State Sen. Donald Humason Jr. standing rear, holds his son Quinn, while chatting with, Helene Florio, left, Michael Knapik, center, Peter Miller, foreground left, and State Rep. John Scibak, right, during a Legislative Breakfast sponsored by Humason. The gathering of local and state officials was staged at the Pomeroy Sugar House in Westfield Friday. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
WESTFIELD – Breakfast is an important meal in the life of an elected official, as evidenced by the massive order of pancakes, bacon, and sausages that Pomeroy’s Sugar House churned out Friday morning for a who’s who of western Massachusetts legislators.
The bipartisan brunch was hosted by State Senator Don Humason, Jr. (R-Westfield), who was joined by former colleagues in the House of Representatives from western Mass., including Gailanne Cariddi (D-North Adams), Brian Ashe (D-Longmeadow), Peter Kocot (D-Northampton), John Scibak (D-South Hadley), and Paul Mark (D-Peru), as well as former State Senator Michael R. Knapik, the current Executive Director of Advancement for Westfield State University.
Randy Pomeroy, left, owner of the Pomeroy Sugar House in Westfield, shows State Sen. Donald Humason Jr., some of the maple sugar collection containers still in operation during a Legislative Breakfast Friday. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
“I’ve been coming here since it opened,” said Humason after finishing a stack of pancakes. “Initially, me and Senator Knapik would come here for lunch and then we said ‘why don’t we invite our colleagues? We’re going on our 10-year anniversary soon.”
The current State Senator for the 2nd Hampden and Hampshire District has seen his political career grow along with the sugar house itself.
“There’s a picture (in the sugar house) of Harlow (Pomeroy), me, Doug Gillespe, who was the Commissioner at the time, and Rick Sullivan back at least ten years ago,” said Humason, who began his career in the legislature in 2003 when he was elected to the House of Representatives, five years after Pomeroy’s opened in 1998.
When asked of what the presence of this unique business in his district means to him, Humason said that it showcases what makes the area so special.
State Sen. Donald Humason Jr., receives a hug and kiss from Pomeroy Sugar House greeter Rosalie Pike, during a Legislative Breakfast sponsored by Humason Friday. Humason was joined by more than a dozen local and state dignitaries. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
“It just speaks to the diversity of our district, not just my district alone, but everyone of us represent districts that are urban and rural, that are very tightly compacted with people and that are very open-spaced,” he said of his fellow western Mass. delegates. “Half the time in our job, we’re talking about manufacturing and economic redevelopment, the other half of the time we’re talking about open space preservation and agricultural issues, and it just speaks to that diversity.”
Sheila Phelon, the aunt of Pomeroy’s Sugar House Owner Randy Pomeroy, said this annual gathering is a highlight for the family business.
“We look forward to it every year,” she said, harkening back to ‘when he was doing it with Senator Knapik.’ “We have a lot of fun here. We enjoy it. It’s Randy’s family – everyone is here.”
“We appreciate it a lot. It’s great, makes us feel good,” said Pomeroy, 23, after explaining the process for boiling maple syrup to Humason and his staff. “We must be doing something right if he keeps coming back.”
