Cathy Donahue Good Neighbor Award

This Award is named in memory of the late Cathy Donahue, a Parade Committee member and past Chairman. Cathy promoted the growth of the parade in its early years by helping to establish a financial framework for the Parade Committee organization. The Good Neighbor Award is given to a friend of the parade who, through his or her work, warmth and generosity has helped to contribute to the Parade Committee goals. 

Hank Stolz has been waking up Worcester for over twenty-five years. His career in radio began as a way for him to get free concert tickets but he tired of laying down the patter and playing the platter. He came to WTAG as a radio reporter in the late nineties. He was fortunate enough to transition into hosting the morning show. 

After ten very successful years in mornings at WTAG, Hank was offered a job at WCRN. Hank was excited to come aboard and eventually spent ten years at WCRN helping build their talk programming and hosting the morning show.

About six to seven years ago, Hank, along with many others became concerned with what was happening to local news outlets across the country. In radio it was satellite. Local voices were starting to disappear, replaced by syndicated programming. That was when Hank began Radio Worcester. Along with Executive Producer Ben White they put together a morning show – The Talk of the Commonwealth – a program that centers on local issues. Talk of the Commonwealth loves politics but also covers entertainment, sports and lifestyle issues. 

Radio Worcester is home to a number of outstanding podcasts and live shows including programs with the Worcester Red Sox, Voice of Business with the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce and many more. 

Hank considers himself incredibly lucky to have been witness to more than half a century of local history and vividly recalls broadcasting live from the scene of the Cold Storage Warehouse fire, being on the air when the first plane hit the towers and joyous occasions such as the Burkett Little League team travelling to the World Series, the opening of Polar Park and the recent tricentennial.

Hank and “Big” Ben be heard mornings from six to ten AM on AM eight-thirty WCRN, and afternoons on WPKZ and the program is live streamed at Radio Worcester Dot Com, The 016.com and thisweekinworcester.com. 

Hank lives in Worcester with his wife of forty-three years and youngest daughter.