New Program to Promote Home Ownership in Chicopee, Holyoke and Springfield

FLORENCE—Florence Bank has launched a new first-time homebuyer program called Welcome Home, designed to help first-time buyers in Chicopee, Holyoke and Springfield secure a mortgage for a single- or two-family home or a condominium. 

Two tiers of the program are available—Welcome Home and Welcome Home Plus. The Welcome Home mortgage offers a reduced interest rate, 100 percent financing, a $1,000 lender’s credit and does not require private mortgage insurance, known as PMI. The mortgage processing fee is also waived, and there are no income restrictions.

With Welcome Home Plus, borrowers receive all the benefits of the Welcome Home mortgage, plus an additional $10,000 lender’s credit for a total of $11,000 in credits. The processing fee is also waived, no PMI is required, and there are no income restrictions.

“The communities of Chicopee, Holyoke and Springfield have historically been underserved when it comes to providing affordable first-time homebuyer programs,” said Florence Bank President and CEO Matt Garrity. “We’re pleased to be helping to build strong communities and providing opportunities for home ownership. Those goals are key components of our mission as a local community bank.”

Catalina Herrera of Holyoke recently purchased her first home with a Welcome Home Plus mortgage from Florence Bank, and she said the process was clear, smooth, fast and incredibly personal. 

Paola Sherman, the bank’s community loan originator who has a focus on serving the area’s Latino community, handled the details.

“After comparing offers from four other institutions, it became obvious—Florence Bank was unbeatable,” Herrera said. “Paola and her team were always available to answer our countless questions. We’re incredibly grateful to the bank and for the amazing opportunity they’re offering to first-time homebuyers in the community.”

Florence Bank has branches in Springfield and Chicopee, and a Holyoke branch is expected to open in the spring of 2026.

To learn more or apply, contact any Florence Bank branch or visit florencebank.com/welcome-home.

About Florence Bank

Florence Bank is a mutual savings bank chartered in 1873. Currently, the bank serves the Pioneer Valley through 12 full-service branch locations in Florence, Northampton, Easthampton, Williamsburg, Amherst, Hadley, Belchertown, Granby, Chicopee, West Springfield, and Springfield. Additionally, it offers 23 ATMs and a wide range of financial services, including investment management through Florence Financial Group to consumers and businesses.

The post Florence Bank Launches Welcome Home First-Time Homebuyer Program appeared first on Beetle Press.

Staff, board members, corporators, community leaders, and Mayor John Vieau attended socially distanced event

CHICOPEE—Florence Bank celebrated its third Hampden County branch yesterday morning with a ribbon-cutting highlighted by the presentation of a $5,000 donation to the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee.

In attendance at the socially distanced event were Chicopee Mayor John L. Vieau, Florence Bank President and CEO Kevin R. Day, Branch Manager Kimberly Downing, community leaders, and bank employees, board members, and corporators.

Day announced the gift from the bank to the Boys & Girls Club, noting that Florence Bank is a good community partner. 

“We are a local bank that is managed and staffed by people who live in the local communities we serve,” Day said. “We are part of a team of customers and employees who work together for the common goal of improving our local communities.”

The new branch at 705 Memorial Drive is the third Florence Bank location in Hampden County to open since 2017. Day said 1,000 of the 5,000 Hampden County customers live in Chicopee. After noting that today’s technology has made online banking easier and more accessible, Day said Florence Bank built a new branch as a resource for those bank customers. 

“We believe a physical location demonstrates our commitment to the financial well-being of this community and its people,” he said. “Our staff is physically here to help our neighbors with their financial needs.” 

The Chicopee branch has an open floor plan with two teller pods and innovative technology for quick cash handling. The location will also feature a drive-up ATM with SMART technology for easy depositing. 

Kimberly Downing of Wilbraham, assistant vice president / branch manager for the new location, was also present, along with other branch employees: Diane Afonso, assistant branch manager; Tracy Keefe, customer service representative and senior teller; Kiara Sonoda, teller operations manager; and Karen Willemain, senior teller.

“We’re thrilled to be here in Chicopee, and we look forward to becoming part of the fabric of the city,” Downing told the crowd.

Learn more about Florence Bank at www.florencebank.com.

About Florence Bank

Florence Bank is a mutually-owned savings bank chartered in 1873. Currently, the Bank serves the Pioneer Valley through 12 full-service branch locations in Florence, Northampton, Easthampton, Williamsburg, Amherst, Hadley, Belchertown, Granby, Chicopee, West Springfield, and Springfield. Additionally, it offers 25 ATMs and a wide range of financial services, including investment management through FSB Financial Group (FSBFG) to consumers and businesses.  Florence Bank is consistently voted best local bank by the readers of the Valley Advocate and the Daily Hampshire Gazette. 

The post Florence Bank Cut Ribbon on its New Chicopee Branch appeared first on Beetle Press.

16th annual George Webb Memorial Basketball Tournament raises funds for the nonprofit and begins this year on March 13

CHICOPEE— This year marks the 35th year Kevin Vann has enjoyed coaching youth basketball—and for 16 of those years, he has provided young people in Greater Springfield and Northern Connecticut with the chance to play in a competitive tournament. 

As the founder of the George Webb Memorial Basketball Tournament, which supports the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee, Vann was proud to announce this year to sponsors and participants that the event topped the $200,000 fundraising mark in 2019.

“Thank you for standing with me over the past 16 years, supporting the kids of the club,” he said. “I have a deep passion for basketball, yet my 35 years of coaching pales in comparison to the 108 years that the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee has been there every day for the now 358 boys and girls of this city. They are children who desperately need encouragement, companionship, challenge, and opportunity to help them grow into responsible and respected human beings.”

The largest basketball tournament of its kind, the 15-day event tips off on March 13 at the club, ending on March 28. Each year, the tourney draws hundreds of spectators to watch more than 40 teams of boys and girls play. 

Vann founded the George Webb Memorial Basketball Tournament in 2005 to honor his late friend, George Webb, who died of cancer at age 52 in 2004. A basketball player who shot hoops at the club on Tuesday evenings, Webb rarely lost a game, and, Vann said, “When he did, he showed true sportsmanship to whoever he was playing against.”

Vann and his business, The Vann Group of Springfield, a professional services outsourcing company, have sponsored the tournament since its start. And it has been held at the club it supports since the beginning as well.

“The George Webb Basketball Tournament embodies the values of the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee,” Vann said. “It’s an even competition for teams of boys and girls aged 8 to 13 who have varying abilities as ball players.” 

For the second year in a row, Daishany Miller of Chicopee was named the club’s Youth of the Year. To achieve the title of Youth of the Year, a club member must embody the values of leadership and service, academic excellence, and healthy lifestyles. The Youth of the Year serves as a role model for other young people in the club and as a representative to the community.

Drawn to investigate the club in 2014, Miller, 19, soon adopted it as a second home and learned how to thrive as a leader. “It takes strength to fit in and courage to stand out,” Miller said. “The club is there for me and encourages me to take the steps I need to strive to be a better version of myself.” 

Vann said the tournament has allowed thousands of young people to experience the safe haven that is the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee, play a sport, and develop values that will last them a lifetime. 

The club has a mission to fill the gap between school and home. According to a national organization called the Afterschool Alliance, every day, 362,312 children in Massachusetts leave school with nowhere to go with an adult present. 

The club offers activities, resources, supportive relationships with peers and adults, and programs that can be life-changing, and it served 1,802 young people last year; 358 were members, and the other 1,444 were served through community outreach programs.

The Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee has two locations in town and is staffed by 30 adults and 50 volunteers.  

Seventy-one percent of those who are nurtured at the club are 12 and younger; the others are teenagers. Of the total served, 69 percent are in minority ethnic groups and 32 percent are in single-parent households.

For more information about the tournament, visit bgcchicopee.org/george-webb-memorial-basketball-tournament/. For information on sponsorship opportunities, visit georgewebbtournament.com or contact Ruth Griggs at (413) 727-3354 or email her at ruth@rccomms.com. 

To learn about the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee, visit its website at www.bgcchicopee.org.

The post Business Leader Offers Longtime Coaching, Support of Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee appeared first on Beetle Press.

15th annual George Webb Memorial Basketball Tournament raises funds for the nonprofit and begins this year on March 11

CHICOPEE—Curiosity drew Daishany Miller to the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee in 2014, and it soon became a second home that offered the now-19-year-old the chance to thrive as a leader.

Miller visited every day, eventually becoming vice president of the Torch Club in the teen center and joining the Smart Girls group. Staff mentored her, personally and professionally.

“My future has just begun because of the help of the Boys & Girls Club. I was able to build connections and meet new people,” Miller said. “The club helps shape young men and women by helping them reach goals they never thought they could accomplish. Young people learn their voice matters, and they are heard.”

When Kevin Vann founded the George Webb Memorial Basketball Tournament in 2005, he had a goal of raising funds for the Boys & Girls Club, so it can reach and impact more young people like Miller. He also wished to honor his late friend, George Webb, who died of cancer at age 52 in 2004.

The tournament memorializes Webb, a basketball player himself who shot hoops at the club on Tuesday evenings. Vann said Webb rarely lost a game, and “when he did, he showed true sportsmanship to whoever he was playing against.”

Vann and his business, The Vann Group of Springfield, a professional services outsourcing company, have sponsored the tournament since its start.

The 15th annual event will once again benefit the Boys & Girls Club, and it tips off Monday, March 11 and will run until March 27. The event is for teams of boys and girls in grades three through eight who are not top players and may not otherwise get to play in a tournament. This is a double elimination tournament, with certified referees, half-time contests, and more.

“Since the tournament began, we have helped give thousands of kids a chance to play a sport and develop values that will last them a lifetime,” Vann said. “This year, we hope the tournament will reach a major milestone by hitting the $200,000 mark in total donations to the club.”

Vann said the tournament is the largest of its kind in Western Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut, drawing hundreds of spectators and more than 40 teams of players this year.

“I’ve always been passionate about supporting the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee, which continues to show why it’s one of the most worthy causes in Western Mass,” Vann said. “For 107 years, the club has been there daily for boys and girls in Chicopee who often come from single-parent homes, who face challenges with school work, and who may otherwise have no place to go after school to play, socialize, learn and grow into responsible human beings.”

Miller is so connected to the club now that she works there as a youth development counselor; she plays basketball with young people to help them build relationships and sportsmanship. She will volunteer at the tournament, manning the concession stand and selling raffle tickets.

The club offers Power Hour Homework Help plus recognition and tracking of grades; a myriad of community volunteer opportunities; and sports programs that keep young people physically active and stimulated.

The Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee has 28 adult staff members and 50 volunteers, and last year, it served 1,802 youths in the region; 358 are members, and the other 1,444 are served through community outreach programs.

Seventy-two percent of those who are nurtured at the club are 12 and younger; the others are teenagers. Of the total served, 69 percent are in minority ethnic groups and 31 percent are in single-parent households.

For more information about the tournament, visit www.georgewebbtournament.com. For information on sponsorship opportunities, contact Ruth Griggs at (413) 727-3354 or email her at Ruth@rccomms.com.

To learn about the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee, visit its website at www.bgcchicopee.org.

The post Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee Builds Leaders appeared first on Beetle Press.

14th annual George Webb Memorial Basketball Tournament to fundraise for the nonprofit, beginning March 9-25

CHICOPEE— Kiara Gonzalez has come full circle at the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee.

For nearly a decade, the club was like a second home for her—a place to go after school where she found role models who listened to her and steered her in healthy directions. Today, the 2017 Youth of the Year works at the club, helping young people with their homework and serving as a role model.

“Staff members who were once my mentors are now my co-workers,” Gonzalez, 19, of Chicopee, said. “I’m glad to say I’m now giving back to club members the way staff gave to me.”

Gonzalez is precisely the kind of young person that Kevin Vann hoped would benefit from the Annual George Webb Memorial Basketball Tournament he founded in 2005 in honor of his best friend, the late George Webb, who died of cancer at age 52. The tournament is sponsored by Vann’s company, The Vann Group of Springfield, a professional services outsourcing company.

The 14th annual Webb tournament will also benefit the Boys & Girls Club, and it tips off Friday, March 9 and will run for two weeks until March 25. The event is for teams of boys and girls in grades three through eight who are not top players and wouldn’t otherwise get to play in a tournament.

“Since the tournament began, we have helped give thousands of kids a chance to play a sport and develop values that will last them a lifetime,” Vann said. “We’ve raised over $150,000 to date, and we are rapidly on our way to reaching $200,000 over the next couple of years.”

Vann said the tournament is the largest of its kind in Western Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut, drawing hundreds of spectators and 50 teams of players this year.

“Today, I know more than ever that the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee is one of the most worthy causes we can support here in Western Mass,” Vann said. “The Club is there, every school day, for 427 kids in Chicopee—boys and girls who are predominantly from single-parent households, who otherwise would have no place to go after school, who struggle in school, and tend toward obesity.”

The club offers Power Hour Homework Help plus recognition and tracking of grades; a myriad of community volunteer opportunities; and sports programs that keep young people physically active and stimulated.

The Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee has 24 staff members and 46 volunteers, and last year, it served 2,077 youths in the region; 427 are members, and the other 1,650 are served through community outreach programs.

Fifty percent of those who are nurtured at the club are 12 and younger; the others are teenagers. Of the total served, 72 percent are in minority ethnic groups, and 91 percent are in single-parent households.

Gonzalez said, “Throughout my club experience, I have learned a lot about myself and how to be a better person. The club provides a safe space to speak freely and help kids break out of their fears of being judged.”

Vann’s friend George Webb had a deep connection to the club that the tournament recognizes. Webb played basketball at the club on Tuesday evenings, and Vann said, “He is remembered for his tireless efforts on defense and offense. He very seldom lost a match-up or game, but, when he did, he showed true sportsmanship to whoever he was playing against.”

For more information about the tournament, visit http://georgewebbtournament.com/. For information on sponsorship opportunities, contact Ruth Griggs at (413) 727-3354 or email her at Ruth@rccomms.com.

To learn about the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee, visit its website at www.bgcchicopee.org.

The post Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee Supports, Mentors Young People appeared first on Beetle Press.

CHICOPEE— The founder of the George Webb Memorial Basketball Tournament was thrilled to meet the mark of raising $150,000 for the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee after the 13^th annual event for youth players this March.

Soon after the tournament wrapped up, founder Kevin B. Vann of The Vann Group of Springfield met with Jason Reed, club executive director, and Richard Bernard Jr., president of Pilgrim Interiors of Chicopee and a member of the club’s board of directors. Other board members and tournament supporters, volunteers, players and coaches were also in attendance when Vann presented an honorary check to the Chicopee Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee to represent the amount of money the event has raised since its founding in 2005.

The three-week basketball tournament was created by Vann to honor his best friend, the late George Webb, a basketball player and club supporter who died of cancer at age 52.

“These funds have greatly benefitted the Boys & Girls Club over the years,” said Jason Reed. “It supports the young people who are members here in many different ways.”

The Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee offers various activities to young people and serves 3,500 youths each year.

The tournament is the largest of its kind in Western Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut, this year drawing hundreds of spectators and players; this year it grew again with the addition of two new high school divisions—one for ninth and tenth graders, and one for eleventh and twelfth.

In keeping with Webb’s spirit, the basketball tournament is for teams of boys and girls aged 8 to 18 who are not top players and may not otherwise get to play in a tournament.

“What is remarkable about the Webb Tournament is that it has withstood the test of time,” Reed said. “We had 48 teams this year. Many of the older boys in the club don’t play ball in high school for a variety of reasons, but they can play here, and they love the game. They were able to practice on their own during teen nights at the club and then play together as a team here in the tournament.

“High school students also volunteer their time to help us run the tournament, whether it’s selling drinks and snacks or assisting the coaches,” Reed added. “This gives them an opportunity to do community service, which is something we encourage here.”

At the check presentation in the club’s gymnasium, Vann said, “The tournament is named after George Webb who was my best friend. George spent some years growing up in Chicopee and later returned to play basketball at the club in the new gym we built in 2007. He was extremely competitive, but more importantly driven by great sportsmanship win or lose!”

Bernard said, “Young people are our future. As a business owner in Chicopee, I like to support local organizations. I can see the difference the club makes in these young people’s’ lives. I know how hard it is for them to overcome what they have been given in life, and I have been very moved to see what they can accomplish with the help of the club. It gives me hope that they can overcome and succeed in life.”

For more information about the tournament or the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee, visit www.bgcchicopee.org. For information on sponsorship opportunities for 2018, contact Ruth Griggs at (413) 727-3354 or email her at Ruth@rccomms.com.

The post George Webb Memorial Basketball Tournament Raises $150,000 for Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee appeared first on Beetle Press.

CHICOPEE—Daimian Ocasio was 3 when he got hooked on basketball. He found a ball on the floor of his house and taught himself to dribble.

Now, at 14, he plays forward center as a starter for the Hampden Charter School of Science’s high school team. An eighth grader, and the youngest member of the team, Ocasio knows basketball is doing more than improving his reputation.

“Basketball helps me to be a better person. I’m always in the gym, playing basketball, so it keeps me out of trouble,” he said. “It helps me.”

Ocasio is one of roughly 500 young people who will take part in the 13th Annual George Webb Memorial Basketball Tournament to benefit the Boys & Girls Club, beginning March 10.

The event is the largest of its kind in Western Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut, drawing hundreds of spectators and players, and this year it promises to grow again with the addition of two new high school divisions—one for ninth and tenth graders, and one for eleventh and twelfth.

This year marks Ocasio’s fourth tournament, and he’s excited to play at an event that raises money for the Boys & Girls Club because it has nurtured him as a player—and as a young man. Last year, Ocasio took the bus there every day after school to play basketball.

“The coaches were so nice. They pushed me to get better at basketball. They were always there for me, no matter what,” he said. “If I was down, they would always bring me back up. They’d say, ‘Come on Daimian, you got this!’ and that would help me get better.”

The tournament is sponsored by The Vann Group of Springfield, a professional services outsourcing company headed by Kevin B. Vann. The three-week event was created by Vann in 2005 to honor his best friend, the late George Webb, who died of cancer at age 52.

“I am proud and humbled to say that we are nearing the $150,000 mark in funds raised from our tournament supporters from Chicopee and across the region to support the Boys & Girls Club,” Vann said. “I love this tournament as much as I did the day I founded it.”

In keeping with Webb’s spirit, the basketball tournament is for teams of boys and girls aged 8 to 18 who are not top players and wouldn’t otherwise get to play in a tournament.

“Since the tournament’s start in 2005, thousands of young people have had the chance to play a sport and learn life lessons in the process,” Vann said.

The Boys & Girls Club website, on its tournament page, highlights that Webb played basketball at the club on Tuesday evenings, and “He will be remembered for being a tireless competitor on both ends of the court. He loved playing defense and rebounding as much as he loved his outside shots. He very seldom lost a match-up or game, but, when he did, he showed true sportsmanship to whoever he was playing against.”

For more information about the tournament, visit www.bgcchicopee.org. For information on sponsorship opportunities, contact Ruth Griggs at (413) 727-3354 or email her at Ruth@rccomms.com.

To learn about the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee, visit its website at www.bgcchicopee.org.

The post Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee Nurtures Athletes with Healthy Habits appeared first on Beetle Press.

When Johnny became a member of the Mill River chapter of BNI just over a year ago, Janice was his mentor, teaching him the skills he would need to be successful and build his clientele.

With degrees in both political science and sociology from the University of Puerto Rico, Johnny feels that his current work with Human Resources Unlimited has successfully combined his passion for business with social services. Johnny holds the firm belief that those who are advantaged and educated have the common social mission to help those who are less fortunate.

Johnny practices what he preaches. During high school and college, Johnny was a Jesuit missionary, working to provide clothing, homes and other necessities to people in South America. He has also worked with a variety of homeless shelters in Puerto Rico and has worked with individuals from the Friends of the Homeless shelter in Springfield.

In his work, Johnny’s goal is always to empower others in order to put them on a road of self-sufficiency, breaking them out of what can become a cycle of dependency so that they can attain goals. Helping these individuals obtain their GED (General Education Development) is an important part of making his clients self-sufficient. According to Johnny, there is nothing more rewarding than bringing such a positive change to somebody’s life.

Currently Johnny is focused on broadening his understanding of assistive technology that makes communication possible without the help of an interpreter. Technology like this is available for a wide variety of disabilities, and Johnny intends to make this well-known.

Here are some tips that Johnny has for anybody looking for employment:

• Stay positive throughout the process.
• Don’t just have a goal; have a strategy too.
• Portray positivity by smiling at potential employers.
• Research potential employers and learn as much as you can before an interview.
• Stay committed: to the goal, to the plan, and to the idea of change

Johnny also has a few tips for employers:

• Give disabled individuals the opportunity to work. The resources are there to make it beneficial and easy for both employer and employee.
• Show that you are committed to your community.
• Make your cause visible by being inclusive to all possible employees.

The post A Change Agent in the Lives of Others appeared first on Beetle Press.

CHICOPEE—Alexis Omar Montes was 7 years old when he started going to the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee. He learned how to play basketball on the club’s court, and the sport has really stuck with him and shaped who he is, as has the club.

Montes is 15 years old now, and he still goes to the club every afternoon to take part in the afternoon homework assistance program and to play sports.“I like sports,” he said, “and if it wasn’t for the Boys & Girls Club, I wouldn’t have gotten involved in any sports.”

Montes lives in Chicopee and is currently a freshman at Chicopee High School, where he is a member of the basketball team. For the past two years, in addition to playing in the regular school season, Montes has been able to combine his passion for hoops with a give-back for the club by playing in the annual George Webb Memorial Basketball Tournament.

Montes on the court with the Chicopee basketball team

This year marks the 11th annual tournament, a benefit for the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee sponsored by The Vann Group of Springfield, a professional services outsourcing company headed by Kevin B. Vann. Vann created the event to honor his best friend, the late George Webb.

Webb was very active at the Boys & Girls Club and in his community until his untimely death from cancer at age 52, Vann said. “He epitomized the values that the club instills in children,” he added.

The tournament is held for teams of boys and girls in third through eighth grade who are not “all-stars” and wouldn’t otherwise get to play in March. Since its start in 2005, the tournament has grown to be the largest young players’ tournament of its kind in the region. During that time, the event has helped to raise over $100,000 to support the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee.

Last year, the tournament hosted 36 teams of boys and girls over a 21-day period, with hundreds of parents and thousands of spectators present. This year, 44 teams are registered to take part.

As a high school freshmen, Montes doesn’t meet the age guidelines and so can’t play in the tournament this year. Instead, he will volunteer by either helping out in the concession stand, keeping the play books or running the clock. He has encouraged other young people to play and get involved.

“I felt like it would be a fun way to help out with the tournament,” Montes said. “I’ve told lots of kids and teens from other cities to volunteer in the tournament. It’s a fun way to get to know each other.

“Being part of the tournament is one of my favorite things to do,” Montes added. “It makes me happy, knowing that I could play to raise money for the club.”

For more information about the tournament, visit www.georgewebbtournament.com. For information on event sponsorship opportunities, contact Ruth Griggs at (413) 727-3354 or email her at Ruth@rccomms.com.

To learn about the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee, visit its website at www.bgchicopee.org

The post Teen Gives Back to Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee through Memorial Basketball Tournament appeared first on Beetle Press.