Year: 2015

SPRINGFIELD — The Melha Shriners announced that its Buglers Hall of Fame competition will be held Saturday, April 18 at 1 p.m. at the Melha Shrine Center, 133 Longhill St., Springfield.

This fifth annual event promises to be the biggest one so far. Drum and bugle corps are musical marching units consisting of brass instruments, percussion instruments, synthesizers, and color guard. “We anticipate more participation this year,” said Dan Benoit, co-chair of the event.

The competition will include drum and bugle corps from throughout New England and New York, beginning with a concert by the Melha Shriners Military Band with colors presented by the Melha Legion of Honor. In addition to the overall corps competition, there will also be an individual brass competition, percussion ensemble competition, and brass ensemble competition. A display of the various units participating in a joint exhibition on the main floor will conclude the event.

The admission fee is $10 at the door. Light refreshments and a cash bar will be available. For more information, contact Benoit at (508) 892-4560 or Jim Marceau at (413) 583-5192. Learn more about this event or the Melha Shriners at melhashriners.com.

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield College Psychology Professors Judy Van Raalte, Al Petitpas, and Britt Brewer are the recipients of a $10,000 one-year NCAA Innovations in Research and Practice Grant focused on student-athlete career development.

Research has shown that student-athletes lag behind their non-athlete peers in regard to career readiness, often failing to recognize how sport-related skills can aid in career preparation. The professors will use the grant funds to refine an evidence-based career-development pilot program designed specifically for college student-athletes. A controlled field trial will be conducted to test the pilot program’s effectiveness. The program is expected to help student-athletes understand how qualities acquired in sport pertain to the workplace, enhancing their career readiness.

“Student-athletes develop a number of skills, such as leadership, communication, teamwork, time management, and self-motivation, all of which are highly valued in the workplace,” said Van Raalte. “Our project will help student-athletes to identify skills they have learned through sport and understand how such assets can transfer to the world of work.”

Prior research has shown that student-athletes have limited access to campus resources like career centers due to academic and athletic obligations. To complement on-campus career-planning resources, Van Raalte and her colleagues have created the website supportforsport.org to host the content they will create for student-athletes.

“Providing web-based psychoeducational materials that are available for program use by a range of campus professionals who work with student-athletes may offer solutions to some of the limitations of career center-focused approaches,” said Van Raalte. “This is exciting research that can directly benefit student-athletes. I am thankful that the NCAA selected our project for funding, and my colleagues and I are thrilled to get started on this project.”

SPRINGFIELD — Michael Jordan. Bob Knight. Bailey Finn. What do these athletes have in common? They all have their names permanently inscribed in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame — Jordan as an NBA champion, Knight as a successful college coach, and Finn as a 2014 Elks Hoop Shoot champion.

This weekend, 72 national finalists are heading to Springfield to compete in the 2015 Elks Hoop Shoot National Finals. On Friday evening, they will attend a special welcome banquet on Center Court at the Hall of Fame and have the opportunity to tour the museum. By claiming a Hoop Shoot national title, the winner will have his or her name inscribed in the Hall among the legendary greats of the game.

The 43rd annual event will take place on Saturday, April 18 starting at 9:45 a.m. at Western New England University. The Hoop Shoot season began last fall with 8- to 13-year-olds from across the country vying to sink the most of 25 free throws at their Elks Lodge contests. After advancing through lodge, district, state, and regional contests, the 72 finalists arrived in Springfield this week, ready to toe the line for their final 25 shots. But the contest is about much more than those 25 shots.

“It teaches them several things, the first being hard work,” says Kim Finn, Bailey’s mother. “And it helps them in school where they have to be prepared and study. They know if they want to do well, they have to prepare for it.”

Through the Elks Hoop Shoot, the Elks National Foundation — the charitable arm of the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks — offers youth the opportunity to engage in healthy competition, connect with their families and community, and succeed both on and off the court. Visit www.elks.org/hoopshoot for details.

SPRINGFIELD — The Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield (ACCGS) will hold a tailgate party at its last After 5 of its 2014-15 season on May 13 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Residence Inn, 500 Memorial Ave., Chicopee, sponsored by Get Set Marketing.

The After 5 will create a tailgating atmosphere with food trucks serving tailgating cuisine, parking-lot games such as cornhole and ladder toss, networking around outdoor firepits, and more. Reservations for the After 5 are $5 for members, $10 for general admission, and may be made online at www.myonlinechamber.com or by contacting Sarah Mazzaferro at [email protected].

SPRINGFIELD — Jennifer Brown, assistant vice president of Operations at United Personnel, has been elected to the board of directors at Dress for Success Western Massachusetts.

Dress for Success is an organization that strives to improve the lives of economically underprivileged women. As a board member, Brown will support Dress for Success’s mission of promoting the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support, and the career-development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.

Brown has worked in the staffing industry for 16 years and brings a strong understanding of how individuals can succeed professionally to her work with Dress for Success. She noted, “I am so excited to bring my experience in staffing to help women successfully bridge into a career and chapter in their lives.”

GREENFIELD — In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the event, area residents and businesses are invited to participate in the Striving and Driving for GCC Scholars Golf Tournament on May 18 at the Country Club of Greenfield. The tournament is an opportunity to enjoy golf while helping students attend Greenfield Community College. The tournament is an anchor fund-raising activity of the GCC Foundation 2015 Annual Campaign, “Investing in Students, Creating a Future.”

“Striving and Driving is a win-win day for all,” said GCC President Bob Pura. “Golfers enjoy a day out on the course early in the season. People are just happy to be out after winter’s hibernation. The best part of the day comes when we all hear just how much has been raised for scholarships. You can feel the community’s goodwill and heart in that moment. It really is a wonderful day for the golfers, the community, the college, and especially the students.”

Funds raised by the tournament go toward unrestricted scholarship funds for GCC students. Striving and Driving has raised $398,861 for scholarships since the tournament began. Lead sponsored by Cohn & Co. and Greenfield Savings Bank, and co-chaired by Terry Boyce and Princy Stotz, the tournament will include lunch, dinner, and prizes and awards. The field is limited to the first 144 players. Players may register either as individuals to be placed in foursomes by the tournament organizers, or as teams of four. The cost is $115 per player.

“Striving and Driving combines the fun of playing golf with raising funds for scholarships for students in high need,” said tournament co-chair Terry Boyce, who teaches psychology at GCC. “I know that many GCC students depend on scholarship assistance to be able to attend college, just like I did when I studied at a community college in New York. I’m a first-generation college graduate, and scholarships made it possible for me to go to college. I’m glad that I can help others have the same opportunity that I did.”

To register for the Striving and Driving Golf Tournament or for information about sponsorship opportunities, visit www.gcc.mass.edu/golf or call (413) 775-1470.

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Hills Bancorp Inc. and Hampden Bancorp Inc. jointly reported that all regulatory approvals relating to the merger of Berkshire Bank and Hampden Bank have been received. Hampden shareholders previously approved the merger at a special meeting of shareholders on March 12. The merger is anticipated to close on or about April 17.

“We are very pleased to receive regulatory approval for our merger with Hampden as planned,” said Michael Daly, Berkshire Bank’s president and CEO. “Berkshire has a culture of regulatory compliance and strong risk-management systems that facilitates merger partnerships. We look forward to completing the merger and integration, and to serving Hampden’s customers and welcoming its employees and shareholders.”

Glenn Welch, Hampden Bank’s president and CEO added, “I’m excited to be joining Berkshire’s team and look forward to continuing to work with Hampden’s community supporters and our valued employees who will be a part of the continued growth of this outstanding banking franchise.”

As previously announced, upon completion of the merger, Hampden shareholders will be entitled to receive 0.81 shares of Berkshire common stock for each share of Hampden common stock. The exchange ratio is fixed, and the transaction is expected to qualify as a tax-free exchange for shareholders of Hampden Bancorp.

FLORENCE — Florence Bank, a mutually owned savings bank serving the Pioneer Valley through nine branch locations, announced the appointment of Henry Downey to the position of vice-president of Commercial Lending.

Downey comes to Florence Bank with more than a decade’s banking experience, most recently at Chicopee Savings Bank, where he served as senior vice president and team leader in the Commercial Lending department. His duties there included managing a commercial-lending team and an extensive loan portfolio. His experience also includes serving as assistant vice president and commercial and loan officer at TD Bank in Springfield, and as an analyst at HSBC Securities in New York City.

Downey is a graduate of Fordham University, where he studied economics and business administration. He is currently enrolled in an MBA program at the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, with an anticipated spring 2015 graduation. Downey is past president and past treasurer of the Kiwanis International Springfield chapter, where he still serves as a member and director. He is also a foundation board member of the Sisters of Providence Health System, and is on the board of corporators of the Mason-Wright Foundation.

“It is a great opportunity to be affiliated with Florence Bank, which has such an excellent reputation and does so much good in the community,” Downey said. “Everyone here has made me feel right at home from the beginning.”

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Bank has announced that Gerard Nowlan of Boxford won its Exciting Rewind Mortgage Sweepstakes. Nowlan and his wife, Linda, were awarded the grand prize of $12,000 — to assist with their mortgage for a year — by Mike Daly, Berkshire’s president and CEO, on April 4 during a NESN hockey-game broadcast. More than 3,000 consumers entered the sweepstakes.

At the beginning of the hockey season, Berkshire announced that, as the official sponsor of Boston Bruins coverage on NESN, it would be partnering with the network on the Exciting Rewind Mortgage Sweepstakes. Through this partnership, the contest was featured during every professional hockey game on NESN. Network analyst Andy Brickley broke down game footage throughout the season during the Berkshire Bank Exciting Rewind segment to illustrate top plays. Viewers were encouraged to watch each Berkshire Bank Exciting Rewind on nesn.com/berkshirebank and vote monthly for their favorite to be entered for a chance to win.

“Winning the Exciting Rewind Mortgage Sweepstakes was a dream come true,” said Nowlan. “I celebrated my birthday, was able to watch a game from NESN’s studio suite, and my bank is helping me with my mortgage. The best part was, I kept it a secret from my wife — she didn’t know I had won $12,000 until Mike Daly presented us the check.”

SPRINGFIELD — The REALTOR Assoc. of Pioneer Valley has launched a new web site, www.rapv.com, that allows the public to search for properties for sale in the Pioneer Valley, and also search for REALTORs, real-estate attorneys, and mortgage lenders. In addition, an entire section is devoted to consumer resources.

SPRINGFIELD — Beloved Earth, the Pioneer Valley’s first ‘green’ cleaning company, hired Andrew Sbrega of Chicopee as its first residential services manager for Hampden County.

Over the past four years, Sbrega worked for Tropical Smoothies in Holyoke and oversaw a team of employees while keeping the shop space clean and building customer relations. Beloved Earth owner Terra Missildine said Sbrega’s leadership experience will positively influence his work as a services manager. As a residential services manager, Sbrega will oversee a cleaning team designated to the Springfield area.

Since beginning the position in January, Sbrega has gained residential and office clients in West Springfield and Longmeadow. He and Missildine are currently in the process of hiring Sbrega’s team. Beloved Earth’s current teams focus on clients in Hampshire County and book an average of 250 hours of cleaning per week. Missildine wants to expand into Hampden County, and she sees Sbrega as an ideal leader to begin that outreach.

“Andrew is committed to green living. He really walks the walk,” she said. “He is an amazing person with a permanent smile and easy laugh that comes off naturally.” To learn more about Beloved Earth and its services, visit belovedearthcompany.com.

SPRINGFIELD — Adrianne Haslet-Davis, a professional ballroom dancer who lost her lower left leg in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, will be the keynote speaker at the 18th annual Rays of Hope Breast Cancer Survivors’ Day on Saturday, April 25 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the MassMutual Center.

“I refuse to be called a victim. I am not defined by what happened in my life. I am a survivor, defined by how I live my life,” said Haslet-Davis.

The former corporate manager recently returned to the dance floor after having to relearn her craft. Through her appearances on CNN, Dancing with the Stars, The View, and other television shows — as well as at personal appearances before corporate and private audiences both large and small — she hopes her emotional honesty has served as an example to others looking to overcome adversity in their lives.

Haslet-Davis has been honored with the 2013 Med Star Gala Victory Award and was recognized along with first responders from the bombing scene at the 2013 Schwartz Center Gala in Boston. She has also been honored with an On Cue Tribute Award and was named one of Cosmo’s Most Powerful Women of 2013. A CNN documentary detailing her first year after the marathon bombing, The Survivor Diaries, with Anderson Cooper, was recently nominated for an Emmy Award.

In addition to the keynote address by Haslet-Davis, participants will be able to select from two workshops on a number of topics, including “Breast Reconstruction,” “Hormone Therapy and Sexuality after Breast Cancer,” “Tai Chi – Regain 8 Years of Youth,” Safe and Effective Skin Care Products after Treatment,” “Why Laughter is the Best Medicine,” and others. There will also be two sessions offered in Spanish only: “Yoga en Movimiento” and “Cómo Enfrentar los Efectos Psicológicos y Emocionales del Cancer.”

This year’s event will again include an art display from the Rays of Hope-sponsored Art from the Heart program facilitated by Pat Hayes. Participants will also be able to choose from two interactive stations during the day. In “Paint Social Art!” a local artist will guide painters — no experience necessary — in creating their own mini-painting which they can display at home. At the “Creative Card Bar,” women from Life’s Memories and More will assist participants in a do-it-yourself card-making session.

There will also be networking opportunities throughout the day and the chance to visit with several exhibitors selling a variety of breast-related products and more. A continental breakfast and buffet luncheon will be served.

Registration is required. The cost is $35 per person, with the remaining expenses underwritten by Rays of Hope. Parking will be validated for the Civic Center Parking Garage only. For those unable to afford the fee, a limited number of scholarships are available for breast-cancer survivors by calling Sandra Hubbard at the Rays of Hope Outreach Office at (413) 794-9556.

For more information on the 18th annual Breast Cancer Survivors’ Day, or to request a registration form, call (413) 794-9556. For more information on Rays of Hope, visit www.baystatehealth.org/raysofhope.

GREENFIELD — The Nationwide Leadership Council of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America recently recognized Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) agencies who have achieved success in 2014. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County Inc. is one of 10 winners of the Gold Standard Award, given to 5% of agencies nationally.

The Gold Standard Award recognizes agencies that have not only met national criteria for demonstrating quality in their programs, but also increased their revenue by at least 5% and grew their overall annual number of children served in 2014.

According to Executive Director Danielle Letourneau-Therrien, “this award highlights how hard the staff works to provide quality mentoring to our area’s children. We already know the hard work is paying off when we see the children we serve. It’s a terrific honor to be recognized by our peers as well.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County, Inc. joins felllow winners BBBS of Metropolitan Chicago, BBBS of Greater Kansas City, BBBS of Metro Milwaukee Inc., BBBS of Tampa Bay Inc., BBBS of the Bluegrass Inc., BBBS of Greater Pittsburgh Inc., BBBS of Santa Barbara County, BBBS of Southern Minnesota, and BBBS of the Greater Miami Valley.

For more than 45 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County has provided one-to-one mentoring to the children of Franklin County and the North Quabbin towns of Athol, Phillipston, Royalston, and Petersham. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County is a full member agency of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, meeting more than 150 required standards and procedures for full member status, and is also a United Way of Franklin County partner agency and a quality-based member partner with Mass Mentoring Partnership in Boston.

As a Gold Standard Award winner, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County has been invited to apply for both the Agency of the Year and Board of the Year awards at the national level. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County will be recognized at Big Brothers Big Sisters National Conference being held on June 2 and 3 in Philadelphia.

To learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County, visit www.bbbs-fc.org or call (413) 772-0915.

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College will host a Credit for Life event on Thursday, April 16, starting at 8:30 a.m. in the college’s Bartley Center.

Credit for Life is a national, award-winning program for high-school students that was developed in response to the growing need for young people to understand the importance of financial literacy and to see the impact their financial choices and decisions have on the major aspects of their lives. Among high-school teens, only 51% know how to write a check, fewer than 29% know how credit-card fees work, and fewer than 34% can balance a checkbook.

An orientation session for the students is held prior to the fair. Basic financial-literacy information is presented to the students, after which they will choose a potential career from more than 75 career options. Credit for Life committee members take these choices and create a financial profile of their salary, tax deductions, student-loan payments, savings, and credit-card debt at age 25. They then must make financial decisions: live alone or with a roommate, buy or lease a vehicle, purchase furniture, save for retirement, etc. Students see how one financial choice impacts every other choice they make, especially on a budget. The goal is to reach more than 1,000 students this year.

This year’s fair sponsors include PeoplesBank, Chicopee Savings Bank, Freedom Credit Union, Honda Financial, Westfield Bank, Holyoke Gas & Electric, Nick’s Nest, Holyoke Machine, Holyoke Medical Center, the Cottage, John Ferriter, Triple A, United Water, Quantum Properties, Valley Green, Holyoke Rotary, E&C Services, and Aubrey, Dixon and Turgeon, just to name a few. The committee looks forward to working with the various high schools — Holyoke, Easthampton, West Springfield, South Hadley, Agawam, and Dean Tech — to continue to offer this experience to students.

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield College will celebrate Tom Waddell Day on Friday, April 17 from 9 a.m. to noon in the Flynn Campus Union. The festivities will pay homage to Waddell’s life and commitment to humanics and diversity. The event is free and open to the campus community.

Waddell, who passed away in 1987, was an outstanding athlete, excelling in track and field, gymnastics, and football as a student at the college. He is best known as the founder of the Gay Games, started in 1982 and held every four years since. The Gay Games welcomes more than 8,000 athletes — regardless of sexual orientation, race, gender identity, religion, sex, ethnic origin, athletic ability, or political beliefs — from 47 countries to compete in an inclusive environment.

Waddell represented the U.S. in the decathlon in the 1968 Summer Olympics, where he placed sixth. He also was an infectious-disease specialist and provided medical service for many years in Africa, Asia, and Saudi Arabia, and served in the U.S. Army. He was inducted into the Springfield College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1990.

The celebration will include a film tribute featuring Waddell’s famous interview on ABC’s 20/20, a panel discussion led by his contemporaries, and the dedication of a plaque commemorating Waddell’s humanitarian contributions, including the creation of the Gay Games. Delivering the keynote address will be Springfield College graduate student Rob Kearney, a strongman champion and the first openly gay man to actively compete in his sport at the international level.

Joining Kearney for the festivities will be Jeffrey Pike, a member of the Federation of the Gay Games; Waddell’s fellow class of 1959 members Jack Savoia, Tom Johnson, and Owen Houghton; Springfield College faculty members Mimi Murray and Rick Paar; and Phyllis Plotnick, founder of the Springfield College Tom Waddell Fund.

For more information about Tom Waddell Day, visit springfieldcollege.edu/waddellday.

EAST LONGMEADOW — Forastiere Family Funeral & Cremation, which has served the Greater Springfield community since 1905, announced its first ever Family Craft Day, to be held Saturday, April 25 from 9 a.m. to noon at Captain Charles Leonard House on Main Street in Agawam.

“This is the time of year when we are celebrating Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. As part of our commitment to our community, we wanted to offer families a fun and creative way to mark those holidays, regardless of whether or not they have lost a loved one,” said Frank Forastiere, president and funeral director of Forastiere Family Funeral & Cremation.

All are invited to create gifts for Mother’s and Father’s Day, for teachers and grandparents, as a remembrance of a lost loved one, or as a simple thank you. The Family Craft Day is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

To reserve a spot, call (413) 525-2800. For information about Forastiere Family Funeral & Cremation, visit forastiere.com.

SPRINGFIELD — The Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield (ACCGS) will hold its bi-monthly Lunch ‘n’ Learn on Wednesday, April 8, with a focus on effective personalized marketing.

Mary McCarthy, director of marketing for Andrew Associates, will address the event, which takes place at La Quinta Inns and Suites, 100 Congress St., Springfield. The goal is to educate attendees on how to translate market research and data into effectively personalized marketing strategies that reach target audiences. Networking and lunch begin at 11:30 a.m., and the program starts at 1 p.m.

CHICOPEE — J. Polep announced the promotion of Adam Kramer to vice president of Purchasing and Food Service.

Kramer has been with J. Polep since 2006, most recently as director of Food Service. Over the last nine years, he has also been a field sales representative, district manager, and president of Grote & Weigel (a division of J. Polep).

Kramer is known for his dedication to the products he delivers, as well as his ability to grow with the industry as the business dictates. Visit www.jpolep.com to learn more about the company history.