
Parks, Recreation and Cemetery Director Angela Snell shares a laugh with the dripping-wet School Superintendent Dr. Joe Sawyer.
By Ed Karvoski Jr., Contributing Writer
Shrewsbury – Several Shrewsbury dignitaries managed to maintain their dignity as they publicly got drenched with buckets of water. They agreed to take part in the first-time Shrewsbury Soak fundraiser June 8 on the Town Hall lawn in exchange for suggested $10 donations. Proceeds will go to Shrewsbury Youth and Family Services (SYFS), and the Shrewsbury Parks and Recreation Department.
The fundraising douse was spearheaded by longtime Shrewsbury resident and volunteer Donnie Green, the 2014 honoree as parade grand marshal for the Spirit of Shrewsbury Fall Festival. After seeing a report about a similar fundraiser on WCVB-TV’s “Chronicle,” he decided to contact community notables and launch the event locally.
“I know everyone in town and made some calls,” he said.
In addition to Green, the good-natured targets of splashed water were Police Officer Christopher Abbascia; Selectman Beth Casavant; Principal Amy Clouter of Calvin Coolidge Elementary School; Selectmen Chair Moe DePalo; state Rep. Hannah Kane, R-Shrewsbury; Co-Executive Director Justin Mussler of SYFS; School Committee member Jason Palitsch; School Superintendent Dr. Joe Sawyer; Shrewsbury High School (SHS) freshman and athlete John West; and 2017 SHS graduate and athlete Dillon Zona.
Among the supporters lending a hand to dump buckets of water were Assistant School Superintendent Patrick Collins; Co-Executive Director Annamaria Chittim of SYFS; Parks, Recreation and Cemetery Director Angela Snell; and several eager children.
Green plans to continue the Shrewsbury Soak as an annual fundraiser.
“It’s a fun thing to do in Shrewsbury,” he said.
Photos/Ed Karvoski Jr.