Parade Sponsors And Volunteers

The Maryland Mobileers Amateur Radio Club keeps the parade moving by relaying information from the starting locations down to the judges’ booth each year.

Posted Wednesday, July 9, 2025 9:35 am

There’s a lot to keep straight during the Independence Day parade, and few people know that better than Jeff Coomes and fellow members of the Maryland Mobileers Amateur Radio Club. A major part of his team’s job is to relay information from the starting line down to the announcer at the judges’ booth. The Mobileers also have a bicyclist who rides up and down the parade route to make sure no one’s stopping or holding up the parade. One year, they even helped move an antique car out of the way.

Coomes was a volunteer firefighter for seven years before his health got in the way, and he saw amateur radio as the perfect opportunity to continue helping the community. He wasn’t in charge the first time he volunteered with the parade, but when the Mobileers missed a parade, he reached out to the Greater Severna Park and Arnold Chamber of Commerce about helping the following year and has done it ever since.

Each year, the Mobileers volunteer at 10 to 15 community events, including races and runs, in addition to the parade. They also provide emergency support both locally and farther out. They run the Amateur Radio Emergency Service in Glen Burnie, and last year, members were sent out to help with hurricane recovery in Florida and Puerto Rico. When he meets amateur radio operators, Coomes tries to encourage them to get involved.

“There’s a lot of public service events going on that people don’t realize we’re involved in,” Coomes said.

Coomes and the Maryland Mobileers weren’t the only community members to provide their support for this year’s parade. Below is a list of this year’s sponsors and volunteers.

VOLUNTEERS

Woods Parking and Road Management
Jason Jackson, Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church

Police Traffic Control
Corporal Jamie Grover

Staging Areas
Jim League, Parade Manager
Phil Savard, Ace Handyman Services
Jeanie Langellotto, Alzheimer’s Association
James Golden, Golden Consulting
Denise Golden, Bello Machre
Robert Mufareh and his daughter Juliana, My Commercial Capital
Patrick Lee, Chesapeake Think Tank
Theresa Connelly, Chesapeake Think Tank
Robin Torrence, ATG Title
Tanner Greenwalt, First Home Mortgage Corporation
Mark Yarbrough, Shore United Bank
Pam Negron, Farmers Insurance
Caleb Reneau, Greater Severna Park and Arnold Chamber of Commerce intern

Decorated Bike Contest
Colette Barnes
Edinboro Early School staff
The Goddard School of Millersville staff
Rod Reddish, Pedal Pushers

Judges
Jason LaBarge, LaBarge Financial
Karen Authement, KMA Law Office
Jessica Tinordi, Severna Park Taphouse
Stacey Cassidy, Savvy Consignment
Jonathan Katz, Severna Park Voice
Dianna Lancione, Severna Park Voice

Announcer
Earl Schaffer

OTHER CONTRIBUTORS

Chamber CEO Liz League was the main parade organizer.
Cassilly & Appel Group offered parking for the parade judges and food for the volunteers following the festivities.
Elmore Law Group offered its parking lot.
Negron Farmers Insurance Agency shared its restroom facilities.