By Mike Burke

© 2004 The Republican Company. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.

One of the great things about Holyoke is that there never seems to be a lack of people willing to volunteer for worthy causes and fund-raising programs - and for the everyday events that make up a community. Take someone like Don Partyka, for instance.

Like clockwork every year, Don comes through the door of our office armed with information on the Catfish Derby. Now in its 24th year, the derby will be conducted this weekend on the Connecticut River and its tributaries.

It is not just a fishing tournament, because the proceeds go toward local organizations that work with special-needs children, such as the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and others. There are cash prizes and such, but the real winners are the youngsters, thanks to Don and any number of volunteers from American Legion-United Forces Post 351 and the community.

Just look at the work done by Sue Ellen Panitch and her crew for The Future Begins Here; Angela and Joe Wright and their people who have been raising money for the expansion at the city's Medical Center; the many people who volunteer each year for the Western Massachusetts Golden Gloves at the Boys and Girls Club; the volunteers who are the backbone of Girls Inc., the YMCA, the Children's Museum, the Volleyball Hall of Fame, Wistariahurst, the Holyoke Sports Legacy Committee, the Public Library, the Farmers Market, the John A. DiNapoli Memorial Golf Tournament, and, of course, the St. Patrick's parade, a monumental task handled by volunteers every year around these parts.

The Holyoke Giants of the New England Collegiate Baseball League issued a call for volunteers early on, and many people have answered the call, young and old. They are ticket takers and gofers and bat boys and anyone else needed for a successful franchise.

Last week, the city put on its annual fireworks display, and there were plenty of volunteers around then.

The Hispanic Family Festival is another example of what can be done with a volunteer crew, as is Celebrate Holyoke, a successful part of the local scene.

Last week, Mayor Michael J. Sullivan, who really appreciates the volunteer aspect of the community, honored Ron Dietrich for his work with the city's Auxiliary Police and the American Cancer Society's annual walk for life.

Ron has been part of the Holyoke scene for many years, and has given much time to his endeavors.

People like him and John Hurley, who gives so much time to the gardening aspect of our community, the decorated traffic islands and the like, are invaluable in that they provide a certain expertise that you could not afford to pay for and keep their projects going.

All this and then sit back and take a look at our many veterans' organizations - American Legion posts, VFW, and so many others - that give time and time again to the community.

A hospital like our Medical Center and the Soldiers' Home depend a great deal on volunteers to deliver much-needed services to deserving patients.

Our schools also lean heavily on volunteers to deliver needed help.

This is just a quick look and what volunteers mean to our community. I'm sure I have left out a number of deserving people and groups, but you get the idea.

This would be a much paler area without the volunteers.

As my old friend and volunteer extraordinary, the late Vic Provost, said constantly, "We do this for the kids and for the community, and if we don't do it, who will?"

Who indeed?

© 2004 The Republican Company. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.