First wall in place

Frigid temperatures didn't stop a group of volunteers on Saturday from fabricating and then erecting the first wall for the new home of Lorraine's Soup Kitchen on Meadow Street. Among the group were board members and volunteers for the soup kitchen as well as Michael Williams, vice president of Chicopee Savings Bank, who is heading up the capital campaign to pay for the construction of the building and Paul Waterman the vice president of operations at Callaway Golf, which donated the land for the new building.
Led by members of Leclerc Brothers Construction of Chicopee, the primary volunteer contractor for the project, the group hoisted the wall around 1 p.m. under the eye of Lorraine Houle, who is still recovering from a recent illness.
"I am just overwhelmed by the generosity of the volunteers who are making it happen right before our eyes. It is a real testament to the giving spirit of the citizens and businesses of the city of Chicopee, as well as many other towns, whose residents and companies have come forward to help," Houle said.
"Right now, about a month into our campaign we are just under $40,000. We have a long way to go and need to rely on the major businesses in our community to step forward and make this dream a reality. They, along with the individual donors, will help keep us on target for our May completion date. The economy dictates that we have to build this soup kitchen to continue to meet the needs of those struggling financially to care for themselves and their families. The wall raising is significant for us and in order to keep construction moving we need the funds, plain and simple," Williams said.
For those interested in making a cash or material contribution, call the soup kitchen at 592-9528.