The Mayor’s Office is encouraging Newton residents to support our troops on Veterans Day by donating an item from the following 5 categories:

• snacks such as nuts, pretzels and dried fruit;
• food such as canned soup, ramen and tuna;
• powdered drink mixes such as Gatorade or Crystal Light;
• coffee, including flavored and regular as well as tea bags and hot chocolate; and
• gently used cell phones which will be recycled to purchase international calling cards for active-duty military deployed overseas.

Each person or family that donates an item will be entered to win an Apple iPad mini. Refreshments will be served courtesy of Dunkin Donuts and Finagle a Bagel. For more information please visit www.newtonma.gov/veterans. Poster available here: Veterans Day flyer 2014.

Check out this great event which is designed to be a family interactive event. Fun for all ages including the children’s activities such as writing to our troops, a coloring station and military vehicles.

Tuesday, November 11th, 10:00 – 11:00 am,
Post 440, 295 California Street

Holiday items beckon for all ages! Stalls and tables spill forth treasures new and old, at two churches within a block of each other:

1. Second Church, UCC, 60 Highland St.(starts 9:00 am) and
2. First Unitarian Society of Newton, 1326 Washington St. (starts 9:30 am).

There’ll be kids’ toys galore and a spectacular Doll’s House Raffle.. Shoppers can look through books for all ages, buy handmade knits and homemade jellies or purchase decorated Christmas wreaths. Both churches offer a munch and lunch while listening to live holiday music and a Silent Auction. Free parking is available for all patrons in Second Church’s Highland and Chestnut Street lots.

Saturday, December 6th, 9:00 am or 9:30 am – 3:00 pm

For more information, please contact either church:
First Unitarian Society of Newton– http://www.fusn.org; 617-527-3203
Second Church in Newton, UCC– http://www.2ndchurch.org; 617-244-2690

Over 30 Vendors selling Holiday Ornaments, Gift, Toys, Dolls and Doll clothes, Jewelry, Handmade Crafts, Blankets, Shawls, Avon, Tupperware, Knitted and Crochet Items and much more

Light refreshments will be available; Free Parking
Donation at the door $1.00, children under 12 free

November 16th, 10:000 am – 4:00pm
American Legion Post 440
295 California St

Sponsored ny the American Legion Nonantum Unit Post 440 Family. All proceeds are going towards the Elevator Fund for the Post 440.

The CPC’s agenda includes advisory discussion of an affordable housing pre-proposal in West Newton and possible revisions to the CPC’s current Funding Guidelines.

The Guidelines discussion will not include the Parks & Recreation Dept.’s criteria for its own proposals to the CPC, which will be discussed at a later meeting.

For additional information, see the program website, www.newtonma.gov/cpa or contact Alice E. Ingerson, Community Preservation Program Manager, aingerson@newtonma.gov or 617-796-1144.

Thursday,  November 20th,  7:00 pm
City Hall, Room 209

There will be an Angier Project Update meeting on Thursday, November 13th at 7pm at the Waban Library Center.

The Waban Area Council will hold its monthly meeting immediately following at 7:30pm. Please visit the Waban Area Council website to view the agenda and learn more about issues of importance to Waban.

Do you know someone who might be depressed, but don’t know how to help? Are you interested in bringing greater awareness and destigmatization to mental illness? Do you care about your Newton friends and neighbors?

If yes, then join us at the next Newton Cares meeting on Thursday, November 20th, 4-6pm at the Newton Senior Center, 345 Walnut Street.

Thursday, November 20, 4-6pm
Newton Senior Center, 345 Walnut Street

The Newton Cares Coalition was formed last year to bring greater awareness to mental health issues, to help prevent suicides in our community, and to find ways to support those who have been bereaved by suicide. Newton Cares is a community partnership that requires active and broad-based involvement.

Once a month the Coalition holds meetings to develop working plans for the coming year. Anyone is welcome to come, whether you have attended in the past. Municipal and school leaders, mental health experts, adults and youth convened at the Newton Senior Center to discuss the Newton Cares mission and structure, activities to date, and future plans. Accomplishments include the creation of a web-based mental health screening service offered by the City, a number of recently completed and upcoming suicide and mental health training programs, coping and support strategies, and programming for youth and adults.

Meeting attendees participate in one of four Newton Cares working subgroups–Postvention (the short-term response following a suicide), Youth, Adult, Advocacy–to brainstorm ideas and develop priorities for the next six months.

For a complete set of meeting notes, visit the Newton Cares website at www.newtonma.gov/newtoncares.