Susan and Al Grimaldi honored as Citizens of the Year

Date: 5/3/2010

May 3, 2010

By Courtney Llewellyn

Reminder Assistant Editor



EAST LONGMEADOW - If you are active in civic organizations or town-wide events in East Longmeadow, you've probably worked with Susan and Al Grimaldi in some way since they moved here nearly 35 years ago. To honor their dedication to the town, the couple are being honored as the 2010 Lions Club Distinguished Citizens of the Year.

"They have done so much in so many areas," Scott Grabowski, Lions Club secretary, said. "They're very innovative and they have great ideas."

And, even though they're both very active in all areas of the community, Susan said it was still a surprise when they received the phone call about their being named citizens of the year.

"It was a total shock," Susan said. "I don't get speechless too many times in my life, but I was then."

Al added that he was also "really, really surprised and ... excited."

The Grimaldis have been East Longmeadow residents since 1974. They are members of the Faith Tabernacle Church, the Lions Club, the Rotary Club, the Garden Club, the Friends of the East Longmeadow Library, UNICO, the Historic Commission and have helped organize the National Night Out events since 2007.

The two have been instrumental in the Rotary Summer Concert Series and Al helped establish East Longmeadow Salutes after Sept. 11, 2001.

Susan has been an insurance broker for 31 years and served one term as a selectman. Al retired five years ago from the U.S. Postal Service after 34 years and is now very active with ELCAT (East Longmeadow Cable Access Television). Both have served as Fourth of July Parade Marshals.

They've done much more - the list of their accomplishments given to Reminder Publications is three pages long - but Al said what he gets the most enjoyment out of is his work with the Rotary Concert Series.

"It's really about bringing everybody together," Al said.

"We feel whatever we're involved in, we can have a positive impact on the community," Susan added. "We really like the family feeling of doing things together."

The Grimaldis were nominated for Citizens of the Year by Jim McCormack, a past president of the Lions Club. McCormack and Grabowski both agreed that if you want a job well done, you call Susan or Al.

Grabowski said five nominations were considered this year, noting that the Lions Club always sees a good pool of candidates for the award.

The Distinguished Citizen of the Year Award was first given out in 1961 to teacher Eseldra Glynn, and since then a total of 54 residents have been recognized for their dedicated work. Last year, the late Lion Bob Zumbruski was given the honor.

The recognition dinner, hosted by the Lions Club, will take place at Elmcrest Country Club, 105 Somersville Rd., on May 12. A social hour with hors d'oeuvres will begin at 6 p.m., and the buffet dinner begins at 7 p.m.

Tickets for the event are $18 each and meals can be reserved by contacting Scott Grabowski at 525-2500 or srgelusa@verizon.net. Reservations are requested by May 10. Non-Lions are asked to prepay for their meals. Those who are prepaying are asked to make checks payable to the East Longmeadow Lions Club and to send them to Scott Grabowski at 25 Greenacre Lane, East Longmeadow, MA 01028.