El Amanecer
The official newsletter of the
Spanish American Center
September, 2018
Vol III, Issue 8
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Dear friends,
I begin this message to you as I prepare to conclude my visit to my hometown of Guanica, Puerto Rico, where my family and I have been vacationing and fact-finding these past few weeks. The island is recovering, but still has a long way to go before the job is done and services are back in place following last year's devastating hurricane. As this issue of
El Amanecer goes to press, we can hardly believe that the Summer is drawing to a close and, along with it, our child nutrition programs which fed breakfast and lunch to
hundreds of local school children
at
11 different sites in Leominster, Fitchburg and Gardner.
Highlights of this issue:
- Photos of our 2018 Community Block Party.
- Acknowledgement of our generous program booklet sponsors.
- Dining For Hunger's donation of $2,500 each to SAC & Ginny's for our food pantry.
- Thanking Leominster Fire Department for invaluable assistance with our tent and block party - children loved sitting in the fire truck!
- United Way's Day of Caring will assist SAC with food pantry organization, details for sign up below! A chance for action!
- Continuing our Soup Kitchen Suppers - Breakfast Cafe meals for the needy with a story about Georgie Rodriguez's efforts to help.
- Photos & videos of the amazing donation of 100 backpacks from the Aubuchon family - Gretchen and children Liam, Burke & Lucy.
- Citizenship classes at Leominster Library information & link.
- SAC is a co-sponsor of an upcoming candidates forum at Fitchburg State University/Elect North Central Coalition.
- Acknowledgement of Growing Places & CHNA#9 assistance with Allencrest Summer activities.
- And - update- watch for our Higgins Cocina expansion set to continue thanks to our dear friend Mr. Peter Bovenzi.
- And more!
Scroll down for updates and links. And, please - don't forget to
vote on September 4th's Massachusetts primary election!
Sincerely,
Neddy
Executive Director, Spanish American Center
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As our 2018 Summer nutrition programs came to a close, we celebrated with our annual block party!
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Despite the weather, our party went on as planned! We wish to thank our many local sponsors for donating generously to our program booklet in order to help defray the costs of our programs and this community event. ¡Muchas Gracias!
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Thank you so much for TREATING OUR GUESTS to ice cream treats during the Block Party!
Thank You - ¡Muchas Gracias!
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Not only did you delight our young guests at the Block Party by letting them climb up behind the dashboard of your fire engines - a big hit -
but your assistance with our canopy tent
raising really saved the day!
Many thanks for your dedicated service to the citizens of Leominster!
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Young guests enjoy the Bouncy House
Inflatable attraction at our 2018 Community Block Party! Rain?
What rain?
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A reminder about the upcoming Day of Caring sponsored by The United Way of North Central Massachusetts. There are still plenty of volunteers needed! You can sign up by clicking on the link below. ¡Muchas Gracias!
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Dining For Hunger presents joint
donations of $2,500 to both Ginny's &
The Spanish American Center!
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Summer at SAC!
Below are some photos of SAC Staff and guests at work during Summer Power UP programs. As always, we thank
Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella, shown at left with our social worker Yemni Tahis Mendez, for his solid support of our agency and programs.
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A special note of thanks:
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Thank you to
Growing Places and
CHNA # 9 and volunteers for assisting with our children's activities at
Allencrest - and for collaborating with the Center to ensure that the children there were provided with activities and healthy eating tips while we provided the meals!
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Shown above is the actual Facebook message posted by Georgie as he began his personal fundraiser to benefit SAC's nutrition programs.
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Thank you Georgie Rodriguez Locutor & Facebook Friends
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Georgie Rodriguez, our good friend and supporter, started a Facebook fundraiser to benefit SAC's community Soup Kitchen Suppers & Breakfast Cafe meals!
¡Muchas Gracias, Georgie!
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Ayer couple found their calling in volunteering
By Peter Jasinski, pjasinski@sentinelandenterprise.com
Photo: Cheryl and Jean-Pierre Boissy volunteers at the Leominster Spanish American Center pose with Director Neddy Latimer, right. Cheryl, a board member at the
Spanish American Center
, started volunteering there after a multiple sclerosis diagnosis meant she could no longer work full-time as a social worker. SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE/JOHN LOVE
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Aubuchon Family Donates 100 Filled
Backpacks to the Spanish American Center!
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This is the story of a family with a desire to give back
to our community in a way that bridged language and ethnic differences, filled an important need, and brought happiness to everyone involved.
On August 22, 2018,
under the Spanish American Center’s large tent and clear blue skies, a gathering of excited children, staff, volunteers, and parents waited eagerly. Suddenly a white van driven by Gretchen Aubuchon who, accompanied by her three children, Liam (William V), Burke and Lucy, pulled into our driveway which was already filled with children and parents who had been attending this summer’s nutrition sites and activity programs. Gretchen and SAC Volunteers and staff began to unload their cargo:100 colorful backpacks filled with much-needed school supplies which the Aubuchon children purchased, selected and filled!
Read more here-videos-photos- on SAC's Web Page
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Thanking this month's social media sponsor, Heywood Healthcare!
You donation makes it possible for us to enhance our newsletter and social media presence - and share our progress! ¡Muchas Gracias!
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We are the
Spanish American Center -
Sirviendo Nuestra Comunidad
Serving Our Community -
for over 50 years!
Thank you for reading.
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