New Hyde Park Mayor Christopher Devane recalled at the March 24 village board meeting that as the cold rain fell and the wind blew on the day of the first annual New Hyde Park St. Patrick’s Day Parade, he was not sure if he made a mistake.
“I’m standing there thinking about maybe I should have rescheduled, and people are bailing left and right because of the weather,” Devane reflected. “As I’m thinking about this the rain is coming down and I’m getting cold, I turned and looked and I saw five angels. They were all there and they were all ready to march. And I said to myself if these five Daisies, angels, can march in this parade, then everyone else could march in this parade.”
The local Daisy Troop had attended the village board meeting, ready to be recognized for leading the first annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. One by one, the mayor, Deputy Mayor Madhvi Nijjar and the trustees called up the scouts and handed them a certificate and photo of them leading the parade.
“Next March 11 is going to be sunny and 60 degrees and I need you all back here next year, March 11, to lead our second annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade,” Devane said.
