Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/category/more/aroundtown/page/561/)
Do you do up your home for the holidays? You can see how it stacks up in the Watertown’s Holiday Lighting and Decorations Contest. Decorate the exterior of your home in your best Holiday Cheer for the chance to win a $250 American Express Gift Card and a $250 Donation to your local charity of choice. The deadline for entry is Dec. 4, 2015. To enter: email your name, address and phone number to bob@bobairasian.com.
A Watertown group headed to the State House to advocate for refugees, and have an event planned in Watertown on Dec. 5. Watertown Citizens sent out the following announcement:
Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice & the Environment has wasted no time responding to members’ concerns about the refugee crisis. Two weeks after organizing an informational public meeting last month at the library on this urgent plight, the organization formed a new working group, Watertown Citizens Refugee Support Group. This working group went immediately to work.
The weather on Thanksgiving morning was perfect for a nice run around Watertown – and more than 800 showed up at Donohue’s Bar & Grill to do just that at the 10th annual Turkey Trot. The Turkey Day tradition raises money for the Watertown Boys & Girls Club. The winner of the race was 19-year-old Roger Lacroix of Waltham who ran the 5K race in a time of 16:45. He finished just three seconds ahead of Watertown’s Jason Dunklee. For the second year in a row, Michelle Taverner, 28, of Winchester, was the top female finisher.
Watertown residents can get on the Victory Field Turf, and use other parts of the facility this weekend. The Recreation Department announced that the Victory turf field will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the Thanksgiving weekend from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
In addition, the lights at the Casey Park courts will be on until 8 p.m., weather permitting. You can play hockey, basketball and tennis. The Recreation Department also asks residents to fill out a customer satisfaction survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/watrecbasic. That will help the Rec Department offer better programing and facility options for residents.
The Watertown Boys and Girls Club received a large donation from the Belmont Savings Bank Foundation. The foundation gave the Boys and Girls Club a $10,000 donation this week. The money will support the club’s Power Hour Education Program, a homework help and tutoring program for Club members ages 6 to 18. The grant is a result of winning a voting program held in Watertown by the Belmont Savings Bank Foundation, according the bank announcement
Watertown’s Church of the Good Shepherd will hold its annual Blue Christmas service for people who feel blue during the holidays. The Blue Christmas Service is one of hope and healing. This interfaith gathering is particularly for those who are lonely, down, or feel the weight of loss during the holiday season, according to the announcement from the church. “We welcome all people who want to stand together in honesty at a time when the culture presses us to be ‘jolly,'” the announcement said. The service is by candlelight and includes song, reflection and silence. A light reception follows.
When Fred Grandinetti was a young boy he was playing in his Aunt’s outdoor pool. At the bottom of the pool was a dividing line which indicated the feet of the water. Grandinetti was not paying attention and found himself going under! A neighbor saw his trouble and dived into the pool pulling him to safety. Afterward Grandinetti always wore a life jacket whether in a pool or at the beach.
How do high schoolers get that critical first work experience? Last summer, the Watertown Community Foundation (WCF) and the Watertown High School Guidance Department piloted an internship program for local teens. For meaningful summer work experience at a business or organization of their choice, students earned a modest stipend. The pilot was intended to cover four students, but the number of outstanding applications led WCF to increase funding and five were selected. “I learned so much from participating….