Dave, have you made preliminary contact with the local newspapers, TV station, Mayor's office, Historical Society, etc. about the refurbishing of the historical Parker family markers and the upcoming dedication ceremonies?

Allan Weathers and I have talked a bit about this. As we get closer I will talk with him at more length. I will need to have a good date to give him. I would think that the weekend after the headstones are replaced would be a good time to try and get people together.

We'll wait to hear from you as the day draws closer... *fingers tapping*

Update...The new bases have arrived and if the weather holds will be installed in the next week or so. I will keep everyone advised about a date for the unveiling. We have another wonderful event to go along with this so stay tuned.

Dave,

This is absolutely a GREAT thing you, the PGCA Board of Directors and the membership is doing..!! Fantastic!

:cheers:

And our collective thanks,

John D.

Can't wait for the updates to follow.

Our thanks really should go to Dave Suponski and Alan Weathers. They have been the "team" that made this all happen but it is Dave who has done all of the "heavy lifting" with every step of this project. Dave really deserves a very hearty applause for his efforts. I can't wait to be there and to take part in this event.

Oh yeah, as Dave says, "Stay tuned" for the surprise... You'll learn about it soon but you'll read about it in a future issue of Parker Pages.

Danny and I went up to Hartford Cabelas today for some supplies and as we wondered home we stopped at the cemetery and to our suprise we found that the footings had been poured.

One more

It's good to see progress is being made. Thanks for your efforts Dave.

Just read the brief writeup in the Parker Pages on this. A Tour of Meriden sites and visit to the Historical Society sounds great! I was hoping to see these things sometime when I was in that area anyway. Great chance to get it all in. Can't wait for a date.

Visited Meriden today and the Parker family plot is finished! I looks fantastic! Sorry but no pictures this time....:banghead: Stay tuned for a date for the unvieling and tour. As soon as we have a firm date I will post it here.

Now Dave... Posting pictures would spoil the unviel.

Most of you will recall the pictures posted in Parker Pages of the deplorable condition of the Parker Family plot.


.

Gentlemen, It has been decided that Saturday August 11th,2012 at approx 10:30 am the official unveiling will take place at the Meriden East Cemetery. After that there will be another event at the Meriden Historical Society. I am sure there will be time also that day to show some of the other Parker related sites such as the site of the old Parker Bros. Gun Works.If there are any questions I can be reached at ctdoubles@aol.com Hope to see some of you there..:)

wonderful news...many thanks to all... charlie

The biggest thanks should go to Dave Suponski for his leadership in every step of this process. It was Dave who visited the cemetery and discovered that the Parker headstones had toppled and were allowed (through the severe cuts to virtually every department of the city of Meriden) to lay on the ground as the grass grew long over them. Dave spearheaded this entire project and made the right connections and contacts and through his perseverence brought it to the finished product we all will be able to enjoy on August 11. Thank you Dave.

What Dean said.....

Without Dave and his drive and determination, nothing would have happened. Dave, simply......

Thank you Sir!

John

Gent's,Thank you for all the positive reply's. I just did the leg work and we must remember that our BOD was the muscle behind this project. Without the boards financial commitment to this project it would have never happened. Also without the help of Allen Weathers president of the Meriden Historical Society and Mike Zebora the Director of Meriden parks I don't know if we could have pulled this off.

See you all there!

Looking forward to meeting you Brian.

For anyone that will be attending this event August 11th and having a desire to do a little shootin Wallingford Rod and Gun Club will be hosting a sporting clays shoot Aug.12th and it is open to the public. Larry and I have shot this 50 target course and it is fun as well as challenging. We could shoot a quick 50 targets before you head on your way home Sunday. Something to think about....

Bringing this to the top with 2 weeks to go. First stop will be the Meriden East Cemetery at 10:30 AM Saturday August 11th for the unvieling.

The Meriden East cemetery is located on East Main St Meriden about 60 yards south of Parker Ave. Look for the wrought iron fence and two stone pillers. There is a sign for the cemetery located on the right fence that says in fact "Meriden East Cemetery" look down the drive and you will see the brownstone arch entrance.

Hopefully we will have a few other events planned for that day so plan on spending a bit of time with us.

i wish i could make it, but i will be hunting Mr. crow, but when you are there please tell the parkers for me, thanks for the fun their guns have given me over the years and the great parker friends i have shot with :bowdown:scott

I'm not sure why Dave didn't mention it and I hope it was not intended as a surprise but one the other events that day will be a trip to the Meriden Historical society. Dave, Deb, and I spent about an hour and a half their last night delivering and setting up a new PGCA display. We have a beautiful Oak and glass display case that was commissioned by Austin Hogan and several Parker guns from an early Parker/Snow muzzle loader, two Triplet and Scott rifles with one being a carbine, and a couple of interesting hammer guns. This combined with the guns and other items produced in the various Parker owned factories in the area should make for a very interesting time for those interested in the Charles Parker Company. I hope to see many of our members there.

Okay...The cats outta the bag now! But there are a couple other ideas We have in mind also.....Larry....Shhhh Should be a great day in Meriden(and surrounding towns...)

I almost wish you guys would get snowed out or something so I could attend. It is about a month too early for me to attend. I'm sure we will see photographic proof of the events.

I for one certainly wish there had been more advance notice about this - those of us who made it up to the "Meriden Homecoming" event years ago saw and heard things that the uninitiated will never see, understand, or appreciate. Unfortunately I cannot attend due to prior commitment with wife's childhood friends - I would have loved to act as a "tour guide on the wall."

Bill and Kevin, we will miss you two very knowledgable Parkerphiles. We do hope there's some way you can change your plans and be able to attend.

Kevin and Bill, I am sorry that you will not be able to attend. We set the date as soon as I was sure the site was finished. I posted the date of the event on July 7th which was more than a month prior.

Gentlemen, We made the papers except as usual they can't get my name right but thats okay. Great press for the PGCA! Check out this link and let it load.

http://www.myrecordjournal.com/

Great job OP. Those Polish names are hard to spell:rotf:

Thanks COB I know what ya mean...I still have trouble with it.....:rolleyes:

Dave ,Just read the attached " Link " , a Very nice article indeed ! The Stones also look very nice, THANK YOU for representing all of us so well :bowdown: !!!!!!!!!!! Best ; Russ

Thanks Dave and all those who had a hand in this endeavor. Good article. I added a comment and hope others do as well. While I have never been to Meriden Conn, those two words on the rib of my Dad's VH have been fused in my brain from childhood, along with the image of my black lab "Snippy" on the DHBP.
Regards,
Jack

Terriffic work Dave! It's nice to get some "good press" for we 'gun nuts' once in a while.

I'm looking forward to the 11th!

Dave: Very nice job and a great story. Craig

Dave, are all the stones in the line of stones Parker family members? Who are they all?

Yes Bill they are all members of the Parker family. From right as best as I can remember it goes. Dexter,Charles,Father,Mother,Wilber,Elizabeth(Wilb ers Wife) at the extreme left are the headstones of the five children that Charles fathered but didn't not grow to maturity. All told Charles fathered 10 children.

“There’s no such thing as bad press, as long as they spell your name right.”
- P.T. Barnum



Dave - i am sure you know the thanks of those of us who can not attend are with you just the same