Around Town

Watertown Resident Spreads Word About Animal Rescue League

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Caitlin Oates, a Watertown resident and manager of the Animal Rescue League of Boston, took part in an event to support the ARL in Boston’s Seaport. Also at the Seaport Hotel’s Canines & Cocktails event was WCVB’s EyeOpener Anchor Randy Price, who brought one of his nine dogs, former Grand Champion Boston Bruin, or “Bruin.” Around 100 supporters – both two- and four-legged – turned out to raise money and awareness and to meet 5-year-old dauchshund mom Sadie and her 2-year-old son Ringo, who are available for adoption at the ARL.

Business

Watertown Savings Donates to Group that Works with Those with Special Needs

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Watertown Savings Bank recently presented a check to the Great Waltham Arc for their Annual Harvest Breakfast. The bank donated $2,500 to Greater Waltham Arc, which works with children, adolescents and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families in the community, utilizing a person-centered planning approach. The 44th annual Harvest Breakfast will be held on Oct. 19 from 8 a.m. to noon at the Embassy Suites Waltham. The breakfast helps the Greater Waltham Arc and raises awareness about what the group does.

Business

Tufts Health Plan Foundation Awards $1.6 Million in Grants

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Watertown-based Tuft Health Plan Foundation has handed out more than $1.6 million in grants to 43 organizations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The grants are part of the first cycle of funding in 2014, according to an announcement from the foundation. Some of the grant recipients are in Watertown or serve the community, including the Watertown Community Foundation and Springwell. The largest number of grants this cycle fell in the Health & Wellness program area, primarily for initiatives that promote chronic disease self-management and prevention, exercise and nutrition, and fall prevention. The foundation also awarded more than 25 percent of its grants in the area of Purposeful Engagement, which includes community involvement, volunteerism and intergenerational programs as well as caregiver support programs.

“We’re proud of our partnerships in community and recognize that we don’t do this work alone,” said Nora Moreno Cargie, executive director of the Tufts Health Plan Foundation and vice president, corporate citizenship for Tufts Health Plan.

Around Town

Big Bunch of Bikes Donated to Watertown Boys & Girls Club

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Ten members of the Watertown Boys & Girls Club headed over to the Belmont Country Club and received a special gift – a new bike. In all, 40 new bikes were donated to the club. The bicycles come courtesy of Intuit Software and Best Corporate Events and were assembled as part of a team building exercise. “The bikes will be distributed to club members over the next few days,” said Renee Gaudette, executive director of the club. “The Watertown Boys and Girls Club wishes to thank Best Corporate Events and Intuit Software for selecting our organization as beneficiary of this amazing donation!”

Around Town

Hundreds Turn Out for Watertown Library’s 5K Race

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The first ever WFPL 5K road race drew nearly 200 runners and raised money for the Watertown Free Public Library. On Saturday, June 21, 2014 runners of all ages gathered at the Watertown Free Public Library with their friends and families to participate in the first ever Watertown Library fun run. Emily Miranda, supervisor of Children’s Services, thanked the participants in the race:
“We at the library are inspired by our incredible patrons, and this event truly exemplified the spirit of this community. So what can you do now that the race is over? Support the library by taking advantage of all of the resources and programs we have to offer.  Ask questions!

Around Town

Watertown Youth Coalition Hands Out Community Spirit Awards

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The Watertown Youth Coalition celebrated work done by a number of people this year by presenting them with “Community Spirit Awards.” On June 16, the awards were handed out to recognize people for going above and beyond to support youth and families in Watertown. Each year, the Watertown Youth Coalition (WYC), part of Wayside Multi-Service Center, asks the community to nominate people who:

Serve as a positive influence or mentor to a Coalition member or to others in the community
Have the courage to address challenging issues that affect youth and the community
Actively take steps to improve the Watertown community (in big and small ways)

This year, awards were presented to:

Dean Celesia, Kate Coyne, Patrick Dawson, Danielle DeMoss, Alice Elbakian, Judy Fallows, Mana Farhani, Pedro Figueroa, Michelle Foun, Raymond Fox, Friends of Watertown Music, Adrine Harutyunyan, Kelly Horan, Diane Murphy, Sabrina Nebiye, Meghan O’Connell, Tony Palomba, Elisa Portz, Watertown Education Foundation, Ashlee Wisniewsk and Elizabeth Wissler. The Watertown Youth Coalition thanked these awardees and the people that nominated them. “Watertown is a wonderful community with so many caring adults looking out for the interest of the youth living here!”

Charity

Watertown Middle School Seeks Help in Effort to Win National Contest

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Watertown Middle School’s project to fix up an old home economics kitchen has been selected as a semifinalist in a national competition and now organizers need help from businesses and people in the community. The school entered the Ultimate Neighborhood Give Back Challenge, in which projects from around the country compete to be selected to win a $50,000 prize to help make the project a reality. The money would be used to buy new appliances, counters and more to fix up an unused home economics kitchen. The updated kitchen would be used in the Integrated Life Skills program, which teaches students with special needs to be self-sufficient by focusing on personal responsibility, independence and appropriate interactions. One part of the program is learning to cook.

Around Town

Tufts Health Plan Lends a Helping Hand Around Watertown

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Groups of people in blue T-shirts could be seen around Watertown last week working on a variety of projects – all part of the Tufts Health Plan Corporate Volunteer Day. More than 130 employees of the company based on Mt. Auburn Street in Watertown took part in the company’s sixth annual volunteer day. Some cleared brush and planted flowers and plants at the Commander’s Mansion and the Old Burying Place; while others painted the railing at Watertown’s Main Street Bridge, buildings at Arsenal Park and a wall at Filippello Park.  

A wall on Baptist Walk (off Mt.