Charity

Watertown Police Growing Facial Hair to Help Out Veterans

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Some members of the Watertown Police will be looking a bit scruffier in November, but they are doing it for a good cause. 

The Police Department has joined more than a dozen other law enforcement agencies in “No Shave November,” which benefits Home Base. This is a joint effort of the Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program which helps veterans and their families heal from the invisible wounds of war, such as Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and related conditions. The Home Base program helps not just the veterans, but also their families, said Watertown Police Officer Mendez said, because the effects of PTSD and TBI do not just impact veterans. The Watertown Police Department has a no beards policy. When officers get some time off, they often grow a goatee or beard, but shave it off when they return to duty, so Mendez thought it would be popular.

Business

Watertown Savings Kicks Off Voting for 21st Annual Customer Choice Awards

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Watertown Savings Bank (WSB) CEO Ron Dean is pleased to announce that voting is now open in the Bank’s 21st Annual Customer Choice Awards. Through this program $75,000 is distributed among local non-profits according to how bank customers vote. “The Bank is extremely proud of the Customer Choice Awards because of how many organizations are helped,” Dean said. “Our employees look forward to the awards night each year, to learn about all of the good work being done in our communities.”

How do the Customer Choice Awards work: Anyone with a Watertown Savings Bank account may vote. Every customer will receive a ballot with their monthly statements in November (or will be mailed a ballot directly).

Charity

Watertown Boy Collects Cans, Not Gifts, at His Birthday Party

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Instead of asking for gifts for himself, Watertown’s Brady Gleason asked guests at his birthday party to bring some canned food. 

Saturday Gleason celebrated his birthday and his wish list was for people to bring 10 cans each. Overall, he collected 350 cans, Gleason’s father, Shane, said. The items will be donated to Operation American Soldier, a Watertown organization that sends care packages to members of the U.S. Military. Gleason has already dropped off 180 cans!  

Charity

Seniors Enjoy Food and Entertainment at Rotary Club’s Annual Cookout

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The Rotary Club of Watertown hosted its Annual Senior Citizens Cookout on Sunday, Sept. 25 at the Sons of Italy in Watertown. Over 200 seniors enjoyed a free, fun-filled day that included a cookout, delicious side salads, pizza and dessert. Attendees were also treated to a performance by dancers from Miss Maria’s School of Dance, a DJ and a raffle of over 65 prizes. Members of the Rotary Club of Watertown were on hand cooking, serving, cleaning and mixing with our Seniors Citizens. There were also a number of youth volunteers from our community on hand to assist with the success of the day!

Charity

Watertown Firefighters Raising Money to Support Breast Cancer Patients

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Through the month of October, the Watertown Fire Department will add a touch of pink to their blue uniforms for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and you can get one of their T-shirts, too, and support patients undergoing treatment for the disease. Firefighter Bob Power is organizing the effort this year, and has seen what going through treatment for breast cancer can be like. “My wife was diagnosed two-and-a-half years ago,” Power said. “She has been cancer free for about two years.” The money raised by the WFD is given to those undergoing treatment for breast cancer.

Charity

Watertown Family Joins Walk to Promote Acceptance, Inclusion for Downs Community

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On Sunday, October 9, in the midst of National Down Syndrome Awareness Month, the Flanagan family of Watertown will join over 3,500 family members, friends and people with Down syndrome at Lake Quannapowitt in Wakefield to celebrate, promote acceptance and inclusion, and look to a bright future for the Down syndrome community in Massachusetts and beyond, the MDSC announced. This year, the Buddy Walk & Family Festival celebrates its 20th year. It has grown from a gathering of a handful of families to what is now the largest gathering of people with Down syndrome and their loved ones in New England and among the largest in the nation. Helping us celebrate this occasion, the MDSC welcomes special guest John Tucker (aka “JT”) from the emmy-winning series Born This Way. JT will meet and greet fans and sign photos before the walk and will kick off a dance “after party” following the walk around beautiful Lake Quannapowitt.

Charity

Enter the Watertown Halloween Decoration Contest!

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Decorate the exterior of your home for Halloween and get the chance to win a $250 American Express Gift Card and a $250 Donation to your local charity of choice. The contest is sponsored by Watertown real estate agent Bob Airasian. • Deadline for entry is October 25, 2016. • To enter: email your name, address and phone number to bob@bobairasian.com

• The contest is limited to first 20 entries. • The deadline for completed decorations is 5 p.m. on October 25, 2016.