saying that servicemen in the country's armed forces and in local entities are "the epitome of our great American spirit."

"They do what they do because they love it and because they love us."

Following Felmet's address, Gale presented two awards of recognition for service to the village.

The first award Gale presented was to Victor Calabrese, former police chief.

"When I think of Victor Calabrese, the first word that comes to mind is service," Gale said. "He has served his country, the citizens, but most importantly, his family."

Gale noted that Calabrese, who became the youngest chief in the village at the age of 26 in 1965, served the village for 45 years from 1963 to 2001. Among his accomplishments are setting up training for all police officers and obtaining the first Drug Abuse Resistance Education instructor in the district schools.

In 2000, Calabrese retired from the Wintersville Police Department and assumed the position of assistant chief of the Cross Creek Township Police Department before retiring as chief of the Cross Creek Township Police Department in 2008.

"I just want to thank the mayor and council and the citizens of Cross Creek and, most importantly, my wife (Martha)," Calabrese said, accepting the award.

The second award Gale presented was to the members of the Wintersville Fire and Rescue for their "amazing service," specifically noting their service during three major fires that occurred in 2008.

"It was amazing, the service and dedication you showed in all those fires," Gale said.

Accepting the award on behalf of the Wintersville Fire and Rescue were Lt. Dave Smith and Capt. Anthony Kniszek.

Also participating in the service were Jefferson County Commissioner Thomas Graham, who lead several vocal selections and Randy Sells, patsor of the Colonial Baptist Church, who lead the benediction.

Following the benediction, the American Legion Post 557 Color Guard presented a 21-gun salute, and Michal LaRue of Catholic Central High School played Taps.