Page 48 - BusinessWest November 10, 2021

Notebook
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lion people visited the 2021 fair, we cel- ebrate the authorization of $9 million to the Big E. Congratulations to Gene Cassidy and his team for this tremen- dous award.”
Country Bank Opens New Office in Tower Square
SPRINGFIELD — Country Bank opened a business office on the 17th floor of Tower Square in Springfield at the end of October to support its con- tinued growth in the markets it serves. The new business office will support local businesses and allow the Coun- try Bank team to become ingrained with the companies and nonprofits
in Springfield. Bringing more than 20 years of commercial banking experi- ence, Senior Vice President Ben Leon- ard will lead the Springfield team. He has spent more than a decade fostering relationships in Western Mass. with both community and business leaders while he was with Wells Fargo. Leon- ard serves on the board for Revitalize CDC in Springfield. In 2018, he was a BusinessWest 40 Under Forty honoree and is a graduate of Wells Fargo’s Credit Management Training Program. He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Texas.
Level Two Studios, LLC Opens in Springfield
SPRINGFIELD — Level Two Studios, LLC a new all-inclusive production facility, recently opened in Springfield, offering an optimal environment for professional, full-scale video produc- tion and photography. Located on the second level of 155 Brookdale Dr., the studio’s expansive, 2,000-square-foot space accommodates creative media production with numerous amenities. The many features of Level Two Studios include a 25-by-11-foot white or green screen corner cyclorama wall — the only one available in the region — as well as blackout walls for seamless filming. The studio also boasts flex- ible standing sets that provide endless customization options, sound sup- pression, full lighting, a state-of-the-art video-editing suite and audio studio for post-production, a green room,
and ample accommodations for pri- vate wardrobe, makeup, meetings, and other preparation. The facility can accommodate production crews of all sizes and is available for both full- and half-day rentals.
Barron & Jacobs to Move Office Location
NORTHAMPTON — Barron & Jacobs Associates will move its offices in November from Old South Street in Northampton to 420 North Main St.
in Leeds. After 17 years in its current location, the company has decided to move to a new spot. The existing build-
ing was purchased by the company’s prior owner from Historic Northamp- ton, and Barron & Jacobs restored the home to its original glory. Company owner Chris Jacobs said the new site offers a great location, is well-suited for the business, and is more energy-effi- cient. Barron & Jacobs is a full-service design/build remodeler. In business since 1986, the company’s projects include kitchens, baths, porches and decks, attic and basement conversions, whole-house renovations, exterior work, and more. For more information or to schedule a design consultation, visit barronandjacobs.com.
Angels in Adoption Honors
Friends of Children
HADLEY — U.S. Sen. Edward Markey
is celebrating Friends of Children as a 2021 Angels in Adoption honoree for its outstanding advocacy for foster-care issues. The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI), which coor- dinates the Angels in Adoption pro- gram, honored Friends of Children on Oct. 20 in a virtual gala. According to Markey, Friends of Children was nomi- nated as an honoree this year due to its relentless advocacy for children despite the challenges of the COVID pandemic. “Even in our nation’s darkest hour, as we continue to respond to the COVID- 19 pandemic, you have fought tirelessly for the children and families impacted by foster care and involvement in the juvenile justice system and have shown great fortitude in the face of adversity,” Markey said. Jane Lyons, executive director of Friends of Children, said accepting the nomination shines an important light on the invaluable work the organization provides. “To be rec- ognized by the CCAI with this award
is really exciting and underscores the value placed on our independent child advocacy for kids in the foster-care system.”
Lesser Presents $1,000 Earmark to Springfield Science Museum
SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Museums welcomed state Sen. Eric Lesser on Oct. 25 to announce a $100,000 earmark from the Common- wealth to help fund the International Space Station exhibit in the Spring- field Science Museum. The Spring- field Museums is constructing a fully immersive representation of the Inter- national Space Station module Des- tiny. The gallery will have an ‘airlock’ entrance and dynamic view of Earth from the exhibit’s bay-window cupola. The vestibule is nearing completion and will include a facsimile astronaut suit as well as interactive features that help visitors better understand the sci- ence of space exploration. Plans are also underway for a facilitated, roving ‘space cart,’ which will include items from an astronaut’s gear that visitors
can touch. A facilitator will be available to answer questions and share infor- mation about space travel. Currently on view outside the gallery is an inter- active screen donated by NASA. Visitors can touch the image of the Interna- tional Space Station to find out more information about its function.
Country Bank Supports Ride to Remember
WARE — Country Bank recently sup- ported the Ride to Remember, the 100- mile bicycle ride in tribute to fallen police officers and firefighters. This year, the event was rerouted to include a round-trip ride from Springfield to Worcester to pay tribute to the lives lost by the Worcester Police and Fire departments. Country Bank President and CEO Paul Scully, who previously participated in the ride, presented
a $10,000 donation to the Ride to Remember with funds directed to the Manny 267 Foundation in Worcester. The Manny 267 Foundation was estab- lished after the city of Worcester suf- fered the loss of officer Manny Familia, a five-year veteran who responded to the 911 call of a 14-year-old boy in dis- tress at Green Hill Pond. Unfortunately, neither Familia nor the boy survived. The goal of the foundation is to raise funds to provide rescue tubes for every police cruiser and, with the collabora- tion of the YMCA, provide proper train- ing for police to perform water rescues. In addition, they want to offer swim- ming lessons and water-survival skills for kids and teenagers in the Worces- ter community. Finally, their goal is to donate a ‘Manny tube’ to every police department in the U.S. and to prevent this type of tragedy from ever happen- ing again.
Excel Dryer Renews Support for Square One Program
SPRINGFIELD — For the fifth con- secutive year, Excel Dryer is lending its support to Square One’s Adopt-a-Class- room initiative, donating $5,000 to pro- vide supplies and meals to the agency’s preschoolers. “We are proud to support Square One and their ongoing efforts to provide early-education services
to children in our area,” said Denis Gagnon, president of Excel Dryer.
“This organization is a vital part of our community, providing a safe and edu- cational space for young children. We hope our donation can help provide much-needed meals and resources for these students.” Square One’s Adopt- a-Classroom program is part of the agency’s Campaign for Healthy Kids, a multi-year fund-development initiative focused on the agency’s commitment to providing healthy meals, physical fit- ness, social-emotional well-being, and a healthy learning environment.
MSB Asks Community to Vote for Their
Favorite Nonprofits
MONSON — With the season of giv- ing right around the corner, Monson Savings Bank (MSB) is reaching out to the public and requesting they submit their votes for the bank’s 2022 Commu- nity Giving Initiative. For more than a decade, MSB has been seeking the help of the community to plan the bank’s community-giving activities by inviting members of the community to vote for the organizations they would like the bank to support during the upcoming year. Everyone is welcome to partici- pate and can cast their vote at www. monsonsavings.bank/connect/commu- nity-giving.html. Voters may provide the names of up to three organizations they would like the bank to donate
to in 2022. The only requirements are that the organizations be designated
a nonprofit and that the organiza- tions provide services within the bank’s geography. Voting ends on Friday, Dec. 31 at 3 p.m. Monson Savings Bank pledges to support the top 10 organiza- tions that receive the most votes. The 10 organizations will be announced by mid-January, and donations will then be distributed.
American Eagle Supports
Asnuntuck Food Pantry
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — American Eagle Financial Credit Union (AEFCU) revealed the recipients of $25,842 in total donations from the latest round of the credit union’s popular Cash Back to the Community program. The third quarter’s winners — three nonprofit organizations from AEFCU’s service area that earned the most community votes — will each receive $8,614 from American Eagle. The latest winners
are the Asnuntuck Community Col- lege Food Pantry in Enfield, the South- ington Girls Softball League, and Our Piece of the Pie in Hartford. Through the Cash Back to the Community pro- gram, American Eagle has donated $76,571 to local organizations in 2021 alone, and $162,996 since the program first launched in January 2020. AEFCU donates 1% of its credit- and debit-card interchange income to three nonprofit and/or 501(c)(3) organizations each quarter through the Cash Back to the Community program. In addition to American Eagle’s donations through the Cash Back to the Community pro- gram, AEFCU employees donated $3,461 to the United Way and $8,339
to the American Eagle Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giv- ing. AEFCU employees have provided $33,827 in total donations in 2021. Funds are generated through voluntary payroll deductions throughout the year and distributed to local organizations that American Eagle and its employees support on a quarterly basis.
48 NOVEMBER 10, 2021
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