Christine Granfield presents a donation of $4,000 to Southwick Food Pantry Manager Sally Munson, next to a sign for the pantry that was spruced up by STGRHS graphics arts students. (Photo by Bernadette Johnson)
SOUTHWICK – A donation of $4,000 was made to the Southwick Our Community Food Pantry this week in the name of Tyler Granfield.
The donation was made by Tyler’s mother Christine Granfield.
“I know he is so happy right now,” Granfield said of the donations made in his name.
Tyler died in March of 2012 during an accident while cutting a tree in East Longmeadow. He was the owner of Tyler’s Tree Service. His father Kerry owns Granfield Tree Service, and he taught Tyler the trade.
A tribute to Tyler’s life was held at The Cove in Southwick where more than 600 people came to celebrate Tyler’s life and remember the generous person he was.
“He gave all the time,” said Granfield. “An elderly woman told me that he cut trees for her after the (June 1, 2011) tornado, then again after the October (29, 2011) storm. Then she had a water problem and he came with his excavator and someone to fix her water problem and he wouldn’t take any money. He told her he just wanted to see the twinkle in her eye – “he’s just like his father.”
In-kind donations were made for the event, including a silent auction, which in total helped raise $21,000 in Tyler’s name.
Granfield said in addition to the pantry donation, she was giving a $5,000 scholarship at Westfield Vocational technical High School, a $5,000 scholarship at Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional High School, a $500 scholarship to Citizens Scholarship Foundation, and the family will pay for a “playground” at the soon-to-be-built new animal shelter in Southwick.
“He really loved animals, children and the elderly,” said Granfield.
Tyler’s former home on College Highway is being used now as an office for the family business but Granfield said she hopes to turn it into a place for children.
“I’m thinking about maybe having it be a place for tutoring, and we can give tours of the yard and walk through the yard to our farm,” said Granfield. “I really want it to be a place for children.”
The Food Pantry donation will be used “for whatever they need,” said Granfield. Manager Sally Munson said it would go toward operating costs and food.
“We need money for operations to keep the pantry going,” said Munson, adding that while they always try to keep a month’s worth of food on-hand, donations are lagging below average right now.
Munson and Granfield both shed some tears while posing for photos. Munson said she was grateful for the generosity of the Granfields. She also noted the generosity of several STGRHS students.
“Our sign was really faded and they offered to take it,” said Munson.
Graphics Arts teacher Jim Ashe assisted students Joshua Saulenas, Troy Wheeler and Tyler Barsalou to spruce up the sign.
The sign was painted to include the hours of the pantry, which are Mondays from 3-5 p.m., Tuesdays from 10 a.m. – noon, Wednesdays from 10 a.m. – noon, and Thursdays from 5-6 p.m.
Granfield said she plans to host a second annual event next year to continue raising money in Tyler’s name and continue his generosity.
“We have given $15,000 in scholarships in 15 months and we are going to do it again,” she said. “People are so generous because that was the kind of person he was.”
Donations may be made to the Tyler Granfield Memorial Fund at Westfield Bank.
