The grand marshal for the Together Days parade on Saturday, June 6, is Mike Sanphy, who retired as a police sergeant a year ago, after 40 years with the Westbrook department. The Longest-serving Westbrook officer, Sanphy, 62, talked last week about his new roles – as grand marshal, and as just another resident of Westbrook.

Q: Do you know how you were chosen to be grand marshal in the parade?

A: Apparently somebody from Calpine nominated me. I think it’s an honor, I really do.

Q: What are your duties as grand marshal?

A: They told me it was just to get in the car and ride in the parade and make an appearance.

Q: Did you used to have to work the Together Days parade?

A: As a department, we used to set the traffic up and stuff. I was never on the committee, but If I was off duty I’d always go down.

Q: How long have you been going to the Together Days parade?

Since they started. It wasn’t called together days years ago. I’d take pictures and enjoy the parades. They used to have sidewalk sales and stuff, then they expanded to a parade. Before (urban) renewal, the sidewalks were packed. There were a lot of people downtown. it was like a large market area.

Q: Does it feel like it’s been 30 years since the first Together Days?

A: No, it doesn’t to tell you the truth. It went by so fast, my God. But some of the people who were involved are now gone – long gone.

Q: Do you remember the first Together Days?

A: Vaguely. They all seem to blend together. It was so far back. I was probably in my 30s.

Q: What’s your favorite part of Together Days?

A: It’s divided between the parade and the activities at the park, and going down and seeing people down there.

Q: How have you been keeping busy since your retirement?

A: I still work at Blais & Hay Funeral home, and I’m the secretary and treasurer of the Portland Veteran Fireman’s Association. I do the article for the paper here and work at the historical society.

Q: You were well known around town, because you’d always stop into the businesses and chat. Do you still do that?

A: I do walk a lot, but not the beat – my own neighborhood, for exercise.

Q: Do you miss working?

A: I miss the people. As you get older, you look at the job as a young person’s job. But interacting with people, that’s the biggest thing.

Q: Do you think you’ll see a lot of those people when you’re leading the parade?

A: I hope so. That’s the thing about Together Days, you see people you don’t see often.

Mike Sanphy works his last patrol shift in June 2008. He retired after 40 years as a Westbrook police officer, the longest time served by anyone in the department.Q&A with Mike Sanphy Now just a civilian, Sanphy will serve as grand marshal of the Together Days parade.