Page 48 - BusinessWest February 17, 2021
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 Parks
Continued from page 44
help the kids who are members of the club and kids
who are members of the community.”
In 2011, the Westfield club was licensed to
provide daycare for 77 children. Concerned he was running out of space and anticipating increased demand, Parks led a $3 million fundraising campaign titled “Raise the Roof.”
“We literally took the roof off the gym, raised the gym up to the second floor, and built classrooms underneath for the licensed childcare program,” he said, adding that the club also expanded the education room and technology lab. Now, the facility is licensed to provide daycare services for 200 children.
Learning Experiences
When COVID-19 hit, the Boys & Girls Club
of Greater Westfield was available for virtual learning for students, and in September, the club became a remote-learning site for the School Department. The city of Westfield provided every school-age child with a Chromebook tablet, and, with club staff making sure to keep age groups separated and properly distanced, students are linked into the school system for a full day of learning via their Chromebooks. Middle-school and younger kids make up most of the students in this program, which has proven to be a vital resource for families.
“Some of the students couldn’t link in from home, while others have parents who have to leave the house for work during school hours,” Parks said. “With no one at home to take care
of them, they have the option to come here and not miss school.”
With all those young minds at work, the club has become a significant meal provider for children as well.
“Parents can drop off kids at 7:30 in the morning, and they will get breakfast, lunch, a snack, and a hot meal every day,” he explained. The club also provides meals at three public-
square footage per child and redraw the now-larger plans. The addition is scheduled to be completed by August with a September opening, in time for the new school year.
For Parks, the new structures are exciting,
but the real payoff is the impact the programs have on people’s lives. “One of the things I’m most proud of is that people in the community say, ‘let’s call the Boys & Girls Club because they
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“One of the things I’m most proud of is that people in the community say, ‘let’s call the Boys & Girls Club because they can probably help us or help these kids.”
can probably help us or help these kids.’”
Thinking back to the time he
got some needed help, Parks said he learned, years after graduating from college, that the banker who approved his student loan was
on the board of directors for the Marlborough club. Likewise, he credits his current board of directors
housing sites, resulting in the staff serving nearly 600 meals a day. Like remote learning, Parks sees the meals program as essential to the organization.
“A working parent can pick up their kid at the club and know their homework is done and they’ve been fed,” he said. “It allows parents to interact more with their kids instead of rushing around to put a meal on the table.”
Right now, Parks has plans to expand the club and its services further with a 15,000-square- foot addition, which will allow the club to offer services to an additional 100 children.
The building plans originally called for an 11,000-square-foot expansion, but the pandemic forced engineers to increase the
as the “guiding force” that supports all the Westfield club’s efforts, and points with pride to the cross-section of community members who make up the board.
“It’s not always easy to encourage people to be on your board,” he said. “We’ve been fortunate that people have reached out to us with an interest in joining ours.”
They are people, he added, who are willing to step up and help a kid in the community, and who recognize the value of paying it forward. His future was changed when he was able to
go to college, and he’s dedicated his career to changing lives and finding ways to truly make a difference. u
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Congratulations Bill Parks
CEO, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Westfield on being named a 2021 Difference Maker. From all of us on the Board of the Westfield Boys and Girls Club.
www.bgcwestfield.org
    Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. T u. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you
  hank you. Thank you. Thank you. Th u. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you
hank you.Thank you. Thank you. Tha u. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you
hank you. Thank you. Thank you. Th u. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you
hank you. Thank you. Thank you. Th u. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you
hank you. Thank you. Thank you. Th u. Thank you. Thank you.
We can’t thank you enough.
Congratulations to Bill Parks and all of the 2021 Difference Makers who stand up, step in, and go above and beyond every day to make our communities better.
westfieldbank.com
Member What better banking’s all aboutsm. FDIC
     48 FEBRUARY 17, 2021
DIFFERENCE
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