Suzie Barry's gold-trimmed black tricorn hat bobs along the sidelines of every parade that passes along Massachusetts Avenue. Like a traffic officer, she coordinates groups, bands, cars, floats and even manages to make sure everyone is happy, fed and hydrated.

Her efforts haven’t gone unnoticed. Spearheaded by Selectman Hank Manz, the board, at its July 9 meeting, recognized Barry's 18 years as a town volunteer, most notably within the Town Celebrations Committee, with an official letter and a pin depicting the town seal.   

Although it applauded her almost two decades of volunteerism, the letter from the board focused on her success getting the U.S. Air Force Band of Liberty to Hasting’s Park on June 30 at 7 p.m. for its July 4 farewell appearance.

The Air Force Band, formerly at Hanscom Air Force Base, has disbanded due to budget cuts. Barry and the band coordinated the performance and Lexington was the last and final venue. It was a fitting end to a 30-year collaboration between the band and Lexington.

Honored for this achievement, Manz made it clear there’s more.

“The Patriots’ Day events will continue to be a showcase for you and your committee, but we know that no matter how many of them you have worked on they will never be uncomplicated,” Manz wrote. “Your arrangements for water and supplies and your establishment of a distribution method when elevated temperatures hit Lexington just in time for Patriots’ Day 2012 are two examples of the thoroughness with which you do things.”

Later, in the hall a dozen feet from the Selectmen’s Meeting Room — and wearing her newly acquired pin — Barry held up the letter encased in a blue folder.

“I don’t do it for this,” she said. Barry is devoted to the town, its history and how we celebrate notable occassions.

Lexington knows. We hope she keeps doing it for another 18 years.