April 12, 2020
~ Building Community One Positive Story at a Time
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Who needs some happy news?
Congratulations to Anna Trott, Lauren Mitcheson, Ellie Smith, Grace Schnell, Landon Crowley and Jack Zygiel for being selected for the Brockton Enterprise All-Scholastic Winter Team!
Nominations are based on a players performance (season and career stats) and players impact. I am proud of these athletes for being stellar representatives for the team!
Also, how cool is it that running while it’s fun to do as a team is 100% something you can do while keeping your physical distance 😉 spring track may be delayed but you can always set personal goals and keep crushing them (just like these wildcats did this past season).
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Do you like to write? Do you have a good story to share? Could you use $75?
Enter our short story contest.
Write an original non-fiction short story related to one of the BuzzAround Hives: Bridgewater, Brockton, East Bridgewater, Halifax, Raynham, West Bridgewater or Whitman.
4 prizes of $75 each will be given out on May 1, 2020 to the best non-fiction short stories in these categories:
Popular vote:
Vote on stories from April 17th till April 24th. The popular vote will include all short stories submitted that meet the above criteria.
Brockton:
3 Brockton librarians, Malice Veiga, Jennifer Belcher and Kevin Nascimento will judge stories submitted related to Brockton.
East Bridgewater, Halifax & Whitman:
Michelle “Shel” Stephen (EB), Jean Gallant (Halifax) and Barbara Bryant (Whitman) from our public libraries will award a winner from stories submitted for Whitman, East Bridgewater and Halifax.
Bridgewater, Raynham, and West Bridgewater:
Ann Gerald (Bridgewater),
Ellen Snoeyenbos (WB) , Jessie McKinney (Raynham) from our public libraries will award a winner from stories submitted for Bridgewater, Raynham and West Bridgewater.
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What's Your Good News?
Let us know your good news! We are accepting original non-fiction short stories related to one of the BuzzAround Hives: Bridgewater, Brockton, East Bridgewater, Halifax, Raynham, West Bridgewater or Whitman. Entry form to fill out is at the...
Read more
buzzaround.info
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Entries must be 1000 words or less.
We are accepting one story per person until April 14th, 2020.
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Historical Tidbit:
Amended State Law 1880
"Every person having under his control a child between the ages of eight and fourteen years, shall annually cause such child to attend some public day-school in the city or town in which he resides, at least twenty weeks; which time shall be divided into two terms, each of ten consecutive weeks, so far as the arrangement of school terms will allow; and for every neglect of such duty, the party offending shall forfeit, to the use of the public schools of such city or town, a sum not exceeding twenty dollars."
Information from: West Bridgewater Annual Report, Year Ending January 31, 1880
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Does your small business need an extra boost in visibility?
BuzzAround can help!
Get your word out!
BuzzAround publishes to 10,000 subscribers, it's a great time to advertise, our readership is UP!
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Town Hall
508-894-1200
Check town website for needed updates
WB Public Library
508-894-1255
Council on Aging
508-894-1262
Food Pantry
1st & 3rd Wednesday each month
3:15 - 5p
Spring Street School
2 Spring St, WB
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Congratulations!
Mary L Stowe
won a
$15 gift certificate to Pinches & Pounds Candy Store Rt 18, Whitman, MA!
You should play our
Historical Tidbit Trivia Game
at the bottom of this newsletter.
You could win
6 weeks of training (value $279) at
Get In Shape for Women, Bridgewater
for use after they re-open in May
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Notice from Town of West Bridgewater
*Town Hall Service, Council on Aging Services, & DPW services all are available. However, the offices are closed to walk in traffic and the COA in-person activities have all been suspended.
*Please note the
Meals on Wheels program will continue delivering Mon-Fri, make supermarket runs one day a week and regular wellness check calls.
*Please leave a message when you call into departments 508-894-1200. We are checking voicemail frequently! We will return it!
*This is a fluid situation and things may change or be updated as neede
d. Please check back to keep up to date
westbridgewaterma.org
.
*Police and Fire regular business can be reached through their business lines. COVID -19 questions can be answered at the
MASS website. If you think you have symptoms, call your doctor. For Emergency, dial 911.
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Storytime!
Ms. Gail gives a story hour to kids during the COVID-19 crisis. Thanks go out to the publishers who have allowed these books to be read online: Little Brown, Scholastic, Penguin, Random House. Video Courtesy of Ellen Snoeyenbos
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Thank you Conservation Commission
for continuing your work. Here is the meeting, held April 7, 2020, and posted by WBTV.
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Selectman's meeting from April 1, 2020
Annual Town Election moved to June 27, 2020
Working through our technical difficulties... making democracy happen! Thanks for all your hard work.
Video courtesy of WBTV
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From Superintenden
t Dr.
Oakley
"The West Bridgewater Remote Learning Plan 2.0 was built on the recommendations of the DESE and our own strong core beliefs as a district.
Maintaining connections between school staff and students is paramount, particularly for the most vulnerable members of our school communities. The safety and well-being of students, families, and staff has been and must continue to be our top priority as an educational community.
Nothing can replace the in-person schooling experience, and we should not expect that
remote learning can replicate the traditional school day. At the same time, with school closures now extended, the West Bridgewater Public School District has an obligation to engage students in meaningful and productive learning opportunities through an appropriately structured educational program.
The West Bridgewater Public Schools Elementary and Secondary Remote Learning Plans outline the specific details of our remote program moving forward. We understand that this is and will continue to be a challenging time for all of us and that switching to a remote learning model mid-stream has not been easy. However, we believe that our students will benefit from the continuation of learning outlined in these plans. These plans will be emailed to all families and you can find the plans at
wbridgewaterschools.org.
Although I am trying to stay optimistic that we will be able to return to school on May 4, 2020, I fear that may not be the case, and we may be in this remote world of learning throughout the remainder of the school year. As the national expert on infectious diseases, Dr. Fauci stated recently, “We do not create the timeline, the virus creates the timeline.”
I wish you all safety and good health. We will get through this, we are #WBwildcatstrong!
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W. Bridgewater Teachers: "We miss you, Wildcats"
Video courtesy of wbtvpro.
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Volunteer for the Neighbor Brigade
The Neighbor Brigade is a volunteer organization that helps people who have a sudden crisis with the day to day task. Volunteers assist with tasks like transportation, meal preparation, and household chores.
Learn more about the organization and the West Bridgewater Chapter
here.
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See our amazing disappearing chicks.
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We have wood pellets, feed & grain and
we're open for essential items!
Please call with your order and drive up.
1000 Plymouth St (Rt 104) Bridgewater
(508) 697-0357
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Help for Businesses
Dear Metro South Business -
I’m writing to encourage you and every impacted business to complete this simple application to receive up to $10,000 toward strengthening your business and helping our regional economy recover from COVID-19.
To receive a $10,000 forgivable SBA loan advance to help your business and our regional economy recover from COVID-19, follow this link...
covid19relief.sba.gov.
After completing, also check out how the SBA Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) forgivable loan can assist your business in recovery longer term with up to eight weeks of business and payroll expense forgiven.
Thank you for applying and spreading the word.
Chris Cooney,
President and CEO
Metro South Chamber of Commerce
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Baby Sing & Play with Miss Gail
Brought to you by the WB Public Library.
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Massachusetts Residents:
Check your symptoms for COVID-19 securely, online, for free.
Massachusetts residents can visit
Buoy.com/mass
to get advice from an online health assistant safely at home, for free.
Buoy will connect you with the appropriate health care resource based on your symptoms and risk factors for COVID-19.
Here’s how it works:
- Tell Buoy about your symptoms and risk factors.
- Figure out if you should be tested for COVID-19.
- Get directed to the most appropriate health care resource.
- Learn about the virus, access prevention tips, and more.
Buoy's online tool is not to be used in place of emergency medical care. If this is an emergency, call 911 or visit the nearest emergency room.
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Founded in 1990 as a Christian practice; the mission of Bethel Family Medicine is to serve God by providing compassionate, high-quality medical care for every member of the family in a warm, welcoming environment.
CALL TODAY FOR AN APPOINTMENT!
111 Torrey St, Brockton (508) 588-1200
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Grant's sends out support & care to all of our communities.
We're all in this together.
10 Bedford Park, Bridgewater
(508) 279-0950
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West Bridgewater Food Pantry...
here to help!
During this unprecedented time of uncertainty WB Food Pantry is here to help! They provide food to those in need in our community twice a month. Many of these individuals rely on this food as a major part of the food supply.
In addition, many families’ incomes have been or will be affected as businesses, restaurants, stores and more temporarily close or cut hours. As a result, they expect that they will begin to see more people need our assistance for food and other sundries to help them through this difficult time.
While they receive generous food donations from members of the community frequently, monetary donations would be most helpful during this difficult time.
It allows them to purchase specific food that we need from the Greater Boston Food Bank and other groceries stores to help those in our community in need.
Donations may be sent to:
West Bridgewater Food Pantry
2 School Street
West Bridgewater, MA 02379
Thank you!
Members of the West Bridgewater Food Pantry
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Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance...
The WBPL offers great resources to help! You can sign up for a town hall presentation on applying for unemployment assistance. The virtual town hall appointments are offered daily.
Read more
www.mass.gov
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Internet Essentials from Comcast
2 months free then $9.99/ mo. Internet Essentials brings affordable high-speed internet to low income homes.
Read more
www.internetessentials.com
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W
B School Lunches - Going Great!
USDA expanded the criteria so that any student under the age of 18 in need of food whether they are low income or not, can be served.
As a district we made a decision to start this program to help out students in need, and to continue the employment of our food service staff. We will continue to do this program throughout the school closure.
“WB Grab and Go” update (April 2).
We served 170 lunches and 170 breakfasts on Monday, 240 lunches/240 breakfasts on Wednesday. We expect more tomorrow.
I am in need of donations: monetary of course but also items such as whole fresh fruit, produce especially lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, celery, granola bars, paper lunch bags, large paper grocery bags.
Monetary donations can be sent to the Spring Street School at 2 Spring Street, West Bridgewater MA 02379 Attention: Ann Marie Grinder, Food Service Director. Checks will need to be made out to the West Bridgewater Public Schools but will be put into a separate account that I can pay bills from.
We are operating out of the Middle/Senior High M-F. Any donations can be brought to the back loading dock and left outside. There is a doorbell at the dock door that I can hear.
If you would like to learn additional ways that you can support this program please contact Anne Marie Grinder at
agrinder@wbridgewater.com.
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WEEKLY TRIVIA GAME
Have fun with us and bee entered to win a
6 weeks of training (value $279) at
Get In Shape for Women, Bridgewater
for use after they re-open in May
Historical Tidbit Question:
What was the fine for not sending your child to school?
Please submit your answer through our website
here
. It's easier for us to run more contests & distribute prizes this way.
We are looking forward to giving you more opportunities to win!
By entering, you give us permission to announce your name in next week's Buzz Around Bridgewater.
On April 15, 2020 we will randomly pick a winner from the correct answers.
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The
Buzz Around is brought to you this week by:
Deena Anzum,
Jen Bellody,
Janice O'Brien, Megan Piche,
Jacquelyn Rose & Greg Venezia
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April is Poetry Month
In honor of Maya Angelo, a poet and activist who served on two presidential committees: Gerald Ford in 1975 and Jimmy Carter in 1977. In 2000, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Bill Clinton. In 2010, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S., by President Barack Obama. More than thirty health care and medical facilities have been named after Angelou. She was awarded more than 50 honorary degrees. April 4th was her birthday.
Here are some of her quotes to ring your bell.
"When you know you are of worth, you don’t have to raise your voice, you don’t have to become rude, you don’t have to become vulgar; you just are. And you are like the sky is, as the air is, the same way water is wet. It doesn’t have to protest."
"I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life’s a bitch. You’ve got to go out and kick ass."
"Never make someone a priority when all you are to them is an option."
"My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style."
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Give it your all. You have everything you have ever needed to live life completely.
~ Jacquie
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Copyright 2019 Buzz Around West Bridgewater.
You have our permission to share and copy this issue in its entirety or as much as you like. If you take it in part, please give credit: ("Buzz Around West Bridgewater 4/12/20")
Disclaimer: At the Buzz Around, we promote community and family. Occasionally, there will be links to town committees and other non-profit groups, as a way of sharing local information. Individual groups are responsible for how they represent themselves on their websites and in their promotional materials.
The Buzz Around does not claim to support any particular view.
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