Celtics’ Gorman honored by St. Patrick’s Committee

HOLYOKE — The St. Patrick’s Committee of Holyoke has named Mike Gorman, the Boston Celtics play-by-play commentator for the past 43 years, as its 64th recipient of the John F. Kennedy National Award. The award is presented annually to an American of Irish descent who has distinguished themselves in their chosen field.

Gorman has served as the Boston Celtics play-by-play announcer since 1981 and he currently holds the longest tenure as play-by-play voice for a Boston professional sports franchise. Gorman and the late Tommy Heinsohn also made-up TV’s longest running telecast duo. After 43 seasons of calling Celtics games, the 2023-2024 NBA season will Gorman’s final one.

Gorman served as an aviator in the U.S. Navy, grew up in Dorchester and attended University of Massachusetts Boston (known then as Boston State).

“I am extremely proud of my Irish-American heritage. My grandmother came here from Skibbereen, where she met my grandfather who came from Dublin,” he said. “They would be so proud to see me among the stellar list of previous award recipients. I look forward to a wonderful weekend.”

Gorman will be honored at the JFK Award Dinner at the Log Cabin on Saturday, March 16 beginning at 6:45 p.m. Tickets will be available online soon. The 71st Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade will be held on Sunday, March 17, and the 47th St. Patrick’s Road Race will be held on Saturday, March 16. For more information, visit holyokestpatricksparade.com.

HCC hosting ‘African Americans and the Arts’

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College is celebrating Black History Month this month with a series of events highlighting this year’s national theme: “African Americans and the Arts.”

Events at HCC kick off Thursday at 11 a.m. with a presentation by HCC visual art professor Raishad J. Glover of Northampton, whose artwork is now on display in the college’s Taber Art Gallery in a show titled “Geo-Spec: Cultural Introspection Wealth.” Glover’s talk, followed by a Q&A, will be held in Room 303 in HCC’s Kittredge Center for Business and Workforce Development.

Next week, on Wednesday, Feb. 14, at 11 a.m., the college’s Black Student Alliance and Latinx Empowerment Association (LEA Club) will co-host an open mic and “Taste of the Diaspora” event on the second floor of the Campus Center, with live student performances accompanied by food representing cultures of people whose descendants came from Africa.

Events continue on Wednesday, Feb. 21, at 11 a.m. with a performance by the Amherst Area Gospel Choir in the Leslie Phillips Theater.

 

On Thursday, Feb. 22, at 11 a.m., in Room 224 of the Campus Center, performance poet, playwright, and pop culture critic Nicole Young-Martin will lead a program titled “Write the Way,” during which she will read from her own work and engage in a discussion with students about the importance of including marginalized voices in the literary canon.

Black History Month at HCC concludes on Feb. 28 at 11 a.m. with a “Phenomenal Black Women’s Panel” in Room 224 of the Campus Center.

To learn more about Black History Month months at HCC or to participate over Zoom, please go to: hcc.edu/bhm.

Peter Pan expands bus service to Newark

SPRINGFIELD — Peter Pan Bus Lines has expanded its service to and from Newark, New Jersey. Travelers arriving or departing Newark will find Peter Pan Bus Lines at Penn Station, located at 1 Raymond Plaza West and Market Street.

Peter Pan said the service expansion will fill a need that many travelers have asked for over the years.

For more information about Penn Station in Newark and a map, travelers can visit peterpanbus.com/locations/Newark/.