Pan-Massachusetts Challenge organizes "Kids Rides" to raise money for cancer research
Pan-Massachusetts Challenge (PMC) Kids Rides needs tots, teens and in-betweens to spin their wheels and raise money for cancer research and treatment. This spring, summer and fall, 38 PMC Kids Rides will be held throughout New England and beyond, offering a way for children to become a part of the PMC mission, according to a press release.
The rides range from loops around the block to a 26-mile route. Post-ride parties feature DJs, refreshments, face painting, and silent auctions.
In 2012, 33 PMC Kids Rides attracted more than 4,400 young cyclists, 2,300 volunteers and 4,000 parents, raising $829,000 for the PMC.
Proceeds from the PMC Kids Rides will benefit the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge, which supports adult and pediatric cancer care and research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through the Jimmy Fund. PMC Kids Rides involve young people in volunteerism and fundraising in a safe and athletic way.
Sunday, May 5
PMC Shrewsbury-Grafton Kids Ride
9 a.m. to noon
Brookwood School, 1 Brookwood Road, Manchester
Open to cyclists ages 3 to 13 and volunteers ages 14 and up
There is a $10 registration fee and a $25 fundraising minimum.
Sunday, May 12
PMC Belmont Kids Ride
9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Belmont Hill School, 350 Prospect Street, Belmont
Open to cyclists ages 3 to 12
There is a $15 registration fee and a $25 fundraising minimum.
Sunday, May 19
PMC Dover-Sherborn Kids Ride
9 a.m. to noon
Dover-Sherborn Middle School, 155 Farm Street, Dover, Mass.
Open to cyclists ages 3 to 14
There is a $15 registration fee and a $25 fundraising minimum.
PMC Framingham Kids Ride
8 a.m. to noon
Brophy School, 575 Pleasant Street, Framingham
Open to cyclists ages 3 to 12
There is a $10 registration fee and a $25 fundraising minimum.
PMC Natick Kids Ride
8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Belkin Lookout Farm, 89 Pleasant Street, Natick
Open to cyclists ages 2 to 12
There is a $10 registration fee and a $25 fundraising minimum.
Contributions can be made payable to the Pan-Mass Challenge. To register, visit http://kids.pmc.org. For more information, call 800-WE-CYCLE.
Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital breaks ground for new Cancer Center and Surgical Pavilion
Construction is now underway for the new Beth Israel Deaconess Cancer Center & Surgical Pavilion after Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Needham (BID-Needham) broke ground April 10 for the building which is expected to open in summer 2014, according to a press release.
This comprehensive cancer center and surgical pavilion will consolidate BIDMC’s west suburban cancer services into a new, state-of-the-art facility. The new surgical area will provide the ability for patients to have more advanced surgeries closer to home.
“This will be a very patient-centered facility,” said BID-Needham President and CEO John Fogarty. “Patients and clinicians have worked side by side with the architects for months to design the ideal patient experience. The result is a plan that consolidates all cancer services on one floor and a new surgical center on the second floor which allows for more advanced surgeries including cancer, colorectal, orthopaedic, urology, otolaryngology, and general surgery.”
The three-story, 30,000-square foot building, designed by JACA Architects and being constructed by BOND, will be located on the footprint of BID-Needham’s former administration building. In addition to the new building, a new parking area is being built where parking will continue to be free for all patient and visitors.
“This collaboration between BIDMC and Needham offers a unique opportunity to upgrade and expand cancer and surgical services already being offered in Needham to our patients in the western suburbs,” said Kevin Tabb MD, BIDMC’s President and CEO. “It is the latest example of our commitment to provide the right care in the right place at the right time.”
In the new building, BIDMC will offer patients a full array of cancer care which will include: advanced imaging systems; six new infusion bays; a radiation oncology suite which will include a state-of-the-art linear accelerator to facilitate the delivery of advanced conformal radiation therapy; and access to cutting-edge clinical trials and novel treatments.
“BIDMC already offers coordinated care from extraordinary clinicians in the service of individualized medicine,” said Lowell Schnipper, MD, clinical director of the BIDMC Cancer Center. “This new facility will enable us to provide patients the same world class-care available without them having to travel to and park in downtown Boston.”
The $24 million cost of the cancer center and surgical pavilion will be financed by a combination of community-raised capital campaign funds and significant investments by BID–Needham and BIDMC. BID–Needham will raise $6 million to make this cancer center and surgical pavilion a reality.
“This is an incredible day,” commented Richard W. Davis, Chair of the Board of Trustees, BID-Needham. “We could not accomplish this without the collaboration of the two hospitals and the community’s ongoing support. I am thrilled to be able to be part of such an important chapter in our history and the mission to keep our commitment to provide easy access to health care close to home.”
This project represents Phase II of a dedicated plan to improve and expand care available to patients in the western suburbs. In October 2009, BID-Needham opened a new emergency department and a new inpatient wing.
“BIDMC is proud to partner with BID-Needham in this project,” said Stephen Kay, chair of the BIDMC Board of Directors. “This new facility makes high- quality cancer and surgical care even more accessible.”
To view an animation of what the caner center will look like go to http://bcove.me/8izjd75c.
BIDMC is recognized by US News & World Report as one of the nation’s top hospitals in cancer care. In 2010, BIDMC joined with Commonwealth Hematology-Oncology, the largest community-based private cancer practice in New England, to expand the reach of BIDMC’s services into the community. Together, BIDMC and CHO have more than 22 physicians in 11 locations and infusion centers in communities across Eastern Massachusetts
BIDMC is the official hospital of the Boston Red Sox. For more information, visit www.bidmc.org.
Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Needham has received national and local recognition for its extraordinary stroke care.
A licensed 56-bed acute care community hospital, BID-Needham has served the residents of Needham, Dedham, Dover, Medfield, Newton, Wellesley, Westwood and surrounding communities for more than 100 years. This community hospital, previously known as The Glover Hospital, joined Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in 2002. The hospital provides comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services, complete diagnostic facilities, and a brand new, award-winning Emergency Department. For more information, visit www.bidneedham.org.
Dedham jail seeks mentors for prisoners
Norfolk County’s sheriff is looking for volunteers to mentor prisoners at Norfolk County House of Correction in Dedham.
Mentors are paired with inmates while they are in prison, and they continue to meet after the release from prison, according to Sheriff Michael G. Bellotti, who began the program in 2011.
“The idea is to help the inmates stay on a productive, law-abiding path after they leave our walls,” Bellotti said.
Prospective mentors are interviewed and screened by Norfolk County Sheriff’s office staff to determine how well they will fit the program, but Bellotti said people from all walks of life could make good mentors.
About 40 mentors have been paired with inmates since the program began.
Funding in 2011 came from a US Justice Department grant received by the non-profit organization Volunteers of America, which partnered with the sheriff’s office to administer the program.
Anyone interested in becoming a mentor can contact Assistant Superintendent Patty Spataro at 781-751-3416.
Norfolk County registry to hold computer seminar on property research
Norfolk County’s register of deeds will host a free informational seminar about using computers to research property records.
William P. O’Donnell will hold the seminar at the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds at 649 High St. in Dedham on Thursday, May 9, at 4:30 p.m.
The seminar is intended for both real estate professionals and the general public, and will include a presentation, written handouts, and hands-on exercises.
Computer assisted land records research is currently available both at the registry and on the Internet at www.norfolkdeeds.org.
The seminar is free, but anyone planning to attend should register by contacting Alicia Gardner at 781-461-6104 or agardner@norfolkdeeds.org, and providing name, address, e-mail, and a daytime phone number.
Mahmud Jafri nominated for 2013 Immigrant Entrepreneur Award
Mahmud Jafri, CEO of Dover Rug & Home has been nominated for the 2013 Immigrant Entrepreneur Award in the “Outstanding Neighborhood Business” category, according to a press release.
Candidates for this honor are actively involved in a senior management position of their business, and their company must service neighborhood customers, as well as attract patrons from outside their community.
Nominees represent outstanding business leaders from across the Commonwealth in three business categories: neighborhood, business growth, and science/technology.
The annual awards program is sponsored by the Immigrant Learning Center of Malden, a not-for-profit organization that helps immigrants and refugees become successful workers, parents and community members through direct service programs and public education. Their direct service program provides free year-round English classes to immigrant and refugee adults in Greater Boston.
The winner in each category will be announced at the Immigrant Entrepreneur Awards reception and dinner on May 8, 2013, at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge.
The master of ceremonies is Richard A. Davey, Jr., secretary and CEO of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and ILC board trustee, with guest speaker Steven Grossman, Massachusetts Treasurer and Receiver General.
“It is truly an honor to be nominated for the Immigrant Entrepreneur Award and be included in the company of such an array of accomplished businesspeople,” noted Mr. Jafri. “I wholeheartedly support the mission of the Immigrant Learning Center which is to give the gift of language and educate the public that immigrants are assets to America.”
Mr. Jafri has been appointed by Governor Deval Patrick to his Advisory Council on Immigrants and Refugees, and is a member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), International Furnishing and Design Association (IFDA), and World Floor Covering Association.
Dover Rug & Home is the recipient of the 2011“Best of” Boston Home award, as well as the CNC Reader’s Choice award for “Best Carpet Store” ten years in a row. The company is consistently recognized for its philanthropy, as it supports over 50 charitable organizations on a regular basis. In addition to the 30,000 square foot showroom, the adjacent Dover Squash & Fitness is testament to the company’s commitment to offer customers the opportunity to “live life well.”
On Biking: What spring means for a cyclist
Guest column: Rail Trail from Needham Heights to Newton
Four years after proposing a rail trail spanning Newton, Needham, Medfield and Dover, the project is still slow, but finally picking up speed. The south section (Red Wing Bay at the Dover town line to Needham Junction) is being studied by a consulting firm, and town meeting will be asked to support leasing and construction. However, the fate of the North section, 1.1 miles from the Newton town line at the Charles River behind Staples to the new Senior Center at the MBTA Needham Heights commuter rail station, is still up in the air. Converting this section into a greenway will result in a low stress bicycle route between the towns of Newton and Needham, greatly increasing safety to bicyclists, and making an easy and safe walking path for our new Senior Center and residents of the expanded Wingate assisted living center on Gould Street. Residents of Evelyn Road will have a pleasant access to Needham Heights and Newton, for biking, walking with friends, family and dogs. Unfortunately, with the current state of affairs, this prime open space will turn into a wasteland consisting of unused, decaying rail tracks overgrown with weeds and various trash strewn around, as well as the arsenic from the rail ties seeping underground. In addition to the squandered recreational opportunity, the inaction on the North section will result in depressed neighboring property values as well as potential environmental hazard.
The good news is the recently released MAPC study of using the rail line as a bus bypass road to avoid congestion on Needham Street in Newton resulted in a conclusion that was cool to the idea of a bus sharing the narrow rail trail with walkers and pedestrians. Calling the proposed bus project “costly and challenging”, there was little to encourage the town of Needham to pursue a bus option rather than commencing active planning for a rail trail. Newton has engaged with Iron Horse, a New Hampshire-based non-profit, to construct their mile with a free or low cost surface in autumn of 2013. Iron Horse is ready, willing and able to proceed south from the Newton town line, constructing the free or low cost path simultaneous with Newton, also in the fall of 2013. Iron Horse can build the North section in Needham in 2013 while doing the section in Newton, thereby connecting the two towns with a linear bicycle and pedestrian greenway.
A few challenges remain, such as designing good safe road crossings at Gould and Webster Street, but the Needham DPW and Traffic Management Committee have long experience in road calming and traffic management. Engineering problems are their specialty and the traffic volumes are well within normal range for rail trail crossings, with many successful local examples of crosswalks and push-button light signals including the popular Minuteman Bikeway in Lexington.
The final challenge is the bridge over route 128, scheduled to be removed in 2016 as part of MassHighway’s Add-A-Lane project. However, MassDOT has repeatedly re-affirmed its commitment to replace the rail bridge and is waiting for the town of Needham to specify the purpose of the bridge. The MBTA has previously studied extending a Green Line spur from Newton to Needham Heights and found it prohibitively expensive and has not included it in their 30 year funding request. The recently released MAPC bus-bypass road study has removed bus traffic as a feasible use of the bridge, so the only remaining option is the most inexpensive – a bicycle and pedestrian linear park greenway rail trail bridge.
We urge the town of Needham to collaborate with Newton and MassDOT and the Needham Heights community to commence planning the rail trail, in particular to utilize Iron Horse to construct a basic free or low cost path in 2013, and submit a request for MassDOT to replace the existing bridge as a bicycle and pedestrian bridge several years from now when the Add-A-Lane project gets to that area of their project. Taking these steps is financially prudent and responsible, and will result in a safe low-stress crossing over route 128, for today’s residents and generations to come.
Thomas Connors is a cofounder of the Friends of the Needham Rail Trail Greenway and the Bay Colony Rail Trail Association. The Friends of the Needham Rail Trail Greenway is having their monthly meeting at 7:30 PM on Thursday March 28, at the Needham Public Library. Meetings are posted at http://www.NeedhamRailTrail.org and http://www.facebook.com/Needham.Rail.Trail everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend.
Dover elementary school students bridge two cultures by exploring the art of rug making
Third grade students from the Charles River School took part in a hands-on cultural lesson about the art of rug making on Jan. 28 at Dover Rug & Home in Natick.
Hosted by the CEO of Dover Rug & Home Mahmud Jafri, the interactive outreach program promotes a better understanding of the Muslim culture and the story told by each hand woven rug.
For two hours, the children learned how hand woven rugs are designed, how the sheep wool and other materials used are gathered, and the weaving techniques used in this century-old tradition.
“We also explain the artistic point of view and the artistic challenge of rug making,” said Jafri, who has hosted this educational program for 20 years, “They learn about the stories, symbolism, motifs, and the religious influence and cultural influence seen in each rug.”
Students explored the details of how wool is dyed from colors made from natural products, along with the difference between cool colors and jewel tones, the weaving techniques, and the steps involved to complete a rug, according to a press release.
“The students react amazingly well,” said Jafri. At this age, he noted, the kids are very curious about that part of the world.
As part of their social studies curriculum, the Charles River third graders learn year-round about ‘Traveling with Marco Polo,’ a course that explores the geography and cultures of Europe and Asia. Jafri said that because the children have a background of the history, they are able to enjoy the program and interact by asking questions.
As part of Jafri's program, children will be designing their own carpet square, like the ones pictured above.
“To see them open up a window to another culture and then use their inspiration and creativity to design a rug is very heart-warming,” said Jafri, who founded this initiative to bring together the two cultures of India and America for the young people in a positive and creative way.
Laura Gomez can be reached at laura.gomez@globe.com.
Children perform musicals through community theater group
Dover based children’s community theater group Open Fields kicks off this year’s first performances with eight presentations of two musical theater programs, the musical “13” and a musical revue “Music Rocks: We are Family,” both staged in theDover Sherborn High School Mudge Auditorium over the course of two weekends.
Over 150 elementary school children and high school teenagers from Metro West towns and cities are participating in this year’s Open Fields productions. Both original programs are adapted to showcase 98 young actors and actresses in “We Are Family” and 70 boys and girls in “13,” which was originally written for a cast of 12, according founder and director of Open Fields Keith Greenfield.
“Each program is divided in two different casts: Dweebs and Dorks for ‘13,’ and Stars and Idols for ‘We Are Family.’ This allows me to bring more people in,” said Greenfield, also founder and president of The Dover Group, “We really do put on great product.”
In the musical “13,” about the complexities that are part of growing up and being a teenager in today's world, every one of the children has at least one musical solo. “We Are Family,” will be a special and entertaining performance where sons will play instruments along with their dads on stage, and moms and daughters will be performing ‘Material Girl’ from Madonna, among many other skits, said Greenfield.
- FRIDAY, Jan. 18 at 8 p.m., “13” – Dweeb Cast
- SATURDAY, Jan 19 at 7:30 p.m., “13” – Dork Cast
- SUNDAY, Jan. 20 at 2 p.m., “We Are Family” – Star Cast
- MONDAY Jan. 21 at 4 p.m., “We Are Family” – Idols Cast
- THURSDAY, Jan. 24 at 7:00 p.m., “We Are Family” – Dork Cast
- FRIDAY, Jan. 25 at 7:30 p.m., “13” – Dork Cast
- SATURDAY, Jan. 26 at 7:30 p.m., “13” – Dweeb Cast
- SUNDAY Jan., 27 at 2 p.m., “We Are Family” – Star Cast
Auditions were held in late September through early October, and since then the cast of children have been rehearsing to bring to these shows to the stage.
Greenfield started the non-profit Open Fields in 1999 to give his own kids and children from the greater Dover community a venue to grow their talent through signing and acting in musicals in a collaborative and community-centered environment.
Greenfield said he has seen kids from his troupe go on to national tours and even to Broadway for their talent, but he stresses more importantly not level of talent but rather service and humanity towards the community.
“We’ve built a great team around us,” said Greenfield, “We welcome everyone with an open mind and an open heart.”
For more information, visit www.open-fields.org where tickets are available for advanced purchase.
Summer camp information fair planned in Needham
Got questions about summer camps? Parent Talk, Inc. is here to help.
The organization is holding a Summer Camp Information Fair at Newman Elementary School in Needham on Jan. 31 to give parents the opportunity to meet with representatives from area summer camps and figure out what camp works for their family, according to a release from Parent Talk.
Parent Talk is a local community organization with about 500 members in Needham, Newton, Dover, Wellesley and other towns, according to the release. For more information on Parent Talk, go here.
The camp fair is the first that the organization has held.
The fair will be held in the cafeteria at the Newman school from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 31. The snow date is Thursday, Feb. 7. It is free to Parent Talk members, and $10 for non-members.
Newman is located at 1155 Central Ave. in Needham.
Evan Allen can be reached at evan.allen@globe.com
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