The parade was really great. The block party, booths and entertainment were enjoyed by thousands. Those grand fireworks topped off an unforgettable day. We were sorry that our much admired former Mayor Ed Smith and his wife Evelyne were unable to attend.

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Art and Liz Eisner live on White Road. She is the very efficient assistant to Dr. Barry Gimbel. Art owns a gas station in East Meadow.

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Gensel Furniture is closing after all these years. It seems hard to believe, but alas it is so. I knew four generations of Gensels, from the founder Arthur, his son Bob and his son Richard and now his children, Justin and Erin.

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Julio Quijada, of the Jericho Diner, visited Tom Cooke in Florida. Tom used to live on Columbus Parkway and owned a gift shop on Jericho Turnpike.

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Jim and Mary Murtha and sons Jimmy and Brian live on Berkley Road. Jim is a fireman and Mary is a nurse at Winthrop Hospital.

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Art and Fran Sastellano really like living in Mineola. Art is a retired antique dealer.

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Cugini's was a happy place the other day as Sean and Sharon McDermott and sons Sean and Connor celebrated. It was Sean's 20th birthday.

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Marge and Howie Hill of Roosevelt Avenue also like Cugini's Restaurant. Howie is retired from UPS.

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Muriel Salvadore had a bad fall at home. Muriel, who is 93 years old, lay for a long time before a neighbor happened to look in on her. Muriel is OK now and even got to church last week with the aid of a walker and an aide.

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The Chamber of Commerce donated $1,000 each to the Mineola Fire Department, the Ambulance Corps and the Auxiliary Police. The chamber also paid for the fireworks at Wilson Park that concluded our parade and block party.

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Molly Azzolini had her name in this column a couple of years ago. A friend of hers in London amazed her by telling her she had seen her name by getting our paper online. Molly, who was born in England, lives on Clinton Avenue. Her husband Tom was formerly with Chase Bank.

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You would think she was a high fashion model or an actress. That good-looking young woman in our office the other day was Cynthia Hall of CBS Radio. Grace and I enjoy her reports most mornings.

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We would like more social news. Send us your weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, confirmations and similar events.

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Fred Terhune and his wife Linda have lived on Fairfield for 25 years. He was formerly a senior District Court clerk.

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Kaitlyn Bayne was the junior princess of the Homecoming Parade. Kaitlyn is the granddaughter of longtime Mineola painter Henry Bayne.

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Our daughter Sister Annmarie is part of a group that is trying to get a section of the Smithsonian set aside to tell the story and history of American nuns. A great deal of money is required and they recently got a million dollar grant from the Hilton Foundation.

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That lady who rides a bicycle around the west end is Linda Swain who was formerly the secretary to the Jackson Avenue School principal. Her husband Gerald is a retired mechanical engineer with Pan Am.