MAPS Celebrates 11th Annual Awards Banquet in Lowell

Four individuals received the Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS) highest honor, its “Person of the Year Award,” at the agency’s Annual Community Awards Banquet on Saturday, May 1. The event took place at the Portuguese American Center (PAC) in Lowell, where approximately 300 people gathered to honor seven individuals who have contributed greatly to improving their communities, according to Carlos Da Silva, Board Vice President and chairman of the event's Planning Committee.

From left to right, Paulo Godinho, Paulo Pinto, Norberto Felix, Fausto Rocha, Tony Felix, Glenn Mello, Luis Pedroso, Mark Saab, Carlos Da Silva, Karen Simao. Sitting in the front, Andreia Makkas and Elisia Saab.

Sharing the "Person of the Year" were: Glenn Mello of Silva Bros. Investments in Lowell, Lowell area community activist and business executive Luis Pedroso, and Mark & Elisia Saab, owners of Advanced Polymers, Inc. in Salem, NH. They were awarded for their longstanding service and generosity to Lowell 's Portuguese-speaking community. Their latest contribution was helping to support the opening of the MAPS Lowell senior drop-in center for Portuguese-speaking elderly, which became a reality last September. About 120 elders gather three times a week at the center, located at the PAC, for nutritional lunches, socializing, health screenings and other services. The group’s intention was "not only to help the elders with a center to socialize, but more importantly, to improve their quality of life as a whole, giving them information, referral and aid in social and health services,” said Pedroso on behalf of the group.

Several other distinguished individuals received awards at the banquet. They all emphasized the value of teamwork, mentioning that their achievements would not be possible without the contribution of others. Fausto Rocha, Executive Director of the Brazilian Immigrant Center in Boston, received the Jorge Fidalgo Community Service Award. The Manuel N. Coutinho Outstanding Volunteer Award was presented to Andreia Makkas of Weymouth for her work in the Brazilian community, while the Mary & Manuel Rogers Lifetime Community Service Award went to Paulo Godinho, a leader and volunteer in the Lowell Portuguese community.

A special award was granted to the Portuguese American Center, in the person of Tony Felix. Among those present at the event were officials from local cities and towns and State Representative Tim Toomey of Cambridge, who brought proclamations recognizing the event; and representatives of the Brazilian Consulate.