A collaboration of The Riverfront Children’s Center, Inc. of Groton, Advanced Improvements LLC of Mystic and the Dominion Foundation recently completed a successful project to benefit the Children’s Center. Last spring, Riverfront was contacted by Advanced with an offer to select Riverfront as the beneficiary of a community outreach project. Riverfront gratefully accepted, and following a joint review of many needed improvements to their aging Thames Street building, they settled on a window replacement project.

The partnership, spearheaded by Susan Bailey and Chris Calkins, first determined the highest priority classroom windows needing replacement - some featuring old, molding, no longer functioning air conditioning units, others with plywood panels replacing lost panes, and yet others with rotted framework. None of the windows had any insulation properties. Advanced donated all planning time and labor required for the installation, and provided the window units with no mark-up over their own cost. Once planning was complete, a grant was submitted to the Dominion Foundation seeking funding to purchase the new window units. An award of $1,800 allowed for the materials purchase, and the project was on!

On a snowy January weekend, the Advanced crew removed six old classroom windows and replaced them with new, high-tech, insulated units. Children, parents and staff are enjoying newly draft-free classrooms that are flooded with natural light.

Without the cooperative support of all three entities, this important project could not have been achieved. The Riverfront Children’s Center is so appreciative of these efforts on their behalf. Congratulations to Riverfront and many thanks to Advanced Improvements LLC and the Dominion Foundation!