Sight Words

Resident Nora Byron Dolan and her children have taken many walks around the neighborhood since having to stay home more. On these walks, they've come across many rocks with painted words on them. The kids would always like to stop and read these. They found a few extra rocks and painted early learner "sight words." On June 7th, they placed those rocks around Carver Pond in hopes that they would help some other children and parents both learn and exercise.

Let's see if we can get more Bridgewater residents to paint rocks to help their children make fun sentences while out adventuring!

Since its inception, your BuzzAround has built bridges across divides: our focus on the goodness of all humanity.

We bridge generational, religious and social divides. Diversity and inclusion within each community are the building blocks of our message as we share stories and events that show, time and again, that empathy and compassion are core to the human experience. In sharing these stories, we can truly see our neighbors, appreciate our similarities and understand where and why we differ.  



Thankfully, our U.S. Constitution allows for freedoms so that we can express ourselves and make the changes necessary to build a fair and just society. We believe our way of life is dependent on all people being served equal justice. It has been proven clear that our criminal justice system is not color blind. There is systemic racism built into the fabric of our institutions at every level, disadvantaging and discriminating against people of color in ways that go beyond individual intent to discriminate, and so we need to educate ourselves and change our systems.

What we are seeing is the public expression of pain and outrage. It is good that Black people know that they are worthy. It is good that we live in a society that allows for freedom of speech and assembly. It is good that people of all colors educate themselves, stand together and have empathy. 

The majority desire to protest peacefully to draw attention, educate, motivate change, stand together and act from a place of power and love. Also, saying Black lives matter is not in opposition to the importance of lives of our law enforcement personnel. BuzzAround promotes & supports goodness in all humanity. While the narrative of violence and destruction is dominating media coverage, in your BuzzAround, you will continue to see good news, including the efforts communities are making toward positive change and the stories of people of all colors, ages, interests and religions doing good. 

If you would like to provide access to education and basic needs to those hardest effected: please contribute to Brockton Library Foundation & United Way Brockton Together Fund. If you would like to support legal reforms NAACP Legal Defense Fund.

Make sure you read your whole BuzzAround: View as Webpage

Food 4 Vets

Food Drive

Wed, June 17th

10a – 12p

COA / The Center at Sachem Rock 355 Plymouth St., EB

The Massachusetts Military Support Foundation is proud to partner with the Cape Cod Military Support Foundation, Big Nick’s Ride for the Fallen, and local Veteran and Military Family supporters as we provide 14 Day Meal Kits for East Bridgewater area Veterans and Military Families in need.

Each Meal Kit contains non-perishable food items that will provide two weeks worth of healthy meals.

For additional information please visit www.massmilitarysupportfoundation.org .

1. Pre-Registration is required and can be done easily by clicking F ood4Vets form

2. Arrive in Parking Lot at the COA

3. Stay INSIDE vehicle

4. Open Trunk

5. 14 Day Meal Kit will be placed inside trunk by a Volunteer with PPE

6. Drive away

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND SACRIFICE!

To find out about the event go here: Facebook event page.

Happy Pride Month!

At the Bridgewater Senior Center, our mission is to promote the emotional, physical and economic well being of older adults and to encourage their participation in all aspects of community life. We believe in supporting diversity, inclusion, access, and equality for everyone.

As a way to celebrate LGBTQ Pride Month, we’re offering the LGBTQ community a delicious lunch on us. Please email me for details.

Emily Williams

Director

Bridgewater Council on Aging

Cole-Yeaton Senior Center

[email protected]

A Bridgewater Christmas to Remember

Christmas Eve was always an event to remember. My mother’s Portuguese family consisted of 12 brothers and sisters with strong ethnic traditions of family gatherings. The most memorable of all was Christmas. Preparations for the celebration would begin with our mother trying to get us to take a nap after lunch so we could stay up very late on Christmas Eve without getting too grumpy. As you would probably guess no kid can sleep on the day before Christmas Eve with all of that excitement to look forward to. Before going down to the “house” we would eat a light supper at home.

Around 5 PM we would travel to my grandmother’s and the other cousins would arrive one by one, until the whole gang was there. In the corner of the living room was a display that my Grandmother would set up each year. It was a manger scene but not your ordinary one. To call it ordinary would like calling a Newport mansion a summer cottage.

A month or so before Christmas Eve she would start little pots of rye- grass that were placed around a group of beautiful ceramic figurines. In the center was baby Jesus, bigger in scale than all of the other figures, but after all, he is what it’s all about. All around the display was a series of unique little lights. Many of the lights had a short, little glass tube on it, filled with a colored liquid that would have little bubbles coming up. She put hours into arranging it and it was quite a display. I am sure my description does not do the display justice but only because I saw through the eyes of a little boy. It was a lot bigger than me, unlike any manger scene, I had ever seen in anybody’s living room. Read More



Ed note: Huge thanks to David Moore for submitting this for our Good News contest.

Kindness Rock Project

Scattered around the grounds of the library you will find kindness rocks.  Take one, share one or leave one. Participate in this random art of kindness. Get instructions on our new YouTube Channel! Make sure you subscribe to the channel so you don't miss out on any of our videos.

Subscribe here .

Bridgewater Library Fights Racism

Reading Guide for Fighting Racism

For those who want to take anti-racist action but don't know where to begin, here is a listing of books to get you started: { click here to go to the website}. Many are available on Overdrive and Hoopla.

Children's books are one of the most effective ways for initiating conversations. Children's book list on Racism:

{ click here to go to the website}

Bridgewater's Annual 4th of July T-shirt Contest

Every year Bridgewater's 4th of July committee puts on a t-shirt contest. Submissions for this year are officially open! They ask for submissions from the community and their sales are a fundraiser for the parade and fireworks. While these events are not taking place due to COVID-19, they'd like to keep the t-shirt contest tradition going! The rules are that the shirt must have "Bridgewater" and "2020." Due to limited supplies and a short time frame, they will close submissions June 1st, so enter soon!

You can submit your entries via email to [email protected] or you can mail it to 91 Atkinson Dr. facebook.com/Bridgewater-MA-4th-of-July.

The 4th of JULY Committee

"Patriotic House" Contest !!

We want you to decorate for the 4th !!! Show us your patriotic pride!!

We will be compiling a list of the addresses and encourage the Bridgewater Community to visit them!!

YES there will be prizes!!

First prize will be $250 in gift cards.

Second prize will be $100 in gift cards.

Third prize will be $50 in gift cards.

And who knows if we get a big enough response - we might expand the categories!!!!

**ALL gift cards will be to local Bridgewater businesses!!

So start your planning!

facebook.com/Bridgewater-MA-4th-of-July

Bridgewater Strong: Standing Up For Justice

Bridgewater residents have been gathering to show their support for the Black Lives Matter movement in response to the recent death of George Floyd on the green on the Bridgewater Common. The group made several signs to peacefully protest for justice and peace, and to stand in solidarity with people of color.

Photo credits: Frances Jefffries & J. Rose

  Copyright 2020 Buzz Around Bridgewater.  You have our permission to share and copy this issue in its entirety as much as you like. If you take it in part, please give credit. ("Buzz Around Bridgewater 6/14/20")

 

Disclaimer: At the Buzz Around, we promote community and family. Occasionally, there will be links to town committees and other non-profit groups, as a way of sharing local information. Individual groups are responsible for how they represent themselves on their websites and in their promotional materials. The Buzz Around does not claim to support any particular view.