From the dawn's early light until the twilight's last gleaming of Friday, July 4, the City of Glen Cove celebrated the birthday of the US of A with parades, music and fireworks. Residents added their own barbecues, beach jaunts or naps in the hammock, and everyone was thrilled that the weather was amenable to all our plans.

A Glen Cove tradition since 1993, the Children's Bicycle Parade pedaled, coasted, scootered, wagoned and strollered from Finley Middle School to Village Square, with a few battery-powered vehicles in the mix. Escorting the children were two of the city's newly acquired GEMs, all-electric two-passenger cars recently donated to the city by DaimlerChrysler, one driven by Mary Ann Holzkamp and the police department's GEM driven by D.C. Bruce Early.

The history of the parade dates back to 1993, when Cheryl Carmody told her friend Patti Pilla that she was surprised Glen Cove, "which I consider the 'town of parades', didn't have one on July 4." The two moms made up fliers, distributed them around the neighborhood of the presidents' streets, and were amazed at the positive response they received. The next year, police and fire departments added their support and vehicles and the parade came to the attention of then-mayor Donald DeRiggi and the Glen Cove Record Pilot, which published a story on the unparalleled Glen Cove happening. The following year, Ms. Carmody and Ms. Pilla decided it was time to "bring it downtown" and after consulting with then-mayor Tom Suozzi's office, "the rest, as they say, is history," said Ms. Carmody.

At Village Square, Mayor Holzkamp spoke and led the assemblage in the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance and the singing of God Bless America. Children were given red, white and blue pinwheels and certificates of participation which one child pointed out were "really signed by the mayor's handwriting."

The City of Glen Cove would like to thank McDonald's for donating coolers for water and lemonade, as they do every year, and Busybodies Children's Activity Center for supplying cookies. Rose Marangiello, Evelyn Mercadante, Dorothy Conlin and Jenny Sanfratello are thanked for graciously volunteering to blow up and tie up balloons at Neger-Gilder Florist early in the morning on July 4. Special thanks go to bike parade coordinators Cheryl Carmody, Patti Pilla and Christine Stanco and even more special thanks to the Glen Cove Volunteer Fire Department for participating in the bike parade with a vehicle and driver. Sponsors this year are McDonald's, Stevenson Printing, Busybodies and Neger-Gilder Florist.

During the evening of the Fourth, folks gathered at Morgan Park for the Clan Gordon Highlanders Bagpipe Parade and the USO Show A Musical Memory, followed by the annual fireworks display, coordinated by Bay Fireworks. This year's fireworks display was made possible through the generosity of Konica Graphic Imaging, Ferrari of Long Island, Bancker Construction, American Community Bank, Fleet Bank, North Shore Golf Car Repair Service, King Kullen, Miller Realty, Mr. and Mrs. A. Krasnoff, Richard Klenkel, CPA, North Shore LIJ Health System NSUH at Glen Cove, Hassell Volvo, Knapp Sweezey Foundation, Northcoast Subaru, Bethpage Federal Credit Union, Maccarone Plumbing, Mario Fischetti Nursery, Robert Zahn and Betty McLoughlin.

So America is another year older; still a child compared with many other world civilizations. Hopefully, another year older equates to another year wiser.