HISTORY OF THE FREDDIE FIXER PARADE
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Q: Who Is Freddie Fixer?
Answer: Dr. Fred Smith, A City Physician And Police Commissioner For Yale Police Department, Who Aggressively Fought Blight In The Dixwell-Newhallville Neighborhoods
Q: What Is The Purpose Of The Freddie Fixer Parade?
Answer: The Purpose of The Freddie Fixer Parade Was For Citizens To Celebrate After Fixing Up The Neighborhoods And Promoting The Ideals Of Ecology Via Recycling, Neighborhood Beautification, And Assisting Seniors With Those Efforts.
Q: How Can I Help Support This Annual Event?
Answer: Anyone Can Help Support The Freddie Fixer Parade By Giving Donations, Volunteering, Or By Simply Recycling And Encouraging Everyone To Take Pride In Their Neighborhoods.
All Of These Questions Are Answered In The Following Passage.
On Or About September 15, 1962, A Cleanup Campaign Was Started In The Dixwell-Newhallville Community Initiated By The Late Dr. Fred Smith, A Physician, And The Dixwell Redevelopment Agency Based In The City Of New Haven, Connecticut. The Campaign Originated From A Desire To Help The Elderly In Fixing Up Their Homes And Yards. The Purpose Was To Get Residents To Take Pride In Their Community By Both Picking Up Trash, And By "Fixing Up" The Areas Around Their Homes. The "Fix-Up" Day Would Be Followed By A Parade Through The Neighborhood, Which Has Led To What Is Now Considered The Largest African-American Parade in New England. The “Freddie Fixer” Parade.
In Addition To His Passion For The Community To Which Dr. Smith Served, He Had A Strong Sense Of Involving All Of The Neighborhood Members In His Philosophy, Especially Children. In Fact, It Was Actually The Children Who Came Up With The Name Of The “Freddie Fixer.” A Contest Was Held Throughout The City Of New Haven Within The Public School System For The Children To Come Up With A Name For The Event And Initially, It Was Named “Freddie Fix-It,” Using Dr. Fred Smith’s First Name As A Metaphor. This Of Course Was Due To The Close Ties Dr. Smith Had Because Of His Status As A Pediatrician. Subsequent Contests Followed Which Eventually Led To The Unanimous Decision Of The Name: “Freddie Fixer.”
The First Organizers Of The Freddie Fixer Parade In Addition To The Late Dr. Fred Smith Were The Late Edward “Ed” Grant, The Late Edna Carnegie-Baker, And Dr. Charles Twyman. One Of The Fondest Memories That They Recall In Establishing The Parade Is That On Either The First Or Second Year Of The Celebration, “It Rained Like A Son Of A Gun!” Quoted The Late Ed Grant.
Fortunately, For The Many Years To Follow, The Month Of May Would Bring Much Better Weather That Churches, Marching Groups, Drill Teams, Police, Fire, Floats, Cars, Participants, Volunteers, And Parade Goers From All Across The Country, Would Come Out To The City Of New Haven, Connecticut And Celebrate In Record Numbers!
Unfortunately, The Tradition Of The Parade, Who Some Reluctantly Believe Has Shifted From Its True Purpose Of Neighborhood Beautification, Recycling, And Reducing Violence Throughout The City, Has Also Been Stereotyped To Be Associated With Violence Over The Last Few Years. A Tremendous Amount Of Support Has Been Lost Due To The Negative Incidents That Have Ocurred Which Were Totally Unrealted To The Mission Of The Freddie Fixer Parade And The Meaning That The Founding Members Worked So Hard To Establish.
However, The Freddie Fixer Parade Organization Is Committed To Restore The True Meaning Of This Historic Event By Flooding The Community With Reminders Of The True History And Purpose Of Its Evolvement. All Donations Revceived By This Organization Will Go Directly To That Purpose.
Therefore, We Are Asking For The New Haven Community's Unconditional Financial, Moral, And Spiritual Support For This Event. Not Only During The Time That The Parade Comes Around, But On A Year-Round Basis. Together We Can March Back To The Future Of The Freddie Fixer Parade!
COMMUNITY IS ONLY IS SAFE AS WE "ALLOW" IT TO BE!
With The Greatest Love For My Community,
Maurice W. Smith
President, Freddie Fixer Parade
Freddy Fixer, Inc.
203-558-0066
Mparalegal@aol.com
Www.freddiefixerparade.org
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