PeoplesBank kicks off senior center campaign with donation

Date: 8/31/2010

Sept. 1, 2010

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor

HOLYOKE -- The Friends of the Holyoke Senior Center have received a full one-fifth of its goal to raise $500,000 for the construction of a new senior center.

Kathy Bowler, executive director of the city's Council on Aging, announced at the annual senior picnic on Thursday that PeoplesBank has made a donation of $100,000.

Marion Teirney, the co-chair of the campaign, told Reminder Publications this was the first "major award" for the campaign and that she hoped other businesses and organizations would follow with donations.

"This is an enormous start," Bowler said.

There are a number of naming options for contributors and Bowler said the multi-purpose meeting room and the lobby would be named after PeoplesBank.

"PeoplesBank shares the vision of a new senior center," Bowler added.

Doug Bowen, president and CEO of PeoplesBank said, "The services and programs that will be provided through this facility are critical to our seniors and the Council of Aging has done a great job with what they have to work with to date.

"We congratulate HCOA Executive Director Kathy Bowler and The Friends of the Holyoke Council on Aging for taking on this important project. PeoplesBank has been a Holyoke tradition since 1885 and we look forward to the new Holyoke Senior Center's grand opening as a community resource and the start of another great tradition."

The new center will be at the current location of the former Anne McHugh school building. Bowler said the next construction step would be the removal of asbestos from the building and then the erection of a demolition fence, followed by demolition.

Construction plans are being finalized now, Bowler added.

"This is very exciting," Tierney said.

For more information on making a donation to the campaign, contact Tierney at 533-0909.