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November 3, 2024
~ Building Community One Positive Story at a Time.
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Hope Is Here in Brockton, Let's Carry It On
On October 18th, Massachusetts Community Action Network (MCAN) kicked off the Carry It On 2024 Fall fundraising season in Brockton by highlighting the work of Brockton Interfaith Community (BIC)! Serving Brockton since 1990, BIC works to improve and enhance the city through education, social justice, faith-inspired community collaboration, and campaigns committed to bringing together and lifting up diverse faiths and ethnicities in the greater Brockton area. BIC is one of eight MCAN affiliate locations celebrated by the Carry It On annual fundraiser for their work to shape a just and equitable future.
At the opening event for Carry It On 2024, BIC and attendees shared stories, built connections, and committed to the fight for racial and economic justice in our community. This initiative serves to remind us that hope is alive in Brockton, and when facing obstacles or hate, we will find power in our vote, in our voice, and in one another. Hope starts with us!
Source & Photo Credit: Brockton Interfaith Community, BIC FB, MCAN Carry It On 2024
Story written by Sara MacKinnon, BuzzAround Intern, Providence College
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Historical Tidbit: A Historical Look at US Voting | |
1788: Electoral College is established.
If a candidate wins the popular vote (a vote cast by a citizen) in a state, they win that state's Electoral College vote. It is possible, mathematically, to win the popular vote and lose the presidential election.
1820–1830: As states join the union they create their own state voting regulations. Eligible voters are mostly white males who own property. A small number of free black men are allowed to vote.
1848: Wisconsin enters the union and allows people from other countries the right to vote if they had lived in Wisconsin for one year and plan to become US citizens.
1850: Laws are created in some states that voters must pass a literacy test.
1866: The 14th Amendment to the Constitution is passed by Congress. Men age 21 and over who are residents of the United States have the right to vote. Any state preventing these rights will lose electors in the Electoral College.
1869: 15th Amendment to the Constitution: All men the right to vote regardless of race, color, or if they were formally slaves.
1877: The presidential election of 1876: the Electoral Commission gives disputed Electoral votes to Rutherford B. Hayes, despite Samuel Tilden winning the popular vote.
1890: Many states begin to use secret ballots so that voters cannot be bullied.
1920: August 18, Congress passes the 19th Amendment to the Constitution giving women the right to vote.
1964: Congress passed the 24th Amendment to the Constitution outlawing poll taxes. Poll taxes, or tax fees for voting.
1965: The Voting Rights Act is signed by President Lyndon Johnson. The act enforces the 15th Amendment by explicitly stating that obstacles, such as literacy tests or complicated ballot instructions, are against federal law.
1971: 26th Amendment is passed lowering the voting age from 21 to 18.
1975: Congress expands the Voting Rights Act to protect the voting rights of those people who do not speak or read English.
Story credit: Scholastic
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Submit to the City's Events Calendar:
Please follow this link to submit
City Hall
45 School St 508-580-7123
brockton.ma.us
Check the city website for important updates
Brockton Public Library
Main Library - 304 Main St. 508-580-7890
East Branch - 54 Kingman St. 508-580-7892
West Branch - 540 Forest Ave. 508-580-7894
brocktonpubliclibrary.org
instagram.com/teenzonebppl.
Council on Aging
Temporarily at The Shaws Center,
1 Feinberg Way 508-580-7811
Email coa@cobma.us
COA
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Congratulations!
Evelyn DeLutis
won
1 hour Living in the Gift coaching from GleeWorks
Learn mind-body spirit practices with Marcy Venezia building a foundation for healing. ($80 value.) GleeWorks.net
Bee sure to play our Historical Tidbit Trivia Game at the bottom of this newsletter.
Enter for this week's prize of
a $25 gift certificate to Johnny Macaroni's Restaurant, East Bridgewater & Halifax
johnnymacaronis.com
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Beginner Bookworms
Wed, Nov 6
4:30-5:30p
Brockton Public Library Children's Room
304 Main St
Kids in grades 1-4 are invited to join Miss Ashley in improving and enhancing reading skills through group and solo reading weekly. Children will read excerpts of their chosen books during the first part of the club. In the second half, they will be given the opportunity to select books to read independently and then story tell to the group.
Source: Brockton Public Library
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Calling All
Creative Veterans
Sat, Nov 9
Brockton Public Library, 304 Main St
Brockton Public Library will be holding their Voices of Veterans "Thank You for Your Service" on Saturday, November 9th! To help bring this day of honor and recognition to life, BPL is calling all creative veterans, family members, and friends for submissions, readers, and live performances of creative writing, poetry, visual arts, and musical entertainment. Art projects will be collected and submitted to the library.
All veterans, family, and friends are invited to the event. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out. Contact VA contact Holly Corrente, HPMT, MT-BC, at Holly.corrente@va.gov or 774-826-1804, or contact Philip Hasouris, Brockton Poet Laureate, at phasouris@cobma.us or 508-942-8018.
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Brockton City Council Meeting 10/28/24
Video Courtesy of the Brockton Channels
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Cultural Affairs and Tourism Meeting
Thu, Nov 14
6p
North Baptist Church
899 No Main St
At the Cultural Affairs and Tourism (CAT) meeting, learn what is happening in Brockton or announce your own event! These meetings are short and taped by Brockton Community Access, and you can also ZOOM them. For more information, contact Anne Beauregard at 774-297-4939 or ambeauregard@outlook.com.
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Norris Law, P.L.L.C. is a local, veteran-owned law firm with a focus in Estate Planning and Real Estate. All veterans receive a 10% discount on all services. Call for a free consultation.
774-222-3690
norrislaw.us * contact@norrislaw.us
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Special Saturday Bridgewater Community Dance Nov. 16, 2024 | Sat Nov 16, 2024 Social 6:30 pm, Dancing 7-9pm Cedar Street Community Center, 15 Cedar Street, Bridgewater, MA $15 / ticket Instructed & Called by Marcie Van Cleave, Executive Director of the Folk Arts Center of New England. Piano, Accordion, Flute , Fiddle & Gadulka. Get your tickets before we sell out. | | | | |
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South Middle School Hall of Fame Awards
Thu, Nov 21
6-8:30p
Joe Angelo's Mulligan's Function Room
11 Crescent St
Join us for Brockton South Middle School's 4th Annual Hall of Fame Awards! The ceremony will honor Mike McGillis, Brent Warren, Jay McGillis, Tremeda Martin, Lea Serrano, Ernie Webby, Steve Murphy, Brian Droukas, Ortez Vandross, Anthony Palermo Jr, Karin Bliznik, Chris Hall, Barbara Garvey, Matt Flaherty, and Kara McCormack. Refreshments will be served at 6:30p, and inductions will begin at 7p. To RSVP, please contact Jim Stapleton at 508-521-7075.
We hope you, too, can become part of the tradition!
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PROMISE Academy
Receives a Special Visit!
PROMISE Academy had a special visit recently from BPS alum Shamus Clifford, who now works for Boston Dynamics, along with the company's robotic dog. He recounted his journey, which included time as a teacher at Brockton High, which resulted in his working for the robotics company. He also highlighted the numerous paths available to students in STEM fields and, of course, showed off the capabilities of the dog!
Shamus talked with students about robot-human interaction and all the work that goes into "making robots happen."
Source: Brockton Public Schools FB
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Brockton Special School Committee Meeting 10/29/24
Video Courtesy of The Brockton Channels
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Brockton Finance Committee Meeting
10/21/24
Video Courtesy of The Brockton Channels
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Volunteer with BUILD Boston! | |
BUILD Boston is recruiting volunteers to serve as weekly Business Team Coaches at Randolph High! This unique volunteer opportunity supports youth entrepreneurs in building their own businesses.
For more information, visit Build.org.
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Share the Power of Positive voluntary subscription to your BuzzAround. | With your help, we offer interns hands-on civics and community building engagement. Strengthen communities, providing communication about solutions and ways to participate. At the end of each month, one of our $10/ month Hive Builders will win 2 weeks post and an image Weekender. | | | | |
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Climate Can Do:
Drinking Water Without Nano-plastics
Plastic water bottles are filled with tiny bits of plastic called nano-plastics. These are bits of plastic that have broken down so small we cannot see them. But they are there, according to studies by Consumer Reports, Columbia University, University of Missouri, and many others.
The best way to avoid drinking nano-plastics is to use a metal or glass reusable bottle and fill it with filtered tap water.
Reusable water bottles keep you healthy and decrease one major source of nano-plastics in our environment: the disposable water bottle.
This Climate Can Do article was written by Jacquelyn Rose.
Source: National Institute of Health
Consumer Reports
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BCA Volunteers Needed!
Brockton Cable Access needs your help with some of their upcoming productions!
Sat, Nov 16 Brockton NAACP: Honoring Local Veterans at Veterans of Foreign War (VFW)
Thu, Nov 28 Football Game: BHS vs. Bridgewater at Brockton High School, Marciano Stadium
Sat, Nov 30 Brockton Holiday Parade at City Hall Plaza
If you're interested in volunteering or for more information, contact BCATV at 508-580-2228 or send an email through their website at www.bcatv.org. If you're interested in becoming a member of the BCA team, visit their BCA Membership page.
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Arc of Greater Brockton Support Groups
Arc of Greater Brockton Family Support Center works in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services (DDS) and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to provide planning assistance, information, education, and referral services to assist parents in managing the challenges of raising a child with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and autism spectrum disorder. These services extend to the people who love and support them: parents, sisters and brothers, grandparents, educators, and others.
Members of the Family Support Center Team include Coordinators who are fluent in Portuguese, Cape Verdean Creole, French, Spanish and Haitian Creole. They can also arrange for translation and interpretation in other languages upon request. To learn more about the Arc of Greater Brockton's Haitian, Spanish, Cape Verdean, Transition, Sibling, and Parent Support Groups, visit www.arcofgreaterbrockton.org.
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Regional Water
Survey Plan
The Old Colony Planning Council (OCPC), the regional planning agency for the greater Brockton and Plymouth areas, has partnered with consulting firm CDM Smith, the 17 municipalities in our region, and other stakeholders to develop a Regional Water Plan. This collaborative plan will help ensure safe, sustainable water now and into the future.
Your views are important to OCPC. Please take just ten minutes to complete this anonymous OCPC Water Plan Survey - OCPC will use what we learn from you to inform the development of the plan. Only with your help can we develop a plan best suited for communities in our region. Thank you for your input!
You can learn more about this project at www.oldcolonyplanning.org/waterplan/. If you have any questions, contact Joanne Zygmunt at jzygmunt@ocpcrpa.org or (774) 539-5059.
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Victory for Families
First Annual Gala
On October 18th, Victory for Families held their Inaugural Fundraiser Gala to honor and celebrate single mothers and their families in the Brockton community. The night featured entertainment, dancing, food, cocktails, raffles, vendors, an award ceremony, and community networking!
Victory for Families (VFF) is a nonprofit organization committed to the welfare of single mothers through support and empowerment. Established in 2022, Founder Veronica Thompson set out to make a difference in these mothers' and families' lives by providing them with "necessary resources and support to achieve housing stability, pursue education and career opportunities, and attain financial security." To learn more about the mission and services of VFF, visit www.victoryforfamilies.org.
Thank you to VFF for your hard work and dedication to creating a community environment in which single mothers can thrive, thank you to Mayor Sullivan's Constituent Services Liaison Alycia Montrond-Bullock and City Councilor Phil Griffin for attending in support, and thank you to everyone who came to the first ever VFF Fundraiser Gala for coming together as a community to honor these mothers and families!
Source & Photo Credit: City of Brockton FB, VFF FB
Story written by Sara MacKinnon, BuzzAround Intern, Providence College
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WEEKLY TRIVIA GAME
Have fun with us and bee entered to win:
a $25 gift certificate to Johnny Macaroni's Restaurant, East Bridgewater & Halifax
johnnymacaronis.com
Historical Tidbit Question:
What amendment outlawed polling taxes?
Email us your answer at:
Prizes@buzzaround.info Please include your name and phone number with your answer.
Prize Box Rules
By entering, you give us permission to print your name in next week's Buzz Around.
On November 6, 2024, before 2p, we will randomly pick a winner from the correct answers.
| The Buzz Around is brought to you this week by: Sara MacKinnon, Jamie Puhi, Jacquelyn Rose & Greg Venezia | | |
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Creatively Speaking
“Our job in this life is not to shape ourselves into some ideal we imagine we ought to be, but to find out who we already are and become it.”
~ Steven Pressfield, The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles
“Dance above the surface of the world. Let your thoughts lift you into creativity that is not hampered by opinion.” ~ Red Haircrow
“Don’t die without mining the gold in your mind.”
~ Michael Bassey Johnson, Song of a Nature Lover
“Once you let your mind exist without limitations, your reality emerges beyond your expectations.”
~ Talismanist Giebra, Talismanist: Fragments of the Ancient Fire. Philosophy of Fragmentism Series.
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Creatively Speaking...
Where has your imagination brought you today? ~ Jacquie
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Copyright 2024 Buzz Around Brockton. 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 Brockton 11/3/24")
Your BuzzAround supports the dignity of all human beings, is actively anti-racist, and supportive of good law enforcement policies. At the Buzz Around, we promote community. The links provided are for informational purposes. BuzzAround is not responsible for the media content of other organizations.
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