Around Town

Hundreds Turn Out for Watertown Library’s 5K Race

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The first ever WFPL 5K road race drew nearly 200 runners and raised money for the Watertown Free Public Library. On Saturday, June 21, 2014 runners of all ages gathered at the Watertown Free Public Library with their friends and families to participate in the first ever Watertown Library fun run. Emily Miranda, supervisor of Children’s Services, thanked the participants in the race:
“We at the library are inspired by our incredible patrons, and this event truly exemplified the spirit of this community. So what can you do now that the race is over? Support the library by taking advantage of all of the resources and programs we have to offer.  Ask questions!

Around Town

Watertown Youth Coalition Hands Out Community Spirit Awards

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The Watertown Youth Coalition celebrated work done by a number of people this year by presenting them with “Community Spirit Awards.” On June 16, the awards were handed out to recognize people for going above and beyond to support youth and families in Watertown. Each year, the Watertown Youth Coalition (WYC), part of Wayside Multi-Service Center, asks the community to nominate people who:

Serve as a positive influence or mentor to a Coalition member or to others in the community
Have the courage to address challenging issues that affect youth and the community
Actively take steps to improve the Watertown community (in big and small ways)

This year, awards were presented to:

Dean Celesia, Kate Coyne, Patrick Dawson, Danielle DeMoss, Alice Elbakian, Judy Fallows, Mana Farhani, Pedro Figueroa, Michelle Foun, Raymond Fox, Friends of Watertown Music, Adrine Harutyunyan, Kelly Horan, Diane Murphy, Sabrina Nebiye, Meghan O’Connell, Tony Palomba, Elisa Portz, Watertown Education Foundation, Ashlee Wisniewsk and Elizabeth Wissler. The Watertown Youth Coalition thanked these awardees and the people that nominated them. “Watertown is a wonderful community with so many caring adults looking out for the interest of the youth living here!”

Charity

Watertown Middle School Seeks Help in Effort to Win National Contest

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Watertown Middle School’s project to fix up an old home economics kitchen has been selected as a semifinalist in a national competition and now organizers need help from businesses and people in the community. The school entered the Ultimate Neighborhood Give Back Challenge, in which projects from around the country compete to be selected to win a $50,000 prize to help make the project a reality. The money would be used to buy new appliances, counters and more to fix up an unused home economics kitchen. The updated kitchen would be used in the Integrated Life Skills program, which teaches students with special needs to be self-sufficient by focusing on personal responsibility, independence and appropriate interactions. One part of the program is learning to cook.

Around Town

Tufts Health Plan Lends a Helping Hand Around Watertown

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Groups of people in blue T-shirts could be seen around Watertown last week working on a variety of projects – all part of the Tufts Health Plan Corporate Volunteer Day. More than 130 employees of the company based on Mt. Auburn Street in Watertown took part in the company’s sixth annual volunteer day. Some cleared brush and planted flowers and plants at the Commander’s Mansion and the Old Burying Place; while others painted the railing at Watertown’s Main Street Bridge, buildings at Arsenal Park and a wall at Filippello Park.  

A wall on Baptist Walk (off Mt.

Charity

See Which Groups Got Grants from the Marshall Home Fund

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The Marshall Home Fund awarded more than $40,000 in grants to groups providing services to Watertown residents age 55 and over ranging from healthcare to music to transportation. The Board of Directors pledged $42,275 to nine local organizations. A ceremony was held on May 8 at the First Parish Church of Watertown. See what the grants will be used for below:

Arsenal Center for the Arts: The Open Door Project allows many more older residents to enjoy studio art classes, films, music, and theater events that might otherwise be out of their reach financially. Perkins School for the Blind: Thriving with Vision Loss provides older adults with access to the resources of the Perkins Braille & Talking Book Library.

Around Town

Watertown Rotary, Middle Schoolers Help Feed the Hungry in Panama

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Members of the Rotary Club of Watertown joined with Watertown Middle School students on May 14 to pack up 10,000 meals for hungry children in Panama. The groups teamed with Stop Hunger Now program, which will send the meals to those who need them. The volunteers filled small bags with vitamins, rice, a soy protein mix and dehydrated vegetables, who then passed them to more volunteers who sealed the bags and put them in boxes. Marc Vermouth, New England Program Manager for Stop Hunger Now, told the volunteers that about 1 in 8 people in the world – 800 million people – are hungry today and 25,000 people die each day from hunger related causes. The ready to make meals will be sent to schools in Panama to provide two-pronged assistance.

Charity

See the Fashions from the Mt. Auburn Hospital Auxiliary Show

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The latest fashions were on display at the Mount Auburn Hospital Auxiliary’s Annual Spring Benefit Fashion Show and Luncheon. Take a look at some of the outfits. The clothes provided by Perceptions of Concord Center were showcased at the Oakley Country Club on April 30. The event raised money that will help Mount Auburn Hospital upgrade clinical facilities, recruit and retain the best physicians and nurses, acquire the latest in medical technology, and support the hospital’s mission to teach the medical leaders of tomorrow. Sylvia Whitney, of Watertown, and Ruth Pratt, of Lexington organized the event.

Boston Marathon Bombing

Thousands Turn Out for Road Race on Anniversary of the Capture of the Bombing Suspect

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Thousands came out Saturday morning to celebrate the Watertown Strong Spirit during a 5K road race organized by the Watertown Police Department on the first anniversary of the stopping and capture of the Boston Marathon Bombing suspects. The Finish Strong Road Race and Walk was sponsored by the Watertown Police Supervisor’s Association and attracted people from around the Boston area, but had a particular Watertown Strong feeling. Gov. Deval Patrick spoke before the race and many other local dignitaries, including Dave Henberry, the man who alerted police to the second suspect being in his boat, also came out for the event.