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Over 400 in Attendance & 60 Volunteers at
MYC Haunted Maze and
Halloween
Party!
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We would like to thank the over 400 people who attended our annual Halloween Party on Friday, November 1st, 2019 and the over 60 volunteers who helped make it happen! The community was able to enjoy lots of activities along with food, drinks and candy! Some of the activities included DJ Ron Auger, costume contest, jumpies, pumpkin decorating, face painting, sack racing and a Haunted Maze!
We would like to thank the Milford Fire Department for making sure that our Haunted Maze was safe and for bringing their new ladder truck and Sparky to our event! A huge Thank you to Ron Taylor and John Dulude
who helped us tremendously in our efforts to make a safe and fun maze for this event
! John even got into the acting spirit to play one of the biggest roles in our maze.
We are so thankful for the amazing collaboration with Stonehill College and Framingham State University that sent us Patricia Birch, Ian Anderson, Wilson Capone, Joselina Fontes, Jacob Gainey, Brendan Lewis, James Milinazzo, Evan Ross, John Elmer, Joshua Gorgone, John Viselli, Steven Wickstrom, Nicolas Cannavo, Joseph Osmanski, Fredrick Feliciano, Sean O'Leary, Patrick O'Shea, Mickey Riley, Aiden Shea, and Iam Rodas.
Thank you to the several Milford NHS members for volunteered for both activity tables and the haunted maze including: Suhabia Amir, Anne Flanagan, Elizabeth Baza,  Tatiana Martinez, Niya Karamanov, Sophia Wilson, Julia Kidman, Grace Prevelige, Vivian Lin, Olivia Marshall, Jillian Cameron, Bruna Costa and April Swain. Thank you to our Board Members, Darlene Dulude and
Sandra Caproni for running the front table for the event.
Thank you to our MYC Youth Council members for helping run the various activities/games including Joycee Flauris, Connor Brooks, Kyle Barlow, Nicholas Gomes, Caleb Ramnauth, Maribelle Oliveira, Vram Qhuizhpi, Joel Zamora, Erica Colon Nivar, Angelica and Liliana Gonzalez, and Jonathan and Justin Zhunio. We would also like to thank Jake Cahill for single-handily doing all of our maze volunteers, make-up.  And of course thank you to all of our returning and new volunteers, Joshua Gagnon, Ricky Gagnon, Liz Harkins, Beverly Prescott, Kimberly and Lily Robinson, Kristy Smith, Tyler Ferrone, Joanna Abrantes and Jerry Maglitta.
Thank all so much for all of your help and support! We would not have been able to do this without all of you! Finally, thank you to our guests (and to those who donated an item to our collection for KIND: Kids in Need of Defense), the community of Milford! We hope to see you all next time!
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November After School Program!
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We cannot believe we are already in our third month of the After School Program, with over 300 registered members! For November calendar, click
here
. This month we are excited to offer:
Open Gym
- Open gym is a non-structured program where youth are allowed free play and choice of activities in the gym as well as the rest of the youth center (lounge and game room).
Life Skills-
Ever feel like you are not being taught some very valuable life skills? We are looking to help by providing monthly life skills programs. Last month we offered crocheting, which was volunteer run and will continue as its own program this month. This month our life skills program will be run by Joanna Abrantes who will be teaching the kids to write in cursive! Many kids these days do not know how to sign their own name, so this program will be very helpful.
Crocheting-
This is program started out as a life skills program and will continue as its own program this month. This is led by our volunteers Joann Smith-Barnes and Beverly Prescott. Kids will learn the very basics of crocheting so they can continue to build off of those skills for future projects. 
Airplane Flying - On Friday, November 8th Indoor Plane Flying will return from 5:00-6:00, this is a great opportunity to learn how to fly model airplanes, it is brought to us by volunteers from Millis Model Aircrafts!
Milford TV-
We are very excited to announce a collaboration with Milford TV! MTV has been a continuous community support for us and we can't wait to incorporate them into our programing! This program is run by the director of MTV, Liz Harkins who will be explaining the camera/filming process used to film community events! The kids may even have the opportunity to film our Thanksgiving event this year!
Homework Help- This is a volunteer led program. Currently we have several volunteers (Niya Karamanov, a NHS member, Lily Robinson a student volunteer, and Pamela Wilkinson). Youth can, upon request receive help from staff in the game room area for homework they are having  trouble with. All game systems will be turned off for the first hour of the after-school program in order to provide a more focused environment for getting work done. If youth would prefer not to have help with their homework, they are provided space to do it on their own.
Tutoring-
Do you need extra one on one help with a difficult subject? Parents are encouraged to contact the Milford Youth Center's Program Coordinator Kathleen Irwin (
kirwin@townofmilford.com
) to set up specific tutoring times during our after school program. She will set each child up with a volunteer tailored towards their difficulty.
Weight Lifting (ages 15-18) -
Weight Lifting will be run by our staff member, Shapel Feaster. This program is run in our very own gym. Kids will learn the proper way to lift weights, use gym equipment and build healthy muscle.
Quiet Zone-
Quiet zone is run by two volunteers Sarah Watson Schneider and Maddy Poitras. This program allows the student access to our computer lab along with a quiet space to study, do homework or read silently.
Pound-
Instead of listening to music, you become the music in this exhilarating full-body workout that combines cardio, conditioning, and strength training with yoga and pilates-inspired movements. Using Ripstix®, lightly weighted drumsticks engineered specifically for exercising, POUND transforms drumming into an incredibly effective way of working out. This program is sponsored by Milford Regional Hospital and run by Cara from FerroneFit/Project Fit.
STEAM-
STEAM will be run by Kim Wach, one of returning volunteers.
Understanding Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEAM) Skills. Think about key skills needed in today's workplace: problem solving, analytical thinking, and the ability to work independently. What do they all have in common? They're all related to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). Kids will learn how these skills can be used in everyday life while having fun creating their own projects at MYC.
Youth Council-
Youth Council will be run by Chrissy Ferrucci. In Youth Council, kids will learn to be youth leaders in their own community.
Our youth council members strive to make a difference in the community by facilitating different youth community events and taking part in volunteer opportunities.
Boxing
- Boxing is run by Brian Bell. Brian has assisted in running this group in the past and has brings a lot of experience to this program. This is a group class that meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Improv
- Improv will be run by our volunteer Barbara Brashier and our program coordinator Kathleen Irwin. This program will allow kids to learn to be comfortable in their own skin while learning some basic acting skills. We hope to have as much fun as we did during our summer camp improv and help build some new talent.
Gardening-
Gardening will be run by one of our After-School staff members, Chrissy Ferrucci. Chrissy grew up at a nearby farm near Milford and has a plethora of knowledge in regards to growing and maintaining a garden. We have already used several of our garden items in our nutrition program, which is a huge hit! The kids have closed the outside garden for the year, but will continue to grow and maintain our indoor garden during the colder months.
Crafts
- Crafts is led by Joanna Abrantes and Volunteer Darlene Dulude! Joanna and Darlene have a great eye for fun crafts for all ages. This program is all about fun and creativity, and a lot of experimenting from Pinterest. We use a lot of up-cycled materials so youth can learn about recycling and the benefits it has to the environment.
Nutrition
- Led by our Assistant Director Katie Covell and volunteer Darlene Dulude, this program will focus on all of the students making easy and fun recipes as well as tasting new foods. Youth will also be shown the importance of healthy eating through modeling and will be encouraged to make healthy changes through discussion and staff guidance.
Nail Salon
- Nail Salon will be run by our Assistant Director, Katie Covell. This month the nail salon will be open to all after school members on November 25th, right in time for Thanksgiving! So come in, relax and have your nails done for free!
 Dog B.O.N.E.S. Therapy-
We are very excited to welcome back Dawn Foley who was trained from Dog B.O.N.E.S therapy, Dawn will be offering her therapy dog service at least once a month at the Milford Youth Center. Dawn and her two therapy dogs (Daisy, a 12 year old King Charles Cavalier) and (Callie, a 14 month cocker spaniel) will be greeting students on Nov. 22nd.
The Milford Youth Center has become the focal point for the children of Milford. It hosts many different activities and events throughout the year for the youth of Milford and/or the Milford Schools. The Milford Youth Center's after school program is open for youth ages 8-18, free of charge, from 2-6 pm, Monday through Friday (check monthly calendar, website and social media for any changes due to weather, holidays or vacation weeks). All Youth members must be picked up by time of closing (unless they walk home). Pick up is outside of the building on 24 Pearl St. Please visit our
website
for both our
weather policy
and
traffic control plan
.
 All participants must fill out a
registration form annually to be a member. Once this form is completed and returned to the Center, the member will be provided with a key tag and ID number (if they are new members to the program). This will be how the Youth Center staff will track attendance. Therefore, all members are required to bring in their key tag in order to enter the facility. If key tag is lost, the Center will charge $1.00 for replacement. The game room, lounge and gymnasium will be offered daily. There will be structured programs that participants must sign up for to participate in. Members are also able to use our washer and dryer, free of charge, during operation hours. The Center also offers a free snack and dinner program, due to the collaboration of CACFP, Hockomock Area YMCA and the Milford School Food & Nutrition Services department.
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Sira Naturals, Inc. Donates $500
to Support Annual MYC Thanksgiving Dinner!
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We would like to extend a huge thank you to Sira Naturals, Inc. for their $500 to support our Annual thanksgiving Dinner for the After School program!
We are reaching out to the community to continue to support this event and help us prepare a Thanksgiving meal for our After School program on Tuesday, November 26th! Every year, with the help of our MYC Youth Council members, staff prepare a meal full of turkey, sides, desserts and drinks for our After School members. Last year we fed over 125 youth!
We are looking to the community (individuals, families, organizations, businesses, restaurants) to donate an item for our meal (it does not have be a traditional Thanksgiving dish)! If you are interested in participating, please contact us and we can schedule a time to pick up the item!
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MYC Receives $8,000 CHNA 6 Grant
for a Boxing Ring!
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We are excited to announce that the Milford Youth Center received a Community Partners for Health grant to support the purchase of a portable boxing ring. With the addition of a boxing ring to our boxing program, the Milford Youth Center is looking to directly increase the attendance of physical fitness programming at the Youth Center.
The mission of the Milford Youth Center 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. In staying with this vision, the Center offers many health and fitness classes to our youth during our free after school
program, for 8-18-year old's. T
he Center typically offers
two to three structured programs daily, 75% of those being geared towards health and wellness. In addition to these structured programs that the members have a choice to participate in, the Center offers open gym, a game room and a café/lounge area.
Due to a local donation and the dedication of MYC staff and volunteers, the Center was able to officially start the boxing program on November 6, 2018. In the first month alone, we had 34 unduplicated youth participants in the program. We had a total of 97 unduplicated youth participate over last school year (2018-2019) and we are looking to increase those numbers for thiscurrent school year, especially with the introduction of a boxing ring!
We believe that the addition of a boxing ring will only increase participation and in turn increase physical activity with the population we serve.
As an added reward and incentive to afterschool members who participate in any of our fitness and/or nutritional programs, we also provide a fresh fruit or vegetable snack after the program is over.
We incorporated this
into our
full year programming last school year with the goal
in mind to improve
the nutrition and health of our
after school members.
In fact, we gave out
912 pieces of fruits and vegetables last year through programs which included nutrition, boxing, cardio dance jam, POUND, weight lifting and fit camp! Thank you CHNA-6 for awarding us this grant! We would also like to thank interim Police Chief Michael Pighetti for writing a letter of support for the grant!
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ANP Bellingham Energy Company, LLC
Donates $2,500 to MYC!
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 HUGE thank you to ANP Bellingham Energy Company, LLC for their generous donation of $2,500 to go towards our 2019 Telethon! This brings us to almost $15,000 raised at this year's event, surpassing our original goal of $10,000! This annual fund-raising campaign supports our endeavors to finish a multimedia and music room in the basement of the Center.
In addition, as part of the 2019 United Way Campaign, Mike Volpe of ANP Bellingham, supported by Nydam Landscaping, conducted a fall clean-up which included: weed and trash removal, sidewalk and parking area clean-up, bed mulching, lawn irrigation and fertilization, and provided fall flowers for the Youth Center entry way!
Mike has organized this type of clean-up for the last couple years to help the Center upkeep the front entrance area. This area was completely transformed in 2016, as a joint community project with ANP Bellingham Energy Company, LLC, Consigli Construction, and Nydam Landscaping. The project included: removal of old grass and relocating of rocks, sod and turf, new tree and pruning of existing tree, placement of memorial pavers, 3 granite benches, and new plants and flowers. We are so grateful of your continued support!
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Waters Corp. Take MYC Members
to Patriots Game!
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 We would like to thank Waters Corporation and their staff for inviting members of the Youth Center to attend the October 27th Patriots vs. Browns game! Milford Youth Center staff, along with eight After School members, attended the game at Gillette Stadium! The group was able to enjoy a day full of activities, lunch, games and photos at the Hall of Fame, and meet Pat the Patriot and some Patriots Cheerleaders dressed in Halloween costumes! Finally, despite the weather, we got to enjoy great seats covered, near the end zone! Thank you again Waters, for allowing us to take part in such a fun day!
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MYC Thanks Community for Donations:
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The Youth Center would like to extend a very appreciative thank you to the following list who donated items and/or their time this month to the Center:
- Ariea Bryan & Amazon for donating snacks and drinks;
- Brian Murray for the monetary donation on behalf of Catherine L. Coyne Foundation;
- Principal Kearnan from Woodland for donating extra pizzas;
- Town Clerks Office for donating pastries;
- Dulude Family for donating a mirror for our weight room;
- John Dulude & Ron Taylor for getting the correct mounts and mounting the mirror in the weight room;
- Phillis Murray for your generous monetary donation;
- Courtney Walsh for donating a basketball hoop, blocks and a grocery cart for our kids play group;
- Imrana Kazam for donating two pairs of shoes and decorative duct tape;
- Carrie McGrath for donating arts and crafts and recycling supplies;
- Friend of the Hopedale Library for donating books for our reading nook;
- Tracey Andreotti for donating arts and craft supplies;
- Sue Ellen Syzmanski for allowing us to put a KIND donation box in the children's room at the Library;
- Fran Stone for donating a vintage Milford jacket;
- Marie Decampo for donating craft supplies, sea shells, and plastic containers.
The Youth Center relies on donations to help sustain our programs! Please contact the Center if you would like to donate!
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Common Items to Donate to MYC!
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 Looking to help support the Milford Youth Center in other ways? Here at the Milford Youth Center we rely heavily on donations from our community, but we still buy several items weekly/monthly to support the building.
Here is a list of items we use frequently:
- Sponges
- Band-aids (small, medium, large)
- Alcohol wipes
- Dish washer detergent (cascade or equivalent)
- Ziplock bags (quart/gallon)
- Batteries
- Disinfectant wipes
- Plastic cooking gloves
- For more on wish list, click here!
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Join us for our MYC Kid's Play Group on November the 7th, 14th, and 21st! This is a children's play group for parents and/or guardians to bring their kids to play, craft and socialize! The groups will run everything Thursday afternoons from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm!
Each session will include activities such as circle time, free play, crafts, snack, story time, and clean up! There is a requested donation of $5 per family per session, so the MYC can continue and expand groups and programming. Come on down and bring your child to run and play while adults socialize and meet other families in the community!
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MYC Morning Walking: Starting in November!
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The Milford Youth Center will begin the indoor walking program 9 AM to 10:30 AM Tuesday and Thursday mornings for Milford residents to use the gym for walking.
Reminder that you will have to complete a liability waiver the first time you join!
For November, the Center will be open during those hours for the following dates (we have coffee and tea too!);
- Nov. 7th
- Nov. 12th & Nov. 14th
- Nov. 19th & Nov. 21st
- Nov. 26th
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Adult Open Gym will
Continue
into November!
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Adult Open Gym will continue on Wednesday nights through November 6th, 13th and 20th from 9:00 pm-10:30 pm. *THERE WILL BE NO ADULT OPEN GYM WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 27th!*
This is only open to adults (18+). You will have to fill out a waiver your first time participating, along with providing a license and/or ID.
Milford residents will be charged $3 each and out-of-town participants will be charged $5 each week.
For any questions, please call Center at 508-473-1756.
Please check Facebook and/or Twitter page for cancellations).
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Join the MYC as SCI AmeriCorps Members!
2 Position are Open!
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 The MYC is looking for two
Social Capital Inc. AmeriCorps member, for a position starting in September!
The SCI AmeriCorps program supports youth success by increasing volunteerism and providing leadership training and community service opportunities for youth. The goal of the SCI AmeriCorps program is to connect youth with relationships, experiences and resources they need to succeed. Members implement volunteer outreach and capacity building activities that increase volunteer participation, and provide leadership training and community service opportunities for youth.
When you join AmeriCorps, you use your energy, ideals, and talents to help others. Plus, you'll earn money for education, learn to be a leader, and gain real job skills. SCI AmeriCorps members aim to build social capital in their communities through civic engagement opportunities, while gaining valuable experience in the process!
SCI AmeriCorps members are placed into one of two teams, Volunteer Outreach Coordinators and Youth Leadership Coordinators. We are currently filling two positions at the Milford Youth Center that will serve 1700 hours from September 2019 to June 2020.
If you are interested, please review the position description here:
To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to the program manager
here. For more information about Social Capital Inc. visit
here.
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Teachers Driving Academy (TDA)
2019-2020 Classes!
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 The Milford Youth Center would like to thank the TDA for $28,000 worth of donation funds through their 2018-2019 sessions! The Milford Youth Center is pleased to partner with Teachers Driving Academy to offer students a great program, at a reasonable price, with added convenience of taking classes right at school! We are very grateful for this collaboration and support!
TDA 2019-2020 registration information:
- You are now able to pay the $119.00 fee here! We no longer collect payments at the Youth Center. This classroom registration price INCLUDES the fee that must be paid to the RMV for the teen's driver's education certificate. THIS IS A FEE THAT THE RMV MAKES ALL DRIVING SCHOOLS COLLECT ON BEHALF OF THE TEENS who complete driver's education.
- For more information, please visit the TDA website here.
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Rentals Available at MYC!
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The Milford Youth Center is available for rental purposes. The spaces available to rent are the gymnasium and/or stage area, conference room and batting cages. We do require an application to be filled out 3 weeks prior to your event and must comply with our rules and regulations. All information required must be submitted prior to the approval of your request. Please contact Assistant Director, Katie Covell,
here or at 508-473-1756 for more information. All booking for rentals are by appointment only!
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Milford Youth Center
Newsletter
November 2019
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| Join the Milford Youth Center on Facebook and Twitter |
 
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| Join the Youth Council
on Facebook and Twitter |
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| Check out one of our major sponsors |
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 Check out our MYC Apparel! |
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 Check out Newsletter Sponsor |
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