Fitchburg Senior Center

SHERIFF GLODIS ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF SENIOR CENTER PROJECT Fitchburg – Sheriff Guy Glodis visited Fitchburg today to personally inspect the completion of a debris removal and maintenance service project at the Fitchburg Senior Center.  Before an audience of more than 100 senior citizens, Sheriff Glodis vowed to make inmate work crews more readily available to local municipalities and particularly Senior Centers throughout Worcester County. “This is a win-win for everyone involved: inmates, municipalities, and taxpayers as a whole,” Sheriff Glodis stated.  “The quality work that these inmates do saves the taxpayers thousands of dollars while also completing much-needed projects that otherwise towns might not be able to afford.” During their two-week project, crews consisting of 5 inmates and one officer removed extensive debris from a number of rooms at the Senior Center, alleviating a significant fire safety concern.  After more than 7 years of inaccessibility, the Senior Center hopes now to use the space for recreational or storage space.  Total cost savings for the City of Fitchburg was approximately $5,235. The Sheriff made note of the role that community service plays in reducing recidivism.   “By allowing inmates to do hands-on projects that teach carpentry, painting, construction, and landscaping, we send them back into society armed with the necessary skills to make a life for themselves.  My goal is simple: to do whatever is necessary to prevent inmates from committing additional crimes and coming back to prison, and I think the Community Service Program does that.” Inmates must meet strict criteria in order to be considered for the Community Service Program.  Selected by Program officers, inmates who were convicted of a violent offense or have any disciplinary problems while incarcerated are not eligible.  Participants in the program are within the final six months of their sentence and are also drug tested regularly.