Around Town

Unity Breakfast Speaker Known for Environmental, Social Justice Work

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Rev. Mariama White-Hammond will be the keynote speaker at the 2021 Unity Breakfast. The following announcement was provided by the Unity Breakfast Planning Committee:

The Unity Breakfast proudly welcomes Rev. Mariama White-Hammond as its keynote speaker for this year’s event. Rev. Mariama is a noted leader working locally and nationally for environmental and social justice. In addition to her work as the founding pastor of New Roots AME Church in Dorchester, Rev. Mariama is a fellow with the Green Justice Coalition, a group of 8 social and environmental justice organizations from across the state. In 2017, Rev. Mariama was the MC for both the Boston Women’s March and Boston People’s Climate Mobilization.

Around Town

Free, On-Demand Tutoring Available Through Watertown Library

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Library:

Brainfuse HelpNow, a digital platform offering on demand learning support for all ages and levels is now available to Watertown residents through the Watertown Free Public Library. “We want to help people get through this strange and difficult time and we know that remote learning and working is a real struggle for a lot of people,” says Carey Conkey-Finn who runs the Teen Department at the library. “We’re hoping that this resource will fill a hole that COVID life has created.”

HelpNow is available to all Watertown residents with a Minuteman Library Network library card from any computer with internet connection or via mobile app. To access HelpNow, please visit the library’s website at watertownlib.org/brainfuse. For more information, contact 617-972-6436 or libraryteendepartment@watertown-ma.gov.

About HelpNow

Live Tutoring (available 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. 7 days a week): HelpNow offers live tutor access for homework help, skills building and test preparation.

Around Town

January at the Y: Virtual MLK Day Service, Sign Up for Feb. Break & Summer Programs

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The following information was provided by the West Suburban YMCA:

Happy New Year! There’s a lot happening at the Y right now, including a MLK Day of Service, Winter Programs, and summer camp registration opening!  Please let me know if you have any questions or would like more info. What’s Happening at the West Suburban YMCA 

Participate in the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service This year, the Y’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service is going virtual. The West Suburban YMCA is putting together care packages of succulents, a handmade card or bookmark, and a puzzle book with a pencil, eraser, and sharpener for the clients of Newton At Home, which includes senior citizens in the community that may be isolated at home due to COVID. You can help by sponsoring care packages or creating cards or bookmarks. Learn more and get involved:  https://www.wsymca.org/events/mlk-day-service-event-0 

Summer Camp Registration Opens on January 11 In 2020, the Y operated a fun and safe summer for hundreds of campers!  In 2021, the Y plans to operate similarly with all COVID safety procedures in place.  The Y offers two day camps, Camp Pikati on-site at the Y and Camp Chickami in Wayland, as well as one overnight camp, Camp Frank A. Day, in East Brookfield.  Learn more:  https://www.wsymca.org/camps 

Winter Programs: January 4 – February 14, 2021 Registration is Open  2020 was a challenging year that required families to break from their typical routines and adapt to new ways of doing things. Since July of 2020, the Y has been adapting as well.

Cartoon

Skate Tales in This Week’s Small Saves Cartoon

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Cartoon by James DeMarco

James DeMarco grew up in Watertown and became a goaltender at age 5. It’s his life’s passion to stand between the pipes and keep the puck out of the net. Combining this with the love of cartooning  Small Saves  emerged in 1991 and took on a life of his own. “To play goal–then come home and draw Small Saves — is my ideal definition of a good day.”

Around Town

Residents Can Borrow Variety of Tools & Equipment from Watertown Library

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Library:

Snowshoes, KitchenAid Stand Mixer, power washer — these items have nothing in common except that they are all things you can now check out with your library card. On January 6 the Watertown Free Public Library (WFPL) launched a new collection of non-traditional library materials known as the Library of Things and they’re waiting to be used. “A Library of Things is not uncommon in public libraries and there are so many reasons we’re excited to now offer our own collection” says Katie Kottas who is in charge of Circulation and Access Services. Of course it is fun, but it’s also economical. A lot of people don’t need or want to purchase items they may only use once or twice.

Around Town

Recipient of the 2021 Watertown Unity Award Announced

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The Unity Breakfast committee will present the 2021 award to Rhode Moise, Program Director at the Watertown Boys & Girls Club, at the MLK Day Unity Breakfast on Jan. 18. The following announcement was provided by the Unity Award Committee:

A favorite annual tradition at each MLK Day Unity Breakfast is the presentation of the Unity Award. The Unity Award recognizes an individual or group that is furthering Dr. King’s vision of racial, social and economic justice right here in our town. The Unity Breakfast committee is honored to present this year’s award to Rhode Moise, Program Director at the Watertown Boys & Girls Club.

Around Town

Watertown Yoga Studio Celebrating 5th Anniversary with Free Classes

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The following announcement was provided by Artemis Yoga:

Artemis Yoga of Watertown is celebrating its fifth anniversary with an Online Open House on Saturday, Jan. 9, that includes a day of complimentary, online 15 yoga classes for kids and adults. All classes are free to register, but with a suggested donation of $5.00 to directly support the Watertown Boys and Girls Club (WBGC). Since 2015, we have hosted annual Open Houses and raised over $3,000 in total forthe WBGC, so we hope that this year, our 5TH ANNIVERSARY, we can meaningfully continue the tradition. This year more than ever, we need to support at-risk youth whose families are bearing the brunt of the pandemic.

Entertainment

Seinfeld Trivia; Genealogy & One Book, One Watertown at the Library This Month

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The Watertown Free Public Library. The Watertown Library sent out the following information:

WFPL is pleased to announce Matt Haig’s novel, The Humans as our selection for One Book, One Watertown 2021! This year, we faced the task of selecting a title during this time of great uncertainty, isolation, and hardship in our community, our country and around the world.  Despite the challenges we all face, we have also observed wonderful demonstrations of bravery, selflessness, and kindness.  We wanted to find a book to help us celebrate the good we see around us.  

Matt Haig’s book is a laugh-out-loud, heart-filled exploration of what it truly means to be human.