Irish blessings and thanks …
On behalf of the Forest Park Chamber of Commerce we would like to thank all parade participants and the following sponsors for
helping make our 10th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade a huge success: Forest Park Liquor Association; Burke Beverage and Doc Ryan’s – Glen Gael Pipe Band; City Beverage-Chicago ” Medinah Mini Choppers; Duffy’s Tavern – McNulty Irish Dancers; Shamrock sponsors – Sturino, Ramello & Durkin, Illinois Development Services; B.C. Body Craft, Healy’s Westide, Forest Park National Bank & Trust, Village of Forest Park, Carriage Flower Shop, Century 21 Better Realty Group, Park District of Forest Park, Kay’s Bakery, Caffe DeLuca, Oak Park Area Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, Forest Lions Club, Trage Bros., Knights of Columbus, Harrison Street Cafe, Flavour Cooking School, O’Sullivan’s, Forest Park Firefighters Local 2753, Crowe, Chizek & Co., LLP, Cathy McDermott, Curves, Nine FM and Louie’s Grill.

Thanks also to our staging area volunteers Dave Novak, Randy Tinder, and Tony Garapolo, and also Kim and Brad Zandstra and the kids from the Builder’s Club for handling merchandise sales on Madison Street.  A big thank you to Augie at Centuries and Sleuths Bookstore for serving as ‘sales central.’

We’d also like to thank public works and the Forest Park Police Department whose efforts help make the parade run smoothly.

Last but not least, our appreciation to Mother Nature for the long overdue break in the weather.
The Parade Committee
Laurie Kokenes
Marilyn Garapolo

Miscarriage of justice
Congratulations to Lydialyle Gibson for her fine front page story on Amy Wagreich (March 2, 2005). I strongly agree that this was a gross miscarriage of justice. II have known Amy and her family for many years and I know the facts as presented by Ms. Gibson are substantially correct.

I would also like to congratulate the
REVIEW editorial board for their insightful opinion on the subject. I certainly agree that blanket application of a law can be problematic as it was in this case.
James J. Murray
Forest Park

Danger”Second hand floats
I am writing regarding the danger of second hand floats. We have seen how dangerous these things are locally. You can imagine what a true menace they are nationally. I think the village should ban second hand floats entirely. (Don’t even try to tell me they are new. I have seen them in other parades.)

Now I know instead of banning them all together, I could just choose to stay away from the parade, but I would prefer to make it the Villages problem rather than mine.

Sincerely,
Michael Thorp
Forest Park

With gratitude, from St. John Lutheran School
The St. John Lutheran School 6th Graders would like to thank all the people who attended their annual Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser and the following people and businesses for their support:

Ed’s Way Food Mat, R. Quitsch Florist, The Egg Store, Turano Baking Company, Villager Foods and Zimmerman-Ehringer Funeral Home
The 6th Graders
St. John Lutheran School