Senior Center Expansion Fund growing


(From right to left) Last week at Town Hall George Bitzas, Agawam city councilor, presented Joan Linnehan, director of the Agawam Senior Center and Emile Cot , president of the Friends of the Agawam Senior Center with a check for $178 for the Friends of the Agawam Senior Center Expansion Fund. Now the fund is at over $225,000, and all of the money will go towards furnishing the new Agawam Senior Center on Main Street. Reminder photo by Katelyn Gendron-List.

By Katelyn Gendron-List, Reminder Assistant Editor

AGAWAM Regardless of whether or not the City Council approves the funding for the new Agawam Senior Center later this month the Friends of the Agawam Senior Center will remain diligent in their efforts to raise funds for the project.

Last week Joan Linnehan, director of the Agawam Senior Center and Emile Cot , president of the Friends of the Agawam Senior Center were presented with a check for $178 for the Friends of the Agawam Senior Center Expansion Fund by George Bitzas, Agawam city councilor on behalf of himself and Agawam mayor, Richard Cohen.

The money was made available for donation after the expenses for the city's Early Fourth of July Celebration on June 28 came in under budget.

"We wanted to do something to help raise funds," Cohen said. "The Senior Center is long overdue and I encourage people to donate as it's a facility that we can all take advantage of, some sooner than others."

According to Cot , the Friends of the Agawam Senior Center Expansion Fund has raised over $225,000 so far with the ultimate goal of raising $500,000.

"Friends [of the Agawam Senior Center] is our right arm for fundraising," Linnehan said. "We're not fussy, any donation is great."

The funds will be used to furnish the new Senior Center with an increased number of pool tables, computers and other furnishings, Linnehan added.

The next big fund raiser for the Friends of the Agawam Senior Center Expansion Fund will be a can drive on Oct. 6. Cot stated that $7,000 should be raised by the can drive.

"We had one guy who donated 95 cases, not 95 cans, but 95 cases [of cans] to our last can drive," Cot said.

Bitzas stated the importance of the Friends of the Agawam Senior Center Expansion Fund as it will take some of the weight off of the budget. He encourages people to make any donation large or small.

Donations to the Friends of the Agawam Senior Center Expansion Fund can be mailed to P.O. Box 238, Agawam, MA, 01001. Donations for the can drive may be brought to the Agawam Senior Center on Oct. 6 or at anytime prior to the event.

For more information call the Agawam Senior Center at 821-0604.