Colleen introduced at meeting

March 13, 2019 | Carling Willis
carling@thereminder.com

WEST SPRINGFIELD – At West Springfield’s Town Council Meeting on March 4, the award winners for the West Springfield St. Patrick’s Day festivities were all in attendance to meet the councilmen. The St. Patrick’s Day Parade will take place on March 17 and begin at 11 a.m. and proceed on to 3 p.m. The parade takes place in Holyoke.

The first to introduce herself and her court to the Councilmen was the 2019 Colleen winner. Ceara Bowler is a senior at West Springfield High School. She was joined by her Colleen Court, which is made up of four other high school students, Olivia Dwyer, Megan McCaffery, Emma Bowler, and Krista O'Brian.

The next person to be introduced to the council was the award winner for 2019 Town Marshall, Al Howard. Howard is known around West Springfield for his work in the Parks and Rec department and also for all of his years of volunteer work in the town. When asked by Councilman, George Kelly, how he felt about being the Marshall, Howard responded “It’s a privilege and an honor to lead the West Springfield contingent this year.”

Carol Duffy was awarded the West Springfield Senior Colleen for 2019. She shared with the councilmen that she is enjoying her time as the Senior Colleen and is anticipating the upcoming events this month, as they get closer to St. Patrick’s Day.

The next award winner that was introduced to the council was Joan Patten for the Thomas F. “Jinx” Powers Award. Kelly introduced Patten by saying “Joan has been very active in the parade committee for a number of years now, Jinx Powers was one of the original starters of the parade committee in West Springfield and to the member of the committee who impresses all their peers in the committee, they are selected for the Jinx powers award. I think Joan is a very good pick and I’m sure she’s going to have a grand day on parade day.” Patten responded to Kelly’s introduction by saying this is very special to her because her husband was the Jinx Powers Award Winner in 2012.

Kelly then introduced the owners from Sorrento Pizza, Patsy and Sheila Albano, who are the winners of the 2019 Olde Mittineague Award. The couple took over Sorrento Pizza in 1998 from his parents, Nicola and Esterina Albano who opened the business in 1978. Sorrento Pizza has a longstanding reputation and tradition of donating to the Parks and Rec department in town. Albano has given his time to many events and provided hundreds of gift cards and pizzas. Albano announced at the meeting that he is thinking of closing his restaurant the entire day of St. Patrick’s Day so all of his employees can enjoy parade day.

Representatives from West Springfield Youth Sports were also present at the meeting.

That portion of the meeting wrapped up with a group picture of all of the award winners and the Town Council Committee.

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