Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is a 501 non-profit organization whose mission is to "create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth". Adult volunteers are matched with children from age 5 to young adulthood. 

Courtney Evans , Program Director, and Brandon Portillo, Chair of the Mazie Mentoring Program, spoke about mentoring the youth in MetroWest.  Mentoring is accomplished by matching an adult volunteer with a student and their spending time together after school.  The Mentor can engage in a variety of activities with the Mentee: snacks together, homework, board games, crafts, sports, etc. The adult serves as a role model, a confidant, friend, resource and mentor.

The Mazie Mentoring Program focuses on High School Sophomores who are matched with a community professional for a three year commitment (which usually becomes a lifetime relationship). Meetings are about 8 hours a month and the adult and student celebrating together the student’s success and growth.

Caroline Murphy and Matt Jose of the Foundation for Metrowest spoke today on food insecurity in Metrowest.  Food Insecurity is defined as the limited or inconsistent access to adequate and healthy food…………the key words being “adequate” and “healthy”. 

With approximately 65 food support organizations in MetroWest, each being local and serving smaller populations, we don’t see the long lines that are prevalent in Texas and other states.  But our need is just as real with an increase of 59% in food insecurity since March….exacerbated by supply shortages and price increases. Specifically, food insecurity among children has grown by 102%.

 

Key partners for the Foundation are: the YMCA, Framingham Public Schools, Salvation Army, United Way and the Greater Framingham Community Church.  The emergency food line is: 508-532-5479

5 Rotarians from the Framlingham Club visited us yesterday via Zoom.  The  15 member Club was chartered in 2010 and are very active in micro-lending projects especially in India.  The answer to where they are located is 60 miles Northeast of London, UK.  We expect to reciprocate their visit.

Bill Paulson, a two-time president of the Needham Club, spoke about his Club’s involvement in a social equity task force. He spoke about;

In its most recent Random Act of Kindness (RAK), Framingham Rotary Club last month supplied a handicap ramp for Bridget, an elderly wheelchair-bound Framingham woman living with her daughter Carol’s family and struggling with health and financial issues.

Bridget’s mobility problem had come to the attention of Rotarian (and Boy Scout leader) Jack Colamaria, and when he learned of Briget and her husband’s long record of community volunteerism, he knew the family deserved Rotary consideration; it was time to give back.

Bridget can now get out of the house with relative ease, especially to keep doctor’s appointments. The RAK was fully achieved thanks to financial support from BayPath Elder Services, which helped make it a reality.

Bridget, with her daughter Carol, and Framingham Rotarian Jack Colamaria.

Our speaker was Elliott Rittenberg of the Westborough Club. He spoke about ESRAG which stands for Environmental Service Rotary Action Group. 

A few years ago RI started forming Action Groups concentrating on specific areas….water resources, literacy, etc. The groups are made up of talented Rotarians around the world and each group is available in their area of specialty to advise and assist Rotary clubs and Districts on projects that require technical or other assistance.  RI's newest Area of Focus is Supporting the Environment.

On the local level, ESRASG is concentrating on a feral freon pilot program to collect CFC refrigerants for proper destruction.  CFC is the most potent damaging greenhouse gas. Collection points are being established around the globe.

The Learning Center for the Deaf (TLC) is a world famous school started and grown right here in Framingham. TLC started 50 years ago with approximately 20 students and 20 staff.  The school was founded by Warren Sdchwab whose son, David was deal.  Warren wanted a place where David could grow to his potential.  TLC was set up with the revolutionary concept of total communication: sign language, mouthing the words and body language.  TLC is now a recognized leader in deaf education internationally!!  In the last 20 years, the school has further expanded with outreach programs, supporting deaf students in the public school system, interpreting for private and public events.  As soon as  parent has an indication that their child is deaf or hard of hearing, the school is ready to assist. TLC competes in sporting events, math and book discussion competitions, and interacts with other schools for the deaf nationally.

Rotatians packing donated food for distribution to needy families .

Due to COVID-19 our normal Award and Installation Dinner was split into two events with the Installation event being postponed until this Fall and the Awards being presented at an open outdoor venue in July. 

 

 

2020 Organization of the Year - MetroWest Medical Center

 

2020 Citizen of the Year - Nicole Messier Doak

 

Rotarian of the Year - Andy Toorock

The following was taken from our faceboook page.

The Rotary Club of Framingham—which includes members from Ashland, Hopkinton, Holliston and Framingham—has donated $500 each to five pantries that are providing food to families in need during the virus pandemic. The recipients are Project Just Because (Hopkinton), St. Bridget’s Food Pantry (Framingham), Holliston Food Pantry (Holliston), the Ashland Emergency Fund (Ashland), and The Brazilian-American Center—BRACE— (Framingham). 

Patti McCarthy, Senior Advancement Manager at The Learning Center for the Deaf, joined the Framingham Rotary Club today.  Due to COVID-19 distancing requirements Patti was accepted into the Club via Zoom and a hardy welcome by the 25 attending but distancing members.  Welcome aboard Patti!

David Simons of Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL)  spoke on climate change and the harm being done to the world through the heating of land and the ocean raising ocean levels and diving farming further north from where it is now.  The heating is caused by the greenhouse gas (CO2 and others) emissions which thickens the "blanket" around the earth keeping the earth from cooling.  A bill has been introduced in US Congress that will add the cost of the pollution to the cost of the polluting product to better represent the total cost of creating the product.  Payments are then passed back to the public thereby creating an incentive to lower the pollution. British Colombia started this fee and rebate system in 2008 resulting in a 16% drop in greenhouse pollution.  More information at www.masscleanenergyfuture.org 

Framingham Rotary Club serving dinner at Pearl St Cafe - United Way 
Our club serves dinner the fourth Thursday of every month.  Come join us.

Sarah Baldiga, co-founder and Executive Director of "Rise Above", talker about her organization providing children in foster care with enriching activities, opportunities and experiences.  While the average stay in foster care is 2 years, many spend an entire childhood in that situation.  They often have problems making friends and have mental health issues. 25% will eventually become homeless; 50% will be unemployed; they are seven times more likely to get a drug addiction.  Only 20% of foster care children attend college…contrasted with the national average of 65%.

Rise Above has serviced 5,000 children in its 10 year existence with an increase to 1,000 just in 2019! There are 10,000 children in foster care.

 

Rotarians and spouses gather at member's home to enjoy fellowship. 

 

A few of the MetroWest Boys & Girls Club children among 40 who each received a $50 bill on December 21, a holiday gift through our club’s Random Acts of Kindness Program. The gifts were presented by RAK Committee members.

The RAK Committee: Jim Patterson (Chair), Ken Erdelt, Bob Schecter, and Tom Sturiale. Center: B&G Club volunteer translator Junianny “Juni” Dossantos.

Ben & Madeline Tremblay recounted their recent experiences with the Rotary Student Exchange Program. 

Ben spent his school year with a family in the Southwest part of Colombia, in Calle…..the salsa dancing capital of the world. His experiences included a visit to a coffee plantation with the trip highlighted by the many friends he made, both from Colombia and other exchange students. He took a 1-hour bus ride and witnessed the refugee camps for the hundreds of Venezuelans who have fled their country. He was a part of the Rotary Interact group that brought sandwiches and juice to them on Christmas Eve. He got to see the Amazon Rain Forest; played trumpet with an ensemble and learned salsa music. His dance partner was an exchange student from Belgium.

Madeline spent six weeks in Capetown, South Africa. She got to climb Table Mountain, go on a safari, water surf, visit Robin Island and work (briefly) in an animal shelter where she spent an hour taking a couple of dogs for a walk. She attended an all-girls school; where she wore a uniform and had the opportunity to make many friends with students from other countries.  

Bongoletris Mienzana, from South Africa, is shown receiving a Framingham Rotary Flag from Club President Javier Cevallos. Bongoletri is part of the Rotary Exchange Student Program and will be spending six weeks here in MetroWest.