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| By Michelle Symington Staff Writer AGAWAM Members of Friends of the Agawam Senior Center have continued to work hard to raise funds for the expansion of the Senior Center and last month alone raised about $10,000. Thus far, the Friends have raised about $160,000, according to J. Emile Cot, president of the Friends of the Agawam Senior Center. He added that money collected from recent fund-raisers has not yet been added to the $160,000, but will be after the first of the year. During the month of October, the Friends participated in the Filene's Charity Shopping Day Oct. 5 and hosted the first ever Walk-a-Mile for a Senior walk-a-thon. For the Filene's fund-raiser, the Friends sold discount shopping passes for $5 with the proceeds benefitting the Senior Center. In addition to the funds raised from the sale of the tickets, the organization that sold the most coupons would receive a match from Filene's. The Friends sold 600 coupons. Cot said that $3,000 was raised and because they were a top seller, the group will receive a $3,000 match from Filene's. Most recently, members of the community showed up to the Agawam High School track what Linda Galarneau, chairperson of the Senior Walk Committee, described as a "gloomy, rainy day" to participate in the Walk-a-Mile for a Senior walk-a-thon. The walk raised about $3,600 for the Friends expansion fund. According to Galarneau, there were more contributions than there were walkers for the event. She explained that the event took place from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. and participants were asked to show up between those hours to walk as much as they wanted in support of the Senior Center. She said that some people walked one or two miles, while others, such as State Representative Stephen Buoniconti, walked seven or eight laps around the track. Galarneau explained that the Walk Committee intended the event to be intergenerational and worked hard to have the schools and other organizations such as the Girl Scouts involved. She said that Mary Czjakowski, superintendent of schools in Agawam, "jumped in" and became part of the Walk Committee. In addition, Lou Conti, athletic director for Agawam schools, recruited many student volunteers who helped set up the track for the event. Galarneau said that the response from the community was "overwhelming." She added that a walk will most likely be planned for next year as well. Cot said that Galarneau did a "fantastic job" organizing the walk and that the Friends have made "excellent progress." The Friends had the chance to receive an additional $6,500 donation last Tuesday, however the group declined to accept it because the members saw it as political. The donation was from National Realty Development Corporation (NRDC), the company looking to develop a large shopping center, known as the Agawam Pavilion, off Tennis Road. The Friends were scheduled to receive the donation during a brief ceremony last Tuesday, however, after discussing it, Cot and Galarneau decided that it would be best to decline it at that time because it was a week before the election that included binding questions about the project. Cot told the NRDC representative just before the scheduled ceremony at the Senior Center that it would be best if they could receive the donation from NRDC in the future, perhaps in a week or even a few weeks later. The Friends have two more upcoming fund-raisers planned to continue with their efforts of raising funds for a new Agawam Senior Center. A craft fair will take place Nov. 26 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the Senior Center. On Dec. 11, the Friends will host a pancake breakfast at the Agawam Senior Center from 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. Tickets are $4 for adults and $2.50 for children under 10 years old. |