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Date: 1/18/2022
CHICOPEE - The Chicopee St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee is making preparations and seeking volunteers for this year’s holiday festivities.
Past President and current Public Relations Director of Chicopee’s St. Patrick Day Committee Mary O’Brien Rodowicz detailed the group’s slew of events before the marquee Holyoke parade. She shared that planning for St. Patrick’s Day began as soon as Holyoke announced the return of their parade, which was reduced to virtual events last year after being canceled in 2020.
“We had to wait for Holyoke to take the lead. Once they announced they were starting to plan for the parade, then we began our own process. Our busiest season is always January through March,” said Rodowicz. The public relations director shared that the committee is already starting their weekly meetings to prepare for the St. Patrick’s Day season.
The first event is the Colleen Contest and Coronation Ball on Feb. 26. Rodowicz said the committee is accepting applications for the contest, which features young women who compete for an opportunity to represent Chicopee as the colleen or a member of the colleen court for the upcoming year.
Each candidate is interviewed and assessed by a group of judges, with the winner being named as the colleen while the runners-up are selected as members of the court. Both are included in the parade and attend other events leading up to it, according to Rodowicz.
Readers interested in applying for the contest can apply at http://chicopeespc.com/colleen-contest/.
Rodowicz also shared that the committee is planning their annual Family Irish Night on Mar. 12 at Elder Council 69 on 460 Granby Rd. While ticket information has not been announced, she explained that the event is an informal gathering to celebrate the upcoming holiday. “It’s a fun evening that gets people together ahead of the St. Patrick’s Day festivities,” said Rodowicz.
None of the city’s St. Patrick’s Day preparations can be achieved without community engagement. “It does take a good number of dedicated people to make everything work,” said Rodowicz. She stressed that the committee is seeking volunteers for a variety of roles, particularly the construction of the city’s parade float.
Rodowicz shared that the float is a point of pride for the committee, as they have received awards in past years for their inventive creations.
The committee is also gathering funds via a March Money Madness calendar drawing. After patrons purchase a calendar for $10, they have a daily chance to receive cash prizes ranging from $50 to $300 dollars from each drawing. Readers interested in a calendar can contact the committee’s president, Haley Jarvis, at 426-6825.
Readers interested in learning more about Chicopee’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee and potentially volunteering can visit their website at www.chicopeespc.com.