Business

Watertown Savings’ Customer Choice Awards Will Reach $1 Million Donated

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Watertown Savings Bank CEO Ron Dean is pleased to announce that this year marks the 20th Anniversary of the Bank’s Customer Choice Awards. Over the past 20 years, 75 different organizations have benefited and $915,500 has been distributed, the bank announced. This year the total awards given out will be $85,000 (with the top vote-getter winning $10,000) to bring the Customer Choice program 20 year total to $1 million. To celebrate this important milestone, every person who votes in this year’s Awards will be entered into a drawing to receive a $500 Amazon gift card. “The Bank is extremely proud of the Customer Choice Awards because of how many organizations are helped,” Dean said.

Charity

Watertown Church Raises Money to Help Armenians in Syria

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Watertown’s St. Stephen’s Church recently welcomed people working to help Armenians in Syria, who provided an update on the situation there, and collected money for the Armenian Relief Society. According to a story in the Armenian Weekly, the event raised more than $3,500 to help the Syrian-Armenian community. The event was organized by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Boston “Sardarabad” Gomideh along with the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) “Leona Sassouni” and “Shushi” Chapters and the St. Stephen’s Church.

Around Town

Walk Planned in Watertown to Help Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry

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On Saturday, Sept. 26, the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry (ABMDR) will hold its 4th annual Walk of Life walkathon in Watertown. The goal of the walk is to raise public awareness as well as funds in support of ABMDR, whose mission it is to fight leukemia and other blood-related disorders by finding stem cell donor matches for those in need of life-saving transplant procedures. “We are excited about the upcoming Walk of Life this fall and hope it is received as enthusiastically by our community organizations as it was in 2014,” said Alvart Badalian, a member of the ABMDR Board. “Just a reminder: You can also participate in the waklkathon virtually as in years before.”

The 2.2-mile walk will begin at the Armenian Cultural and Educational Center (ACEC) at 47 Nichols Avenue and will end at Watertown’s annual Faire on the Square Festival, a fun-filled end-of-summer event for all ages.

Around Town

Golf Tournament Raises Big Bucks for Watertown Boys & Girls Club

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The Watertown Boys and Girls Club held its 38th Annual Stephen P. Mugar Memorial Golf Tournament this week at the Oakley Country Club. Well over 100 golfers joined in for a gorgeous day of golf followed by a dinner and auction on Aug. 10. The event raised over $170k to support our Academic Success, Healthy Living and Character Development programs, which serve hundreds of youth each year. The Watertown Boys & Girls Club wishes to thank all our golfers, volunteers, hole sponsors and supporters.

Charity

LETTER: Watertown Group to Help Seniors to Remove Snow This Winter

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Watertown Prosperity, Inc. would like to announce to members of the Watertown community, that for the second straight year, it will be conducting its snow-shoveling program. What is the program? Local volunteers from Watertown schools are matched with elderly and/or disabled Watertown residents to remove snow from their home for the duration of the winter. How does it work? A small group of volunteers is assigned to each home that signs up with us.

Around Town

3 Watertown Groups Awarded Belmont Savings Foundation Grants

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The Belmont Savings Bank Foundation announced the winners of a $30,000 grant competition for its charitable giving initiative in Watertown. Previously, residents nominated local charities for a donation based on voting on the Foundation website. Through the initiative, the Belmont Savings Bank Foundation is investing $10,000 into three programs located in Watertown. The local winners are:

Armenian Cultural And Educational Center (ACEC) has been serving the needs of the Armenian-American community of Greater Boston since 1980, and continues to be home to a number of Armenian organizations. The winning grant will fund updates to its multi-media/meeting room.

Around Town

Local Yoga Studio Holding Class With Fees Being Donated to Charities

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A local yoga studio will offer classes at a reduced rate, with the funds for the classes going to local organizations and charities. Groundwork yoga + wellness is excited to announce a new weekly class starting in mid-August: Community Yoga. The purpose of this class is to provide an opportunity for people to explore the benefits of yoga at a reduced price, experience various teaching styles, and to support local organizations or charities that offer wellness programs or initiatives. Certified yoga instructors will be donating their time to teach the classes, and students attending the classes will be encouraged to donate $5-$10 per class, according to the announcement. All of the funds raised will be donated to pre-selected local organizations or charities that support or provide wellness programs.

Megan Dattoli, Watertown resident and owner of GROUNDWORK yoga + wellness, 402 Trapelo Road in Belmont, is seeking input from local residents about which wellness programs they would like to support.

Charity

Community Blood Drive on Saturday at the Police Station

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The Red Cross will be at the Watertown Police Station on Saturday, July 18 for a blood drive. The event runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Community Room on the first floor of the Police Station, 552 Main St. in Watertown. To set up a time to give blood call 1-800-RED CROSS (733-2767) or visit RedCrossBlood.org.