Below is more information on Saturday's 38th Annual Independence Day Celebration, provided by the mayor's office and the recreation department.

Chief Warrant Officer Four Mary L. Pond is Braintree Parade Grand Marshal

A 33-year veteran of the Massachusetts Army National Guard, Chief Warrant Officer Four Mary L. Pond will be Braintree’s Independence Day Celebration Grand Marshall t his Saturday, June 25 as the town will host the largest and first all day family festival.

CW4 Mary L. Pond’s military career involves 10 years as an enlisted soldier and 23 years as a Warrant Officer presently attached with the 51st Troop Command, Massachusetts National Guard located in Wellesley. CW4 Pond recently returned from Camp Arifjan Kuwait, “Operation Iraqi Freedom." Chief Warrant Officer Pond has also served in Duschanbe, Tajikistan in 2009 and is again scheduled to deploy this September.

A 22-year resident of Braintree, Chief Pond has attended many Officer Leadership and Senior Staff Training courses in the U.S. Army. She has attended Cape Cod Community College, Bridge State College as well as the University of Massachusetts, Boston during her career.

“We are certainly delighted to have Chief Warrant Officer Mary Pond as our Grand Marshall in this year’s parade," commented parade chairman John Robinson. “This parade will be like none ever before witnessed in Braintree with twenty-four marching bands and corps and numerous floats and local organizations."

The parade will step off at 11:45 a.m. this coming Saturday morning from the Hollis School grounds and march the two mile route to the grounds of Braintree High School, a two mile trek for all. The grand marshall’s convertible is again being donated by Turfankjian Toyota of Braintree.

Three of the visiting drum corps participating in this year’s parade will perform beginning at 3 p.m. a stand in place exhibition at the high school. Kids games, food booths, information booths and entertainment into the night will attract well over 20,000 spectators to this family fun festival honoring America’s Birthday. A gala fireworks display will conclude this 38th annual festival that will begin at 10 p.m.

Parade Divisions

Braintree Police Motorcycle or Police Car

Government Officials

Joseph C. Sullivan, Mayor
U.S. Congressman Stephen Lynch
Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey
State Representative Mark Cusack
Braintree Town Council, Charles Ryan, President & Colleagues
Peter Morin, Chief of Staff & Operations
David Cunningham, Chairman, Braintree School Committee and colleagues

STATE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS
State Senator John Keenan
State Senator Brian Joyce

Fire Department Color Guard
FIRE APPARATUS

Braintree Pieces First followed by Visiting Community Apparatus

DIVISION I UNITS
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Color Guard

The 103rd Electricians Pipe & Drum Band

Of Dorchester, MA – Mr. Paul McConville of Braintree

Police Motor Cycles & Vehicles

Braintree’s finest first followed by Visiting Public Safety Pieces

Norfolk County Sheriff’s INCIDENT COMMAND VEHICLE

Norfolk County Sheriff Michael Bellotti

Parade Grand Marshal

Chief Warrant Officer Mary Pond, U.S. Army National Guard Tufankjian Toyota of Braintree provider of convertible

CRUSADER’S SENIOR CORPS, Boston, Ma
Drum Major Jack LaSelva

Sponsored by Thayer Academy, Braintree

U.S. Navy Color Guard from U.S.S. Constitution, Charlestown, MA

70th Anniversary Pearl Harbor Survivors Float

Braintree Veterans Organizations

American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans

MODUS DRUM & FIFE CORPS, Modus, CT

Drum Sergeant Pat Murray

U.S. Senator Scott Brown

Holy Family Defenders Alumni Drum & Bugle Corps

Rockland, Ma - Dale Powers, Director & Drum Major
Sponsored by Tufankjian Toyota of Braintree

BANKY THE BEAR

From Braintree Cooperative Bank

JOSEPH FERKO MUMMERS STRING BAND, Philadelphia,

COMPANY D, 20TH Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
Reinactors, Mark McBride, Captain

Sponsored by Blue Hill Cemetery, Braintree, MA

Braintree 3rd Volunteer Militia

Captain Joseph Paluzzi

BRAINTREE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Paul Carr, President
ANTIQUE VEHICLE Model T Ford

Dan Winters of Braintree = Passenger Mary Burke of Braintree

SPRINGFIELD MARKSMEN ALUMNI Drum & Bugle Corps
Springfield, MA – Mr. Cichard Czelusniak

Sponsored by Hancock Street Dunkin Donuts,Inc., Braintree, MA

ULTIMATE ALL STARZ ATHLETIC CHEER TEAM
From Ellis Gym, Braintree, MA
NEW LIBERTY JAZZ BAND, Methuen, Ma
Mr. Dan McInnis Sponsored by Clean Harbors Environmental Services, Inc., Norwell, MA

JUNE 25, 2011 PARADE – BRAINTREE, MA

DIVISION II

ALEPPO SHRINERS of Wilmington, MA
All 17 Shriner Units Performing – Mr. Chet Paris, Chief of
Staff

Sponsored by A. Street Scrap Metal Company of South Boston, Mr. Frank Burns, Owner

(one sponsor banner in front of all Shriner units and one banner taking up the rear of the Shriner’s units)

June 25, 2011 Parade – Braintree, MA
DIVISION III

St. KEVIN’S EMERALD KNIGHTS SENIOR DRUM &
BUGLE CORPS, Dorchester, MA

Mr. Gerry Brown, Drum Major
Sponsored by Braintree Cooperative Bank, Braintree, MA

BRAINTREE RELAY FOR LIFE CONTINGENT
For American Cancer Society

BRIAN BORU PIPE BAND, Mashpee, MA
Mr. David Wilson

Sponsored GTA Landscaping, Inc., Everett, MA

10th ANNIVERSARY – 9/11 TRIBUTE FLOAT
Braintree 9/11 Committee

BRAINTREE NATIONAL YOUTH LEAGUE
Mark Donovan, President

THE ROMA BAND, Boston, MA
Mr. Greg Chiasson, Manager

Sponsored by The Flatley Company

PASO FINO HORSES, Marion, Ma

Mr. Lee Bulgaris

BRAINTREE YOUTH CENTER FLOAT
Ms. Janice Weibreict

BOSTON POLICE GAELIC COLUMN, Boston, MA
Mr. Jim Barry

BROWNIE TROOP 73419 & 73413, Braintree Highlands

HILLS MILLS COMEDY CLOWN BAND, Fall River, Ma
Mr. Reno Vazala

Sponsored by Peabody Properties, Inc., Braintree, MA

BRAINTREE POP WARNER

Mr. Carmen Filleti, President

WESTCHESTER BRASSMEN DRUM & BUGLE Corps,
Harrison, N.Y.

Sponsored by Quirk Auto Dealerships

CELEBRATION COMMITTEE FLOAT
Miss Massachusetts USA 2011 Alida D’Angona
Miss Massachusetts Teen USA 2011 – Kay Tetreault

HOBBY KNOLL STABLE’S CLYDESDALES
Duxbury, MA –

Committee to ReElect Sean Powers, Braintree Town Council

KEVIN BARRY PIPES & DRUMS, Melrose, Ma

Mr. Mike Walsh, Mgr.

SPARKS ALL STARS of Avon, Ma

BRAINTREE CONDOMINIUM COALITION
Mary Rochon

Cub Scout Pack 22, First Congregational Church, Braintree
Mike Gillis, Packmaster

BARE COVE ANTIQUE FIRE TRUCK

Dick Clark, Braintree, owner/driver

JUNE 25, 2011 INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION PARADE – BRAINTREE, MA

DIVISION IV
The BLESSED SACRAMENT GOLDEN KNIGHTS ALUMNI
DRUM & BUGLE CORPS

Parade appearance sponsored by South Shore Plaza-Simon Properties Inc.

CHURCH OF ABUNDANT LIFE of Braintree Float

BARNSTABLE BARN BURNER HORSES, Marston Mills, Ma

Miss Cathy Hill, Owner

MILITARY BAND ORGAN, Worcester, MA

Mr. Joe Tortorelli, Mgr

AMY’S DANCE DYNAMICS, Braintree, MA
Ms. Amy Valle, Owner

NORTHEAST ITALIAN BAND, Methuen, Ma Mr. Sal Erna, Mgr

Newark, N.J. – Mr. Arthur Farrell, Director – parade appearance sponsored by Tufankjian Toyota of Braintree

BRAINTREE INTER FAITH CLERGY Assoc,

Town of Braintree

BOSTON GAELIC FIRE BRIGADE PIPES & DRUMS
Steve Kinney, Mgr

VINTAGE ICE CREAM TRUCK & MODEL T
Ford

Provided by Advanced Mortgage Services, Jason Gravelle

The BOSTON WINDJAMMERS BAND

Of Woonsocket, R.I – Mr. Russ Weisman, Manager – parade appearance sponsored by Braintree Electric Light Department

BRAINTREE ELECTRIC LIGHT DEPARTMENT TRUCK

PARK CITY PRIDE ALUMNI DRUM & BUGLE CORPS
Bridgeport, CT – John Donovan, Mgr

Sponsored by F.X. Messina Enterprises, Braintree, MA

The Braintree Friends of the 4th Parade Committee

John Robinson, Chairman, John Grandy, Vice Chairman

Toyota Scion of Tufankjian Toyota, Braintree, MA

Toyota Trucks of Tufankjian Toyota, Braintree, MA

BRAINTREE COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY

Agnes Lynch, Director

FALLON MOBILE RESCUE VEHICLE

BRAINTREE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
Mr. Robert James, Director
& Braintree Police Cruiser