Around Town

Tufts Health Plan Foundation Grants Give $1.2 million to Programs for Healthy Aging

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The following information came from Tufts Health Plan:

Tufts Health Plan Foundation today announced 11 new community investments of more than $1.2 million, reflecting the Foundation’s commitment to advancing policies and practices that support healthy aging. These investments are in addition to more than $2 million in previously announced work. 

“Advocating for public policy or systems change is essential to achieving social change at scale,” said Thomas P. O’Neill III, who chairs the Tufts Health Plan Foundation board of directors. “By supporting age-friendly efforts, the Foundation hopes to create communities that work for all generations.” 

Tufts Health Plan is the only regional funder exclusively focused on healthy aging. The new grants support efforts to engage and train older people as advocates on critical policy work, including addressing gaps in oral health, nutrition, housing, transportation, and community safety. 

“We are investing in initiatives that promote coalitions and bring together government, nonprofit organizations, and older people to create communities that are great places to grow up and grow old,” said Nora Moreno Cargie, president of Tufts Health Plan Foundation and vice president for corporate citizenship at Tufts Health Plan. “Critical to any success is supporting older people as they lead and make their voices heard.” 

The new grants engage community organizations in three states.

Around Town

OP-ED: Steps to Stop Your Kids from Drinking, Using Drugs

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The following piece was signed by: Michael Lawn, Chief of Police, Laura Kurman, Senior Program Director, Wayside Multi-Service Center, Dede Galdston, Superintendent of Schools, and Larry Ramdin, Director of Public Health:

With the holiday season underway and the opening of retail marijuana shops in Massachusetts, adults are urged to pay special attention to teenagers’ behavior around alcohol and other drugs. The Watertown Youth Coalition’s (WYC) partner agencies, Wayside Multi-Service Center, and the Watertown Police, Schools and Health Departments remind adults that teen alcohol and marijuana use can lead to unsafe behaviors that put their health and safety at risk. After all, it is all our responsibility, as a community, to help teens make healthy decisions and stay safe. Underage substance use affects everyone in the community and delaying use has shown to be protective as every year a teen does not use alcohol, the odds of lifelong dependence decrease by 15 percent. In the most recent Watertown Youth Risk Behavior Survey, administered to middle and high school students last year, of those who reported drinking, most reportedgetting alcohol from older siblings /friends or from home without their parents’ knowledge.

Environment

LETTER: Author of Watertown’s Solar Requirement Thanks Supporters, Urges More Action

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The following statement was read, in part, to the Town Council on Dec. 11, 2018, by Watertown Resident Jocelyn Tager. The requirement to have solar power systems on new developments over a certain size was passed by the Town Council on Nov. 27, 2018, making the town the first in the state to adopt such a requirement. Here is the full version:

My name is Jocelyn Tager.

Around Town

Public Gets Preview of New Minuteman High School Building Due to Open in 2019

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An illustration of what the new Minuteman High School building will look like when it is completed. The Lexington-based vocational technical school is attended by dozens of Watertown students. The following piece was provided by Minuteman High School:

Members of the public recently toured the new Minuteman High School during an Open House, and by all accounts, they were overwhelmingly impressed with the $145 million, state-of-the-art facility, which is still under construction. It is scheduled to open in the early summer of 2019. “All day long, people described the new building as awesome, gorgeous, and unbelievable,” said Minuteman Assistant Director of Admissions and Outreach Maggie F. Miller.

Around Town

Watertown Doctor, Man He Saved Attend Mount Auburn Hospital’s Party of the Year

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The following information came from Mount Auburn Hospital:

Jill and Michael Earley of Wellesley, and Dr. Michael Murphy, MD and Debra Murphy, of Watertown attended Mount Auburn Hospital’s Party of the Year. Earley came to the hospital in cardiac arrest and Dr. Murphy saved his life. 

The Party of the Year is Mount Auburn Hospital’s annual charity gala to promote good health in our community. Among those in attendance was a man who brought to the hospital having a heart attack and the doctor who saved him. 

When father and husband Michael Earley arrived at Mount Auburn Hospital on July 11 after collapsing on the basketball court, the outlook was grim. Earley had suffered cardiac arrest — something the staff in the Mount Auburn Hospital see nearly every day. In situations like this time, training, and skill are critical.

Entertainment

Perkins Announces Schedule of Audio Described Theater Performances for 2018-19

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New Rep Theatre’s 1776 is one of the performances around the Boston area featuring audio descriptions for those blind or visually impaired. The following information came from Perkins School for the Blind:

Please come to the exciting live theater productions with audio description during the remainder of the 2018-2019 theater season. Preshow description of sets and costumes for performances at all locations generally begins 60 minutes prior to curtain (unless otherwise noted). Please arrive early to allow time to get headsets, programs and be seated. The following audio described performances will be at the designated theatres listed below:

American Repertory Theater

64 Brattle Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge617-547-8300www.americanrepertorytheater.orgTo purchase tickets for these performances, email boxoffice@amrep.org

Barber Shop Chronicles

Audio Described: Friday, December 21 at 7:30 PM and Saturday, December 22 at 2:00 PM

Newsroom and political platform—for generations, barber shops have been places where African men gather to discuss the world.

Around Town

Watertown for All Ages Starting Program to Help Seniors Who Can’t Drive

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The following information was provided by Watertown for All Ages:

A local non-profit organization, Watertown for All Ages (WAA), is spearheading an initiative that will help older residents stay independent, active and engaged in the community even when they no longer drive. “Older people who stop driving are at risk of isolation and depression, a problem that our initiative will seek to prevent,” said Chris Miara, coordinator of the new project. WAA recently received two grants to start a town-wide effort to ensure older people have information about, and access to, safe and appropriate transportation. The grants from Tufts Health Plan Foundation and the Watertown Community Foundation will be used over the next year to study the obstacles older residents face in getting around town without a car and develop a set of recommendations to address these obstacles. WAA is in the process of forming an advisory committee of town officials and residents to guide the work of the transportation project, and is seeking volunteers to participate in this and its other activities dedicated to making Watertown a more ”age-friendly” community.

Christmas

Watertown Mall Hosting Winter Wonderland Event

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Mall:

The Watertown Mall, located at 550 Arsenal Street, Watertown, with Watertown Families Together will be hosting a “Winter Wonderland” event on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018 at 10:00 a.m.

Usher in the new season with the Watertown Mall! Children and their parents/caregivers are invited to join us for a fun wintery morning by attending our “Winter Wonderland” event on Dec. 20. Sponsored by Watertown Families Together and led by Arlene Smith, this event consists of crafting projects, singing songs, reading and listing to stories, and will be featuring an appearance by Santa himself.