Charity

Watertown Teen Receives Special Bike That Will Allow Him to Ride With His Dad

By |

A young man from Watertown recently received a special bike from the ATI Foundation as part of the American Physical Therapy Association’s (APTA) annual continuing education conference in Providence. Toni Calisir is a teen battling an undiagnosed medical genetic condition similar to muscular dystrophy, a disorder that impacts muscle use and significantly impacts mobility, according to the ATI Foundation. His condition leaves him with weakness from head to toe; he uses a wheelchair most of the time, needs maximum assistant with mobility and is non-verbal. The bike was a surprise for Toni, who will be able to ride the adaptive bike with his dad. It will also allow Toni to enjoy simple pleasures and outdoor activities just like other teens his age.

Charity

World Music and Dance Group Performing to Benefit Watertown’s Sister City Program

By |

An internationally renowned world music and dance ensemble will perform in Watertown as part of the Tremedal Coffeehouse series. The group — Libana — illuminates the creativity, vision and spirit of women worldwide, according to organizers. Their performances have been described as “riveting, transformational and soul stirring, Libana takes audiences on a musical journey reflecting the universal human experience uniting us all.” Libana will peform on Oct. 20, 2018 at 8 p.m. at the First Parish Unitarian Church of Watertown, 35 Church St., Watertown.

Charity

5K Run, Walk Being Held in Memory of Watertown Resident Heather Zarkadas

By |

The second annual Heather Zarkadas Memorial 5K run and walk will be held on Oct. 13, 2018, and there is still time to register. The HZ5K will begins at Lowell Elementary School, 175 Orchard St., Watertown, at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 13. Proceeds from the event got to the Heather Zarkadas’ Children Education Fund. Heather was a Watertown resident and reading specialist who taught in the Lexington Public Schools.

Charity

Watertown Fitness Club Hosting Auction for Children’s Hospital Where Everyone Wins

By |

The following information was provided by All-American Classics and Boston Sports Club, Watertown:

Whether it’s a photo of Tom Brady and David Oritz holding championship trophies or a pristine portrait of Elvis Presley standing alongside Johnny Cash, the Boston Sports Club in Watertown is providing its members and general public a guaranteed piece of history. Offering sports, music and entertainment lovers a ‘kid in a candy store’ type of feel, the fitness club at 311 Arsenal St. has a one-of-a-kind public auction now on display. Best of all, the club is guaranteeing that not only is each and every bid a winning one, but the money collected is helping support Boston Children’s Hospital. Bidders are shipped free of charge their winning piece of memorabilia, which arrives in a custom-built frame, directly to their home.

Charity

Upstage Lung Cancer Presents Cabaret Fundraiser at Mosesian Center

By |

The following announcement was provided by Upstage Lung Cancer:

Kicking off its 10th anniversary celebration of utilizing the performing arts to raise awareness for the fight against lung cancer, Upstage Lung Cancer (ULC) presents a one-night-only cabaret concert benefitBarbra, Bette & Bernadette, on Tuesday, October 23, 7:30 pm at the Mosesian Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal Street, Watertown. The event is open to the public, a pre-concert silent auction begins at 6 pm.  Presented in partnership with the LUNGevity Foundation, all proceeds from the performance support the critically important cause of early lung cancer detection research. A high-spirited evening of music making and storytelling, Barbra, Better & Bernadette honors the voices of Barbra Streisand, Bette Midler and Bernadette Peters, three iconic female performing artists.  The concert salutes the towering, talented trio of beloved and powerful singers who have transformed today’s popular music, leaving an indelible mark on the world of entertainment. Notably, all three women performed the role of Dolly Levi in the Broadway musical Hello Dolly, a powerful, charismatic and determined woman with heart.

Around Town

Watertown Boys & Girls Club Receives Big Donation from Oakley Country Club

By |

The Oakley Country Club announced it recently made a major contribution go the Watertown Boys & Girls Club:

We are excited to share that members of the Oakley Country Club made a donation of $43,334 to the Watertown Boys and Girls Club, which will help to fund their “Great Futures Campaign,” the reconstruction project for the organization that was founded in 1972. The gift was presented at a brief ceremony on July 17, 2018, at Oakley Country Club with Watertown Boys & Girls Club Executive Director Renee Gaudette. The proceeds were generate by private donations and the club’s popular “Casino Royale” fundraiser — a three-stage silent auction on April 28. “This event has become hugely popular with Oakley members, and it’s a great reminder of all the tremendous work that the Watertown Boys & Girls Club does in our communities,” said Oakley Country Club President John DeVito. “We’re thrilled that for the second year in a row this event was so successful, and that the partnership between our members and the Boys & Girls Club is so strong.”

Charity

Seventeen Watertown Residents Riding 2018 Pan-Mass Challenge

By |

The Pan-Mass Challenge provided the following information:
On Aug. 4 and 5, seventeen riders from Watertown will cycle up to 192 miles in the Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) with the goal of topping last year’s record-breaking gift and raising $52 million for critical cancer research and patient care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. During PMC weekend, over 6,200 cyclists from more than 40 states and seven countries will gather in Massachusetts to participate in the PMC. Riders include everyone from seasoned triathletes to weekend warriors and range in age from 15 to 84. Many ride to honor a family member or friend lost to, or being treated for cancer, and more than 850 riders and volunteers are cancer survivors or current patients themselves, and considered Living Proof of the PMC mission.

Around Town

Watertown Boys & Girls Club Awarded $100K Grant from Cummings Foundation

By |

Watertown Boys & Girls Club is one of 100 local nonprofits to receive grants of $100,000 each through Cummings Foundation’s “$100K for 100” program. The Watertown-based organization was chosen from a total of 597 applicants, during a competitive review process. Watertown Boys & Girls Club provides after-school and summer programming for youth ages 7-18 from Watertown and the surrounding communities. The mission of the Club is to inspire and enable all young people to reach their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. Representing Watertown Boys & Girls Club, Renee Gaudette, the Club’s Executive Director, joined approximately 300 other guests at a reception at TradeCenter 128 in Woburn to celebrate the $10 million infusion into Greater Boston’s nonprofit sector.