On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I had the opportunity to volunteer at the Easthampton Community Center. It was chilly, but the sun was shining and spirits were high – especially for a food pantry operating amidst a global pandemic. I spent the morning moving boxes, distributing eggs, and filling car trunks, all the while chatting with the clients and my fellow volunteers.

To their great credit, most of the volunteers were regulars.  They knew the clients by car, by name, by dietary restriction. And they uniformly praised ECC’s Director Robin Bialecki for the pantry’s great success.

Robin deflected any praise for herself, and stressed that it was due to the hard work of the many volunteers that the pantry was able to thrive during this difficult time and continue to serve hundreds of families. It was no wonder to me that Robin recently received the Kay Sheehan Spirit of the Community Award from the Hampshire County United Way, recognizing the ECC’s outstanding service and leadership in our community.

As soon as it was announced that those 75 years of age and older were now eligible for vaccinations, I got an immediate call from Brendan Rogers, director of the Easthampton Council on Aging. The call was no surprise to me as I have been long familiar with Brendan’s commitment and advocacy for the elderly. Not surprisingly, a local TV station recently chose to celebrate Brendan’s work at the height of the pandemic. As I watched the 6 o’clock news that evening, I saw Brendan, deflecting praise, and pointing out the work of his staff and volunteers, commenting, “I couldn’t do this without my team.” Brendan Rogers and Robin Bialecki – two local heroes among many!

The fight against this pandemic has many fronts – local, state, and federal.  At the state level, we moved quickly to keep people in their homes, to ensure that those in need could access unemployment benefits, and to preserve our sacred right to vote – safely.  But there is much work still left to be done. I am proud to be joining with my Western Mass. colleagues in the Legislature to fight for fair access to COVID-19 testing center, and more recently, fighting for equal access to vaccination sites.

Great suffering often reveals great grace. Our community has focused on helping those most in need during this pandemic.So many people have lent a hand during this difficult year: bringing groceries to folks in quarantine or isolation, shoveling a driveway for a neighbor, baking bread for those in need, or supporting our local businesses and restaurants.

We should not kid ourselves – this year will be another difficult one as the pandemic continues and as we wait our turn for the vaccine. But we will get through it as we always have.  For now, we will continue wearing our masks and keeping our distance. Robin and her volunteers will continue to amaze.  Brendan and his team will continue to inspire. Our police and fire departments will continue to go above and beyond.  Our neighbors will continue to support each other.  And our community will continue to grow stronger – together.   


Daniel Carey
State Representative
2nd Hampshire District