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Plainfield videographer Brian Cox (back to camera) videotapes awards presentation at YMCA's 3rd Annual Bike Ride. |
It was a busy weekend in Plainfield with Queen City Walk/Run and the Cardinals vs. Ridge High football game on Saturday.
The Plainfield Symphony packed 'em in Saturday evening for the 93rd season's opening concert. Conductor Charles Prince gave the orchestra a real workout with Elgar's Cello Concerto and Sibelius' Second Symphony. The Sibelius was a bravura performance, leaving everyone breathless -- especially including the players!
Sunday saw the rescheduled YMCA Bike Ride fundraiser for the summer kids camp program. The enthusiastic riders lined their bikes up for a show along College Place next to the Library and enjoyed the pleasant Fall afternoon.
Later, I dropped by the Veterans Awareness event on South Avenue. Denied a street closure permit by the City Council, the event went forward on the parking lot of Sweet Lew's Bakery.
While there were lots of musicians, along with the organizers and info tables around the edges of the lot, veterans seemed to be in scarce supply.
It made me think of my late friend Jo-Ann Sloane, who worked at the Lyons VA as a patient representative and was a true and hard-working advocate for veterans. In her capacity as a part-time employee in the YMCA's homeless shelter program, she was familiar on a first-hand basis with the issues that returning veterans face, including homelessness, unemployment, and drug and alcohol abuse.
Jo-Ann was all heart when it came to vets, and worked tirelessly on their behalf. I think the one question she would have asked of the Veterans Awareness event is, Why South Avenue? She would have found it difficult to believe there weren't places where vets were more likely to find their way to the event. It might have made more sense for the local organizers to use Plainfield's own Veterans Center on East Front Street.
Meanwhile, Union County has scheduled a Veterans Job Fair and Resource Event for Thursday, October 25, 9 AM to 1 PM at the Kenilworth VFW (see more here).
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1 comments:
Bravura performance of the Elgar cello concerto--cellist Jameson Platte is an extraordinary musician and an incredible cellist. He plays first cello with the Plainfield Symphony and we are lucky to have him. His rendition of the Elgar, a very difficult piece, was flawless!
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