Highlights

James Knott, Sr. (Jim) was a visionary and an entrepreneur. He was also an engineer and recreational lobsterman who found significant issues with the design and durability of traditional wood and twine lobster traps. After years of trial and error, Jim and his sons perfected the modern wire lobster trap and invented Aquamesh®, the first-of-its-kind marine wire mesh used for building the traps.

In 1980, Riverdale Mills opened its doors and the first rolls of Aquamesh® were shipped to the iconic fishing villages of Maine. Today, over 80 percent of lobster traps made in North America are made with Aquamesh®.

Even as their company grew, the Knott family prioritized the well-being of the community in Whitinsville. Much to our delight and benefit, Jim secured the construction and building of the Competition Pool at the Whitin Community Center.

It is hard to measure how many people have benefitted from the Competition Pool over the last 20+ years, but here are some statistics to put it into perspective: The Competition Pool operates 7 days a week, over 100 hours a week, year round. That is over 5,000 hours per year, for the past 20 years! The individuals using the Competition Pool are the former Whitinsville Blue Dolphins Swim Team, current Crimson Aquatics Swim Team, Camp Whitin participants, children in our Blackstone Valley Children’s Place child care program, families in need as part of our Youth Outreach Saturday Afternoon Fitness & Fun, children with special needs from our local high schools, seniors, adult lap swimmers, people focused on their health and well-being in our aqua aerobics classes, and so many more.

We are deeply grateful to the Knott family for their contributions to our community and congratulate Riverdale Mills on 40 years of manufacturing excellence.

The Whitin Community Center has put together a special series of Wellness Calendars that will go out periodically throughout our shutdown. Please enjoy our Intellectual Wellness Edition by clicking the link!

Intellectual Edition Sneak Peek

• • What is Intellectual Wellness?
  • 5 Tips For Improving Your Intellectual Wellness
  • FREE Brain Game Apps
  • WCC YouTube Tutorial Videos
  • WCC Mask Distribution
  • Mask Crochet Helper Tutorial
  • Reading & Listening Corner
  • Blackstone Valley Children’s Place Story Time

• Click the Zoom button below to download the Zoom app or to access the website to join a Meeting.

• Use the Virtual Aerobic Class Schedule below to obtain your specific class Meeting ID & Password.

• Click Join A Meeting and enter in the prospective class Meeting ID and Password. Then you’re in!

The Whitin Community Center has put together a special series of Wellness Calendars that will go out periodically throughout our shutdown. Please enjoy our Environmental Wellness Edition by clicking the link!

Environmental Edition Sneak Peek

• What is Environmental Wellness?
• WCC Mask Distribution
• Virtual Walk Through WCC’s Whitin Park
• Green Cleaning
• Gardening
• Local Recycling & Transfer Stations
• Tick Safety
• Essential Oils
• Green Living

The Whitin Community Center has put together a special series of Wellness Calendars that will go out periodically throughout our shutdown. Please enjoy our Spiritual Health & Well-Being Wellness Edition by clicking the link!

Spiritual Health & Well-Being Edition Sneak Peek

• What Is Spiritual Wellness?
• WCC Meditation YouTube Videos
• WCC Informational Crystal YouTube Video
• Meditation Techniques & Apps
• UMass Memorial Center For Mindfulness – FREE Online Course
• Local Church Information
• Mass.gov – Maintaining Emotional Health & Well-Being
• CDC – Stress & Coping
• Spiritual Practices – Disarm Fear & Uncertainty

The Whitin Community Center has put together a special series of Wellness Calendars that will go out periodically throughout our shutdown. Please enjoy our Social Wellness Edition by clicking the link!

Social Edition Sneak Peek

• Staying In Touch
• WCC Zoom Classes!
• Virtual Social Connections
• No One Walks Alone Peer Recovery Support Center (NOWA)

• Click the Zoom button below to download the Zoom app or to access the website to join a Meeting.

• Use the Virtual Aerobic Class Schedule below to obtain your specific class Meeting ID & Password.

• Click Join A Meeting and enter in the prospective class Meeting ID and Password. Then you’re in!

The Whitin Community Center has put together a special series of Wellness Calendars that will go out periodically throughout our shutdown. Please enjoy our Kindness Wellness Edition by clicking the link!

Kindness Edition Sneak Peek

• Local Businesses Adapting To Help
• Peace Of Bread Community Kitchen
• Food Assistance
• Acts Of Kindness
• Show Us Your Heart
• Donate Blood
• WCC Spreading Joy & Sharing Your Stories!

Click the buttons to view a wide variety of resources that are available to you, including free resources during COVID-19.

The Whitin Community Center has put together a special series of Wellness Calendars that will go out periodically throughout our shutdown. Please enjoy our Kids Wellness Edition by clicking the link!

Kids Edition Sneak Peek

• WCC YouTube KidFit Activities
• Resources From Beginning Bridges CFCE
• Girls On The Run
• Keeping Kids On A Schedule
• Virtual Museums & Science Learning

The Whitin Community Center has put together a special series of Wellness Calendars that will go out periodically throughout our shutdown. Please enjoy our Nutritional Support Wellness Edition by clicking the link!

Nutritional Support Edition Sneak Peek

• Simple Healthy Recipes & Tips
• Let’s Boost Our Immune Systems
• Wellness Elixir
• Sports Nutrition
• Healthy Children
• Support Our Local Restaurants & Farms

The Whitin Community Center has put together a special series of Wellness Calendars that will go out periodically throughout our shutdown. Please enjoy our Physical Support Wellness Edition by clicking the link!

Physical Support Edition Sneak Peek

• CDC Tips – Physical Activity For A Healthy Weight
• Tips From The WCC Trainers
• WCC YoutTube Fitness Workouts
• Silver Sneakers – Engaging Members Digitally
• Can’t Swim? Here’s 3 Things You Can Do On Dry Land!

The Whitin Community Center has put together a special series of Wellness Calendars that will go out periodically throughout our shutdown. Please enjoy our Emotional Support Wellness Edition by clicking the link!

Emotional Support Edition Sneak Peek

• CDC Tips For Managing Stress & Anxiety
• Virtual Museum Tours
• Virtual Aquarium Activities & Zoo Tours
• Natural Stress Relief Tips
• No One Walks Alone Peer Recovery Support Center (NOWA)

Looking for the perfect gift?

Not sure what they want?

Give a WCC Gift Card!

They can be used toward any program! 

See a Member Services Representative for more information! Or call 508.234.8184 ext 100

NEWBURYPORT — More than $1.34 million in Workforce Training Fund Program (WTFP) grants that will fund training for 1,141 workers and are expected to create 223 new jobs over the next two years were announced today by the Baker-Polito Administration.

The 12 awarded grants involving 20 companies will fund customized training that promotes job growth, retention, and increased opportunity for workers by enhancing businesses’ productivity and their ability to grow their business in Massachusetts.

The Administration announced this round of $1,342,532 in WTFP General Program Training Grants at MacDiarmid Machine in Newburyport. The company provides precision CNC (Computer Numeric Control) state-of-the-art machining and has grown over the last three decades into a 6,000 square foot facility with a wide variety of equipment. Its workers are undergoing WTFP funded training focused on updating quality management systems, so that the company can upgrade its certifications and prepare for growth opportunities in the aerospace and medical devices sectors.

Approximately $6 million is currently available for additional Workforce Training Fund grants. Businesses are encouraged to visit WorkforceTrainingFund.org to learn more about how to use these grants to address workforce training needs.

“These investments keep our businesses at the forefront of new and emerging industries, create jobs and opportunity across Massachusetts, and allow our small businesses to remain competitive in a dynamic global market,” said Governor Charlie Baker.

“This program makes strategic, demand-driven investments based on the skills that businesses say they need in their employees to thrive,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito.

The Workforce Training Fund is a program of the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development and is administered by Commonwealth Corporation, a quasi-public state agency that fosters partnerships between industry, education, and workforce organizations.

“Businesses that completed WTFP grants in 2018 had a job growth rate three times that of the state and national rates,” said Commonwealth Corporation President and CEO Dr. J.D. LaRock. “These grants are a proven way to empower workers with new skills to advance their careers, while fueling the expansion of small businesses in Massachusetts.”

Since the beginning of the Baker-Polito Administration, the Workforce Training Fund has awarded 673 grants totaling over $58 million to train more than 50,000 workers from over 800 different Massachusetts businesses. This is expected to result in over 6,200 new jobs.

The Workforce Training Fund provides grants ranging from $10,000 to $250,000 to companies in Massachusetts to pay for employee training over a two-year period. Grant recipients contribute a matching investment of at least one dollar for each grant-dollar awarded, with wages paid to trainees during training hours included in that investment.

In addition to the General Program grants, the WTFP also offers an Express Grant program that subsidizes up to 50% of the cost for pre-qualified courses chosen from a database, and a Small Business Direct Access Program that subsidizes 100% of the cost for pre-qualified courses in highest demand.

In March, the Baker-Polito Administration announced $7.48 million in WTFP grants that will fund training for almost 6,000 workers and is expected to create more than 1,100 new jobs over the next two years.

The following is a complete list of the grant recipients awarded Workforce Training Fund Grants today (listed by community):

Whitinsville:

Whitin Community Center was awarded $74,800 to train 122 workers; 8 additional jobs are expected by 2021.

Refer a friend & earn rewards!

It has been our experience that satisfied parents are our best advertisers. Our way of recognizing your efforts on behalf of BVCP, will be $150 for every referral you make to us! Please refer to your Parent Handbook for more information. Or contact BVCP Director, Ginny Alicea at 508.234.8184 ext 105 or Ginny.Alicea@OurGym.org for more information.