August News from The Spirit

Celebrating Springfield's Biggest, Best and Brightest

It was great to be back in Riverfront Park for Star Spangled Springfield. The City of Springfield's Office of Capital Assets did a magnificent job renovating the park with a spray structure, tables, green lawns, plantings, and a perfect place for Springfield's September 11^th Monument. The Park Department maintains its beauty.

As a resident of Downtown Springfield, I am proud to call Riverfront Park my neighborhood park.

- Judy Matt

President

Star Spangled Springfield Sparkled

It was a fun-filled, festive fourth when Independence Day was celebrated in Downtown Springfield with a Star Spangled Springfield, sponsored by MassMutual. Families gathered early at Riverfront Park despite the heat. Many cooled off in the new spray structure and found shade under the trees. They brought picnic dinners, purchased from vendors, and enjoyed refreshing water offered by the Springfield Water

and Sewer Commission. For the first time in years, people felt they were on the river.

Festival Field in the southern end of the park was rocking with musical performances by students from Falcetti Music, Chloe Reed and Maxxtone. Between acts, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, Colonel Peter Green, III, Wing Commander for the 104^th Fighter Wing at Barnes Air National Guard Base, Dennis Duquette, President of the MassMutual Foundation, Judy Matt, Spirit of Springfield President, and Alanna Flood from Mass Appeal, welcomed visitors. Right on cue, the 104^th Fighter Wing made their appearance over the horizon.

At 9:30pm, the audience swelled well beyond Riverfront Park as tens of thousands on both sides of the Connecticut River were dazzled by the rockets red, white, blue, green, and purple glare. There were shapes bursting in the sky and others dancing on the Memorial Bridge all to music broadcast on Mix 93.1 FM. Someone was heard saying, "I don't know where to look."

Thanks to the sponsors and to the team of first responders on both sides and in the Connecticut River.

See more photos.

September 11th Monument Dedication

To create and celebrate Springfield's September 11^th Monument, more than $300,000 was raised. The commitment from the business community went beyond that to be sure it had a proper dedication.

Andrew Jensen from Jx2Productions

worked closely with Michael Zaskey from Zasco Productions for sound, lighting and the amazing screen that was erected above the monument. Michael Linton and Melissa Sullivan from Michael's Party Rental donated their design expertise and hundreds of chairs. WWLP-22News had numerous cameras and a drone on-site to capture the rollout of emergency vehicles and broadcast it on-line to hundreds of television stations across the country.

Anthony Cignoli, President of A. L. Cignoli Company, served as the master of ceremonies and masterfully orchestrated the participation at the event by Andrew Card, former Chief of Staff to President George W. Bush, and Bradley Blakeman, former Deputy Assistant to President Bush.

It will be remembered as a lifetime achievement for Patrick Sullivan, Executive Director of Springfield Department of Parks, Buildings and Recreation Management, Dennis Leger, Aide to the Springfield Fire Commissioner, as well as Judy Matt and Amy Barron-Burke from the Spirit of Springfield. They worked diligently for years to obtain the artifact, select a suitable resting place, find a creative design and secure the funding.

The community effort continues as Chris Marion Photography works to find the perfect light to truly capture the beauty and essence of the Springfield's tribute to the 498 first responders who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, in New York, Pennsylvania and at The Pentagon. It will be added to the library at the National September 11 Monument and Memorial in New York City.

Brad Blakeman with The Republican and WGBY

He came to Springfield to read his nephew's name as a part of Springfield's September 11^th Monument dedication ceremony. Bradley Blakeman gave Springfield an insight into who Tommy Jurgens was -- an Army Veteran, a Court Officer, a first responder who commandeered a van filled with first aid supplies and rushed to the World Trade Center. Tommy's body was never recovered. He was 26 years old.

While he was in Springfield, he did interviews with The Republican/MassLive and on WGBY's Connecting Point. They are available on-line.

Donate to Bright Nights Ball Auction

The Spirit of Springfield is looking for donations large and small for the City of Bright Nights Ball silent auction. Gift baskets, gift certificates, a new product or service being promoted. All are welcome and will be made available to the 500 guests attending the gala and on-line for all to bid on.

All proceeds from the auction are used to support the Spirit of Springfield's mission to bring the community together in celebration.

To make a donation, contact [email protected] or call 413-733-3800.

Congratulations Nicole, Luis & LJ!

Welcome the newest addition to the Antonmarchi Family!

On Tuesday, July 23rd, Spirit of Springfield Senior Program Coordinator Nicole Antonmarchi gave birth to Jayden Michael, a beautiful baby boy, weighing in at 6.9 lbs and 20 inches long.

NEWS FROM OUR NEIGHBOR

Congratulations to Nathan Costa and the Springfield Thunderbirds!

Springfield Thunderbirds President Nathan Costa was selected as the winner of the 2018-19 James C. Hendy Memorial Award given to the outstanding executive in the American Hockey League (AHL).

The Springfield Thunderbirds were also honored for digital media excellence in the AHL Eastern Division.

In This Issue

Star Spangled Springfield Sparkled

September 11th Monument Dedication

Brad Blakeman with The Republican & WGBY

Donate to Bright Nights Ball Auction

Congratulations Nicole, Luis & LJ

News from Our Neighbor

Guest Column - Peter Garvey, City of Springfield

Bright Nights 5K Road Race

GUEST COLUMN

Peter Garvey

Director of Capital Asset Construction

City of Springfield

Riverfront Park was originally opened in 1977 to celebrate the United States Bicentennial. Over the years there have been upgrades to the park with the construction of the Connecticut River Bikeway Project. For 2018-2019, the Riverfront Park renovation was aimed to improve the park's infrastructure as well as to protect the flood wall system. The new design offers the community several recreational opportunities and caters to all ages.

With the new construction, the park now provides a beautiful open field for public gatherings and a scenic landscape enhanced with various trees, shrubs and plants. There were also a number of site amenities for public enjoyment such as bike racks, picnic tables, benches, a children's play space and a lighting effect splash pad/fountain. Most importantly in partnership with the Spirit of Springfield, the design also includes a 100-foot flag pole and a September 11^th Monument, dedicated to the first responders that perished in the September 11, 2001, terror attack.

Mayor Domenic Sarno, the Springfield's Office of Capital Asset Construction and Department of Parks, Buildings and Recreation Management hope to see everyone maximize and utilize the park upgrades, and encourage everyone to benefit from a healthy lifestyle by using of the bikeway access, relaxing in the open space and enjoy the scenic view of the Connecticut River, as well as embrace the Springfield's September 11^th Monument.

Lastly, it was a great pleasure collaborating on the project with Mayor Sarno and his staff, Spirit of Springfield, Patrick Sullivan from the Springfield's Department of Parks, Building and Recreation Management, and the Finance Department, Weston and Sampson, JL Construction, Salmon Studios, and so many others.

SAVE

THE DATE

ROAD RACE

REGISTRATION

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16

12am

Only 500 spots

Dates for 2019

September 11th Remembrance Ceremony

Wednesday, September 11th

10am

Riverfront Park

City of Bright Nights Ball

Saturday, November 9th

6:30pm to 12am

MGM Springfield