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Watertown Citizens Meeting Focuses on What Biden Will Mean for Peace Movement

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The following information was provided by Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice and the Environment:

Please join us for the January Monthly Meeting of Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice and the Environment as we explore the issue of peace and what we can expect from the new Biden Administration. What campaign promises will be easy to fulfill and which ones will not be?  What are the changes of reducing military spending and increasing funds for education, healthcare and the environment? Will the longest war in U.S. history end? Will troops in Iraq, Somalia, and Yeman come home? How will the Palestinians fare under a Biden administration?

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Solar Powered Info Kiosks Coming to Watertown

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The electronic information kiosk, made by Soofa Sign, was recently installed near Town Hall. New digital signs have started popping up on the streets of Watertown that will provide emergency messages, bus schedules, information about local government and more. The information kiosks are called Soofa Signs and are the creation of a startup run by MIT grads. They are solar powered and use e-ink. One has been put up near Town Hall/Saltonstall Park.

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Pair of Large Red Foxes Spotted by Watertown Resident

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A large red fox was seen walking on Jensen Road on the Westside of Watertown over the weekend. Large foxes have been seen wandering the streets of West Watertown. Watertown News reader Tracy Scott took photos of a pair of red foxes as they walked though the backyard of her Jensen Road home, and on the streets near the park behind the Watertown Police Station (the old Browne School Playground). “We have been living here for 4 years, we have never seen a fox here,” Scott said. “Both these foxes were large.

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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.

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UPDATE: Dozens of Pairs of Shoes Donated by Watertown Native, Rec. Dept. Will Distribute

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Watertown native Robert Marra with Peter Centola, who was Marra’s fold coach at WHS and is now Director of Watertown’s Recreation Department. Marra donated 60 pairs of shoes to the Town, which will give them away to residents. (Updated Jan. 13, 2021 at 8:45 a.m.)

Watertown residents can get a free pair of shoes thanks to a Watertown native who wanted to help his hometown. Robert Marra works and lives in Ashland now, but he grew up in Town.

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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.

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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.

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Discussion of Historic Shick House Just One Virtual Senior Center Event

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The Shick House is on property owned by the Mount Auburn Cemetery and likely to be sold to Buckingham Browne & Nichols School. The history of the Shick House will be presented during one of this week’s virtual Senior Center events. The house is located on Grove Street in East Watertown, and may be torn down. The property on which it is located was sold to Buckingham Browne & Nichols School, and the school plans to build playing fields on the site. The house will be torn down unless it is moved to another site.