Senator Kerry honors local Democrats at award dinner
By Melissa Muntz Community Reporter

U.S. Sen. John F. Kerry, D, surprised everyone, including event organizers, by coming to and speaking at the 2007 Eleanor Roosevelt Humanitarian Award dinner Oct. 25. PHOTO/MELISSA MUNTZ

Shrewsbury - One of the most influential Democratic leaders in the state came to Shrewsbury to help honor the work of several local Democrats who have been awarded the 2007 Eleanor Roosevelt Humanitarian Award.

U.S. Sen. John F. Kerry, D, surprised everyone, including event organizers, by coming to and speaking at the award dinner Oct. 25.

"It all begins on the grassroots level, and God bless you for that," Kerry said to the night's six honorees. "You are more than just the core and the spirit of the party, you are an essential part of the country."

The six recipients of the 2007 Eleanor Roosevelt Humanitarian Award were Emily Peeples, Jason Palitsch, Rachel Savageau, Paula Rowse Buonomo, Joseph Ricca and Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray.

Peeples was presented with a youth award for, among other things, her work as an officer in the Shrewsbury High School (SHS) Young Democrats, her work on the DREAM Team and her campaign efforts on behalf of Gov. Deval Patrick, Murray, U.S. Rep. James P. McGovern and State Sen. Edward M. Augustus Jr.

Palitsch also received a youth award for co-founding and serving as president of the SHS Young Democrats, his work on Amnesty International, Political Action Group and the Student Council. Palitsch also helped on several campaigns and worked as an intern for both Augustus and the Massachusetts Democratic Party.

Savageau was recognized with a youth award for her efforts co-founding the SHS Young Democrats, campaign eff orts and her work to cre- ate a Young Democrats group at UMass-Boston, where she currently studies political science.

Ricca received the Humanitarian Award for more than three decades of work with the Democratic Party at both the state and national level. A life-long Shrewsbury resident, Ricca directed campaign efforts for Michael Dukakis, Al Gore and Kerry, and has been elected delegate to numerous state and national conventions.

Buonomo is a life-long Shrewsbury resident who has served as Town Meeting member, School Committee member, and co-vice chair of the Shrewsbury Democratic Town Committee. She has worked for McGovern for the past 10 years, and also sits on the board of the Worcester County Food Bank and is a member of the Food Advisory Council for the city of Worcester.

Murray was elected to the Worcester City Council in 1997 before serving three terms as the city's mayor. During his time in Worcester, he served as chair of the School Committee, where he focused on initiatives to lower the city's drop-out rate and expand after-school services for working families, created the Mayor's Food Policy Council to deal with hunger issues in the city, and expanded commuter rail service. He was elected lieutenant governor in 2006.