Business

Small Business Champion Contest Includes Awards for Businesses Owned by Veterans, Minorities & Women

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The following announcement was provided by Citizens Bank:

Citizens announced it has opened its annual Small Business Community Champion Award Contest, which will again recognize the positive contributions small businesses make within their communities. Now in its seventh year, the contest will award $10,000 each to 30 small businesses across Citizens’ footprint, including 10 minority-owned and 10 women-owned businesses. This year, for the first time, Citizens will also set aside five of its 30 awards exclusively for veteran-owned businesses along with five other qualifying businesses. The contest is open until 5 p.m. ET on Feb. 1, 2024.

Entertainment

Watertown Arts Market Seeks Committee Members for 2024 Event

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Arts Market:

Would you like to get involved with the Watertown Arts Market? If so … we have several key volunteer positions available:

Artist Manager or Co-Manager

Food and Vendor Manager or Co-Manager

Volunteering Manager or Co-Manager

Day of Event Manager or Co-Manager

General Volunteers and Helping Hands

The Arts Market is a one-day celebratory event bringing together an abundance of artists, arts and cultural organizations, and cultural-related businesses based in and/or serving the Watertown area. The 4th Annual Watertown Arts Market is planned for Saturday, Aug. 17th (location TBD).  Find out more at watertownartsmarket.com

To inquire about volunteering or getting involved, email with interest to watertownartsmarket@gmail.com.

Around Town

Watertown Food Pantry Receives More Than $202K in Contributions in December

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The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:

The Watertown Department of Senior Services is absolutely thrilled to announce the incredible contributions received in December 2023! We are overjoyed to have awarded a substantial $152,000 American Rescue Plan (ARPA) grant from the Watertown City Council, as well as an additional grant of $20,000 from the Friends of the Council on Aging, secured in partnership with the Director of the Senior Services after partnering for a grant application from the Cambridge Savings Bank. The excitement doesn’t stop there! We also want to extend our heartfelt thanks for the $30,000 in donations from local businesses, churches, and residents. These remarkable contributions have resulted in a staggering 52 percent increase to our operational budget’s bottom line – an enormous impact within just one month!

Around Town

Charles River Watershed Association Holding Annual Meeting

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The following announcement was provided by the Charles River Watershed Association:

We hope you’ll join us Wednesday, March 27 at 6:00 PM at MIT Welcome Center for Charles River Watershed Association’s 58th Annual Meeting. We look forward to connecting with our members and recognizing CRWA advocates and volunteers whose dedicated work helps protect and preserve the resilience of the Charles River. We are happy to announce that our Annual Meeting will be in-person this year! You can look forward to socializing with fellow advocates while browsing CRWA’s interactive tables on current projects, and learning more about the role your support has played in keeping the Charles River clean and healthy. Invitations will be arriving soon!

Government

Watertown Hires Familiar Face to be New City Clerk

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Noelle Gilligan, right, has been named Watertown’s City Clerk. Here she gave the oath to the School Committee members, from left, Rachel Kay, Kendra Foley, and Lisa Capoccia, when Gilligan was the interim clerk. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

The City of Watertown sent out the following announcement:

Congratulations to Noelle Gilligan, who has been appointed and sworn in as Watertown’s new City Clerk, effective today, Monday, January 22, 2024. Noelle has been a key member of the Clerk’s Office staff for five years, providing customer service while coordinating many aspects of licensing and elections, first working with City Clerk, John Flynn, and then with Janet Murphy, who recently left the office. Noelle stepped up into the new Deputy Clerk role, and quickly hit the ground running when it came time to become Acting City Clerk, organizing important documents, and leading an effective city election this past November.

Business

Charles River Chamber Hosting Winter Celebration at New Biotech Building

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Elkus Manfredi ArchitectsA view of the proposed life science building at 66 Galen Street viewed from Galen Street. The following announcement was provided by the Charles River Regional Chamber:

Our annual Winter Celebration is a can’t-miss opportunity to connect with business, nonprofit and civic leaders, celebrate our community and support the work of the chamber in a festive atmosphere and fantastic venue. This year, we’ll enjoy a sneak-peak at the just-completed 66 Galen Street, the stunning new Elkus Manfredi Architects-designed life science campus in the heart of Watertown Square. Mingle with old friends, make lots of new connections, nosh on food and drink from Baker’s Best Catering, enjoy live piano music from Perkins’ grad Matteo Fasso and explore the state-of-the art new life sciences hub, led by our hosts Boston Development Group and The Davis Companies. Free, covered parking in garage.

Entertainment

Dozens of Cultural Programs Get Grants from Watertown Cultural Council

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The Massachusetts Cultural Council and Lois Pond, chair of the Watertown Cultural Council, have announced the award of 35 grants totaling $16,430, for cultural programs in Watertown. Grant recipients include Edible Watertown, Watertown Arts Market, Watertown Indigenous History Tour, and Live Music at the Watertown Farmers Market. A complete list of recipients can be seen below. The Watertown Cultural Council is part of a network of 329 Local Cultural Councils (LCCs) serving all 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth. The LCC Program is the largest grassroots cultural funding network in the nation, supporting thousands of community-based projects in the arts, sciences, and humanities every year.

Around Town

LETTER: Walker Pond is an Opportunity to Embrace Nature

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Photo by Leo MartinWalker’s Pond, on the Westside of Watertown. By Linda ScottWatertown Resident

Thoughts on Walker Pond

“So ring the bells that still can ringForget your perfect offeringThere is a crack in everythingThat’s how the light gets in.”

— Leonard Cohen

I was reminded of this Leonard Cohen song while watching the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) meeting on January 18th. One of the projects being discussed was Walker Pond, a property that Watertown purchased for over $11 million as a sort of “Jewel in the Crown” for Watertown, a rare place where families could sit, experience nature, picnic, fly kites, play informal soccer games, and get to know more about each other and the nature that surrounds them. Lots of my life experiences came to mind…

“Look, Linda, a rabbit. It must have escaped from the Nature Lodge,” said a little girl while we, me a camp counselor and she a child from a very rich NYC family, stood on the porch of our cottage on a dewey early morning at a camp in Connecticut.