School will benefit from Tour


The Kelley home is part of the Center School PTO's Tour of Homes. Reminder submitted photo

Center School PTO's Tour of Homes takes visitors along the town green

By Sarah M. Corigliano

Assistant Managing Editor

LONGMEADOW For the sixteenth year, the Center School Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) will host its Tour of Homes.

The tour, which showcases homes in the Center School district, is scheduled for June 10, rain or shine, and will benefit the PTO, which is very active throughout the year.

From purchasing new items, like computers and ski equipment for Center School, to supporting projects and events that enrich the children's educational and social experiences, the PTO strives to support Center School students at many levels. At the beginning of the school year, the organization also gives $100 checks to each Center School teacher because they often spend their own money on supplies throughout the year.

To help support those activities and more, fund-raisers such as the home tour are necessary.

PTO co-chair Laura Chipouras explained that, every other year, PTO members recruit homeowners in the Center School district to open their homes to the public for the good cause.

This year, six homes will be featured, and tickets to the tour are available for $20.

There is a limit of 1,000 participants and tickets are available at William Burroughs Florist in the Longmeadow Shoppes, at Carlson/GMAC in the Longmeadow Shoppes, and at Pat Parker & Sons Florist on Allen Street in Springfield. The PTO's fund-raising goal is to sell all those tickets raising $20,000.

The houses on the tour represent traditional, historic and contemporary constructions, Chipouras explained.

"It's a wonderful day where people just come together," she said. "The homes surround the green, and it's a walking tour."

She added that Center School students, wearing special tee shirts for the event, will be at the door of each house to take tickets and greet visitors. There are also over 100 volunteers teachers and staff, parents and friends and family of Center School who will help run the event.

Center School PTO's Tour of Homes 2006 will take place June 10, from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Participants may tour the homes around the Longmeadow Green area and visit the hospitality suite at Center School.

The following six homes will be open for viewing: Anne and Greg Scyocurka, 113 Ely Rd; Rita and Michael Wallace, 702 Longmeadow St; Jayne and Bradford Gill, 808 Longmeadow St; Patricia and Robert McTaggart, 909 Longmeadow St; Denise and John Kelley, 56 Tennyson Dr; and Betsy and Al McKee, 60 Williams St.