Whittier Students Create Medal Rack for Newburyport Lions Club Yankee Homecoming Road Race
Photo Courtesy of Lions Club President Bob LaFrance
One of Whittier Tech’s goals is to give back to our member communities whenever given the opportunity. Whittier Tech is pleased to showcase the outstanding work done by students in the Metal Fabrication and Auto Body shops on a medal rack that was first used this month in Newburyport.
The 62nd Newburyport Lions Club Yankee Homecoming Race was held on Tuesday, August 2, 2022 during the weeklong summer celebration of Yankee Homecoming. Earlier this year, Lions Club Vice-President Diane Drinan reached out to Vocational Coordinator Paul Moskevitz to collaborate on a rack to display the medals for their annual road race after discovering the rack they were using just wasn’t going to be big enough as the popularity of the race grew. This was the first year every runner received medals, totaling over 2,000!
Lions Club President Bob LaFrance said, “The medal rack that Paul and his students was truly a fabulous achievement.” The students were sent a photo of what they were looking for and the Metal Fabrication students brought that vision to life. Once the rack was constructed, it was time for finishing touches by the Auto Body students.
Vocational Coordinator Paul Moskevitz said, “when the request came to my office, I immediately responded that we’d do it. Any time we can support the community while also providing our students with opportunities to put their practice into real-world projects, we jump right in.”
The Metal Fabrication students worked under the supervision and guidance of instructors Steve Palmer and Chris Gerber. Auto Body students worked under instructors Paul DeBenedictis and Steve Polidoro.
President LaFrance added that everyone involved with the Road Race said “nothing but praise in the quality, construction, and the ease it was to load/unload the medals. I can’t thank the Whittier Tech students enough.”
Photos Courtesy of Lions Club President Bob LaFrance