SIOGA Club Center Renamed to Honor George Crane
.jpg) The SIOGA Club headquarters on Linden Street is designed to be gathering place for groups focused on healthy living and wellness issues. |
The center primarily serves as a meeting place for eight individual recovery groups. Since opening in November 2010, it has served more than 14,000 individuals, more than 85 percent of whom were of low to moderate income, according to SIOGA Club President Douglas Malins.
"This center provides a resource that is clearly needed in this area," Malins said. "And we are continuing to expand and diversify the services we can offer, by making ourselves available to other support groups."
The decision to rededicate the center was made based on the contributions of George B. Crane to the Sioga Club, and his advocacy on behalf of individuals struggling to overcome addiction.
Educated in Florence and Northampton, Crane graduated from St. Anselm's College and Boston Law School, and began a 50-year law career in Pittsfield. After struggling with addiction and finding his own way to recovery, Crane spent the following years helping many people overcome their own addictions, using his own personal story and his legal expertise.
"George Crane gave a lot back to this community, and particularly to those who fought so hard to take their lives back from addiction," said Mayor James M. Ruberto, who took part in the rededication.
Malins said two new groups recently joined the ranks at the center, including a women's issues fellowship based on a premise of empowerment, seeking to help women gain the power of decision making and taking action to improve their lives.
The second group, called 24/7 DADS, is part of a national organization and sponsored locally by the Berkshire County sheriff's department. The program provides a workshop setting that teaches men parenting, relationship and the communication skills men need to be involved, responsible and committed fathers.
