Millersville Community Parade Names Grand Marshals

The Millersville Community Parade Committee has named Dr. Ralph Anttonen and his wife Judy, both community leaders, as the 2008 grand marshals of this year’s event. The committee reviewed 25 nominations for this prestigious honor. The grand marshals are selected every year based on his or her significant contributions to the Millersville community.  

The Anttonens will lead the two-mile award-winning parade that attracts over 5,000 spectators.  The theme for this year’s parade on Saturday, November 1 is “Animals: Fictional or Real.”  The parade coincides with Millersville University’s Homecoming weekend, as well as Family Day and Community Day.  According to parade chairman, Steven DiGuiseppe, “This is one of the best and biggest parades in the county.” The parade starts at 9 a.m. at Penn Manor High School and ends at approximately 11:30 a.m. at the Student Memorial Center on the Millersville University campus.   

The Anttonens are the first couple named to the prestigious list of notable community and business leaders who join the ranks of past grand marshals such as John Herr, Skip Rhodes, Jim Eshelman, Lynette Trout, William Duncan, Joseph Caputo, Steven DiGuiseppe and Dorothy Bender.

The Anttonens have their own unique contributions and notable accomplishments, as well as combined efforts. Their combined efforts include:

• Coordinating the annual Millersville Mile event, which benefits the Millersville Fire Company (for the past 21 years, which has raised over $30,000);
• Serving as Honorary Members of the Millersville Fire Company;
• Serving as Santa and Mrs. Claus for area schools, nursing homes, the Millersville Business Association’s annual tree lighting and for Millersville University (15 years);
• Serving as radio disc jockeys (a.k.a. Doc and Mama Roc) for WIXQ-FM radio, Millersville University’s radio station (30+ years);
• And Sponsoring Adopt-a-Highway along Long Lane (13+ years). 

Ralph Anttonen, who is employed with Millersville University as the chair of the department of academic and student development and director of the Exploratory Program – has been on the faculty since 1971.  He also serves as the advisor of the campus radio station (30+ years); is a mentor to hundreds of Millersville students; serves as the Millersville basketball announcer (36 years), a timing official with the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, Inc. (PIAA) (33 years), is an author and has competed in over 40 road races (both cycling and run/walks) in the past 19 years and has won numerous awards and citations in senior games, as well as has been selected as “MU Person of the Year” (2001). His bachelor’s degree is in mathematics from Tufts University and his Ph.D. is in educational psychology from the University of Minnesota. 

Judy Anttonen is retired from Conestoga Valley School District, where she served as a special education/learning support teacher.  In addition she has worked numerous years with the Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13 - a regional educational agency. She holds two degrees from Millersville University; a bachelor’s degree in elementary and early childhood and a master’s in special education. Judy has also served as the Millersville basketball scorekeeper for nine years; PIAA meet timing official (23 years); volunteer reader with the Susquehanna Association for the Blind and Vision Impaired; volunteer at the Watch and Clock Museum in Columbia; member of the Millersville Choral Group; member of the Standing Room Only Singers; past treasurer of the West End Athletic Association and has competed in over 500 road races and 30 triathlons since 1971 and has won numerous awards and citations, particularly in the senior games and was named Volunteer of the Year (2007) by the Watch and Clock Museum. 

The Anttonens have been Millersville residents for over 37 years and have two children, Karen and Eric, and nine grandchildren.

The parade attracts almost 2,000 participants annually with approximately 150 entries ranging from bands and dance troops to antique vehicles and live animals.  For more information about the parade, visit the website at www.parade.millersville.edu. 

The Anttonens contribution to the animal themed parade will be a four-foot teddy bear, which rides with Judy in her Jeep Wrangler.  “Doc gave him to me for my 60th birthday as my protector,” said Judy Anttonen.

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 Media Contact:
Janet Kacskos, APR
Director of Communications
Millersville University
717/872-3723 - office
Janet.kacskos@millersville.edu

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