ST. ALBANS — Just three weeks from now, St. Albans will be in the midst of an unprecedented event that took four years to plan.
On Wednesday, three key people in that process sat down to give final assurances that nothing – except the weather — has been left to chance.
Warren Hamm and Bill Cioffi, St. Albans Raid 150th Anniversary Commemoration co-chairs, and Rick Cummings, manager of raid re-enactment facades and production, poured over issues both crucial and mundane.
Bill Cioffi, left, and Warren Hamm, right, listen as Richard Cummings explains key point on his color-coded map of Taylor Park. The two co-chairs met with the raid façade and production chair Cummings in one of the dozens of sessions the many event volunteers have held to prepare for the St. Albans Raid 150th Anniversary Commemoration, Sept. 18-21.
Throughout the process they have had to keep in mind that no one can accurately predict how many people will come to this Vermont Chamber of Commerce Top 10 Fall Event. However, every reasonable eventuality has had to be considered.
This sit-down session followed an Aug. 20 meeting of more than a dozen subcommittee chairs where general questions arose and such last-minute services as an American Sign Language interpreter were suggested and added.
Also on the table Wednesday was a draft copy of the raid commemoration program, the second and now 30-page edition that lays out raid history, event schedules and particulars, and, in addition to other details, recognizes the sponsors without whose support the now $70,000-venture would not happen.
Cummings has labored over management of space within Taylor Park from the start and this day made another of his countless adjustments to the program’s centerfold map that pinpoints what and who will be situated where in the park.
The men all stressed the importance of St. Albans Civil War Heritage Days – weekend events held each of the past four years – as dress rehearsals for the big 2014 event. Much was learned, they said.
“We started at first base, moved to second base, and we are about to touch home,” said Cioffi.
Hamm agreed, adding that it was now time “to advise the community of what has gone into this thing over the past four years.”
Among the items covered were security and emergency medical response, should it be required.
The local Vietnam Veterans of Amerca chapter, Combat Veterans and members of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars posts have been tasked with security. “These people are so dedicated, they will do whatever you ask,” said Hamm, adding, “and they will be all over the place.”
Around the clock security in Taylor Park will begin on Thursday when between 9 and 11 a.m. building facades replicating 1864 St. Albans buildings (created and painted by set designer Jill Snapp) are erected on North Main Street opposite the Civil War Memorial. These will be the stage pieces for raid re-enactments on Saturday, Sept. 20, at 2 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 21, at 1 p.m.
Taylor Park will be the center of activity for raid re-enactments next month. Arrows show the escape route raider re-enactors will take from the stage area and the route of the Heritage Reviews following the performance. Re-enactments take place Saturday, Sept. 20 at 2 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 21 at 1 p.m. The park offers audience space for 5,000.
Five-dozen straw hats with bands bearing the word “Staff” have been ordered for key personnel and also will be worn by the security team, which will work with three city police officers. The team has been coordinating its efforts with Lt. Ron Hoague and Hamm said the relationship they’ve formed is “superb.”
Emergency medical needs will be met by AmCare Ambulance, which will have a team and ambulance in close proximity to Taylor Park throughout the event. Cioffi said that individuals, personnel at the St. Albans Historical Museum or at a command tent in Taylor Park could simply dial 911 to get a quick response.
The command tent, situated near the Civil War Memorial, will be manned throughout the event, said Hamm. It will be the repository for event information and will house the public address system.
A sound system will provide the opportunity to stay in touch with the audience and all event staffers will share cell phone numbers to remain in contact, added Hamm.
The Civil War Memorial in Taylor Park will provide seating for dignitaries including relatives of two key players in the Oct. 19, 1864 Confederate raid and bank robberies. The St. Albans Historical Museum, in background, will be open throughout the raid anniversary event, Sept. 18 through 21.
The monument will provide seating during the re-enactment for dignitaries, including Colin Conger, of Georgia, great-great-great grandson of Capt. George Conger, and Elizabeth Young Kitsch, of Bradenton, Fla., a distant cousin and among the last remaining relatives of Confederate raid leader, Lt. Bennett H. Young, who was captured by Capt. Conger in Quebec.
It was confirmed Thursday that Gov. Peter Shumlin would join dignitaries on the memorial for Saturday’s re-enactment. Others include St. Albans City Mayor Elizabeth Gamache, St. Albans Town Manager Carrie Johnson, the county’s state senators and a short list of St. Albans and area members of the Vermont House. Vermont’s Congressional Delegation also has been invited.
Parking, of course, is another element, especially with ongoing construction of the new city parking garage having eliminated the numerous spaces in the downtown lot. The combat veterans’ security detail is also in charge of that, providing directional signs from the Interstate to spaces available at the former St. Albans Drive-In off of Exit 20 and the Collins Perley Sports & Fitness Center, off Exit 19.
Two shuttle buses, one of which can accommodate the handicapped, will provide transportation from clearly marked points in Taylor Park every half hour. Homer Wetherby and Henry Nuemberger have handled these accommodations.
The crunch times for bus service most likely will occur around the re-enactments on Saturday and Sunday. Of course, on-street parking will be available for those who arrive downtown early.
Raid re-enactment rehearsals, led by writer/director Rich Rodrigues and stage manager Kathleen Hoffman have been underway for weeks and continue at the First Congregational Church. Lengthy rehearsals will take place on Sept. 7 and 14, with all actors dedicating the entire day on Friday, Sept 19.
Vermont PBS, under the direction of production manager Mike Dunn, is providing a production team to coordinate a simulcast of the re-enactments via an 11 by 17 foot television screen that will arrive in the park on Friday, said Cummings. Sound technician Troy Pudvah will control the microphones for each of nearly dozen actors.
Streets adjoining Taylor Park will be closed to traffic during the re-enactments. Church Street will be closed for the duration and will be the site of 10 Port-o-lets, including handicapped accessible units. All of these will be checked and cleaned as necessary.
Park cleanup will be handled throughout all four days by St. Albans area Boy Scouts Troop 70, with an assist from St. Albans City workers.
Allen Robtoy, city public works director, has been active in all Taylor Park planning and will deliver more than a cord of donated firewood for the 80-plus Confederate and Union military re-enactors who will camp in the park beginning Friday evening. Hay bale deliveries (for horses and seating) are also on his list as are assurances that water and power are available in the park.
Downtown eateries will offer 1860’s menu items and the First Congregational Church, St. Luke’s Episcopal, St. Paul’s Methodist and St. Mary’s Roman Catholic churches will provide food services on their lawns or indoors.
And, when they thought everything had been covered, one more necessity was covered at Wednesday’s meeting: Boy Scouts will sell bottled water near the command tent.
By GARY RUTKOWSKI
St. Albans Messenger Staff
One Response to Four days in September, four years in the making