From that day forward, the Boys Club has been known as the Chicopee Boys Club, Inc. In 1988, the Clubs name changed again to the Chicopee Boys & Girls Club, Inc., Human Resource Center, duly noted March 1988 by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Secretary of States Office.
In 1980 the Club, through an extensive Capitol Fund Drive, built a new cinder block, one story building on Meadow Street. In 1988 a 16 x 28 shed was built and dramatic renovations and improvements were made internally to comply with licensing regulations and to better utilize space.
The earliest known facts of the Club go back to 1912 when the Club was incorporated. The Club was then located on Dwight Street with approximately 100 boys in the program.
In 1914, newspaper articles indicated that the Club was still in existence with a very active basketball team which participated in competition with the Springfield Boys Club.
The City of Chicopee gave the Club an old school building located on Royal Street in Chicopee. According to the newspaper articles the Club was very active.
January 1999 the Clubs name was changed again to its current Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee, Inc.
In 2004 the Club launched a $2 million capital campaign. In 2007 Phase I was completed with the addition of a 10,000 square foot gymnasium.
Phase II of the project will begin as funding allows.
The Chicopee Boys Club was elected to the National Boys Clubs of America in 1952. The Fraternal Order of the Eagles (Chicopee Boys Club official name) was very active in programming and activities. On June 1, 1956 the Fraternal Order of Eagles was incorporated. Sometime in 1956 the Fairview Lodge and the Boys Club merged, duly noted on April 1, 1957 by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Hampden County, Registry of Deeds.
Shane Brooks
President
Shane Brooks has been a board member since 2001. He holds a bachelor's degree in political science from American International College and has served as an elected official on both the School Committee and City Council. He currently works for the May Institute, a private nonprofit organization serving individuals with disabilities, where his duties include contract negotiations with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, managing a staff of more than 100 people, and the day-to-day operation of 11 community-based residential placement models. As a former Club Kid and Club Employee, Shane is excited about leading the Club for the next year.
Earl LaFlamme
Vice President
Earl A. LaFlamme III has been a Sales Representative for Marcus Printing for the past 12 years. He has been married to Claudia for 35 years, they have three children: Earl lV, Brenda and Teresa, and two grandchildren, Kya and Roman. Earl is the Past President of Polish Alliance Youth Camp, Camp Stanica, Bondsville, MA, Past President of the Holyoke Kiwanis Club, Past President of the Western MA Beavers Club, a member of the Board of Directors for the Chicopee Chamber of Commerce and a member of BNI.
He received an Honorable Discharge from the U S Navy where he served on the USS Intrepid from 1970-1973. Earl is also an alum of the Chicopee Boys Club, Royal Street Club in Fairview MA. He joined the Board of Directors of the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee in 2008.
Donna Wiley
2nd Vice President
Donna Wiley, a Chicopee native, currently resides in Granby with husband Glen and son E.J. She is employed as a Regional Manager for PeoplesBank, ensuring quality customer service within their growing network of branch locations. Donna is also responsible for developing PeoplesBanks Financial Literacy outreach efforts, and coordinating delivery of these programs to schools throughout the Pioneer Valley. In addition to her role on the Board at the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee, Donna also serves as President of Friends of Granbys Elderly, Inc., and is a member of the WestMass ElderCare Money Management Program Advisory Council and the Hampshire Educational Collaborative Futures Advisory Council. Donna Wiley joined the board 2009
Maureen Buxton
Treasurer
Maureen Buxton joined the board in 2009. She is the Personal Banker for United Bank on Montgomery Street in Chicopee. She has more than 17 years of banking experience, and has served as the Personal Banker in United's Holyoke branch since 2003. A life-long Chicopee resident, she has been active in the Chicopee Rotary, the Chicopee Chamber of Commerce, and other local organizations.
Theresa Szlosek
Secretary
Theresa Szlosek has been a board member since 2007. She has been employed by Chicopee Savings Bank since 1996 and serves as their Corporate Secretary and Administrative Officer. She is a member of the National Society of Corporate Secretaries and Governance Professionals and actively served on the Citizens Advisory Board of the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services (MDDS) for the Holyoke/Chicopee Region for many years, where she also served in an advisory role for their statewide Complaints of Abuse Resolutions Process Committee.
Shawn Barber
Michael Bogdanovich
Valerie Bonatakis
James Bowen
Bert Gardner
Chuck Hammett
Elaine Labbe
Frank LaFlamme
Capt. Daniel Sullivan
John Vieau
Elizabeth M. Daly
Executive Director
Elizabeth (Betsy) Daly has been Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee since 2000. She has a B.S. from Springfield College and an M.Ed. from Cambridge College. She has 30 years experience working in the non-profit human service field in Massachusetts, Florida and California including Orange County Association of Retarded Citizens and United Cerebral Palsy.
Betsy has served as the Chairperson for the BGCA Northeast Region Diversity Committee since 2004, has been a member of the Hampden County Deputy Sheriffs Association since 2006, and is the currently the Vice President, is a member of the Hampden County Sheriff Departments Community Accountability Board since 2003 where the goal is to successfully re-enter offenders into the community. Betsy is a member of Chicopee Chamber of Commerce Breakfast Committee, is a member of the local Kiwanis Club serving as President from 2006 2008 as well as Vice President from 2004 2006 and became a member of the Chicopee Rotary Club in 2008. She serves as a member of the Human Rights Committee for Riverside Industries. Betsy also served as the Vice President of the Massachusetts Alliance of Boys & Girls Club from 2001 2004.
Clarisa Matlasz
Associate Director
Clarisa Matlasz holds a Bachelors Degree in Recreation Management from Springfield College. She has been with the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee since March 2000. Prior to this position, she was Assistant Superintendent of the Chicopee Parks and Recreation Department. As Associate Director, Clarisas responsibilities include overall supervision and management of all programs and services offered at the Club. She directly supervises the Program Director, Program Manager, Case Manager and all part-time employees. Clarisas relationship with the Parks and Recreation Department and her knowledge of the City allows her to find collaborative opportunities as well as unique responses to service needs within our neighborhood and the City.
Tara Pittsinger Korepta
Program Director
Tara Korepta, a Chicopee native, currently resides in Easthampton with husband Greg. Tara joined the staff of the Boys and Girls Club of Chicopee in 2000 as a Youth Development Counselor and has since made her way up the ladder and was promoted to Program Director in 2008. As Director, Tara oversees a staff of 6 at the Barry School Location, directly supervises a staff of 10 at the Meadow Street Location and also directly supervises a staff of 13 during Summer Camp. Her responsibilities include overseeing operations and programs for the Club and branches within a multi-unit organization with the primary concern for program development and implementation; staff development; supervision of assigned staff and program volunteers; provides leadership and direction to staff. She also ensures that all programs are in compliance with all regulations through the state Department of Early Education and Care and the City of Chicopee. In addition, to all of her program responsibilities Tara wears many different hats and is able to accomplish anything that is asked of her. Tara holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Our Lady of the Elms College in Chicopee. She is a member of the Boys & Girls Club of America's Professional Association and also serves on Chicopees National Night Out Committee.
Laura Boisseau, Program Supervisor
Laura Bouisseau received a Bachelors Degree from American International College (AIC) in Psychology and Sociology (double Bachelor) in 2007 and is currently enrolled in a Masters in Clinical Psychology program at AIC. Laura has been with the Club since November 2000. Her responsibilities include directing and managing the overall daily operations of the Satellite Sites with the primary concern for programs and service delivery, supervision and training of staff, and membership administration. She maintains monthly attendance, sign out sheets and snack count, directs meetings with staff members, principals, parents and children, as needed. Laura was nominated and named the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee Youth of the Year in 2003.
Norman Colon, Facilities Manager
Norman L. Colon rejoined the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee staff in 2007 and was previously a Junior Summer Camp Counselor in1996 & 1997. Norm is a 1996 graduate Holyoke High School. He is responsible for the general cleanliness and maintenance of the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee facilities and coordinates all sports and recreation activities at the Club. He trains and supervises community service volunteers. He also works directly with the Program Director to manage the day-to-day operations of the sports programs and assists with field and facilities rentals. Norman was a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps and served his country on Active Duty for 8 years being deployed overseas in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Honorably Discharge in 2006. He is a certified Emergency Medical Technician and also a graduate of the Louis F. Garland Fire Academy.
Joanny Flores
Membership Receptionist
Albert Acevedo
Becka Boisseau
Kristin Rivard
Lindsey Voci
Laura Boisseau
Site Supervisor
Jennifer Couture
Joseph Couture
Michael Dearing
Ericka Rivera
Manuel Cruz
James Gutierrez
Address: 580 Meadow St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00am-5:00pm
Programming Hours: 2:30pm-8:00pm
P. 413.592.6707
F. 413.594.4976
e. info_bgcchicopee.org
Directions
South-North: Take Exit 3 off I-391 North. Turn Left off the exit, stay in the right lane. At the lights bear to the right (Meadow Street). Proceed about 1/4 mile. The Club is on the left at the intersection of Meadow Street and Mckinstry Avenue.
North-South: Take Exit 4 (Grattan Street) off I-391 South. Take a left at thelights on to Meadow Street. Go through the second set of lights (Mckinstry Avenue) and turn right into the Club parking lot.
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