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Date: 5/24/2019
WEST SPRINGFIELD – Two cities. Two mayors. One great cause.
On May 17, the Scoreboard in Agawam was host to the second annual Battle of the Mayors, in which Agawam Mayor William P. Sapelli and West Springfield Mayor William Reichelt went head-to-head bartending to see how much money could be raised for their respective St. Patrick’s Committees.
“We raised just under $1,000 in two hours, from 7 to 9 pm.,” said MaryRuth Kane of the West Springfield St. Patrick’s Committee. The event was organized as a team effort by the St. Patrick’s Committees of both West Springfield and Agawam.
The fundraiser was advertised as “Will vs. Bill,” as Sapelli uses Bill as his first name.
“They’re a credit to their communities, both of them,” Mike Delaney, the Scoreboard owner said of the mayors. “They were great sports.” Also on hand at the fundraiser were Parade Marshall Mary Jo Safford and School Committee member Shelley Reed.
“Everybody got along great,” said Delaney, adding that there was a big crowd. “They made good money. They split it down the middle,” said Delaney. Kane said Delaney, himself, made a generous contribution to each committee.
In addition to the bartending mayors, there were raffle prizes at the event, including a lottery tree and a liquor basket.
All the money raised at the event helps to fund the floats that will ride in the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Kane said the floats cost between $4,000 and $6,000, all considered.
The Battle of the Mayors is just one of several fundraisers put on throughout the year to fund the parade. Kane said there is a golf tournament in September and the 25th annual cead mile failte, in which the West Springfield Colleens are chosen and crowned.