Meet this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade grand marshal

This year’s Moriches Chamber of Commerce St. Patrick’s Day Parade grand marshal has been announced as George Keller. The 20th annual parade will take place on Sunday, March 10.

Keller, a dedicated community member, originally moved to Center Moriches from Brentwood in 1976 with his wife, Terry. Together they raised two sons, Frederick and Patrick. Today, they live in Center Moriches and have two grandsons as well.

Over the years, he has contributed to the community, including as a CYO youth soccer coach, member, past grand knight and current financial secretary of the Knights of Columbus Queen of All Hearts Council 4126, on the committee of the Lynvets Football CM Dolphins; he created and founded the Center Moriches first PAL football team, the Seahawks, with John Dibella and Chris Vigliotta in 1990, and there, he has also served on the committee as chairman.

Most notably, he has served as a Cub Scout pack den leader, a Boy Scouts of America troop assistant scout and cub master, and a member of the committee as well as serving as chairman. During his time with the scouts, he helped 98 boys achieve the rank of Eagle Scout.

He also recently retired from GE and has since worked at his church, St. John the Evangelist R.C. Church, where he has served as lector and member of the men’s group.

“George has spent countless hours, loads of energy, and over 45 years of his life collecting donations, washing cars, painting fences, building benches, running Bingo, cooking for charity, cleaning the highways, and helping those who need it,” representatives from the chamber said. “He has performed many, many more acts of kindness working hard to make Center Moriches the wonderful town it is today.”

Center Moriches will host the 20th annual St. Patrick’s Day parade on Sunday, March 10 at 2 p.m. on Main Street. The parade begins on Lake Avenue and ends at Railroad Avenue and includes floats, fire departments and pipe and drum bands. The chamber’s dinner will be held on March 8 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $75 per person. For more information or to request to be part of the parade, visit www.moricheschamber.org.