Recognizing Some of Suffield’s Special People

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On Friday, October 4, at halftime of a game versus Suffield’s perennial rival, the Suffield High School girls’ soccer team paused its undefeated season to honor and recognize two families who have contributed much to the town.

Recently, new bench covers were installed at Beneski Field. As is often the case, money was not available in the town budget to replace the cracking bench covers that were installed at the time of the field’s opening. These shelters provide protection from the sun and elements for both Suffield’s high school and youth athletes.

Photo by Jen Bombard
Members of the Sullivan family gather at the dedication ceremony.

Chris Nikolis, with the support of the Suffield Athletic Booster Club, led the effort to fund the purchase of new shelters. As with many other projects vital to the success of our community, the Amiel and Mary Ann Zak Public Service Fund and the Suffield Rotary Club provided the needed support to purchase the bench covers. The Suffield Athletic Booster Club provided the remaining balance with funds that were raised primarily at fundraisers held at Suffield’s Broad Brook Brewing Company and TJ’s Burritos in East Granby.

The Amiel and Mary Ann Zak Public Service Fund annually provides generous grants to improve the quality of life in Suffield. These bench covers are another in the long list of generous donations from which the town’s residents have benefited.

The Rotary Club is another organization that generously supports our community. When approached for financial assistance, the club willingly provided a large portion of funding needed for this project. They asked that this donation be made in the name of Joanne Sullivan, a long- time resident of Suffield who passed away in 2022. While Joanne was active on numerous town commissions, she spent many hours at Beneski Field, cheering on her grandchildren and teams coached by her sons.

Mary Ann Zak, a long-time teacher at Suffield High School, passed away in 2022, as well. Not only did she impact generations of Suffield students, she was a fixture in many aspects of Suffield town life. She served on the library commission when the building of Kent Memorial Library was built. Joanne and Mary Ann passed away within a week of each other in March of 2022. The positive impact these two admirable women made on the town of Suffield is immeasurable.

The Suffield High School girls’ soccer team, coached by Joanne’s son, David Sullivan, cruised to an easy win over Windsor Locks. The “Wildcat Blue and White” bench covers will shelter Suffield’s young athletes for years to come. It is fitting that they bear the names of two women who tirelessly supported Suffield’s youth and contributed so much to the development of our community.

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