McCann Volunteers Buff Up Louison House Play Space
 McCann staff and students Tom Tinney, left, Cindy Tinney, Pam Dorwin, Brian Boudreau, Samantha Dorwin and Lisa Collins spruced up the children's playroom at Louison House. |
ADAMS, Mass. — Students, faculty and staff members from McCann Technical School in North Adams are putting the finishing touches on the children's play room at Louison House, the area's homeless shelter, just in time for the holidays.
"From CAD to cabinet making in one day!" McCann administrative assistant Cindy Tinney joked with Brian Boudreau of Clarksburg, who is studying computer-assisted drafting (CAD) at the technical vocational school. Boudreau was assembling a child-size kitchen set. Tinney, like other faculty and staff helping at Louison House, is an adviser with SkillsUSA, a partnership of students, teachers and industry working to build a skilled workforce.
Business technology teacher Pam Dorwin and Tinney explained that the group used some funding from SkillsUSA to repaint the playroom a bright purple and make other improvements. On Wednesday, they were adding peel-and-stick images to the walls.
"We also raised about $360 through a Yankee Candle fundraiser to buy the kitchen set and Christmas gifts for kids who will be in Louison House for Christmas," said Tinney. They will be armed with a shopping list with suggestions from parents of children in the shelter at the time.
Putting in some sweat equity were machine technology student Samantha Dorwin (a SkillsUSA chapter officer), chemistry teacher Lisa Collins, and CAD instructor Tom Tinney. Other McCann students and staff painted the room on Veterans Day.
Louison House Executive Director Lindsay Errichetto said she was touched by their generosity. "It's a beautiful time to be in this line of work," she said. "People in this region, in particular, are so caring about their neighbors. We are beyond appreciative that they want to help."
Errichetto said McCann made the offer to help spruce up Louison House at an opportune time.
"We're trying to assess the facility and its needs," she said. "This couldn't have been more timely. Renovating the play space is fantastic. When you realize how many children use it, this is a great advantage. And it's a powerful way to engage students."
The 22-bed Louison House typically has 18 or 19 people residing there, with about a third of them children.
"People are very thoughtful with their donations to Louison House," Errichetto said, adding that people also think ahead and donate items for those who are moving from Louison into their own living situations.
Errichetto said there are numerous anonymous donors who help parents who are living in Louison House at Christmas, who are not able to provide gifts for their children.
"These donors help to provide gifts when these parents can't, including some parents who are not able to be with their children that day," she said.
Louison House and the Family Life Support Center were created 25 years ago to address homelessness in the region, and have helped thousands of individuals since then. The agency's anniversary was celebrated recently with a reception at the Adams Council on Aging that included honors for the program's namesake, Theresa Louison.
Errichetto said the agency still relies on some of its founding principles – requiring residents to have a schedule for their days, take on responsibilities at Louison House, perform chores and look for employment.
Tags: McCann, shelter, volunteers,
