Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Date: 2/15/2023
AGAWAM — The Agawam St. Patrick’s Committee will honor three local residents with prestigious awards at its gala event on Feb. 18 at Oak Ridge Country Club.
At the same event, eight colleen hopefuls will learn who will be crowned the 2023 Agawam colleen for the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade next month. As the 2020 selections were the most recent ones chosen — with the coronavirus-related cancelation of the parades in 2020 and 2021 — this is the first time in three years that the committee is selecting new award winners and a new colleen and court.
Anne Sullivan Award
The Agawam St. Patrick’s Committee has named Donna Burke as the recipient of the 2023 Anne Sullivan Award. She is a resident of West Springfield and a native of Adams, in Berkshire County. A 1966 graduate of Berkshire Community College, she moved to West Springfield in 1970.
The Anne Sullivan award is presented to a female committee member who epitomizes the values represented by Anne Sullivan, who was born in Feeding Hills in 1866 and became the companion and teacher to Helen Keller.
Burke worked for the former Springfield Phone Co. as well as for the Paddionisy Monastery for high school retreats. She married her “wonderful Irishman” Gerry in 1978. Six years later, their “miracle” son, Sean Patrick, was born. They were married for 28 years until his death in 2006.
After staying home to raise her son until he could attend school full-time, Burke began working seasonal jobs at H&R Block, Riverside Park (now Six Flags New England) and the Big E.
Rita Moore, a longtime member of the Agawam St. Patrick’s Committee, encouraged Burke to join the committee. In addition to her work with the committee, Burke also holds several seasonal jobs. She also spends time enjoying her two grandchildren, six-year-old Michael and three-year-old Mary.
Parade marshal
Douglas “Doug” E. Reed, president of the Agawam St. Patrick’s Committee, was chosen by the committee to serve as the parade marshal for the Agawam division in the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade next month.
Each year, the honor of parade marshal goes to an Agawam resident who has contributed to the growth of the Agawam St. Patrick’s Committee. A native of South Hadley and an Agawam resident for 28 years, Reed has been a member of the Agawam St. Patrick’s Committee for the past nine years, the last two as president.
Reed is also a longtime member the build team that designs and constructs the committee’s parade floats for the colleens. Agawam’s floats have won first place awards for six of its seven floats.
“Having attended nearly 60 of the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day parades in my lifetime, I’m honored to have been selected as this year’s parade marshal. I look forward to serving on the Agawam St. Patrick’s Committee for many years to come,” said Reed.
In addition to being a member of the St. Patrick’s Committee, Reed served on the Agawam Cultural Council for 10 years and has been an announcer for the Agawam Youth Football Association’s games for the past 15 years.
He currently announces the Agawam High School football games and also works as a broadcaster for Agawam Media. Reed was recently appointed to serve on the Agawam Liquor Commission.
Vera Conway Citizenship Award
The Agawam St. Patrick’s committee will present Brian Burbank, a longtime resident of Agawam, with its 2023 Vera Conway Citizenship Award.
The award is presented to a person who has made substantial contributions to the community. The award is newly renamed to honor Vera Conway, a longtime committee member who died last year.
Currently serving on the Agawam Cable Commission, Burbank is also a member of the Agawam Fiber Task Force and previously served on the Agawam School Committee. The IT director for a local nonprofit for more than two decades, he was in the Army National Guard for 12 years. Burbank, his wife Carrie, and their five children have lived in Agawam for 25 years.
An avid photographer, Burbank enjoys sharing his passion for photography with the Agawam community. For more than 10 years he has photographed community youth and high school sporting events, band concerts, marching band performances, drama club plays and parades.
Burbank also has donated his time and photography skills to fundraisers such as the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life and Get Your Pink On. He posts photos from events on social media so parents and families can view, share, or download them at no charge.