Dr. Peter Jacoby and Paul Largay drove through a gauntlet of enthusiastic high school cheerleaders yesterday afternoon as they arrived at the Green in downtown Waterbury. Jacoby and Largay were representing the city of Waterbury in the Fireball Run , a road rally adventure involving 14 stops from September 21st to September 29th. The mission of the rally is to draw attention to missing children.
Downtown Waterbury was filled with eccentric cars and fun loving people.
Local attorney Don McPartland re-enacted John Kennedy’s famous speech on the balconey of the Elton Hotel. McPartland was terrific and nailed JFK’s Boston accent.
Waterbury Mayor Neil O’Leary enjoyed being mobbed by a group of elementary school students.
Terri Philibert played the role of horse lover Carrie Welton as part of an historical scavenger hunt that engaged area youth in history and culture. Her husband Kevin Philibert said there were many Waterburians who approached the horse and said it was the first time they had ever seen a horse in their life.
Edgar Sanchez, left, and his brother Tommy Sanchez, rocked downtown yesterday afternoon with their band Cross-Eyed Cat. The band played the theme song for the 2011 Fireball Run movie and is traveling to Bangor, Maine to perform in a parade celebrating the end of this year’s rally. J.T. Hawk is the other member of the band.
Paul Largay, middle, and Dr. Peter Jacoby posed for pictures and amused the gathering with one-liners and sparkling wit.
Lynn Ward, the CEO of the Waterbury Regional Chamber of Commerece, was the driving force behind getting Waterbury involved in the Fireball Run. She and the chamber staff exerted massive amounts of energy and passion, and when Mother Nature obliged with a glorious September day in New England, the event was a smashing success.