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Hello Neighbors and Friends -
I must admit I am still a little "giddy" over the recent U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory on Social Connection. In his podcast episode dedicated to the topic, Dr. Vivek Murthy offers an overview of the different types of connection: intimate (your spouse and those closest to you), relational (your friendships) and collective (the larger communities you are part of). For more than 6 years now, Westborough Connects has been focused on the slow and deliberate work of promoting connection at the community level - what Murthy refers to as "collective connection." It is exciting to see this national call for social connection, with data to support it (eg. poor or insufficient social connection is associated with increased risk of disease, including a 29% increased risk of heart disease and a 32% increased risk of stroke) AND some simple steps we can take to make a difference (eg. seek out opportunities to serve and support others, either by helping your family, co-workers, friends, or strangers in your community or by participating in community service). It feels like wind in our sails! We'll continue to gain inspiration and learn from Murthy and others, and listen to YOU about how Westborough Connects can serve the community in ways that support building social connection. We welcome your thoughts and your help! Just reach out and "connect" with us.
Some dates and observances to note this June:
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It's Pride Month! Note: We're thrilled to receive an invitation to be part of the 3rd annual Pride Parade in Hopkinton on June 11th. We'll travel to Hopkinton with others Westborough and surrounding towns for this regional event. We hope you'll join us, to0. You'll find details for this family-friendly afternoon under the Upcoming Community Events section of this newsletter.
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Westborough High School Class of 2023 Graduation is June 3rd. I always feels a sense of community pride and excitement for the kids who have grown up through our town and schools, and are now stepping out into the wider world to discover what is next for them. As it does with important community events, Westborough TV will broadcast the Baccalaureate (Friday night, June 2nd) and Saturday's Graduation on its YouTube channel and cable channels (Verizon: 26 & 2124; Charter: 194) for all to see. A great opportunity to connect with the graduating class is to take a walk around WHS track to see the Memory Lane photo exhibit created by Project Graduation. A good time to visit is Sunday or one day next week (outside of school hours). On behalf of Westborough Connects, we wish the graduates and their families all the best during this special time!
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June 19th marks the annual Juneteenth holiday, which became an official federal holiday in 2021. It celebrates the anniversary of when the last slaves were freed in Galveston, TX in 1865 - 2.5 YEARS AFTER the Emancipation Proclamation was signed into law! I was astonished when I learned about this holiday I never knew about (sadly, only a couple years ago) and am happy we now officially celebrate it, along with many other important annual days of observances in this country.
I hope you enjoy the start of summer this month and have an opportunity to be out and about with your neighbors, friends and family in Westborough and beyond!
Yours in community,
Kelley Petralia
Executive Director, Westborough Connects
kelleyconnects1@gmail.com
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A curated selection of articles, videos, audio and resources that we find worthy of sharing each month. |
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The Town of Westborough recently completed its Senior Needs Assessment and issued a report: Aging in Westborough: A Community Needs Assessment (find the 91-page report HERE). You can watch the community presentation of the results HERE (1hr 7min).
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On the heels of the U.S. Surgeon General's report on loneliness and isolation, the office released another advisory on May 23rd: Social Media and Youth Mental Health. Listen to NPR's interview with Dr. Murthy about the advisory HERE (5min 11sec) and access the full Advisory HERE.
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We love this moving YouTube video (5min 36sec) about the adult son of immigrants who sought to repair the bonds and build connection with his parents by creating the Parents are Human card game.
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What can we do to address the division and disconnection that seem so prevalent in today's world? Some point to a decline in empathy over recent years as one issue. We first shared this Greater Good Science Center article, "In a Divided World, We Need to Choose Empathy," in our June 2019 newsletter. It is still relevant and focuses on some GREAT NEWS - there are ways we can build our capacity for empathy, which can include habits and activities such as meditation, storytelling and building friendships that help us see beyond an "us and them" mentality.
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Thank you for the support! |
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This grant was a result of Peter Gardner of Curry Printing (a Friend of Westborough Connects sponsor) nominating us for their community grants program!
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We're excited for our new shelf at Red Barn Coffee Roasters on South Street! It was handcrafted by Dan Martin, owner of Accessible Living LLC. Dan specializes in making homes wheelchair accessible - enabling people to stay in their homes. You'll soon find a bulletin board there, as well, highlighting resources, programs and collaborations from Westborough Connects. Thank you, Red Barn and Dan Martin! |
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Grossman Development Group, LLC sponsored our recent Not-so-Trivial Volunteer Social Team-building Event. We are grateful for their support which enabled us to bring together our Volunteer Team for an evening of building connection and fun with trivia at Red Heat Tavern. We love doing the work of building connection with our internal team! |
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CELEBRATING OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT AND LIVE WELL AS ADULTS - THROUGHOUT EVERY AGE & STAGE OF LIFE IN WESTBOROUGH.
Click HERE to see details from our 2022 event.
We need YOU! Want to join our planning team? Reach out to Laura Cerniglia (lauraconnects3@gmail.com) to learn more. Interested in exhibiting at our event? Please email westboroughconnects@gmail.com.
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Notes from our recent events |
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Westborough Unplugs 2023 was a great (albeit rainy!) week - with 13 events enjoyed by over 400 people! Westborough TV created a video mash-up from the week. Watch HERE (2min 23sec).
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If you attended any of our Westborough Unplugs events, please complete a brief feedback form HERE.
- Congratulations to our Disconnect to Reconnect Challenge winners: Connor M., Yadong L., and Hetal R.
- A big thank you to our Disconnect to Reconnect Challenge sponsors: Uhlman's Ice Cream, Westborough Recreation Department, and Central Rock Gym of Worcester. Each provided generous prizes to encourage everyone to swap 2 screen activities for screen-free ones during Unplugs week.
- Thank you to Westborough House of Pizza for hosting a restaurant fundraiser during our Bookin' it to Bay State event; to BORO Sugar Shack for providing some sweet treats and to Dairy Queen for providing coupons at the Bike Parade.
- We are grateful to all of our partners who worked with us on this special annual week: Nourse Farm, VegOut @ Nourse Farm, Westborough Public Library, Megan Litwin, BORO Sugar Shack, Hygge House Books, WPS Librarian Laura D'Elia, WPS Head Librarian Anita Celluci, Westborough Community Land Trust, Westborough Active Transportation and Safety Committee, Westborough Police, Westborough Public Schools, WPS elementary schools' parent groups, and WHS Humane Society
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Around 100 people experienced our first ever Spring into Wellness: A Square One event on May 7th. Westborough TV created a short video from the event. Watch HERE (1min 4sec)
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Our goals for the day were to connect people to local resources in the community, showcase various ways to positively impact well-being, and to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health. If you attended and have not yet completed our brief feedback form, please do so HERE.
- We are pleased to report that $1000 was donated to the National Alliance for Mental Illness Anti-Stigma Campaign (in honor of the first 50 attendees). Thank you to two local businesses for their generous sponsorship of this donation: Dolan & Maloney Insurance and Thomas Financial Associates.
- Thank you to the following businesses for providing refreshments: Red Barn Coffee Roasters, Roche Bros., VegOut @ Nourse Farm, Stop & Shop, and BJs.
- We appreciate the raffle prizes donated by the following businesses: Ancient Wisdom Healing Arts, Boroughs Family Branch YMCA, Just Breathe, Release Well-Being Center, SKY Wellness Club, Rooted in Breath Wellness, Team Sharing, Inc., The Supported Mom Initiative of Central Mass, Westborough Tennis & Swim, Westborough Senior Center, and Westborough Jazzercise
- Thank you to each of our Square One collaboration partners: Rotary Club of Westborough, Westborough Youth & Family Services, Westborough Public Schools and Westborough Public Library.
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Opportunities for Connection, Civic Engagement, and Helping Others & the Environment |
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The Westborough Farmers' Market
needs YOU!
If you love the market, help keep it running! You can help by volunteering. Check out the Sign Up to see if you are able to lend a hand.
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The Westborough Parkinson's Disease Support Group is greeting spring by reaching out to old and new members with information and encouragement beginning May 5th. Meetings will be held at Good Shepherd Lutheran church, 183 West Main Street Westborough, at 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Friday that the church is open. (Note: on the last Friday of each month our conversation will be online via Zoom). Light refreshments will be served. For more information, please email: wpdsg23@gmail.com.
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Westborough TV captured the annual Memorial Day Parade and ceremonies, as Westborough gathered to commemorate those that gave their lives in the armed forces. The event was sponsored by the Veterans Services Department and the Veterans Advisory Board, the celebration featured marching bands, veterans and civic groups, floats, and a series of military vehicles. You can watch it HERE.
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Nourse Farm has a new community bulletin board, generously built for Westborough Connects and the Westborough Community by the team at Toll Bros. New England (see below). Check it out for farm and local events!
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Community Programs and Events in Westborough |
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NOTE: the Pride Parade is in Hopkinton, not Westborough. It is a regional event and Westborough Connects will march and host a table. Join us if you can! |
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LOCATION: Congregation B'nai Shalom, 117 East Main Street, Westborough
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Come to Lake Chauncy fields for a day of fun for all ages! |
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The Rotary Club of Westborough is hosting this family-friendly community event which feature a 5k and kids fun run, a community health fair, games, food trucks and more. (NOTE: The event is free to attend; there is a registration fee for the 5k and fun run; refreshments also available for purchase).
For more information and to register for the 5k/fun run, click HERE.
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Westborough Community Land Trust presents: |
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SAVE THE DATE.
MORE DETAILS COMING SOON!
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Check HERE for updates from Westborough Recreation.
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"To be whole. To be complete. Wildness reminds us what it means to be human, what we are connected to rather than what we are separate from.”
-Terry Tempest Williams
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Westborough Connects, a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization (EIN # 84-1751472), is a community connector with a mission to help build a thriving, kind, and connected community where everybody belongs. By listening and responding to the needs of the community, we connect people to resources and to each other. We foster meaningful relationships through events, collaborative partnerships and communications. |
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westboroughconnects@gmail.com
www.westboroughconnects.org
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