MA Drivers License

By Alix Roy, Town Correspondent

A local ordinance requiring all purchasers of alcohol to be carded – regardless of age – took many residents by surprise, but advocates for preventing underage drinking say the rule has been received positively by many retailers and restauranteurs.

For full text article go to:

http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/medford/2010/06/liquor_stores_restaurants_rece.html?s_campaign=8315

Hey parents and caring adults – check out the latest article in the Medford Transcript by Tami Gouveia-Vigeant, Medford Health Matters’ Drug Free Communities Director!

Where you live affects your health: A Look at Diabetes Risk in Black Women

Please join the Massachusetts Dept of Public Health in featuring Featuring:

Yvette Cozier,DSc Epidemiologist, Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University, Asst. Professor of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health

On March 18, 2010, 11:30-1pm

Massachusetts Department of Public Health

250 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02108

Public Health Council Room

Conference Call Number: 1-800-857-6786, Passcode: 4226538

Light refreshments will be served.

Women’s Health Month 2010 Flyer.pages

For more information, please contact Carly Levy: Phone: 617-994-9828 Fax: 617-624-5587 E-mail: carly.levy@state.ma.us

The Arc of East Middlesex offers many fun and exciting volunteer/community service opportunities for students! We provide support and fun activities for youth and adults with developmental disabilities. 

We always have a great need for volunteers at our Adaptive Aquatics program. Classes are held at the Malden YMCA on Mondays and Thursdays, and at the Burbank YMCA in Reading on Tuesdays and Fridays.

In addition, programs where volunteers are needed beginning in January are:

After School Bowling—Mondays, 2-4 p.m., Woburn Bowladrome, 1/25-3/29 – Pick-up at Medford High School after school

Challenger Basketball—Sundays, 1-2 p.m., Malden Y, 1/10-2/28. (page 4)

In addition, we have social clubs for kids, teens, and adults that go on community outings. These are occasional one-time volunteer opportunities. 

The Arc’s Volunteer Application can be downloaded from the Files section. 

For more information, please contact: 

Pat Simons
Volunteer Coordinator
The Arc of East Middlesex
20 Gould Street
Reading, MA 01867
email: volunteers@theemarc.org
telephone: 781.942.4888 ext. 4032
Website: www.theemarc.org

Update for the The Gene Mack Clubhouse, December 2009

Winter Festival - School Closing, Dec 8th – Looking ahead at 2010

Our first winter carnival will be coming to the Gene Mack Clubhouse Friday December 18, 2009 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. This event will showcase all of our members and what they have learned throughout the fall programming session. We ask that you join us to be entertained and informed with performances and showcases created by our members. We will have refreshments on hand to satiate everyone’s sweet tooth. If you’re interested in helping at the event please contact Bruce for more information. Please note that your child will not be able to attend the event without you.

School Closings

December 8, 2009 Medford Public Schools has closed school due to the special election for state senate. The Boys and Girls Club will be open to provide a safe and fun environment for all members. We will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., the cost is $20 per child for the day. Activities will run throughout the day at the club. Lunch will NOT be provided please plan accordingly.

Looking Ahead to 2010

Gymcraftics – For girls ages 8-12 Gymcraftics will be offering an exclusive program full of fun. Our girls will work on team building and healthy lifestyles.

Flag Football League – Boys and Girls Ages 9-13 will have the opportunity to participate in a 12 week football league. Four teams will match up to take the Club Cup in March.

Blood and Guts Muscles – Boys and Girls Ages 10 & 11. We’ve looked at the heart and our digestive system, now it’s time to see what makes our body move. Bruce will be leading the charge on how the muscles work in our body.

Pen Pals – We’ve found Boys and Girls Club members across the country who are interested in becoming our pen pals. Find a new friend and look forward to getting that letter each week.

Strong Women Strong Girls – Strong Women, Strong Girls has created an innovative after school model that uses the study of contemporary and historic female role models, mentoring relationships with college undergraduate women, and skill building activities to help at-risk girls in grades 3-5 build positive self-esteem and skills for life-long success. This program will be offered by Tufts University students.

Goals For Graduation – This program will offer members the opportunity to think about their future. It’s never to early to start and learn how the club can give you the tools to succeed.

History or Rock and Roll – Chris and Marc are teaming up to bring their love of Rock and Roll to our members. Learn where the music today came from, it’ll be a rocking good time.

Drum Line – A new program being offered at the club you’ve seen the movie now it’s time to learn the moves. Teen center members interested in learning the arts of drumming from members of our community.

Strategic Planning Facilitator – Request for Proposals

Background & Project Description

The Northeast Center for Healthy Communities, wishes to solicit quotations for a strategic planning facilitator on behalf of Medford Health Matters (MHM), a non-profit organization whose mission is to foster an environment of wellness and healthy lifestyles for all those who live, learn, work and play in the City of Medford.

MHM, a 15-year old grass-roots organization comprised of all volunteers, is at an important juncture in its life as an organization.  MHM is in search of a strategic planning facilitator who will guide the board and membership through the final stages of a planning process.  It is expected that the planning process will lead to shared agreement on MHM’s goals, objectives, structures, and policies and procedures to help the organization achieve its mission for health and wellness in Medford.  In addition, the strategic planning facilitator will be expected to cull secondary health data as part of a comprehensive community needs and resources assessment to further MHM’s work.

Responses should include

• Applicant/Organization name, primary contact, address, phone and email.
• A flat rate for services to be provided.
• No more than a 2-page narrative outlining previous experience in facilitating planning processes and conducting community based needs and resources assessments for non-profit boards and organizations/coalitions.
• Resume(s) of facilitator(s).

Submit Responses and Questions to:
Tami Gouveia-Vigeant
Director, Drug Free Communities Grant/MHM
Director of Programs, Northeast Center for Healthy Communities
One Canal St., Lawrence, MA  01840
tgouveia-vigeant@glfhc.org
978-688-2323 x8617

Time Table

Quotations due by 5:00pm on Friday, December 18, 2009.

Initial work to begin January 2010 with Strategic Planning Short-Term Action Team (STAT); work with full board and membership to begin in January/February 2010.

Total Budget: $11,500.00

The Northeast Center for Healthy Communities and Medford Health Matters are tax exempt, non-profit organizations and will enter a contracted agreement with the selected strategic planning facilitator.  The Northeast Center for Healthy Communities pays invoices upon receipt of services/project deliverables.

Just a reminder, this months members meeting has been canceled and will resume on January 7, 2010 at 9am in room 201 at Medford City Hall.

If you have any questions, comments or items to add to the agenda, please email MHM President, Diane Trask McCue.

See you in 2010!