Chittenden Bank Presents Second Installment of $15,000 Pledge to the O'Brien Winooski Community Center
Winooski, VT - In 2002, the City of Winooski established a Community Development Department to focus on the creation of a community center. The goal was to create a facility designed to address the needs of their overall residential demographics, therefore serving people of all ages, interests and income levels. Winooski lacked a public space where programs could be offered to provide the community with benefits such as after school programs, a Teen Center, a Community Kitchen and summer activities for area youth. An under-utilized shopping center, just two blocks from the heart of the city was earmarked as the location. On March 31, 2007, the O'Brien Community Center opened its doors to the city of Winooski.
Chittenden Bank delivered the second installment of their 3-year pledge earlier this month.
"The space in Winooski was utilized to its fullest. The O'Brien Community Center is a wonderful place for children and families to spend quality time with staff that cares about offering activities for children and families that will help them to grow and prosper. We are pleased to be a part of the development of the Center, " said Kathy Schirling, Senior Vice President at Chittenden Bank. A check in the amount of $5,000 was presented to Community Development Department Director J. Ladd. "The folks at Chittenden have been observing the Winooski Community Center's development over the past 4 years, offering encouragement, significant bridge financing, and now, a donation of second donation of $5,000. Gayle McKinnon Alexander has visited the Center numerous times, before and during construction and since we've opened," explained Ladd. "She realized early what potential the Center had. The Chittenden Bank understands the wonderful collaborations that the Center facilitates, and the remarkable benefits that the Center brings to the community. We have appreciated the Chittenden steady encouragement and support!"
Today the community center is thriving with activities, and includes a number of tenants geared towards serving the wellness, health, and family needs of Winooski. Some of those tenants include: Greater Burlington YMCA, Vermont Dental Care, Underground Teen Center, and Winooski Family Health. In addition, several programs and events were successfully launched this past year promoting community participation and involvement. During the summer over 200 children registered for a new 12-week youth enrichment program that offered summer activities from 3 to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. In September, local High School students participated in a College Preparatory course provided VSAC and the Winooski School District. An After School Care Program was established in October that picks up the kids at school and brings them to the O'Brien Center for help with their homework or to partake in supervised activities. The institutional size, energy efficient community kitchen and the dinning hall were used to accommodate the first Winooski Resource Expo held in October.
To Learn More
The O'Brien Community Center is located at 32 Malletts Bay Avenue in Winooski, and is open to the public 7 days a week. Please call 655-1392 for activity and program schedules, or visit www.onioncity.com.
About Chittenden Bank
Chittenden Bank has proudly served businesses and individuals statewide for more than 100 years. With assets greater than $3.3 billion and 47 offices located throughout the state, Chittenden is dedicated to meeting the financial needs of Vermonters at every stage of life. Chittenden Bank is a subsidiary of People's United Bank headquartered in Bridgeport, Connecticut with assets of over $21 billion. For more information please visit www.chittenden.com or call the Customer Service Center at 800-545-2236.
-###-