VOC Early Education Program Celebrates Arbor Day

VOC Churchill early education Center children and staff joined with the Department of Conservation and recreation’s (DCr) greening the gateway Cities program (ggC) to celebrate Arbor Day in Holyoke with a tree planting at Churchill green on Franklin Street. parents, families and the larger community gathered for snacks, crafts and prizes, and learned about caring for trees, Arbor Day, and conservation.

the ggC program plants trees in a variety of neighborhoods throughout massachusetts in identified gateway Cities. Locally, Holyoke, Chicopee, and Westfield are part of this program and thousands of trees have been planted, for free, in these cities.

CIES Participant Spotlights:

VOC Hosts 2nd Annual Trunk or Treat!

the VOC trunk or treat tradition began during COVi D, when many large indoor events for children and families in the community were being canceled. the trunk or treat event provided a safe, fun and family-friendly event for the entire community, and this past October, families once again gathered in the mt. Carmel parking lot for an even bigger celebration, doubling our attendance from the first year.

Overall, more than 600 participants and 20 trunks were part of the event, which has created another great way to connect and welcome everyone to VOC.