Gator Parade continues town tradition

WINSTED — It was a night that included a symphony of sirens, Christmas lights and decorations as the ninth annual Gator Parade rolled through out town on Saturday, Dec. 22.The parade featured many emergency vehicles, including fire trucks and ambulances, that drove throughout town decorated in Christmas lights and holiday ornaments.The vehicles zigzagged through more than 35 streets, with a parade route that was 14 miles in length.The parade included emergency vehicles from the Winsted Fire Department, which organized the event, and surrounding towns including Riverton, Colebrook, Pleasant Valley, North Canaan, New Hartford, Beacon Falls, Kent and Norfolk.The parade is named after Gaeton “Gator” Gangi, a member of the fire department who passed away in December 2004.Former Winsted Fire Department member Gary Newman of Torrington was a friend of Gangi’s and drove in the parade with his deuce and a half vintage Army truck.“Gator would have loved this parade,” Newman said. “He was the kind of guy that would have given you the shirt off of his back. Everyone who has seen this parade loves it. This is a great way to use emergency vehicles. Everyone must have decorated their trucks with thousands of dollars worth of lights.”Department member and highway department employee Scott Goodell, who drove a department truck in the parade, was a good friend of Gangi and also had fond memories of him.“He was a grumpy but lovable guy,” Goodell said. “He would have loved to have seen this parade. God bless Gator.”Rich Mazzei, associate member for the fire department, played Santa Claus for the fifth year in a row at the parade.“I love making children happy,” Mazzei said. “This is an excellent parade and a great way for the department to give back to the community.”