Paddy's Pub staff and patrons support Special Olympics

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Solid support Friday night for  Special Olympics Massachusetts from the staff at Paddy's Irish Pub in Springfield.

As customers came in Friday night, most donated a dollar for a shamrock that would bear their name at the bar.  It's a long-standing tradition just ahead of the Holyoke Saint Patrick's Parade.  Two special athletes greeted patrons as they arrived tonight.

John Scully of Special Olympics Massachusetts told 22News, "It absolutely means the world to us to have Paddy's Pub step up and support us and put together this fund raiser.  We had our athletes come out and support them because they've been fundraising for us for several years.  They bring in three to five thousand dollars for us each year every year through this find raiser alone."

Every year, a contingent of Paddy's staff and customers wears Paddy's Special Olympics tee-shirts and run as a group in the Holyoke Saint Patrick's road race.

Pittsfield Police will host a fundraiser Sunday with a Polar Plunge into Lake Onota.  Registration's at 10:00 Saturday morning at Burbank Park in the Controy Pavilion in Pittsfield.  The plunge takes place at 11:00 AM.