Community Builders Fellowships 2006

With the generous support of Unitil, Community Builders put out a call in the summer of 2006 for new and innovative ideas to increase volunteerism or community involvement and action. 

View Fellowship Applications: English and Spanish

2006 Community Builders Fellowship Awards

Judy Gentry of Warmer Winters

Judy has recruited 40 volunteers to knit and crochet blankets, hats, scarves and mittens for various nonprofit agencies in the region on a regular basis. She has also started the process to collaborate with the Multi Service Center. In exchange for office space and the ability to write grants under the Multi Service Center’s 503 C status, Warmer Winters will provide the Multi-Service Center’s Generations Linked program with lap blankets for the elderly. Judy teaches knitting at the Cleghorn Neighborhood Center and Battered Women’s Resources to clients who want to learn to create their own income by selling their goods at craft fairs.

Judy sees Warmer Winters replicating as chapters.

• $3,000.00 Fellowship Award

Kevin MacLean –Senior Fix-it Program

Kevin works with the Senior Center in Ashburnham to fix any at-home Senior projects that do not require a building permit. Kevin has installed wheelchair ramps, fixed doors, patched leaks, etc. He gathers all of the materials needed through donations and has coordinated a group of small business tradesmen to volunteer as the handymen. The senior has the repairs done for free. Kevin’s brother has replicated this program out of state, and one small business man and his son have started the same program in Gardner.

• $2400.00 Fellowship Award

Chris Casavant – Revitalize Winchendon town spirit

Chris and a group of fathers in Winchendon gathered to address the poor state of town spirit in Winchendon. Families are moving out of town due to lack of opportunities for youth, lack of connectedness among neighbors and poor reputation. The men decided to start their own Pop-Warner Football Team as a tool to address the problem. Currently the Winchendon youth are divided between Gardner and Oakmont teams. Winchendon youth have to rival one another creating a deeper rift among friends as time goes by. Providing Winchendon their own team will gather youth and adults together as volunteers to run the league, coach and play. The team will create positive media for the town, and encourage town spirit among students, parents, friends and community members. Because the team is a tool to create a more positive sense of belonging and town spirit while providing much needed youth activities all led by volunteers, this project will have a long-term impact on the town.

• $2,300 Fellowship Award