MWCC News & Events: What's Up at the Mount

MWCC's weekly e-newsletter

 

Friday, Oct. 13, 2006

 

MWCC CELEBRATES OPENING OF GARRISON CENTER FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

AND MOLLY BISH INSTITUTE FOR CHILD HEALTH AND SAFETY

By Kimberly B. Caisse

More than 100 people celebrated the opening of the Garrison Center for Early Childhood Education and Molly Bish Institute for Child Health & Safety at MWCC Thursday, Oct. 12.

The new building doubles the size of the childcare facility (5,200 square feet) run by MOC Child Care & Head Start at the Gardner campus, provides an observational classroom for Early Childhood Education students and serves as a clearinghouse for information on child health and safety.

President Asquino (center), Peggy and Jim Garrison (left of Asquino) and John and Magi Bish (to his right) cut the ribbon at the grand opening ceremony for the new Garrison Center for Early Childhood Development and Molly Bish Institute for Child Health and Safety.

The center is the first project funded in part by the college ’s first-ever capital campaign. State funding was also used for the $2.1 million project built by a construction team from the state’s Division of Capital Asset Management, Bargmann, Hendrie plus Archetype, Inc., and Construction Dynamics.

“Children’s health and safety are our number-one priority,” said MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino. “The Garrison Center gives these children a safe, cozy learning environment. Across the hall, the Molly Bish Institute gives them and their parents resources to always be healthy and safe.”

Asquino noted that MWCC is especially grateful for college Trustee Jim Garrison’s support for this project. “Driven by his strong belief that all children should have access to a quality preschool education, Jim’s commitment and leadership during our capital campaign for this project never wavered,” he said.

Asquino added that the college is proud to help John and Magi Bish carry out their mission to ensure the health and safety of children. “In memory of their daughter, John and Magi work tirelessly to give parents around Massachusetts the tools they need to keep their children safe and healthy,” Asquino said.

Garrison urged the state’s politicians to fund preschool for all 3- and 4-year-olds. “The seeds of high school dropouts begin at that critical moment,” he said.

“I’m proud to play a role in bringing this building to life,” he added.

Garrison, who will receive a Council for Resource Development 2006 Benefactor Award at a gala in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 3, made an additional donation to the capital campaign last year that established the Garrison Funds for Early Childhood Education student scholarships and childcare stipends to qualified students. It also supports capacity building efforts of the Early Childhood Education program like faculty professional development.

“Everybody who made this happen, you should be proud of yourself,” said state Sen. Stephen Brewer.

Following a juice-box toast, Asquino announced the second phase of fund-raising for the center. Donations to this campaign will be earmarked for an “opportunity playground” for all children, even those with physical handicaps. “That will be used by children of all of our communities…hopefully in a few years,” Asquino said.

Joining Asquino at the ribbon-cutting portion of the ceremony were Jim and Peggy Garrison, John and Magi Bish, President of Marlin Firearms and H&R 1871 Robert Behn, CEO of GFA Federal Credit Union Chuck Bowles, President of GFA Federal Credit Union Tina Sprega, MWCC Executive Vice President Edward Terceiro Jr., state Sen. Stephen Brewer, state Rep. Anne Gobi, Gardner Mayor Gerald St. Hilaire, Fitchburg Mayor Dan Mylott, members of the MWCC Foundation Board of Directors and MWCC Trustees.

Garrison Fund scholarship recipients led tours of the center and institute while refreshments were served in the south dining area.

LEADERS’ PERSONAL STORIES, PANEL RAISES AWARENESS OF POVERTY IN OUR REGION

By Lea Ann Erickson

The Doyle Conservation Center in Leominster was filled to capacity at the first in a series of lectures on the “Many Faces of Poverty” Friday, Oct. 6. The series kicked off with two local leaders telling their own personal story.

MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino and Fitchburg Police Chief Edward Cronin both spoke to the crowd of their own personal challenges with poverty.

The What’s Next Speaker Series “The Many Faces of Poverty” panel

“I know what it’s like to walk into a store with food stamps and have people look at you,” Asquino said.

“I remember my family making the choice between heat and food when I grew up,” said Cronin.

“The fact that these leaders have been so brave in their comments says a lot about your community and your ability to address this issue,” said moderator Dr. Charlotte Kahn, director of the Boston Foundation’s Boston Indicators Project. Kahn moderated a panel discussion featuring local leaders speaking on the many aspects and challenges posed by poverty.

The event marked the first in the Center for Democracy and Humanity What’s Next? Speaker Series—now in its third year. The 2006-2007 series is in cooperation with the Montachusett Opportunity Council in an effort to raise awareness and increase dialogue about poverty as MOC prepares to celebrate its 40th anniversary.

MOC Executive Director Kathleen McDermott explained to the crowd that poverty is often deceptive. “A single mother with a child, earning minimum wage would not even qualify for Head Start,” she explained. This is due to the way the poverty level is calculated on a national level with no consideration made for the high cost of living in Massachusetts.

According to McDermott, of the 29 cities and towns served by MOC (with a population of 240,000), over 19,500 are living in poverty and 51,300 are classified as low income. Of theses communities, “Fitchburg tops the list,” explained McDermott. Fitchburg, Athol, Royalston, Gardner, Winchendon and Leominster top the list of communities with high numbers of families and individuals living below the poverty level.

What she finds most disturbing, is the number of children living in poverty. “If you look at all the children under 18,” she said, “10 percent are living in poverty. But, among single-parent households, 34.3 percent are living in poverty.”

Dr. Sergio Paez, language acquisition director for the Leominster Public Schools, said it is everyone’s hope that “education will be the great leveler,” to lift these children out of poverty, but too often that is not the case.

He challenged schools and communities to do a better job of reaching out to those in need, particularly to new immigrants. “Being an immigrant today is tough,” he said. “I always try to say to my kids, ‘Welcome to Leominster.’”

Cronin also saw a need for a shift in how systems react to poverty and their communities. “We have to look at things, not the left-wing way or the right-wing way, but the ‘right way.’”

Asquino closed the day by noting the hope of those in the room, and in the greater community, to continue the dialogue and work to build on the suggestions made. “We can all be that helping hand for those in need,” he said.

Other panelists included Marc Dohan, executive director of the Twin Cities Community Development Corporation, and Jeff McLynch, deputy director of the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center.

The next lecture in the What’s Next? “Many faces of Poverty” series will feature Jack Foley of the Clark University Park Partnership, a nationally recognized neighborhood-based strategic plan for revitalizing the area surrounding Clark.

This public and private partnership has taken a comprehensive approach to restoring vitality to an urban neighborhood with an emphasis on homeownership and affordable housing, outstanding educational opportunities, economic development and programs for families and youth.

The lecture will be held, Friday, Nov. 17 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Doyle Conservation Center in Leominster. To reserve a seat, contact: whatsnext@mwcc.mass.edu or call (978) 630-9324.

The event was sponsored by the Center for Democracy and Humanity at Mount Wachusett Community College, the Twin Cities Latino Coalition and the Trustees of Reservations.

15 ENTER MWCC’S 2ND ANNUAL BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION

By Kimberly B. Caisse

The college’s second annual Business Plan Competition, organized by the Entrepreneurial Resource Center at the Leominster campus, attracted 15 entrepreneurs from across North Central Massachusetts.

The competition gives the region’s innovators—in the business and nonprofit sectors—the opportunity to submit business plans that will vie for cash and small business services with a collective value of $30,000.

“To strengthen our economy, new businesses need to develop and flourish,” said MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino. “Worcester County is already home to many small businesses. To ensure this innovation continues, we need to support the entrepreneurs in our midst.”

One finalist will be chosen in each of the following three categories: startup profit, expanding profit businesses and nonprofits. In addition, special awards will be given in the following categories: Gardner profit or nonprofit, Fitchburg profit, Phoenix Park office space and Community Builders profit or nonprofit volunteer program.

Semi-finalists will be announced on Nov. 1. Semi-finalists will present their plans to judges on Monday, Nov. 13 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Gardner campus. Category finalists will be announced that evening. Finalists will present their plans to judges on Thursday, Nov. 16 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Gardner campus. The grand-prize winner and special prizes will be announced that evening.

The deadline for submissions was Monday, Sept. 18, with the following startups, businesses and nonprofits submitting business plans:

Startup profit-based entries:

Wrap-It Products, Fitchburg – A sole proprietorship that manufactures and distributes its proprietary line of fashion-forward, sports-specific headbands.
San Juan Cleaning Services, Fitchburg – A partnership that provides janitorial services for residential and commercial markets.

Infoservicio Uno, Lancaster – A limited liability company that will provide bilingual services for Spanish-speaking individuals and businesses in general.

Toonces Home Services, Leominster – A sole proprietorship that will offer customers a one-stop shop for all their home service needs.

Country Dogs Inn, East Templeton – A sole proprietorship that offers dog and cat boarding, dog daycare and a full-service grooming facility with a small retail storefront.

The Paper Police, Winchendon – A creator of patented software that offers an all inclusive writer's handbook on a toolbar. This Microsoft Word add-on addresses writing needs from essay templates to paragraph structure to formatted citation and reference. It provides step-by-step instruction, offering something for every type of writer.

Expanding profit-based entries:

Bridges Language Institute, Leominster – A private language school that specializes in customized Spanish classes, trainings and seminars. This business targets businesses such as financial institutions and manufacturing plants, but also offers some classes to the general public as well as tutoring.

Happy Trails Natural Foods, Gardner – A sole proprietorship that provides a holistic center where the customers can make informed decisions about their health. It provides its customers with quality foods, vitamins, minerals and herbs, as well as high-quality service and information.

Clinton Wellness Center, Clinton – This expanding business offers acupuncture and massage services to its clients.

Hearthwise, Leominster – Sells a firelog made on Canada's West Coast that is a cost-effective replacement for cordwood made from biomass with no binders.

Historical Happenings, Baldwinville – A family-owned and operated business dedicated to helping children and adults have fun while learning history. This business offers a variety of products and services that enable hands-on learning.

Nonprofits:

FATV New Teen Challenge, Fitchburg – A nonprofit organization that intends to establish a link to the youth of Fitchburg and Leominster—communicating to them in a medium that they are receptive to, a message that they are willing to listen to and in an entertaining, “cool” way.

Wise Choices, Rutland – A nonprofit that plans to create a resource guide for women’s services in the state that will be available as a written publication and later on a website.

Top Fun Aviation Toy Museum, Fitchburg – This nonprofit focuses on encouraging youngsters to aspire to have a larger vision of the possibilities in their lives. The museum uses toys, puzzles, games, computer simulations, activities, talks, workshops, and interactions with museum staff to accomplish this educational mission.

Step Up To Music, Sterling – A new program targeted at a specific underserved population: adolescents who are suffering from emotional problems. This program involves providing free guitar lessons, the use of a guitar and eventually a gift of a guitar to adolescents who make the commitment to practice and learn how to play the guitar. The goal of this program is to provide a positive incentive to young people while giving them an opportunity to develop a meaningful talent and a means to express themselves.

The competition attracted wide interest and support from competitors, sponsors and judges. The sponsors include: Premier Sponsor – Worcester Telegram & Gazette; Growth Sponsor – Unitil; Startup Sponsors – Jean D. Sifleet, Esq. and Phoenix Park; Incubating Sponsors – TD Banknorth, Gardner Redevelopment Authority, Nashoba Valley Chamber of Commerce, Wachusett Chamber of Commerce, Greater Gardner Chamber of Commerce, MWCC Entrepreneurial Resource Center, MWCC Institute for Nonprofit Development, Rose and Marble Design, Parkerhill Technology, Image Software Services, Community Builders, The Print Shop at Dunn & Company, SDI Associates; Supporting Sponsors – Fidelity Bank, Enterprise Bank, Fitchburg State College, W.E. Aubuchon Company, Inc., Wiltec, Inc., Wachusett Village Inn, A Basket Case and Onsite Studios.

The list of participating judges is as impressive as the list of sponsors and competitors: Ron Ansin, The Ronald M. Ansin Foundation; Darell Lemar, integration director of business resources, Massachusetts Office of Small Business & Entrepreneurship; Worcester State College Professor Dr. Shiko Gathau; Patsy Lewis, former executive director of the Worcester CAC; Leigh Zins of Zins and Associates; Jan Caggiano of Think Ink; Fitchburg State College Professor of Business Administration Dr. James Noonan; Bob Harvey of TD Banknorth; Mary Yanneth Bermudez Camp, Esq.; Jim Notaro, executive assistant, Fidelity Bank; David Roth, director of development and public relations, Life-Skills Inc.; Nicole Carter, director of marketing at MWCC; Sherry Handel, director of Center for Women & Enterprise; Michael Lundquist of the Polus Center; Ellen Sturgis, consultant; Joe Stiso, associate vice president of institutional advancement at MWCC; Mark Tigan, Clark University’s Community Development and Planning master’s program; Al Garcia, director of sales, HelloSoft; MWCC Business & Economics Professor and Department Chair Michael Greenwood, Mort Rosenberg, MR Associates, Inc.; Robin Duncan, assistant to the president, special projects, MWCC; Ray Belanger, Fish Park Consulting; Sarah Plaza, vice president of commercial lending at Clinton Savings Bank; Herb White, Workers Credit Union; Nicole Gagne, general manager, North Central Human Services; Stephanie Paige, consultant; Heather Layton, grant writer, MWCC; Kimberly Caisse, public relations specialist, MWCC; and LuAnn Thibodeau, human resources manager, LUK, Inc.

More MWCC News:

• The cast of "Noises Off"

  Tickets are still available for Theatre of the Mount’s next musical, “Noises Off.” Called “the funniest farce ever written” by New York critics, “Noises Off” will be performed on Friday, Oct. 13 and Saturday, Oct. 14 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 15 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $18 for evening performances and $15 for matinees. To reserve tickets, call the Theatre at the Mount box office at (978) 632-2403 or purchase tickets online at http://theatre.mwcc.edu.
• The Student Life Office will sponsor the exhibit “Above and Beyond: Our Community Response to HIV/AIDS” in the Leo & Theresa LaChance Library between Wednesday, Oct. 11 and Wednesday, Oct. 18. “Above and Beyond” was organized by The History Project with assistance from Casa de la Cultura/Center for Latino Arts. The exhibition documents the heroic response to the HIV/AIDS crisis by a variety of people and groups in Boston and across Massachusetts. The exhibition includes a timeline of the 25-year history of AIDS and documents the response by various communities, from helping and healing to activism and protest to campaigns for needle exchange and safer sex programs. For more information, contact Student Life Director Greg Clement at (978) 630-9252 or gclement@mwcc.mass.edu.

• Dr. Diane Beers

  Dr. Diane Beers, the author of "For the Prevention of Cruelty: The History and Legacy of Animal Rights Activism in the United States," will speak in the Leo & Theresa LaChance Library and sign copies of her book Wednesday, Oct. 18 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Room 125. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call the Library at (978) 630-9125.
• MWCC has launched the new Clinical Laboratory Science program. Students enrolled in this program will learn how to use sophisticated biomedical instrumentation and computers to analyze blood and other body specimens. Information sessions will take place Wednesdays Oct. 18, Nov. 15 and Dec. 13 at 3 p.m. in the OBS Conference Room on the second floor of Heywood Hospital. Prospective students interested in attending the information session are asked to call the Admissions Office at (978) 630-9110 (TTY (978) 632-4916), or send an email to admissions@mwcc.mass.edu. Information about the new CLS program also is posted on the college Blackboard website called CLS Information Center. To access more information, go to https://bb.mwcc.edu and then enter “cls” as both the username and password.
• Gateway to College, one of MWCC’s College Access and Preparation Programs, offers high-school dropouts and students on the verge of dropping out of high school an opportunity to earn a diploma in a college-like setting and earn college credits. Massachusetts residents who meet the program’s eligibility requirements may apply. Information sessions for the session that begins in January 2007 will be held on Monday, Oct. 23; Monday, Nov. 6; and Monday, Dec. 4. To register for an information session or to request materials, call (978) 630-9481 or (978) 630-9450, or visit http://www.mwcc.edu/services/CAPP/default.html.
• Tickets are on sale for a murder mystery dinner benefiting the MWCC Alumni Association Friday, Oct. 27 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Colonial Hotel. The Hat Trick Mystery Theatre will present “The Ghost of Mad Table Manor.” The event will feature a cocktail hour with cash bar from 6 to 7 p.m. followed by dinner and the show from 7 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $35 per person. For tickets or more information, please contact Alumni Association President Missi Sargent at (978) 630-9273 or msargent@mwcc.mass.edu.
• Associate Professor Raeann LeBlanc will give a presentation on her personal service-learning experience volunteering in New Orleans for the Animal Rescue League of New Orleans this past summer Monday, Oct. 23 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the commons. From her second trip after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, learn about the animal rescue efforts and challenges, the current issues facing homeless animals in New Orleans and the consciousness around legislation to protect animals as part of an evacuation plan for future disasters. To register, contact the information desk at informationcenter@mwcc.mass.edu.
• In observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Battered Women’s Resources Inc. of Leominster will present the exhibit “Body of Evidence” by Wisconsin artist Judy Zeolzer Levine in MWCC’s Leo & Theresa LaChance Library between Monday, Oct. 23 and Friday, Oct. 27. The display is a series of 20 quilts created to explore the way women are viewed and used in our society. For more information, contact Student Life Director Greg Clement at (978) 630-9252 or gclement@mwcc.mass.edu.
• The First Connections Mothers Group’s weekly meetings are held every Friday. At the gatherings, which take place in the Children’s Room at Levi Heywood Memorial Library from 10:30 a.m. to noon, attendees discuss topics such as feeding, sibling rivalry, temper tantrums, appropriate toys, traveling with children and how to choose a daycare provider. All mothers and their babies are invited. For more information, contact MWCC Professor Nancy Duphily, the meeting facilitator, at duphi@yahoo.com or (978) 630-9233. Duphily will be assisted by MWCC nursing students as part of their service-learning project.