(Editor's Note: The following letter was sent to the Hicksville Fire Department.)

There are just three words that can express my feeling right now, "shame on you." Gone is the Hicksville Labor Day Parade. Gone is a celebration Hicksville has shared for 75 years. Gone are the fire engines from near and far, the marching bands, the veterans, the clowns, but most of all, the firefighters. It was a time for the community to show our respect to our firefighters for their endless dedication to our community. The streets of Hicksville each Labor Day were filled with smiling faces, young and old. Each year, my family looked forward to the parade. It was a tradition. It was a time for families and friends to come together at the end of the summer.

I know it takes endless hours that turn into months of planning to hold such an event, not to mention the manpower. I understand why the tournaments were cancelled because of bleachers and space. But I'll never understand the parade. A Hicksville tradition, gone.

Barbara Lewis