United Way to Honor UMass Lowell Head Ice Hockey Coach Norm Bazin

Spring fundraising event supports summer programs for Lowell youth

LOWELL – United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley today announced that UMass Lowell Head Ice Hockey coach Norm Bazin will be the 2014 honoree at the organization’s annual “Martini Spring Fling” fundraising event, which benefits United Way’s Summer Experiences in Greater Lowell (SEGL) initiative.

More than 100 community leaders from the Greater Lowell area are expected to join United Way and Norm Bazin at Vesper Country Club for the celebration on June 12 at 5:30 p.m.

“United Way is proud to work with dedicated local corporate partners like Kronos and TD Bank, and community leaders like Norm Bazin, to ensure that young people have the resources they need to graduate on time and compete for the future,” said Michael Durkin, President of UWMBMV.  “The programs funded through SEGL provide crucial opportunities for long-term learning and success for more than 2,000 Lowell-area youth.”

Last year, SEGL and United Way’s Summer Learning Collaborative (SLC) invested more than $200,000 in 12 Lowell community organizations. Since the summer of 2000, SEGL has supported summer opportunities for Lowell area youth including summer literacy, programs exposing them to arts and culture and sports, helping to develop leadership, social, and academic skills, and providing crucial summer employment opportunities for older youth.

“Our team has really enjoyed giving back to the community,” said Bazin. “We’re honored that United Way is taking the time to acknowledge our participation and we look forward to continuing that support in the future.”

The initiative is led by SEGL Co-Charis Joyce G. Leger of Lantheus Medical Imaging, Barb Vlacich of Kronos, Inc. and Alison Kalman of Lowell Five Cent Savings Bank., as well as a number of individuals, companies and foundations.  Sponsors include TD Bank, Kronos, Nancy and Richard Donahue Foundation, Lowell General Hospital, Battles Foundation, Enterprise Bank, Sage Bank, The Lowell Five Cent Savings Bank, UMass Lowell, Middlesex Community College, ITW Foilmark, The Lowell Sun Charities, Thibault Foundation, Winn Companies, Merrimack Valley Labor Council, Lowell Spinners, All Sports Heroes, Red Mill Graphics, and media sponsors LTC, Merrimack Valley Chamber, Greater Lowell Chamber of Commerce.

Click here for more info on the Martini Spring Fling and to purchase tickets!

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