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WEST MEDFORD COMMUNITY CENTER NEWSLETTER
Issue 3
West Medford
Community Center
Newsletter
Fall 2013
COMMUNITY IS OUR MIDDLE NAME
IN THIS ISSUE
Youth is Not Wasted on the Young
George Bernard Shaw when he noted youth
is wasted on the young was right most of the
time, but not all the time. So it was over the
past few years, here at the Community
Center, missing energy, missing the
enthusiasm that accompanies youthful
endeavors. That energy is missing no more.
This past spring a handful of West Medford
residents stepped up to the plate to take a
swing, to speak up, to be heard, to matter.
The Center has embraced this effort to reach
out to the youth in our community through
establishing a Youth Committee. Given that
we have such vibrant and active seniors who
regularly engage themselves in numerous
activities here at the Center, it stands to
reason that the example they set has not
gone unnoticed. Yeah, they have raised the
bar really high, but to quote Michael Jordan,
I can accept failure. Everybody fails
at something. But what I can’t
accept is not trying
I Can’t Accept Not Trying (1994)
How did this happen? For some time, Sydny
Douglas and Loring Greene have tried to
push the Center to move forward on matters
regarding the youth in West Medford. And it
may have seemed as if their voices were at a
pitch too high to be heard or too ambitious
to undertake with the Center’s resources.
They were not.
The Board of Directors voted to move
forward with the Youth Committee and the
call went out to other youth to get involved.
Jarrett Lovett, Shawn Brown and Wally
Bartlett answered that call.
How can they begin to have an impact? West
Medford’s Labor Day Block Party would
seem an ideal forum to have an impact on
the youth. Through the Center’s
longstanding relationship with the West
Medford Community Spirit who organizes
the annual block party, the Youth Committee
would get their chance to show their colors in
a big way. Brandon Bolden was a good friend
to these new committee members and 13
years after Brandon tragically passed away at
16 years of age, he has not been forgotten.
During the Youth Committee’s first meeting,
the idea of having a basketball tournament
during the Labor Day event in honor of
Brandon was discussed. They reached out to
the Bolden family for their blessing, which
was given, and they planned and executed
the first Brandon Bolden Memorial
Basketball tournament. This event is now
slated to become an annual showcase for
local young men to do what Brandon loved
to do, play ball. The Brandon Cup is born!
New Youth Committee Forms
First Youth Committee Meeting draws support from
young leaders: From left to right: Loring Greene, Jarrett
Lovett, Sydny Douglas, Kiki Douglas, WMCC President
Brian Collins and Shawn Brown.
Page 7
Homework Club is Back
Students getting busy on their classwork after school at
the Center. After school programs are in full swing at the
Center everyday school is in session from 3pm to 6pm.
Page 6
WEST MEDFORD COMMUNITY CENTER NEWSLETTER | Issue 3
2
Arts and Culture
Night at WMCC
th
On July 27 a small but enthusiastic
audience was treated to a phenomenal
display of talent and artistic diversity at the
WMCC. Brown Skin & the Creative Arts:
An Evening with the Poet & Friends was a big
hit and we hope you had a chance to check it
out!
Appropriately billed as an evening of
poetry, dance, music and more, the stylish
and intimate event was created to benefit
the programs and services of the WMCC and
sponsored by the Office of Elder Services.
Much of the evening revolved around the
poetry of West Medford writer Terry E.
Carter and his dynamic 2010 book Brown
Skin and the Bread of Life. Terry also enlisted
the talents of several members of LYRIC, the
poetry ministry he leads at Boston’s Jubilee
Christian Church. Youth was also served as
Terry’s daughter Maya and several of her
former high school classmates performed.
Maya is a sophomore at Hofstra University,
an aspiring actress and an awesome spoken
word artist in her own right.
The effect on the audience was at times
spellbinding, especially in such topical pieces
as a reflection on the Trayvon Martin
tragedy, breast cancer awareness,
relationships, Christianity, and the “Ville”
ODE TO THE VILLE
Special thanks to senior volunteers Rachel
Tanner, Kettly Tucker and Shirley Miller who
helped host the event and to all the talented
performers who made the night special,
including: Teresa Jones-Carter, Maya Carter,
Candace Carter-Smalley, Sharryn Gedeon,
Yvonne Readdy, Zadina Cadyma-Renard,
Jessica Juan-Aquino, Raquel Jean-Louis, and
Kate Preble. We hope to do it again real
soon!
Monument, Lincoln and Sharon Streets…
Home to some famous Ville heartbeats.
Doc Kountze told the story well,
of generations that heard the bell.
to gather in this Mystic town
and make a home distinctly brown…
TERRY CARTER
Senior Program Director, WMCC
A Hot and Hectic Summer Nears its End
It’s been a few months since we’ve
updated the neighborhood on what’s been
going on over the last few months at our
beloved community center. We’ve seen a
long, hot summer and have been keeping
ourselves pretty busy and trying to stay cool.
The WMCC’s backyard, Dugger Park,
hosts the Brandon Bolden Memorial
Basketball Tournament during these
last lazy summer days.
June and July have seen a healthy spike in
the Wellness through Movement classes being
offered twice weekly in the evenings by
instructors Ken Gibson and David Johnson.
We’re made to understand that the flowing
exercise, stretching and relaxation
movements that have become so popular
with a growing audience are based on both
ancient Asian and African martial arts
traditions. Come check it out for yourself on
Tuesday and Wednesday nights at 6:30 p.m.
GSA Daisy Troops, 65264 and 68137, who
meet here a few times each month, wound
down their activities for the summer in June,
after a very full and eventful year. Please
check out our brief story on Troop 65264’s
outstanding award from the Mayor of NYC
on page 2. Boy Scout Troop 421 is still on the
go, but the summer usually means camps,
jamborees and other outdoor pursuits for the
scouts and their leadership. If you’re
interested in knowing more about any of our
resident scouting troop, we can connect you
with their leadership via phone or email. All
WEST MEDFORD COMMUNITY CENTER NEWSLETTER | Issue 3
of our troops welcome kids from this local
area.
Overturned J.P. Noonan
tanker leaked 9,500
gallons of home heating
oil around and into the
Mystic River Watershed.
Facility rental bookings are growing at a
record pace and show no sign of slowing
down. Contact the WMCC office if you’re
looking for a space to hold your next small to
medium sized event. Senior programs
including weekly lunch, wellness programs
and gentle exercise classes have been well
attended despite the lure of other summer
leisure pursuits. The office of Elder Services
also hosted a wonderful cultural arts
th
program on July 27 . See the details and
pictures of pages 3.
Meanwhile, Medford City Council
candidate Neil Osborne has been moving his
campaign into high gear with a growing
collection of neighborhood signs and all
kinds of community events. Let’s keep this
favorite son in mind as we think about our
choices for the upcoming council elections.
IN THE NEWS
WMCC Hosts Oil Spill Forum
On June 8th, at 9:00 a.m. a packed WMCC Founder’s
Room was the venue for a concerned and vocal group
of Medford and Arlington neighbors anxious for more
information on the May 31st Mystic River Spill which
occurred near the border of the two towns. Attendees
both heard from and were able to pose questions and
concerns to diverse representatives from the Mass
Dept. of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) , the
Mystic River Watershed Association (MYRWA), the
City of Medford and Town of Arlington officials.
An oil tanker that rolled over on the MedfordArlington border in late May leaked 9,500 gallons of
home heating oil, some of which spilled into drains that
let out in the Mystic River. Medford Energy and
Environment Director Alicia Hunt said the city is
coordinating directly with the state Department of
Environmental Protection (MassDEP) to address the oil
spill’s impact.
Take A Bow Charlie!
WMCC hosted a special 85th birthday party for local
hero Charles “Charlie” Parris on July 3rd. As many of you
may know, Charles Parris was among the first black
firefighters in Medford History. Together with families,
friends and well-wishers, including party co-sponsors
Ashok and Alma Patel, Charlie was treated to a delicious
catered lunch and a fabulous chocolate cake. Good
times were had by all, especially the birthday boy.
Above – Rev. David Kilpatrick and Rachel Tanner look
on as Charlie blows out the candles. Below – And a very
nice cake it was!
3
MassDEP, which hired environmental services
company Clean Harbors to oversee the cleanup
operation, suggested that most of the oil was recovered
soon after the spill. The said that a containment boom
was deployed to isolate most of the spill on May 31, and
seven skimmers worked to remove oil from the surface
between Friday and Sunday following the event.
The contractors, Clean Harbors and Moran
Environmental, skimmed about 6,800 gallons of oil from
the water over the weekend.
Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA)
Executive Director EkOngKar
“EK” Khalsa said while he was pleased with
the quick response, he also believes a
detailed study of the oil spill’s impact on the
Mystic River must take place.
According to many in attendance, the
meeting went a long way toward easing the
concerns of the local neighbors and assuring
them that the spill site and its surrounding
watershed area would be closely monitored
and tested regularly for any long-term
environmental impacts.
On its website, the MYWRA thanked the
more than 150 people who attended the
Saturday morning meeting at WMCC
concerning the May 31st oil spill. They said,
“It was terrific to have such a large crowd for
this meeting, showing support for the hardworking emergency crews as well as concern
for the health of the Mystic River.”
Medford Fire Department apparatus
was very involved with policing the
spill at the very beginning.
CLEAN UP UPDATE
August 26, 2013
A sampling plan is being developed to allow for
assessment of site conditions along both the
Arlington and Medford shorelines. The
proposed shoreline sampling will be conducted
in September 2013 and documented in an IRA
Status or Completion Report in accordance
with 310 CMR 40.0000.
For more information, visit
http://mysticriver.org/myrwa-blog/
WEST MEDFORD COMMUNITY CENTER NEWSLETTER
Daisies Take
the Big Apple
Issue 3
Taking the Trip to
Bountiful
The Daisy Scouts have been busy too! In the spring, Troop 65264 made
some special posters for NYC Mayor and former Medford resident
Michael Bloomberg. In April, they graciously gave the hand-signed
thank-you note from the “Big Apple” Mayor (and native Medfordite) to
the Community Center. The letter was housed in a special daisythemed frame, and now holds a place of honor here at the WMCC.
Congratulations to the daisies and their leaders, Ann Kossuth and Liz
White. They’ll be leading these same girls and hopefully some new
recruits as Brownies this fall.
Tony Award
winner Cicely
Tyson headlines
a star-studded
cast in the
popular retake
on a classic
story. Critical
reviews have
been excellent
and the tour
group can’t wait
to see it!
Letter from Mayor Michael Bloomberg
thanks and congratulates the Daisies!
Under the sponsorship of WMCC Elder Services, an excited group of
neighbors and friends from West Medford, Malden, Everett,
Cambridge and beyond have gotten together to charter a September
st
21 bus trip to Broadway, NYC to see the landmark stage production of
“The Trip to Bountiful” at the historic Sondheim Theater. This is a new
take on a classic story which features, for the first time, an all-black cast
headed up by the legendary Cicely Tyson and featuring Vanessa
Williams, Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Condola Rashad. Sorry, the bus is all
booked up, but we promise to tell you all about the trip in our next
newsletter!
WEST MEDFORD COMMUNITY CENTER NEWSLETTER | Issue 3
5
Senior Club ‘Ques It Up!
The WMCC Senior Club is an institution at our beloved home at 111
Arlington. They truly are the heart of the community and worth their
weight in gold! They host two or three fundraising events each year to
benefit WMCC. This June, they held their annual Barbeque featuring
saucy ribs, chicken, burgers and more for an enthusiastic and hungry
neighborhood crowd.
According to event committee person Norma Thompson, “this is a
fun event and I like to be involved, but it’s a lot of work. We shop, we
prepare the food, we sell tickets, and we serve. The great thing is that
we have lots of help and are able to give back a good portion of what
we earn to the Center.”
And the barbeque is always excellent, folks particularly enjoyed the
ribs, tender and all sauced up, just the way they should be! Special
thanks to grill masters Bill Tanner and Jim Ali, and kitchen crew Norma
Thompson, Rachel Tanner and Kettly Tucker
Cavalia Odysseo, a dynamic circus of horses, dancers, acrobats and
riders under the big top at Assembly Square, Somerville!
WMCC Group Goes to
Cavalia
Volunteer “Grillmaster” Bill Tanner cools it down with Marie Isaacs
as the BBQ winds down…Ribs, chicken, burgers and more…what
could be bad?
Those who cannot remember the
past barbecue are condemned to
repeat it
George Santayana
Have you seen the giant tents over at Assembly Square in
Somerville? Been wondering what’s happening over there? Well a
tremendous horse show in the mold of Cirque du Soleil has been
playing to enthralled audiences for several weeks now. The show is
called Cavalia’s Odysseo and a cache of tickets were recently obtained
by local resident Dee E. Dale and channeled through WMCC for a
special performance in mid-July. According to Joseph Jones, a WMCC
Senior Club officer who attended and helped organize the trip. “It was a
spectacular evening populated by horse whisperers and animals that
behaved as if they had an intense spiritual bond with their human
counterparts! If you have a chance to see it, I absolutely recommend it!”
Thanks to Dee Dale for making the tickets available and to Joe Jones
for promoting the opportunity.
Cavalia Odysseo
performer and his
equine entourage…
WEST MEDFORD COMMUNITY CENTER NEWSLETTER | Issue 3
6
CHESS PUZZLE: WHITE TO MOVE
Alter School At The Center
The West Medford Community Center has
joined with a local non-profit, parents,
volunteers and Tufts University to launch a
new, expanded homework activity group at
the Center.
8
7
The WMCC programming for youth will take
place Monday through Friday from 3-6pm.
Each afternoon there will be staff from Tufts
University Work-Study Program as well as
parent volunteers. All adult staff and
volunteers will have a CORI check completed
before they begin their service. All students
participating in the program must be
members of the WMCC, and must provide
parent contact information as well as other
information.
6
5
4
3
2
1
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
Find checkmate in 3 moves
After school programming discussion lead by
Joe Jones, Prof. Anne Thompson (Ret), Dr.
Deborah Soule and Maria Scott.
Homework
+ Help
SUDOKU CHALLENGE
100
“Medford in the Middle” is a new nonprofit
community organization founded by parents
of Medford middle- schoolers. Its mission is
to provide safe, structured afterschool
activities for
Medford
students in this
age group at the
WMCC. They are collaborating with the
Youth Committee and parent volunteers.
The program will offer homework support,
tutoring, mentoring, and enrichment
activities.
The “WMCC Homework Club” is re-starting
after a sabbatical. The Club was operating
for 2 years starting in 2010. After a break of 2
years, the Club is back!!! Homework support
from adult volunteers and Tufts University
students will be available. Computers will be
available for school-related research.
Students age 10-14 are welcome to register
for “Medford in the Middle,” and high school
students are welcome to use
the Homework Club as well.
Parent participation is needed
and welcomed.
For information about Medford in the Middle
email [email protected] or
find them on
Test Your Logical Thinking
For information about the Homework Club or
how you can help volunteer and contribute,
contact [email protected].
CITY OF LIES
You are at an unmarked intersection ... one
way is the City of Lies and another way is
the City of Truth.
Citizens of the City of Lies always lie.
Citizens of the City of Truth always tell the
truth.
A citizen of one of those cities (you don't
know which) is at the intersection. What
question could you ask to them to find the
way to the City of Truth?
Answers given on next page …
WEST MEDFORD COMMUNITY CENTER NEWSLETTER | Issue 3
7
YOUTH COMMITTEE MONTYLY MEETING
Youth Committee Starts Rolling
On September 9, 2013, The Center, in
partnership with the West Medford
Community Spirit, held the Annual Labor
Day Block party at Dugger Park.
Brandon Bolden was a Medford High School
student who was on the basketball team and
loved the sport. He died at the age of 16, and
is still mourned by the community. The
Bolden family has been living in West
Medford for many years. The tournament
brought many of Brandon’s friends back to
the neighborhood, where they were able to
reconnect with the community and
Brandon’s family. 4 teams competed, and
the winning team earned an impressive
trophy.
The 2013 Labor Day Event was a huge
success. Activities and fellowship was
enjoyed by a wide range of community
members. Old relationships were rekindled,
and new ones forged.
This summer also witnessed the inauguration
of the Center’s Youth Committee and as their
first project; they would co-sponsor the
Labor Day event by adding a very special
event to the annual celebration: a Memorial
Basketball Tournament to honor a beloved
young person from the community who
passed away in 2000. The Youth committee
organized the first Annual Brandon Bolden
Memorial Basketball tournament.
That’s how we roll!
Youth committee members meet and plan to give a
Halloween party for the kids and Co-sponsor a Game
Night with the WMCC Senior Committee. Pictured from
left to right: Shawn Brown, Ruth Youngblood, Brendan
Rollins, Nylah Bolden, Loring Greene, Nadia Farmer and
Sayida Farmer.
BRANDON BOLDEN MEMORIAL
BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT
The West Medford Spirit is a community
organization that focuses on joining across
the generations to make West Medford an
even better place to live. They have
sponsored a myriad of community programs,
including the annual Labor Day event. Over
the last several years this event has provided
the neighborhood with an end-of-summer
opportunity to meet and greet, and learn
more about our neighbors. Traditionally
activities have included a barbecue, races for
kids of all ages, face painting, water balloon
toss, dunk tank, pony rides, bouncy house,
etc. The West Medford Community Center
has hosted this event for the last several
years.
The basketball games were exciting, the
activities were a huge success, and a
wonderful afternoon was shared by all.
Thank you to all who helped make this event
so awesome!!
Puzzle Answers
HOW DID YOU DO?
Chess puzzle:
1. Re8+ Bf8
2. Bh6 Qxd5
3. Rxf8#
Checkmate!
City of Lies:
Ask either Citizen
which direction
would the other
Citizen say is the
way to the City of
truth, and go in the
other direction.
Sudoku Solution
WEST MEDFORD COMMUNITY CENTER NEWSLETTER | Issue 3
8
West Medford Community Center
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors wishes to
thank of our sponsors, volunteers
and members who have helped us
deliver our message and move us
forward. Special thanks to Terry
Carter for his contributions to our
newsletters.
THANK OUR
SPONSORS
Not me, we
Brian Collins
President
Neil Osborne
Vice President
Lovita Strain
Secretary
Starry Poe
Treasurer
Rachel Tanner
Letha Roberts
Calvin Lindsay
Robert Penta
Contact us to have your business advertised here
E m a il :
ic e s e m a il @g m a il.c o m
WEST MEDFORD COMMUNITY CENTER NEWSLETTER | Issue 3
9
H andm ade cr aft s and t ast y baked goods for t he
ent ir e fam ily . Com e check out t he v endor t ables and
leav e w it h a “m ust -hav e” it em !
Sa t u r d a y , Oc t o b e r
W e s t
1 0 :0 0 a . m . t
M e d f o r d Co
111 A r l i n g t
W e s t M e d f o
o
m
o
r
19t h , 2013
4 :0 0 p . m .
m u n i t y Ce n t e r
n St r e e t
d , M A 02155
V endor space is lim it ed. 8 indoor t ables av ailable at $25 ea ch, out door space for $15
(br ing y our ow n t able). Y ou keep pr oceeds fr om all sales at t he t able/ spa ce y ou
pur chase. Tables go fast ---r eser v e y our s t oday !!!
F or infor m at ion on hav ing a t able/ spa ce for t he day , please cont act R a chel or
N or m a at 781-483-3109/ 617-818-0979 or 781-520-1734.
------Ev ent sponsor ed by t he W M CC Senior K nit t ing Club and t he W M CC, I nc.------
See our website: wmcc.us for more information about upcoming events
and potential new partnerships including:
•
•
•
•
Craft Fair: Saturday October 19, 2013
Halloween Party: Friday, Oct 25, 2013
WMCC Game Night: Saturday, November 9, 2013
Annual Board Meeting October 13
Check us out and like the WMCC on Facebook!
Thanks for your ongoing support of the West Medford Community Center, Inc.