Dalton News

From eBay to a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Tradition

Twenty-five years ago, Director of Facilities Mike Mezo placed a bid on a fledgling platform called eBay Thanksgiving Day Parade memorabilia. Little did he know that a single bid would spark a cherished tradition at Dalton.
At that time, only five people across the country were vying for the Thanksgiving parade paraphernalia, forging an instant connection during the early days of email. One of them sent a message, “Want to take part in the Thanksgiving Day parade?”  

That simple question led to an unforgettable experience and inspired Mike to share it with the Dalton community. Mike is now on the Macy’s Balloon committee and has extended the invitation to Dalton faculty and staff, creating a special connection to the iconic New York City event. Each year, Dalton faculty and staff proudly walk the parade route as balloon handlers, guiding the larger-than-life balloons and celebrating their place in this beloved holiday tradition together. 

This year, balloon handlers included:

Top row left to right:
Facilities Associate Bleart Dabiqaj, Sam Schollenberger ‘23, High School Science Teacher Ron Schollenberger, Dalton Parent Deanna Neiers, 2nd Grade Associate Teacher Caroline Ruttenberg

Bottom row left to right:
Controller Danielle Schnitzer, Assistant Director of Athletics for Operations & Programming Kayla Hill, PE Teacher and Athletics Coach Anne Gregory, Director of Facilities Mike Mezo
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