HOLYOKE — When Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia proposed a friendly volleyball match to the mayor of Salinas, Puerto Rico, Karilyn Bonilla Colon, last summer, it sparked more than just a game — it launched a cross-cultural exchange now gaining momentum with community support and corporate backing.
The initiative, which began as a casual idea during Bonilla Colon’s visit to Holyoke to attend the annual Fiestas Patronales de Holyoke, has evolved into a formal sister city challenge.
With a $10,000 donation from Casella Waste Systems and growing interest from local leaders, the event aims to strengthen ties between the two communities through sport, tourism, and shared heritage.
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