Around Town

See Which Town Will ‘Play’ Watertown in the Patriots Day Movie

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Filmmakers originally wanted to use the actual location of the shootout with the Boston Marathon Bombers in Watertown to recreate the action, but when that proved problematic they moved to … Rockland(?). The town in Plymouth County, outside Brockton, will be the site of the Watertown Shootout scenes in the film that stars Mark Wahlburg and J.K. Simmons. Wicked Local Braintree reported that shooting has already begun. When CBS Films announced the film would not be shot in Watertown, some in town speculated that the movie would be shot in Somerville, Boston or a few other communities, but Rockland never came up.

Around Town

Michael Schade Stepping Down from Community Foundation, New Directer Sought

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In the six years that the Watertown Community Foundation has been lead by Michael Schade, the non-profit has more than doubled the amount of grant money awarded and expanded the areas in which the money impacts. This week Schade announced he will be stepping down as executive director in June. “It has been an honor and privilege to partner with WCF’s dedicated volunteer Board of Directors on many endeavors to enhance the quality of life in Watertown,” Schade said. “Now, I am looking for the right opportunity to bring my management skills and creative experience to another organization or business in order to improve their results.”

Before becoming Executive Director, Schade spent 25 years designing and managing computer-based training programs and related projects for companies such as Xerox, General Motors, IBM, State Farm Insurance and Otis Elevator-Europe. He was also a public school teacher in Hawaii and Massachusetts.

Around Town

Civil Rights Leader Talks About Making Watertown Safe and Welcoming for All

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Pride and optimism filled the auditorium at Watertown Middle School Thursday as Dr. Bernard LaFayette praised the work the town has done to build what he called “a global community.”

“When I tell you that you have a uniqueness here, you better believe it,” said LaFayette, who was greeted by student-made posters and a performance by Watertown High School’s a Capella group, The Watertones. “You are very special people.”

As a leader in the Civil Rights Movement and someone who worked closely with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., LaFayette has traveled the world teaching the philosophies of nonviolent conflict resolution. He’s was a member of the Nashville Student Movement and worked with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and the American Friends Service Committee. For the crowd at Watertown Middle School Thursday night, LaFayette recounted many memories working with King and other Civil Rights groups in the ’60s, from his experience with the Freedom Rides to his work as a leader for the Selma Voting Rights Movement. He also discussed his work developing a curriculum based on King’s nonviolent philosophies, and taking those teachings to prison groups and violence-filled countries like Columbia.

Around Town

Annual Town Wide Yard Sale Coming Up, Benefits Watertown Adult Education

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The Annual Town Wide Yard Sale is coming up and you can book  your space now and help Watertown Adult Education. Organizers sent out the following information:

Schedule your yard sale at your home on May 14. For a fee of $10, we will do the advertising, provide a list of addresses to Buyers and  make it a community event for all to enjoy. Last year we had over 60 yard sales in town. Registration information is available at www.watertown.k12.ma.us/dept/wce

For more information, contact Rita Foglia at rita.foglia@watertown.k12.ma.us or 617-926-7764

Watertown Adult Education Spring Program begins in April.

Around Town

Learn About the History of Mt. Auburn Cemetery at an Author’s Talk

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The author of a book chronicling the history of the Mount Auburn Cemetery will speak in Watertown. 

The Watertown Free Public Library and The Historical Society of Watertown host a free Author’s Talk with Stephen Kendrick, who will discuss his book “The Lively Place: Mount Auburn, America’s First Garden Cemetery, and Its Revolutionary and Literary Residents.”

In The Lively Place, Stephen Kendrick celebrates a vital piece of our nation’s history, as he tells the story of Mount Auburn’s founding, its legacy, and the many influential Americans interred there, from religious leaders to abolitionists, poets and reformers, according to the Watertown Historical Society. Stephen Kendrick is senior minister at the First and Second Unitarian Universalist Churches in Boston. He is the author of Holy Clues (Pantheon, 1999),Sarah’s Long Walk (Beacon Press, 2004), and Douglass and Lincoln (Walker & Co., 2008). The event will be at the Watertown Free Public Library will be held Tuesday, April 12, 2016 at 7 p.m. in the Watertown Savings Bank Meeting Room at the library, located at 123 Main St.  

 

 

 

The Friends of Mount Auburn Cemetery will provide books for purchase at this event.

Around Town

Watertown Lighting Up Blue for Autism Awareness Day

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Each April 2, the international autism community, in commemoration of the United Nations-sanctioned World Autism Awareness Day, celebrates Light It Up Blue, announced the Watertown Autism Family Support Group (WAFSG). Light It Up Blue is a unique global initiative that kicks-off Autism Awareness Month and helps raise awareness about autism. In honor of this historic day, many iconic landmarks, hotels, sporting venues, concert halls, museums, bridges and retail stores are among the thousands of buildings lit blue to raise autism awareness. The Town of Watertown, in conjunction with the WAFSG have lit up two wooden puzzle pieces on the Watertown Square Delta and are “Lighting It Up Blue” to shine the light on Autism in our community. WAFSG invites you to stop by Watertown Square this weekend and write the name of someone you know with Autism on the blue puzzle pieces.

Around Town

Mount Auburn Hospital Hosts Discussion on Transitioning to Medicare

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Mount Auburn Hospital will host a discussion on the basics of Medicare at its facility in Waltham. The hospital sent out the following announcement:

Transitioning from an employer-sponsored health plan to Medicare can be a confusing process. Mount Auburn Hospital recognizes this and is pleased to present Medicare 101, an informative discussion about Medicare. Topics include how Medicare works, Parts A-D of the plan, how to enroll and more. There will also be a Q&A portion to the evening and light refreshments will be served.

Around Town

Free Narcan Training Offered by Watertown Addiction Treatment Center

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Narcan can be used to save the life of someone overdosing on opiates or heroin, and a free training for how to use the medicine will be offered by a Watertown addiction treatment center. Right Turn sent out the following information:

Right Turn will present A Narcan training on Monday, April 4 at 7 p.m. The clinic located at 440 Arsenal St., in Watertown. Free Narcan nasal spray will be provided. The training will be facilitated by Alex Bettencourt, Division of Prevention – The Victory Program. The Right Turn Family Group is open to the public with a suggested $5 donation to defray the cost of the space.