Electric Light Department Honored

Date: 3/20/2012

March 21, 2012

By G. Michael Dobbs

news@thereminder.com

CHICOPEE — The Shamrock Club presented its Shillelagh of Honor to the Chicopee Electric Light Department (CELD) on March 14, celebrating CELD's annual participation in the Holyoke St. Patrick's Day Parade and for its response to restore power to city residents during the October 2011 snowstorm.

Shamrock Club President Jack Ryan called the CELD's marching in the parade as "legendary."

Along with the shillelagh, which was presented to Commissioners Chester Gazda and Robert Pajak, the Shamrock Club lobbied Gov. Deval Patrick to issue a citation noting the performance of the department during the storm.

Ryan said that Patrick told him several times he wished he could present the citation personally.

Besides the honor from the governor, Mayor Michael Bissonnette offered official thanks from the city for CELD's performance.