A couple who used their daughter’s tragic death to springboard a vibrant, local nonprofit organization will serve as Grand Marshall’s of Saturday’s Andover Firefighters Santa Parade.
“We wanted to honor a family that has given back so much to the Town of Andover!” Andover Ma Firefighters Local 1658, the union that represents the Town’s firefighters, said in Facebook post.
Tom and Peggie Ritzer’s daughter Colleen grew up in Andover and was killed by a student in 2013 when she was working as a math teacher at Danvers High School. After her death, the Colleen E. Ritzer Memorial Fund was launched to offer scholarships, grants and other programs. To date, the fund has awarded $593,000 in scholarships to students pursuing careers in education through a wide range of fundraisers, including a popular, annual 5K road race.
The parade steps off at 1 p.m. and features floats, music, and, of course, Santa Claus. The parade starts at the town hall complex and follows Whittier Street to Elm Street, then winds down the main business district on Main Street, ending on Punchard Avenue.