A Tamaqua-based group was awarded one of the top honors Saturday at Scranton's 55th St. Patrick's Day Parade seen before what organizers estimate as 140,000 or more spectators and a live television audience.

Members of the Victorian Highwheelers of Tamaqua were presented the Edmund J. Casey Historical Theme Memorial Award in the ten-division parade.The award was presented at the reviewing stand during the course of the parade by the St. Patrick's Parade Association of Lackawanna County.The parade stepped off from St. Peter's Cathedral and included more than 12,000 participants.The Victorian Highwheelers, an educational nonprofit, had its start 15 years ago at a Tamaqua Heritage Festival. Group members operate 1880s riding machines, examples of the world's first bicycles.Members are: Dan Horengic and Darlene Straub of Coal Township, Don Shoup of Pen Argyl, John Poponiak of Shamokin, Don Serfass of Tamaqua and Eric Frantz of Danville.The group has made appearances at historical events, museums and landmarks including the Philadelphia Liberty Bell, the Betsy Ross House, Victorian Days of Belvidere, New Jersey, the Thomas Edison Celebration in Sunbury and other special events in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey.