Around Town

Watertown Savings Hands Out $150K to Local Non-Profits

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The following information was provided by Watertown Savings Bank:

In a series of videos that aired recently, Watertown Savings Bank (WSB)honored the 32 non-profit winners of their Annual Customer Choice Awards. “In celebration of the Bank’s 150th Anniversary in 2020, we have awarded $150,000 in donations to 32 local non-profits, as voted on by WSB customers,” said Bank President & CEO Brett Dean. “This year’s winners represent five different towns, and dozens of volunteers who help hundreds of people in their communities.”

Organizations that received one percent of the total number of votes cast, received a donation. Voting took place from October-December 2019. The Awards Night planned in April was canceled in light of the current social distancing rules.

Around Town

Learn to Make Face Masks With Hatch’s Online, And More Classes This Week

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The Hatch Makerspace may be closed, you can still participate in their classes online, including how to make face masks and making your own book. The following classes will be held this week:

Maker Questions with Liz & Yi BinTuesday, May 5, 4-5pmJoin the Hatch Coordinator, Liz, and the Hatch Assistant, Yi Bin, to ask all your maker questions. They will field anything from fine art to finding tools. If they don’t know the answer, they know someone that does! This is a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with the Hatch Makerspace community and tap the expertise of the hive mind to work on your projects.

Around Town

Library Closed Until May 18, But Plenty of Online Activities for Children, Teens & Adults

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

As directed by Town Manager Michael Driscoll, the Watertown Free Public Library will remain closed to the public until Monday, May 18th to help minimize the spread of COVID-19. This extends the Library’s previous closure period by two weeks. 

Do you need help accessing WFPL’s (newly expanded) digital library? The Reference Department has created simple video tutorials to introduce our most popular digital services and help you set up an account, step by step: watertownlib.org/eLibTutorials

While the Library is closed, WFPL will continue to offer virtual programs for children, teens, and adults. Here’s what’s coming up for the week of May 4 – May 10:

FOR CHILDREN

Springo!May 1 – 30 | Can you get bingo on our spring-themed outdoor scavenger hunt?

Around Town

LETTER: Local Authors, Photographers Seek Help with Children’s Picture Book About Watertown

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Dear Watertown residents past and present,

I am asking for your help with a picture book which will be titled “W is for Watertown: A Watertown, Massachusetts ABC Book.” This book will be modeled in the style of regional ABC books where each letter of the alphabet goes along with a local landmark(s). For example, in the Boston ABC books “F is for Fenway Park.” These types of books are intended for young children (infants/toddlers through first grade) to learn more about their community; the goal with this book is to create a fun educational book for the youngest Watertown residents. Usually, these books are illustrated, but for “W is for Watertown: A Watertown, Massachusetts ABC Book” my colleagues and I will be taking photographs of Watertown’s landmarks and locations. In this project, I will be working with photographer Eleni Demos and Vice President of Ideas and Innovations In Early Childhood Education Raseel Alahmed. Some Watertown landmarks are obvious inclusions in a book like this such as “P is for Perkins School for the Blind” or “B is for Brigham House, Browne House, and Bemis Park.” However, even with research, there is a possibility we might miss some important locations and landmarks in Watertown.

Around Town

U.S. Post Office Hiring in Massachusetts & Rhode Island

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The following information was provided by the U.S. Post Office:

Post Offices across Eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island are currently hiring. We have positions open in processing and delivery operations, on all shifts, at a location near you. By logging in to www.usps.com/careers from the comfort of your home, you can search by state for positions in your area.  If you’ve ever considered a career with the Postal Service, come and learn about the variety of positions available, job duties, salaries, benefits and more. The Postal Service offers flexible schedules, competitive salaries and opportunities for career advancement.  Login and see what a postal career can offer you. The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations

Around Town

DCR Closing Grove Street in Watertown on Four Days in May

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The following information was provided by the Department of Conservation and Recreation:

On Sunday, May 3, 2020, Sunday, May 10, 2020, Sunday, May 17, 2020, and Monday, May 18, 2020, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) will implement parkway lane closures along Grove Street in the Town of Watertown between Greenough Boulevard and Coolidge Avenue from 7:00PM to 5:00AM to conduct paving operations. Traffic patterns will be clearly marked, and a police detail will be on site. WHERE:       Grove Street in the Town of Watertown between Greenough Boulevard and Coolidge Avenue

WHEN:          Sunday, May 3, 2020, Sunday, May 10, 2020, Sunday May 17, 2020, and Monday May 18, 2020. 7:00PM to 5:00AM

Around Town

Gov. Baker Issues Order to Wear Face Masks in Stores & When Unable to Social Distance

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Gov. Charlie Baker, with Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito. All Massachusetts residents must cover their faces in public places as part of the effort to stop the spread of COVID-19. The requirement applies when people while they are outdoors and are unable to social distance, and all the time in indoor spaces such as stores. Gov. Charlie Baker announced the order Friday afternoon, and it takes effect on May 6. The exceptions include children under the age of 2 and those who have medical conditions that prevent them from wearing a face covering.

Around Town

Watertown Groups Providing Ways to Get Help From & Give Assistance to Neighbors (Including Face Masks)

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The recently created Mutual Aid Network is a way for Watertown residents to help their neighbors, and for people in town to get assistance during the COVID-19 outbreak, including food, financial assistance and even face masks. The combined effort by the Watertown Community Foundation and the Wayside Youth & Family Support Network kicked off last week, and has already garnered a team of volunteers. Jan Singer, executive director of the Watertown Community Foundation said that people can request assistance or volunteer to provide help through this Mutual Aid form. The idea of Mutual Aid is to connect people, Singer said. Normally the groups would create a central drop-off and pick-up site, but that is not possible with places like the Watertown Library and Town Hall closed due to orders by the Governor.