Agawam St. Patrick’s Committee will honor three citizens

AGAWAM — Three Agawam residents will receive prestigious awards on Feb. 7 from the Agawam St. Patrick’s Committee at its annual coronation gala.

The awards will be presented during an evening event where one of six colleen contestants will be crowned the 2026 Agawam colleen.

The committee’s 24th colleen coronation will take place at St. Anne’s Country Club in Feeding Hills. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the program begins at 6 p.m. Tickets for the Saturday event are $55 for adults and $30 for children under 12. Tickets can be reserved by emailing agawamstpatricks317@gmail.com. or online at zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/24th-annual-colleen-coronation-and-award-ceremony
Here are brief biographies each award recipient:

Anne Sullivan Award — Kristine Sills

The Anne Sullivan Award is presented to a female committee member who epitomizes the values represented by Anne Sullivan. She was born in Feeding Hills in 1866 and became the companion and teacher to Helen Keller.

Kristine Sills has proudly served as a member of the Agawam St. Patrick’s Committee for the past two years and recently was elected as the committee’s vice president. Her deep love of family, community and Irish heritage shines through in everything she does and in the many ways she gives back.

Sills grew up in West Springfield and has proudly called Agawam home for the past 36 years. She is the daughter of Margaret Miller and the late Roy Miller. Her mother, Margaret — the matriarch of the family — continues to be a loving and supportive presence in the lives of her children and grandchildren. Sills has been married to her devoted husband, Raymond Sills, for 27 years. Together, they have raised three wonderful children: Christopher McKenney and Daniel McKenney, both well-known and respected businessmen in the Northampton community, and Rachel Sills, the 2024 Colleen who recently began a fulfilling career as a fifth-grade teacher.

Sills is incredibly proud of her children and their accomplishments and is grateful to have Emily, Christopher’s wife, and Christina Raus, Daniel’s partner, as cherished members of the family. A graduate of Holyoke Community College with an associate’s degree in computer electronics, Sills recently retired after 35 years of dedicated service with the U.S. Postal Service. She proudly served the communities of Springfield, Chicopee and East Longmeadow, spending her final 20 years as a sales and service associate in East Longmeadow.

Known for her warmth and kindness, Sills formed lasting connections with her customers — many of whom were sorry to see her retire. Her pride in her Irish heritage runs deep. She has devoted years to researching her family’s genealogy, tracing her roots to the Waterford and Killarney regions of Ireland. This April, Sills and her sister, Michelle Kelliher, along with their husbands, will travel to Ireland to walk the land of their ancestors and experience firsthand the history that means so much to her.

Parade Marshal — William P. Sapelli

The honor of serving as the Agawam Parade Marshal for the annual Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade. is given to an Agawam resident who has contributed to the growth of the Agawam St. Patrick’s Committee.

William P. Sapelli is a lifelong Agawam resident and a 1972 graduate of Agawam High School. At AHS he was a three-sport athlete, playing football and baseball, and captaining the ice hockey team. After graduating from St. Anselm’s College, Sapelli returned to Agawam to begin a distinguished career in public education that lasted more than 40 years. He began his career as a substitute teacher and head ice hockey coach. Following a Western Massachusetts championship hockey victory, he transitioned to teaching full-time. He earned his master’s degree in education from American International College, along with a certificate of advanced graduate studies in educational administration.

Sapelli’s school leadership roles in Agawam progressed from assistant principal at the Agawam Middle School (now the Robert G. Doering Middle School) to principal of Robinson Park Elementary School (recently renamed the William P. Sapelli Elementary School), where he served for 12 years, to assistant superintendent for nine years. In recognition of his dedication and leadership, Sapelli was unanimously appointed by the School Committee to the top job as the town’s school superintendent in 2011. He served in that position until his retirement in 2017.

Sapelli continued his service to the town by answering the call to run for mayor of Agawam in 2017. He was elected with strong community support and went on to serve three terms as the town’s fourth mayor before retiring in December 2023.

In addition to his professional and civic leadership, Sapelli has devoted decades to the sport of ice hockey at the local, state and national levels, serving in numerous leadership positions and officiating at the high school, prep school and collegiate levels. His commitment to fair play and positive sportsmanship has earned him several prestigious awards. Sapelli is deeply grateful to the committee for this recognition, He said it’s a profound honor — one that his late mother, Sheileen Ryan Sapelli, would be especially proud to celebrate.

Vera Conway Citizenship Award — Lisa Bruno Santaniello

The Vera Conway Citizenship Award is presented to someone who has made substantial contributions to the community. The award is named in honor of Conway, a longtime committee member who died in 2022.

Lisa Bruno Santaniello is deeply honored to receive this award that recognizes her extraordinary dedication to education and community service. For 26 years, she has served the Agawam Public Schools, beginning as a world history teacher and later transitioning into the vital role of library media specialist and digital literacy as well as becoming a computer science Common Core facilitator for the district. In this capacity, she ensures curriculum fidelity, aligns instruction with state and national standards and supports innovative learning across the district.

For the past decade, Bruno Santaniello has served as the executive director of the Agawam Education Association. She also contributed extensively to district and the Massachusetts Teachers’ Association’s committees — always advocating for the betterment of students and staff. A natural mentor and leader, Bruno Santaniello brings creativity, collaboration and inspiration to every endeavor, whether advising the Agawam Junior High School’s E-Sports Gaming Club or coordinating the school’s long-standing Washington, D.C., student trip, supporting district technology initiatives or organizing community-building fundraisers.

Beyond the classroom, Bruno Santaniello’s commitment to Agawam shines just as bright. For 18 years, she has owned and managed Casa Di Lisa, a Feeding Hills restaurant that supports local talent and fosters community connections. She also devotes her time to numerous charitable causes, civic events, and cultural organizations, including the Agawam–Reggio Calabria Sister City Committee. A former dance instructor, dedicated traveler and lifelong learner, she shares her passion for history, culture and life with everyone she meets. Above all, she balances her professional and civic accomplishments with deep devotion to her family, whose love and support ground her remarkable energy and generosity. Bruno Santaniello truly exemplifies the spirit of citizenship, integrity and service the Vera Conway Award represents.