McCann carpentry students, Louison House director Lindsay Errichetto, state Sen. Benjamin B. Downing and Lowe's representatives pose with the home-improvement company's donation.
ADAMS, Mass. — McCann Technical School's carpentry and SkillsUSA students received a $4,000 grant from Lowe's to make repairs on the Louison House.
McCann students and faculty and state and town officials cut the ribbon Friday at the non-profit family support center to mark the repair project that will go on through the fall.
Louison House Executive Director Lindsay Errichetto thanked McCann and all of those involved in the "tremendous project" the students undertook to repair the wraparound deck, make it compliant with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, and install three emergency exits.
"I can't tell you how tremendously grateful we are as an agency," Errichetto said. "To have this here is utterly heartwarming. It's not just the project, but every day the students come they are tenacious, they are focused, they are professional, and they are kind."
Errichetto said the Louison House simply does not have the budget to make such repairs and now the house can better serve those in need.
"We have 22 beds in this shelter for men, women, and families," she said. "We see 100 people a year living here so for McCann to choose us as their project it is very inspirational, and we are very grateful."
State Sen. Benjamin Downing thanked McCann for all of the community work it does.
"It's not just about what you're learning, it is about the role you play in your community and you all give us a lot of reasons to be proud," Downing said.
He added that people often focus on what they do not have, but it is more important to focus on the great assets, like McCann and Louison House, in the community. He said with this in mind "we can address challenges together one deck at a time and one building at a time."
"A lot of the time the conversation around here in the Berkshires ... focuses on what we don't have first and that is a mistake," he said. "It is important to recognize that we have all come together to do better and that's what we ought to focus on first ... start with the assets that we have ... and figure out how we work to address those challenges together."
CAD instructor and SkillsUSA adviser Tom Tinney said SkillsUSA chapter officers assisted in writing the grant and McCann was one of two schools in the state to receive it.
He added the students try to do a service project once a month and are constantly coming up with new oness.
Samantha Dorwin, McCann student and SkillsUSA Region 1 vice president, said the whole experience is humbling and allows students to exercise what they have learned to help the community.
"I think the biggest thing you can take away from something like this is a sense of community," Dorwin said. "Knowing that you can make a difference and change the world outside of yourself."
She added that projects like this set McCann apart from other schools.
"We learn the technical stuff in school but the real advancement is when you apply it to the world outside and you can really use all of your knowledge to make the world a better place."
Town Administrator Tony Mazzucco said finding grant money for small capital projects like this one can be difficult and that without McCann's efforts, projects like this would likely not get off the ground.
"Projects like this are so hard for an organization like this to fund, and it is so hard to just find grant money to replace a deck," he said. "When you are running on a shoestring budget and you are worried about the electric bill and trying to keep your programs running and then you need a deck, it is really hard to find."
northadams.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
MEMBER SIGN IN
.JPG)
McCann carpentry students, Louison House director Lindsay Errichetto, state Sen. Benjamin B. Downing and Lowe's representatives pose with the home-improvement company's donation.
