WEST SPRINGFIELD – On May 4, volunteers from West Side Helping hands joined together to help restore the gazebo at Landmark at Monastery Heights in West Springfield. Twenty-five volunteers took on various different tasks to help spruce up the gazebo for use by the residents of Landmark at Monastery Heights, an assisted living facility for seniors.

“It was an old gazebo that’s in our yard that was not really able to be used by any of our residents because there was no way for them to get up there. Many of our residents are unable to use stairs,” said Tracey Messina, marketing manager for Landmark at Monastery Heights.

West Side Helping Hands completed projects on the gazebo including the installation of a ramp, new fencing and a cleaning of the roofing. Landmark at Monastery Heights provided volunteers with lunch and the group worked from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to ensure the project would be complete and the gazebo would be ready for residents.

Volunteers ranging from kids to adults volunteered their time to the project. “It was all hands on deck,” Messina shared.

Messina continued, “They completely refurbished the gazebo. We can’t wait to use it.”

West Side Helping Hands is a charitable organization made up of West Springfield residents who volunteer for the improvement of West Springfield. Completing several civic projects annually, the group seeks to improve West Springfield structures. Among the group’s projects is work on the William Cowing Elementary School clock and repairs to the First Congregational Church bell tower and doors.

“There’s no way to thank them enough for all of their hard work and dedication to actually getting the project completed. Our residents are forever grateful as well as the staff,” Messina shared.

Messina credited Clay Shanler, maintenance manager at Landmark at Monastery Heights with the formation of the restoration project. “He was the driving force behind all of this and organizing this all,” Messina said.

Landmark at Monastery Heights are currently planning a ribbon cutting ceremony for the refurbished gazebo. While no date has been set yet, Messina said it would recognize the volunteers. “We’re going to have the volunteers back to honor them,” Messina said.

Messina shared that having the gazebo refurbished will be a benefit to everyone at Landmark at Monastery Heights overall. “It will give them a place to gather all together. We can use it more. They can stay out in the sun. It’s a place for them to relax and enjoy the eighteen acres that we have,” Messina said.

For more information on volunteering alongside West Side Helping Hands, visit the group’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/wshh01089. For more information on Landmark at Monastery Heights, visit landmarkseniorliving.com/community/monastery-heights-west-springfieldma.