People like Billy and Alex Madden make Saranac Lake a great place to call home.

Friday’s big snowstorm threw a wrench into preparations for the parade here at Historic Saranac Lake. The person who was to tow our “float” (the Cure Porch on Wheels) had to back out of helping us, because he needed to plow out his customers. In desperation, the day before the parade, we called up Billy Madden, and he quietly said, “no problem.”

He agreed to help us even though he had every reason to say no. On Thursday he had driven a semi truck up the East Coast through a huge ice storm. He came back to town to deal with the snowstorm and to help everyone out with all sorts of Carnival things up until the last minute of the parade, but he didn’t hesitate to say yes to us. On parade day, at 10 below zero, Billy’s awesome son Alex showed up down by the Ice Palace to hitch up the Cure Porch on Wheels. Smiling the whole time, he shoveled snow, found a ladder to help with our failed signage, and figured out an impromptu sound system. Then Billy showed up to pull us down Main Street, and he even agreed to wear a nurse’s cap. 

It’s families like this that keep this town going and make Saranac Lake the best place to be. Thank you, Billy and Alex Madden. You are the best!

Alex Madden helps prepare Historic Saranac Lake’s Cure Porch on Wheels for the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival parade Saturday. (Provided photo — Historic Saranac Lake)

For more about Madden’s Transfer and Storage, founded by Billy’s great-grandfather in 1914, see https://localwiki.org/hsl/Madden%27s_Transfer_and_Storage.

Sincerely,

Amy Catania

Executive director

Historic Saranac Lake

Saranac Lake