Wednesday April 7, 2010

North Adams Transcript

WILLIAMSTOWN — Three months after the Williamstown Youth Center began its capital campaign to raise money for a new facility, it’s halfway to its goal.

Executive Director David A. Rempell said Tuesday, the private, nonprofit organization has raised $1.75 million toward its $3.5 million project to build a new youth center on the grounds of the town’s elementary school at 115 Church St.

“It’s going well, but we still have a big challenge in front of us especially with the way things are. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and we hope the community comes through,” he said.

The $1.75 million includes the $1 million donation from the late Bob Stone and his wife, Sheila, which was the initial gift that prompted the capital campaign.

Paul Jennings, president of the Youth Center’s Board of Directors, said Monday they have been engaged in discussions about getting some large monetary gifts, and hopefully in the next month or two, those discussions will be finalized.

In the meantime, Jennings and Rempell have been holding neighborhood information sessions at people’s homes, and they plan to host some at the Youth Center this spring.

The information sessions are a powerful way to get the message across about the campaign and the importance of the town having a new youth center, Rempell said.

“We planned for this to be a community event, and it really has been,” he said.

He added between 50 and 60 people have volunteered to work on various committees involved in the project.

“There is an understanding throughout the community this needs to be done, but the question is, can we get the financial support to make this a reality?,” Rempell said.

The current youth center building at 270 Cole Ave., which is over 100 years old, is in poor condition, has no access to playing fields and is too small for the programming the organization offers to elementary and middle school students, Youth Center representatives have stated.

While the organization is soliciting large donations, asking local businesses to contribute and writing grants, many children have been saving up loose change and dollars bills to give to the project.

“We have this big jar. Little kids will come in with their parents, and you’ll see a parent lift a child up so that child can put the pennies and nickels he has collected into the jar,” Rempell said.

In addition, children who attend the afterschool and vacation programs at the youth center are starting to plan what grades they’ll be in when the new building opens, he said.

Plans for the new 12,000-square-foot, two-story building include a gymnasium, art room, community room, homework room and a game room.

Rempell and Jennings said community members have been questioning why they’re holding the capital campaign when Mount Greylock Regional High School is facing two emergency repair projects and operating budget woes.

“They’re two very different initiatives. One is asking for state support for its operating budget and projects, while the other is raising funds for a private facility,” he said.

Jennings added the success of one doesn’t effect the success of the other.

Rempell said they should know by the summer whether or not there is adequate funding to go ahead with the project.

“We need to do the construction between the summer of 2011 and 2012,” he said. “We’re in the process of hiring an architect.”

Anyone interested in donating to the Williamstown Youth Center’s capital campaign can call (413) 458-5925, or visit www.williamstownyouthcenter.org.

To reach Meghan Foley,
e-mail mfoley@thetranscript.com.