Chicopee Elks honor youth


Elks Al Noble (far left) and John Garvalinski with this year's scholarship recipients. Reminder Publications submitted photos

CHICOPEE Chicopee Lodge of Elks #1849, recently conduted its Annual Youth Awards and Scholarship Banquet on May 23.

Those young people honoed included: Elks Hoop Shot winners; Elementary Grades Essay contest winners; The Junior Teenagers of the Year from the City's two middle schools; The Teenagers of the Month and Teenagers of the Year from Chicopee High and Chicopee Comp; The Career and Technical Education Teenagers of the Year; and the Scholarship recipients from the Lodge.

A dinner was served that evening. Approximately 190 young people and adults attended.

Teenagers of the Month selected by CHS were Elizabeth Belisle, Caitlin Dowd, Kelly Erwin, William Kulig and Jason Leclerc, and Teenagers of the Month selected from CCHS were Katelyn Jopson, Joseph Krzystofik, Randy Belisle, Sarabeth Hedge and Tracy Williams.

The committee selected the following two teenagers as Teenagers of the Year based on scholastics, athletics and community service. They were Elizabeth Belisle from Chicopee High School and Katelyn Jopson from Chicopee Comprehensive High School.

The Career and Technical Education Teenager of the Year was Robert Crosier.

All eleven teenagers were presented with Grand Lodge of Elks certificates and pen sets.

The three teenagers of the Year were also presented with a Revere bowl with inscribed base, formal citations from the Mayor of Chicopee Michael Bissonnette, from the House of Representatives from Representaive Joseph Wagner, and from the State Senate from Senator Michael Knapik.

The Junior Teenagers of the Year were Jessica Avery and Kayla Philbrick from Fairview Veterans Memorial School, Chelsea McDonnell and Allison O'Shea from Edward Bellamy Middle School. They were presented with Grand Lodge of Elks certificates and pen sets.

During the awards, plaques were presented to the mayor, State Representative Joseph Wagner and Senator Michael Knapik for their longtime devotion to the youth of our community.

Lodge Scholarship Recipients (each received $250.00) were:

Sarah Beaudoin, Michael Bigos, Adam DeLiefde, M atthew Kielbasa, Amanda King, Melissa King, William Kulig, Amanda Nowak, Heather Riley, Jessica Sawyer, Carolyn Suchy, Nicole Wagner and Justin Woishnis.