WESTFIELD – VIPS (Volunteers in Public Schools) held a volunteer appreciation brunch at Tiger’s Pride on Wednesday morning.
Westfield Technical Academy Principal Stefan Czaporowski welcomed Mayor Brian P. Sullivan, School Committee members, school administrators and teachers, and applauded the school volunteers in attendance.
“Volunteering is the ultimate exercise of democracy. Your contributions to the school community are critical to our success,” Czaporowski said.
After inviting everyone to enjoy the hot brunch prepared by students and staff from the Technical Academy, the North Middle School choir, led by Kerry Turok and accompanied by pianist Tyler Cook, sang four songs for entertainment during the meal.
Tina Macy, VIPS volunteer coordinator, then thanked Mayor Sullivan and Superintendent Dr. Suzanne Scallion for being ardent supporters of volunteers in the schools. She also recognized the VIPS board members and the principals of the schools, who, she said take the time to be involved with the volunteers in the midst of all of their work.
“The VIPS program needs the support and resources to coordinate the program and meet all of its regulations to be able to bring volunteers into the classrooms,” Macy said, before introducing Dr. Scallion.
“My career is coming to a close after 39 years in education. What next? There are role models in this room,” Scallion said. She then spoke about some of the changes in American culture in the last 60 years that have reduced the number of adult influences on children, including smaller and more mobile families, and less contact with neighbors.
“Today, we don’t live in that world. Who are the trusted adults in their world? They’re you,” Scallion said. “You are a role model to those kids. Please know how much you matter to the kids in our schools.”
“I get the opportunity to say thank you on behalf of this city and the School Committee,” said Mayor Sullivan, taking his turn to speak. He said he recently attended a volunteer appreciation event at the senior center, where he was given a gag bill of $250,000 for the hours put in by the volunteers there. He said he’s pretty sure that the value of the hours represented by VIPS would be similar.
“Since you brought it up,” countered Macy, noting that in the state of Massachusetts, a national volunteer organization calculated the value of a volunteer as $29 per hour. She said so far this fiscal year, the VIPS volunteers have earned $249,632 in volunteer hours.
Macy then presented the Mrs. Virginia Trella Unsung Hero Award to Nicki Fredette, who volunteers every Tuesday morning for Diana Kelly’s kindergarten class at Southampton Road Elementary School.
Macy read some comments from the children in the class about Fredette. “She’s pretty and nice,” said one. A boy named Andy said she helped him in his center with words and letters.
“She helps kids at centers, and I’m glad she comes to my class,” said Fredette’s son, Jake.
Fredette was then given flowers and a certificate, and her name was added to a plaque which will hang in Southampton Road for the next year.
Tina Macy closed the program by saying that the volunteers had already supported Westfield Public Schools with thousands of hours.
“I look forward to continuing our work together,” Macy said.
Following the ceremony, Fredette said the award was unexpected.
“I didn’t expect to get anything from(volunteering) apart from the smiles on the children’s faces. It was a surprise and it is a great honor to be a volunteer at a great school,” she said.
