If you have received this email as a forward and wish to subscribe to the Westborough Connects mailing list, please click HERE. For previous newsletters, click HERE.
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Hello Neighbors and Friends -
This time of year is often referred to as the "Season of Giving." Chanukah begins next week (December 10th), followed by Christmas (December 25th), and Kwanzaa (beginning December 26th). We wish all those celebrating peaceful, happy and fulfilling moments.
As we approach the New Year, I know we are all ready to turn the page on 2020 and look ahead, with hope, to better days. We will get there. When we do, I hope we will take with us some of the small gifts that were able to rise to the surface during these most challenging days - connecting with people in new ways, reaching out to help others, feeling a part of a supportive and connected community, learning a new skill (out of desire or necessity!) and re-discovering the outdoors are some that I have heard from friends and family. My wish is that these little lights string together for us, bringing comfort and ushering us into a brighter future! Again, we will get there.
Speaking of giving, thank you for your generosity and support on #GivingTuesday. We raised almost $3,000! If you missed #GivingTuesday, it's not too late to support Westborough Connects with a monetary donation (never is!). Click HERE to donate. In addition to raising much-needed funds for Westborough Connects, it warmed our hearts to hear that we inspired some action on #GivingTuesday.
"Your message of GIVING in MANY WAYS inspired me to give in 5 Ways by calling a friend who is mourning the loss of her mom, adding extra quarters to the meter for the next lucky driver, donating to my favorite Westborough organization, picking a family for a holiday giving tree, and sending my boys teachers an email expressing my (endless) gratitude!"
Please take good care.
Yours in community,
Kelley Petralia
Executive Director, on behalf of the Westborough Connects team
kelleyconnects1@gmail.com
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Upcoming Westborough Connects Program |
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Upcoming SPARK Kindness program
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Community Programs and Events |
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PLEASE NOTE: A goal of this newsletter is to highlight free, community-focused events that are open to all and bring us together. We do our best to keep up with all the great things going on around town, but we need your help! Please reach out and let us know about any events that would be important to include! Email us at westboroughconnects@gmail.com. Thank you.
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Zach Smith, Autism Awareness Speaker and Child Advocate
Tuesday, December 8th at 6:30 PM
Come hear his story as he also discusses:
• The advocation strategies for children to succeed academically
• Ways for parents to remove any stressful roadblocks impacting the growth and potential of their child/student
• The right approaches if a request or plan does not get met
• Transitional tactics for students to flourish beyond grade school
• The proper communication methods to make children thrive in their vital interpersonal relationships
For more information and to register, click HERE.
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Trex Challenge Plastic Recycling
HAPPENING NOW!
The Rotary Club of Westborough’s Environment Committee has organized a drive for collecting and recycling film and bag plastics from household waste.
Community members are being asked to collect waste bags and plastics in their homes and periodically bring them to one of the collection centers.
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For more information on this FREE initiative,
including guidelines and drop-off locations, click HERE.
Interested in volunteering in this effort? Click HERE for volunteer opportunities. |
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Opportunities for Connection & Helping Others |
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PLEASE NOTE: The registration deadline has passed and homes registered by December 1st will be included in the list of participating homes. A list of homes will be distributed through the Westborough Recreation mailing list and on the Westborough Recreation Facebook page, and will also be available through the Westborough Public Library.
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Community-wide
Star Scavenger Hunt
The Westborough Public Library Kids’ Department is looking for your help in creating a community-wide scavenger hunt for families during December!
We are looking for those young AND those young-at-heart to help us by displaying a star in a window for our kids to spot with their families. We hope that many community members will help us create this scavenger hunt by displaying a star. You do not need to have children or go on the scavenger hunt yourself to help us have many stars for kids to spot around town. Local businesses are also very welcome to display a star in their window. You are very welcome to decorate your star, but it’s not required to help us by displaying a star.
How to Get a Star to Display: Pre-cut stars will be available outside the library starting November 20th as supplies last. Stars can also be downloaded, printed, and cut out at home by clicking HERE.
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Rotary Club of Westborough and Westborough Youth and Family Services are partnering again for the 20th annual Free Holiday Store benefitting Westborough families. Thanks to generous donations from Westborough residents and businesses, WYFS and the Rotary Club have been able to distribute thousands of gifts to hundreds of local children during the winter holiday season each year. This year, the Holiday Store will not be an in-person "store" due to COVID-19 safety guidelines. Instead, they will be giving away gift cards to families with children this year, rather than toys, books and games. |
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Applications for the Free Holiday Store can be found HERE (available in multiple languages). |
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Helping the Christmas Elves |
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Sharing a beautiful idea from a community member who reached out to Westborough Connects, looking to show her children how to make a difference around the "season of giving" during a time when typical giving activities have been paused or altered due to COVID-19.
Thank you for reaching out & offering this idea for others to follow along!
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For those celebrating Christmas, who have an Elf on the Shelf, "the Elf on the Shelf could come with a note that says Santa needs our help. Maybe it could say there are some kind of supply chain issues during the pandemic and the workshop can’t make enough this year. So the note could ask us to buy toys and give to...(people or an organization in need)." |
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Every year, the Westborough Civic Club, a volunteer-run nonprofit group, donates tens of thousands of dollars to Westborough community organizations. They are a sponsor of our annual Westborough Unplugs initiative. We are so fortunate to have an organization like this in town. They are in the midst of their annual Christmas tree and wreath sale, located on the front lawn of Hastings Elementary School. This is their ONLY fundraiser. If you are in need of a Christmas tree, roping and wreaths, please consider visiting them to purchase your live winter greenery. Your purchase will support the community!
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Westborough Interfaith Association hosted the annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service (virtually on November 24th. This year's theme was "Open Hearts." Watch it HERE.
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The Westborough Climate Action Plan Task Force will present a progress report on Wednesday, December 9th at 12PM and Thursday, December 10th at 7PM. To attend by Zoom please register at the Library Events page HERE. You can also watch it on Westborough TV (YouTube, Verizon/Fios channel 28, Charter/Spectrum channel 192)
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Westborough Fire recently honored Veteran residents of the Highlands Gracious Retirement Living. Read about it HERE (Community Advocate).
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The Westborough Center for History & Culture published its December newsletter. In the issue, readers will earn how to use fashion trends to help identify and date old family photographs, how to access the library's online genealogical resources, and what the Westborough Center for History and Culture is all about. Read it HERE.
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This Thanksgiving wasn't the same for most and we had to forego many cherished traditions. Westborough TV, WYFS and the Westborough COVID-19 Task Force, with the help of many community members, created this Community Thanksgiving Greetings video sharing Thanksgiving wishes to fellow community members. It was broadcast throughout the weekend on Westborough TV and you can watch it by clicking on the title image.
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Noteworthy Reads and Resources |
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Greater Good Magazine recently reported on a new study showing that helping others during the COVID-19 pandemic can provide mental and emotional benefits. Read about it HERE.
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In November, Lynn Lyons returned (virtually) to Westborough for a Square One speaker presentation on anxiety. Over 100 people attended this program. You can read the follow-up email sent to registrants, including several helpful notes and resources HERE.
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Westborough Youth & Family Services and the Westborough Public Schools have partnered on a monthly Community Wellness Guide, which is designed to empower users to take a closer look at issues of mental health, racism/anti-racism and the intersections between them. The November issue focused on anxiety and you can read it HERE.
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About Westborough Connects
Westborough Connects is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization (EIN # 84-1751472) focused on building a more connected and kind community where everybody feels like they belong. Often in partnership with others, Westborough Connects creates opportunities to support and celebrate the diversity, spirit, and character of Westborough through programs and events that are community-based, strengths-based and dedicated to connecting people to resources and each other.
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