Hulme Tapped As Grand Marshal For 2017 Westhampton Beach St. Patrick's Day Parade

The 50th annual Westhampton Beach St. Patrick’s Day parade is already starting to take shape with local attorney Jim Hulme being announced as the 2017 grand marshal.

Mr. Hulme is a well-known face in Westhampton Beach for his law firm, Kelly & Hulme on Mill Road, and for serving the past 23 years on the Westhampton Beach Board of Education. He also volunteers with the Church of the Immaculate Conception on Quiogue, the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center, the Rotary Club of Westhampton, Maureen’s Haven, the Greater Westhampton Chamber of Commerce and the Knights of Columbus, to name a few local organizations.

“I am very surprised and very excited and humbled and honored,” Mr. Hulme said on Tuesday. “I have marched in the parade for many years, in different capacities, but it will be fun to be marching out in front.”

Mr. Hulme has lived on the East End since 1986, planting his roots in Westhampton in 2000.

“The committee tries to annually select grand marshals that are strong community servants,” Westhampton Beach St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee President Tim Laube said this week. “One of the best barometers for selecting a grand marshal is time. There are people of means in communities like greater Westhampton Beach that can make financial commitments—which is great and so very important—but the people who donate their time carry a lot of weight. Some can make a lot of money and donate it but there are only 24 hours in a day.

“Jim gives so much of his time, you would think he has 48 hours in his day,” Mr. Laube continued. “That’s why he wasn’t just the unanimous choice by the committee, but for the first time in a long time he was the only nominee. He’s a special person in this community and he’s perfect for our 50th anniversary parade. We are honored to have him lead us.”

The parade is scheduled to step off at noon on Saturday, March 11, 2017. A fundraiser is scheduled the prior Saturday, March 4, at the Mill Roadhouse in Westhampton Beach, and the committee’s sixth annual Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Tournament is scheduled for Saturday, December 17, at the Southampton Town PBA Hall in Speonk. Visit www.whbstpats.com for more information about those events.