U.S. Marine Corps veteran turns up the heat!
"If I could re-enlist in the Marine Corps tomorrow, I would leave yesterday."
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Eric "Gunny" Pierce
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So states Eric "Gunny" Pierce, a student chef from the Lincoln Culinary Institute in Hartford and
volunteer extraordinaire in the Friendship Center's community kitchen.
Gunny Pierce's nickname reflects this veteran's rank of Gunnery Sergeant, 25-years of active Marine Corps duty and two years in the Reserves. His kitchen attire speaks to his sense of duty as well. In addition to the American Culinary Federation logo that he wears on the sleeve of his chef's smock, there is a United States flag stick pin on his collar, and his skull cap reads United States Marine Corps in threads of gold.
How did Gunny find himself at the Friendship Center?
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Extreme shelter makeover
Renovations at 241 Arch Street to start in the Fall 
The rat-tat-tat of hammers and the stomping of paint-speckled work boots soon will be commonplace at the Friendship Center's emergency shelter. The building has been a temporary residence to thousands of people during the past 20 years, and is the future home for thousands more. The facility is simply worn out.
The homeless shelter's new "lease on life" is made possible by a generous grant of $577,880 from the State Housing Rehabilitation and Preservation initiative, the release of $200,000 in Connecticut Bond Funds, and matching private donations. The approximate $1 million renovation project will make possible new plumbing and new shared bathrooms in the residential quarters, a new roof ("Goodbye, leaks!"), new flooring, kitchen upgrades and energy-efficient heating and air conditioning. Renovations will begin before the end of the year.
The Friendship Center is most grateful to current and former New Britain legislative contingents for making this extreme makeover possible: Donald DeFronzo, Connecticut Commissioner of Administrative Services and former state senator, State Senator Terry Gerratana and State Representatives Betty Boukus, John Geragosian, Robert Sanchez and Peter Tereyak.
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Friendship Service Center of New Britain, Inc.
P.O. Box 1896, New Britain, CT 06050-1896
Phone 860-225-0211 Fax 860-348-9040 info@friendshipservicecenter.org
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