LEOMINSTER — It is the honor of the Leominster community to celebrate John Churcher and Kathy DiRusso – recipients of this year’s “Citizens of the Year” award – at Saturday’s annual Starburst celebration. Festivities will begin at 4:30 p.m.
at Doyle Field, located at 206 Priest St. A rain date is planned for Sunday, July 28. The event will feature DJ music from 4:30 until 5:30 p.
m., a performance by Scott Babineau from 5:30 until 6:30 p.m.
; the presentation of this year’s “Citizens of the Year” award at 6:30 p.m.; a performance by Neurotic Gumbo from 7 until 9 p.
m., and a beautiful display of fireworks at 9 p.m.
to cap off the evening. Food will be available from local vendors. The Citizens of the Year award is given to a deserving man and woman selected by the Starburst Committee and previous winners.
“We are extremely fortunate here in our city to have many unsung heroes whose unselfish actions exemplify generosity, compassion and a genuine love for their hometown,” said Nancy Koski, a member of the Starburst Committee. “There are many more gems out there to be discovered.” John Churcher is a New York native, oldest of four children, who lived in the Bronx and Suffern, N.
Y. His father, born and raised in the Bronx, was a USMC veteran and a retired NYPD police officer. His mother was born and raised in Manhattan and had a career as a registered nurse.
Growing up with parents like this, empathy, service and giving back became an inherent part of wh.