Addiction

Local Man Creates Running Group to Help Addicts in Recovery

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In recovery from an opiates addiction and sober for over 40 years, Mike Ferullo is a man dedicated to his belief in the power of embracing wellness in recovery. He discovered running on his own journey to wellness and recovery and has been running ever since.  

Running has been a healthy way for him to exercise not only physically but also a way to train his mind to stay positive. As a clinical social worker, Ferullo has counseled countless addicts over the years to replace their addictions with a better kind of high – a healthy runner’s high. He also started running club for those recovering from addiction – the Boston Bulldogs – which is hosting a 5K Run for Recovery and a Vigil on May 22.

Charity

Watertown Resident Biking 62 Miles to End Alzheimer’s in Honor of Grandfather

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Doug Orifice, of Watertown, will bike 62 miles in the 2016 Ride to End Alzheimer’s Saturday, June 11, the Alzheimer’s Association announced. Beginning and ending at Seacoast Science Center in Rye, the Ride provides a 2-mile, 30-mile, 62-mile and 100-mile route along southern New Hampshire and northeastern Massachusetts. Orifice joined the Ride to End Alzheimer’s in 2013 months after he lost his grandfather Alzheimer’s. “After giving the eulogy at my Grandfather’s funeral I made the decision to fight back against this disease,” said Orifice. “Because I’ve seen the seriousness of this disease firsthand, I would like to do my part in making a difference.”

Charity

Launch Watertown Participating in Red Nose Day to End Child Poverty

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Launch Watertown trampoline park will take part in Red Nose Day on May 26 and work to end childhood poverty. Come down and jump at Launch on May 26 and get your red nose. Also, 25 percent of your ticket cost will go toward the effort to end childhood poverty. Launch is located at 625 Pleasant Street in Watertown (across from Russo’s).

Around Town

Boy Scouts Hosting Car Wash, Donations Help Support the Troop

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Get your car washed May 14 by members of Boy Scout Troop 30 on Mt. Auburn Street in Watertown, the troop announced. The car wash is being provided by your local scouts as a public service. Donations will be accepted by Watertown Scouts to offset the purchase of camping and scouting equipment. The car wash will be held at St.

Charity

Woman Biking 200 Miles to Put a Salad Bar in the Watertown Public Schools

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Jenn LaVardera of Dole will cycle approximately 200 miles from Napa Valley to Monterey, Calif. on behalf of Watertown Public Schools to raise funds to donate a salad bar to the district. They will both ride as part of the third-annual Tour de Fresh Cycling Event benefitting the Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools campaign, which has provided more than 100 salad bars to schools across the country in the last two years – providing tens of thousands of students with fresh produce options on a daily basis. The event, a collaborative effort by fresh produce industry professionals and presented by The California Giant Foundation, will begin in Napa Valley on July 26 and conclude in Monterey, Calif. on July 28 just before the industry’s annual PMA Foodservice Conference.

Charity

Tickets Still Left for Watertown Education Foundation’s Dancing with the Stars

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The Watertown Education Foundation (WEF) will host its third annual, “Dancing with the Stars” (DWTS) event on Friday, May 6, beginning at 6 p.m. at the Hellenic Cultural Center, 25 Bigelow Ave., East Watertown, the Foundation announced. Modeled after the popular television show, the event features Watertown “stars” partnered with professional dancers from Ballroom in Boston located in Allston. The 2016 Stars are: Marianne Cameron, Cunniff School; Chris Crombie, Watertown Boys & Girls Club; Mialisa Depaolis, Mialisa Salon owner, Watertown; David Leon, Watertown resident and former School Committee member; Georgia Mulgrew, Hosmer School; Kim Seacrist, Cunniff parent; Ernie Thebado, Watertown Recreation Department; and Michael Venezia, Watertown resident. “This event the past two years has been a tremendous success,” said Amy Donohue, WEF co- president. “It is a fun night out for the adults, and a wonderful opportunity to support the WEF grant program.

Charity

Still Time to Sign Up for Watertown Community Foundation’s Volunteer Day

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The Watertown Community Foundation is preparing for the 2016 Watertown Helps Out day where people celebrate the town’s spirit by giving back. The foundation sent out the following announcement:

Join us on Saturday, May 7th for this year’s Watertown Helps Out: A Volunteer Day. Watertown Helps Out celebrates Watertown’s vibrant community spirit, and we encourage you to spend a few hours on May 7 giving back to our community. We hope to see you – come volunteer for a few hours with your family, a friend, or come and make new friends! Choose from many volunteer opportunities, such as:

Inventory library items and clean equipment at the Watertown Middle School
Clean up Whitney Hill, Fillipello Park and other public spaces
Garden, clean up and paint at the Watertown Boys & Girls Club
Spring clean at Gore Place
Plus options at Watertown Family Network, the Historical Society of Watertown, the Watertown Public Library and more…

Learn about all of the volunteer opportunities and register at: http://www.watertownfoundation.org/who2016

Before volunteering, come to the kickoff breakfast from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. on May 7th at The Arsenal Project at 485 Arsenal Street (inside, in front of Old Navy and Dunkin’ Donuts) to pick up your T-shirt and connect with other volunteers.

Business

Tufts Health Plan VP Honored for Her Devotion to Reading to Children

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During National Volunteer Week, Cambridge Mayor E. Denise Simmons recognized a long-time Morse Elementary School volunteer for her outstanding commitment to students as a lunch-time reading mentor through the national non-profit literacy and mentoring organization Read to a Child. Pamela Giannatsis, senior communications manager with Tufts Health Plan, a corporate sponsor of the program, has read to four consecutive students during nine years of volunteering, first in Waltham, and currently in Cambridge at the Morse Elementary School. Students are recommended for individual reading support by their teachers as early as first grade and the mentor-mentee relationship can continue through fourth grade. “I believe deeply that being able to read, and read well, should be considered a human right,” Pam explained during the 17th annual Cambridge Volunteer Awards Celebration Tuesday night, at the Cambridge Senior Center. “I am so grateful to Read to a Child for providing a model that allows employees like me to demonstrate our corporate citizenship values during work hours.