SPRINGFIELD — Community Bank N.A. recently presented the Western Regional Office of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network (MSBDCN) with a $2,500 donation to support the organization’s various programs for 2019.

“We’re incredibly grateful to Community Bank N.A. for their continued loyalty and sponsorship of the Western Regional Office of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network,” MSBDCN Regional Director Samalid Hogan said. “Community Bank has made a difference for us, our clients, and small businesses in Western Massachusetts.”

MSBDCN’s Western Regional Office provides free and confidential one-to-one business advice to prospective and existing small businesses in Western Mass. The office provides a variety of services to startups and existing businesses in Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties. Areas of assistance include business-plan development, preventure feasibility, conventional and non-conventional financing, cash-flow analysis, organizational and personnel issues, and marketing.

“Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network is a huge asset to our small-business community here in Western Mass.,” said Keith Nesbitt, the bank’s Commercial Banking officer. “Our Springfield branch is proud to support the Western Regional Office and its continued success.”

In its last fiscal year, MSBDCN conducted 36 events and workshops, which were attended by more than 300 participants. Throughout the first six months of this year, MSBDCN has met with 261 small-business clients seeking to start and grow their businesses and helped secure close to $2 million in funds for those clients.

SPRINGFIELD, MA – College Summer Baseball Daily’s National Rankings were released earlier this morning and the Valley Blue Sox debuted at #3 in the country, trailing only the Wareham Gatemen and Chatham Anglers of the Cape Cod League. A full list of the rankings can be viewed here.

The Blue Sox (11-3) are off to their best start in franchise history and are riding a five game winning streak heading into tonight’s Northern Division tilt with the Winnipesaukee Muskrats. They currently sit atop the Northern Division with the best record in the NECBL.

“It’s a tremendous accomplishment for our organization to not only crack the top five, but debut at #3,” said Blue Sox General Manager Hunter Golden. “The first people who deserve credit are our coaching staff and players. We have some guys who’ve come out really swinging it and maintained it. Some guys who we had a ton of confidence in who struggled a bit out of the gate – but have made the adjustments and have stepped up. Our pitchers have really held things together and taken pressure off the offense by performing consistently. It’s been an organization-wide effort.”

When the Blue Sox won their first NECBL Championship in 2017, they finished #7 nationally, with this week’s ranking being the highest ranking the organization has achieved.

“To see where we were at as an organization five years ago – and now to see where we are – not just on the field but off it has been a really rewarding experience,” said Golden. “The players and coaches made it happen on the field – but so much goes into this that people don’t see. It’s the long hours our interns, office staff and volunteers put in. It’s the host families who really set the tone and help to create the kind of experience that helps to draw talent here because they want to experience what we’re all about. It’s the sponsors stepping up and helping us get the resources that we need to do everything we do – and then it’s our fan base who show up and make our park the most exciting one to play in in the league. It’s everyone – and a proud moment for everyone.”

The Blue Sox are at home Sunday night to take on the Winnipesaukee Muskrats at 5:05pm. Gates open at 4pm and Sunday will be the team’s first ever television giveaway. The Sox will have two road games this coming week before closing out the month of June at home on Thursday and Friday night here at Mackenzie Stadium. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for kids and seniors and can be purchased online at www.valleybluesox.com or via phone at (413) 533-1100.

HOLYOKE — Students enrolled full-time in chemistry, engineering, mathematics, physics, or other STEM fields at Holyoke Community College (HCC) may qualify for a National Science Foundation scholarship of up to $10,000 a year toward tuition and fees.

Recipients of the scholarship become members of HCC’s STEM Scholars program and participate in field trips and benefit from other exclusive STEM-related events  and activities each semester. The NSF STEM Scholarship continues each semester students maintain good academic standing.

Incoming and current HCC students are encouraged to apply. The application deadline for the 2018-19 academic year is July 15. Eligibility guidelines for the National Science Foundation Scholarship in STEM can be viewed at www.hcc.edu/scholarships, where there is also a link to the online application under ‘National Science Foundation Scholarships in STEM.’

Applicants must be enrolled full-time in a STEM program, demonstrate academic ability or potential, and demonstrate financial need, according to the guidelines. STEM disciplines include biological sciences, physical sciences, math, computer and information services, geosciences, and engineering.

BOSTON — The Baker-Polito administration awarded $1,080,000 to a joint partnership between the Local Enterprise Assistance Fund and Franklin County Community Development Corporation to create a sustainable program that creates quality jobs and increases food access for low-income residents throughout the state.

The funding is awarded under the Massachusetts Food Trust Program (MFTP), a program launched by the Baker-Polito administration in 2017, which seeks to establish a financing infrastructure that increases access to healthy, affordable food options and to improve economic opportunities for nutritionally underserved communities statewide.

“The Massachusetts Food Trust Program continues our administration’s commitment to addressing food insecurity, supporting agriculture, and improving access to locally grown, nutritional options for families,” said Gov. Charlie Baker. “Community-based organizations are vital partners in ensuring residents across the Commonwealth have the ability to utilize locally sourced agriculture, and the funding awarded will ensure residents are able to incorporate a balanced, healthy diet into their daily routine.”

The MFTP, funded through the administration’s FY 2018 Capital Investment Plan, provides funding through grants to community development financial institutions and community development corporations. This statewide program is designed to meet the financing needs to fresh food retailers and distributors that plan to operate in underserved communities where costs and credit needs cannot be filled solely by conventional financing institutions.

“The Local Enterprise Assistance Fund and Franklin County Community Development Corporation work tirelessly to connect residents in nutritionally underserved communities with fresh, healthy products grown by farmers around the Commonwealth,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton. “The funding awarded by the Baker-Polito administration, in addition to the work of the Massachusetts Food Trust Program, will continue to promote the role and importance of a nutritionally balanced diet for residents in all corners of the state.”

With the funding, grantees may provide grants, loans, and technical assistance to support entities that have shown a meaningful commitment to sell fresh, affordable, and local products, with a preference for food grown, caught, or harvested in Massachusetts. Projects that are eligible for funding through the awarded financial institutions include the development, renovation, and expansion of supermarkets; commercial community kitchens; and commercial greenhouses.

SPRINGFIELD — Rick Sawicki of Sawicki Real Estate in Amherst was named the 2018 Realtor of the Year by the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley (RAPV). The announcement was made at the association’s annual awards dinner held on June 14 at the Log Cabin in Holyoke.

Realtor of the Year is the highest honor given to a member of the association and is bestowed upon a single individual who demonstrated outstanding service and devotion to the 1,700-member organization during the past 17 months in the areas of association activity, community service, and business activity.

A Realtor since 2005, Sawicki served as president of the association in
2017. He is currently the immediate past president and serves on the
building, executive, finance, government affairs, president’s award,
professional development, and strategic planning committees, as well as the
candidate endorsement work group. He has participated in the Massachusetts Assoc. of Realtors (MAR) annual Realtor Day on Beacon Hill and is a major investor in the Realtors Political Action Committee (RPAC). He has been featured on the “Real Estate Minute” segment of WWLP’s Mass Appeal program.

Sawicki has given back to the community through activity with the Rotary Club of Amherst and the Turners Falls High School logo task force and is a member of the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce. He is actively involved in state initiatives and activities such as MAR professional standards training and Realtor party training, along with being a MAR RPAC trustee. He is also a member of the National Assoc. of Realtors (NAR) public policy coordinating committee.

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — People’s United Financial, Inc., the holding company for People’s United Bank N.A., announced an agreement to acquire First Connecticut Bancorp Inc., the holding company for Farmington Bank, in a 100% stock transaction valued at approximately $544 million. Completion of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of regulatory approvals and the approval of First Connecticut Bancorp shareholders.

“We are excited to welcome Farmington Bank to People’s United,” said Jack Barnes, CEO of People’s United Financial. “They have a long-standing, relationship-based approach to serving their customers and complementary commercial and retail capabilities. This, coupled with their experienced team and similar culture, will strengthen our well-established presence in the region.”

Established in 1851, Farmington Bank is a community bank with 28 branches throughout Central Conn. and Western Mass. With $3.1 billion in assets, the bank has built a strong balance sheet by focusing on commercial and retail banking.

“People’s United Bank is a premier brand with a rich, 176-year history in the state of Connecticut,” said John Patrick, chairman, president, and CEO of Farmington Bank. “Our customers will benefit from their broader array of products, enhanced access to technology and digital capabilities, as well as the bank’s seven-day-a-week Stop & Shop branch locations.”

The transaction is expected to close during the fourth quarter of 2018. Under the terms of the agreement, which has been approved by both companies’ boards of directors, First Connecticut Bancorp shareholders will receive 1.725 shares of People’s United Financial stock for each First Connecticut Bancorp share. The transaction is valued at $32.33 per First Connecticut Bancorp share.

HOLYOKE — Since its founding in 1980, Providence Ministries for the Needy Inc. has been rooted in a mission of serving others with life’s most basic needs: food, clothing, shelter, and job skills.

“We are supported by an extraordinary group of board leaders who are deeply committed to a mission of service and benevolence,” said Executive Director Shannon Rudder, “and it only gains strength and momentum with the addition of the following new members: Lew Rudolph, Marisa Egerstrom, Jeannie Filomeno, and Marvin Gonzalez.”

Egerstrom is currently the priest-in-charge at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Holyoke. Her past experience includes serving as Christian education coordinator at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Boston, as a chaplain in hospital and street settings, and as a spiritual director for young adults. She is completing a Ph.D. in American studies at Harvard University.

Rudolph is currently the director of Government and Foundation Grants and Contracts for Trinity Health in Springfield. His past experience includes roles as program director and psychotherapist for ServiceNet Inc. in Northampton, and president and CEO of Hampshire Community United Way.

Filomeno currently serves as the Human Resource manager at her family-operated business, Marcotte Ford. With her family, she has dedicated years of support to Providence Ministries, including preparing and serving monthly at Kate’s Kitchen, organizing clothing, food, and school-supply drives distributed to the community through Margaret’s Pantry; and donating more than 100 holiday gifts and Easter baskets. Outside of working at Marcotte Ford, Jeannie serves on the board of the Professional Women’s Chamber.

Gonzalez currently serves as an outreach specialist with Eliot Community Human Services. As part of his role, he performs daily street outreach in Holyoke and Chicopee. At Kate’s Kitchen, he not only greets guests and records vital daily census data, but also serves as an advisor and troubleshooter on topics including access and information related to housing, detox, mental health, and food support. He has dedicated more than 30 years to working in human services as an advocate for the most vulnerable.

“These four new members bring needed competencies and expertise that will enhance our board and strengthen our commitment to carry out our mission,” said Jim Wall, board chairman.

Added Rudder, “we welcome our new board members and are eager to realize the numerous ways they will fortify our collective work, strengthen the Providence Ministries brand, and, most importantly, support our broad base of constituents across Hampshire and Hampden counties.”

SPRINGFIELD — Today, June 21, Springfield’s Fort Street, from Main Street to East Columbus Avenue, will be closed for a special Springfield Student Prince ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. This is the second year that local organizers and ALS activists will come together to create this unique event to fight ALS.

Event organizers have planned the effort to raise funds for the Massachusetts ALS Foundation and specifically to honor local friends who have been stricken with the disease. Registration opens at 4 p.m., and ice buckets will deluge all at 5:45 p.m. Participants can also register online in advance by visiting web.alsa.org/goto/FortStreetALSChallenge.

“So many of us involved in this effort personally know a victim of ALS,” said event organizer Bill Sampson. “When Governor Baker filed legislation last year making the Ice Bucket Challenge Week an annual event, we took it as a special challenge to us here in Springfield, now, to raise money for our friends with ALS. With just a few weeks of planning last year, we were able to fill Fort Street with people. We raised over $25,000.”

ALS, amyothropic lateral sclerosis, is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Last year, Baker held a ceremony with Pete Frates, the Massachusetts native who started the world-wide ALS Bucket Challenge. Advocates note that victims and their families endure many costs and challenges beyond what is covered by insurance.

“This started when a group of us were gathered at the Student Prince, wondering what we could do to help some very dear friends who have ALS,” Sampson said. “These friends are vibrant members of the Greater Springfield community who are used to giving help, not receiving it. We are keeping their names private at this time. We know that, with ALS Massachusetts help, we will be able to assist them in ways that they and their families are not equipped or trained to. All the money we raise will stay here to help them and, as a legacy to them, others.”

BOSTON ­— Local unemployment rates decreased in 13 labor-market areas, increased in six areas, and remained the same in five labor-market areas in the state during the month of May, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported. Compared to May 2017, the rates dropped in 23 labor-market areas and increased in one area.

Fourteen of the 15 areas for which job estimates are published recorded a seasonal job gain in May. The largest gains occurred in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Barnstable, Worcester, Framingham, and Haverhill-Newburyport-Amesbury areas. The Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton area lost jobs over the month.

From May 2017 to May 2018, all 15 areas added jobs, with the largest percentage gains in the Lynn-Saugus-Marblehead, Haverhill-Newburyport-Amesbury, Lawrence-Methuen-Salem, Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, and Worcester areas.

In order to compare the statewide rate to local unemployment rates, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the statewide-unadjusted unemployment rate for May was 3.3%.

Last week, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported the statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the month of May remained at 3.5% for the eighth consecutive month. The statewide seasonally adjusted jobs estimate showed a 6,200-job gain in May, and an over-the-year gain of 56,100 jobs.

The unadjusted unemployment rates and job estimates for the labor market areas reflect seasonal fluctuations and therefore may show different levels and trends than the statewide seasonally adjusted estimates. The estimates for labor force, unemployment rates and jobs for Massachusetts are based on different statistical methodology specified by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

WENDELL — Northeast Solar, in cooperation with the Wendell Energy Committee, is offering residents of Wendell and surrounding communities the opportunity to become owners of the state’s first solar cooperative.

The co-op will be owned by community members who become member-owners of the site by purchasing part of the community solar array. Owners will receive all of the solar benefits generated at the site, located at 97 Wendell Depot Road.

“Over two-thirds of residential properties in Massachusetts are poor sites for solar. A solar cooperative allows those households to switch to clean energy,” said Greg Garrison, president of Northeast Solar.

Solar panels are typically mounted on rooftops, but close to 60% of residential buildings are not suitable sites for solar due to shading or roof condition. The solar cooperative will allow any resident to purchase solar power for their homes by buying into the centralized array.

“Owners in this system will receive a lower purchase price than standard residential installations,” Garrison said. “Co-op owners will receive the federal tax credit, Massachusetts SMART incentives, and on-bill credits to their electric bill. Within a few years, co-op owners will have fully recovered the cost of ownership and will be able to reinvest their energy dollars back into their local community.”

The Wendell Solar Cooperative will return more than $1.3 million back into the local economy over the life of the array. The site is expected to take between six and eight weeks to build. The co-op will accept 50 members, but Northeast Solar is planning more solar cooperatives in other communities to allow more residents the chance to go solar.

SPRINGFIELD — Nine new Pioneer Valley municipalities recently joined six already working on Municipal Vulnerability Program (MVP) certification, bringing the total to 15 communities seeking greater resiliency in the face of climate change.

That represents 35% of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission’s (PVPC) member municipalities — home to approximately 410,000 people, or more than 66% of the region’s population.

“Pioneer Valley municipalities, working jointly and individually, have been leading the way with respect to acting on the climate crisis since we developed the first regional clean-energy climate action plan in 2008, and we are so grateful to the Commonwealth, especially Katie Theoharides and her colleagues at the Executive Office on Energy and Environmental Affairs, for their ongoing funding support for climate action,” said PVPC Land Use and Environment Section Manager Catherine Ratte.

In 2017, six pioneering municipalities applied for and secured MVP planning grants, and four of these six have now successfully secured action grants in the highly competitive first round of funding. Of these, Belchertown will assess stream crossings and culverts, Holyoke is learning from Hurricane Maria survivors how to adapt and care for vulnerable residents affected by extreme weather, Northampton is reducing storm damage by designing with nature, and Pelham aims to improve small-town resilience.

Together, these 15 municipalities have secured $1,186,512 in state funding to plan for ($348,000) and adapt to ($838,512) the changing climate. The funding allows the PVPC to engage with local officials and community stakeholders, while leveraging its unique technical capabilities.

Any of the 43 cities and towns of Hampden and Hampshire counties not currently engaged in MVP work, but interested, should contact PVPC Senior Planning Emily Slotnick at (413) 781-6045 or [email protected].

SPRINGFIELD — Faculty from Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) health programs recently departed for Gambia in West Africa as part of a medical mission trip to assist poor communities.

The three STCC faculty members are part of a team administering medication and medical supplies as well as providing health education to people living in the village of Tankular. The team also will distribute school items and clothing for children.

“We are excited to participate in this opportunity to help a population in need,” said Esther Perrelli Brookes, chair of the Respiratory Care Department at STCC. “We will be bringing supplies and caring for those in need as well as helping with a medical clinic that is being built.”

STCC President John Cook praised the faculty members for their efforts. “This medical mission trip to Africa illustrates our faculty’s passion for helping others. They are shining examples of how we can transform lives here on campus and far beyond our borders.”

Perrelli Brookes, Respiratory Care clinical instructor Nfamara “Fams” Taal, and Kathleen Sawtelle, a Surgical Technology instructor, planned to leave June 17 for the two-week-long medical mission. They will join other healthcare workers, from doctors and nurses to dental-care and eye-care professionals, to help people living in the village of Tankular.

“There is a desperate need for access to medical care services, especially in rural villages,” said Taal, a native of Tankular, where the medical clinic is under construction.

He created the Sam Taal Global Foundation, based in Chicopee, to raise money to provide access to medical care and promote education in developing nations such as Gambia. To prepare for their mission, Taal recently brought equipment and supplies to New York City to be shipped across the Atlantic. The clinic will have access to medical diagnostic equipment, including blood-pressure machines, paid for through fundraising efforts.

“Diabetes is common there,” Taal said. “Some of these folks don’t have a way to get prescriptions. They don’t have the ability to check their blood sugar.”

What’s more, villagers don’t have easy access to medications that many Americans might take for granted, like Tylenol or ibuprofen. “We’ll be bringing all these pain medications to help these folks,” Taal said. “They have nothing to take for a headache or migraine besides a local remedy.”

The STCC team, who paid for their own expenses, will put their expertise to work when they arrive in Gambia. Sawtelle will teach schoolchildren about nutrition. Perrelli Brookes will discuss smoking cessation and show them posters from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention illustrating heart and lung problems related to tobacco use. She also will educate people about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which is a common problem.

As of 2016, the average life expectancy in Gambia was only 61, according to data from the World Bank. The villagers have no easy access to medical care. When they get sick, they often cannot receive proper treatment in a timely manner.

“We will give them some hope, because our presence will be known,” said Perrelli Brookes. “We will be there before the clinic is built, so maybe that will give them a sense of hope and faith that there will be medical people to one day fill the clinic.”

Sawtelle said ongoing fundraising efforts through the Sam Taal Global Foundation will make a significant impact on the village. “We’re still trying to finish the clinic. For months, we’ve been collecting items to hand out to the kids and the grownups: clothing, school supplies, dental-care items. After we get back home to our lives, it’s our hope that the supplies will continue to improve their lifestyle.”

Added Taal, “this is our first trip, and hopefully it’s not our last. At least we can leave them with something. We can leave them with some sort of education tool for their benefit.”

MONSON — Monson Savings Bank will host a complimentary workshop, open to the public, titled “Tips and Tricks for Protecting You and Your Family – An Estate and Elder Law Planning Presentation,” featuring Susan McCoy, partner with Cooley Shrair, P.C. The workshop will be held Thursday, June 21 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Monson Savings Bank’s corporate office, 107 Main St., Monson.

Understanding wills and trusts, estate taxes, Medicaid and long-term-care planning, durable power of attorney, and health proxies are topics that can seem overwhelming and time-consuming. These are some of the topics McCoy will touch upon to help people understand what they are and what kind of options are available. She has an extensive background in estate and trust planning as well as Medicaid and long-term healthcare planning, and understands how daunting these processes can be.

“We are pleased to bring this important information to our communities,” said Steve Lowell, president of Monson Savings Bank. “This workshop will aim to simplify the steps needed to create an effective estate plan so that people may better protect themselves, their families, and their assets.”

Refreshments will be served. Seating is limited. To RSVP, contact Anna Calvanese at (413) 267-1221 or [email protected].

SPRINGFIELD — Lamont Clemons, President of the Rotary Club of Springfield, recently presented Rotarians Jack Toner and Rick Lee with Rotary pins to acknowledge their donations to the Rotary Foundation. The Rotary Foundation supports clean-water projects, maternal and child health, education, and the promotion of peace throughout the world.

Toner’s pin has one blue sapphire stone for his $2,000 to the foundation, and Lee’s has three sapphire stones for his $4,000 donation made over a period of time.

“The global impact of the Rotary Foundation is extraordinary,” Toner said. “My small monthly gift pays itself forward over and over again. Each dollar given is multiplied through grants and various partnerships, mostly notably with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in Rotary’s effort to eradicate polio worldwide. I feel privileged to wear a different lapel pin each day to represent the various and diverse ongoing activities Rotary initiatives are involved with around the globe.”

Lee also feels strongly about the Rotary and its foundation. “When I served as club president in 2014, I became acutely aware of the important work done worldwide through the Rotary Foundation,” he said. “ I am convinced that supporting these efforts should be job one for any Rotarian. For me, Rotary’s unique blend of local fellowship and service, coupled with its global reach, makes the experience truly special.”

SPRINGFIELD — Florence Bank broke ground last week on its second Hampden County branch, at 1444 Allen St. in Springfield, and leaders said the full-service location will open later this year.

“We’re coming to Springfield,” John Heaps Jr., Florence Bank’s president and CEO, told a crowd of roughly 50 people who gathered for the celebratory event. “Our focus is on our customers and on helping to reinvigorate the community.”

Heaps grew up in the Springfield area, and he said the expansion into Springfield “is like coming back home. I used to hang around here. This feels great.”

Likewise, Nikki Gleason, branch manager for the Allen Street location, noted that “Springfield is my home, where I work, volunteer, and spend much of my time. I am thrilled to be serving as the branch manager and happy to be working for Florence Bank. I look forward to seeing many familiar faces and meeting new customers and friends.”

Last September, Florence Bank opened its first branch in Hampden County at 1010 Union St. in West Springfield. The Springfield branch marks the second of an anticipated four branches in the region.

“We’re looking at opening two more,” Heaps said. “This is not just dipping our toe in the water. We’re here, and we’re going to be part of this community for a long time.”

Heaps said the time was right for expansion into the Springfield area because bank mergers and acquisitions in past years have left Springfield without a local bank headquartered there.

As he spoke to the crowd at the groundbreaking, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno picked up on this point. “Sometimes, the community touch is lost,” he said. “Florence Bank is accessible. A person will answer the telephone. The city of Springfield is growing, and Florence Bank will continue to move it forward.”

Also in attendance at the event were Joe and Wendy Bonavita, the site’s former landowners; Kevin Kennedy, chief Development officer for the city of Springfield; Mary Dionne, vice president of the Outer Belt Civic Assoc.; Myles Callender of Revitalize Springfield; and representatives for the developers, Marois Construction of South Hadley, HAI Architecture, and for Bohler Engineering. Florence Bank employees, board members, and corporators were present as well, along with State Rep. Angelo Puppolo and Springfield City Councilors Tim Allen and Mike Fenton.

Like the West Springfield banking center, Heaps said, the Allen Street branch will have an open floor plan with a full-service teller pod and innovative technology for quick cash handling. The location will also feature a drive-up ATM with SMART technology for easy depositing and a comfortable waiting area inside with a coffee bar and free internet.

Florence Bank has nearly 3,800 customers living in Hampden County, including 700 business customers.

NORTHAMPTON — ValleyBike will launch with celebrations, comments, demonstrations, and a parade at Thursday June 28 at 11 a.m. in Pulaski Park, 274 Main St., Northampton.

ValleyBike is the first bike-share program in the Pioneer Valley and the first pedal-assist bike-share program in New England. The program allows members to pay for bikes by the trip, or join as a member for unlimited 45-minute rides by the day, month, or year. Partners include the communities of Amherst, Holyoke, Northampton, South Hadley, and Springfield, as well as UMass Amherst and the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC).

“Five hundred pedal-assist bicycles in 50 stations in five communities will help transform transportation options for many of our residents,” said Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz. “Northampton is proud to be the lead community and fiscal sponsor for our seven-member ValleyBike consortium. This will help provide that extra mile that PVTA can’t always provide, and that is too far to walk and short to drive. We are proud to serve all residents, including those with the least options.”

Added Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, “Springfield is delighted to be part of ValleyBike. Serving our downtown core and medical district, bike share will be a benefit for residents, workers, and visitors. Bike share is good for one’s health and our environment, too. Congratulations to all of our partners for coming together on this great regional project.”

Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse noted that ValleyBike will increase connectivity between member communities, along with recent upgrades such as regional rail service. “Coupled with key investments in our densest neighborhoods and complete streetscapes that are favorable to pedestrians and bikers, the bike-share system will play an important role in Holyoke’s continued renaissance.”

ValleyBike was initiated by Amherst, Northampton, and the PVPC, and then quickly joined by Springfield, Holyoke, and South Hadley. The planning effort was led by the PVPC, which found the funding for planning. Leadership of the effort switched to Northampton for the implementation phase of the project. Within the next week, residents will be able to sign up at www.valleybike.org, with special founding membership opportunities for a limited time.

“ValleyBike is yet another exciting example of how our region, and its cities and towns, are working collaboratively and proactively to shape a smart and sustainable future for us all,” said PVPC Executive Director Tim Brennan. “ValleyBike not only introduces a new type of shared mobility, but offers a creative and sensible way to improve our air and our health while capturing the benefits of modern-day pedal power.”

ValleyBike has contracted with Bewegen Technologies and Corps Logistics to build and operate the system. According to Alain Ayotte, Bewegen CEO, “since the very beginning, the Bewegen team has been convinced of the strong potential for bike sharing to succeed in Pioneer Valley. Data from our systems launched around the world have shown that our Pedelec bikes offer a transportation alternative that is more attractive to a diverse range of users, contributing to a larger mode shift toward cycling. Our team is committed to this project, which will continue to strengthen healthy living and active mobility throughout the region. Working in partnership with Corps Logistics, local veterans will be hired to operate the bike-share system, creating jobs and contributing to the local economy.”

ValleyBike is funded by state and federal grants, Bewegen investments, community investments in station pads, user fees, and program sponsors.

SPRINGFIELD — Kathleen Sawtelle, a clinical and lab instructor in the Surgical Technology program at Springfield Technical Community College (STCC), received the Clinical Educator of the Year Award during the Assoc. of Surgical Technologists 2018 conference in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., on May 31. She was at the conference as a delegate for the organization.

“It’s a huge honor,” said Sawtelle. “Nominees come from throughout the country. They narrowed it down to six finalists, and I was chosen for the award.”

The award recognizes one clinical educator who has gone above and beyond the call of duty for students. Sawtelle received a $500 award, a trophy, and recognition at the annual conference.

“I am very proud a clinical educator from the STCC community was chosen for this award,” said Mary Jayne Rossman, program director and department chair. “Kathy gives 110% of herself to the Surgical Technology program here at STCC. We are fortunate to have such a strong advocate for our students.”

Added STCC Vice President of Academic Affairs Geraldine de Berly, “we’re proud to have faculty like Kathy Sawtelle, who bring a passion for their work into the classroom. She exemplifies dedication and professionalism and is most deserving of this award.”

A 1976 graduate of STCC’s Surgical Technology program, Sawtelle has worked in the field for 42 years. She has been coordinator of clinical education for the program at STCC for the past three years, and has taught at the college for 11 years. She has worked as a certified surgical technologist at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield for 28 years and on a per diem basis for 10 years.

She previously received the designation of Fellow of the Assoc. of Surgical Technologists, which recognizes surgical technologists who have upheld the highest professional, ethical, and moral standards and traditions of the profession.

Surgical technologists are responsible for preparing the operating room and protecting patients from harmful bacteria. They arrange equipment and hand instruments to the surgeon, among other operating-room responsibilities.

Sawtelle said she loves her work both in and out of the classroom, noting that “it’s an outstanding field. It’s my passion.”

SPRINGFIELD — American International College (AIC) will offer businesses and organizations the opportunity to host meetings, conferences, and other programs at the college. While AIC’s first commitment will be to the institution’s academic and theater offerings, the college will open remaining available dates for external rentals.

Event spaces on the main campus vary in capacity and include venues such as the Esther B. Griswold Theatre, seating nearly 500; the Schwartz Campus Center Auditorium; the newly renovated Stinger Pub; the West Wing Gallery; conference rooms; and classrooms. In addition, facility rentals will be available at the athletic complex located on Cortland Street. Free parking is conveniently located near campus venues.

A refundable deposit and liability insurance will be required in advance of contracted events. Technology and catering services may also be available to interested groups. Call (413) 205-3336 or email [email protected] for more information.

SPRINGFIELD — The third installment of the BusinessWest lecture series Future Tense, titled “Change Considerations: An Examination of Lean Process, Market Disruption, and the Future of Your Business,” will take place on Thursday, Sept. 20 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at Tech Foundry, 1391 Main St., ninth floor, Springfield.

The lecture, open exclusively to CEOs and business owners, will be delivered by Mark Borsari, president of Sanderson MacLeod. The cost is a $25 donation to Tech Foundry. Event sponsors include Paragus IT, the Jamrog Group, and Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.

With increasingly automated business processes, AI, and machine manufacturing, lean concepts are becoming more important than ever in terms of staying competitive. Borsari will discuss change and innovation through lean concepts and focus on resulting cultural considerations. The presentation will also address already-active market disrupters that will affect business processes in various industries.

Metered street parking is available near the venue, and there are several parking-garage options nearby as well. To register, visit businesswest.com/lecture-series.

HOLYOKE — The O’Connell Companies announced the promotion of Joanne Beauregard to financial vice president. Beauregard fills the position vacated by Martin Schoenemann, who retired this spring after 38 years at O’Connell’s. As financial VP, she is responsible for management of the financial, accounting, and tax matters of the company’s real estate, construction, property-management, and biosolids businesses.

She moves to this position after 34 years of successive positions of increased responsibility and leadership, most recently as controller for O’Connell Development Group. She holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Hartford and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Western New England College.

Beauregard is currently a board member of Providence Ministries Service Network and previously served as the chair of the board of the Sisters of Providence Health System. She also served as the treasurer of the Holyoke Children’s Museum.

The O’Connell Companies is the parent company of O’Connell Development Group, New England Fertilizer Company, Appleton Corp., Western Builders, and Daniel O’Connell’s Sons.

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Bank will once again participate in World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on Friday, June 15, by hosting free informational seminars at local senior centers and libraries across its footprint. World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is acknowledged annually in June as a call to action for communities to address the issues surrounding the physical, emotional, and financial abuse of elders.

Elder financial abuse is defined as a crime that deprives the resources and independence of elders through the misuse of assets and exploitation of financial control.

“According to the National Center on Elder Abuse, approximately one in 10 Americans 60 years of age or older have experienced some form of elder abuse, and only one in 14 cases of financial exploitation are ever reported. Developing programs to educate friends, families, and elders in our communities on how to work together to safeguard their finances and personal information is the first step to address and prevent elder abuse,” said Tami Gunsch, executive vice president, Retail Banking at Berkshire Bank.

To help older individuals and their caregivers protect themselves or their loved ones from financial abuse, Berkshire Bank is offering a series of free seminars to the public at locations across its footprint. Locally, they will take place at the West Springfield Library on Friday, June 15 at 2 p.m.; and at the Cheshire Senior Center on Wednesday, June 27 at 1 p.m.

Senior centers and libraries are welcome to contact Berkshire Bank at [email protected] to schedule an elder-abuse awareness seminar.

HOLYOKE — The Gateway to College program at Holyoke Community College (HCC) marked another milestone June 5, topping 300 graduates for the first time in the 10-year history of the alternative high-school program, which has become one of the most successful of its kind in the country.

The 34 students from eight local districts also represent the program’s largest graduating class ever, bringing the total number of HCC’s Gateway graduates to 303.

“Each and every one of us is strong,” said student speaker Eric Montagna during the graduation ceremony in HCC’s Leslie Phillips Theater. “High school was rough, but we made it. We’re stronger than the people who told us we couldn’t. They knocked us down, but we got back up. We will succeed because we are strong.”

Gateway to College is a national program that takes struggling high-school students and dropouts and puts them into college classes. Students enrolled in Gateway work toward their high-school diplomas while also racking up transferable college credits.

HCC started its Gateway program in 2008 and for the last two years has been recognized with the national network’s Excellence Award for exceeding benchmarks for retention, GPA, and graduation rate. In 2014, HCC’s Gateway program was ranked number one among all the Gateway programs in the U.S.

“Some students struggle in traditional high school,” said Vivian Ostrowski, coordinator of HCC’s Gateway program. “Those same students can be, and are, wildly successful in a different academic environment and culture. That is the secret to Gateway.”

One such success story is Julia Rodrigue from Amherst. In high school, Rodrigue had a GPA of 1.6 and dropped out during her senior year. Through Gateway, she earned 14 college credits at HCC and graduated from the program with a GPA of 4.0. For her academic achievements, Rodrigue received the Presidents Award from the Gateway National Network.

“Failure is a part of learning,” Rodrigue told her classmates. “Dropping out and going back to school has taught me the importance of education. Finishing something easy isn’t as great of an accomplishment as achieving a goal that has been challenging.”

Rodrigue plans to continue her college education at HCC in the fall and intends to study education in the hopes of being a teacher.

“I entered Gateway with no confidence in myself academically,” she said. “I’m leaving here today with the skills to be successful in college.”

Keynote speaker and HCC professor Raúl Gutiérrez gave a brief Spanish lesson. “There’s a saying, esso vale la pena, meaning ‘it’s worth the struggle.’ You students are worth it. Sometimes, as a professor, you can make me a little frustrated, but it’s worth it. You are worth it. Don’t ever forget that.”

Holyoke mayor Alex Morse, who was in the audience to support the Holyoke students graduating from Gateway, was asked to address the crowd of faculty, staff, family, and friends in the theater. “Wherever you go,” he said, “remember where you’re from. Holyoke needs you. It needs your intelligence, ideas, and energy.”

The 34 new Gateway graduates earned a total of 306 college credits among them.

HATFIELD — Northeast Solar announced that the new farm stand for Springfield-based nonprofit Gardening the Community, at 200 Walnut St. in Mason Square, is now being powered by a free solar-power array made possible in part by a collaboration with two area donors.

The farm stand is the 11th free solar installation completed by Northeast Solar, and the list continues to grow as the company identifies more nonprofit organizations operating in the Pioneer Valley to work with. The nonprofit solar installations are part of the company’s larger mission under its commitment to the community program.

Greg Garrison, president of Northeast Solar and a graduate of the Greenfield Community College (GCC) Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency program, started the company in 2010 after serving as a business consultant for the previous owner in 2009. From the outset, Northeast Solar made it its mission to bring a variety of benefits to the community.

“My time at GCC motivated me to start a company that would give me the chance to improve the community,” Garrison said. “I saw that chance with solar.”

Over the past year, Northeast Solar has been working with Garrison’s former GCC professor, Brian Adams, and Morey Phippen, a long-time social-service worker in Northampton, to bring free solar power to local community organizations.

To date, Northeast Solar has installed free solar for DIAL/Self, ServiceNet, Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture, Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary, the Peace Development Fund, Dakin Animal Shelter, Nasami Farm, the Amherst Survival Center, Historic Northampton, and now Gardening the Community.

“Free solar for nonprofits is central to our mission as a company — to give more than we take and to benefit the community,” Garrison said.

The donated solar installations are intended to reduce the amount of money organizations have to spend on electricity every year in the hope that those funds can be redirected into better programs that serve the community.

HANCOCK — On July 1, recreational marijuana becomes legal in Massachusetts.  As the only state on the East Coast to allow 21 and older to buy cannabis recreationally, analysts anticipate a surge in tourism to Massachusetts, and particularly the Berkshires, from places like New York, Vermont, and Connecticut. What does this mean for your business? What plans should you have in place by July 1 to be prepared?

Today, June 14, Berkshire Roots and 1Berkshire will host an educational session on “Canna Tourism in the Berkshires: What It Means for Your Business” at Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort in Hancock from 5 to 7 p.m. Attorney Andrea Nuciforo Jr., one of the founding members of Berkshire Roots, will address attendees’ questions.

Berkshire Roots is the first marijuana dispensary in Pittsfield and the largest grower of cannabis in the Berkshires. This educational session is free to 1Berkshire members and their employees. To register, call (413) 499-1600, ext 135.

NORTH ADAMS — MassDevelopment has provided a $1.1 million loan to Greylock WORKS LLC, the developer of the Greylock Mill, a former cotton-spinning mill campus in North Adams that Greylock WORKS is transforming into a mixed-use commercial development.

The organization will use loan proceeds to continue renovations of the Weave Shed, which includes a 26,000-square-foot event venue and commercial kitchen where the owners have been producing regional festivals and dance parties, as well as hosting weddings and other private events.

This loan builds on significant support from the state and MassDevelopment, including nearly $4 million in MassWorks Infrastructure Grant Program funding for North Adams. The two awards enabled the city to complete public infrastructure improvements necessary for the development’s ongoing construction.

“The Baker-Polito administration has created a toolbox of flexible resources to support significant opportunities for economic growth in municipalities across the Commonwealth,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash. “North Adams and the team behind Greylock WORKS have successfully layered multiple funding sources and tools to undertake a transformative development, which will create new jobs, attract visitors, build housing, and become an asset for the entire region.”

Added MassDevelopment President and CEO Lauren Liss, “MassDevelopment is pleased to continue our support of the Greylock WORKS efforts to revive a vacant, underused space in North Adams. We look forward to seeing this former cotton mill transformed into a retail destination and event space for Berkshire residents and visitors alike.”

The Greylock Mill is a 240,000-square-foot former cotton-spinning facility that stretches 700 feet along Route 2 in North Adams. Plans for the building’s campus include wholesale scaled artisanal food production, a boutique hotel, housing, and event space. The Baker-Polito administration, through MassDevelopment, has worked with the developer across numerous aspects of the project, providing pre-development funding and grants through the Brownfields Redevelopment Fund, the Site Readiness Program, and the Collaborative Workspace Program.

“We’ve all seen the wrenching effect of once-vibrant industrial sites like this, languishing into blighted eyesores due to their scale and complexity,” said Sal Perry, development director of Greylock WORKS. “With the financial support and expertise of MassDevelopment, our team is writing a new chapter for this underutilized asset at the heart of Northern Berkshire County. It’s about creating a catalyst for rekindled aspirations at a regional level.”