Lenox Community Center
Board Meeting
March 15, 2017
6:06 pm
Attendance: Jen Picard, Sheri Gaherty, Rose Casey, Tony Patella-Chairman, Kim Graham-Director and Francie Sorrentino. Mike Cooney and Steve Coon are absent from this meeting.
Public Comment: NONE
Acceptance of Minutes: Minutes Accepted- Rose/Jen
Senior Report: Our St. Patrick Day Luncheon was nice, sixty people attended. We had Irish Step Dancers for entertainment following the luncheon. The Village at Laurel Lake will be hosting our April 18th Luncheon.
Our watercolor class with Mike Cohen will start up again in early April. We have several people signed; all but one will be new participants.
Jeff Lynch is coming in on Friday for the COA Sidebar.
AARP Tax Prep is popular, we are adding 8 spots. This program is not based on age, however is based on income, we have 4 slots left.
Peggy Cahill is offering a COA sponsored workshop for caregivers, loved ones and friends of people suffering from memory loss in April. This program offers an interactive program in sharing experiences. Folks will learn how to create an engaging and supportive environment in helping to expand well-being.
Sue did 4 new home visits one resulting in a couple who could use the COA services, they have started utilizing the Center already.
We had 26 people use the van in February….so far in March we have 2 additional new riders.
Youth Services Report: Jen continues to be busy, busy, busy! February Break was awesome! Each varied in size however we still managed to have a good time. Monday had a smaller crowd because of the Holiday. The kids did Arts and Crafts and the big project for the day was Sharpie Dying. Tuesday we tried a new baking project with the kids baking Bread in a Bag and the craft was a chef’s apron. Wednesday we took a trip to Bousquet for some snow tubing, everyone had a great time. Thursday we started with playing at the Center for the morning and the kids have some unstructured time- at 11:00 Nutshell Playhouse put on a great performance that was attended by our kids and about thirty people from Lenox. Berkshire County actors, Stefanie Lynx Weber and Alexia
Trainor were the performers, along with Don Jordan providing the music. We will be having this program come again, what an enjoyable show for everyone.
Friday, the last day of break was a Beach Party, all the staff dressed the part and the Berkshire weather cooperated! We set up sand boxes in the game room here at the Center bringing the beach to us’ we had a photo booth, music playing, along with beach themed arts and crafts followed with a hot dog lunch. Please check out the pictures on our Facebook page under February Vacation 2017
March 4th we held our third annual Hammer-Build- Glue Workshop with Mike Pisani from Pisani’s Workshop. We had 15 kids who learned how to build their own wooden airplane. After they finished they got to choose their colors and paint their finished product. The kids really enjoyed the Workshop and even some of the parents joined in. Boys and Girls both participated with ages 6-9. Mr. Pisani volunteers his time for this wonderful event.
March brings new classes, it is great to see new faces in each class. Tanya Shepardson joins us to teach a free Zumba Dance Class for grades 3-5 on Mondays and we are hoping to bring back Girls Night Out to be help on march 24th themed “A Beautiful Night”. Other classes are: Chess, Creative Clay and Cloth, Hockey, Illustration 1012, and Guys Night Out.
Tanya’s first Zumba Class was all girls and they had a great time. Ten girls participated, the class ran about 45 minutes and the girls learned three dance routines. The girls and Tanya had a great time and a lot of laughs.
Lee CTA began its Tennis Lessons in the Ballroom on February 28th. Lessons are offered for grades K-3 here at the Center on Fridays and run through March 20th. We have sixteen kids participating who are really enjoying the lessons.
Registration for GPS Stateline Spring Soccer Program in conjunction with the Center was Monday, March 6th. We had nineteen parents register and have had a few more trickle in since. Registrations deadline is March 31. Soccer will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays through June 1, according to Birth year. Mark and Simon are hoping for 48 registrations. Last year at this point we had 43 signed up topping out with 57 for the season.
T-Ball and Coaches Pitch registration was held on March 13th. We have 10 kids signed for T-Ball and 20 kids for Coaches Pitch. Numbers show that we are down 8 kids from last year in T-Ball and down one in Coaches Pitch. Registration will remain open until March 31. The season opens on April 29th with the season running through June 17th with no games on Memorial Day Weekend.
Jen is currently putting programs and such together for April vacation April 17th through the 21st. Some of the events are: Interskate 91, a visit to Hancock Shaker Village to see the baby animals…. (Kim’s absolute favorite) Jen is looking forward to an awesome week!
Easter egg Scramble is Saturday, April 15th at 11:00. Providing we have good weather the Scramble will be held in Lilac Park…in the event of rain the Scramble will be held in the Ballroom.
The Center will be hosting a Red Cross Babysitter’s Training Course for kids ages 11-15 on Saturday, May 6th. Many of our middle school kids have been asking for us to host this again. We will advertise the Course in our April newsletter, hoping to get some people to sign up.
April 3rd, Summer Camp Registration will begin. Information regarding registration will be sent out via our April newsletter through the school and via email lists.
Last year we had 119 children registered for Camp with an average of 75 campers per week, over an 8 week summer program. We have not received much negative feedback from raising our summer fees. Camp is 9 weeks this year and Jen has already taken calls and emails regarding our summer programs and Lego Camp. However, we have not heard back from our Lego people. Kim has reached out to Cameron, with no response back. This will be a great disappointment to the kids.
Jen also included attachments of march newsletter, GPS Stateline Soccer Registration forms and the T-Ball / Coaches Pitch flyer and registration form.
Director’s Report: Summer Employment, Kim is pleased to announce that all Councilor’s are hired and on board. We have three newbie’s, two from Pittsfield and one from Lenox.
Beach: Emma Merritt will be full time Life Guard and we may be looking for a Floater Life Guard.
Beach Update: A Walk through was done last Wednesday – Forsight, Contractor, etc. walked through the project. Bids are due on March 27th. General Contractor / Sub- Contractor on March 22. Hiring starts June 22 even with the Opening being July 1, 2017.
Heating Project: M & W Heating and Electric = Electric Climate was extremely low.
Lighting Project: Kim tells us that the PO is in. Scott Pignatelli is working with Granite City and Chris Ketchen= quotes before 12/31 last year.
Sully will be painting the Senior Lounge soon. Kim is looking for furniture and Frank from Neo-Net for computers for the Senior Lounge.
Staffing at Center: Kim sat down with Town Manager and came up with a job description and re-wrote the Senior Services job description – to an intergenerational program. Proposal: Senior Services, Director, youth Services – May 1 position for Youth Coordinator serving 40 Summer hours and 20 off season hours then current=Jen to Assistant Director if not be employed by us. Director would do both. Then, post in August for Youth Coordinator, then post Assistant Director. Through Trition our Outreach Worker would then be a no Benefits with new hour’s position.
The Financial hit to the Town would be 18 months = approved by Town Manager and Select Board.
Jen Picard’s Swap was a huge success.
Kim still has not received any communication from the School regarding field usage.
Meeting adjourned at 6:53pm – Mike/Jen.
Respectively submitted,
Francie Sheehan Sorrentino
Secretary
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