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Habitat for Humanity Accepting Applications for Homeownership Opportunity

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WEST SPRINGFIELD — Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH) is now accepting applications for a home in Hampden County. The deadline to apply is Thursday, March 30.

“We are excited to offer this opportunity, helping to make the dream of homeownership a reality for a deserving family in Hampden County,” GSHFH Executive Director Aimee Giroux said.

GSHFH is a housing ministry dedicated to strengthening communities by empowering low-income families to change their lives and the lives of future generations through homeownership and home-repair opportunities. This is accomplished by working in partnership with diverse people, from all walks of life, to build and repair simple, decent, affordable housing. Habitat’s mission to provide homeownership opportunities to low-income families is unique as it requires partner families to work alongside the community that is reaching out to help them. GSHFH has helped roughly 100 local families realize their dream of homeownership over the past 35 years.

For more information, contact Brandy O’Brien, Marketing and Communications manager, at [email protected] or (413) 739-5503, ext. 1003.

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Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity Receives Generous Grant from Liberty Bank

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WEST SPRINGFIELD — Liberty Bank recently selected Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH) to receive one of its community grants. The foundation aims to help low- and moderate-income families improve their economic situation and quality of life.

“We are very grateful to have been selected to receive this grant. It will help us to continue to provide home-ownership and home-repair services in Hampden County,” GSHFH Executive Director Aimee Giroux said.

Tony Liberopoulos, Liberty Bank’s market president for Massachusetts, added that “the work that Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity does fits so well with Liberty Bank’s philosophy of ‘be commmunity kind.’ We look forward to continuing our relationship and seeing the grant dollars help out in our community.”

Through Liberty Bank Foundation, Liberty Bank supports nonprofit organizations that its neighbors depend on to build strong families and communities. Grant making is focused on organizations that serve people within Liberty Bank’s market area.

GSHFH is a housing ministry dedicated to strengthening communities by empowering low-income families to change their lives and the lives of future generations through home-ownership and home-repair opportunities. This is accomplished by working in partnership with diverse people, from all walks of life, to build and repair simple, decent, affordable housing.

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Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity to Host Double Dedication Event in Holyoke

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WEST SPRINGFIELD — On Monday, July 18, Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH) will host a double in-person dedication ceremony (that will also air on Facebook Live) for two Holyoke homes and two families.

Since construction began in summer 2021, roughly 150 volunteers from local companies and school groups helped complete this project. They include the Holyoke Department of Community Development; the Holyoke Housing Authority; the Holyoke Community Preservation Act Committee; Sunbelt Rentals; PeoplesBank; OMG; Anna Maria College; Meyers Brothers Kalicka; Pellegrini, Seeley, Ryan & Blakesley; Citizens Bank; and Restoration Worship Center.

“We are very grateful for the opportunity and partnerships created allowing us to provide more affordable housing in the city of Holyoke. We hope that this is the start of more to come,” said Aimee Giroux, GSHFH executive director.

Single mother Jennifer and her three teenage boys will move into a three-bedroom Greater Springfield Habitat home currently under construction. Since divorcing her abusive husband, Jennifer has strived for a safe and decent affordable home. In her current apartment, her two youngest sons share a bedroom and bed, and the neighborhood they live in is dangerous.

“I see so much better for my children, and I want to be able to provide them a forever home — a place where we will feel safe, stable, happy, and accomplished,” Jennifer said. “We want a place to create beautiful memories for many years to come.”

Ireydiza and her husband, Juan, will soon purchase the other three-bedroom GSHFH home in Holyoke. The couple has two young children. Just four years ago, the family was happy, healthy, and dreaming of buying their first home. Then tragedy struck. A workplace injury disabled Juan and Ireydiza left school to be the sole breadwinner. The family is eager to move forward and out of the apartment, which in the winter is cold in the living room and master bedroom.

“We’ve been trying to leave for a while. This neighborhood has a bad reputation,” Juan said. “We want something different for our kids. We want them to be able to have something where they come home and say, ‘this is our home.’”

GSHFH is a housing ministry dedicated to strengthening communities by empowering low-income families to change their lives and the lives of future generations through homeownership and home repair opportunities. This is accomplished by working in partnership with diverse people, from all walks of life, to build and repair simple, decent, affordable housing. GSHFH has helped more than 100 local families realize their dream of homeownership over the last 35 years.

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Pellegrini, Seeley, Ryan & Blakesley Donates Manpower to Habitat for Humanity

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SPRINGFIELD — The law firm of Pellegrini, Seeley, Ryan and Blakesley made a financial contribution and donated staff man hours to help with the construction of a new home in Holyoke by the Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity.

“As a firm, we are committed each day to help make the lives for residents of our state better,” said Charlie Casartello, the firm’s managing partner.  “To be able to literally construct a building to help a family in need is something very special indeed.”

Michael Cardaropoli, PSRB attorney and vice president of the Habitat for Humanity board of directors, agreed. “This is the second build project the firm has been involved with for Habitat for Humanity. We are always happy to roll up our sleeves and dig into another project for this amazing organization,” “Making a financial contribution is critical, but having the firm help with sweat equity is a labor of love for our whole team.

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Rocky’s Ace Hardware Raising Funds for Habitat for Humanity

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SPRINGFIELD — Rocky’s Ace Hardware, one of the country’s largest family-owned Ace Hardware dealers with 38 locations in eight states, will host a round-up fundraising campaign in eight of its Western Mass. stores, with 100% of money raised going to benefit local Habitat for Humanity chapters. Customers can round up their totals to the next dollar the week of Feb. 18-25 at the Island Pond Road and Liberty Street stores in Springfield, and the Agawam, East Longmeadow, Westfield, Ludlow, Palmer, and South Hadley stores.

“Habitat for Humanity continues to do amazing things in the community,” Rocky’s Ace Hardware President Rocco Falcone said. “Everyone deserves a warm, safe place to live. Habitat is working to make that happen for families in our region and beyond. We are proud this round-up will support their efforts building and renovating homes for deserving families.”

Habitat for Humanity helps qualifying families obtain a home of their own with an affordable mortgage, partnering with people in the community to help them build or improve a place they can call home. To donate through this campaign, simply make a purchase at one of the participating Rocky’s Ace Hardware locations and round up the total.

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MCLA, Habitat for Humanity Collaborate to Offer Free Tax Assistance to Those in Need

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NORTH ADAMS — Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) and its Department of Business Administration will once again partner with Habitat for Humanity to offer free tax-preparation services to local residents in need through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.

Habitat for Humanity administers VITA, a program of the IRS, to assist taxpayers with disabilities or limited English-speaking skills, those 60 years of age or older, and individuals who make $57,000 or less per year. MCLA students will be available to complete both basic and advanced returns, including those with itemized deductions.

The students who participate in this program undergo a rigorous training, become IRS-certified, and will work under the supervision of MCLA Professor of Accounting Tara Barboza, an enrolled agent with the U.S. Department of the Treasury and a certified public accountant (CPA).

In addition to meeting a significant need in Northern Berkshire County, Barboza said, “participating in the VITA program is a unique opportunity that will provide students with valuable, hands-on preparation experience.” They will earn college credit, and accounting students can use this credit toward the requirements for the CPA exam.

Interested individuals should call Habitat for Humanity offices at (413) 442-0002 or (413) 442-3181 to find out if they qualify and schedule an appointment. MCLA students will begin to see clients on Monday, Feb. 7. Hours will be Mondays and Wednesdays from 4 to 8 p.m. in Murdock Hall on the MCLA campus in North Adams. The program will continue through April 13.

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Fall Feastival on Nov. 4 to Raise Funds for Habitat for Humanity

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WEST SPRINGFIELD — Fall Feastival, Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity’s (GSHFH) biggest fundraiser of the year, will take place on Thursday, Nov. 4 starting at 5:30 p.m. at Twin Hills Country Club in Longmeadow. At $50 a ticket — a $25 savings from previous years — the evening promises hours of fun and networking opportunities.

This year marks the event’s 20th year. Attendees can enjoy sweet and savory samplings from local restaurants, including Nadim’s Downtown Mediterranean Grill, Elegant Affairs, Twin Hills, and Mamma Mia’s, and bid on live and silent auctions to win featured prizes such as four tickets to see the Boston Bruins play the Edmonton Oilers on Nov. 11 with four passes to Legends — the private, members-only restaurant at TD Garden — and an overnight stay at Red Lion Inn in the Berkshires.

“We are so thrilled to have this event in person once again and look forward to a great evening of fun, food, and live and silent auction items. A huge thank you to our many generous event sponsors, including Dietz & Company Architects,” said John O’Farrell, GSHFH fundraising and volunteer coordinator. “The collective support of our donors, community partners, and volunteers truly make our building projects possible throughout Hampden County. We hope to see everyone at Twin Hills on Thursday, Nov. 4.”

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Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity Wins Jerome S. Gurland Human Relations Award

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WEST SPRINGFIELD — Springfield’s Sinai Temple and the Jerome S. Gurland Human Relations Award Committee recently selected Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH) as the 2021 award recipient. GSHFH Executive Director Aimee Giroux met with Rabbi Jeremy Master on May 26 to accept the honor.

Award namesake Rabbi Gurland of Longmeadow, who passed away on May 20, had been a beloved member of the community and an advocate for community service and interfaith relations.

“Our committee was most impressed with your proposal for the affordable home-ownership project on Bay Street in Springfield. We are very pleased with your partnership with Putnam Vocational High School. By partnering with your organization, students will be able to help someone within their own community,” Master said on behalf of the committee. “Sinai Temple’s partnership with Habitat for Humanity a few years ago reminds us of the pride we felt working with you.”

Added Giroux, “we are honored to have been selected to receive this award. The funds will be used to promote community involvement, primarily with youth volunteers through construction on our Bay Street project. We want to create a lasting tribute to the rabbi’s memory, and we want to honor our donors and volunteers. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to reach our mission.”

GSHFH is a housing ministry dedicated to strengthening communities by empowering low-income families to change their lives and the lives of future generations through home ownership and home-repair opportunities. This is accomplished by working in partnership with diverse people, from all walks of life, to build and repair simple, decent, affordable housing. GSHFH has helped roughly 100 local families realize their dream of home ownership over the last 34 years.

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Habitat for Humanity Accepting Applications for Home-ownership Opportunity

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HOLYOKE — Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH) is now accepting applications for a new, three-bedroom home in Holyoke. Construction will begin this year. The deadline to apply is June 10. For more information, including an application, visit habitatspringfield.org.

“My hope is that every lower-income family that wants to own their own home knows about the GSHFH home-ownership program,” said Deborah O’Mara, GSHFH Family Services manager. “With all kinds of support from staff and volunteers, these selected partner families successfully work toward closing, and after, they live many happy years in their own homes.”

GSHFH is a housing ministry dedicated to strengthening communities by empowering low-income families to change their lives and the lives of future generations through home ownership and home-repair opportunities. This is accomplished by working in partnership with diverse people, from all walks of life, to build and repair simple, decent, affordable housing. Habitat’s mission to provide homeownership opportunities to low-income families is unique as it requires partner families to work alongside the community that is reaching out to help them. GSHFH has helped roughly 100 local families realize their dream of homeownership over the last 34 years.

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Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity Partners with Union Tradeswomen

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WEST SPRINGFIELD — The Habitat for Humanity Women Build Week event, sponsored by Lowe’s, is an opportunity to spread the positive and powerful message of “women helping women” and facilitate in building stronger and safer communities.

During the weeklong event, which began March 8, women from all walks of life and skill levels have come together to work on a job site. Under the guidance of construction professionals, the group learns new skills and/or adds to their repertoire.

At Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH), the event has been a staple for several years teaming up with Lowe’s. This year, GSHFH has partnered with Western Mass. Tradeswomen to empower and encourage women volunteers to become involved on the build site.

“This is an awesome opportunity to showcase the skills of women and prove gender shouldn’t dictate capability,” said Brandice O’Brien, Marketing and Communications manager at GSHFH. “Whether the women on these build sites are construction workers or volunteers, they are simply ‘women helping women.’ The house they are working on is for a single mother.”

Western Mass. Tradeswomen is a network of female construction workers in Western Mass., Northern Conn., and Worcester. The majority of the women are in unions. They meet regularly to support one another, build their labor movement, and promote union construction careers for girls and women. The group began several years ago on the construction site of what is now MGM Springfield, where, because of a project labor agreement, workforce-diversity goals were consistently met by contractors.

“It has been a joy to get to work on a project with my sisters this week. We are skilled professionals, we love what we do, and it has been really fun to get to share that together,” said Amy Calandrella of Western Mass. Tradeswomen, who organized the tradeswomen volunteers for this year’s Women Build Week. She is a journeyman operating engineer with International Union of Operating Engineers Local 98 and serves on the board of the Western Massachusetts Area Labor Federation.

During Women Build 2021, GSHFH construction crew and volunteers are working on a two-story, four-bedroom house in Springfield for single mother Ana and her children. Volunteers help with inside finish work, painting, installing cabinets and countertops, building the front-porch rails, and putting in the walkway.

GSHFH is a housing ministry dedicated to strengthening communities by empowering low-income families to change their lives and the lives of future generations through homeownership and home-repair opportunities. This is accomplished by working in partnership with diverse people, from all walks of life, to build and repair simple, decent, affordable housing. Habitat’s mission to provide homeownership opportunities to low-income families is unique as it requires partner families to work alongside the community that is reaching out to help them. GSHFH has helped roughly 100 local families realize their dream of homeownership over the last 33 years.

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Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity Welcomes New Staff Members

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WEST SPRINGFIELD — In the wake of a record number of new homes being built, Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH) recently welcomed new staff to assist with furthering the agency’s mission.

Jason Montgomery joins GSHFH as its Donor Relations manager. He comes to GSHFH with more than 10 years of experience in nonprofit/human-services work and has strong ties in the local community. He has previously served with Habitat for Humanity in Hartford and locally with Way Finders.

Also joining the team, Sarah Tanner is now on board for a short term as interim executive director. Tanner is a principal with Financial Development Agency and brings more than 20 years of local nonprofit experience to the affiliate.

GSHFH also announced internal promotions and realignments to maximize the agency’s resources. In response to a capacity grant received by Habitat for Humanity International, Jeff Lomma has been named Marketing & Communications manager, with an emphasis on promoting the value of Habitat programming throughout the community. Meanwhile, Mary Olmsted has transitioned from serving as an Americorps volunteer to full-time staff as Volunteer Services coordinator.

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Fall Feastival, Benefiting Habitat for Humanity, Slated for Nov. 1

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LONGMEADOW — Tickets are now available for one of the area’s most taste-ful events of the season: the 18th annual Fall Feastival, benefiting Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH). The event takes place on Thursday, Nov. 1 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at Twin Hills Country Club, 700 Wolf Swamp Road, Longmeadow.

The evening will feature networking, cocktails, and food from local restaurants, including Nadim’s Mediterranean Restaurant and Grill, The Log Cabin and the Delaney House, Elegant Affairs, Tekoa Country Club, the Magic Spoon, Twin Hills Country Club, Center Square Grill, and Holyoke Hummus. Evening festivities also include live and silent auctions, featuring items such as four VIP tickets to the Dropkick Murphys on St. Patrick’s Day weekend at the House of Blues in Boston, five Red Sox-Yankees tickets at Yankee Stadium in the Jim Beam Suite, and much more. Habitat will also auction off a week-long Napa Valley getaway.

Platinum sponsors include Bank of America and iHeartRadio. Gold sponsors include Excel Dryer and PeoplesBank. Silver sponsors include Berkshire Bank, the Home Builders & Remodelers Assoc. of Western Mass., Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C., Mortgage Network, the Perry Family, and Reminder Publications.

Tickets are $75 per person and available online at www.habitatspringfield.org or by calling (413) 739-5503. A limited number of tickets are available, and, as with previous years, the event is expected to sell out.

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Springfield has built 65 houses for partner families in Hampden County since it was founded in 1987. GSHFH’s retail and donation center, ReStore, opened in Westfield in 2015, is designed to collect and resell new and gently used home and construction goods for a fraction of the retail price. All proceeds from the store support the mission of serving families. Fall Feastival is an event to celebrate all the work that has been done through the organization as well as a chance to share the stories of homeowners that have benefitted from Habitat.

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Country Bank Sponsors Habitat for Humanity Build

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WARE — Country Bank staff recently volunteered their time to assist the Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity build a home for a local Springfield family.

“Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity is blessed to have wonderful community partners like Country Bank who contribute the time, talent, and treasure needed to help families build strength, stability, and self-reliance through shelter,” said Jennifer Schimmel, executive director for Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity.

Added Jodie Gerulaitis, vice president, Community Relations at Country Bank, “when asked to support such a meaningful cause, the staff at Country Bank was eager to help with this project. The staff was truly grateful to be a part of making the dream of home ownership a reality for Joseph and Lakery and their family.”

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Local Lawmakers to Mix It Up for Homework House, Habitat for Humanity

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WEST SPRINGFIELD — State Rep. Aaron Vega and state Sen. Jim Welch will square off in a bartending competition to benefit Homework House and Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity on Thursday Aug. 9 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Irish House Restaurant and Trinity Pub, located at the Irish Cultural Center at 429 Morgan Road in West Springfield.

Vega will be mixing, pouring, and donating his tips to benefit Homework House. HCC President Christina Royal, Holyoke School Committee member Devin Sheehan, and Tessa Murphy-Romboletti, SPARK coordinator, will join Vega behind the bar for Team Homework House. Welch will donate his tips to Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity. The event is free and open to all age 21 and older. Dinner reservations may be made by calling the Trinity Pub directly at (413) 342-4358.

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Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity Building Legacy House in One Week

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SPRINGFIELD — This week, Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GHSFH) will celebrate the end of its 30th anniversary, in partnership with the Home Builder’s Blitz program, by building a house to honor the visionary leadership of GSHFH’s past 30 years, including York Mayo, Bob Perry, Bruce and Ruth Pierce, George Burtch, Pastor Led Baxter, First Church in Ludlow, Ellen Freyman, Bill Mazeine, Neil Swinton, Walt Tomala, Jennifer Schimmel, Jason Tsitso, Karen Carlson, and Steve Gelling.

The house, located at 963 Sumner Ave. in Springfield, will be constructed in one week — specifically, exterior complete with interior drywall finished. This build is made possible with the help of habitat partner families, local construction companies, and hundreds of volunteers from the local community, as well as Guatemala. Funding was made possible, in part, through the Beveridge Family Foundation, the Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation, the Perry family, the Mayo family, the Lyons family, TNT General Contracting, and many more partners (for a full listing, visit www.habitatspringfield.org).

The Legacy Build Week activities at 963 Sumner Ave. kicked off on July 14 with the wall raising. The build will continue throughout the week from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. On Saturday, July 21 at 4 p.m., a celebration will take place, kicking off the 31st year with a proclamation from City Councilor Kateri Walsh, along with the blessing of three Springfield homes and their families, including 37 Bristol St., 1512 Dwight St., and 963 Sumner Ave. An ice-cream social and a tour of 963 Sumner Ave. will conclude the ceremony.

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Fall Feastival Raises More Than $50,000 for Habitat for Humanity

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WEST SPRINGFIELD — Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity’s (GSHFH) 16th annual Fall Feastival on Nov. 3 raised more than $50,000 to support the organization’s work.

The event was hosted at Twin Hills Country Club in Longmeadow. Hundreds from the community gathered alongside more than 30 sponsors, making it one of the most successful events in Habitat’s history. Eventgoers enjoyed food from a dozen local restaurants, raffles, silent and live auctions, and a touching speech from a long-time Habitat family.

“We’re thrilled with the turnout and participation by so many members of our community,” said Jennifer Schimmel, executive director. “This is a testimony to how much our community cares about meeting needs right here at home. We want to extend a sincere and heartfelt ‘thank you’ to everyone who participated.”

Since its founding in 1987, Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity has helped more than 60 local families, and 90 international families, realize their dream of safe, decent, and affordable home ownership.

“Every one of our partnering organizations and community friends who work tirelessly to keep our communities vital and strong are truly appreciated,” Schimmel said.

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Local Habitat for Humanity to Partner with Faith Organizations

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SPRINGFIELD — Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH) announced an upcoming Circle of Faith build on 479 Allen St. in Springfield. This project is a partnership between GSHFH and 11 local faith communities who have come together to raise the funds for a Habitat home, and who will also contribute volunteers, in-kind materials, and amenities for the project. As an intentionally interfaith project, this build incorporates Christian, Islamic, and Jewish communities.

These 11 faith communities include First Church of Christ in Longmeadow, Sinai Temple in Springfield, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in East Longmeadow, St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Longmeadow, the Islamic Society of Western Mass. in West Springfield, Christ the King Lutheran Church in Wilbraham, East Longmeadow United Methodist Church, Mercy Medical Center and the Sisters of Providence Health System in Springfield, St. Cecilia’s Parish in Wilbraham, and Foster Memorial Church in Springfield.

Ellen Tougias, the point person for First Church of Christ in Longmeadow, says her church is “proud to be a part of the Circle of Faith Build for Habitat. We have committed to this project as part of our 30th-year celebration. It is one way that we have chosen to give back to our community in honor of this special year.”

Mohammad Bajwa of the Islamic Society of Western Mass. referenced a piece of Scripture in relation to the project: “cooperate with one another, for doing good deeds and righteousness … surely God’s mercy is upon the good doers.”

To kick off this partnership, the Circle of Faith communities and GSHFH are hosting a “House Wrapped in Love” event at the Islamic Society of Western Mass. on June 1 at 6:30 p.m. This event is family-friendly and invites kids to paint what home, family, and love means to them on sheets of plywood that will then be used to build the walls of the new habitat house at 479 Allen St. Following this event will be several days of building on the job site, where the exterior walls of the home will start to take shape.

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Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity Welcomes Back Bob Perry

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WEST SPRINGFIELD — Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH) announced that Bob Perry — a donor, volunteer, partner, and friend who has supported the organization for more than 15 years — will join the team as the new volunteer donor relations manager.

“Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity is thrilled to be able to welcome back Bob Perry as our new volunteer donor relations manager,” said Jennifer Schimmel, the organization’s executive director. “Even with his new title, he’ll still be known by many as Habitat’s chief hugging officer!”

Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity is a housing ministry dedicated to strengthening communities by empowering low-income families to change their lives and the lives of future generations through home ownership and home-preservation opportunities. This is accomplished by working in partnership with diverse people, from all walks of life, to build and repair simple, decent, affordable housing. GSHFH has helped 70 local families (58 through home ownership and 12 through home preservation), as well as 90 international families, over the past 27 years.

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Luminance USA Makes Donation to Habitat for Humanity ReStore

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WESTFIELD — Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH) and its ReStore in Westfield recently received a donation of lighting products from Luminance USA, headquartered in Commerce, Calif. The product will be used in GSHFH’s construction projects as well as sold at its ReStore retail outlet.

Products received include chandeliers, bathroom vanity lights, lightbulbs, wall sconces, ceiling-fan replacement parts, and table lamps, and are available for purchase at the Habitat ReStore located at 301 East Main St. in Westfield, with prices from 30% to 50% off regular retail prices.

“Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity and our ReStore in Westfield rely on the generous support of our partners such as Luminance to provide strength, stability, and self-reliance to our partner families through our home-ownership and home-preservation programs. We have made an investment in ourselves with the opening of our ReStore, and with the support of partners such as Luminance, we know it was worth it,” said Jennifer Schimmel, executive director of Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity.

GSHFH’s ReStore opened last April. Habitat for Humanity ReStores are nonprofit home-improvement stores and donation centers that sell new and gently used furniture, home accessories, building materials, and appliances to the public at a fraction of the retail price.

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Habitat for Humanity to Present Fall Feastival Tonight

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WEST SPRINGFIELD — The Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity will present its 15th annual Fall Feastival tonight, Nov. 5, from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at Springfield Country Club, 1375 Elm St., West Springfield.

The event will feature food selections from area restaurants, including the Log Cabin – Delaney House, Nadim’s Mediterranean Restaurant & Grill, and more. Live and silent auction items will be available, including theater tickers, golf foursomes, and family-fun activities.

The event is supported by platinum sponsors BusinessWest and Babson Capital; gold sponsor PeoplesBank; silver sponsors Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. and Columbia Gas of Massachusetts; and bronze sponsors Chicopee Savings Charitable Foundation and Monson Savings Bank.

Tickets cost $75. To RSVP and purchase tickets, call (413) 739-5503 or visit habitatspringfield.org.

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Berkshire Bank, NESN Team Up to Assist Habitat for Humanity

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PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Bank and NESN have announced that Berkshire Bank Foundation again will be donating to New England Habitat for Humanity chapters during NESN’s coverage of the Boston Bruins’ 2014-15 season through its Hockey 4 Housing initiative.

This donation is connected to the team’s level of play during the regular season, and will directly benefit 12 regional Habitat for Humanity chapters. Berkshire Bank Foundation will donate $200 for each successful Boston Bruins penalty kill during NESN televised games. A penalty kill is the moment during a hockey game when one team, which has fewer players on the ice due to a penalty, prevents the opposing team from scoring. Last season, the team had 176 penalty kills, and Berkshire Bank Foundation evenly split its $44,000 donation among New England Habitat for Humanity chapters.

In addition to the financial support, Bank employees will help build Habitat for Humanity homes in communities across New England where Berkshire has a presence through the company’s X-TEAM, its award-winning employee volunteer program. Hockey 4 Housing highlights the bank’s support for housing initiatives and its commitment to making a difference in the community.

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Tickets Selling Fast for Habitat for Humanity Fall Feastival on Nov. 6

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WEST SPRINGFIELD — A limited number of tickets are available for the 14th annual Fall Feastival benefiting Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity. The event takes place Thursday, Nov. 6 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Springfield Country Club, 1375 Elm St., West Springfield. Courtesy valet parking is available.

The evening features a lavish menu provided by 12 of the area’s most popular restaurants, including Chez Josef, the Country Club of Wilbraham, Elegant Affairs, Heartfelt Fine Gifts, Lattitude, theLog Cabin/Delaney House, Nadim’s Mediterranean Restaurant and Grill, Pintu’s Indian Palace, Springfield Country Club, Tekoa Country Club, the Latin Gourmet, and the Magic Spoon.

Guests will have an opportunity to bid on silent and live auction items, including a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame dinner for six prepared by Steve Jackson, former chef for the Chicago Bulls; a one-week Florida escape with four Disney one-day park-hopper passes; Red Sox/Yankees tickets in the Jim Beam Suite at Yankee Stadium; four VIP tickets and backstage passes to the Dropkick Murphys’ St. Patrick’s weekend concert at the House of Blues in Boston; a Napa getaway for two with luxury timeshare condo accommodations; and a backyard barbeque package catered by Log Rolling (Log Cabin/Delaney House) with musical entertainment provided by Pridefalls.

The event’s Gold Sponsor is Babson Capital Management, LLC, while the Silver Sponsor is PeoplesBank. Bronze Sponsors include Consigli Construction; Freedom Credit Union; the Home Builders and Remodelers Assoc. of Western Mass.; Hastings; Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.; Nicholas LaPier CPA, P.C.; TD Bank; and TNG General Contracting. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available by contacting Jeff LaValley at (413) 739-5503, or [email protected].

Tickets cost $75 per person and are available by registering securely online using a credit card at www.habitatspringfield.org, or by calling (413) 739-5503.

In recognition of the 14th annual Fall Feastival, and of 27 years serving the community and aiding 58 families through home ownership and home-preservation opportunities, Springfield Mayor Dominic Sarno has proclaimed Nov. 6 Greater Springfield for Humanity Day.

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Jeffrey LaValley Joins Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity

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SPRINGFIELD — Jeffrey LaValley was recently appointed community outreach manager at Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity.

LaValley’s primary responsibility is the development and execution of strategies to increase awareness and financial support of the affiliate’s mission. LaValley will play a pivotal role in implanting the organization’s capacity-building efforts, specifically the 30 in 3 campaign, the affiliate’s vision to serve 30 families in three years. He also will oversee Habitat’s annual resource-development plan, including outreach efforts to foster a positive identity for the affiliate in the community.

Most recently, LaValley served as executive director and director of sales and marketing for Shaker Farm Farms Country Club in Westfield. Previously, he served as associate director of donor relations for Shriners Hospital for Children in Springfield. Prior to that, he was the community-development coordinator at Noble Hospital in Westfield and director of alumni and parent relations at Keene State College in New Hampshire.

LaValley received a bachelor’s degree in journalism/public affairs and a master of education in curriculum and instruction from Keene State College. He also earned a certificate in fund-raising from UMass Amherst. With nearly 20 years of experience working in higher education and healthcare settings, LaValley brings a great depth of experience to Habitat for Humanity, including a background in public relations, marketing, event and program management, as well as knowledge of annual fund and major-gift strategies, volunteer management and board development, and strategic planning.

Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity is a housing ministry dedicated to strengthening communities by empowering low-income families to change their lives and the lives of future generations through home ownership and home-preservation opportunities. This is accomplished by working in partnership with diverse people, from all walks of life, to build and repair simple, decent, affordable housing. Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity has helped 58 local families (54 with home ownership and four with home preservation), as well as over 90 international families, realize their dream of home ownership over the past 27 years.

Daily News

Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity Announces New Executive Director

By

FLORENCE — Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity (PVHH) announced that Megan McDonough has accepted the position of executive director for the organization.

McDonough has been working for Habitat for more than a year and has demonstrated skilled leadership and vision since the previous director left in April, said Mike Simolo, PVHH’s board president. “I am pleased to report that the hiring committee made an enthusiastic recommendation to the board to hire our own Megan McDonough as PVHH’s next executive director,” he added. “The board members present unanimously accepted that recommendation, and we all look forward to working with her in her new role.”

McDonough holds a master’s degree in regional planning from UMass Amherst, and is an alumna of the Williston Northampton School in Easthampton. She has seven years of experience working with green builders during her time at the Center for EcoTechnology, and seven years of experience working with the Valley Community Land Trust, an affordable-housing nonprofit based in Franklin County. Her experience in housing, paired with her past leadership experience at the UMass Graduate Employee Organization, makes her an ideal fit for furthering Habitat’s mission, Simolo said.

“I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to continue to work alongside the many kind and generous Habitat volunteers I’ve met in the past year,” said McDonough. “The board, the office volunteers, the committees, the building volunteers, and our many donors are what make it possible for Habitat to be a catalyst for change — not just for the families we house, but for the whole community that is enriched by the experience of helping build hope.”

Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity (PVHH) serves Hampshire and Franklin counties, seeking to eliminate homelessness and substandard housing by making decent, affordable shelter a matter of conscience and action for all people. PVHH builds homes with volunteer labor and donations of material, supplies, land, and services. PVHH then sells each home with a no-interest mortgage to a low-income family. The family becomes an active Habitat partner, contributing many hours of sweat equity during the construction of their home. Since 1989, nearly three dozen families have become homeowners in the Valley through Habitat’s work.

Daily News

Pellegrini, Seeley, Ryan & Blakesley Attorney Joins Habitat Board

By

SPRINGFIELD — Attorney Michael Cardaropoli, a partner in the law firm of Pellegrini, Seeley, Ryan and Blakesley, has been appointed to serve on the board of directors of Springfield Habitat for Humanity.

“I’m proud of the opportunity to serve on the board of this incredible organization,” said Cardaropoli.  “We have a rich history as a firm of charitable connections to the community.  I had first-hand experience with the Habitat for Humanity team as we worked on the SGT Sullivan house, and I am so pleased to now be a part of their ongoing efforts,” he added.

Twelve staff members from Pellegrini Seeley, Ryan and Blakesley donated a total of nearly 100 man hours to kick off the Gunnery Sgt. Thomas J. Sullivan project on the first build day in 2018. The firm also contributed $2,500 to the effort.
“As a firm we are committed each day to help make the lives better for the residents of Springfield,” said Cardaropoli.

Daily News

Country Bank Staff Participate in Habitat’s Operation Playhouse

By

WARE — A group of 14 Country Bank employees recently joined forces with Habitat for Humanity Metro West/Greater Worcester in a team-building exercise that ended with a local veteran family receiving a unique gift: a custom playhouse.

Habitat’s Operation Playhouse is a program designed to allow groups to come together to create and complete a custom playhouse in one day. The opportunity to work together and collaborate on design and construction of the house is wrapped up with the reward of seeing it turned over to a local veteran and their children.

“Working with the Habitat staff was seamless, and the day couldn’t have been more rewarding,” said Deb Gagnon, Corporate Relations officer, Country Bank. “Completing the playhouse gave us all a sense of accomplishment, and when the family arrived to receive their gift, there wasn’t a dry eye around.”

Daily News

ESB, Pioneer Valley Habitat Team Up for First Easthampton Project

By

EASTHAMPTON — Matthew Sosik, president and CEO of Easthampton Savings Bank, announced that the bank has become a keystone sponsor for the first Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity home in Easthampton. The bank contributed $10,000 to the East Street Habitat home. The money will go toward the costs of planning, construction, volunteer recruitment, and training. A 15-volunteer committee is already in place to plan the building of the East Street Home. “This particular build is significant because we are building two homes at once, and it is our first Women Build Initiative, which is a project designed to proactively welcome women leadership and women volunteers,” said Peter Jessop, interim executive director of the Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity. “Three of our steering committee members are from Easthampton Savings Bank, so ESB is providing more than just financial support — they are also providing leadership and volunteer capacity. This is the true spirit of the Habitat model, and we hope ESB’s commitment will inspire others to get involved.” Added Sosik, “the Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity is about building communities. Being a sponsor gives us the unique opportunity to become involved in a family’s journey towards home ownership in our community. Plus, the Women Build Initiative is a great way to empower women to get involved in the construction of a home and help a family who wouldn’t be able to build a home otherwise.” Easthampton Savings Bank has supported Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity since 2004 with contributions totaling over $31,000, while ESB employees sit on the organization’s board of directors, finance committee, and the Women Build steering committee.

Oumkar Tobaran
Banking and Financial Services

Chase Bank Continues Ambitious Growth Plan in Springfield

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Branching Out

Oumkar Tobaran

Oumkar Tobaran says the human element is critical in banking even amid the rise of online and mobile tools.

At a time when a bank’s customers can conduct business from anywhere with a few clicks, dramatic branch expansion may seem outdated.

But it’s not, Ali Zaidi said, explaining why Chase Bank is looking to double its presence in Massachusetts over the next several years, starting with the opening of a downtown Springfield office on March 7.

“When you think about the important life events that customers go through, whether it be retirement planning, buying a house, or the birth of a child, people still have an appreciation for that face-to-face conversation. That makes an impact,” said Zaidi, Chase’s market director for Western and Central Mass. “And about 75% of our customers that have balances with us still come to the branches. So, clearly, the customers are telling us they would love to have that face-to-face interaction, especially with complex life events.”

Oumkar Tobaran, branch manager for the new location in Harrison Place — which has a long history of housing banks, including Third National Bank and, in recent decades, Bank of Western Massachusetts and People’s United Bank — said the human element is critical.

“With all the technology and innovation we have, think of the amount of things that we can go on our phones to do on a daily basis,” he told BusinessWest. “But the minute something doesn’t go right or the minute you need support or additional advice on something, we want to show that customer service matters, with a physical presence.”

The branch is Chase’s 38th in Massachusetts since opening its first Bay State location in Boston in 2018 — an impressive growth trajectory, and a number the institution is looking to double by 2025, including a location to open this spring in the former Silverscape Designs building on King Street in Northampton.

“This is a central point,” Zaidi said of downtown Springfield, noting that Chase has an office a few miles down I-91 in Enfield, but this is technically the first in Western Mass. “There’s definitely a rich history here on Main Street and its local businesses, as well as larger clienteles with MGM and the Hall of Fame. We’re serving clients of different demographics, and I’m very excited that we were able to secure this spot on Main Street.”

Tobaran said he expects plenty of foot traffic downtown, as well as visits from customers who may have been banking in Enfield or branches to the west, while Chase has been conducting outreach to build a larger base of business in the region.

“About 75% of our customers that have balances with us still come to the branches. So, clearly, the customers are telling us they would love to have that face-to-face interaction, especially with complex life events.”

“We wanted to make sure that we have a convenient place for them to visit because it’s important to be able to interact with the community,” he added. “There’s a lot of development happening in Springfield, and we wanted to be part of that momentum as well.”

Zaidi agreed. “Springfield is a key cog that gives us an entry point into expanding into Western Massachusetts and brings convenience to our customers. Springfield is being revitalized, and I feel we can be an integral part of that.”

He also feels there’s an opportunity to add customers who might already be familiar with Chase through its mortgage products and credit cards. “That’s what people know. So one of our consumer-banking priorities is to be a bank for all and make it easy for people to do business with us. And technology-wise, where customers were able to bank with us remotely, this now gives them a physical location to meet their diverse needs.”

Ali Zaidi

Ali Zaidi says downtown Springfield is the first Chase branch in Western Mass. and the springboard to an eventual doubling of the bank’s branches in Massachusetts.

As he showed off the space at 1391 Main St., from the tellers and ITM machines up front to the various offices further back, Zaidi said the new Springfield branch can do all of that.

“We will help our customers with any needs, and we have more licensed specialist bankers to navigate those complex life events — retirement, financial planning, or just navigating your credit-history trajectory if you’re looking to purchase something down the road. We’re so excited to be providing that face-to-face value, and we’re looking forward to continuing the expansion.”

 

Set Up to Help

This first Western Mass. branch is about 3,000 square feet in size and features a modern, bright design with plenty of natural light, quiet meeting areas, and state-of-the-art banking technology, including those ITMs, which allow a higher withdrawal limit than traditional ATMs, as well as access to Chase professionals.

“For customers who have commercial or small-business banking needs, we have our team of experts, partners who will be working out of here and supporting other branches to connect customers. So it’s a one-stop shop.”

A dedicated Chase Private Client team provides premium banking services, personalized attention, and access to the expertise and investment capabilities of J.P. Morgan to help families reach their goals. Customers may also meet with financial and home-lending advisors and business-banking relationship managers.

“Our retail banking operations are here, and we have our licensed bankers to deal with client management,” Zaidi explained, “and for customers who have commercial or small-business banking needs, we have our team of experts, partners who will be working out of here and supporting other branches to connect customers. So it’s a one-stop shop.”

Tobaran said the open layout will help customers easily navigate what they need. “We will have associates in the lobby greeting clients, interacting with them. And then, depending on the transactions they’ll need to leverage, we can go back here and figure out what we need to help them with,” he explained, gesturing away from the front door toward the offices in back.

“But we equip a lot of our associates with tablets,” he added. “So in addition to helping them back there, however we can help support them face to face, sitting down in the lobby area, we will do that with the resources and tools we have.”

Besides banking business, Chase also wants to connect with Greater Springfield in other ways, Zaidi said, through financial-literacy programs and other types of community outreach.

“The idea is to have our branches be community anchors. So when we think about financial-literacy conversations, be it with young professionals or small-business owners, we want to host workshops and assistance in that space as well,” he explained, noting that Chase is working on several community-development efforts around financial literacy, including a partnership with Western New England University. “So this would serve as an anchor for us where we could do before- or after-hours seminars and events. It makes sense.”

Harrison Place

Harrison Place has been home to several banks in the past, from Third National Bank to the Bank of Western Massachusetts and People’s United Bank.

Tobaran added that the bank’s employees also reflect its region, as the branch hired locally, including people who hail from the Latino and Vietnamese communities, among others.

“We want some familiar faces to be representing Chase, saying, ‘hey, these are the resources we have to help you accomplish your goal.’ It was important for us to get local talent, people who had ties to the community, people who are passionate about giving back and who genuinely want to see Springfield succeed.”

 

Only the Beginning

Zaidi and Tobaran know Chase is making an ambitious surge into a region some have called overbanked, and where community banks have long dominated. But they say Chase is committed to local residents and organizations in much the same way locally headquartered banks are, while also bringing vast financial resources to the table.

“When you think about Chase, we have the resources of a large global corporation,” Zaidi said. “And our vision is, how do we take those resources and localize the solutions for our customers? Our technology and data analysis help us strategize and take a more targeted approach, because all the branches are going to operate differently based on the community-specific needs.”

One example is a partnership with Habitat for Humanity, one of the organizations that will be on hand on March 15 for the branch’s official grand-opening festivities.

“That’s one way Oumkar and his team have been making an impact in the community already,” Zaidi said. “We feel that we can be a valued contributor in that space among all the other banks. The competitive edge that we have is not only through our resources, but with the community aspect that we are trying to drive here.”

Real Estate

Real Estate Transactions

By

The following real estate transactions (latest available) were compiled by Banker & Tradesman and are published as they were received. Only transactions exceeding $115,000 are listed. Buyer and seller fields contain only the first name listed on the deed.

FRANKLIN COUNTY

ASHFIELD

228 Plainfield Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $399,000
Buyer: Fidelis Bridge Loan Ventures V
Seller: Crowd Lending Fund One
Date: 01/05/23

BERNARDSTON

277 South St.
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $910,000
Buyer: Donna Giard
Seller: Pamela T. Buzzell Int.
Date: 12/29/22

COLRAIN

299 Adamsville Road
Colrain, MA 01340
Amount: $224,500
Buyer: Everest J. Peacock
Seller: Mandigo, Lester G., (Estate)
Date: 01/06/23

10 Purington Lane
Colrain, MA 01340
Amount: $117,500
Buyer: Virginia Brown
Seller: Federal National Mortgage Association
Date: 12/30/22

DEERFIELD

89 Upper Road
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $482,500
Buyer: Erin E. Madison
Seller: Richard E. Alber
Date: 12/28/22

GREENFIELD

130 Colrain Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $9,290,000
Buyer: Greenfield Mgmt. Systems
Seller: Charlene Manor LLC
Date: 12/30/22

186 Conway St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $121,938
Buyer: TD Bank
Seller: Eric C. Guba
Date: 01/05/23

57 Forest Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $287,500
Buyer: Donna M. Riggs
Seller: Kara J. Jacobsen
Date: 01/05/23

130 Franklin St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: K. P. Property LLC
Seller: Crawford K. Sweeley
Date: 01/05/23

46 French King Hwy.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Leah Daniels
Seller: Oleksandr Lyvytsky
Date: 12/30/22

17 Garfield St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Mark R. Penfield
Seller: Holmes, Donald K., (Estate)
Date: 12/28/22

45 Harrison Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Matthew T. Phillips
Seller: Isotti FT
Date: 12/28/22

318 High St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $570,000
Buyer: Liam Lane Holdings LLC
Seller: Doleva Real Estate Inc.
Date: 12/30/22

344 Log Plain Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Mark A. Wallace
Seller: Dauntless Path LLC
Date: 12/30/22

270 Main St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: 270 Main Greenfield LLC
Seller: Greenfield Community College
Date: 12/29/22

48 Montague City Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Barlow Paving & Excavation
Seller: AR Sandri Inc.
Date: 12/29/22

361 Silver St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: Liam Lane Holdings LLC
Seller: Doleva, John E., (Estate)
Date: 12/30/22

MONTAGUE

6 11th St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Brianna C. Doxzen
Seller: Jose A. Ortiz
Date: 12/30/22

NORTHFIELD

Highland Ave.
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $502,000
Buyer: Thomas Aquinas College
Seller: Mnorthfield1 LLC
Date: 12/29/22

491 Millers Falls Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Christopher C. Beckwith
Seller: James S. Rider
Date: 01/06/23

19 Moody St.
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $502,000
Buyer: Thomas Aquinas College
Seller: Mnorthfield1 LLC
Date: 12/29/22

31 Moody St.
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $502,000
Buyer: Thomas Aquinas College
Seller: Mnorthfield1 LLC
Date: 12/29/22

36 Winchester Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $600,000
Buyer: Thomas Aquinas College
Seller: Moody Center Inc.
Date: 12/29/22

ORANGE

19 Clifton St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $269,900
Buyer: Maris Clement
Seller: Ian Hurley
Date: 12/29/22

SHUTESBURY

163 Leverett Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $269,900
Buyer: Colin P. Davis
Seller: Stephen Mace
Date: 01/05/23

548 Wendell Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Laura J. Ketteringham
Seller: Tamie Kelsey-West
Date: 12/28/22

SUNDERLAND

129 Plumtree Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $274,900
Buyer: MF Properties LLC
Seller: Gerald Baranoski
Date: 12/29/22

WHATELY

269 River Road
Whately, MA 01375
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Jonathan C. Galenski
Seller: Pasiecnik, James M., (Estate)
Date: 12/28/22

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

136 Barry St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $457,000
Buyer: Melissa J. Losito
Seller: Mario Tedeschi
Date: 12/29/22

26 Brookside Dr.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $396,000
Buyer: Sean Fitzgerald
Seller: Christopher Roos
Date: 01/05/23

24 Campbell Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Sergeo V. Arbuzov
Seller: Campbell Drive LLC
Date: 12/30/22

51 Fruwirth Ave.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Frederick S. Fruwirth
Seller: Frederick S. Fruwirth
Date: 12/29/22

1370 Main St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $401,000
Buyer: Geraldine O’Sullivan
Seller: Joshua W. Stanley
Date: 12/28/22

16 Norris St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Calabrese Construction LLC
Seller: Tifany Inacio
Date: 12/29/22

40 Plumtree Way
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $545,000
Buyer: Corey Jenks
Seller: Lisa M. Curry
Date: 12/30/22

248 South Westfield St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $142,000
Buyer: Scott Pattenaude
Seller: Dorothy J. Gallo
Date: 12/29/22

164 Southwick St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $495,000
Buyer: Cil Realty of Mass. Inc.
Seller: Interbartolo & Ricupero L
Date: 01/06/23

1083 Suffield St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Christine A. Elias
Seller: Sadiq A. Elias
Date: 12/29/22

216-218 Walnut St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Walnut Street RT
Seller: Deborah A. Andrews
Date: 12/28/22

BLANDFORD

11 Beulah Land Road
Blandford, MA 01008
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: James Gaeta
Seller: Gladys T. Kazalski
Date: 01/04/23

145 Chester Road
Blandford, MA 01008
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: MHI Properties LLC
Seller: Gary Fitzgerald
Date: 12/28/22

BRIMFIELD

18 Lyman Barnes Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $451,500
Buyer: Sean Moynagh
Seller: Alan M. Pelletier
Date: 12/30/22

CHESTER

258 Bromley Road
Chester, MA 01011
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Lisa P. Buckman
Seller: Daphne A. Janes
Date: 01/06/23

CHICOPEE

107 Britton St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $117,500
Buyer: Pah Properties LLC
Seller: Zhichun Tang
Date: 01/05/23

115 Cochran St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: David R. Pratt
Seller: John A. Ziemba
Date: 12/30/22

362 Front St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: ASP Home Improvement & Construction Corp
Seller: RCMC Grape St. Realty LLC
Date: 01/03/23

57 Gill St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $237,500
Buyer: Faruk Ocak
Seller: Henry A. Lapa
Date: 01/04/23

161 Grattan St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: 161 Grattan TR
Seller: Lawrence R. Loranger
Date: 12/29/22

133 Hampden St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $435,000
Buyer: Nolava LLC
Seller: Partyka Partners Group TR
Date: 01/05/23

749 James St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $404,500
Buyer: Alden Credit Union
Seller: Bernashe RT
Date: 01/03/23

763 James St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $404,500
Buyer: Alden Credit Union
Seller: Bernashe RT
Date: 01/03/23

763 James St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $164,900
Buyer: Curtis Girard
Seller: Alden Credit Union
Date: 01/04/23

40 Marble Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $179,000
Buyer: Amanda Smith
Seller: Rose P. Benoit
Date: 12/30/22

529 Memorial Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $3,236,837
Buyer: Avodah 613 LLC
Seller: Orion Pro Friend KP LLC
Date: 12/27/22

999 Memorial Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $2,500,000
Buyer: MPK Properties LLC
Seller: Arbors Associates LLC
Date: 12/27/22

194 Montgomery St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Joseph Thibault
Seller: Cosmopoulos 2007 RET
Date: 01/06/23

35 Moore St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $435,000
Buyer: Nolava LLC
Seller: Partyka Partners Group TR
Date: 01/05/23

232 Pendleton Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $334,000
Buyer: Megan Lafrenaye
Seller: Mark E. Hayward
Date: 12/30/22

46 Saint James Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Emma L. Jopson
Seller: Marty K. Properties LLC
Date: 01/05/23

58 Silvin Road
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $197,000
Buyer: Natanoeal Crespo
Seller: Robert E. Dall
Date: 12/30/22

23 State St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Darlene Saczawa
Seller: Ibelis Mateo
Date: 12/30/22

230 Szetela Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $292,000
Buyer: Amy Meneguzzo
Seller: Ellen M. Johnson
Date: 12/28/22

20 Thomas St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Javier Garcia
Seller: Victor C. Colon-Vazquez
Date: 12/29/22

1721 Westover Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Orlando Quinones
Seller: Lisa K. Lewis
Date: 12/28/22

EAST LONGMEADOW

16 Black Dog Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: Sarah M. Morrissey
Seller: Andrew R. Shpak
Date: 12/27/22

48 Edmund St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Benjamin D. Fordham
Seller: James M. Turnberg
Date: 01/05/23

Fernwood Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $520,000
Buyer: Bretta Construction LLC
Seller: Manchester Enterprises LLC
Date: 01/06/23

5 Harris Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Helen H. Huynh
Seller: Thomes, Barbara L., (Estate)
Date: 12/29/22

46 Lori Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $600,000
Buyer: Suman Sharma
Seller: Leah M. Kenney
Date: 01/05/23

362 Parker St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $520,000
Buyer: Bretta Construction LLC
Seller: Manchester Enterprises LLC
Date: 01/06/23

GRANVILLE

10 Julia Lane
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $480,000
Buyer: Frank A. Soleimani
Seller: Joseph M. Ascioti
Date: 12/30/22

HAMPDEN

73 Allen St.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $266,000
Buyer: Giggle Gardens Inc.
Seller: Safford, Patricia N., (Estate)
Date: 12/29/22

261 Chapin Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Fumi Realty Inc.
Seller: Alphonse Mercurio
Date: 01/04/23

HOLLAND

30 Butterworth Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Benjamin Grajales
Seller: Hunter Boody
Date: 01/06/23

143 Vinton Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $202,000
Buyer: Maple Ledge Assocs. Inc.
Seller: Beres, Kenneth P., (Estate)
Date: 12/30/22

HOLYOKE

337-351 Chestnut St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $1,900,000
Buyer: Voces De Esperanza LLC
Seller: Voces De Esperanza LP
Date: 12/30/22

348 Chestnut St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $1,900,000
Buyer: Voces De Esperanza LLC
Seller: Voces De Esperanza LP
Date: 12/30/22

383 Dwight St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $12,000,000
Buyer: Open Square Realty LLC
Seller: Open Square Properties LLC
Date: 12/27/22

1159 Dwight St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $1,100,000
Buyer: Dwight Arms LLC
Seller: Cha-Kat Realty LLC
Date: 12/30/22

811 High St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Raksha Properties LLC
Seller: A To Z Property Mgmt. LLC
Date: 01/06/23

493 Hillside Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Jeffrey Leclerc
Seller: B. J. Pietruszkiewicz
Date: 01/03/23

113 Jackson St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Ireydiza Perez
Seller: Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity
Date: 01/06/23

16 Laura Lane
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $259,000
Buyer: Gallagher Cap Group LLC
Seller: Lillian C. Guthrie
Date: 01/06/23

110 Lyman St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $12,000,000
Buyer: Open Square Realty LLC
Seller: Open Square Properties LLC
Date: 12/27/22

2-4 Portland St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $303,000
Buyer: Ashley L. Richard
Seller: Paola Ferrario
Date: 12/30/22

60 Westfield Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Mustafa Ibic
Seller: Elaina K. Paquette
Date: 12/30/22

107-109 Westfield Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $440,000
Buyer: William Hannigan
Seller: Rosemarie McLaughlin
Date: 12/30/22

LONGMEADOW

123 Arlington Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Andrew Kessler
Seller: Lena P. Decarlo Realty NT
Date: 12/28/22

128 Benedict Ter.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $399,900
Buyer: Jennifer Coffin
Seller: Karen M. Carroll 2018 RET
Date: 01/05/23

62 Birch Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $361,000
Buyer: Maryna Gorbunova
Seller: Janell Sargent
Date: 12/28/22

85 Emerson Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Salvatore Anzalotti
Seller: Ann M. Lynch
Date: 12/28/22

82 Knollwood Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Hannah A. Driscoll
Seller: Brandon Stepp
Date: 12/30/22

31 Whitmun Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Rimantas Sturonas
Seller: Falcone Retail Property LLP
Date: 12/28/22

LUDLOW

20 East St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $3,500,000
Buyer: V & V Properties LLC
Seller: Walter S. Wood LLC
Date: 12/27/22

257-265 Fuller St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Shreekrupa LLC
Seller: Meadowbrook Plaza LLC
Date: 12/30/22

182 Karen Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Dustin Gray
Seller: Ana M. Dias
Date: 01/05/23

59 Ray St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Lauren Cole
Seller: Goncalves RT
Date: 12/30/22

Riverside Dr., Lot C
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: Stockhouse 122 Realty LLC
Seller: Westmass Area Development Corp.
Date: 12/30/22

60 Vienna Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $282,000
Buyer: Tyler A. Kareta
Seller: Adam J. Dube
Date: 12/30/22

237 Westerly Circle
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $565,000
Buyer: Christopher M. Bordenca
Seller: Daniel T. Laing
Date: 01/06/23

MONSON

Hovey Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Town Of Monson
Seller: Booker, Jean, (Estate)
Date: 12/28/22

244 Main St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Finnegan Properties LLC
Seller: Simon R. James
Date: 01/06/23

129 Upper Hampden Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Robert G. Pafumi
Seller: Carolyn A. Hyatt
Date: 12/28/22

218 Stafford Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $304,000
Buyer: Christopher Villa
Seller: Jennifer L. Tiraboschi
Date: 01/04/23

22 Wilbraham Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $207,000
Buyer: Thomas A. Yvon
Seller: Lorraine E. Kelly
Date: 12/28/22

PALMER

1-3 Bourne St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Fabio M. Rodrigues
Seller: Exultant RT
Date: 12/30/22

197 Flynt St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Travis D. Bonsant
Seller: Outhuse, Ruth, (Estate)
Date: 12/29/22

4425 High St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $197,467
Buyer: USA VA
Seller: Matthew Toelken
Date: 12/30/22

5 Holbrook St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $277,000
Buyer: Charla Bush
Seller: Jemel L. Williams
Date: 12/29/22

18-24 Stewart St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Peter Topor
Seller: Norval N. Rose
Date: 01/05/23

1186 Thorndike St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $2,300,000
Buyer: Palmer Retail Mgmt. LLC
Seller: J. W. Lizak Indenture RET
Date: 12/28/22

1190 Thorndike St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $2,300,000
Buyer: Palmer Retail Mgmt. LLC
Seller: J. W. Lizak Indenture RET
Date: 12/28/22

RUSSELL

123 Main St.
Russell, MA 01008
Amount: $202,000
Buyer: Javier Melendez
Seller: Russell Community Church
Date: 12/30/22

15 River St.
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $914,000
Buyer: Hurricane Properties LLC
Seller: Thomas N. O’Brien
Date: 12/30/22

81 Valley View Ave.
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Jennifer Puthycheat-Ros
Seller: Cheryl A. Denardo
Date: 12/27/22

SOUTHWICK

12 2 States Ave.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Bruce K. Staubley
Seller: Rotondo, Anthony A., (Estate)
Date: 01/06/23

427 College Hwy.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Ian Hurley
Seller: Kari L. Scott
Date: 12/30/22

140 Hillside Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $442,000
Buyer: Kyle P. Davidson
Seller: Bonnie L. Willey
Date: 12/28/22

42 Point Grove Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Sebastian P. Roy
Seller: Daniel J. Towle
Date: 12/30/22

9-B Sawgrass Lane
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $715,000
Buyer: Vimal Patel
Seller: Hamelin Framing Inc.
Date: 01/03/23

SPRINGFIELD

270 Arcadia Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Andrew M. Siano
Seller: Value Properties LLC
Date: 01/03/23

61 Arden St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Kernandhe D. Dardompre
Seller: Kevin M. Edwards
Date: 01/06/23

234 Arnold Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $163,000
Buyer: Douglas J. Dichard
Seller: Katie R. Lewis
Date: 01/05/23

134 Avocado St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $1,500,000
Buyer: JVLV Realty LLC
Seller: BML Holdings LLC
Date: 12/30/22

18-20 Banbury St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $177,000
Buyer: Sukna Mhanna
Seller: Carol Lee
Date: 12/28/22

5 Barber St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Pearwood LLC
Seller: PVIC Realty LLC
Date: 12/28/22

34 Brandon Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $120,200
Buyer: Wicked Deals LLC
Seller: Russell J. Boothe
Date: 12/30/22

63 Bridle Path Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $319,900
Buyer: Brian Henderson
Seller: Gary Munn
Date: 01/06/23

89 Brightwood Ave.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $217,500
Buyer: Angel L. Salcedo-Rodriguez
Seller: Jorge Baez
Date: 12/28/22

23 Campechi St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Damarr Duncanson
Seller: Jennifer A. Modest
Date: 01/04/23

43 Castle St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Kevin Darjee
Seller: Ellen Spritzler
Date: 01/04/23

223-235 Centre St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Doms Home Improvement LLC
Seller: New Man Ventures LLC
Date: 12/30/22

162 Chalmers St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $276,000
Buyer: Namarig Attahauir-Mohamed
Seller: Narayan Adhikari
Date: 12/30/22

45 Cloran St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $409,900
Buyer: Carline D. Mondesir
Seller: Global Homes Property LLC
Date: 01/06/23

33 Colony Road
Springfield, MA 01106
Amount: $729,500
Buyer: Joshua W. Stanley
Seller: Hans J. Vonnahme
Date: 12/28/22

22-24 Cortland St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $208,000
Buyer: Jerrell Glass
Seller: Kristol Griffith
Date: 12/29/22

39 Cortland St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $208,000
Buyer: Jerrell Glass
Seller: Kristol Griffith
Date: 12/29/22

134-136 Darling St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Shanice L. Reid
Seller: DB Real Estate LLC
Date: 12/30/22

91 East Park St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $1,185,000
Buyer: Round Two LLC
Seller: 91 East Park Inc.
Date: 01/05/23

43 Eddywood St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $183,000
Buyer: 43 Eddywood LLC
Seller: Tascon Homes LLC
Date: 12/30/22

43 Eddywood St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Tascon Homes LLC
Seller: Smith, Virginia K., (Estate)
Date: 12/30/22

108 Ellsworth Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $162,000
Buyer: Pah Proerties LLC
Seller: Donald W. Hoynoski
Date: 01/05/23

55 Elmore Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $152,000
Buyer: Amber L. Dutton
Seller: David Kachinski
Date: 01/04/23

211 Emerson St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Myra Oppel
Seller: Lynn Landry
Date: 12/28/22

14 Endicott St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Ian T. Morrissey
Seller: Campagnari Construction LLC
Date: 12/28/22

74 Everett St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $278,000
Buyer: Simeon P. Eustaquio
Seller: BRVS LLC
Date: 12/30/22

53 Fox Hill Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $317,000
Buyer: Spencer McKay
Seller: Raymond Jenkins
Date: 12/28/22

14-1/2 Girard Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $222,400
Buyer: Eric A. Safner
Seller: Elsi L. Lemus-Ochoa
Date: 01/03/23

36-38 Greenacre Square
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $272,900
Buyer: Javier A. Gonzalez
Seller: Springfield Ventures RT
Date: 01/06/23

83-B Hampshire St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $445,000
Buyer: Christian M. Mackenzie
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 12/30/22

83-A Hampshire St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $445,000
Buyer: Christian M. Mackenzie
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 12/30/22

51-53 Horace St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Francisco Dejesus
Seller: Javier Garcia
Date: 12/29/22

58-60 Howes St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $346,000
Buyer: Katharine Hickson
Seller: Winners O. LLC
Date: 01/06/23

11 Intervale Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Equonda Bercy
Seller: Short4u RT
Date: 12/30/22

80 Jerilis Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $224,450
Buyer: Patricia Rios
Seller: Steven D. Mackay
Date: 12/30/22

68 Kensington Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Deniker Jean-Charles
Seller: Round Two LLC
Date: 12/30/22

162 Kensington Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Mohamud Hussein
Seller: Djuan J. Barklow
Date: 12/27/22

84-86 Lebanon St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Hourglass Property Solutions LLC
Seller: Michael W. Sales
Date: 12/30/22

255 Liberty St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $400,000
Seller: KMM Properties LLC
Date: 12/29/22

331 Liberty St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $2,000,000
Seller: Liberty St. Acquisitions LLC
Date: 12/29/22

774-776 Liberty St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: NRES LLC
Seller: JJJ17 LLC
Date: 01/04/23

54 Littleton St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $258,000
Buyer: Asmenne Derolus-Aurelien
Seller: Ahmed Aljashaam
Date: 12/30/22

231 Louis Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $276,300
Buyer: Raymond B. Jenkins
Seller: Ruth M. Rivera
Date: 12/28/22

97-99 Madison St.
Springfield, MA 01020
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Santo Aybar-Percel
Seller: Danoma LLC
Date: 12/27/22

184 Monrovia St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Teresa A. Novotny
Seller: Rabecca A. Tysz
Date: 01/04/23

9 Morris St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Derrick Bonnah
Seller: Todd J. Illingsworth
Date: 01/04/23

37-39 Nathaniel St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $249,900
Buyer: Fermin B. Navarro
Seller: Dani Tleis
Date: 01/04/23

127 Old Brook Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Joseph H. Ely
Seller: Ruby Realty LLC
Date: 01/06/23

908 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Carla Maisonet-Machado
Seller: Michael Kamrowski
Date: 12/27/22

276 Parkerview St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Nathanael Cruz-Vargas
Seller: Dreamwake Homes Inc.
Date: 12/30/22

7 Patrick St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Jilena M. Cichon
Seller: David M. Dollar
Date: 12/27/22

20-22 Pequot St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $310,500
Buyer: Melissa Bautista
Seller: Edwin E. Pagan-Suro
Date: 12/29/22

33 Pembroke St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $158,000
Buyer: Brenda L. Berrios
Seller: Juana Ramirez
Date: 01/06/23

34 Preston St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Felix Antigua
Seller: Nancy I. Valle
Date: 01/06/23

54 Queen St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $223,000
Buyer: Carmen I. Navedo-Aviles
Seller: Rafael Capellan-Polanco
Date: 12/29/22

277 Redlands St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $227,000
Buyer: Jose A. Berrios
Seller: Phoenix Development Inc.
Date: 12/29/22

43 Reed St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Doms Home Improvement LLC
Seller: Copenger LLC
Date: 12/30/22

14 Rittenhouse Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $187,000
Buyer: Michael Visneau
Seller: Roger F. Dialessi Ft
Date: 01/03/23

80 Roy St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $237,500
Buyer: Hasiah Williams
Seller: William F. Norman
Date: 01/05/23

181 Shawmut St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Lumturi RT
Seller: Daniel P. Miller
Date: 12/29/22

17 Sorrento St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Shamella F. Kearse
Seller: Michael Gonzalez
Date: 12/28/22

35-37 Suffolk St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Ericka Gonzalez-Carrillo
Seller: Alberta Williams
Date: 12/30/22

266 Sunrise Ter.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Cheryl D. Lynch
Seller: Jerzy J. Letkowski
Date: 01/06/23

120 Talmadge Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Christina Valle
Seller: Florissa L. Fuentes
Date: 01/04/23

82 Temple St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Temple G3 Realty NT
Seller: Living Stone LLC
Date: 12/30/22

82 Timber Lane
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Joseph Prete
Seller: V. I. O. LLC
Date: 01/06/23

25 West Canton Circle
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $254,000
Buyer: Barbara Torres-Colon
Seller: Angelina V. Estrada
Date: 01/04/23

17 Wellesley St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Roberto Lopez
Seller: Tolliver Carrie
Date: 01/06/23

1413 Worcester St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Eric Agyare-Yankyera
Seller: Property Advantage Inc.
Date: 01/06/23

50 Wrona St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Jerry Torres
Seller: Emmett Potter
Date: 12/29/22

WALES

4 Lake George Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Benjamin Payne
Seller: 123 Kids LLC
Date: 12/30/22

WESTFIELD

40 Adams St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: John Quigley
Seller: FHB Realty LLP
Date: 01/03/23

41 Claremont St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $310,500
Buyer: WS & Sons Realty LLC
Seller: Dlemelin Property Mgmt. LLC
Date: 01/05/23

69 East Silver St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Francis J. Simmitt
Seller: Mary J. Lamb
Date: 01/06/23

35 Gary Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $537,500
Buyer: Richard A. Esposito
Seller: Peter J. Fiore
Date: 12/30/22

3 Gillette Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Daniel S. Dembek
Seller: Holly A. Prater
Date: 12/28/22

30 Jefferson St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $218,000
Buyer: Joshua J. St. Onge
Seller: John J. Sampson
Date: 01/06/23

87 Northridge Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $412,000
Buyer: Jorge Rodriguez
Seller: William J. Rhodes
Date: 01/06/23

372 Russellville Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Silver Snake Properties LLC
Seller: Stephanie Horkun
Date: 12/28/22

4 Saint Paul St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Obelisk Holdings LLC
Seller: James R. Christofori
Date: 12/30/22

242 West Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Kari L. Scott
Seller: Maria Diaz
Date: 12/30/22

49 Western Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $401,700
Buyer: Jonathan R. Surratt
Seller: Mark R. Bollenbach
Date: 12/30/22

WILBRAHAM

224 3 Rivers Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Amjad Real Estate LLC
Seller: Conley, Eugene M., (Estate)
Date: 12/30/22

4 Christopher Circle
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $620,000
Buyer: Collin Carlone
Seller: Cynthia Schultz
Date: 01/06/23

687 Glendale Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $306,500
Buyer: Matthew Nataloni
Seller: Steven R. Denby
Date: 12/28/22

10 McIntosh Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $449,000
Buyer: Jemel L. Williams
Seller: Kevin W. Rossmeisl
Date: 12/30/22

980 Tinkham Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Joann L. Demore
Seller: NKZ Realty Inc.
Date: 12/29/22

WEST SPRINGFIELD

96 Garden St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Ruth Rivera
Seller: Pah Properties LLC
Date: 12/29/22

51 Glenview Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Tianyi Zhou
Seller: Shashi M. Bharvirkar
Date: 12/27/22

28 Lombra Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Lombra Realty NT
Seller: Living Stone LLC
Date: 12/30/22

15 Oleander St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: S & A Property Mgmt. LLC
Seller: Diplomat Property Manager LLC
Date: 12/29/22

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

24 Tanglewood Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $635,000
Buyer: Xuhui Li
Seller: Eric H. Kleinberg
Date: 12/28/22

20 Western Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Ngoc D. Pham
Seller: Phoebe J. Merriam-Welcome
Date: 12/28/22

BELCHERTOWN

55 Chadbourne Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Thomas A. Whelan
Seller: Declan McCarthy
Date: 12/29/22

9 Chauncey Walker St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Caitlin McCabe
Seller: Gary R. Wilkinson
Date: 12/28/22

154 Chauncey Walker St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Nicholas Dente
Seller: Kyle M. Belanger
Date: 12/28/22

5 Diane Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $490,000
Buyer: Robert H. Adair
Seller: Diane M. Lemire
Date: 12/29/22

119 Franklin St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $615,000
Buyer: Brendan M. Coughlin
Seller: Robert Morra
Date: 12/30/22

12 Jabish St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $4,250,000
Buyer: Land Of Oz LLC
Seller: Jackson Brothers Property Mgmt. LLC
Date: 12/30/22

203 Orchard St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $216,600
Buyer: Daniel A. Hebert
Seller: Jeffrey N. Cosgrove
Date: 12/29/22

121 South Washington St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Nicole Wilcox
Seller: SNAB LLC
Date: 01/04/23

1 Stadler St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $4,250,000
Buyer: Land Of Oz LLC
Seller: Jackson Brothers Property Mgmt. LLC
Date: 12/30/22

EASTHAMPTON

35 Clapp St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $531,000
Buyer: Pamela B. Kennedy
Seller: Richard P. Bangham
Date: 01/03/23

16 Lyman St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $352,800
Buyer: Cheryl A. Thomas-Camp
Seller: John G. Tenczar RET
Date: 12/28/22

30 Overlook Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Charles O’Dowd
Seller: Carole N. Gross
Date: 12/30/22

101 West St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $187,500
Buyer: Angela C. Olson
Seller: Mark D. Wheaton
Date: 01/06/23

GRANBY

197 Batchelor St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $266,000
Buyer: Andrew W. Serra
Seller: Karin M. Eichelman
Date: 12/30/22

187 West St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Matthew D. Cayer
Seller: Nicholas Dente
Date: 12/28/22

HADLEY

13 Middle St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $575,000
Buyer: Kipa Realty Inc.
Seller: Barbara L. Palangi
Date: 12/29/22

329 Russell St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $4,100,000
Buyer: 329 Hadley LLC
Seller: Amherst Development Assocs. LLC
Date: 01/04/23

HATFIELD

102 Main St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Martha E. Kinney
Seller: Nicholas M. Hebert
Date: 12/30/22

343 West St.
Hatfield, MA 01066
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Craig Bell
Seller: Keith F. Papageorge
Date: 12/30/22

HUNTINGTON

94 Goss Hill Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $306,000
Buyer: Samantha J. Wetherell
Seller: Michael A. Tremble
Date: 01/04/23

NORTHAMPTON

30 Baker Hill Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Matthew J. Kozuch
Seller: Ankudowich Mass. Properties LLC
Date: 12/29/22

7 Bardwell St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Rhyan F. Sullivan
Seller: Shebek RET
Date: 01/06/23

345 Haydenville Road
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $21,620,000
Buyer: Northampton Mgmt. Systems
Seller: Zoe Senior Retirement
Date: 12/30/22

349 Haydenville Road
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $14,490,000
Buyer: Northampton Mgmt. Systems
Seller: Linda Manor LLC
Date: 12/30/22

51 Linseed Road
Northampton, MA 01088
Amount: $825,000
Buyer: Elizabeth D. Morgan
Seller: John P. O’Grady
Date: 12/30/22

68 Masonic St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Lilia R. Olpindo
Seller: Barbara A. Fingold TR
Date: 01/03/23

21 Park St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Kris Baker
Seller: Platt, Constance A., (Estate)
Date: 12/29/22

95 Sylvester Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Karen E. Natsios
Seller: Christopher C. Beckwith
Date: 01/06/23

PLAINFIELD

130 West Hill Road
Plainfield, MA 01070
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Risa F. Harris-Gerstein
Seller: Daniel K. Lederer
Date: 12/29/22

SOUTH HADLEY

11 Central Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Elias Daniel
Seller: Cecilia A. Hripak
Date: 01/03/23

56 Lyman St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Gallagher Properties LLC
Seller: George L. Leduc
Date: 12/30/22

40 Pittroff Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $490,000
Buyer: Kristin M. Phelan
Seller: Amanda J. Beaudry
Date: 12/30/22

50 Spring St. Ext.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $151,000
Buyer: Etabav Rt
Seller: Leo J. Tetrault
Date: 12/30/22

21 Yale St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Sarah G. Ritchie
Seller: David P. Brochu
Date: 01/04/23

SOUTHAMPTON

Florence Secondary Tract
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Southampton Town
Seller: Pioneer Valley Railroad Co.
Date: 12/27/22

18 Noreen Dr.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Philip Corbeil
Seller: Mark W. Hagelstein
Date: 12/28/22

WARE

26 Grove St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Upland Mortgage Loan TA
Seller: Rudolph J. Sojka
Date: 12/30/22

7 Longview Ave.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $241,224
Buyer: Newrez LLC
Seller: Brian Rein
Date: 12/28/22

34 Pine St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Rated Speed LLC
Seller: Forty Pine LLC
Date: 12/29/22

WILLIAMSBURG

Old Goshen Road
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Hilltown Land Trust Inc.
Seller: Hull Forestlands LP
Date: 01/05/23

WORTHINGTON

24 Indian Oven Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $139,772
Buyer: HUD
Seller: Towd Point Master Funding TR
Date: 12/28/22

132 Scott Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $297,500
Buyer: Alfred A. Clay
Seller: Paul A. Labonte
Date: 12/28/22

Daily News

Seth Lawrence-Slavas Completes Acquisition of Wright Builders Inc.

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NORTHAMPTON — Seth Lawrence-Slavas, president of Wright Builders Inc., announced that he has completed his acquisition of company founder Jonathan Wright’s interests, ensuring both a smooth ongoing transition of leadership and a continued commitment to the sustainability and business-culture goals that have defined the company.

Wright will continue to serve Wright Builders as a senior advisor, supporting long-term client relations and ongoing signature projects, but without day-to-day responsibilities. He will continue consulting to organizations interested in carbon reduction, electrification, and sustainable practices, as well as advancing his writing and woodworking projects.

“Seth is an engaging, modest, innovative, highly skilled, and passionate leader who has navigated the ever-changing terrain during COVID-19 with clear and focused judgement, always doing his best to keep his staff and the community safe while still pushing projects forward during a time of unprecedented supply delays and labor restrictions,” Wright said. “His technical and personal skills are quite remarkable. We are truly fortunate.”

In 2019, co-owners Wright and the late Mark Ledwell welcomed Lawrence-Slavas as a Project Development engineer. He had recently completed his master’s degree in building and construction technologies from UMass Amherst, contributing to groundbreaking research on local forest-product utilization for cross-laminated timber as part of both carbon reduction and advancing economic development for rural New England. He quickly showed himself to be a vital addition to the company, becoming vice president of Project Development in 2020 and president of Wright Builders in 2021. Along with his presidency, he acquired partial ownership of the firm in 2021.

Lawrence-Slavas grew up in Wendell, where he was raised in a household of educators, engineers, and timber framers, with a strong commitment to sustainable and traditional living, which he has carried into his career. After moving to Colorado in 2000 to pursue his passion for mountain living, he returned to Massachusetts, where he met his wife, Rachael, and they married in 2007. Shortly after welcoming their first child, they moved to Southern Vermont, where they added a second child to their family. His work continued in construction-related fields, as well as retail and diverse management responsibilities. After over a decade in the Green Mountains, they returned to Massachusetts in 2019.

Lawrence-Slavas has involved himself in the communities of the Connecticut River Valley. He serves on the board of directors of Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity, as well as coaching various youth sports in Amherst.

“I hope and plan to advance sustainable building and lifestyle practices at Wright Builders Inc. and throughout the region,” he said. “It is especially meaningful to me that I get to continue the legacy that Jonathan has trailblazed and am encouraged with the progress and continued stewardship in the Pioneer Valley.”

Company Notebook

Company Notebook

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HCC Named One of State’s Top Women-led Businesses

HOLYOKE — For the second year in a row, Holyoke Community College (HCC) has been named one of the top women-led businesses in Massachusetts by Boston Globe Magazine and the Women’s Edge, formerly the Commonwealth Institute, a nonprofit that supports top female executives. Taken together, the 100 companies on the list represent a total revenue and operating budget of $75.9 billion. HCC and its president, Christina Royal, were ranked 61st. The full list was published Oct. 30 in the annual “Women & Power” edition of the magazine. Royal was also one of 11 executives from the list featured in a separate article, “‘Resist the Temptation to Fit the Mold: Eleven Leaders Share Insights on Cultivating Diverse, Dynamic Teams in Challenging Times.” Royal has been the president of HCC since January 2017. She is the fourth president in HCC’s 75-year history and the first woman to hold that office. In August, she announced that she will retire from HCC after the 2022-23 academic year. Also making the Top 100 list at number 59 was 1983 HCC alumna and Westfield native Linda Markham, president of Cape Air and Nantucket Airlines, based in Hyannis.

 

UMass Amherst Named a Bike Friendly University

AMHERST — UMass Amherst has been designated as a Bike Friendly University (BFU) by the League of American Bicyclists, a grassroots advocacy organization encouraging better bicycling and protecting the rights of people who bike. UMass Amherst is one of only eight universities in Massachusetts to receive the commendation for providing safe, accessible biking on campus. Providing bike-friendly accommodations is a vital part of the university’s Sustainable UMass initiative. In recent years, four-foot-wide bicycle lanes have been constructed on the primary campus roadways of Massachusetts Avenue, North Pleasant Street, and Commonwealth Avenue to promote safe bike travel. In 2016, the university expanded its bike access for students, faculty, and staff by becoming a founding member of ValleyBike Share, and six bike-share stations are now spread across campus to allow students, faculty, and staff to easily rent and return bikes. The UMass Bicycle Commuter Program coordinates the Campus Bicycle Advisory Committee to help the university prioritize bike-related goals on campus, and the UMass Amherst Bike Library rental program, operated by the Student Government Assoc. and the Physical Plant, lets students, faculty, and staff borrow bikes for free, for as long as an entire academic year. UMass joins Harvard, MIT, UMass Lowell, Bentley University, Tufts University, and Boston University’s Charles River and medical-school campuses as Bike Friendly Universities. Since the program launched in 2011, such designations have been certified at 222 U.S. colleges and universities in 47 states.

 

V-One Earns Top Honors at Warsaw Spirits Competition

HADLEY — From its distillery in Kamien, Poland and its headquarters in Hadley, Valley Vodka Inc. recently announced that its original V-One Vodka earned its third Double Gold medal at the Warsaw Spirits Competition in Poland. The Warsaw Spirits Competition is in its fifth year, and this was the third time V-One has competed. This year, the number of entries and producers was record-breaking, with hundreds of alcoholic beverages from more than 32 countries. In the most competitive category, unflavored vodka (in the wheat/spelt/barley category), V-One earned the Double Gold with a score of 93.14.

 

Bulkley Richardson Named Best Law Firm in 12 Areas

Best Lawyers, in partnership with U.S. News and World Report, ranked Bulkley Richardson as 2023’s Best Law Firm in the Springfield region in the following 12 practice areas: banking and finance law, bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights/insolvency and reorganization law, business organizations (including LLCs and partnerships), commercial litigation, corporate law, criminal defense – general practice, criminal defense – white collar, litigation – labor and employment, medical-malpractice law – defendants, personal-injury litigation – defendants, tax law, and trusts and estates law. To be eligible for a ranking, a law firm must have at least one lawyer included in the year’s list of Best Lawyers. Bulkley Richardson had 16 lawyers included on the 2023 Best Lawyers list, and two of the firm’s partners, Mark Cress and John Pucci, were named 2023 Springfield-area Lawyers of the Year. Rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process that includes the collection of client and lawyer evaluations and peer reviews from leading attorneys in their field.

 

GCAi’s Video for Harvard Tours Middle East

SPRINGFIELD — Harvard Graduate School of Education tapped GCAi’s New England Corporate Video (NECV) division over the summer to produce a series of videos (click here to view) on the Middle East Professional Learning Initiative (MEPLI). MEPLI aims to develop the capacity of teachers in the region. The fellowship is job-embedded and lasts for one year, providing scholarships for professional-education courses (online and/or residential) and support for incorporating learning into existing work. Fellows receive a certificate in professional education upon successful completion of the program. The NECV-produced videos, now being shown at presentations on the program in the Middle East, were shot on campus at Harvard University and produced at NECV’s edit suite in Springfield. Three separate videos were produced, including English, English and Arabic, and all-Arabic language versions. Visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=lP3aBOEQqz0 to view the videos.

 

Liberty Bank Supports Habitat for Humanity

WEST SPRINGFIELD — Liberty Bank recently selected Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH) to receive one of its community grants. The foundation aims to help low- and moderate-income families improve their economic situation and quality of life. Through Liberty Bank Foundation, Liberty Bank supports nonprofit organizations that its neighbors depend on to build strong families and communities. Grant making is focused on organizations that serve people within Liberty Bank’s market area. GSHFH is a housing ministry dedicated to strengthening communities by empowering low-income families to change their lives and the lives of future generations through home-ownership and home-repair opportunities. This is accomplished by working in partnership with diverse people, from all walks of life, to build and repair simple, decent, affordable housing.

Company Notebook

Company Notebook

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Collins Electric Wins Project Excellence Award in Education

CHICOPEE — Collins Electric Co. Inc., an electrical contractor based in Chicopee, was recently recognized by the National Electrical Contractors Assoc. with a NECA Project Excellence Award in Education in the over $1 million category for Smith College Neilson Library. NECA established the Project Excellence Award to showcase the exceptional work that its members perform throughout the country. Collins Electric was recognized along with this year’s other winners during NECA’s 2022 convention in Austin, Texas on Oct. 17. The renovation gutted the historic building with a new focus on the future. Additions to the library in the 1930s, 1960s, and 1980s were demolished along with the entire interior of the original 1909 library. The front and rear brick brownstone façades were the only remaining parts. The project involved 150,000 square feet with 5,000 LED, energy-efficient light fixtures; glass skylights; dimming; and windo- shade controls to deliver the best-quality energy-efficient lighting possible. Strict attention was paid to controlling temperature and humidity, as well as tight security, for the library’s rare-books collection.

 

Breeze Airways to Expand Flights at Bradley in 2023

WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. — The Connecticut Airport Authority announced that Breeze Airways is launching four new destinations from Bradley International Airport, including non-stop service to Vero Beach, Fla., and Phoenix, Ariz., starting from $79 and $99 one-way, respectively; and one-stop/no-plane-change ‘BreezeThru’ flights to Provo, Utah, and San Bernardino, Calif, starting from $99. The new routes will operate on an A220 aircraft as follows: Vero Beach daily, starting Feb 2; Phoenix and Provo Thursday and Sunday, starting Feb. 9; and San Bernardino Thursday and Sunday, starting Feb. 16. “Partnering with Breeze on their expansion has been transformative for Bradley International Airport,” said Kevin Dillon, Connecticut Airport Authority’s executive director. “Their national growth, ongoing innovation, and expanding local network offer our passengers more opportunities to travel conveniently and affordably. We thank Breeze for their partnership in bringing these exciting new routes to this key market and for their continued commitment to our community.”

 

bankESB Supports Food Pantries with Annual Fundraising Drive

EASTHAMPTON — Matthew Sosik, president and CEO of bankESB, announced the kickoff of the bank’s 2022 Neighbors Helping Neighbors fundraising drive to help support local food pantries. This marks the second year of the bank’s annual appeal, inviting bank customers, employees, and members of the community to donate money toward food pantries throughout the month of November. All donations (up to $2,500 per customer) will be matched dollar for dollar by bankESB, and the total raised will be divided among participating food pantries across Western Mass. in communities the bank serves. In 2021, a total of more than $39,000 was raised, which equated to $3,000 for each participating pantry. Donations of any amount are encouraged, and as an added incentive to give, the bank will offer those who donate the opportunity to win a $25 gift card at each of its locations. Those who wish to participate have until Nov. 30 to make their donations. Checks should be made payable to “bankESB Neighbors” and can be dropped off at any bankESB branch or mailed to Margaret Prendergast, bankESB, 36 Main St., Easthampton, MA 01027. The food pantries to be supported include Amherst Survival Center Food Pantry; Best Life Food Ministry, Agawam; BUCC Helping Hands Cupboard Food Pantry, Belchertown; Chicopee Cupboard; Easthampton Community Center Food Pantry; Easthampton Congregational Church Food Cupboard & Oasis Kitchen; Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, Hatfield; Hadley Food Pantry; Hilltown Food Pantry, Goshen; Margaret’s Pantry, Holyoke; Neighbors Helping Neighbors, Inc., South Hadley; Northampton Survival Center; Southampton Community Cupboard; and Westfield Food Pantry.

 

Lee Bank Foundation Distributes $48,600 in Year’s Third Grant Round

LEE — Lee Bank Foundation awarded $48,600 to 16 Berkshire-area organizations in its third round of 2022 community funding. Recipients were awarded grants ranging from $1,000 to $10,600 to support local programming. Included in the awards are a series of Arts Access Grants for arts and culture organizations to expand access to programming for underserved audiences and Food Security Grants for organizations with programs focused on providing food to community members in need. The following organizations received funding from Lee Bank Foundation: Berkshire Innovation Center, Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, Center for Peace Through Culture, Chabad of the Berkshires, CDCSB, the Christian Center, Dalton CRA, EforAll, Good Work Institute (Alliance for a Viable Future), Housatonic Heritage (the Mastheads), Lee Historical Society, Life Needs Co-Op (Stanton Home), the People’s Pantry, Second Street Second Chances, Volunteers in Medicine, and WAM Theatre. Lee Bank Foundation was established in 2021 to support Lee Bank’s long-standing mission of community reinvestment. In its first year, 2021, the foundation awarded a total of $228,610 in grants, and the bank contributed an additional $84,000 in sponsorships.

 

Berkshire Bank’s Foundation Supports 160 Nonprofits During Q3

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Bank announced more than $660,000 in philanthropic investments from its foundation during the third quarter of 2022. The grants awarded cover a wide range of projects that help foster community DEI-focused programs, support education and youth, and enhance opportunities for individual success in the communities the bank serves. These investments also support the company’s BEST Community Comeback, which includes a planned $15 million in community contributions by the end of 2024. “We are so pleased to support nonprofit organizations once again with philanthropy to sustain vital community services in all the regions that Berkshire Bank serves during challenging economic times,” said Lori Gazzillo Kiely, foundation director. “Since January 2022, the Berkshire Bank Foundation has provided nearly $2 million to support the needs of the community.”

 

 

JimBuddy’s Rec Shop Hosts Grand Opening

CHICOPEE — The Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce celebrated the grand opening of JimBuddy’s Rec Shop at 1269 Memorial Dr. with a ribbon cutting on Nov. 2. It officially opened to the public on Oct. 1. JimBuddy’s Rec Shop is owned by Jim and Lisa Robinson, who opened JimBuddy’s Glass Gallery & Vape Shop next door at 1271 Memorial Dr. in 2015. When the space next door at 1269 became available in 2018 — the year cannabis was legalized by Massachusetts voters — the Robinsons rented the space with hopes to open a dispensary. JimBuddy’s received a special permit from the city of Chicopee in April 2021, making it the third recreational cannabis dispensary approved in the city. As a small family business, JimBuddy’s focus is offering quality products from small, local businesses in the cannabis industry like those based Florence, Whately, and Pittsfield. JimBuddy’s Rec Shop is open to customers who are age 21+ with valid ID.

 

Girl Scouts Receive $10,000 from TD Charitable Foundation

HOLYOKE — The Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts announced that it has received a $10,000 grant from the TD Charitable Foundation in support of On Your Own: Financial Literary for Girls. The grant will provide a free badge program to all Girl Scouts designed to empower them to control their financial futures. All participants complete age-appropriate activities to gain real-world money-management skills. Girl Scouts develop leadership skills and self-esteem as they build a greater understanding of becoming responsible consumers, creating and living by a budget, building and managing credit, increasing their income, and saving and investing for whatever’s next. With the support of contributors such as the TD Charitable Foundation, Girl Scouts is able to help build girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. On Your Own: Financial Literacy for Girls is available to all members in grades K through 12. Learn more and sign up to be a member at www.gscwm.org.

 

Chariot Payments Network Emerges from Reorganization

BOSTON — Chariot Payments has emerged from reorganization with a reconstructed board, a new CEO, and an experienced team poised to launch its bank-compliant, hybrid-payment network to introduce a new way to connect traditional finance and banking to the emerging digital economies burgeoning in the world of decentralized finance. Chariot’s hybrid network is configured for bank and regulatory compliance, enabling trusted, secure transactions between traditional finance and banking and instant settlement across digital currency protocols at a fraction of the cost imposed by the current payment networks. Chariot’s CEO, Benjamin Cavallari, along with Chief Technology Officer Mariana Jbantova, resuscitated the startup. After a long rebuild, Chariot Payments announced that Glenn Hanson, CEO of Colony Hills Capital and co-founder of River Valley Investors, and Jay Como, chief data officer of Silicon Valley Bank, are joining Cavallari on the new board of directors. Chariot also announced the reformation of its board of advisors, which includes prominent compliance leaders Angela Ratliff and Kevin Troxell (both with US Bank) and Brandon Oliver (previously with JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, and the DCU Fintech Center).

 

 

Liberty Bank Supports Habitat for Humanity

WEST SPRINGFIELD — Liberty Bank recently selected Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH) to receive one of its community grants. The foundation aims to help low- and moderate-income families improve their economic situation and quality of life. “We are very grateful to have been selected to receive this grant. It will help us to continue to provide home-ownership and home-repair services in Hampden County,” GSHFH Executive Director Aimee Giroux said. Through Liberty Bank Foundation, Liberty Bank supports nonprofit organizations that its neighbors depend on to build strong families and communities. Grant making is focused on organizations that serve people within Liberty Bank’s market area. GSHFH is a housing ministry dedicated to strengthening communities by empowering low-income families to change their lives and the lives of future generations through home-ownership and home-repair opportunities. This is accomplished by working in partnership with diverse people, from all walks of life, to build and repair simple, decent, affordable housing.

Company Notebook

Company Notebook

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New Valley Bank & Trust Opens West Springfield Branch

SPRINGFIELD — New Valley Bank & Trust cut the ribbon on its newest full-service branch at 333 Elm St., West Springfield, on Oct. 7. Joining the bank’s board chair, Frank Fitzgerald, was West Springfield Mayor Will Reichelt, state Sen. John Velis, and state Rep. Michael Finn. “Our customers and prospects have been asking us to open a branch on the west side of the Connecticut River for some time,” New Valley President Jeff Sullivan said. “We have recognized the need to increase the convenience of doing business with the bank, and we are proud to be able to offer our services in West Springfield. I spent 11 years of my career working on Elm Street, and many members of the New Valley team have had similar past experiences. We are thrilled to be back in the neighborhood with friendly, familiar faces. As a gesture of good will, the bank recently donated to the West Springfield Boys and Girls Club, the first of many new community partnerships to come.”

 

Country Bank Pledges $10 Million to Support Affordable Housing

WARE — Country Bank has introduced a new affordable-housing program featuring no down payment for first-time homebuyers. The first-of-its-kind program will assist low- to moderate-income families in purchasing a home. Country Bank has pledged $10 million to the program to help make a difference for these first-time homebuyers. This program is designed to help those who need it most by offering 100% financing for single-family homes or condominiums and 95% financing for two-family properties, with no down payment. In addition, the bank will cover 100% of the private mortgage insurance (PMI) that traditionally adds to the monthly payment, saving the borrower hundreds of dollars each month. This feature also gives the borrower more purchasing power by not having to pay the cost of mortgage insurance. Certain restrictions and locations apply for this program. “Buying your first home can be very stressful, and not having the ability to save for a down payment prohibits many from purchasing a home, even when they can afford the monthly payment. Country Bank’s mortgage experts can assist those interested in learning more about the program or who may be ready to purchase a home. The no-down-payment, first-time homebuyer program is available until the $10 million commitment has been allocated. To learn more, visit www.countrybank.com/mortgages or a banking center, or call the Customer Care Center at (800) 322-8233.

 

Arts Integration Studio Opens

HOLYOKE — Priscilla Kane Hellweg announced the launch of a new consulting firm, the Arts Integration Studio. Hellweg, who retired in December 2021 after 40 years as the executive/artistic director of Enchanted Circle Theater in Holyoke, said the Arts Integration Studio is a creative makerspace designed to address critical needs in education, community health, and the environment. The studio incorporates creativity, the arts, and cultural engagement, and collaborates with others to promote positive outcomes and sustainable solutions to pressing educational and social concerns. This fall, the studio announced four partnerships: with Pittsfield Public Schools and Berkshire Educational Resources on comprehensive professional development in arts integration, open to all K-12 teachers and specialists in Berkshire county; with Mount Holyoke College and its Professional and Graduate Education Department on a graduate fellowship focused on producing research and publications on arts and learning; with the town of Longmeadow, Bay Path University, and Deza Studios to produce a public art exhibit that illuminates community-wide perspectives around climate despair, resilience, and action as the town embarks on updating its master municipal plan with a focus on equity and climate change; and with the Treehouse Foundation, an intergenerational community in Easthampton designed to support families with children who have experienced foster care. The Arts Integration Studio is also developing ARTS CORPS, a work/study/professional training program for college students and emerging teaching artists interested in the intersectionality of arts, education, social justice, and community well-being.

 

Mercedes-Benz of Springfield Celebrates Five Years

CHICOPEE — Mercedes-Benz of Springfield is celebrating five years since opening its doors on Oct. 16, 2017. Mercedes-Benz of Springfield’s early and sustained success continues to validate the brand’s decision to put a site in the Pioneer Valley, despite the 11-year hiatus in having a local Mercedes-Benz dealership. Since opening five years ago, the dealership has serviced 53,795 cars, conducted 68,000 car washes, sold and delivered more than 6,400 vehicles, partnered with more than 350 organizations, and increased its team from 30 employees on opening day to 55 today. It has been honored with two BusinessWest 40 Under Forty awards, three Mercedes-Benz Best of the Best Awards, and an Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce A+ Award, and was an EY Entrepreneur of the Year finalist.

 

Rocky’s Ace Hardware Reopens Agawam Store

SPRINGFIELD — Rocky’s Ace Hardware, one of the country’s largest family-owned Ace Hardware dealers, celebrated the reopening of its Agawam location on Oct. 22. “This renovation has allowed us to expand options for our customers and offer a more well-rounded shopping experience,” Rocky’s Ace Hardware President Rocco Falcone said. “Aside from a complete indoor and outdoor remodel, we have added full fishing and Carhartt departments to the store, as well as expanded tool and grill departments. We are really excited to show off these renovations to our new and returning customers.”

 

Hometown Financial Group Welcomes Envision Bank

EASTHAMPTON — Hometown Financial Group Inc., the multi-bank mutual holding company for bankESB, bankHometown, and Abington Bank, has completed its acquisition of Randolph Bancorp Inc, the bank holding company for Envision Bank. Under the agreement, the acquired Envision Bank branches have been rebranded as Abington Bank. Abington Bank now has $1.4 billion in assets and 10 branches located throughout the South Shore and South Coast, adding offices in Braintree, Randolph, and two in Stoughton to its existing network of offices in Abington, Avon, Holbrook, Marion, and two in Cohasset. The transaction expands Hometown Financial Group’s market presence in Eastern Mass., bringing consolidated assets to $4.5 billion with 37 branches located throughout Massachusetts and Northeastern Connecticut. In addition, Envision Mortgage, with offices in Braintree, North Attleboro, and Westport, will join Hometown Financial Group within the newly formed Hometown Mortgage. This transaction is the sixth strategic merger for Hometown in the last seven years. In 2015, Hometown acquired Citizens National Bancorp. Inc., based in Putnam, Connecticut, then merged with Hometown Community Bancorp. MHC, the holding company for Hometown Bank, in 2016. It then acquired Pilgrim Bancshares Inc. and Abington Bank in 2019, and later that year acquired Millbury Savings Bank.

 

Chariot Payments Network Emerges from Reorganization

BOSTON — Chariot Payments has emerged from reorganization with a reconstructed board, a new CEO, and an experienced team poised to launch its bank-compliant, hybrid-payment network to introduce a new way to connect traditional finance and banking to the emerging digital economies burgeoning in the world of decentralized finance. Chariot’s hybrid network is configured for bank and regulatory compliance, enabling trusted, secure transactions between traditional finance and banking and instant settlement across digital currency protocols at a fraction of the cost imposed by the current payment networks. Chariot’s CEO, Benjamin Cavallari, along with Chief Technology Officer Mariana Jbantova, resuscitated the startup. After a long rebuild, Chariot Payments announced that Glenn Hanson, CEO of Colony Hills Capital and co-founder of River Valley Investors, and Jay Como, chief data officer of Silicon Valley Bank, are joining Cavallari on the new board of directors. Chariot also announced the reformation of its board of advisors, which includes prominent compliance leaders Angela Ratliff and Kevin Troxell (both with US Bank) and Brandon Oliver (previously with JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, and the DCU Fintech Center).

 

Liberty Bank Supports Habitat for Humanity

WEST SPRINGFIELD — Liberty Bank recently selected Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH) to receive one of its community grants. The foundation aims to help low- and moderate-income families improve their economic situation and quality of life.

“We are very grateful to have been selected to receive this grant. It will help us to continue to provide home-ownership and home-repair services in Hampden County,” GSHFH Executive Director Aimee Giroux said. Through Liberty Bank Foundation, Liberty Bank supports nonprofit organizations that its neighbors depend on to build strong families and communities. Grant making is focused on organizations that serve people within Liberty Bank’s market area. GSHFH is a housing ministry dedicated to strengthening communities by empowering low-income families to change their lives and the lives of future generations through home-ownership and home-repair opportunities. This is accomplished by working in partnership with diverse people, from all walks of life, to build and repair simple, decent, affordable housing.

Daily News

Berkshire United Way Renews More Than $1 Million in Funding to 40 Programs

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PITTSFIELD — Berkshire United Way (BUW) announced renewal funding of $1,029,500 for 40 programs across 24 community partner organizations, providing a much-needed additional year of support.

This funding will be for a one-year period, from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023, and will continue to stabilize BUW’s three main community-impact areas: early childhood development, positive youth development, and economic prosperity. Visit www.berkshireunitedway.org/our-impact to learn more about the 40 programs.

“Through BUW’s relationships with currently funded partners, we understand how critical the timing of this funding is as the ripple effect of the pandemic still lingers. I am proud of our commitment to these organizations who have endured many challenges and continue to serve our community in innovative and creative ways,” said Laurie Gallagher, board member and chair of the community impact committee.

BUW’s investments in these programs support family well-being and address gaps in services in the community. Programs generate a whole-family, integrated approach focusing on educational advancement and economic mobility. This assistance helps to fund programs such as Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity’s Community Navigator Program, which is designed to assist marginalized residents with connections to resources that will enable them to remain economically resilient.

“The funds support staffing for the Community Navigator Program. We appreciate that Berkshire United Way values the impact of the Community Navigator model,” said Carolyn Valli, CEO of Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity.

A new round of funding requests will be announced in early 2023. To donate to BUW’s fundraising campaign, visit www.berkshireunitedway.org/donate.

People on the Move

People on the Move

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James Sullivan, president of The O’Connell Companies Inc., announced that the board of directors has named Matt Flink president of Appleton Corporation. Flink, who will be based in the firm’s Holyoke office, succeeds Paul Stelzer. Prior to joining Appleton in 2012, Flink worked in the real estate development and construction industry in Colorado and Florida. He has developed management services accounts in the transportation industry, and coordinated projects for The O’Connell Companies real estate portfolio of multi-family and commercial assets. “I am very excited to be named President of Appleton Corporation,” said Flink. “The culture of the company is based on our family-oriented core values and principles and our service delivery model is implemented across a diversified portfolio of management accounts. Our team is loaded with talent and energy, and I look forward to guiding the future strategic and management direction of the firm.” Appleton Corporation provides comprehensive property, facilities and asset management services, along with accounting and financial services, to managers and owners of commercial and residential properties in central New England.

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UMass Amherst Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy, under whose leadership the commonwealth’s flagship campus experienced a decade of unprecedented success and momentum, has announced that he will retire at the end of June 2023. Subbaswamy arrived in Amherst in July 2012, and during his tenure the campus has excelled in a wide range of key areas, including attracting growing numbers of diverse, high-achieving students, steadily improving graduation rates, and conducting cutting-edge research with real-world impact. “It has been a privilege to serve as chancellor of this great university,” said Subbaswamy. “I will forever treasure the support and friendship of the faculty, staff, students and alumni whom I’ve come to know over the past decade and am grateful for all that we have accomplished together. By channeling our revolutionary spirit, we have become one of the fastest rising top-tier public research universities in the country and I am confident that, in its next chapter, the University of Massachusetts Amherst will soar even higher.” In the latest U.S. News & World Report Colleges Guide, UMass Amherst is ranked No. 26 among the 209 public universities included in the national survey. A rankings rise from No. 52 in 2010 marks a 26-step ascent, principally during Subbaswamy’s tenure. Robert Manning, chair of the UMass Board of Trustees, has named UMass Trustee and UMass Amherst alumnus Victor Woodridge as chair of the search committee that will be appointed to identify candidates to be the next UMass Amherst chancellor. Under Subbaswamy’s leadership, the university has played a pivotal and unique role in educating the commonwealth. UMass Amherst alone enrolls more first-year students from Massachusetts than do the commonwealth’s top eight private universities combined. In addition, UMass Amherst awards more undergraduate STEM degrees than any other college or university in Massachusetts, public or private. Meanwhile, the university’s research enterprise is driving innovative solutions to the world’s greatest challenges and boosting the state’s economy. In FY 2021, UMass Amherst totaled $213 million in research expenditures, and it ranked first among public universities in New England in National Science Foundation grant awards. UMass Amherst recently secured major investments in computer science, fueling the Massachusetts tech economy. An $18 million naming gift will endow the Robert and Donna Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences. A state investment of $75 million—along with $30 million from the Amherst campus—will enhance and expand the college’s facilities, enabling accelerated enrollment growth. The university is also playing a lead role to help address the commonwealth’s pressing health care needs supported by the largest gift in UMass Amherst history to the Marieb College of Nursing. The $21.5 million naming gift from the Elaine Nicpon Marieb Charitable Foundation is advancing the university’s innovative nursing engineering center, and it is also providing support for student scholarships, an endowed professorship, and mentorship and research initiatives designed to further access, equity and excellence in nursing education.

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The Board of Trustees at Amherst College announced Wednesday that Michael Elliott, a 1992 graduate, has been named the next president of the institution. He will succeed Carolyn ‘Biddy’ Martin, who announced last year that she would retire from the presidency but continue teaching at the college. He is expected to begin work August 1. Elliott has been the chief academic and executive officer of Emory College of Arts and Science in Atlanta since 2016. He earned a doctorate in English and comparative literature at Columbia University in 1998. His bachelor’s degree from Amherst consisted of a dual major in Russian and English.

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Erik Lamothe

Erik Lamothe

bankESB recently promoted Erik Lamothe to assistant vice president, asset liability management. Lamothe joined bankESB in 2016 as ALM manager and was promoted to ALM officer in 2017. He has nearly 25 years of experience in banking, and is responsible for budgeting, forecasting, managing interest rate risk, and CECL for the Hometown Financial Group family of banks, which includes bankESB, bankHometown, and Abington Bank. Lamothe earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Westfield State University and his master’s degree in banking and financial studies from Boston University. He serves as a board member and Finance Committee member of the Lathrop Home in Northampton and is also a course instructor with the Center for Financial Training.

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Timothy M. Netkovick

Timothy M. Netkovick

Jennifer R. Sharrow

Jennifer R. Sharrow

Alayna Anderson

Alayna Anderson

Bacon Wilson, P.C. announced that attorney Timothy M. Netkovick and attorney Jennifer R. Sharrow have joined the firm. Netkovick is a member of Bacon Wilson’s Employment Law Practice Group. He is licensed to practice in both Massachusetts and Connecticut and has significant experience in matters including employment and commercial litigation. He has been practicing law for 20 years, having earned his J.D. from Western New England College School of Law in 2002, and a B.S. magna cum laude from American International College in 1999. He was recognized as the School of Law Academic Scholarship Recipient during his time at Western New England, and an All-American Scholar in 1998 at American International. He will be working from Bacon Wilson’s Springfield location. Sharrow is a member of Bacon Wilson’s Commercial Law Practice Group. She is licensed to practice in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. She has more than a decade of experience working in public service, with experience in federal programs where she focused on municipal, non-profit, and business development. She earned her J.D. in 2010 from the University of Connecticut School of Law and earned a B.A. summa cum laude from the University of New Hampshire in 2007. She has volunteered her time by serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA with Habitat for Humanity from 2010 to 2011 and participated in multiple pro bono programs including the Women’s Bar Foundation Family Law Project and the Hampden County Bar Association Lawyer for the Day Program. Currently, she serves as the Legal Chair for the Shoshin Ryu Martial Arts Association and is a member of the Belchertown Zoning Board of Appeals. She will work from Bacon Wilson’s Springfield location. The firm also welcomed Alayna Anderson, as the marketing coordinator, who recently joined the firm at the Springfield location. She is a Cape Cod Native who since relocated to Springfield after earning her bachelor of Science degree in marketing as well as her master’s of Business Administration, both from Springfield College. She will work directly with Bacon Wilson’s Executive Director, Lisa Carpenter, on all aspects of managing the firm’s marketing and public relations for all five locations.

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Kevin Conway, whose IT expertise spans both domestic and global markets, has been named Senior Vice President & Chief Information & Digital Officer (SVP/CIDO) of Baystate Health. His appointment becomes effective June 27.

Conway, a strategic executive with more than 25 years of success in executive leadership, strategic planning, and consulting within large academic multi-facility healthcare IT systems, most recently served as client executive for Tegria Services Group, overseeing the clinical and digital transformation initiative for Northern Ireland. In his role, he was responsible for strategic direction and leadership of Epic Solutions deployment as part of the overall digital health strategy for acute, community, mental health, and social care services. Previously, Conway held the role of Chief Information Officer at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) in Pittsburgh, Pa., where he managed all facets of IT operations of clinical and essential service departments at UPMC Presbyterian, UPMC Shadyside, and UPMC Mercy & UPMC Magee-Womens Hospitals. He also served as VP of IT Advisory Services, chief information officer, and director of IT at UPMC.

Conway received his BA in Business Administration Health Management Systems from Robert Morris University. In his new role at Baystate Health, Conway will be a key senior executive responsible for the health system’s information and technology systems. His work will include system interoperability and optimization of IT systems, transformation of business processes, human-centered design, enhancements of patient-centered technologies, and focused work on cyber and information security.

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The Royal Law Firm recently welcomed Attorney Kylie Brown to its team. Brown received her bachelor’s degree from Lasell College and her juris doctor from Western New England University School of Law. She is admitted to practice law in the state of Connecticut. Prior to joining The Royal Law Firm, she worked as a Law Clerk of Court at the Connecticut Superior Courts in Hartford, Rockville and New Britain.

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Bulkley Richardson has welcomed five law students to its 2022 Summer Associate Program. The program will introduce law students to the inner workings of a law firm, where they will receive mentorship from lawyers ranging from firm leaders and retired judges all the way through the ranks to junior associates, and gain exposure to real-life legal matters.

This year’s Summer Associates are:

• Allison Laughner, who is currently attending Western New England University School of Law, where she is on the Law Review staff. She is also working toward an MBA at Western New England University College of Business and earned a B.A. from Smith College;

• Jacob Cronin is currently attending Northeastern University School of Law. He earned a B.A. from Connecticut College with additional coursework at Carnegie Mellon University and Georgetown University;

• Sara Sam-Njogu is currently attending Western New England University School of Law. She earned a B.A., magna cum laude, from St. Lawrence University and participated in the Denmark International Study Abroad Program in Copenhagen, Denmark with a focus on international business;

• Christa “Christabelle” Calabretta is currently attending the University of Connecticut School of Law and earned a B.A. from St. John’s University and an A.A. from Suffolk County Community College; and

• Mumina Egal is currently attending the University of Connecticut School of Law, where in addition to a juris doctorate, she is seeking certificates in both Intellectual Property and Transactional Practice. Egal received a bachelor of Social Sciences from the University of Ottawa.

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Country Bank announced the appointment of 16 new corporators from local businesses within the communities it serves at its annual meeting held at the Publick House in Sturbridge on June 6.

Newly appointed corporators include:

• Grace Barone, director of the East of the River Five Town Chamber of Commerce;

• Kelly Tufaro Bartholomew, a certified public accountant at Marcum LLP;

• Heather Bean, an eCommerce IT PM/Tech Expert at Nestle;

• Ashley Clark, vice president of Marketing & Sales at Quirk Wire Company Inc.;

• Debra Cusson, owner of Spartan Auto Care Center;

• Keshawn Dodds, executive director at the Boys & Girls Club Family Center;

• Anthony Frasco, vice president of Corporate Sales & Marketing at Quality Beverage;

• Ivon Gois, president at Gois Broadcasting;

• Russell Haims, owner and real estate investor at Hampton Properties, LLC;

• Cherisa Hernandez, a middle/secondary clinical professor at Worcester State University;

• Amie Miarecki, executive director at Christopher Heights of Belchertown.

• Richard Morris Jr., chief information officer at Linedata;

• Charles Norton, resident of Franklin Realty Advisors Inc.;

• Jasmine Jina Ortiz, founder & principal CEO at HestiaLIVING;

• Joseph Searles, president at International Container Company LLC.; and

• Erin Wynne, assistant head of School for Institutional Advancement at Eagle Hill School in Hardwick.

“While each of our markets offer a unique value proposition, we are adding strategic business professionals throughout the region to help us focus our efforts on the areas that will provide the bank with the greatest growth opportunities,” stated Paul Scully, president and CEO of Country Bank. “We are excited to have these new dedicated and experienced business professionals join us. Together, we look forward to the future with great optimism, continued success and making a difference in the lives of our customers, communities and team members.”

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Five University of Massachusetts faculty have been awarded the 2022 Manning Prize for Excellence in Teaching for their exemplary dedication to students and the university. The faculty members — one from each UMass campus — will receive $10,000 awards in recognition of their commitment to academic excellence. UMass Lowell alumni Rob and Donna Manning established the Manning Prize in 2016 to honor UMass professors who excel in teaching and service. With the selection of this year’s honorees, 35 UMass faculty members now have the distinct honor of being Manning Prize recipients. The winner from UMass Amherst is Lorraine Cordeiro, PhD, director of the Center for Research on Families and associate professor of Nutrition, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. Cordeiro is a community-engaged scholar who describes herself as “an educator, a scientist, a first-generation college graduate, a U.S. immigrant, a woman, a cancer survivor, a multigenerational caregiver, and a community volunteer.” Cordeiro has been at the forefront of leading efforts for major curricula changes, new pedagogical approaches, and her department’s efforts in implementing and assessing holistic faculty teaching evaluation. Cordeiro has been nominated consistently for teaching awards; she is the recipient of the university’s 2015 Distinguished Teaching Award and the College Outstanding Teacher Award from UMass Amherst’s School of Public Health and Health Sciences in 2013.

Company Notebook

Company Notebook

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bankESB Makes $500,000 Challenge Grant to Cooley Dickinson

EASTHAMPTON — Matthew Sosik, president and CEO of bankESB, announced that the bank has made a $500,000 challenge grant to support the Emergency Department at Cooley Dickinson Hospital. The funds will be used to support Transforming Emergency Care: Campaign for the Cooley Dickinson Emergency Department, a $19.76 million expansion, reconfiguration, and renovation effort to allow Cooley Dickinson to meet the ever-evolving emergency medicine needs of all members of the community, from infants to older adults. “Access to quality medical care is something we all count on, and Cooley Dickinson continues to do an amazing job treating our friends, family, and neighbors who live and work in our communities,” said Sosik. “bankESB is pleased to do its part in supporting Cooley Dickinson and its efforts to transform its Emergency Department into one that’s as up-to-date as possible and can unlock its full potential. We hope others will do the same.” According to Cooley Dickinson Hospital, its Emergency Department is 40% undersized to meet the community’s needs and cares for many patients who require critical medical attention. The number of patients visiting the department has doubled — from 17,000 in the 1970s to nearly 34,000 in recent years. Renovations are expected to break ground next spring. Organizations contributing to the Campaign for the Cooley Dickinson Emergency Department can increase the impact of their donations through this matching grant. bankESB will give one dollar for every two dollars donated to the Emergency Department campaign through Dec. 31, up to $500,000.

 

AIC Partners with STCC with Signing of Articulation Agreement

SPRINGFIELD — American International College (AIC) has signed an articulation agreement with Springfield Technical Community College (STCC), formally establishing a close academic relationship between the two-year college and the four-year institution. This accord between American International College and Springfield Technical Community College aligns academic programs that enhance the seamless transition of STCC graduates and qualified candidates from STCC, and promote a smooth, successful transfer to AIC. This articulation agreement offers time and cost savings for students by recognizing the coursework pursued at the community college and demonstrates the ongoing commitment of both AIC and STCC to the community and its students, by ensuring that educational pathways are created for all those who wish to consider a degree in higher education. At AIC, the program is referred to as Direct Connect. Direct Connect transfer students automatically receive a $4,000 scholarship in addition to their earned merit scholarship, before any need-based aid is awarded. This means Direct Connect students can earn up to $18,000 in financial gift aid, not loans, before being evaluated for additional need-based aid. And, unlike some other transfer articulation agreements, the Direct Connect program at AIC allows students to study and major in their area of interest while attending their community college.

 

Easy Company Brewing Launches in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD — Easy Company Brewing recently launched Springfield’s newest brewery Thursday at the Student Prince in downtown Springfield. Easy Company Brewing (ECB) is a veteran-owned business that is committed to donating 100% of its profits to veterans, first responders, and their families. The name and its mission are inspired by the men of Easy Company from WW II, made famous by the book and mini-series Band of Brothers. Following in the footsteps of the men of Easy, ECB is committed to brewing drinkable European style beers with “a little bit of American boldness and edge,” while honoring the men and women who serve or have served our country. All of ECB after-tax profits, will be donated through its companion foundation to a number of charities that do work on behalf our nation’s heroes. Founders Jeff St. Jean and John DeVoie served together in the Air National Guard, and have teamed up to create this new beer brand in the City of Homes. St. Jean is still serving, and DeVoie is one of the co-founders of Hot Table, a Springfield based fast casual restaurant company. ECB beers are currently contract brewed locally in Western Mass., but DeVeVoie and St. Jean hope to build a brewery and tap room in Springfield at some point. Their beers are currently available for sale at Table & Vine in West Springfield. Other retailers will follow this summer.

 

Two New Woman-owned Businesses Open in Thornes Marketplace

NORTHAMPTON — Two women entrepreneurs with a passion for artistry and design have opened shops in Thornes Marketplace, one offering Bohemian home décor and the other, women’s lingerie and loungewear. Cigdem “Chi” Turkomer, the owner of Le BonNton, originally located on Old South Street, moved into Thornes last June, relocating several times within the building over the past year and recently settling permanently on the second floor. In its fifth year, Le BonNton offers linens, furniture and other décor, which Turkomer also provides for a fee to couples through her wedding design service. On June 10 from 5-8 p.m., Thornes will host a fifth-anniversary celebration for Le BonNton in the shop, with music, local art displays and Turkish Delight sweets prepared by Turkomer.

Ali Ingellis, owner of Ooh La La, opened her boutique on the first floor of the historic shopping center in downtown Northampton in May. The lingerie and loungewear she designs and produces are inspired by history and nature, and she describes her shop as, “Beautiful, unapologetically feminine, intimate — like your best friend’s closet.”

 

MassMutual Center Sees Positive Economic Impact in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD — The MassMutual Center recently collaborated with Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company that measures local economic impact in local markets, to research the economic impact the venue had in Springfield and surrounding markets from July 2018 through June 2019 (FY19). Findings show that the MassMutual Center’s gross economic impact as well as Incremental Impact were significant. Tourism Economics found that in FY19, the MassMutual Center had more than 300,000 total attendees in the arena and convention center events, resulting in a total gross economic impact of $47.1 million, which generated 555 total jobs in the market and contributed $4.4 million in total state and local tax revenues. Of the total event attendees, 147,000 were out-of-town attendees, resulting in a total incremental impact of $34.9 million, which generated 443 total jobs in the market and contributed $3.2 million in total state and local tax revenues. Gross economic and incremental impacts were measured by money spent by the venue in the local economy to sustain operations, including spending on payroll, marketing costs, legal services, and professional services, as well as money spent by event attendees while attending events at the MassMutual Center and at off-site establishments, including local restaurants, hotels, retailers, and recreation/entertainment venues. Gross economic impact shows impact made by all event attendees, while incremental impacts focuses on the out-of-town event attendees.

 

Florence Bank Celebrates 20th Annual Customers’ Choice Community Grants Program

FLORENCE — Florence Bank celebrated its 20th annual Customers’ Choice Community Grants Program gala last month, awarding $100,000 to 45 nonprofits across the valley. And at the close of the event, President and CEO Kevin Day drew cheers from the audience of nonprofit leaders, announcing that giving will increase to $125,000. Day’s announcement was the second commemoration of the evening, the first coming as he called for bank and nonprofit staff and leaders to raise a glass to toast the event’s 20th year. “We can’t let that go without celebration,” he said. Florence Bank’s community grants program is an annual offering founded in 2002, and, through it, Florence Bank customers are invited to vote for their favorite local nonprofit in hopes it will receive a share of grant funding. Voting takes place all year long, online at www.florencebank.com/vote and in bank branches, and each customer has only one vote. To qualify for a community grant, organizations must receive at least 50 votes. In 2021, roughly 7,000 votes were cast, making 45 nonprofits eligible for a grant. Over the past 20 years, Florence Bank has tallied more than 141,000 customer votes and given grants to roughly 164 different organizations. At its 20th annual event, held May 19 at Frank Newhall Look Memorial Park, the bank offered awards to 45 nonprofits and celebrated a total of $1.4 million in community giving through this one channel. Six nonprofits received funding for the first time — some in Hampden County, where Florence Bank now has three branches and has established a presence as a good neighbor. Three recipients have accepted an award every year since the program launched. Four organizations received the maximum amount of $5,000 this year: Cancer Connection Inc., Dakin Humane Society, Food Bank of Western Mass., and Friends of Williamsburg Libraries.In addition to the four top vote-getters, these other organizations received an award: Friends of Lilly Library, $4,097; Northampton Survival Center, $3,782; Amherst Survival Center, $3,588; Our Lady of the Hills Parish, $3,564; Friends of Forbes Library, $3,539; Goshen Firefighters Association, $3,370; Friends of Northampton Legion Baseball, $3,224; Easthampton Community Center, $2,909; It Takes a Village, $2,909; Williamsburg Firefighters Association, $2,642; Northampton Neighbors, $2,400; Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School, $2,303; Belchertown Animal Relief Committee, Inc. (BARC), $2,230; Manna Community Kitchen, $2,109; Shriners Hospitals for Children, $1,988; and J.F.K. Middle School PTO. Also, $1,867; Kestrel Land Trust, $1,867; Northampton High School PTO, $1,794; Riverside Industries, Inc., $1,770; R.K. Finn Ryan Road School PTO, $1,648; Cooley Dickinson Hospital, $1,624; Safe Passage, $1,624; Northampton Community Music Center, $1,527; Therapeutic Equestrian Center, $1,527; Amherst Neighbors, $1,503; Friends of M.N. Spear Memorial Library, $1,455; Edward Hopkins Educational Foundation, $1,430; Grow Food Northampton, $1,430; Smith Vocational High School PTO, $1,333; Whole Children, $1,309; Easthampton Elementary Schools PTO, $1,164; Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity, $1,139; Hitchcock Center for the Environment, $1,115; Revitalize CDC, $1,091; The Parish Cupboard, $1,067; Belchertown Police K-9 Unit, $1,042; Cooley Dickinson Hospital VNA & Hospice, $1,042; Historic Northampton, $1,018; Granby Senior Center, $994; Leeds Elementary School PTO, $994; and Ludlow Boys & Girls Club, $970.

 

Monson Savings Bank Donates Bikes to YWCA of Western Mass.

MONSON — In the spirit of its 150th Anniversary, Monson Savings Bank announced earlier this year that it will be launching its 150 Build-a-Bike campaign. The community bank has purchased more than $20,000 worth of bikes to donate to local children and they have partnered with various non-profits in the area to host Build-a-Bike events throughout the year. Most recently, Monson Savings delivered 10 bikes and 10 helmets to YWCA of Western Mass. Members of the Monson Savings team delivered the bikes that they helped to assemble with Ray Plouffe, owner of Family Bike Shop in East Longmeadow. Many members of the team expressed feelings of gratitude and a sense of fulfillment after building and delivering the bikes. “All of us were very excited to come together for the YWCA Build-a-Bike event. Our team had a great time getting to know the YWCA team and confirming our knowledge about all of the incredible ways they help those in need,” said Dan Moriarty, President and CEO of Monson Savings Bank. “Plus, it was wonderful to deliver the bikes and hear how the YWCA plans to make a safe, designated area for children to enjoy the bikes as they receive support from the organization.” Throughout the summer, Monson Savings Bank will also partner with I Found Light Against All Odds and the Springfield Housing Authority, South End Community Center, and Educare Springfield to host more 150 Build-a-Bike events, continuing to spread happiness to children and families throughout the area. To learn more about Monson Savings Bank’s 150th anniversary, the bank’s historical timeline, and to view a full schedule of events visit www.monsonsavings.bank/anniversary.

 

Caolo & Bieniek Architects Selected to Design Northfield Emergency Services Facility

CHICOPEE — Caolo & Bieniek Architects (CBA) has been selected, and has begun work, on designing options for a public safety complex to serve the town of Northfield. The CBA design team boasts 60 years of experience working in Western Mass., with extensive knowledge in the construction of public safety complexes, police stations, fire stations, and emergency service facilities. The team will compose a feasibility study assessing program needs and developing Phase 1 – programing and conceptual design. The focus of the study is to explore design options that accommodate the town’s Fire Department, Police Department, and Emergency Medical Services Department. Each department’s current condition is in need of attention and redesign to better enable department members to effectively serve their community.

 

Pellegrini, Seeley, Ryan & Blakesley Provides Financial Gift to Community Legal Aid

SPRINGFIELD — The law firm of Pellegrini, Seeley, Ryan & Blakesley recently made a $3,500 donation to support Community Legal Aid of Central and Western Massachusetts.Community Legal Aid Executive Director Jonathan Mannina Esq., in accepting the donation said, “with the firm’s gift, PSRB is helping to pass on the American promise of equal Justice under the law. With Pellegrini, Seeley, Ryan & Blakesley’s support, Community Legal Aid will be able to continue to serve some of the most vulnerable members of our community.” “It is critical to us as a firm, that the work of the Community Legal Aid continue,” said Charlie Casartello Jr., Managing Partner at Pellegrini, Seeley Ryan & Blakesley. “For 70 years, they have provided invaluable advocacy for and support to people who otherwise would not be able to afford legal representation in central and western Massachusetts. The impact they make is tremendous and we are proud that we can make a difference in their mission.”

Daily News

Bacon Wilson Announces Additions to Firm 

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SPRINGFIELD — Bacon Wilson, P.C. announced that Attorney Timothy M. Netkovick and Attorney Jennifer R. Sharrow have joined the firm. 

Netkovick is a member of Bacon Wilson’s Employment Law Practice Group. He is licensed to practice in both Massachusetts and Connecticut and has significant experience in matters including employment and commercial litigation. He has been practicing law for 20 years, having earned his J.D. from Western New England College School of Law in 2002, and a B.S. magna cum laude from American International College in 1999. He was recognized as the School of Law Academic Scholarship Recipient during his time at Western New England, and an All-American Scholar in 1998 at American International. He will be working from Bacon Wilson’s Springfield location. 

Sharrow is a member of Bacon Wilson’s Commercial Law Practice Group. She is licensed to practice in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. She has more than a decade of experience working in public service, with experience in federal programs where she focused on municipal, non-profit, and business development. She earned her J.D. in 2010 from the University of Connecticut School of Law and earned a B.A. summa cum laude from the University of New Hampshire in 2007. 

She has volunteered her time by serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA with Habitat for Humanity from 2010 to 2011 and participated in multiple pro bono programs including the Women’s Bar Foundation Family Law Project and the Hampden County Bar Association Lawyer for the Day Program. Currently, she serves as the Legal Chair for the Shoshin Ryu Martial Arts Association and is a member of the Belchertown Zoning Board of Appeals. She will work from Bacon Wilson’s Springfield location.  

Bacon Wilson’s Managing Shareholder, Kenneth J. Albano, welcomed the new attorneys to the legal family, “Tim and Jennifer provide significant depth and experience to their respective practice groups.” 

The firm also welcomed Alayna Anderson, as the marketing coordinator, who recently joined the firm at the Springfield location. She is a Cape Cod Native who since relocated to Springfield after earning her bachelor of Science degree in marketing as well as her master’s of Business Administration, both from Springfield College. She will work directly with Bacon Wilson’s Executive Director, Lisa Carpenter, on all aspects of managing the firm’s marketing and public relations for all five locations.  

Daily News

Florence Bank Celebrates 20th Annual Customers’ Choice Community Grants Program 

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FLORENCE — Florence Bank celebrated its 20th annual Customers’ Choice Community Grants Program gala last month, awarding $100,000 to 45 nonprofits across the valley. And at the close of the event, President and CEO Kevin Day drew cheers from the audience of nonprofit leaders, announcing that giving will increase to $125,000. 

“Some of you longtime recipients may recall when we began this great program back in 2002, we started by giving away $50,000,” Day said. “Years later we increased to $75,000 and then to $100,000. We’ve decided to increase the total grant amount again — to $125,000 — immediately, for grants to be awarded at next year’s gala. 

“My hope is that our customers continue to use this program to provide you with a vote of confidence, as well as some much-needed funding to help you continue your mission to serve the community,” he added. “All of us at Florence Bank truly appreciate everything you do to make our communities better places to live and work.” 

Day’s announcement was the second commemoration of the evening, the first coming as he called for bank and nonprofit staff and leaders to raise a glass to toast the event’s 20th year. “We can’t let that go without celebration,” he said.  

Florence Bank’s community grants program is an annual offering founded in 2002, and, through it, Florence Bank customers are invited to vote for their favorite local nonprofit in hopes it will receive a share of grant funding. 

Voting takes place all year long, online at www.florencebank.com/vote and in bank branches, and each customer has only one vote. To qualify for a community grant, organizations must receive at least 50 votes. In 2021, roughly 7,000 votes were cast, making 45 nonprofits eligible for a grant. 

Over the past 20 years, Florence Bank has tallied more than 141,000 customer votes and given grants to roughly 164 different organizations. 

  

At its 20th annual event, held May 19 at Frank Newhall Look Memorial Park, the bank offered awards to 45 nonprofits and celebrated a total of $1.4 million in community giving through this one channel. 

Six nonprofits received funding for the first time — some in Hampden County, where Florence Bank now has three branches and has established a presence as a good neighbor. Three recipients have accepted an award every year since the program launched.  

Four organizations received the maximum amount of $5,000 this year: Cancer Connection Inc., Dakin Humane Society, Food Bank of Western Mass., and Friends of Williamsburg Libraries. 

“The commitment of Florence Bank customers to all of you serving the needs within our community is awesome, and we couldn’t be prouder to be able to support the programs our customers believe in,” Day said.  

Organizations receiving awards range from police, fire, library, and school groups to nonprofits that provide food, shelter or support to people living with a serious illness or disability. 

In addition to the four top vote-getters, these other organizations received an award:  

Friends of Lilly Library, $4,097; Northampton Survival Center, $3,782; Amherst Survival Center, $3,588; Our Lady of the Hills Parish, $3,564; Friends of Forbes Library, $3,539; Goshen Firefighters Association, $3,370; Friends of Northampton Legion Baseball, $3,224; Easthampton Community Center, $2,909; It Takes a Village, $2,909; Williamsburg Firefighters Association, $2,642; Northampton Neighbors, $2,400; Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School, $2,303; Belchertown Animal Relief Committee, Inc. (BARC), $2,230; Manna Community Kitchen, $2,109; Shriners Hospitals for Children, $1,988; and J.F.K. Middle School PTO. 

Also, $1,867; Kestrel Land Trust, $1,867; Northampton High School PTO, $1,794; Riverside Industries, Inc., $1,770; R.K. Finn Ryan Road School PTO, $1,648; Cooley Dickinson Hospital, $1,624; Safe Passage, $1,624; Northampton Community Music Center, $1,527; Therapeutic Equestrian Center, $1,527; Amherst Neighbors, $1,503; Friends of M.N. Spear Memorial Library, $1,455; Edward Hopkins Educational Foundation, $1,430; Grow Food Northampton, $1,430; Smith Vocational High School PTO, $1,333; Whole Children, $1,309; Easthampton Elementary Schools PTO, $1,164; Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity, $1,139; Hitchcock Center for the Environment, $1,115; Revitalize CDC, $1,091; The Parish Cupboard, $1,067; Belchertown Police K-9 Unit, $1,042; Cooley Dickinson Hospital VNA & Hospice, $1,042; Historic Northampton, $1,018; Granby Senior Center, $994; Leeds Elementary School PTO, $994; and Ludlow Boys & Girls Club, $970. 

Company Notebook

Company Notebook

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Monson Savings Bank Elects New Corporators

MONSON — Monson Savings Bank announced the election of five new corporators. At the bank’s recent annual meeting, it was announced that Nikki Burnett, Cesar Ruiz, John Zienowicz, Ciara Speller, and Christian D’Amour had been elected by existing corporators. Burnett is the executive director of Educare Springfield. She also sits on national committees for the Educare Learning Network, such as the Educare Policy Work Group, the Collaborative Fundraising Advisory Board, and the Red Nose Day Advisory Board. Additionally, she is a trustee for the Community Foundation of Western Mass., and serves on the Distribution Committee as co‐chair; the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion subcommittee; and the Executive Committee. She is also a member of the Baystate Community Benefits Advisory Council. Ruiz is the founder, president and CEO of Golden Years Home Services. He was the first Hispanic popularly elected official in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, serving on the Springfield School Committee from 1980-1986. Prior to founding Golden Years, he worked in banking at Region’s Bank. He was recently recognized as one of business’s most influential Latinos by Hispanic Executive magazine. Zienowicz is the executive director of the Ware Council on Aging. Furthermore, he sits on the board of directors for the Quaboag Hills Community Coalition, the Ware Cable Access Television, and the Advisory Board for BHN Carson Center. He is a member of the Bay State Eastern Region Community Benefits Advisory Board, the Quaboag Region Coordinating Council, and the Quaboag Hills Substance Use Alliance. Speller is a weeknight news anchor for Channel 22 WWLP. She serves as a board member for local nonprofit I Found Light Against All Odds, is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists, volunteers for the Miss Western Massachusetts Scholarship Assoc., and is a panelist for Girls Inc. of the Valley. Additionally, she was the recipient of the “Leadership in Broadcasting Award” from Bay Path University in 2019 and a 2021 Boston/New England Regional Emmy Winner. D’Amour is the director of E-Commerce at Big Y World Class Market and a third-generation member of Big Y Foods’ founding D’Amour family. Prior to working at Big Y, he worked at Delta Dental of Rhode Island as a sales and marketing representative. Additionally, he holds a B.A. from Saint Michael College.

 

HNE Offers $100,000 in Grants for DEIB in Maternal/Infant Health

SPRINGFIELD — Health New England is offering $100,000 in grants for non-profit organizations that address inequities to improve maternal and infant health. The company’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) grants will award up to $10,000 per organization. The DEIB grants will fund non-profits whose programs address health equity and focus on engaging at least one social determinant of health (SDOH). SDOHs are conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age that affect health, quality of life, and life expectancy. These may include socioeconomic status, food insecurity, education, access to health care, safe housing, discrimination, violence, and trauma, etc. Registered 501(c)(3) non-profits focused on communities in Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, and Worcester counties are eligible. Eligible organizations can find out more and apply for the grant here. Submissions are due by midnight on May 30.

Mercy Medical Center Earns Fourth Consecutive ‘A’ Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade

SPRINGFIELD — Mercy Medical Center has received an “A” Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade for spring 2022. This national distinction recognizes Mercy Medical Center’s achievements in protecting patients from preventable harm and error in the hospital. This latest recognition marks Mercy’s fourth consecutive “A” safety grade. The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization, assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on over thirty national performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries, and infections, as well as systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospital prevention of medical errors and harms to patients. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.

 

Lee Bank Foundation Distributes $83,750 in First Grant Funding Round of 2022

LEE — Lee Bank Foundation has awarded $83,750 to 12 Berkshire area organizations and an additional grant to Pittsfield Public Schools in its first-round of 2022 community funding. Recipients were awarded grants ranging from $1,000 to $16,000 to support their local programming. Included in the awards are a series of Arts Access Grants for arts and culture organizations to expand access to programming for underserved audiences.

The following organizations received funding:

• Berkshire Center for Justice;
• Berkshire Community Diaper Project;
• Berkshire Concert Choir;
• Berkshire County Arc;
• Berkshire Historical Society;
• Berkshire Family YMCA;
• Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity;
• Community Access to the Arts;
• Great Barrington Public Theater;
• Greenagers;
• Roots Rising; and
• The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center

Arts Access Grants of $1,000 each were awarded to Berkshire Concert Choir, Berkshire Historical Society, and Great Barrington Public Theater. Additionally, Lee Bank Foundation announced a $16,000 grant to the Pittsfield Public Schools — $1,000 for each school serving children and adults in Pittsfield, to coincide with the groundbreaking of the new Lee Bank branch on South Street. The deadline for the next round of 2022 Foundation funding is June 1. The application and more information can be found on the Community Impact section of Lee Bank’s website (https://www.leebank.com/community-impact/donations-sponsorships.html). To be considered for grant awards, applicants must be a (501)(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The Foundation is focused on funding programs that work to bridge income and opportunity gaps in our region. Funding requests should reflect one or more of Lee Bank Foundation’s primary focus areas: education and literacy; food security and nutrition; economic growth and development; health and human services; mentorship, internship and “school to work” initiatives; and arts and culture

 

Marriott Brand Restored on Downtown Springfield Hotel

SPRINGFIELD — The Marriott brand has been restored to a downtown Springfield hotel in preparation for a planned September opening. The Marriott ‘M’ logo was attached to the Tower Square Hotel recently, a milestone in a nearly four-year-long effort to restore a brand name that was lost in 2017. Extensive renovations of the property, projected to cost $40 million, are ongoing, with a grand reopening planned for this fall. The new Marriott will have 266 rooms.

 

North Brookfield Savings Named Among ‘Top Extraordinary Banks’

NORTH BROOKFIELD — North Brookfield Savings Bank, was recently named among the top extraordinary banks in the United States by The Institute for Extraordinary Banking. This award comes on the heels of the Community Choice Central Mass. Best Bank Award it received for 2021. North Brookfield Savings Bank was recognized with the institute’s Banky Award for its commitment to strong community banking. This recognition is given to top community banks across the country to help people find the best banks in their communities.

 

Massage Clinic to Open at Asnuntuck Community College

ENFIELD, Conn. — The public is invited to make a reservation for a massage through Asnuntuck Community College’s massage clinic. Massages can provide physical and mental benefits. Massage can loosen tight muscles, lower blood pressure, and assist in recovery from injuries and illness. Students enrolled in ACC’s Massage Therapy program provide the massages for the clinic. The appointments begin May 23, and run until August 16 on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Appointment times are 9 a.m., 10:15 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 2:15 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Rates are $30 for 50 minutes, and $60 for 100 minutes. Gift certificates are available. Tipping is not allowed by state law. Reservations are required. Visit https://asnuntuck.edu/massage/ to learn more about the clinic.

 

Spectrum Home Health & Hospice Care Named to ‘Elite List’

LONGMEADOW — JGS Lifecare, a not-for-profit healthcare system serving seniors and their families in Western Mass. for more than 110 years, announced that Spectrum Home Health & Hospice Care, one of its subsidiary organizations, has made the 2022 Hospice Honors Elite list. Hospice Honors is a prestigious annual national program from HEALTHCAREfirst that recognized hospices that continuously provide the highest level of quality care as measured from the caregiver’s point of view. HEALTHCAREfirst is a leading provider of billing and coding services, CAHPS surveys, and advanced analytics. It acknowledges the highest performing agencies by analyzing the performance of the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) hospice survey satisfaction measures. Award criteria were based on Hospice CAHPS survey results for an evaluation period of October 2020 through September 2021. Award recipients were identified by evaluating performance on a set of 24 quality indicator measures. Performance scores were aggregated from all completed surveys and were compared on a question-by-question basis to a National Performance Score calculated from all hospices contained in the HEALTHCAREfirst’s Hospice CAHPS database. Hospice Honors recipients include those hospices scoring above the HEALTHCAREfirst national performance score on 20 of the 24 evaluated questions. HEALTHCAREfirst holds a special recognition, Hospice Honors Elite, to honor hospices scoring above the HEALTHCAREfirst National Performance Score on all 24 of the evaluated questions.

 

‘Together HCC’ Raises $192,000 for Scholarships, Student Aid

HOLYOKE — Alumni, faculty, staff, and friends of Holyoke Community College led a historic day of giving last month, raising more than $192,000 for student support programs during its one-day ‘Together HCC: Drive to Change Lives’ campaign. Organizers had set a goal of 300 donors for the 24-hour, April 26, fund drive. The final tally was 418, a 41% increase from 2021. Auto dealer Gary Rome, an HCC Foundation board member, led the way with a $5,000 challenge when the campaign met its goals of securing 300 donors. Another alumni donor was Dylan Pilon, ’12, of Springfield, a former scholarship recipient who graduated from HCC debt free, which allowed him to start his own company, Cloud 9 Marketing in East Longmeadow. In addition to Rome and Pilon, Peg, ’58, and Gary Wendlandt, Jim Izatt, ’59, trustee Robert Gilbert, Foundation board member Carl Eger, ’56, and Shirley Eger, and HCC President Christina Royal all posed matching and challenge gifts for the campaign.

 

‘Parklets’ Come to Downtown Amherst

AMHERST — The Amherst Business Improvement District (BID) has received an $80,750 grant from the Regional Economic Development Organization (REDO) for outdoor seating accommodations on Amity Street and South Pleasant Street that have been dubbed ‘parklets.’

The grant is funded through the Massachusetts Office of Business Development and is being administered through the Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council. It will cover the materials, labor, and insurance costs.

Each parklet will be located in front of a designated food-and-drink establishment for that establishment’s use, and the sidewalk next to each parklet location will be maintained as a pedestrian pathway. These ‘parklets’ will also be accessible to those with disabilities in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act standards for accessible design.

The Amherst BID is managing this project with support from the Amherst Planning Department staff. The parklets are being constructed by Keiter Corporation, a Florence-based construction company. Additionally, Evan Jones from Cowls Building Supply, located in Amherst, worked with the BID to procure the materials at a reduced cost.

“The main goal of this project is to help activate the downtown streetscape by providing extended sidewalks to serve as outdoor dining spaces, to attract residents and visitors and support local businesses. As the town explores urban design standards and streetscape designs for the downtown, this pilot project is an excellent opportunity for all stakeholders to learn from and enjoy,” said Maureen Pollock, Amherst planner.

The parklets are expected to be fully constructed by Saturday.

Daily News

Lee Bank Foundation Distributes $83,750 in First Grant Funding Round of 2022 

By

LEE — Lee Bank Foundation has awarded $83,750 to 12 Berkshire area organizations and an additional grant to Pittsfield Public Schools in its first-round of 2022 community funding. 

Recipients were awarded grants ranging from $1,000 to $16,000 to support their local programming. Included in the awards are a series of Arts Access Grants for arts and culture organizations to expand access to programming for underserved audiences. 

The following organizations received funding: 

  • Berkshire Center for Justice;
  • Berkshire Community Diaper Project;
  • Berkshire Concert Choir;
  • Berkshire County Arc;
  • Berkshire Historical Society;
  • Berkshire Family YMCA;
  • Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity;
  • Community Access to the Arts;
  • Great Barrington Public Theater;
  • Greenagers;
  • Roots Rising; and
  • The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center

  

Arts Access Grants of $1,000 each were awarded to Berkshire Concert Choir, Berkshire Historical Society, and Great Barrington Public Theater. Additionally, Lee Bank Foundation announced a $16,000 grant to the Pittsfield Public Schools — $1,000 for each school serving children and adults in Pittsfield, to coincide with the groundbreaking of the new Lee Bank branch on South Street.  

The deadline for the next round of 2022 Foundation funding is June 1. The application and more information can be found on the Community Impact section of Lee Bank’s website (https://www.leebank.com/community-impact/donations-sponsorships.html) 

To be considered for grant awards, applicants must be a (501)(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The Foundation is focused on funding programs that work to bridge income and opportunity gaps in our region. Funding requests should reflect one or more of Lee Bank Foundation’s primary focus areas: education and literacy; food security and nutrition; economic growth and development; health and human services; mentorship, internship and “school to work” initiatives; and arts and culture 

Applicants are only eligible for funding once in a 12-month period. 

Lee Bank Foundation was established in 2021 to support Lee Bank’s long-standing mission of community reinvestment. In its first year, the Foundation awarded a total of $228,610 in grants and the Bank contributed an additional $84,000 in sponsorships. 

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