Around Town

Watertown Community Foundation Merging with Watertown Education Foundation

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Community Foundation:

The Watertown Community Foundation and the Watertown Educational Foundation joined forces and cemented their two-year school grant partnership with a merger of the organizations in February 2018. Together, they combine over forty years of fundraising and grant making to the Watertown Public Schools. This official unification provides the Watertown school community a consolidated source of support for innovative educational programs and activities. The merged organization will continue to be known as the Watertown Community Foundation and the President of the Watertown Educational Foundation, Elaina Griffith, joined the board of the Watertown Community Foundation. “For the past two years, the Community Foundation and the Educational Foundation have run a combined school grants program.

Charity

Marshall Home Fund Presents Grants to Programs Helping Older Adults

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The following information was provided by the Marshall Home Fund:

Watertown’s Marshall Home Fund held its annual grant award ceremony on May 15, providing nearly $70,000 to 13 local organizations that serve older adults. Though its grant making, MHF helps Watertown be an age friendly community, one where older residents can be healthy and productive. The World Health Organization and the AARP have established specific goals for a community seeking to be age friendly. The 2018 grantees of the Marshall Home Fund will
provide programs and services that address many of these goals, as summarized below. Direct health, mental health, and social services for vulnerable individuals: Springwell’s Elder Independence and Safety Fund ($7,000); Watertown Council on Aging’s Emergency Assistance Block Grant ($750); Wayside Youth and Family Support Network’s Annual Health Fair at the Housing Authority ($1,500); and Watertown Health Department’s Compassionate Connections VIII Program addressing challenges associated with severe clutter ($2,500).

Schools

Watertown Youth Coalition Wins Award for Anti-Tobacco Efforts

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The following information was provided by The 84 Movement:

Five youth and their advisor from the Watertown Youth Coalition joined other youth from across the Commonwealth last week for a Kick Butts Day event to celebrate their role in reducing the influence of the tobacco industry in their communities. The 19 participating chapters are all members of The 84 Movement. Youth leaders of The 84 Movement educate and mobilize young people to take action and protect their communities from the tobacco and vaping industries. During a ceremony in the Great Hall at the State House, awards were presented to individuals and chapters of The 84 Movement for their dedication to reducing the impact of tobacco and nicotine. The Watertown Youth Coalition Peer Leaders were recognized with The 84 Movement’s Local Community Change Award and their advisor, Dawn Graham, received the Adult Advisor Award.

Business

Watertown Resident Gets Second Term on Mass. CPA Board

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The following information was provided by the MSCPA:
The Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants (MSCPA) today announced that Karen Briggs McElroy, CPA, was elected for a second year to the board of directors for its 2018-2019 fiscal year. McElroy, a Watertown resident, is an audit and assurance partner at Deloitte & Touche LLP in Boston, where she specializes in financial services. Deloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the world’s most admired brands, including 80 percent of the Fortune 500 and more than 6,000 private and middle-market companies. The MSCPA board of directors is a group of 17 elected members that sets policies, manages programs and oversees activities that benefit the 11,000-member organization and accounting profession in Massachusetts. The board members were formally welcomed at the MSCPA’s Annual Meeting and Recognition Reception on May 3.

Around Town

See All the Activities in Watertown During the Week Leading Up to Memorial Day

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The annual Parade will top off Watertown’s Memorial Day celebration, but there are many other activities around town this week. Watertown Veterans’ Services Agent Mark Comeiro provided the following information:

2018 Memorial Day Week Activities

Placing of Flags:

WEDNESDAY: 23rd May, 2018 at 5 p.m.: Meet at Ridgelawn Cemetery

*RAIN DATE THURSDAY MAY 24th, 2018*

Flags will be placed at veterans’ graves at all Watertown cemeteries by Veteran organizations and Volunteers

FRIDAY 25 MAY 2018:

Veterans School Visitation:

9:00 a.m. – Watertown High School
9:45 a.m. – Cuniff Elementary School
10:00 a.m. – Lowell Elementary School
10:00 a.m. – Watertown Middle School
11:00 a.m. – Hosmer Elementary School

SUNDAY 27 MAY 2018:

Morning Services and Dedications:

7:30 a.m. – WWI Memorial Stone – (front of Shutt Detachment)
7:40 a.m. – Cottage Street Cemetery
7:50 a.m. – Coolidge Square POW/MIA Monument
8:00 a.m. – Arlington Street Cemetery
8:10 a.m. – Common Street Cemetery
8:20 a.m. – Charles River Float
8:30 a.m. – World War II Memorial Stone (front of Town Hall)
8:35 a.m. – Saltonstall Park
8:45 a.m. – Moxley Field (AMVETS Post 14)
8:55 a.m. – St. Patrick’s Cemetery
9:05 a.m. – Ridgelawn Cemetery
10:00 a.m. – Veteran’s Mass at St. Patrick’s Church

MONDAY 28 MAY 2018:

Parade:

10:30 a.m – 11:30 a.m. – Parade Check-in at Tufts Health Plan Parking lot
12:00 p.m. – Parade Begins

Letters

LETTER: Resident, Architect Offers Critique of New Arsenal St. Apartment Complex

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The first of the major Arsenal Street Project is built (Gables Arsenal Street). An analysis might be of value as we discuss the future projects. As a local architect I offer these comments since no one else has stepped up. From a town planning stand point a number of items stand out. The addition of 200+/- new units, none of which are studios with 15 percent dedicated to affordable units.

Around Town

Watertown-Based CatholicTV Network Wins Station of the Year Award

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The following announcement was provided by CatholicTV Network:

The CatholicTV Network is pleased to announce that it has been named Religious Television Station of the Year by the Gabriel Awards for the second consecutive year. The Gabriel Awards, established in 1965 by the Catholic Broadcasters Association, “recognize outstanding artistic achievement in a television or radio program or series which entertains and enriches with a true vision of humanity and a true vision of life.” This year marks the fourth overall time CatholicTV has won in the Religious Television Station of the Year category. “What a great honor it is to receive a Gabriel Award for Station of the Year. It is a reflection of the dedication and hard work of the staff of the CatholicTV Network and the continued support of our faith-filled viewers. We are humbled and appreciative that the committee chose CatholicTV, and it has certainly energized our staff to achieve more,” said Jay Fadden, Executive Vice President/General Manager of CatholicTV.

Elections

Republican Announces Bid for Mass. 5th Congressional Seat

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The following announcement was sent out by Congressional candidate John Hugo:

Woburn Republican John Hugo officially announces his candidacy for Congress in the MA 5th Congressional district. “I’ve submitted well over the required amount of certified signatures with the Elections’ Division of the Massachusetts Secretary of State and I’ve been certified as a candidate,” said Hugo. 
For nearly a year, John Hugo has been actively reaching out to various Republican and Independent voters throughout the District. “I’ve met with many if not most Republican Ward and Town Committees, along with other grassroots activists. Everywhere I go, I hear the same things: ‘We need someone willing to challenge Katherine Clark. Clarke is out of touch with the District and needs to be held accountable for her extreme views and actions,'” said Hugo … adding “The residents of the 5th Congressional District need a Congressman or woman that will represent the needs of the District and will uphold the Constitution.