LUK, Inc. recently was awarded funds by the George F. and Sybil H. Fuller Foundation to provide scholarships for youth from Boylston and Worcester to participate in LUK’s TREK programs.

TREK (Teaching, Reaching, Experiencing with Kids) is a program through LUK that provides adaptive adventure-based, experiential-learning (AB/EL) activities that motivate youth to try new things, develop social skills, and participate in physical fitness while having fun. TREK is a flexible model with sessions tailored for populations such as youth with Autism or developmental delays and youth who have experienced trauma (abuse/neglect, witness to community/domestic violence).

The TREK model focuses significantly on social and emotional competencies. Activities vary depending on the season, weather, and the interests and skills of the youth, and may include team building games, leadership skills, a challenge course, and fun active components such as paddling, swimming, snowboarding, and more. TREK staff use teachable moments to role model, reinforce skills and safe behaviors, and promote positive experiences. Staff also help redirect if participants are having trouble with emotional regulation and reinforce positive frustration tolerance.

By expanding scholarship opportunities to TREK, the Fuller Foundation will benefit the community and LUK by eliminating obstacles and creating more openings for youth and families who would like to engage in adventure-based therapy. These funds will support youth from historically underserved and marginalized populations. LUK hopes that participants of the TREK program walk away from their experience feeling like they have made connections and progress towards a fulfilling life.

LUK, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the safety, health, and well-being of youth, families, and adults in Central Massachusetts. As a community-based organization, LUK’s mission is to challenge and inspire youth, adults, and families to realize their unique potential through community-based prevention, intervention, education, and support services.

For more information about LUK, Inc. visit www.LUK.org, call (800) 579-0000, or find them on Facebook (@LetUsKnowINC). Join us in building stronger communities, family by family!

Main Street Bank, a leading mutual bank serving Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire, is pleased to announce the appointment of its newest corporators. The election, which took place and the organization’s annual meeting held on April 24, 2023, reflects the bank’s ongoing commitment to engaging with its customers and communities and fostering a culture of collaboration and shared success.

Bank corporators are esteemed depositors who play a crucial role in shaping the direction of the bank. They are responsible for electing the mutual holding company’s trustees, approving changes in the mutual holding company’s by-laws and corporate structure and acting as ambassadors of the bank within the communities it serves. Main Street Bank believes that the involvement of corporators is essential in maintaining a strong connection with its customers and neighbors and ensuring their voices are heard.

The newly elected corporators of Main Street Bank are as follows:

1. Keri De Almeida, Owner/President of Brothers Market
2. Mark Bogosian, Owner of Longfellow Design Build, Inc.
3. Luiz Thomaz Dacosta, Owner/CEO of Modular Concepts, LLC
4. Stefanie Ferrecchia, Realtor with Dora Naves & Associates, Inc.
5. Meredith Harris, Executive Director of the Marlborough Economic Development Corporation
6. Craig Hunt, Owner of Hunt’s Mobil
7. Lysa Miller, Owner of Ladybugz Interactive
8. Tony Molina, Developer and Real Estate Investor
9. Nicholas Pelletier, President of Pelletier Properties
10. Carolyn Read, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of North Central MA
11. Christopher Yates, Real Estate Attorney at Fletcher Tilton PC

Brothers Market Owner Keri De Almeida expressed her enthusiasm for the corporator role, stating, “It is an honor and a privilege to be asked to serve as a voice of the customer and to be able to share feedback, engage, and advocate. For my business and personal life, Main Street Bank has played a central role in our growth and success, and without them, we wouldn’t be where we are today. I look forward to playing a role in their continued growth.”

Luiz Thomaz Dacosta, of Modular Concepts in Marlborough, also shared his excitement, saying, “It’s an honor to be a corporator of an organization with such a great culture and values, which can be seen in the employees’ commitment and the customers’ satisfaction with the organization. Even more so, its involvement in the community by promoting, helping, and supporting many causes and programs.” Habitat for Humanity’s Executive Director Carolyn Read echoes this sentiment, saying, “Main Street Bank is a true partner with businesses, individuals and non-profits in the region and I’m honored to be named a corporator for a bank that is doing good for the community every day.”

Several corporators have long-standing ties to the bank and reflect on the mutually successful relationships working with Main Street Bank over the years. Nicholas Pelletier of Pelletier Properties shares, “Main Street Bank was the first lender to give me a chance when I started to invest in real estate. It’s truly an honor to be chosen as a corporator at an institution which helped me start my business and that I have now been a customer at for over 10 years.” Another newly elected corporator, Craig Hunt of Hunt’s Mobil, expressed his appreciation for Main Street Bank’s support, saying, “Main Street Bank has helped me tremendously over the years with both my business banking needs at Hunt’s Mobil and my personal needs as well.”

Meredith Harris of the Marlborough Economic Development Corporation has worked with Main Street Bank for over eight years, and emphasized the value of local and reliable banking, stating, “It is incredibly valuable to have local folks that you know and can count on when it comes to both personal and business banking. I never hesitate to recommend Main Street Bank to others looking for a convenient and reliable service provider.”

Lysa Miller, owner of Ladybugz Interactive, expressed her excitement for being a corporator and the bank’s role in her business growth, stating, “I’m excited to be a corporator for Main Street Bank, the bank that has helped me grow my business since I opened during Covid. Everything they did helped me grow, implement my version of Profit First, and even got my first line of credit for the business.”

Tony Molina, who has always been impressed with Main Street Bank’s transparency and welcoming atmosphere, said, “Whenever you walk into any branch, you feel welcome as part of an extended family. I’m honored to have the opportunity to serve as a bank corporator. I’m excited and looking forward to adding value to the team, to the bank as a business, and the bank’s community.”

Main Street Bank is thrilled to have such accomplished and community-driven individuals join as corporators. Their diverse backgrounds and expertise will undoubtedly contribute to the bank’s continued growth and success. Main Street Bank remains committed to providing exceptional service and being an integral part of the communities served.

About Main Street Bank

Main Street Bank is a locally run, independent mutual savings institution serving the MetroWest and northern Middlesex communities of Massachusetts. They are united under a culture that strives every day to contribute to local communities by providing customer-focused, innovative products and services for individuals, families, local businesses, and community organizations since 1860, with particular attention to education and financial wellbeing. With branch offices in the MetroWest and North Middlesex region, Main Street Bank provides an extensive array of financial services and products for all personal and business life stages. To learn more, visit www.BankMainStreet.com.