{"id":6368,"date":"2017-05-29T12:47:22","date_gmt":"2017-05-29T17:47:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.robertxgillis.com\/?p=6368"},"modified":"2017-05-29T12:54:05","modified_gmt":"2017-05-29T17:54:05","slug":"6368","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.robertxgillis.com\/?p=6368","title":{"rendered":"Foxborough Founders day Saturday June 10, 2017: Come to the Birthday Party!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"by Robert Gillis
\nPublished in the Foxboro Reporter 6\/2017<\/i><\/p>\n

If you have lived in Foxborough for any amount of time, you are probably familiar with the Founders Day schedule. Founders Day begins at 10 AM as the first blasts of the fire engine trucks announce the start of the parade. About an hour later, the parade has made its way to Booth Field, and for the next four hours or so Foxborough-based community service organizations, churches, fraternal organizations, schools, the scouts, and all Foxborough-based groups who help make Foxborough a better place run games, contests, make incredible food, and offer fun for everyone. Then we all go home around four to take care of family things, and we\u2019re all back on the field by seven or 8 o\u2019clock; the band is playing, everyone\u2019s dancing, the field lights up with glow sticks, and a little after nine, the sky explodes in spectacular fireworks. By 945 or so, Founders Day is over and we all leave, happy to once again have celebrated our town in such a beautiful way.<\/p>\n

THAT is the schedule most of you are familiar with \u2013 BUT\u2026 as you as you might suspect, the schedule and process of creating that day takes jusssssssssssst a little bit more time than that.<\/p>\n

After everyone goes home after the fireworks, the Founders Day committee volunteers clean up the entire field, breaking down the stage and tents and collecting as much garbage as possible.<\/p>\n

The next morning, while you are likely still sleeping, basking in the afterglow of another successful Founders Day, the committee is on Booth Field around sunrise, thoroughly combing the entire area for any remaining trash so that all of the sports and activities that Sunday can continue.<\/p>\n

Throughout summer, bookkeeping is done, bills are paid, and the committee takes a well-deserved break. By September, this small group of volunteers is again meeting at least monthly. What will be next year\u2019s theme? How much will everything cost? And 1000 other logistics that no one else even knows about \u2013 it all needs to get done.<\/p>\n

After the holiday season and into January, the committee is still meeting once a month and conversing by phone and email and in person frequently. By March, the parade forms and field forms and other documentation are all prepared, and events begin to ramp up. Applications to be in the parade flow in and must be processed. Same with the field \u2013 all those applications have to be processed. Then comes the organization \u2013 what will be the order of the parade? Who goes where on the field? Donor letters are sent out, donations are solicited. And also, there are about one million other questions that need to be answered to make the day run seamlessly.<\/p>\n

And as we all know, life has a way of throwing monkey wrenches into the best laid plans of mice and men and Founders Day committee people, and all of those surprises also need to be dealt with.<\/p>\n

By May, the committee is meeting weekly and then things begin to really ramp up \u2013 publicity, late forms, surprises, the annual Memorial Day weekend rocket drive to fund the fireworks\u2026<\/p>\n

Then things get REALLY crazy. The weeks before, the committee is in overdrive as as all of the last-minute preparation and tasks are completed \u2013 most of the committee will get very little if any sleep between Friday night and after the fireworks Saturday.<\/p>\n

On Founders Day itself, the committee will be running at warp factor nine, giving new meaning to the word multitasking, all ensuring that everything runs smoothly.<\/p>\n

That a small group \u2013 and I must emphasize it is a small group \u2013 of VOLUNTEERS put this amazing birthday party on for 17,000 of us each year \u2013 well, there really are no words.<\/p>\n

Except: THANK YOU.<\/p>\n

I think we are all profoundly grateful that new people \u2013 new blood \u2013 stepped up to be part of the Founders Day committee this year. There was a real danger that they would not be a Founders Day 2017 because so many committee members have been doing this for far too long, and new members were desperately needed. Thankfully, people stepped up. Our beloved town birthday tradition continues on Saturday June 10, 2017!<\/p>\n

I will now take questions.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey Bob, how can I help?\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Great question!<\/p>\n

I would like to make the following suggestions to you regarding the town\u2019s birthday:<\/p>\n