InFocus featuring Spirit of Springfield President Judy Matt

from the 22 News plus studio. This is 22 News in Focus with Patrick Barry. >> Hello everyone and welcome to this edition of In Focus. I am your host Patrick Barry. We're here in the 22 News Plus studios. We h are having a fun conversation today. Judy Matt from the Spirit of Springfield is across the desk from me and we are absolutely having a fun conversation about all the wonderful things that you can do in and around the greater Springfield area throughout the year. Judy, thank you for carving out some of your time to come join me. I appreciate it. >> It's my pleasure. Thank you. >> So, for those folks who don't know what Spirit of Springfield is, what is it? >> Well, years ago, we started as an organization called Mocha Mayor's Office of Community Affairs. And the main reason that was um developed was to do things to promote community events and encourage civic pride and so forth. And then it evolved into the spirit of Springfield. And what we do on an annual basis is try produce event that bring people together and uh at very little or no cost. And um and it's mostly to promote community events, encourage civic pride by giving people an opportunity for a celebration. Simple as that. So you it's the name is Spirit of Springfield, but it's not just Springfield. You bring in people and and you know, you think of Bright Nights or or Star Spangles, any of the the events you do, pancake breakfast, these are people that come in from the region. I mean, people travel a distance to come enjoy the things that you do every year. >> Well, the pancake breakfast alone, we invite every community in Hampton County uh to participate. We send out 65,000 breakfast tickets. every school tells us what they want and then our good friends AMR, they go uh drive them around to other schools. It just happens to occur here, >> right? >> But it's it's just we invite everyone to come. And again, Bright Nights, you know, we've had 7 million people and uh and that 7 million people are sure a lot more people than just Springfield and really from all over the New England area. >> You know, Bright Nights is is it's it's a classic. It's been happening every year for more than 30 years and it each and every single year it gets a little bit better. >> Yeah. A Bright Nights is extraordinary. Pat Sullivan um came upon the idea called me. What do you want to do this Judy Carol? Let's try. Oh boy. We never knew what we were getting ourselves into. >> How many lights are set up? >> 750,000 light bulbs. >> 750,000 light bulbs. >> Right. Light bulbs. and all of those and all the scenes and it's three and a half miles long just the roadway lighting that goes along the route just that alone there's you know seven miles of it and uh our fellows came up with that idea and they have to of course drive rebars into the ground to to >> that's why they do do all that prep work before the ground freezes >> so much work right before it freezes same thing it's very difficult to remove you know in the when it gets really cold but what a crew I have >> absolutely >> the park departments my partner. They have been for 31 years and of course we wouldn't want to couldn't do it without them. >> Is you you mentioned earlier that Spirit of Springfield started as sort of an offshoot of the mayor's office. Is it still that or is it an independent? >> No. No, we are totally independent. We're 501c3 and you know people think we're funded by the city. We don't get any allocation whatsoever from the city. >> Really? So none of the what you do is funded by the city of Springfield? >> Nothing. Um, so how do you how do you generate the the funds to do everything? >> We we do a lot of fundraising, okay? We do grant writing and so forth. And just so you know, there's only four of us in the office and people think we have this big staff, but all of the product for the pancake breakfast is donated, hundreds of gallons of batter, thousand pounds of bacon. Just think the milk hood, >> hundreds of gallons of milk and orange juice, all of that. and um and all of the volunteers that help to serve all the products and so forth are there as well. The only thing we have to pay for is the tables, tents, chairs, and and Michael's party rental has kept the same price for more than 25 years really. >> You see, and it's just his cost to deliver and so forth. But, um >> that gives you an idea. But if if you come downtown during the holiday season, you'll notice all these beautiful lights on Main Street. We have lights all the way from the south end to the north end. We wrote a grant for $400,000 to do that because if we didn't do it, who would? >> Right. Exactly. So the city can't. >> The city certainly can't. >> So if you see them, they're spectacular. And um so we wrote the grant to do those and that includes getting the product, installing them with great electricians, Northrup, >> right? and then taking them down, rebuling them, storing them, installing them again. People just don't realize what it takes. They don't just go up there, but it's a lot. So, my point is that was $400,000 and that paid um everyone and for storage and for the electrical. So, we get so so much in kind, but we raise about 500,000 a year and uh through all different sources. You know, I'm I'm pulling up some video now of the Bright Nights Ball, which happens every every fall, and that is a major source of fundraising, not just for Bright Nights, but for things that Spirit of Springfield does throughout the year. Correct. >> Right. The the Bright Nights Ball was something that Peter Pnelli, Senior, asked to do years ago because it was being done in some other communities. And I said, "Sure, we can do that." And um we get a major sponsor every year and then in addition um people pay handsomely to come to the event but it's very expensive to produce that event and it is an income producer. Without bright nights, we couldn't exist. And when it was when we were in the throws of the pandemic, um we came very close to not being able to do bright nights. And the chair of my board went to the governor and got permission for us to do um bright nights. And >> so you think that was December, you know, November, December 2020, right? throws of >> And let me tell you something within a matter of a couple of weeks we were thought we were going to have to not produce it and it was all set up >> right >> and um by doing hands-free um that's why everything is um is on a website now because it was hands-free we were able to do it >> but we had to make a lot of changes within the park we couldn't open the gift shop areas we had to add additional restrooms there's lots of things all my people had to be spaced between each other and we had to use two different areas for them so that they wouldn't we would follow all the rules and you know what happened the first day >> I found out that night that somebody had co I'll never forget calling Helen Colton who is the health commissioner I said Helen she said what's the matter what's the matter I said one of my people >> has co and said well you just have to be sure you isolate them have them leave and just keep a constant check so I was just so afraid because if we didn't do bright nights the spirit Springfield would have closed. >> Exactly. >> Because that's what throws off >> all the money to do almost everything else. >> Wow. >> For the, you know, as you call the GNA for the Exactly. >> Right. Or doing all the, you know, the the staffing. But, um, the rest of things like the Pancake Breakfast, there's no income. >> The Fourth of July, there's no income. Mass Mutual is a big funer of it, but then there's nothing for operations. Right. Right. >> You know, that's how it is with everything. We are up on our first commercial break and we've only touched the tip of the iceberg on what Spirit of Springfield does. Stay with us. We'll be right back after this. >> This is 22 News in Focus with Patrick Barry. This is 22 News in Focus with Patrick Barry. Welcome back everyone to this edition of In Focus. Judy Matt from the Spirit of Springfield is across the desk from me. We uh in the first portion of this conversation, we barely touched the tip of the iceberg of of all the wonderful things that Spirit of Springfield does. And I think it's important to note Judy pointed it out that this Spirit of Springfield exists based on the generosity of the community. This really has nothing to do with the city of Springfield other than some of the events take place in Springfield. you the city of Springfield doesn't >> financially >> financially support anything. So like the money you raise at Bright Nights goes to pay for the cops that you see at Bright Nights that goes for the employees. I mean similarly with Pancake Breakfast, you know, you got to block off streets. So the money raised at other events throughout the year, the golf tournament, Bright Nights, whatever it might be, pays for all of that. The city of Springfield does not give anything away. Did I do I understand that correctly? Yeah, but you know, most cities don't have an organization like ours and that's our mission. If that and you know, if that was wasn't our mission, they'd have to be h having someone do these events, you know, but it's s such an expectation now that they're going to occur, >> right? And um you know the city will give us police during the pancake breakfast >> because they consider it like one of their major events and they do all the police and the fire and for the 4th of July that's their participation. >> But the other things we do pay because you can't expect to get these things from the city. >> Exactly. >> Cities can't afford that. Cities can't afford to shoot off you know $50,000 worth of fireworks in 20 minutes. You know they can't afford that. So, thank goodness for people that can't afford it. >> Let's talk a little bit about the Star Spangle Springfield that happens in the Fourth of July uh time period each each summer. It's more than just fireworks, right? >> We have um you know, we have entertainment there prior to it. We have a band always and um we're um very lucky to get the support of uh of American Medical Response and the the police and the DPW and the fire to support the event. But there's activities that go on, face painting, all kinds of things for um children and we're very lucky to get the fly over from Barnes and it's just a community. It's like my favorite event. >> There are there are things happening with our it's Riverfront Park, right? That's where everything sort of >> Yeah. >> main bays. But people I mean you think about fireworks there. You can see them from Forest Park. You can see them Sar Avenue, West Springfield, Awam. >> Yeah. You see them from all over. It's because of the height of the bridge, >> right? because we shoot them off off the bridge. And that's why people in West Springfield, they go around the circle there. And we're grateful. We're grateful that so many people get to enjoy it. Even where the Springfield Country Club is up in West Springfield. It's a great view. >> It's funny you bring them up. I think they do a party every year on their patio, >> you know. So, what a great vantage point. >> That's a great spot. Yeah. Yeah. But it's um we're that's that's like one of my favorite events because everybody, you know, everyone's like proud and you get great music, you know, and it's um we're we're just very grateful we're able to do these things >> and it brings people together, which is sort of, you know, the point of Spirit of Springfield is just bringing people get them out of their homes. >> That's right. >> Co was a separate story, but get people out of their homes for 30 years and enjoy each other's company, enjoy all the things that that that that Spirit of Springfield offers all year long. Well, you know, one of your reporters captured a father with his children at the pancake breakfast and waiting in line and he said to them, "Isn't it great we could all sit down with each other and forget about everything else and especially the way things are so tense these days?" But I just thought, you know, that was such a great little piece. You know, we forget our differences and sit down together, have breakfast together. So that's that's what it's about. >> Absolutely. So, we talked about um we talked about Bright Nights, the Bright Nights Ball, um Star Spangled Springfield. What are some of the other things that that you put on throughout the year? >> Well, the best thing >> the most important thing is the 9/11 memorial >> that we when we got a piece of steel from the World Trade Center and we will continue to um have have that event. We have done uh a salute to them, a remembrance ceremony from the next year following um the catastrophe and this will be the 25th anniversary, >> right? >> And so we're working on that. But that's like I think that's our proudest moment cuz someone said to me actually my board chairman said, you know, someday there may not be a pancake breakfast, someday we may not do the fireworks, but that monument will always be there. So it's that's so important to us. Well, and not only that, it's it's not behind a gate. That that piece of steel from the World Trade Centers, anyone and I've done it. I've walked up and touched it, you know, and then to see the names etched in in bronze, right, like thating, it's it it hit everybody. I mean, that, you know, it was an emotional time for everyone. But to to your board person's point, that will be there forever. Well, you know, um we needed to have like a platform to explain what it was, right? And we were getting it from the same people, the designers that did did the uh the monument itself. And we needed to raise, I don't know, 20 somehat thousand. And Frank Colino >> and John Chober, my two board members, they got on the phone and in two days they raised $78,000. >> Holy smokes. >> And that is going to go to keep the to keep the piece up, right? you know to maintain it because >> but people see people recognized the importance and the value of that and that's why they were willing to give plus was who was calling but um so anyway we that's my >> I don't want to say my favorite thing my favorite thing is the fourth of July but the most important thing it's like which is your favorite child right >> it's hard to say you know each one has its has its own uniqueness and what it brings to the community I did you know one thing that just came to mind did we discontinue the big balloon parade at Thanksgiving Yes. You know, >> that just seems very cumbersome to do. >> Well, you know, we would open bright nights on Wednesday night. The parade would be the day after things. There's a lot, right? >> But that's not why the the helium cost got so extraordinary. And we would be able to do it for about 12,000 to fill the to fill the balloons. And that cost went to the high 40s. >> And and now you probably do know or many of your listeners probably know that um Helium is a finite resource, you know, and it's uh the fact that we would fill a balloon two miles down the street, we would release all that into the air. It's primarily used, as you may know, for um MRI machines. >> Oh, that I don't know. >> So there So I could raise the money to do that pretty. I know I could. >> But the fact is, >> what's the balance here? We we we >> take this and waste all that. >> Yeah. Yeah. No, we told you we go round and round about that because you wouldn't want to take anything away. Yeah. >> And so we had to So, >> but it's an evolution. Yeah. It's the spirit of Springfield is constantly evolving. >> So, we were looking at cold air inflatables. >> We looked at many things, believe me, because we didn't want to take anything away um from, you know, from the residents of the region, right? >> But, uh you probably won't be s believe me, we have the Cat in the Hat, a 60 foot long balloon in storage, >> right? you know, we own that. We paid for that. We So, we we talk about it a lot, >> but right now it's just not in the picture. >> And we are up on our next commercial break. And when we come back, we will talk about the evolution of the spirit of Springfield and what you can expect from the organization coming up in the future years. We'll be right back after this. >> This is 22 News in Focus with Patrick Barry. This is 22 News in Focus with Patrick Barry. Welcome back everyone to this edition of In Focus. I am your host Patrick Barry. Sitting across the desk from me today is Judy Match. She is the president of the Spirit of Springfield. Judy, again, thank you for joining me. Uh, I would be remiss if we didn't bring up some of the the fun things that that the children can expect each year at Bright Nights. You brought uh the 2025 gift with you. What do we have here? >> We have Poppy the Pony. >> Okay. >> And um Poppy will come in a box with a book. We've done books. We've done >> Each year you do a book. >> Yeah. This was last year. This was Pablo. You know, Pablo. We have We've done every year. But this year, what's different about it is we we were looking for a horse. >> Okay? >> And look at this. We were looking for a horse. We called the sheriff's we called the sheriff's office. >> And they have a little higher. There you go. Those are some sheriff's >> office employees with the That's a comfort pony, right? >> That's a comfort pony. >> That's funny. >> And um and we said, "Oh god." We actually wrote him in to the book because when are you gonna It's amazing. So he's going to make special visits at great nights. He's going to give a hook print out to the children. It's just all fun. >> That's one of the many things you do each year to keep Bright Nights to spice it up, make it interesting so it's not repetitive every single year. Keeps people coming back >> and you have to do that as an organization. You have to reinvent yourself periodically. >> What's next for Bright Nights? >> Well, this year we have an exciting new edition of Bright Nights. You know, people say, "What are you going to do new? What are you going to do new?" Well, the investment is significant and to do something new is very costly. So, we have a beautiful new tree that's coming into the gift shop area, which is right where the zoo is. >> Mhm. >> And if you've been to Bright Nights and you've seen those very huge candles that we have at the exit, well, the tree is 10 foot taller than that. The tree is 50 foot. >> It's got 4,700 light lines. it changes and it um >> is it like a digital LED tree? >> Yes. Part of it. Yes. And so when it's not doing all these activities, it's just a beautiful tree with ornaments on it, but then it goes into this mode where it plays music and it's synchronized and it is >> it's outstanding and people are going to love it. >> Is this an item that Spirit of Springfield has purchased or is it a rental that you have just for this year? you know, we bit the bullet and bought it and it's being built as we speak and uh it's going to be spectacular. And we bought, you know, where Santa lives, we bought a new Santa cottage that's going to be delivered in two weeks with a little porch on it. Nice. >> And Western New England University with their augmented reality department has created something that if you're going to go with your camera to QR code and all of a sudden you're going to have snow falling on your head and you're going to have an elf's hat. and they've been just great. So, we have So, that whole area is going to be full of fun this year. >> Good, good, good. So, now as as we look at Spirit of Springfield into 2026, 2027 and beyond, what what are you and and your team working on that that is exciting? This is, you know, maybe something you haven't done before. Well, something new and exciting um that was just announced is that we pulled people together to see that what we had in common and how we could help each other. And there was a group of people including the Mass Mutual Center, MGM Springfield, the Hall of Fame, us of course, the Business Improvement District, the Springfield Museums, the Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Hall, the Thunderbirds, and White Line Brewing. and we had an awful lot in common, but everybody was in their own area doing their own thing. Now, these are >> top professionals. We had all their marketing people. We started out with what I thought was going to be nine people turned out to be 21. We've met seven times um to date trying to see how we can pull this together. Well, everyone has thrown in all their assets and the assets are significant. We have nearly 400,000 newsletters that go out a month. We have television screens. We have so much. And during the month of um the end of November and the beginning of December, we have selected a two-eek period. And during that twoe period, we're going to hammer hard everything that's going on in Springfield. There are 34 events in a 14-day period. >> Wow. >> It's just extraordinary what we have going on. But people this way here, we're all pulling it together and you're going to be knocked out with it. You're going to be knocked out with what we have. What is this? Is it a new campaign that you're working on? >> It's a new campaign and it's called, again, it's all volunteer, but it's going to be called We Love Springfield. It's got a great vision to say that we showcase the love that shapes Springfield, bringing people together to inspire joy and and connection. A Springfield where pride runs deep, driven by shared possibility. It's just I didn't come up with this. You think this is a group that came up with this and every week, let me tell you, it's been it's quite a process when you have >> 18 21 people that are all experts in their field trying to come to a consensus, but we have all new we've got a new logo. We've got that t tagline. We have our own website >> and so we're going to be hammering very hard. You're going to hear an awful lot about this. And um so actually your your viewers are probably the first to know. >> Fantastic. Wonderful. Judy, I can't thank you enough for giving me some of your time today just to hear about everything that Spirit of Springfield does and how you bring joy to hundred literally hundreds of thousands of people each year. Thank you to you and and your enormous staff of three others. >> Yes, we love it. You know what? I don't know if we'd need more because we are so synced to get everything done, but it's um we just love doing it for everyone and and the gratitude is our payback. >> Fantastic, Judy. Thanks again. Good seeing you. >> This is 22 News in Focus with Patrick Barry.