University of Connecticut Athletics
Fundraising For Sunday's Parade A Success
4/16/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
April 16, 2010
HARTFORD, Conn. - Organizers of the 2010 UConn Parade announced today that the fundraising effort of the business and civic community to finance a parade and rally for the Women's NCAA Basketball Victory Parade this Sunday, April 18 has been a success.
Nearly 20 corporations and businesses answered the call to support the NCAA Women's Basketball Victory Parade and Rally to be held this Sunday at 3 p.m. in Downtown Hartford. Immediately following the parade, a rally will be held on the Capitol's North steps.
The order of the parade will be as follows (subject to change):
- Hartford Police Department Color Guard;
- Nathan Hale Ancient Fife & Drum Corp
- City of Hartford including Mayor Eddie A. Perez, "Mark Twain", two-time State Diving Champion Jonathan Perez of Bulkeley High School;
- Hartford Business Improvement District Security Vehicle;
- Moodus Drum & Fife Corps;
- UCONN Women's Basketball Tip-Off Club;
- UCONN Cheerleaders Alumni Association;
- Connecticut Valley Siberian Husky Club, Inc.;
- Hartford Courant;
- Creative Tours;
- Naval Submarine School Silver Dolphins Honor Guard;
- Riverfront Recapture 24' Boat;
- Northeast Utilities - Connecticut Light & Power Company - Yankee Gas;
- Hartford Steel Symphony;
- American Medical Response Ambulance;
- Fly By Night Jugglers;
- Jumoke Academy Drill-n-Drum;
- CPTV with Bob Picozzi and Meghan Culmo;
- WTIC 1080 Car with Bob Joyce followed by WTIC 1080 Van;
- State of Connecticut Elected Officials;
- First Company Governor's Foot Guard and Band;
- Lt. Governor Michael Fedele;
- Connecticut's 375th Anniversary contingent;
- Deep River Junior Ancient Fife & Drum Corps;
- UConn Trustees;
- UConn President Dr. Michael Hogan;
- UConn Director of Athletics Jeff Hathaway;
- UConn Cheerleaders and Jonathan the Husky Mascot;
- UConn Pep Band;
- Confetti Sprayer in Hartford BID Truck;
- UConn Huskies Women's Basketball Team & Coaches on Double Decker Bus; and
- UConn Fire Truck.
"Once again, the citizens and businesses of this great state have shown overwhelming generosity and their Husky Pride when it comes to celebrating the historic accomplishments of this year's UConn Women's Basketball Team," said Governor M. Jodi Rell. "Sunday is going to be another special and memorable day in Connecticut and I hope basketball fans of all ages join me in congratulating the UConn Huskies at the parade and rally. Thanks to the generosity of the corporate community, diehard UConn fans will be able to celebrate with the team in a way they deserve."
"This parade would not be possible without the support the business community from Hartford and throughout the state," said Michael Zaleski, Executive Director of the Hartford Business Improvement District. "Well aware of the financial pressures that the City and State are facing, our goal was to raise sufficient private sector funds to cover costs for this important statewide celebration."
Companies that have donated funds or made in-kind contributions to the Parade and Rally, as of Friday evening, include: American Medical Response (in-kind); Aetna; Bank of America; Bozzuto's; Creative Tours; Geno's Fast Break at Mohegan Sun ; Hartford Steam Boiler; The Hartford; Mohegan Sun; Northeast Utilities; Northland Investment Corp. (in-kind); People's United Bank; Peter Pan Bus Lines (in-kind); Travelers; Tribune Co./Hartford Courant (in-kind); United Technologies Corporation; The Waterford Group; Webster Bank; and XL Center.
The parade has also been made possible by the hard work, effort and in-kind support from the City of Hartford and State of Connecticut. The parade will step off at 3 p.m. from the Connecticut State Capitol Building and will travel north on Trinity Street alongside Bushnell Park, turn right onto Jewell Street, turn left onto Gold Street, turn right onto Main Street, and turn right onto Capitol Avenue before returning to the north steps of the Capitol Building for the outdoor Rally. The team will travel the route atop a double-decker bus. For a map, visit www.hartford.com.
Prior to the start of the April 18 parade and rally, the 2010 USA Basketball Women's National Team, which is coached by UCONN's Hall of Fame Coach Geno Auriemma and includes current and former UConn greats, will play the Red-White exhibition scrimmage against the 2010 USA Basketball Select Team at 12:30 p.m. at the XL Center on Trumbull Street in Downtown Hartford. The event is timed so that UConn fans can go the basketball game and then come and watch the parade and rally. Seating for the scrimmage will be general admission and all tickets are $10 (other fees may apply). Tickets are available online at www.ticketmaster.com, through Ticketmaster charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000, and in person at the XL Center box office.
The parade's planning committee is coordinated by Gov. M. Jodi Rell's office, the Hartford Business Improvement District and the MetroHartford Alliance. The committee consists of representatives from the Office of the Governor, the State of Connecticut, the City of Hartford, the University of Connecticut, the Hartford Hospitality Task Force, and businesses and civic organizations from throughout Greater Hartford.
