Charity

Watertown Optometrist Raising Funds to Provide Free Clinics, Glasses

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Eric Greene, who started An Eye at a Time, and a 75-year-old goat herder getting his first pair of glasses. The son of a Watertown optometrist has set up a charity to bring eye care and eyeglasses to areas of the world where they lack such care. Eric Greene founded An Eye at a Time to bring free eye care clinics and brings in volunteer eye care professionals, examination equipment, and glasses to people around the world. He started it when he was an optometric assistant at his father’s (Martin Greene) office, Greene and Greene Optometry in Watertown. Greene has started a GoFundMe.com site to raise money for his effort.

Business

See the Winners of the Watertown Savings Bank Customer Choice Awards

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The following announcement was provided by Watertown Savings Bank:

On Tuesday, March 26 Watertown Savings Bank (WSB) will distribute $75,000 to the 28 local community organizations chosen by their its banking customers, in the bank’s 23rd Annual Customer Choice Awards. “Our Customer Choice Awards program is one of which we are particularly proud,” said President and CEO Brett Dean. “The list of winners reflects the important work being done by non-profit organizations throughout the communities we serve.”

Dollars to be awarded are based on the number of votes each organization received. With a maximum amount of $3,500, and this year’s top vote-getter receiving $5,000, all organizations who received one percent of the total number of votes are being awarded funds. All organizations that received one percent of the total number of votes are being awarded funds.

Boston Children's Hospital

Watertown Man Running Marathon to Raise Funds for Hospital That Cared For His Son

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Watertown’s John Airasian will run the Boston Marathon this year, his first full marathon, to raise money for Boston Children’s Hospital. A Watertown man has decided to run the Boston Marathon for the first time to raise money for the hospital that cared for his young son when he needed surgery. John Airasian has pledged to raise $10,000 for Boston Children’s Hospital, and hopes to surpass that amount. He wants to help the people who helped his son. “A few years back, my son Michael was admitted into Children’s Hospital to have an internal cyst removed from his throat and I was able to witness the care that all the Doctor’s, Nurses and Staff at BCH give,” Airasian said.

Charity

Local Church Hosting Valentine’s Fundraiser for Group That Helps Immigrants

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The Belmont-Watertown United Methodist Church will host Hearts for Homes: An Evening of Music and Refreshments on Saturday, Feb. 9 at 7 p.m.

The event will raise money for the New England Justice for Our Neighbors, a group that supports clinics that provide free and quality legal services to low income immigrants. The suggested donation for the event is $15. Heart for Homes will take place at the Belmont-Watertown United Methodist Church, Watertown Campus at 80 Mt. Auburn St., Watertown.

Business

Watertown Dental Office Providing Free Care for People Who Can’t Afford It

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Professional Dental Image provides dental care for people who cannot afford it each month. A Watertown dental practice has started providing free dental care for people in the community who cannot afford it. Professional Dental Image in East Watertown provides free dental care to people with urgent need and who cannot afford to pay for the work, said Dr. M. Zakkoom, who runs the practice with his dental partner Dr. M. Kamel. “We wanted to do it to give back to the community,” Zakkoom said. “Every first Thursday of the month we fit people in with our regular appointments.

Around Town

Watertown Schools, Businesses Collecting for Food Pantries as Need Rises with Government Shutdown

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The Watertown Public Schools PTOs, the Watertown Police and local businesses have teamed up to collect donations for food pantries in town after hearing about the need due to the Federal Government shutdown. Donations of non-perishable and non-expired food are being collected at several locations around town. The drive started after people in town heard about the recent increase in use of food pantries, said Lauren Coughlin Unsworth, one of the organizers. “The idea came up when we heard that the government shutdown was creating a larger demand our local pantries and that they had a great need for donations,”

Coughlin Unsworth is on the Lowell School PTO as well as the board of the Watertown Community Foundation and she teamed up with Watertown resident and owner of Get Lively, Jan Taylor. Taylor approached local businesses along with the Rotary Club of Watertown, and Coughlin Unsworth used her contacts in the schools.

Around Town

Funds Available for Groups Working to Make Watertown a Place Where Older Adults Can Thrive

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The following announcement was provided by the Marshall Home Fund:

The Marshall Home Fund is encouraging public and non-profit organizations to submit innovative proposals to support Watertown’s efforts to be an Age-Friendly Community — a place where older adults can live, thrive, and contribute. While proposals addressing various topics are welcomed, the fund is particularly interested in projects addressing unmet needs in housing, transportation, and communication about services available to older people. The Request for Proposals will be available on February 8, 2019 and proposals will be due March 15. Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to attend the Program Grant Information Session on February 8, 12:30-2:00 p.m. at the WSB Room in the Watertown Public Library and to visit marshallhomefund.org. To RSVP to the Information Session and for additional information, contact info@marshallhomefund.org

Around Town

Watertown Yoga Studio Celebrating 3 Years With Donation Based Classes

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The following information was provided by Artemis Yoga:

Artemis Yoga in the east end of Watertown is celebrating its third year of business this weekend, Jan. 19 and 20 with two days of donation-based “free” classes as an opportunity to give back to the community. 

“The staff and I at Artemis Yoga are grateful to the community that has supported our growing small business over the past three years and one of our goals of the Celebrate Open House is to give back to the community that has helped us build such a vibrant, welcoming place in the east end,” Liz Padula, the studio’s owner, said. “Yoga helps to set a foundation for life no matter your age and so we selected the Watertown Boys & Girls Club for our donation-based raffle as the Club is doing amazing work setting the foundation for their members and in particular the new Teen Center supported by the Great Futures Campaign is providing some amazing resources for our future leaders right here in Watertown. We invite the community to join us this weekend for a fun weekend of celebration!” The Celebrate Open House takes place on Saturday and Sunday Jan. 19 and 20 and classes for all levels from kids to gentle/chair yoga plus specialty classes such as introduction to meditation and yoga will be offered.