To the Editor:

Someone once said that you can tell the character and living environment of a community by the quality and dedication of its citizens. If this is true, the 2014 Old Home Days Committee in Wilton has named three of the most dedicated and respected old birds in Wilton to serve as the Grand Marshalls of the huge Old Home Days parade on Saturday!

Charlie McGettigan, Alan Jowders, and Stan Young have spent hundreds of hours serving their community in the town government, the Fire Department, Water and Sewer Department, Cemetery Department, the Gregg Library, and the myriad of community projects that only succeed with the very best of volunteers. Now, as they enjoy walking slowly down the path of the aging process, they still remain available to lend their talents and expertise to every cause, project, and request made of them.

Their growing years were spent in the Wilton Schools where they were instilled with a strong sense of patriotism, love of community, state, and nation while gaining an appreciation of the “Norman Rockwell” image their community of Wilton reflected.

Later in life they each, in their own way, were motivated to apply these early lessons on behalf of their town and its residents.

This writer shared experiences with each of them in school … served on Boards, Committees, and Departments with each of them … and more importantly have always had the privilege of being able to call them a friend. The Old Home Days Committee made a great choice in giving the opportunity for all residents to offer a shout out of “Thanks” as they pass along the parade route on Saturday!

Francis Gros Louis

Wilton