Wine tasting a success

As President of Friends of the Agawam Senior Center, I want to thank all of those who attended the "First Annual Wine Tasting" on April 11 which was a huge success. Also I want to thank Helen Elkas and Mable Daigle for putting up the beautiful decorations and balloons. Thank you to Elaine Smith and Joan Bowe for stuffing the bags for the raffle. Thank you to Director Joan Linnehan, Assistant Director Kristina Lynch and Jimmy Carter for moving all of the tables and chairs while setting up the hall. Thank you to Julie Kilbride, Penny Hardick for selling tickets, Joan Bowe and Nellie Mathias for giving out silent auction numbers, Corrine Pierson for passing out the programs, Lillian Peloquin and Carol Pash for working the table with the Mayor's basket. Thank you to all those who work at each table, Nellie Jarvis, Theresa Brodeur, Mable Daigle, and Delores Ascioti and to Helen Elkas for selling the raffle tickets. I would also like to send a big thank you to to Bob Kadis who worked tirelessly making and printing all the information for the silent auction as well as many other tasks. Thank you to Richnie Mitnick for entertaining us on the keyboard even though he was under the weather. Huge thank you to Charolette Pasquerella and Betty McCabe-Pandolfi for their help in setting up for the wine tasting; these ladies are from West Springfield and they have experience with running wine tastings.

I want to thank all those that donated to the many silent auction and raffle prizes. Thank you to Agawam Advertiser, The Reminder and the Republican for all the publicity they gave us along with our local channel 15. Thank you to Brad Shepard and Bo Sullivan of WHYN 560 for letting me announce the wine tasting on their radio talk show.

Last but not least thank you to Director Nickki Teixeira of Branford Hall Institute and her students for preparing and hand passing all of the wonderful food for the wine tasting. All who attended said the food was excellent.

Also thank you to Richard Walker of Horizon Beverage, Gerry Cantin of M.S. Walker, Inc., Butch Gearing of Martighetti Co., and Jeff Morris of Commonwealth Wines for giving out samples of their wines.

Thank you to Director Joan Linnehan, Assistant Director Kristina Lynch, Lynda Wojick, Ken and Rose Berry, and Nellie Jarvis for doing all of the cleaning of the senior center after the wine tasting. With all the help I received we have raised over $2,000 for the expansion fund.

Also, don't forget Saturday, May 3, between the hours of 9 a.m.-noon there will be a bottle and can drive at the senior center. Hope to see you there with your empties.

Emile Cot

Agawam