John Velis (center) is surrounded by the 2017 Westfield Colleen and her Court. (Photo submitted)
Happy Saturday Westfield! Hope you all had a wonderful St. Patrick’s Day. Even with all the snow, we still managed to have a busy and festive week in my office.
On Monday, I was able to present a citation to an incredible young man, Jonathan “JD” Huntley, who was named the “Eagle Scout of the Year” by the Massachusetts American Legion. JD is a highly accomplished and driven teenager, and it was great to meet one of Westfield’s rising stars. Congratulations, JD!
After we dug out from all that snow, on Wednesday I attended an award ceremony where 5 Hampden County towns were given grant money for being designated a “Green Community.” The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources has been running the Green Communities program for the last few years. After meeting certain eco-friendly requirements, municipalities like Westfield are eligible to receive funds that will help them convert municipal buildings to more efficient energy systems. Westfield received an initial grant of $266,000 this week thanks to the hard work at City Hall.
Also on Wednesday was the Westfield Chamber of Commerce St. Patrick’s Day Dinner. It was great to see such support for the community from local businesses and citizens. The Sons of Erin Colleen and her Court presided over the event. For those of you who may not know, the local Sons of Erin selects one young woman from Westfield to serve as the Colleen every St. Patrick’s Day. This year’s Colleen is Ashley Rose Day, a sophomore at UMASS. Along with the other young ladies in her court, they will march in the Holyoke parade on Sunday.
Yesterday, St. Patrick’s Day, was a great time. I started the day off by calling Bingo at the Senior Center. It’s always great to spend time with the community and have a little fun, as well! I also celebrated by attending the Hampden County District Attorney’s Annual St. Patty’s Party. The festivities continue tomorrow with the Holyoke Parade- hope to see you all there. The parade starts around noon.
That’s it for this week, folks! As always, if you have any questions or concerns for my office, please don’t hesitate to reach out at 413-572-3920 or [email protected]. Have a great weekend!
