September News from the Spirit

Celebrating Springfield's Biggest Best and Brightest!

Despite the crisis, we thought it was important to try to continue with some type of normalcy.

We will have golfers and we will have Mayors. All will be at Franconia Golf Course on Friday, September 25^th for the Spirit of Springfield Golf Classic and the Mayor’s Cup. They will be coming out to support the Spirit of Springfield. We are so grateful.

We are looking forward to getting back to the business of presenting events.

-- Judy Matt

President

Still Time to Register

There is still time to register for the Spirit of Springfield Golf Classic. It is an easy day on the course. Golfers can rely upon the strength of their team members to compete in the scramble-style tournament.

Every golfer will go home with a red golf shirt and a $25 gift card for a Downtown Springfield restaurant. They will enjoy lunch on the course and the opportunity to participate for the longest drive, closest to the pin, win fabulous raffle prizes including a Bum Drum. There will even be an air cannon, sponsored by the Springfield Business Improvement District.

The foursomes will head out on the course with a healthy snack donated by the Sheraton Springfield and a bottle of Springfield water provided by the Springfield Water & Sewer Commission.

Register a foursome, sponsor a tee or both online to support the Spirit of Springfield’s efforts to bring the community together in celebration.

Mayor's Cup Competition

Four mayor’s will go putt to putt in hopes of taking home the Mayor’s Cup. The friendly putting contest, sponsored by Bulkley, Richardson and Gelinas, will take place as players prepare for the Spirit of Springfield Golf Classic.

With former Chicopee Mayor Richard Kos, a five-time winner of the competition, no longer eligible, the 2020 title is anyone’s guess. Competitors will include Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, West Springfield Mayor Will Reichelt, Chicopee Mayor John Vieau, and Agawam Mayor William Sapelli, who took the trophy back to Town Hall in 2018.

September 11th Remembrance Ceremony

Springfield has been honoring the first responders who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, since 2002. At the first ceremony, the names of the lives that were lost were read by Springfield Firefighters, Police Officers and American Medical Response Emergency Service Technicians. The program marked each tragedy. Last year’s ceremony was held in front of Springfield’s September 11^th Monument in Riverfront Park.

Despite COVID-19 restrictions, Springfield’s September 11^th Remembrance Ceremony will be held. This year, the program will only allow for program participants and the media. It will be streamed live on wwlp.com and recorded for later broadcast on Focus Springfield (Comcast Channel 17).

We encourage everyone to visit Springfield’s September 11^th Monument and pause to remember the 498 first responders whose lives that were lost that day. There were brothers, cousins, a K-9 officer, members of the military, and some with connections to our community.

Congratulations Bulkley, Richardson & Gelinas

“The Best Lawyers in America 2021” have been announced, and they include 14 lawyers from Bulkley, Richardson and Gelinas. Spirit of Springfield Board Chair, Attorney Melinda Phelps, is among them. She is recognized for Medical Malpractice Law (defendants) and Personal Injury Litigation (defendants).

Neighborhood News

Springfield Catholic Bishop Mitchell Rozanski headed for St. Louis, Missouri, with a Spirit of Springfield jacket and waving good-bye to neighbors and well-wishers on Elliott Street.

Spirit of Springfield President Judy Matt presented Bishop Rozanski with the official jacket for his support of the organization and its events, and as a reminder of his service to Springfield.

In this Issue

• Still Time to Register

• Mayor's Cup Competition

• September 11th Remembrance Ceremony

• Congratulations Bulkley, Richardson & Gelinas

• Neighborhood News

• Guest Column Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood

• Sponsor a Tee

Guest Column

Cheryl Clapprood,

Commissioner,

Springfield Police Department

Another September 11^th is upon us. As the years go by, we tend to think of our own problems and issues in life. This year, it centers on COVID-19.

When a day like September 11^th comes up, the issues and difficulties of living in a COVID-19 world seem miniscule compared to what those first responders and victims, along with their families went through. A day like September 11, 2001, makes us all realize, we certainly do rise to our own level of discontent. We complain of having to wear a mask and keeping our social distance, but oh how those who got sick from that dreadful day or gave their lives would like to have such problems today.

We can be a spoiled nation, and sometimes take much for granted. We lost so much on that day in 2001. We lost many lives and there was so much destruction. Mostly, we lost our sense of safety.

We knew from that day forward that we are not invincible and there are enemies who would like to destroy us. The way we felt the next few weeks after that day, when we came together as a great nation, was a time period I wish we could have frozen. We were united. As time goes by, those emotions and feelings change. Scars form over the wounds and our hurt numbs.

Unless you are a family member or co-worker of someone affected, it can be easily forgotten.

I will never forget, and I will do all I can to memorialize and honor all of those heroes every day and on this 19^th anniversary.