Outgoing Exalted Ruler Milt Vazquez presents the 2025-26 Citizen of the Year award to Kathleen Palmer.
Reminder Publishing submitted photos
WESTFIELD — The Westfield-West Springfield Lodge of Elks #1481 on 5 Franklin St. held a ceremony on March 24 to present special awards to outstanding citizens and members, and to install officers for the 2026-2027 year.
Outgoing Exalted Ruler Milt Vazquez presented the 2025-26 Citizen of the Year award to Kathleen Palmer. “Describing Kathleen’s contributions is a bit like trying to summarize a Broadway season in a single Playbill — it’s ambitious, slightly overwhelming and guaranteed to leave something out,” said Vazquez in presenting the award.
He said Palmer spent many years shaping young minds as a second-grade teacher for Westfield Public Schools, and on the stage, directing the summer theater group at Franklin Elementary School, and spending over 20 years leading the Parks and Recreation theater camp. “Kathleen didn’t just direct plays, she wrote them, several, in fact, with six specifically for children.”
Palmer has been active throughout the community and as a member of the Westfield Woman’s Club, Westfield Theatre Group and Westfield Historical Commission. “Apparently, free time is something she read about once and decided wasn’t for her. In short, Kathleen Palmer has spent her life educating minds, inspiring creativity, building confidence, and strengthening our community — one student, one performance and one standing ovation at a time,” Vazquez said.
“It is an honor to receive this award from an organization that has deep roots and commitments to the community of Westfield,” Palmer said after receiving the award.
The Elks also used the occasion to present the 2024-25 Citizen of the Year award to Bill Westerlind, who, in 2015, founded ArtWorks Westfield, a volunteer-run nonprofit dedicated to bringing together artists, businesses, and community members through music, literature, visual arts and cultural events.
“It’s a cultural movement. Thanks to Bill’s tireless dedication, Westfield has become a place where murals bloom, poetry lives, music flows, and artists actually talk to one another — without yelling about whose turn it is to use the gallery space,” said Vazquez.
He said in addition, Westerlind is constantly lifting up other organizations, whether it’s churches, schools, downtown shops and restaurants. “He’s like Westfield’s unofficial ambassador of goodwill … and the arts … and maybe even sandwiches, if you’ve ever followed his social media shout-outs to local eateries,” Vazquez said.
“Bill created a hub where creativity meets community, and then added live music and food trucks. His efforts have created not just events, but connections, the kind that make a community feel like family,” he added.
Elks Officer of the Year was awarded to James Hamilton, who was described as not only holding the trustee position, but embodying it. “His hours ensuring every routine task is completed are endless, and then he goes above and beyond to take on extra projects. In addition, he never hesitates to step up to help with anything needed to make our activities and events go smoothly,” Vazquez said.
Elk of the Year went to Peter Crepeau, a 40-year member of the lodge, for his extensive history of dedication to sharing his knowledge, building and mechanical skills, and financial support. Vazquez said Crepeau was instrumental in securing, overseeing and supporting the recent major roof repair to the building.
The Grand Exalted Ruler Outstanding Service Commendation was given to Patricia O’Connor, Lodge secretary. “If dedication were measured in time, she’d have already logged enough hours for several lifetimes. But what truly sets Pat apart is not just the hours she puts in, it’s her unceasing devotion to keeping this lodge functioning properly,” Vazquez said. ”If something is happening here, Pat is either organizing it, documenting it or supporting it. She is the steady hand, the organized mind and the driving force behind so much of what we do.
“Quite simply, this lodge runs better because Pat refuses to let it run any other way. We recognize not just a secretary, but the backbone of our lodge, a tireless volunteer, and someone who truly embodies the spirit of service,” Vazquez said.
The new Lodge officers were installed by the officers of the North Adams Lodge #487, with Past District Deputy Douglas Merrick acting as Grand Exalted Ruler of the Day. Also in attendance were several state and Grand Lodge officers, including District Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler Elizabeth Manns from North Adams and Massachusetts Elks Association President-Elect David Charbonneau from Auburn Lodge 2118.
The newly installed officers are Exalted Ruler Gary Fontaine, Esteemed Leading Knight Jeffrey Haluch, Esteemed Loyal Knight John Pellan, Esteemed Lecturing Knight Joseph Donald Loiselle, Lodge Secretary Patricia O’Connor, Lodge Treasurer Lewana Dyer, Chaplain Mary Levesque, Inner Guard Sue Haluch, Tiler Betsy Grasso and Esquire Sam Dyer.
