Charity

Help Fill an MBTA Bus with Toys, Gifts at Annual Drive at the Watertown Mall

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The Watertown Mall and the Mass. Department of Transportation (MassDOT) will host the 17th annual Fill a Bus with Gifts Event, the mall announced. Toys donated by MBTA riders and residents will benefit children at the Action for Boston Community Development, Mass Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, the Yawkey Boys & Girls Club of Boston and Heading Home. Donations of new, unwrapped gifts for kids and teens will be collected at the Watertown Mall, 550 Arsenal Street, Watertown now until Wednesday, December 13 at 9 a.m.

Gifts can be dropped off at the RMV, Watertown Mall Management Office, or Santa’s Village. The wish list includes (but is not limited to) Blocks, Legos • Dolls • Sporting Equipment • Books • Board Games • Xbox or PlayStation Games • Bikes • Scooters • Gift Cards (iTunes, Movie, Restaurant, Clothing) Electronic Music Accessories
(headphones) • Remote Control Cars/Trucks • Hats, Gloves, Scarves • Developmental Toys • Art Supplies • Jewelry Kits.

Charity

Here are Some Watertown Groups to Donate to on #GivingTuesday

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You can support groups in Watertown that make a difference on Giving Tuesday. 

Here are some of the local groups to which you can donate (click on the group’s name to find out more about what they do):

Watertown Boys & Girls Club

By donating to the Great Futures Campaign today, you will give the gift of a Great Future for generations to come. Our campaign goal is to raise $1.4 million to renovate our facility. We are more than halfway to reaching this goal, but we still have a long way to go. We need the help of every community member! Click here to donate

Watertown Community Foundation

Because of the contributions from you and your neighbors last year, WCF was able to continue the programs, grants, and outreach that are so important to Watertown.

Around Town

Community Foundation Awards Healthy Watertown Grants to 5 Local Groups

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The Watertown Community Foundation announced it has awarded $8,600 to five community organizations in December 2017 through its Healthy Watertown grant program. These funded everything from a new freezer and display tables for the food pantry to taxi rides for participants in the Senior Center’s events and Narcan for the Watertown Police Department to distribute. “Health concerns virtually every aspect of our lives, from nutrition and positive eating choices, to substance use and abuse, to social engagement as we age. These grants reflect that breadth of issues, and we’re thrilled to be able to make them for the fifth year,” said co-Vice President Emily Barclay. In addition to the Watertown Food Pantry, the Watertown Senior Center and the Watertown Police Department, recipients also included the W.A.T.E.R.Town Task Force for Substance Abuse Disorder and Live Well Watertown.

Around Town

Rotary Club Joins Middle School Tradition of Packing Thanksgiving Baskets

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The Rotary Club of Watertown, led by honorary member Eleanor Donato, worked with Watertown Middle School kids and their teachers to put together over 40 Thanksgiving Baskets for Watertown families in need, according to a Rotary Club annoucement. Funds for the basket contents were provided by Watertown Middle School families and staff and the Rotary Club. On Monday Nov. 27 kids and adults came together to sort the supplies and pack the baskets. The baskets contained everything a family would need to have a wonderful Thanksgiving meal – from a turkey to ingredients for all of the fixings to instructions on how to make it all come together!

Around Town

Alzheimer’s Association Receives Donation from Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation

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Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation announced that the Alzheimer Association in Watertown was awarded $500 from the Foundation’s Community Spirit 9/11 Mini-Grant program. Tonia Gill, an employee of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, nominated the organization for the award. The funds will be used to support the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. To commemorate those Harvard Pilgrim members who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, Harvard Pilgrim and the Foundation created the Community Spirit 9/11 Mini-Grant program. This program allows each Harvard Pilgrim employee to award a $500 grant, completely funded by the Foundation, to the local charity of his or her choice each calendar year.

Around Town

Watertown Scouts Collect 100 Bags of Groceries for Food Pantry

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Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts worked together Saturday to support Scouting for Food, collecting more than 100 very full shopping bags for the Watertown Food Pantry. With the generous support from shoppers at the Watertown Street Stop & Shop, Troop 30 (scouts age 11-17) and Pack 30 (scouts age 5-10) collected shelf-stable goods for the Watertown Food Pantry. “I want to thank Boy Scout Troop 30 for the heartwarming donation,” said Kathleen Cunningham, Watertown Food Pantry Coordinator. “The hard work and generous collection of over 120 bags of food received will certainly make a difference in our community for the holidays and after. Your commitment, along with your donation is truly overwhelming.” Public service is a large part of scouting, and the Watertown Food Pantry is a perfect partner for that service: Both the Boy Scouts and the Pantry call 80 Mt.

Charity

Watertown Woman to be Honored for Work Spreading Education in Africa and Boston

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Born and raised in Watertown, Jane O’Connor has spread her work as an educator across the globe, and will receive an honor previously bestowed to Boston Police Commissioner William Evans and actor and peace and justice activist Martin Sheen. After being principal in the Watertown Public Schools for 24 years – at Cunniff Elementary School and Watertown Middle School – O’Connor worked to help at risk students in Boston, and took part in starting a school for girls in rural Africa. Her work will be recognized by the Paulist Center Community, which will present her with the Isaac Hecker Award for Social Justice at a ceremony in Boston on Saturday, Nov. 18. A group from Boston was interested in setting up a school for girls in an area of Rwanda that was hard hit by the 1996 genocide, and invited O’Connor to be a part of the effort.

Around Town

Need Help Raking Your Leaves – Volunteers Will Help Neighbors in Watertown

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If you need help raking leave – for free – or, if you want to volunteer to help your fellow Watertown residents, there is an event for you this weekend. Trees for Watertown and National Honors Society from Watertown High School are hosting a morning of community leaf raking on Saturday, Nov. 18 and Sunday, Nov. 19. Those who need help raking their leave can contact David Meshoulam by email at david.meshoulam@gmail.com or call at 608-852-4388.