Who We Are

Molly Bish was abducted on June 27, 2000 from Comins Pond in Warren, MA where she worked as a lifeguard. Molly was 16 years old at the time of her abduction. The efforts of law enforcement, the media and community in the search for Molly were unprecedented and deeply appreciated. The extensive search for Molly came to its end June 9, 2003 just five miles from her family home. An intensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding Molly's abduction and fate is ongoing ...

...Molly's story has inspired many across the Commonwealth to increase children's health and safety. Mount Wachusett Community College has been honored to work with the Bish family and other Massachusetts partners to establish the Molly Bish Institute for Child Health and Safety at our Gardner campus.

MISSION AND VISION

The mission of the Molly Bish Institute for Child Health and Safety is to ensure the health and safety of all children in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

It is our vision to protect the children of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by providing hands-on, practical learning opportunities for parents, caregivers, and children; and, to provide a clearinghouse of child health and safety information.

ADVISORY BOARD

(Co-Chairs) John and Magi Bish are determined that no other family should experience the nightmare of missing a child. Several months after Molly disappeared, they established the Molly Bish “Lifeguard” Foundation, an organization that is devoted to promoting child safety through education and prevention. The cornerstone of the Foundation is the distribution of complimentary child identification kits that contain a current head and shoulders photograph and a professionally made set of fingerprints that can be used to help locate a missing child. To date, the Foundation has distributed ID kits to over 60,000 individuals throughout New England, and the numbers continue to grow each day. Recognizing the importance of outreach and education in promoting child safety, John and Magi Bish have spoken to hundreds of school and community groups, sharing Molly’s story throughout the U.S. and abroad in discussing the importance of obtaining child identification kits for all children and young adults.

(Co-Chair) Dr. Daniel M. Asquino has been President of Mount Wachusett Community College since August 1987. He is fond of the phrase, “we’re the community’s college,” and he means it. In addition to serving as Vice Chair for the United Way of North Central Massachusetts 2000 campaign and as the Chair for the 2001 campaign, he makes it a habit to build relationships with community leaders in order to create a vibrant college responsive to the ever-changing needs of its students and community. Since arriving at the College, President Asquino has focused his efforts on improving curriculum and community outreach and economic development. Under his leadership the college’s enrollment has grown to over 7,000 credit and non-credit students. He has twice been chosen to Chair the Committee of Community College Presidents. Dr. Asquino is also a member of the Board of Trustees for Heywood Hospital, the GFA Supervisory Board, and the Executive Board of the North Central Chamber of Commerce. He holds a Ph.D. in Public Administration and Political Science and a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and Southeastern Massachusetts.

Jay Davis Drake is the current chair of the Mount Wachusett Community College Board of Trustees. He served as Chairman of the United Way of Gardner and is a former member of the Monadnock Council of Boy Scouts of America. In addition he has served as a coach for youth basketball, soccer and hockey. He is President of Royal Steam Heater Company and President of Lynde Hardware and Supply Co. Mr. Drake is a native of Gardner, attended Philips Academy in Andover, and is a graduate of Yale University. Mr. Drake resides in Gardner with his wife, Celeste, and two children, Elliott and Oliver.

Senator Stephen M. Brewer (D-Barre) represents 29 towns in Central and Western Massachusetts. Currently in his fourth term in the Massachusetts State Senate, Senator Brewer received his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and obtained a Master’s Degree in History and Government from Assumption College. He is currently Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Rules; Senate Vice-Chairman of the Joint Committee on Natural Resources and Agriculture; a member of the Senate Committees on Way and Means and Long Term debt; and a member of the Joint Committee on Public Safety. Senator Brewer has missed only one roll call vote in the Legislature over the past eight years. He resides with his wife, Val, in Barre and is a proud father of two daughters.

Martha P. Grace was appointed as Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Juvenile Court in February 1998. Prior to that, she had been Associate Justice of the Worcester Juvenile Court since 1990. She was educated at New England School of Law, J.D.; Clark University, M.A. in History; Smith College, B.A. (Zoology major). Her memberships include American, Massachusetts, Boston, Worcester County and Juvenile Bar Associations, Massachusetts and Worcester Bar Foundations, National Association of Women Judges, National Council Juvenile and Family Court Judges, American Judicature Society, Supreme Judicial Court Historical Society, Massachusetts Judges Conference. Judge Grace has been the recipient of awards from the YWCA- Katherine Erskine Award (1998), Juvenile Bar Association (1999), St. Thomas More Society Ecumenical Award (1999), Massachusetts Judges Conference (2000), Distinguished Jurist Award of Massachusetts Association of Women Lawyers (2002) and she has just completed a Fellowship for Zero to Three. She is a frequent panelist/speaker/guest lecturer.

Daniel P. Moen has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Heywood Hospital in Gardner, MA since January 1990. He has provided strategic direction and guided the institution to fiscal stability while expanding and improving services to the community. Heywood Hospital has been working with community leaders, citizens, and members of their staff to bring information about the state of health care and Heywood Hospital out to the community and to legislators. Heywood Hospital is piloting the “We Care!” program of the Massachusetts Hospital Association in an effort to help the public and legislators understand the importance of healthy hospitals in the community’s and economic health. Moen serves as secretary of and as a board of trustees member of the Massachusetts Hospital Association. He began his career as a radiologic technologist and has his Master’s Degree in Health Administration from Clark University.

Dr. Rosanne Morel joined the faculty of MWCC in 1987. She has held the position of Chairperson of the Early Childhood Department since 1989. Rosanne received her Doctorate in 1995 in Child Studies from Nova Southeastern University. She is past president of the Montachusett Association for the Education of Young Children. As a mother of four she is passionate about her family, her students and the quality of life of all young children.

Congressman John W. Olver has represented the 1st Congressional District -- spanning Berkshire, Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, Worcester and Middlesex Counties -- since June 1991. Olver is now in his seventh term as an elected Member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Rep. Olver is currently the only member from the Massachusetts delegation serving on the House Appropriations Committee, where he is the Ranking Member (top Democrat) on the Transportation and Treasury subcommittee of Appropriations. Rep. Olver also serves on the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee. Since his appointment to the Appropriations Committee, Olver's chief objective has been to obtain funding for economic development projects at home that spur new business opportunities in central and western Massachusetts. Protecting the environment, increasing worker rights and benefits, expanding access to affordable health care, and improving education likewise are top priorities.

In his capacity as Assistant Whip for the Democratic Caucus, Olver also plays a critical role in the development and communication of policy issues.

Senator Robert A. Antonioni (D-Leominster)
Janice Motta (Executive Director, Massachusetts Community Colleges)
Chief Wayne Sampson (President, Massachusetts Chief of Police Association)
Todd Bailey (Controller, Fallon Community Health)
Lorie Martiska (Heywood Hospital, Vice President Community Relations/Development)
Lt. Colonel Mariann McGovern (MA State Police)

Kid Expo 2006 Steering Committee

The following people have generously dontated their time and efforts to make Kid Expo 2006 a success:

Melissa Delaney, Amy Casavina Hall, Lea Ann Erickson, Robin Duncan, Sgt. Glenn Fossa, Fagan Frantz, Officer Melissa Garneau, Officer Chad Roger, Jennifer Hartwell, Mary Ann Kane, Diane King, Amanda Landry, Chief Karen Kolimaga, Lorie Martiska, Rosanne Morel, Jody Paul, Colleen Provencial, Maureen Provost, Sharyn Rice, Dolores Thibault-Munoz.

The Molly Bish Foundation

John and Magi Bish were determined that no other family should experience the nightmare of missing a child. Several months after Molly disappeared, they established the Molly Bish “Lifeguard” Foundation, an organization that is devoted to promoting child safety through education and prevention. The cornerstone of the foundation is the distribution of complimentary child dentification kits that contain a current head and shoulders photograph and a professionally made set of fingerprints that can be used to help locate a missing child. To date, the foundation has distributed ID kits to over 50,000 individuals throughout New England and the numbers continue to grow each day as foundation volunteers hold child safety days at local schools, day care centers and community sponsored events.

Recognizing the importance of outreach and education in promoting child safety, John and Magi Bish have spoken to hundreds of school and community groups, sharing Molly’s story throughout the US and abroad in discussing the importance of obtaining child identification kits for all children and young adults.

The goal of the foundation is to establish and provide safety awareness programs within our schools and community. It will promote family safety with child ID programs that would include fingerprinting, photographs and the child's physical characteristics. The foundation would also assist in child abduction investigations by providing posters, flyers, buttons, Internet information and links.

Molly Bish Institute for Child Health and Safety Staff

Andrea Hart, come to us with a clear passion for nonprofits. Before, during and after her college career at Fitchburg State College, she has volunteered at many organizations including Brigham’s and Women’s Hospital, Thompson Island Outward Bound, Falmouth Recreation and Teen Center, Pacific Crest Outward Bound,Dornbeckers Children's Hospital Foundation, Kids Making Miracles, Susan B. Komen Foundation,co started a coalition for Portland Public Schools in 1997 during their budget cuts and is currently serving on the Cleghorn Neighborhood Center's Board of Directors. Her skills include fundraising, community development, event planning, and being bilingual in Spanish. She is responsible for assisting in the coordination of the ‘What’s Next Speaker Series’, Citizenship Academy, AmeriCorps Scholars, the Democracy Project and the Molly Bish Institute for Child Health and Safety.