What’s Happening at the Y?

Halloween Fest
Saturday, October 24th from 10:00 am-12:00 pm
$2 per person/$5 Family
Bring the family to the annual Halloween Fest for a hauntingly good time! Admission includes games, crafts, a moonwalk and much more! Don’t forget your costumes!

YMCA Gala Celebrating the Diversity of our Community
Saturday, November 7th, 6:30  – 10:30 pm

Come to a Gala to celebrate the diversity of our community. At the West Suburban YMCA, one in every ten people they serve are receiving financial assistance towards memberships, childcare, camp, swim lessons, music classes, and more. By supporting the Gala, you will enable the Y to raise the crucial funds, 100% of which will be put directly back into our community through financial aid to our children, adults, seniors and families.

Featuring dinner, drinks and dancing as well as live and silent auctions. Matt Siegel from Kiss 108’s “Matty in the Morning” is the emcee and auctioneer.  Visit www.westsuburbanymca.org/gala to purchase tickets. For more information, please contact Rosie Carey at rosiec@westsuburbanymca.org or 617-244-6050 x 3099.

Lifeguard Training Classes
The West Suburban YMCA is offering two Lifeguard Training Classes this fall: Friday classes beginning on October 23rd and Sunday classes beginning on November. These programs are for individuals interested in receiving Red Cross Lifeguard Certification, and have not taken a Lifeguard Training class before. For more information, visit www.westsuburbanymca.org/LGT or contact Amanda Pierce at amandap@westsuburbanymca.org.

Membership Special for Young Adults (Ages 19-29)
Take advantage of a temporary rate reduction for Young Adult Memberships to $40/month (a 25% savings). Offer expires on October 31st  so stop by the West Suburban YMCA and sign up today. For more information, email kristenh@westsuburbanymca.org.

Financial Assistance is always available for Y Memberships and Programs
The West Suburban YMCA is a non-profit charitable organization and it is their mission to never turn anyone away due to an inability to pay. Please contact the Membership Department at 617-244-6050 x 3653 for financial assistance with membership or program participation.

Newton Community Farm – Education Updates

Celebrate fresh, local food and join the celebrations for National Food Day on
October 24th

  • Farm Sprouts Special 10:00 -11:00 am
  • Food for Thought Food for Life 7:30 – 9:00 pm, a film screening followed by a discussion session.

Other upcoming programs include: Halloween on the Farm, October 30th 3:30 – 5:00 pm; Artisan Bread Making, November 1st, 2:00 – 3:30 pm; Late Fall Farm Sprouts, November 3rd, 10:00 – 11:00 am; Early Release Special, November 5th, 1:30 – 3:00 pm.

For more information and to register please visit http://www.newtoncommunityfarm.org. Pre-registration is required for all of our programs.

November 12th Fundraiser: now Williams and Countryside

Countryside’s 5th Grade is sharing the November 12th Paint Bar fundraising event already announced by the Williams School PTO. To benefit Countryside’s 5th Grade, please write: “Countryside Elementary School 5th grade fundraiser” at the bottom of the registration page, where it asks ask whom you want to sit with. Register here:  https://www.thepaintbar.com/newton/nov-2015/advregnov1215nv630

The Williams Elementary School is holding a fundraising night at The Paint Bar in Newtonville. Come with friends or make new ones and start those holiday gifts! This is the perfect opportunity to try The Paint Bar as they will give back a portion of your registration fee to Williams.

Please register as soon as possible at: https://www.thepaintbar.com/newton/nov-2015/advregnov1215nv630 . You must indicate on your registration that you are with “Williams Elementary Fundraiser” in either the “Referred By”, Group Name” or “Friends I Want to Sit With” field on the registration page. Please contact presidents@williamspto.org with any questions.

November 12th,  6:30 pm

The Secret Life of a Massachusetts Teen

Do you wonder…What teens are really thinking? Why they don’t share their fears? How we can better support teens? How we can become better parents? This is a high-energy presentation for that actively focuses on what teens are really thinking, what they fear, why they do not share their fears, and how parents can more effectively support their teen.

This presentation will cover areas such as acting out behaviors, drug and alcohol use, depression, suicide, and more. The workshop will be facilitated by Jon Mattleman, a mental health counselor and trainer with 30 years of experience working with youth, parents, and families. This event is cosponsored by Newton Youth Services and Newton Cares. Please register online at this LINK.

November 19th, 7:00 pm
Druker Auditorium, Newton Free Library

Tutoring

In home Academic Coaching and Tutoring. Next Level Up takes the “whole child” into consideration when finding the ideal match for your student and personalizing his or her sessions.

Next Level Up has been helping Newton students since 2009 and they have many success stories throughout the community. Student centered academic coaches are committed to filling in conceptual and fundamental academic gaps, establishing solid organizational and time management skills, and promoting your student’s constant improvement. If you would like to learn more about this program, please email info@nextleveluptutoring.com or call at 781-540-1123. Visit the website at www.nextleveluptutoring.com.

Celebrate the 40th anniversary of Harvest Fair

Newton Celebrates the 40th anniversary of Harvest Fair. What’s new to look for at Harvest Fair?  Performance Art!

Newton School teachers set the tempo with their band: ‘Loose Change’ while local artist Franklin Marval will transform a huge blank canvas into a work of art before your eyes, all set to the live music of Jane’s Great Dane – Americana, Country and R & B music with a Cajun kick!

Don’t be surprised by the man on stilts, walking through the Fair – and look for a beautiful statue…wait, did it just move? And representing Newton’s young musical talent will be Jared and the Giants, a fabulous middle school band you won’t want to miss, not to mention dance performances, the YCCA Rock Band and a performance by the amazing students of the Suzuki School of Newton.

The favorites at Harvest Fair are still there…free pumpkin decorating sponsored by Wegman’s, Newton Center beautifully decorated in corn stalks sponsored by Whole Foods Market, kiddie amusement rides, the 100 different craft and business booths selling everything from hand-made beautiful jewelry, clothing to imaginative gifts, countless activities for kids including amusement rides, and the Green Expo, sponsored by the Newton-Needham Chamber of Commerce, with  exhibitors offering solutions for reducing your carbon footprint. As always, gotta have great food and they do!

Harvest Fair is a two day event on the Newton Center Green: kiddie rides only on Saturday, October 17th  from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm and the Craft Show, Green Expo and all of the fabulous entertainment on Sunday, October 18th from 10:00 am – 4:30 pm.

Visit www.newtoncommunitypride.org for more information.

Halloween Window Decorating

There are still some spaces remaining for budding artists, or kids in grades 3 through 8 that just want to paint on a store window! The Halloween Window Decorating contest takes place on Halloween this year! Can’t get more festive than that.

Register at www.newtoncommunitypride.org to be eligible to paint a Halloween-themed painting on a store window in one of 6 Newton villages. Don’t be put off by not painting in your own village, if the spaces are filled. It is a really fun way to explore a different part of Newton!

Sign up soon, the deadline is Friday, October 16th. Any questions, please call 617-796-1540.

Oh My Gourd!

The United Parish of Auburndale’s Pumpkin Patch will be open for business starting Sunday, October 11th. Now in its ninth year, the United Parish’s Pumpkin Patch is a major fundraiser for the church and a popular destination for the community. There is plenty of selection and the pumpkins make a great backdrop for photos.

The church keeps a percentage of the sales and uses the money for their operating budget and community Outreach. The remaining proceeds go to the grower, Pumpkin Patch Fundraisers, who supplies pumpkins to non-profit and religious organizations across the lower 48 states. In cooperation with the Navajo Nation, they grow about 2 square miles of pumpkins and employee over 700 seasonal and full-time Native Americans in New Mexico, making a positive and lasting impact on a region with 42% unemployment.

The Patch will be open every day until Halloween between 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.