October 12, 2010

Photo Finish from the Oct. 11, 2010 issue

Photo/Courtesy Employees of Workers' Credit Union have contributed $45,300 for the United Way of North Central Massachusetts' 2011 campaign. The credit union held events at its 14 branches including Blue Jean Days, when workers could pay $5 to wear jeans, and Coin Wars that pitted groups against each other in contributing change. The Chelmsford branch had the most employees take part in the fundraising and was rewarded by having senior management wash the workers' cars. Pictured at the car wash, from left to right: managers Mike Dembowski, Dave Rodgers, Gordon Wetmore, John Doyle, Tom Gray, Doug Petersen and Jack Doolin.

Photo/Courtesy Bay State Savings Bank workers collected about 60 gallons of milk for the Worcester agencies that give food to children and their families. The Rachel's Table Children's Milk Fund accepted the milk for The Salvation Army, AIDS Project Worcester, the South Worcester Neighborhood Center and the Quinsigamond Village Community Center. Pictured: Bank employees pose with some of the jugs of milk they collected for Rachel's Table.

Photo/Courtesy David L. Cheney, owner of the now-closed Cheney Orchards in Brimfield, donated apples from his 1,500 trees to the Community Harvest Project, and employees of Southbridge-based Savers Bank provided the manpower to get the fruit off the trees. The bank volunteers picked more than 6,000 pounds of apples and plan to continue through the end of the season. The Community Harvest Project will also help Cheney revive and maintain his orchard so that he can donate more apples in future years. Pictured from left to right: Savers Bank customer service representative Benjamin Chanthanouvong, and head teller Heather Wilson.

Photo/Courtesy Southbridge Savings Bank has donated $1,500 to help Quinsigamond Community College provide students with laptop computers. The laptops come with educational software to help the students with math skills. Pictured, from left to right: Dale Allen, QCC vice president of community engagement; Gail E. Carberry, QCC president; Jill Motyka of Southbridge Savings Bank and Michael Wronski, executive director of the QCC Foundation.

Photo/Courtesy Literacy Volunteers of Greater Worcester has received the Verizon Foundation's English as a Second Language Solutions Award for its work with Worcester Public Library, helping students improve their language, cultural and economic literacy skills. LVGW split a $125,000 grant with other programs around Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Pictured, representatives from VLGW and the Verizon Foundation join participants in the program and local officials to announce the grant.