Bernard A. Pellegrino, Sr.

2008 Columbus Day Parade’s Grand Marshal

First Selectman Janet M. McCarty and the Columbus Day Committee of Greater New Haven are proud to announce that North Haven resident Bernard A. Pellegrino, Sr. will serve as the 2008 Columbus Day Parade’s Grand Marshal.

“He is an outstanding public servant who has given a lot to our town and to the Italian community” Ms. McCarty said.

A graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the University of Connecticut School of Law, Mr. Pellegrino is currently the senior partner and president of the Pellegrino Law Firm.  In addition to his professional endeavors, he has been involved in variety of community activities, including president of the Hamden Chamber of Commerce, director at the Hospital of St. Raphael and Yale New Haven Hospital, while being a charter member of the Connecticut Commission on Hospitals and Health Care, and director of Business Volunteers for the Arts.  He was appointed by the Mayor of Hamden to the Greater New Haven Regional Growth Partnership and served on the Governor’s Task Force on Housing.  He has also been active in the United Way.

Mr. Pellegrino has had a deep commitment to education over the years.  Serving as chairman of the Board of Trustees at Albertus Magnus College, he presided through its conversion to a co-educational institution, and as a result received an honorary Doctorate Degree of Humane Letters.  He also served on the Hamden Board of Education, and the Sacred Heart High School Advisory Board,and was president of Notre Dame High School Board of Directors.

During his career, Mr. Pellegrino has received various awards including “the DistinguishedService Award” form the Hamden Jaycees, “the Man of the Year Award” and “the Business Advocate Award” from the Hamden Chamber of Commerce, and “the Man of the Year Award” from Boy’s Town of Italy.

After moving to North Haven in 2004, Mr. Pellegrino became a member of the town’s Historical Society, the Son’s and Daughters of Italy and a contributor to the North Haven Education Foundation.  He and his wife Dolores are the parents of five children, and have 16 grandchildren.  The couple recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

Mr. Pellegrino, 72, is not unaccustomed to marching in parades.  He played the glockenspiel as he marched in the St. Patrick’s Day parades in New York and Chicago throughout his high school and college careers.  This is the first time he will serve as Grand Marshal.

“I’m honored,” Mr. Pellegrino said.  He believes he was chosen to serve because of his community involvement as well as his Italian descent.

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Heritage Dinner 2008
Columbus Day Committee Italian Heritage Dinner, October 10, 2008, Anthony’s Ocean View, New Haven. CT. Escorts from the Knights of Columbus, Commandore John Barry, Council 4 Degree

Wreath Ceremony 2008
Wreath Ceremony, October 11, 2008, 11 A.M., Blessing of the Wreaths, St. Michael Church and Presentation of the Wreaths, Columbus Statue, Wooster Park, Chapel Street, New Haven, Ct

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GRAND MARSHALL’S AWARD
1st Lancraft Fife & Drum Corp. Italian-American Societies
2nd Amity Club Marchegiana Society

FRATERNAL GROUPS
1st Branford Italian-American Club
2nd West Haven Italian-American Civic Assoc.

BEST ITALLIAN YOUTH ORGANIZATION
Notre Dame Italian Club North Haven Italian Club

BEST OVERALL FIRE DEPARTMENT
1st Allingtown Fire Dept., West Haven
2nd Ansonia-Fire Dept.- Webster Hose Co. #3

SENIOR FIFE & DRUM CORPS
1st Stony Creek Fife & Drum Corp.
2nd Mattatuck Drum Band Milford Volunteers
3rd Ancient Fife & Drum Corp.

MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND
North Haven Middle School
Roberto Clemente School Band
John Martinez Marching Band

SCOUTS
Girl Scouts of America #60822
Boy Scouts of America Troop #810

BEST FLOATS
1st Pellegrino Law Firm Float
2nd Italian-American Youth Organization

BEST PIPE BAND
Gaelic Highland Pipe Band

BEST DRUM CORPS
Connecticut Alumni Sr. Drum & Bugle Corps

BEST PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING BAND UNIT
1st North Haven High School Marching Band
2nd Hamden High School Marching Band
3rd East Haven High School Marching Band

BEST POLICE COLOR/HONOR GUARD
1st West Haven Police Honor Guard
2nd Yale University Police Honor Guard
3rd North Haven Police Department
4th Hamden Police Department

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