St. Patrick’s parade ball to honor hard work

NEW HAVEN — The Associated Irish Societies will honor four New Haven area residents at St. Patrick’s Day Parade Ball March 7 at Yale Commons.
The James Dinnan Service Award will go to North Branford resident Robert J. Lane, show at far left in photo, supreme secretary emeritus of the Knights of Columbus, who retired in November after 53 years of service at the Knights’ international headquarters.
Lane was named a Knight of St. Gregory in 2000 by Pope John Paul II and received the St. Joseph’s Medal for his commitment to his parish community in 2004.
The Appreciation Award goes to West Haven resident Carol Hackett, middle left in photo, a long-serving member of the parade committee, who is being honored for her involvement with the parade organization. She has served at treasurer of the Parade Committee since 1999.
The Cornelius Driscoll Award is going to former 1976 Grand Marshal John O’Donovan of Hamden, not shown in photo. O’Donovan, a humanitarian and community volunteer, also is a deacon ministering at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Hamden.
The Executive Committee Award will go to committee member Edward P. Donadio, of North Branford, at far right in photo, who has served on the Parade Committee in numerous capacities.
Over the years, he has been a member of many subcommittees for the parade committee and for the last two years has served as chairman of the printed publicity committee.
The title of the 2008 grand marshal will be conferred on Guilford resident Bernadette Smyth LaFrance, middle right in photo. She has been a member of the Parade Committee since 1994, when she went from serving as 1994 parade queen to Parade Committee member.
She served as chairwoman of the 2007 parade and was one of the founding organizers of the parade’s corporate sponsor program.
Ball tickets are $80 per person and include wine/beer and station buffet. Tickets are available by calling Walter J. Nester Jr., ball chairman, at 239-9956; or Anne Hines, ticket chairwoman, at 488-4902.
The Gabriel Donahue Band will provide music for dancing.
Tickets also are available from any member of the Associated Irish Societies, which includes: the Knights of St. Patrick; the New Haven Irish Community Center-New Haven Gaelic Football and Hurling Club; the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Father McKeon Division No. 7; and the West Haven Irish American Club.
For more information, visit www.stpatricksdayparade.org.