Submitted by Matt Petitjean
The Storm Before the Parade
We were all set for another Chatham Independence Day parade.
The truck was washed. The tables were set, the tents were up, and the spread—fresh pastries, fruit, and piping hot coffee—was ready to go. Late in the afternoon, I made a few final calls to members to lock in our logistics. Everything was running like clockwork.
Then, the sky turned an ominous dark.
A low rumble of thunder rattled in the distance, followed instantly by the blare of emergency alerts on our phones. High winds. Possible tornadoes. Heavy rain. Flash flooding.
Seconds later, the sky completely opened up. For fifteen minutes, the wind roared with terrifying force, followed by a half-hour deluge of blinding rain. When the worst of it passed, our house had miraculously kept power, escaping with only a few small-to-medium branches scattered across the yard. We thought we had dodged a bullet.
Then came the text from David.
David lives just across Main Street, less than half a mile away, but his reality was entirely different. His tents were completely totaled, tree limbs were down, and a neighbor’s brand-new car was crushed under a fallen tree.
All the tables and tents were set up at David and Nancy’s…but the wind had other plans
Look closely at the tree across the hood of the 2 week old Lexus.
As the evening unfolded, the true scale of the destruction became clear. This wasn’t just a passing summer squall; a widespread, violent storm system had slammed right through New Jersey. Chatham was hit hard. Much of the town was plunged into darkness as power lines snapped, utility poles splintered like toothpicks, and live wires draped across blocked roads.
Overnight, town officials had to make the incredibly difficult—but absolutely correct—call to cancel both the Independence Day Parade and the evening fireworks.
With emergency crews and the DPW working tirelessly through the night, the roads were simply too treacherous. Even if our local streets could be cleared, getting parade participants safely out of their neighboring towns was impossible. We quickly swung into motion, sending out emails and texts to our members to spread the word.
Trees and live power lines blocked streets all over town.
So, this year, the truck stayed parked in the driveway, dressed up in its fancy new 250th-anniversary flags but with nowhere to go.
Matt’s truck was ready with new 250 flags for each side.
While it wasn’t the July 4th we had painstakingly planned for, we are incredibly grateful for the first responders and town crews who worked around the clock to keep Chatham safe.
The tents can be replaced, but our community spirit can’t be washed away. We’re already looking forward to next year, and we can’t wait to see you all on the parade route in 2027!