Around Town

Watertown Boys & Girls Club Fund Raising Golf Tournament Honors Founding Member

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Golfers who participated in the 2020 Stephen Mugar Memorial Golf Tournament, which benefits the Watertown Boys & Girls Club. The Watertown Boys & Girls Club announced that registration is open for the 44th Annual Stephen P. Mugar Memorial Golf Tournament:

Watertown Boys & Girls Club will host their annual golf tournament on Monday, August 9, 2021 at the Oakley Country Club. The tournament honors one of the Club’s original founding members, Stephen Mugar. His children and grandchildren generously perpetuate his legacy by sponsoring this annual event. The Mugar Family will match the tournament’s net profits up to $80,000, thus making this the largest annual fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Club, accounting for nearly 30% of the Club’s yearly revenue.

Around Town

Watertown Community Foundation Gets Biggest Grant Ever, Using it to Support 3 Organizations

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The Watertown Community Foundation will help three local organizations with grants over $100,000 after the foundation received the largest grant in its history. The money will go to Metro West Collaborative Development, Watertown Boys & Girls Club, and Wayside Youth and Family Support Network. The funds came to the Watertown Community Foundation in a grant from the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development Community Foundations Grant Program for COVID-19 Relief. “This $400,000 grant is the largest single grant that our foundation has ever received,” said WCF co-president Darshna Varia. “We have been able to distribute the funds quickly and directly to where they are needed most.

Around Town

Recipient of the 2021 Watertown Unity Award Announced

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The Unity Breakfast committee will present the 2021 award to Rhode Moise, Program Director at the Watertown Boys & Girls Club, at the MLK Day Unity Breakfast on Jan. 18. The following announcement was provided by the Unity Award Committee:

A favorite annual tradition at each MLK Day Unity Breakfast is the presentation of the Unity Award. The Unity Award recognizes an individual or group that is furthering Dr. King’s vision of racial, social and economic justice right here in our town. The Unity Breakfast committee is honored to present this year’s award to Rhode Moise, Program Director at the Watertown Boys & Girls Club.

Around Town

Watertown Boys & Girls Partners with Philanthropic Group to Get New Solar Panels

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The Watertown Boys & Girls Club received new Solar panels (not shown) thanks to a partnership with Rise Up Solar and SunBug Solar. The following information was provided by SunBug Solar:

Watertown Boys & Girls Club, a local non-profit, has partnered with Rise Up Solar, a philanthropic solar investment firm, to turn rising energy costsinto an opportunity to go green and save big. After some renovations to the facilities in 2016, the Watertown Boys & Girls Club’s utility bills skyrocketed. Renee Gaudette, Watertown BGC’s executive director, recognized that this extra cost took money away from the kids they serve. The organization had already been investigating a solar solution, but years of searching ended due to difficulty with the roof, somelofty trees, and a steep initial cost to invest.

Around Town

Watertown Boys & Girls Club Celebrates 40th Anniversary of Girls Joining the Club

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A photo of the Watertown Boys & Girls Club founders, including Bernadette Corbett (in white), who pushed the national headquarters of the Boys Club to allow girls. The following piece was provided by the Watertown Boys & Girls Club:

Forty years ago, the Board of Directors of the Watertown Boys Club made the landmark decision to welcome girls into the Club, making Watertown one of the nation’s first communities to offer membership to females. In 1980, Clubs across the country were open only to boys, and the national organization of Boys’ Clubs was still 10 years away from renaming itself Boys & Girls Clubs of America. The Watertown Boys Club, which was founded eight years earlier in 1972, had a woman director who wasn’t about to wait to bring girls into the Club. Bernadette Corbett, one of the Club’s founders and the first woman Board president, was the force behind including female members.

Around Town

Solar Panels Donated to Watertown Boys & Girls Club Will Generate Power, Funds

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Solar panels are being installed on the roof of the Watertown Boys & Girls Club. They were donated by Peter Glick and Rise Up Solar. The Watertown Boys & Girls Club received a donation of an array of solar panels, which will reduce electricity costs in the short run, and long term will generate revenue for the club. The solar panels were donated by Peter Glick who teamed up with Rise Up Solar, a Cambridge-based company which helps community-based non-profits gain access to solar panels. The Club will reap the environmental and financial rewards.

Charity

Watertown Boys & Girls Club Hosting Charity Golf Tournament

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The Watertown Boys & Girls Club will host the 43rd Annual Stephen P. Mugar Golf Tournament on Aug. 24, 2020 to raise money for the club. The Boys & Girls Club sent out the following information:

Our single largest fundraiser of the year! Whether you choose to play in the tournament, sponsor a hole or donate an auction item, you will have a hand in transforming the lives of young people in our community. The Mugar Family will match the tournament’s net profits up to $80,000, in memory of one of the Club’s founding members, Stephen P. Mugar!

Around Town

Watertown Boys & Girls Club Closing as Precaution for Coronavirus

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The Watertown Boys & Girls Club announced it will follow the lead of the Watertown Public Schools and will close temporarily as a precaution after the outbreak of the Coronavirus in the area. Executive Director Renee Gaudette said: “At this point in time, WBGC will remain closed in sync with Watertown Public Schools. We are working closely with all town departments to ensure the safety of our members, families and community.” She added that updates about Club operations will be posted to the WBGC website (http://www.watertownbgc.org/) and Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/WatertownBoysandGirlsClub/). Originally, the Club planned to close for deep cleaning and reopen on Monday, but that was before the Watertown School’s decision to close through March 27.