FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                     Contact:  Erin McNeill           

       June 2, 2009                                                                                                     (617) 722-1551

25^th Annual Heritage Day of Portugal

Boston – The president of the Portuguese Parliament, Dr. Jaime Gama, visited Boston Tuesday to give the keynote address in the 25^th annual Heritage Day of Portugal at the State House, as 16 people from throughout the Commonwealth were presented with the Portuguese Heritage Award.

 “It was truly an honor to have Dr. Gama travel all the way from Lisbon to be with us here today, for this 25^th anniversary event,” said Sen. Marc Pacheco, D-Taunton, chairman of the event.  “But it was also an honor to be able to recognize the many people who were here today for their contributions to the Portuguese community in Massachusetts.”

 The ceremony was held in the House of Representatives chamber to award Heritage Day of Portugal Medallions to people nominated by members of the Portuguese-American Legislative Caucus and by other legislators.

 Pacheco presented Heritage medals to John and Ed Correira, brothers from Taunton, and Elizabeth De Jesus Rodrigues of Taunton.  

The Correiras, owners of Correira Insurance Agency, were honored for their many charitable contributions to the community. The brothers established the Taunton Landlord’s Association that serves to educate landlords and tenants, and also work with Pro-Home, a group that helps to develop affordable housing. John Correira serves on the board of the YMCA. Ed Correira serves on the Board of the Greater Taunton Charitable Association. Both contribute a great deal of time and money to many other local causes.  

Elizabeth de Jesus Rodrigues, the daughter of immigrants from Portugal, has shown a dedication to carrying on the language and culture of Portugal.  She graduated from Brown University with a Bachelor’s degree in Portuguese and Brazilian studies with a concentration in Portuguese literature and went on to complete a Master’s degree in education at Endicott College.  Elizabeth also studied and taught at the University of Coimbra, Portugal, where she received a certificate to teach Portuguese. She taught in the Escola Oficial Portuguesa in Taunton, and has taught Portuguese in the middle schools and in the high school in Taunton, where she is currently the Curriculum Supervisor for Foreign Languages.

 “These three people, who I am proud to know, exemplify Portuguese-American values by their dedication to the community and their contributions to the larger society,” said Pacheco.

 At the ceremony, the Select Chorus from Taunton High School, under the direction of Steven Lagarto, performed the national anthems of the United States and Portugal.

 After the ceremony, a celebration was held in the Great Hall, where there was a wide range of Portuguese dishes served by the, Bristol Plymouth Regional Technical school, the Diman Regional Vocational Technical school, the New Bedford Regional Vocational school, and by the restaurant of the Hudson Portuguese Club, the Portugalia Restaurant of Cambridge and the Tabacaria Acorean Restaurant of Cambridge.

 The Artesanato da Amism Associacao Municipos displayed embroidery, beadwork and basketweaving from Lagoa and the other islands of the Azores.  Grupo Folclorico Madeirense S.S. Sacramento from New Bedford performed Madeiran folklore dances.

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