Around Town

Watertown Youth Coalition Gives Community Spirit Awards to Several People, Groups in Watertown

By |

The Watertown Youth Coalition handed out the Community Spirit Awards at Arsenal Park on June 5. (Photo courtesy of Watertown Youth Coalition)

The following information was provided by the Watertown Youth Coalition:

The rain held off on Monday for Watertown Youth Coalition’s annual Community Spirit Awards! We had such a good turnout at Arsenal Community Park for a delightful and uplifting evening, celebrating all the WYC Peer Leaders’ accomplishments this year and any and all who made a positive impact on young people in the Watertown community. Wayside Youth & Family Support Network and the Watertown Youth Coalition would like to thank all those who made this event possible! Congratulations to all of the 2023 Community Spirit Award recipients, especially our Peer Leaders!

Sports

Watertown Girls Lacrosse Team’s Long Journey Ends in Nantucket

By |

Watertown girls lacrosse players relax on the ferry on the way to their State Tournament game at Nantucket. (Photo by Jim Zarkadas)

NANTUCKET — Few road games require multiple modes of transportation, but Watertown High School’s girls lacrosse team hade to take two buses and a ferry to make it to the MIAA Div. 4 Tournament game against Nantucket. The 20th seed Watertown (9-13) lost 14-5 to fourth seed Nantucket (19-3) on June 8. Sophomore Alani Garey scored three goals for the Raiders, while junior Sarah Morrissey and senior captain Alex Karalis each contributed one.

Around Town

Armenian Museum Will Preserve Rare Manuscripts With BofA Grant

By |

Rare manuscripts at teh Armenian Museum of America in Watertown will be preserved with funds provided by a Bank of America grant. Pictured here: Kerry Miles, Art and Heritage Project Manager at Bank of America; Maryann Ekberg, Managing Director, Baernk of America Private Bank; Jason Sohigian, Executive Director, The Armenian Museum of America; and Michele M. Kolligian, President, The Armenian Museum of America. (Photo courtesy of Bank of America). The following announcement was provided by Bank of America:

As part of its Art Conservation Project, Bank of America provided a grant to the Armenian Museum of America of Watertown, Mass., to restore 21 illuminated manuscripts from its collection, one of which dates back to the 13th century, the museum announced this week. Bank of America selected the Armenian Museum of America as one of the 23 cultural institutions that have been named recipients of the 2023 Bank of America Art Conservation Project, a program that provides grants to nonprofit cultural institutions to conserve important works of art. 

This year’s recipients represent a diverse range of artistic styles, media, and cultural traditions across China, Colombia, France, Lebanon, Mexico, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, the U.K. and the U.S.

The Armenian Museum of America has the largest collection of Armenian artifacts in the United States.

Around Town

Challenger Baseball Program Has Allowed All Watertown Children to Play Ball for 10 Years

By |

The players and buddies in the Watertown Challenger Baseball program, which is for players with physical and mental challenges. (Photo courtesy of Watertown Challenger Baseball). Ten years ago, Watertown Youth Baseball added a program that allowed children with a physical or intellectual challenge to get on the field and play ball. And each year, participants in the Challenger Baseball program get to play in an special event sponsored by NESN where they play similar programs from other communities around Massachusetts. The program got rolling in 2013, but had to take a few years off during the Pandemic, said Greg Salvucci, a past president of Watertown Youth Baseball and Softball.

Around Town

Lt. Gov. Hears from Local Businesses at Chamber Event, Pushes for Housing, Job Training & Free PreK

By |

Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, right, spoke at the Charles River Regional Chamber’s Spring Business Breakfast where Joe Prestejohn (left), owner of Cabot’s Ice Cream, was honored. (Photo courtesy of Charles River Chamber

NEEDHAM — Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll stressed the importance of small businesses to make communities places where people want to live when she spoke at the Charles River Regional Chamber, but she added that Massachusetts faces challenges that could hurt business big and small such as the cost of housing, lack of qualified and even the cost of childcare. Driscoll also heard directly from business owners about some of the things that make it more difficult for them to thrive. She gave the keynote address at the Chamber’s Spring Business Breakfast on June 2. During the event, held at the Sheraton Boston Needham Hotel, the Chamber also honored Joe Prestejohn, the retiring owner of a Newton institution — Cabot’s Ice Cream & Restaurant.

Around Town

Raiders Baseball Team Looks Back on Successful Season After Exiting Tournament

By |

Photo by Brianna WilliamsThe Raiders season ended in the MIAA Div. 3 Round of 32, but the Raiders had one of their best seasons in years. FOXBOROUGH — Watertown senior captain Casey Williams pitched a complete game with five strikeouts, but the Raiders fell by a run to Foxborough in the MIAA Div. 3 Tournament on Tuesday. For the Round of 32, 38th seed Watertown High School traveled to face the sixth seeded Warriors. Along with strong pitching, Watertown had strong field work from senior captains Johnny Cacace, Robbie Iannetta and Daniel Tattrie. 

However, Foxborough took the lead early in the first inning by scoring a run.

Around Town

Watertown Teaming with Belmont for 2 Day Juneteenth Celebration

By |

This year’s Juneteenth Celebration will expand to include not just two communities but will be held over two days. The annual celebration hosted by the Watertown Citizens for Black Lives. For the third year in a row, Watertown’s Juneteenth Celebration will be held in the Watertown Free Public Library. That will take place on Saturday, June 17 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. On Sunday, June 18, the celebration moves to Belmont’s Beech Street Center and Town Field from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Juneteenth began as a celebration of the day in 1865 when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people were freed. It has grown into a broader celebration.

Around Town

Rain Can’t Dampen Watertown Pride Extravaganza Festivities

By |

(Photo by Maya Shwayder)The JP Honk band performs during the second Watertown Pride Extravaganza at Saltonstall Park. Set against a gray, rainy sky, the rainbows of Watertown’s 2023 Pride festivities looked especially bright on Saturday. Families, folks, and four-legged friends of all shapes, sizes, and identities gathered on Saltonstall Park to mark the second year in a row that that space had hosted the celebration. “It’s perfect,” said Carey Conkey-Finn, Teen Services Supervisor at Watertown Free Public Library and Pride team co-leader. “We got some extra tents in a pinch.