Charlie Holland wins honorary borough race in a landslide

Reception next week for popular town figure

Stonington — “Charlie Holland wins in a landslide!”

That was the announcement this week, as the results were announced of the feel-good effort to unofficially elect Charlie Holland as the honorary mayor of the borough.

According to resident Albert Kausch, who organized the effort, more than 2,000 people cast ballots in boxes around town and they all voted for Holland.

A reception has been planned for Dec. 15 from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Portuguese Holy Ghost Society in the borough to recognize Holland as the unofficial mayor.

“We think that in this time of divisive politics this offers some relief to recognize a great member of our community. I think this has been a great experience for the town, everyone has been talking about it, and I would encourage other townships to do the same,” Kausch said in an email.

The 93-year-old Holland, who was born in Pawcatuck and lives on Main Street in the borough, where he remains a popular figure, has led the Charlie Holland Band for decades. He and his band still perform and many people remember his popular Sunday jazz brunches at the former Skipper’s Dock restaurant in the borough.

Holland grew up in Pawcatuck and attended local schools. During World War II he served as a tail gunner with the Army Air Corps and flew on 18 B-17 missions over Germany, Holland, France and Belgium. After his discharge in March 1946, he attended Syracuse University in New York, where he studied English literature, and he completed his degree at URI. For many years he worked for Chrysler.

A self-taught pianist, he formed the Charlie Holland Band while in high school. Two of his bandmates also are in their 90s.