Do you have an older neighbor? Have you ever wondered how they are faring – especially with the cold weather coming on? Newton At Home (NAH) has a Winter Buddy program in which NAH members are matched with a volunteer buddy. The volunteer buddy (that could be YOU) checks-in on their member buddy when they hear that winter weather is coming to make sure that the member is prepared. Then when Mother Nature is paying her snowy, icy cold visits, the volunteer buddy checks-in to be sure that all is well with the member.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer winter buddy, please be in touch with Julie Plaut Mahoney, Coordinator of Volunteers: volcoord@newtonathome.org or call the NAH office: 617-795-2560. Thanks! Please see the website for additional information about Newton at Home www.newtonathome.org.

WCT is stil accepting registrations for their Jr. Players program for Pirates of Penzance, and now accepting Kindergarten students! Students in K-2 can perform with the Pirates of Penzance cast and participate in this popular performance based class which meets on Mondays at 3:30 or 4:45 pm.

For more information, visit www.watertownchildrenstheatre.org or call 617-926-ARTS (2787).

For the sixth consecutive year, The Village Bank will partner with the City of Newton Department of Health and Human Services for the annual Holiday Gift Drive, to help brighten the holidays for deserving Newton children.

The Bank and the City are encouraging local residents, businesses and organizations to play an active role in the Holiday Gift Drive through donations of gift certificates and new, unwrapped gifts for children ages newborn to 10.

The Village Bank’s Newton branches in Auburndale, Newtonville, Nonantum, Newton Highlands, Waban and West Newton will serve as Holiday Gift Drive collection sites. Donations will be accepted from November 25 through December 17.
Suggested gifts include age-appropriate books, CDs and DVDs, clothing, games, sporting goods, and toys. The donation of gift certificates purchased from local merchants will also benefit businesses in the community.

According to Kenneth C. Brennan, president and CEO of The Village Bank, last year’s Holiday Gift Drive touched more than 200 local families. “We are always happy to do what we can to help others,” said Brennan, “but it is the overwhelming support of the community that makes this particular campaign so rewarding each year. That really makes all the difference.”

Meghan Kennedy, community social worker for the City of Newton, said that every income-eligible family who applied last year was provided with age- and gender-appropriate gifts for the children in their family, thanks to the generosity of others.

To ensure that 500 local children in-need have the essentials to be safe and warm this winter, Mayor Setti Warren invites Newton community members to join in the Newton Community-wide Collection effort in support of Cradles to Crayons. Something as simple as cleaning out your closets can have an enormous impact. The coat that your daughter has outgrown or the pants that are now too short for your son can bring warmth to the life of a child.

From November 2nd – 17th, you can make a difference by dropping off new and like-new children’s items – clothing, winter coats, shoes, books, toys, and baby gear – in the 24-hour access collection unit brightly marked by Cradles to Crayons banners in the Newton City Hall parking lot across from the Public Library.

At this time of year, non-profit Cradles to Crayons receives hundreds of requests each week for essential items like clothing, shoes and boots, hats and gloves, and coats. The power of working together as a community will enable Cradles to Crayons to fulfill the requests from thousands of children across the Commonwealth who would otherwise be forced to go without these critical winter items.

For more information go to http://www.cradlestocrayons.org/boston .

Thank you to all of the families and individuals who supported the Newton Public Schools by honoring Newton’s amazing educators.  The Newton Schools Foundation’s 2013  Honor Thy Teacher campaign raised $37,000 to help support innovation throughout Newton’s schools.  Check out the October 23rd Newton Tab for a listing of the NPS teachers, staff and administrators who were recognized through this year’s Honor Thy Teacher campaign.

To donate to the Newton Schools Foundation or for more information, visit the NSF website at www.Newtonschoolsfoundation.org or call 617-559-6120.

Newton at Home (www.newtonathome.org) has volunteer opportunities for youth to engage with Newton seniors in your neighborhood. Newton at Home is a non-profit, members’ driven, neighbor-to-neighbor organization serving our city’s residents 60 years of age and older.

Parents: Consider becoming a volunteer for Newton at Home. Drivers are needed to accompany members to appointments, shopping and trips to Logan Airport. As parents in Newton you know your way around! Be in touch to support a growing community of neighbors-helping-neighbors.  Please call 617-795-2560 or email: volcoord@newtonathome.org