bankESB contributes $5,500K to YMCA
EASTHAMPTON — bankESB has contributed $5,500 to the Hampshire Regional YMCA in Northampton, supporting the organization as a signature sponsor. The donation will help the YMCA continue its mission of strengthening the community through programs that promote youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.
The YMCA provides a variety of services and programs, including child care, fitness and wellness opportunities, swim lessons and youth activities. With the help of community partners like bankESB, the Y is able to expand access and resources for people of all ages and backgrounds.
bankESB’s gift reinforces its commitment to the YMCA. The bank has also made a $120,000 multi-year commitment to the Y’s capital campaign.
Building Up Belchertown cohorts selected
BELCHERTOWN — The town of Belchertown and the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce have announced the Building Up Belchertown 2025 cohort members.
Together, the two entities have created a partnership to support local small businesses through the Building Up Belchertown program. The cohorts selected for this program receive one year of Chamber membership at no cost — jointly underwritten by the town of Belchertown and Amherst Area Chamber — which gains them access to resources, networking events and promotional opportunities.
The 10 new members were recently recognized at a celebration at Arcpoint Brewing Co. in Belchertown. They include Arcpoint, Belchertown Veterinary Hospital, Clay Mates, Cold Spring Investments, Devon Lane Farm Supply, Freetide Creative, Grace Aesthetics And Wellness, Innnovate Culture Lab, LLC; Shattuck’s Sugarhouse and Soundscape Merchandise.
These cohort members get support for their small businesses and access to marketing opportunities through the Chamber. These programs help grow the local economy, build connections between business owners, and make Belchertown’s business community stronger.
New board members at Cancer Connection
NORTHAMPTON — Cancer Connection has appointed Rebecca Finkel and Malaika Ross to its board of directors.
Finkel has been an integral part of Cancer Connection’s events for the past two years, volunteering at many events including Bed In, Harvest Dinner, Camilla’s Extravaganza, the Mother’s Day Half Marathon and the Grateful Bed Tour, among others.
Finkel is a clinical therapist specializing in grief education and counseling. A resident of Whately, Finkel spent 15 years working in the nonprofit sector in New York City and hopes to bring her own experience with cancer and grief to support Cancer Connection and the community it serves.
In 2024, Ross created and led Shadows and Light, an art workshop for breast cancer survivors, culminating in an exhibit at Northampton Center for the Arts, in partnership with Cancer Connection. She also served on a panel about the arts and healing which Cancer Connection held at Bombyx in April 2024, with a screening of the documentary “American Symphony.”
Ross is a visual artist whose work explores the relationship between soil, flowers, and her identity as a Black diasporic woman. Drawing from her background in soil microbiology, she creates two-dimensional artworks inspired by microscopic life and the flora of western Massachusetts. In 2023, following a breast cancer diagnosis, her practice expanded to include The Visibility Project and Novel Bodies, Novel Landscapes.
Founded in 2000, Cancer Connection’s mission is to provide a haven where people with cancer and their loved ones can learn how to navigate the complicated cancer journey through one-to-one guidance, education, peer support, integrative therapies, and creative programs. Cancer Connection is the only cancer support center in Hampshire and Franklin counties and draws additional participants from Hampden County and beyond. All of Cancer Connection’s services are provided free of charge.
HCC police chief honored at ‘100 Women of Color’ gala
HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College Police Chief Jacqueline Robles of Springfield was honored Friday, Oct. 10, as one of the “100 Women of Color” during a celebration at The Bushnell Theater in Hartford.
The “100 Women of Color” gala and awards ceremony, sponsored by The June Archer Foundation, recognizes the contributions of women of color in leadership, business, education, government, entertainment, healthcare, and public and community service, and the impact they have made on the lives of people in Connecticut and western Massachusetts.
Born in Puerto Rico and raised in Springfield, Robles is a graduate of Holyoke High School and has been a member of the HCC police department for 22 years. With her swearing-in in May, she became the first Latina to serve as HCC police chief.
Since then, Robles has received a slew of honors. She was named a Commonwealth Heroine by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women, recognized with proclamations at the State House from both the House of Representatives and Senate, and selected as the civil service ambassador for the Springfield Puerto Rican Day Parade.