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Reminder Assistant Editor WILBRAHAM What was known as the William Sullivan Jr. Fitness Center since 1987 at Minnechaug Regional High School has been transformed. The school's new Student Fitness Center has been revamped and rededicated, thanks to hard work from both the school and 32 local donors. At a ribbon-cutting ceremony that took place last Wednesday, a number of those donors and high school students gathered to witness the official opening of the new center. "I've seen few projects since coming here that have involved such team effort," Minnechaug principal M. Martin O'Shea said at the ceremony. "This [fitness center] is a prime example of what can happen when the community comes together. This is a first class fitness center. It will benefit our health, physical education and athletics programs." Superintendent Paul Gagliarducci said that the room that houses the fitness center now was "not even on our radar screen" at first. He explained how last summer, Stephen Hale, principal of Williams Middle School, approached Judi LaBranche, executive director of the Scantic Valley YMCA, to purchase some of the three-year-old exercise equipment she was getting rid of. "It was not in the budget," Gagliarducci said, "but I thought about it. I have a brother who is a successful businessman and I called him, asking what it would take to raise $30,000, $40,000. He called me back three days later and said 'I think we can do it.'" Jerry Gagliarducci worked with Attorney Frank Fitzgerald to raise the funds for the fitness center, and the superintendent thanked them and all the businesses they worked with for their dedication. "It's amazing how easy this was," Fitzgerald stated. "Business is the selling of conviction. The donors feel proud of what Minnechaug has done for our community, and it's easy doing something for you guys [the students]." Ned Doyle, athletics director at the high school, said student-athletes would be in the fitness center on a daily basis. He thanked all the donors by saying, "From now on, whenever you see a Falcons win, you'll all be directly linked to that success." "For the first time, we'll be able to combine weight training and cardio," Mike Orzech, chair of the physical education and health departments at Minnechaug, said. He told the students in attendance that the fitness center was something they were "very fortunate to have." All those who spoke at the ceremony thanked the donors numerous times for their assistance in funding the new fitness center. Sponsors included Friendly's, Meideros Williams Chevrolet, Monson Saving Bank, Hampden Savings Bank, Wilbraham U-Store-It and many more. "This center will be serving 1,300 students," Orzech explained, "and it will be used throughout the school year." He expected the first P.E. classes to use it would be coming in the day after the ribbon-cutting, on Feb. 28. "It's exciting to have it open and to publicly and finally thank everyone who helped," O'Shea told Reminder Publications. He added that the fitness center would be focused on student use and that having the center open "added another dimension" to the physical education program. | ||||||
