Dwight Award
Dwight Award
WILLIAM G. DWIGHT
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
TO HOLYOKE AWARD
Wayne Alderman
on behalf of the Holyoke Rotary Club
Upon his graduation from Amherst College in 1881, William G. Dwight decided on a career in the newspaper business. While working in the Holyoke office of the Springfield Union, Dwight came under the notice of Mr. Loomis, the owner of the Transcript- Telegram newspaper. Loomis made the penniless Dwight an offer he couldn’t refuse — a 50/50 partnership at no cost. Soon Dwight had the Transcript- Telegram converted to a daily and it became profitable. In the late 1880s Loomis told Dwight he would purchase Dwight’s interest for $12,000 or if Dwight preferred, Dwight could purchase Loomis’ for a like figure. To the astonishment of Loomis, Dwight raised the funds and bought control of the paper. Thereafter William G. Dwight built the Transcript- Telegram into a successful and highly respected newspaper. His hard work and service to the City of Holyoke continued until his death in 1930. To this day the Dwight family name has been synonymous with commitment, integrity and service to the community.
In late 1939 Ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy while visiting friends in Holyoke, suggested the Transcript-Telegram establish an award in memory of William G. Dwight. Each year from the general public, a jury chooses someone whose tireless work and invaluable commitment to the City of Holyoke exemplifies the spirit of the man for whom the award was named.
The list of past award winners as well as this year’s winner is testimony to the judgment of the juries so serving. After the demise of the Transcript-Telegram, the Holyoke Rotary Club Secretary at the time, Wayne Alderman, contacted William Dwight Sr. to discuss the continuation of the prestigious award established in the name of his father. It seemed quite logical since William Dwight Sr. was the oldest and longest continuous member of the Holyoke Rotary club, having joined in 1930. William Dwight Sr. agreed and contributed the seed money to the club for the award to continue. The Holyoke Rotary club is honored to have been given this responsibility and will strive to maintain the caliber of the award through the coming years.
Dwight Awardees
2019 - Joseph McGiverin
2018 - John Driscoll
2017 - Barbara Bernard
2016 - Helene Alderman Florio
2015 - Carl Eger, Jr.
2014 - Betty Medina-Lichtenstein
2013 - Doris Ransford
2012 - Deborah Buckley
2011 -William Collamore
2010 - Michael J. Sullivan
2009 -John Kelley
2008 - David Healy
2007 - Louis F. Oldershaw
2006 - Bernard M. Lavelle
2005 - Bruce A. Yarber
2004 - Joseph T. Wright
2003 - Clare R. Rigali
2002 - Sue Ellen Panitch
2001 - Thomas N. Hazen
2000 - Margaret F. Woods
1999 - Kenneth W. Seyffer
1998 - Maril O’Malley
1997 - John T. Doyle
1996 - Maurice Ferriter
1995 - Richard Nickerson
1994 - David Bartley
1994 - Miguel Arce
1991 - Joan Steiger
1989 - Robert K. Fowler
1988 - Robert Abrams
1987 - Lou Kostin
1986 - Henry Fifield
1985 - Angela Wright
1984 - Henry Burkhardt
1983 - Roy A. Scott
1982 - Robert Curley
1981 - John T. Hickey
1980 - Edna E. Williams
1979 - Adeline Barowsky
1978 - Marcelle M. Burgee
1977 - Eugene P. Tamburi
1976 - Alice Childs
1975 - Clarke S. Lyon
1974 - Rosario Montcalm
1973 - Frank Cataldo
1972 - Edward P. White
1971 - Edward F. Day
1970 - M. Gene Black
1969 - Lois B. Falcetti
1968 - Wayne Alderman
1967 - Donald R. Taber
1966 - Herman E. Pihl
1965 - Wyatt E. Harper
1964 - Mrs. Donald P. Cooke
1963 - Richard P. Towne
1962 - Dorothy N. Franz
1961 - Mrs. Richard Weiser
1960 - Jacob L. Barowsky
1959 - William Hubbard
1958 - Mrs. Russell W. Magna
1958 - Mrs. John N. Hazen
1957 - Robert E. Barrett, Jr.
1957 - Edward P. Bagg, Jr.
1956 - John S. Begley
1955 - Daniel O’Connell
1952 - Harriet Heywood
1951 - Esther M. Greeley
1950 - Russell L. Davenport
1949 - Stuart A. Russell
1948 - Howard Conant
1947 - Joseph M. Towne
1946 - Frances Fredrick
1945 - John J. Lynch
1944 - Edmund J. Slate
1943 - Frank B. Towne
1942 - William C. Hammond
1941 - Nathan P. Avery
1940 - Joseph B. Weis