ORANGE IS THE NEW ORANGE
Bourget named to lead parade at milestone Autumnfest
WOONSOCKET — The Autumnfest Steering Committee on Thursday named Paul A. Bourget, a member of the Woonsocket School Committee and longtime festival volunteer, as its 2018 Autumnfest Parade Grand Marshal.
The award of an orange Autumnfest grand marshal jacket came unexpectedly for Bourget as he attended a Woonsocket Rotary Club awards night with his wife, Denise, daughter Nicole and her husband, City Councilman Jon Brien, in the St. Ann Arts and Cultural Center.
Rotary Club member Michael Dubois took a break at the podium during the meeting, switching hats to that of a member of the Autumnfest Steering Committee, and said Autumnfest and the Rotary Club have “a long-standing relationship of 40 years together.”
During that time, he noted, the Rotary Club has had a major influence in supporting Autumnfest with volunteerism through the years. “This year there are five Rotarians that are involved with Autumnfest and is a major representation,” Dubois said of the Rotary Club members on this year’s steering committee. With that, he introduced steering committee members Stephanie Santoro and Joseph Martin to make a special announcement. Santoro drew the crowd’s attention as she began explaining the process for selecting the grand marshal, noting how since the position was created in 1981 it had been picked from nominations made by members of the steering committee. But with this year being the 40th annual Autumnfest, Santoro said a change was made to allow members of the community to submit the nominations. The 10-division parade itself is a special part of Autumnfest that has been “a community icon for generations of Northern Rhode Islanders and a highlight of the Autumnfest celebration ushering in the last day of the festival weekend,” she said. The change in the nomination process drew a list of 12 names in March to be considered by the Steering Committee, and the final selection was made by a committee vote just last week, she said. “The Autumnfest Grand Marshal is an individual who has, without compensation, given of him or herself above and beyond for the betterment of the community and in some way Autumnfest,” Santoro said. “Their efforts and contributions come from the heart. So in other words the Autumnfest Grand Marshal is a silent hero of this community,” she said. Santoro then turned the podium over to Joseph Martin, this year’s parade chair, who after appologizing to the Rotarians for interupting their meeting, announced Bourget as the Grand Marshal while he sat at a nearby table with his wife Denise. After the stunned look had left his face, Bourget stood up and was given his orange jack- et by his daughter Nicole, a Steering Committee member. Bourget, letting out a big “wow,” told the crowd he was honored because there were so many others in the room equally deserving of the tribute. Afterwards, Bourget, a city native who has worked as certified public accountant for over 40 years, said the tribute had taken him aback. “It’s surprising, it’s unexpected and like I said I think it’s deserving of all the folks I have ever worked with the in city,” he said. “There are so many people that are deserving of this honor and I will wear this jacket on their behalf,” he said. Bourget is no stranger to the Autumnfest parade and annually marches with his fellow members of the Knights of Columbus, Woonsocket Council 113. “This year I will be wearing an orange jacket proudly,” Bourget said. He will be leading off the parade, of course, riding in the Grand Marshal’s car in the first division. Bourget has been volunteering with Autumnfest since the 1980s, when his children were in scouting. He and Denise have four children, Nicole, Michele, David and Paul Jr., along with 12 grandchildren and two great grandchildren. “I’ve had different roles, I have always helped out and when I joined the Rotary it was the beer tent, the soda tent, any which way I can help,” he said. “To me, this is a great honor, since it comes from my city. This is the greatest honor I have ever had. It’s fantastic.” Bourget will be honored at the Grand Marshal’s Reception, to be held on Sept. 29, a Saturday, before Autumnfest kicks off on Saturday Oct. 6. The parade is always held on Columbus Day, this year on Monday, Oct. 8. Nicole said it was quite an honor to give her father his jacket and explained she had to keep the tribute a secret from him after the vote was taken even while working with him at the family accounting business. “I am very happy for him,” she added. Autumnfest Chairman Richard Savaria said that Bourget had shown by his own acceptance words why he was selected. “He said there are many other people in this room that deserved this honor; that’s why he got it,” Savaria said while commending Bourget on his honor. “There were 12 finalists but you rose to the top,” Savaria told Bourget as the two went to take a picture with the Steering Committee members. Martin also praised Bourget for his dedication to Autumnfest over the years. “As the parade chairman for this year, I thought he was a great selection,” Martin said. “We couldn’t have chosen a better candidate. I’ve been on Autumnfest 26 years and he’s been there every day,” Martin said. The parade will step off from the plazas on Diamond Hill Road on Oct. 8 at 9:30 a.m. sharp, Martin said.