Page 5 - BusinessWest February 20, 2023

“Throughout this journey, we have gained a great deal of visibility, and people have been able to learn about who we are, what we do, and why Girls Inc. is so important to this region. It’s been a great opportunity to tell our story and get people involved.”
great deal of visibility, and people have been able to learn about who we are, what we do, and why Girls Inc. is so important to this region,” she said. “It’s been a great opportunity to tell our story and get people involved.”
And, in many ways, the project has been a means to celebrate and promote women in all kinds of businesses who have been involved in this endeavor. That list includes those working in fund- raising, finance, law, architecture, and construction, as we’ll see.
This has also been a study in perseverance, said Yadilette Rivera- Colón, an assistant professor of Biology at Bay Path University, BusinessWest Forty Under 40 winner, and current Girls Inc. board chair, noting that the many inherent challenges in a project like this were magnified greatly by the pandemic, which made every aspect of the work more difficult.
Summing it all up, Parker said that, while there is much to do, a celebration of all that has been accomplished — and learned — is in order. And Girls Inc. will do that in March as it marks the passing of the 90% milestone in fundraising, as well as the completion of the first phase of construction. There will be tours and an opportunity to make more connections and more friends.
It will be an occasion to celebrate what’s been done and what this new home will be — and there is much in both categories.
Home Work
As she talked about the search for a new home and the many properties she and others toured during that lengthy process, Park- er paused, glanced skyward, and let out a heavy sigh, body language that pretty much told the story.
“There was a four-year period where I was visiting nearly every building in the city of Holyoke,” she told BusinessWest, adding that, while many were attractive in some respects, none could really check all the boxes she wanted to check.
One was seemingly perfect in most ways, but had little if any parking, she said. Other property makeovers into a permanent home for the agency were simply out of the agency’s price range. And a great number simply needed way too much work to fit the bill.
The ‘thermometer’ measuring donations to the Girls Inc. campaign needs to be updated to reflect that more than 90% of the needed $5 million has been raised.
Remembering Maureen “Mo” Mahar
With deep sadness and heavy hearts, we announce that our dear friend and colleague, Maureen “Mo” Mahar, passed away on January 24.
Mo was an integral part of our bankESB family for nearly 18 years, most recently serving as Vice President, Commercial Lending. Whether it was through her dedication to helping her small business clients or her devotion to community through her volunteerism with Dollars for Scholars, Habitat for Humanity, and many other organizations, Mo never stopped working to make our communities a better place.
Mo was a treasured employee and a friend to her many customers and co-workers. Her bright personality will not be forgotten by all those who were lucky enough to work with her—especially colleagues who
shared our 241 Northampton St. office with her—or by those who accompanied her on her quest to perfect her golf game.
On behalf of everyone at bankESB, we’ll miss you, Mo.
BusinessWest
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