MYC, JAG and UWTC Logo 

MYC & JAG
November 2012
Newsletter
  
MYC After School Program

MYC Youth The Milford Youth Center's After School Program is seeing over 100 youth each day! Youth must bring a filled out and signed registration form in order to attend the Center. Click here for the November calendar.

 

The Youth Center offers a variety of free services for local youths, ages 8-18. The Milford Youth Center houses a gym, game room, computer room and lounge.

If you would like to volunteer or run a program  during the after school program please call or email the Director.

The Milford Youth Center is pleased to partner with Teachers Driving Academy to offer students a great program, at a reasonable price, with the added convenience of taking classes right at school! Click here for more information.
 

The Milford Youth Center would like to thank the numerous volunteers, individuals and organizations that allow us to continue to grow and provide a safe and fun environment for the Youth of Milford! We would like to specifically thank Henry Morris for running Taekwondo, Luis for running Kung Fu, Hannafords of Milford, United Way of Tri-County, Teachers Driving Academy, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and donations from Dick Kelly's Farm Stand, Uni-Select of Milford and Sacred Heart Church of Hopedale!
Over 200 Youth attend the
2nd Find Yourself Friday event:
Haunted Halloween Party!

Over 200 youth attended the second Find Yourself Friday youth event of the school year on Friday, October 26th from 6:30 - 9:00 PM at the Milford Youth Center! The Haunted Halloween Party included a DJ, music, games, raffles, face & pumpkin painting, food & beverages for sale, a costume contest and Haunted House! For photos of event, click here. For video of MYC Youth volunteers taking dance break, click here!

The event was $3 per person to attend and all proceeds will go towards the United Way of Tri-County's Feed-A-Family for Fifty Campaign. The goal of the campaign is to provide a Thanksgiving or holiday turkey dinner for 3,000 Metrowest families in need. The Face of Hunger has changed and so must our efforts in tackling this growing problem that exists in our own back yard! For more information on "Feed-A-Family" click here: http://www.uwotc.org/feed4fifty 

 

Thank you to the numerous volunteers and organizations that made this event possible. We would especially like to thank Hannafords of Milford, CARE volunteers from MHS, Gabbie Graziano, Jenny Medina, Christine Daddario, Tyler Liverpool, Justin Barr, Diane Spittler, Dick Kelly's Farm Stand, Dynamic One Productions, United Way of Tri-County, DoSomething.org, CHNA-6 and youth and adult volunteers from JAG and the Milford Youth Center!

 

Find Yourself Fridays is a
once-per-month event held at the Milford Youth Center on a Friday night. This event gives youth a safe environment to be with their peers and enjoy music, dancing, games and healthy snacks. Find Yourself Friday's mission is to create a healthy, fun and educational environment for our youth while offering them an opportunity to improve their community. Members of the JAG Youth Council meet weekly to develop monthly themes based on what they feel is an important issue facing the community and give a portion of the money collected to the cause of the month.   

These events are not possible without the help of adults in our community. If you are able to help out with even just one event (hours 6-9) please contact Jen Ward.
First MYC Youth Got Game Sports Night and Training Combine!

Join us for the first "MYC Youth Got Game" Sports Night and Training Combine on Friday, November 16th from 6:30-9:00 PM at the Milford Youth Center! This event will celebrate the importance of physical activity and sports! 

The Milford Youth Center and JAG Youth Council were awarded a grant last June, after youth began to recognize that many of their peers at the MYC are unable to afford the cost of school sports. The JAG Youth Council wanted to offer an alternative source of exercise and a resource through which young people can develop athletic skills. By coordinating seasonal sporting events in which young people pay a small fee to participate, this team will create a scholarship program to fund one male and one female per season to play the sport of his/her choice and/or create a annual scholarship to a graduating senior who has utilized the Youth Center. Moreover, the events, which will include sports relevant to each season, will offer young people at the Milford Youth Center a safe environment to hone their individual talents, learn, and play. 

The first event will include speeches from local Olympians and athletes (TBA soon!), a Training Combine, raffles and numerous sports games to participate in! The first 50 participants to sign up for the Training Combine, run by staff from Athletic Based Training, will receive a free t-shirt! 

This event was made possible by the Milford Rotary Club and United Way of Tri-County's Youth Venture Program!

We are looking for individual and sports teams to volunteers at this event. Please contact the Milford Youth Center if you would like to help out at 508-473-1757 or milfordyouthcenter@comcast.net

For flier, click here

JAG Meeting

JAG logo

Please join us at our next JAG meeting on Wednesday, November 7th from 8:45-10 AM at the Milford Police Station.   

This year we are focusing on working with the Middle Schools PBIS committee to collaborate our initiatives of developmental assets into they're positive interventions provided to the students.

 

In November, JAG Youth Council students will meet with all the 5th graders to discuss the JAG program, the benefits it has had on them personally and for the community at large. They will also discuss the importance of friendship and what it takes to be a "true friend." All 5th grade students will be given bookmarks outlining the positive traits it takes to be a "friend in deed" as well as the information on participating in the Youth Council.

 

 

The JAG membership is also working on creating a resource brochure, which will be available to families, educators, local organizations and professionals in the following ways:

 

  • Paper form to be taken or handed out to those in need.
  • The possibility of being included in student handbooks with a sign off sheet assuring the parents are aware of this list of resources.
  • List is also proposed to be located on school, town and JAG websites.

 

If you are interested in being part of this resource brochure or have an organization which you feel would benefit from being included please email communityimpactinc@gmail.com

Milford Play Initiative Updates!

 

The Milford Play Initiative is currently seeking board members to help with the completion of the playground at the Fino Field. We are looking for support form local community members who have an interest in getting this project completed and being involved in the research of grant funds.

 

The next Play meeting is Monday, November 19th at 1pm, location TBD.  For more information and if you would like to get involved, email Amy Leone at communityimpactinc@gmail.com or Tamara Palmer at drpalmer@milfordchiropractor.com

Truth Yoga Studio Open House
Sunday, November 11th!

Truth Yoga Studio - Finding the truth within yourself - is joining the team at Community Impact this month! Amy Leone, owner of Community Impact states "adding the element of Yoga to a company which focuses on facilitating change for individuals and families will increase the well being and inner strength of additional community members with the tools they need to help keep a peaceful mind and a balance life through their yoga practice."

 

Tracy Ward, owner of Truth Yoga Studio feels a deep connection to the the services available through Community Impact. She states "Its safe to say my childhood wasn't that much of a conventional one. My parents were divorced when I was two. My dad was an infamous "tough guy" and an alcoholic. I witnessed things at such an early age that  lead me to build a wall around myself for many years. I surrounded myself with kids like me, making bad decisions and experienced years of self destruction. Then I was lucky enough to find my solace with the practice of Yoga."

For Tracy her journey started when she was 19. She recalls feeling intimidated by her first beginners yoga class. She admits that it took her time to allow herself to be free of insecurity, letting go of her self-doubt and explore all the beautiful facets Yoga had to offer. Twenty years later she still feels like that new student walking into the door for the first time. It keeps her humble and an equal with her class members.

Truth Yoga Studio practices prana (breath) meditation and asanas (postures). It is our goal that through your practice here you are able to release years of self-doubt and learn the importance of self discovery.  Throughout our classes you will become mindful of the present moment, letting go of the past and there outcomes. Reprograming your mind and body to just BE.

  Truth Yoga Studio is excited to be part of the Milford community. We hope to shed our experiences through our teachings and offering each student to live in the present moment and  give you  the freedom to find your individual truth through the practice of Yoga.

The open house for the Truth Yoga Studio will be on Sunday, November 11th, 2012 at 6:00pm. Classes will start on Sunday, November 18th. You can recieve 10% off classes, if you attend the Open House! 

 

For more information, visit here.

Healthy Futures Milford

Dedication of the "Little Engine That Could"

Historic Walk

 

Please join Healthy Futures Milford for the dedication of the "Little Engine that Could" Historic Walk! 

 

The dedication will take place at the Milford Town Hall, located at 52 Main St. on Friday, November 2nd. The dedication and reception will begin at 10:00 am in the downstairs lobby at the Town Hall. It is recommended that you park at the Youth Center or possibly at the Senior Center and walk up North Bow Street. The Historic Walk will take place at 10:30 am and will include the 10 historic sites downtown, where train stamps have been placed in the sidewalk!

 

 

Community Partners include: Hockomock Area YMCA, Milford Regional Medical Center, Milford Highway Department, Milford Public Schools, Town of Milford, Milford Town Library, BVT Regional Vocational High School, Milford Family & Community Network, Walk Boston, Community Impact, Inc., 4 Better Health, ABT, WMRC, Hopedale Unitarian and Milford Unitarian Universalist Church.

 

Special thanks to Hannaford Supermarket, Lions Club, Rotary Club, Scott Crisafulli and Molinari Concrete for their generous support!

 

For information on event and Healthy Futures Milford: email: laurenm@hockymca.org 

or text Walk1 to 88000 for Milford Walking Map. The next next Healthy Futures is Tuesday, Nov. 20th from 10-11:30 at Shining Star Preschool at Milford High. 

JAG Youth Council
Participates in 4th Annual
Greater Milford

CROP Hunger Walk

JAG Youth Council members participated in and raised money for the the 4th Annual Greater Milford CROP Walk for Hunger that took place on Saturday, Oct. 27th. Over the last 3 years the walk has been able to raise almost $20,000 to help feed the hungry around the world in disaster stricken countries and in our own community. 25% of that money has gone to the Milford Food Pantry and other local Food Programs, which has helped many families faced with hunger. This year the funds will go to support the Salvation Army's food bank and the Meals on Wheels program. "CROP" stands for Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty. For photos of JAG Youth Council members during the walk, click here. For Milford Daily News article and picture of JAG members, click here!

Join us for a Focus Group!

Are you between the ages of 15 and 24 and living in or around Milford? If so, we would love for you to be a part of a focus group about health care. We are seeking men and women to give information that will help us to identify health care needs in the region. 

 

The focus group will last for 30 minutes and will be held at Community Impact, located at 211 Main St., Room 3,  in Milford. Date TBD. 

 

Each participant will receive a $20 gift card and refreshments! 

 

To sign up, call Jen at 508-585-2250 (x258).

 

 

Cooking Matters!

Cooking Matters is a nonprofit offering it's free 6-week program for up to 16 parents (one per household). The six classes will be taking place Wednesday, Nov 7, Nov 14, Nov 21, Nov 28, Dec 6, Dec 13 from 5:30 - 7:30 PM at Creative Community Childcare at the First UU of Milford (23 Pine Street, Milford, MA 01757).  We will discuss healthy eating habits, food budgeting, and learn basic cooking techniques. Approximately one-half of the class focuses on basic nutrition messages, while the other half is spent preparing recipes that reflect the day's nutrition messages.

 

This is NOT a drop-in program - participants are asked to attend all six weeks. Each course participant receives the course curriculum - a resource containing nutrition, food safety, and food budgeting information in addition to numerous healthy, low cost recipes. Adult participants receive the day's recipes and a bag of groceries containing the ingredients to make the dish at home.

 

To sign up, call or sign up at Creative Community Childcare. This is limited to the first 16 parents who are able to commit to the six classes listed above. Please note if childcare, transportation or both or necessary for you to participate.

 

Click here for PDF. 

Jingle Bell Jamboree

Stay warm with Holiday crafts, snacks, music and pictures with Santa before the annual Santa Parade!

 

Join us on Sunday, December 2nd from 2-4 PM for the Milford Youth Center's 4th Annual Jingle Bell Jamboree! The event will be $3 per person or $10 per family. All proceeds go towards youth programs and events at the Milford Youth Center.

 

If you would like to have a table or craft activity at the event please click here and fill out information or call 508-473-1756. If anyone has a trailer bed that they are willing to let us use and modify for the parade, please contact us ASAP!  

For more information and flier, please click here.  If you are walking or on our float for the Santa Parade, please meet us at the Friendly's parking lot at 3:30 on that Sunday. For more information contact, milfordyouthcenter@comcast.net

Community Calendar 

 

    Visit our community calendar for more local community events.

     

    The MYC and JAG Monthly Newsletter will be e-mailed at the beginning of every month. If you would like to have something placed in the newsletter please e-mail Jen Ward, at jenward24@gmail.com.
November 1, 2012
In This Issue
MYC After School program
Find Yourself Friday
MYC Youth Got Game
JAG Meeting
Milford Road Race
Truth Yoga Open House
Community Impact
4th Annual CROP Walk
Community Impact
Community Impact
Jingle Bell Jamboree

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Juvenile Advocacy Group (JAG) mission is to work with its community partners to bring resources together to prevent substance abuse and address other emerging needs in the community. The Massachusetts communities included in JAG's service area are the towns of Milford, Bellingham and Hopedale. Through JAG's programs and services youth and their families are able to gain the information and resources to help live and lead healthier lives.  For more information, click here.

Milford Youth Center (MYC) mission is to provide a safe environment that promotes self esteem, builds character, and fosters the notion of community and the importance of respecting and serving others. For more information, click here.