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 -
Mother Nature has signaled to us that it is time to let go of spring and turn to summer. It is also time to "close the books" on this absolute roller-coaster of a school year. To the teachers, aides, administrators, office staff, bus drivers, custodial staff, cafeteria staff and every single employee of a school district, I simply want to say THANK YOU for sticking with it this year. While not all of you have the summer "off," I do hope that each of you are able to bring closure to the 2020-2021 school year with some joyful summer moments (hopefully many of them!). To the 2021 graduates, congratulations! YOU DID IT! Now, go off and make yourselves proud.
June 30th marks the end of the fiscal year for our town, so it also seems like a fitting time to say that I am grateful to the many people in our town departments and on boards for their commitment to getting us through such an uncertain and unsettling time. From my vantage point, the critical and supportive functioning of our town continued throughout thanks to their hard work and dedication. Again, I hope the summertime affords opportunities to breath easier, reflect on accomplishments and experience some carefree moments.
Juneteenth (June 19th) is coming up. It is an annual day commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S. I am explaining that here because I, myself, have only recently become aware of it. Of course, there are many people reading this who have always known full well about this incredibly important holiday. I first learned about it last year and I have to admit, I was embarrassed and disappointed that I hadn't heard of it before (or at least that I could remember). How could I NOT KNOW THAT? Well, now I do and I am happy to see it more widely discussed and honored! You'll see further down in this newsletter that we are exhibiting the 2019 MLK Community Art Project at a Juneteenth art show in Marlborough. Join us there if you can!
Finally, June is Pride month. It honors and celebrates the impact that LGBTQ+ people have had on our country. Happy Pride month and happy summer to all!
Yours in community,
Kelley Petralia
Executive Director, Westborough Connects
kelleyconnects1@gmail.com
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Two Great Options to
Shop & Support Westborough Connects!
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We've partnered with Westborough's own Yummy Mummy Bakery for end of the school year teacher gifts, graduation treats and "Celebrate Summer" goodies!
Order through June 12 (shipping available for some items!)
Pick-up in store June 14 - 18
Items also available in store June 14 - 18
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Click HERE to view all options and place an order.
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You can also purchase a variety of apparel and gift items, including items with a Westborough Connects custom-designed graphic, through the fundraising platform ONE Mission. Forty percent of the proceeds go directly to Westborough Connects. This fundraiser runs through the end of June.
Click HERE to view and purchase items.
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Pictured: Customized Westborough Connects "Kindness Connects Us" tote bag for $20. |
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Thank you for your support! |
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Kindness Coins Painting Party
July 7th, 6:30-8pm
Bay State Commons
Now that we can gather in person, we are hosting a Ben's Bells Kindness Coins painting party, as a supplement to our Kick-off to Spring Kindness Week event.
Details to follow, including a sign-up sheet for the event. This event will be held outside, weather-permitting.
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This event is supported in part by a grant from the Westborough Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
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2nd Annual One Marlborough Celebration of Juneteenth
June 19th, 12-4pm
Marlborough Union Commons,
Main Street, Marlborough
Westborough Connects will be there to display the community art work created at our first Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Community Celebration in 2019. We hope to see you there!
For more event details click HERE .
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Seeking Photo Submissions |
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Submit your photos for inclusion in this project!
After taking a much-needed break, the Together. Apart. Always. team is resuming its work on this initiative cataloging our individual and collective experiences since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020. Please help us collect photos from this time period for a book we are producing.
We are specifically interested in the following: wedding pictures, voting pictures, 2020 graduation pictures, candid shots of life impacted by the pandemic (empty corporate parking lots, signs, groups of people doing things in a modified way due to safety guidelines).
You can email photos to westboroughconnects@gmail.com.
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Join us for a Program Planning Meeting |
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Save the date for a summer planning meeting and brainstorm for upcoming programs. We will dig in on details for planned programs and also spend some time brainstorming new ideas. Volunteers and partners are welcome!
Location and other details to follow, so stay tuned....
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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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Pre-registration required
Please register online HERE
(or call 508-366-3050).
Join the Westborough Public Library and the Recreation Department to learn all you've ever wanted to learn about Pickleball!
Learn about the various pickleball courts in town and how to use them, the rules of pickleball, as well as how to borrow paddles and balls from the library. If time allows, the group will divide into teams and attendees will all get to play a round.
Paddles and balls will be provided. Tennis shoes are encouraged but not required and it is recommended players bring their own water.
The Nelson Pickleball Courts can be found at 60 Lyman St. in Westborough. For directions or any questions, please contact the library at (508)-366-3050 or email westboro@cwmars.org.
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Opportunities for Connection, Volunteering and Civic Engagement |
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VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Westborough Senior Center
The Westborough Senior Center has volunteer opportunities for anyone who might be interested in providing seniors with a ride to a doctor appointment, assisting with grocery shopping, and/or delivering Meals on Wheels (weekdays) or Caregiver Dinners (Thursday afternoons). If you are interested in helping out, please contact Alma DeManche at ademanche@town.westborough.ma.us or call 508-366-3000.
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OPEN POSITION: Westborough Youth Commission
The Youth Commission in Westborough is seeking one adult voting member to fill a vacancy. The Youth Commission is a nine member volunteer board, composed of five adults and four high school students, appointed by the Board of Selectmen to advocate for the needs of youth, adults and families in Westborough. For more information about the position and the process for applying, click HERE. If you would like this information in a language other than English, please call 508-366-3090.
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OPEN POSITIONS: Westborough Town Seal Review Committee
At the recent Annual Town Meeting in Westborough, voters approved the formation of a committee to review the Town Seal (pictured here). The committee will consist of 7-9 community members. Interested community members are asked to submit a letter of interest, (THROUGH JUNE 29TH) which are being accepted until June 30th. For more information, including guidance on what to include in a letter of interest, please click HERE.
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Westborough Farmer's Market Returns |
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Opening June 24th!
The market will be open 2-6pm each Thursday until 9/30.
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Are you a vendor interested in being at the Farmer's Market, OR an individual interested in volunteering? If so, please reach out to farmers@westboroughrotary.org
Rotary Club of Westborough (WRC) has been working hard to make this happen and they appreciate everyone's patience and support.
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Congratulations to the Westborough High School Best Buddies club. They were recently awarded the Outstanding High School Chapter of the Year for all of Massachusetts! The club continued to create a sense of community during this incredible year through numerous activities. Highlights from this year included: a unified Bocce Ball league, a Special Olympics virtual dance, a "Just Dance" event, hosting Frank Stevens, a comedian and international advocate with Down Syndrome during its Spread the Word to End the Word Campaign (STWTETW), and a successful food drive.
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Westborough High School graduate Ryan Doan Nyugen was recently interviewed by the Community Advocate for his efforts to combat anti-Asian hate. Read more about it, including a recent honor he received from the Boston Red Sox for his work, HERE.
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Are you or one of your neighbors, friends or family members a senior citizen who is new to Westborough? If so, the Westborough Senior Center is a community resource to check out! They offer several activities and resources to the community. A good place to start is by reading their June Senior Scene newsletter HERE.
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Noteworthy Reads and Resources |
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In honor of Pride month in June, Westborough Youth & Family Services has shared a list of mental health resources for LGBTQ+ community members HERE (curated by Families for Depression Awareness).
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Languishing and flourishing: Psychologist Adam Grant’s recent op-ed for The New York Times discussed languishing - an experience that many people have felt during the pandemic. Listen and read an NPR interview with Grant about his article HERE.
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With Juneteenth celebrated this month, it is a great time to once again share that Westborough Connects produces a monthly Racial Justice Toolkit, available to all. HERE is a link to our website with each of the monthly editions. You can also sign up HERE to receive it in your email inbox.
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The CDC Covid-19 Eviction Moratorium ends on June 30th. The Westborough COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program is still accepting applications, providing up to 4 months of assistance for past-due and current rent. Contact Merkeisha Dickson at merkeisha@metrowestcd.org (preferred method) or at 617-893-3979 to start the application process. Translation and TTY services available. Also of note, Massachusetts emergency rental assistance programs have been expanded, with up to 15 months of rental assistance for back rent and current rents, and up to $1,500 in payments for past due utility bills. Call 2-1-1 for information and to apply (RAFT, ERMA, and ERAP Programs). Info about rental assistance programs is HERE.
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"We need to remember across generations that there is as much to learn as there is to teach."
-Gloria Steinem
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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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2021 Westborough Connects Grant Sponsor |
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westboroughconnects@gmail.com l www.westboroughconnects.org |
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