Agawam Lions Club makes desks for students working remote

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AGAWAM-Agawam Lions Club, in cooperation with Westfield's Home Depot, is launching the "Free Student Desk Program" to help Agawam students feel more comfortable studying in a remote/mixed environment.

Back on December 15, the Lions Club posted a post on Facebook asking hybrid and distance learners who needed a dedicated work area to reserve their desk space. The club’s assistant secretary Cheryl Terramagra said that the original plan was to provide 40 tables for students, but after the demand was so high in the first 12 hours after Facebook’s release, the club proposed more than 150 Table request. As of press time, there are 180 of them in total.

"The first thing I thought about was,'We can do this,' said Tramagra. The club's response was,'Every child will get a table. I don't care how many requests are made or how long it takes. "

This project is a continuation of all the help provided by the club to the Agavam Public School District throughout the 2020-2021 school year. In August, the Lions Club carried out school supply activities. They provided material packages for students in need, and delivered "truck-loaded" materials to all eight schools in Agavam City.

From there, the club decided to check the progress of the school year and provide assistance based on how and where the student went to school. Since Agawam will be remote or hybrid in the foreseeable future, Terramagra and the company decided to provide a physical workspace that would greatly help students.

Terramagra said: "It's harder to find a horizontal surface in the family than you think." "As my own parent, there were very few online desks in August and September, and it still is."

The club sent emails to principals, teachers, adjustment consultants, and PTO members, and put Google Sheets on Facebook in December. After that, requests began to flood in immediately.

Terramagra said: "In the history of the Agawam Lions Club, we have never had so much participation." "This has always been the backbone of our project. You always want financial support, business support, participation by town leaders, etc."

According to Terramagra, there is no financial qualification requirement for students, and there is no limit to how many student desks can be in a family. Any student who wants one can get one for free.

Terramagra said: "According to my observations, when my children feel that they have a certain amount of control and ownership, it lays the foundation for a better experience."

Although it is impossible to completely change the course of these unprecedented times, Terramagra said that Lions will continue to assist students in the "tangible" aspects of learning. In addition to students and parents, the club also heard from churches and providers that they need desk care before and after school.

"Students are important in our community," Terramagra said. "In a way, we can prove that our students are more important than anything else, and we are here and we will do our best to support them...this is more than just a table."

Most of the funding for this project and the entire club came from the golf tournament fundraising activities conducted by the late Jack Conroy and his family. The money from this competition is used for professional learning of children, teenagers and students with special needs.

Terramagra said: "We are very lucky, we are very lucky to receive so much financial support." "In terms of materials, Westfield's Home Depot works closely with us."

Westfield's Home Depot offers monetary rewards, as well as the delivery and pre-cutting of timber or this particular item.  

Terramagra said: "Until now, they have been very supportive in providing us with affordable materials."

As of press time, the club has three operating workshops, and the desks are made by skilled woodworkers, mechanics and cabinet manufacturers in the club. They are currently polishing and glazing these desks and storing them in Big-E.

Terramagra said: "We hope this is something that students have for a long time." "This is just a place to save your stuff and increase productivity and participation."

The club currently has 3 appointment dates for students to attend classes in the parking lot of Agawam High School. 80 desks will be distributed on January 9, 70 desks will be distributed on January 23, and the remaining desks will be distributed on February 6.

The club has also established a GoFundMe page so that residents can donate to purchase more supplies to help build more tables. Readers can find the page here:

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While the club gains more financial support, students who want a table can register on the waiting list link. The waiting list can be found at the following sites:

Students on the waiting list will most likely receive their desks on February 6. Terramagra and the company are contacting parents and students to determine the specific time for the pickup.

"Our intention is to continue to invest in children and families," Terramagra said. "Sometimes everyone needs a little help, so we do our best to keep students and their families up to date."

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