SCC Summer Membership Meeting: A Time for Action!

SOMERVILLE - West Somerville Neighborhood School, 177 Powderhouse Blvd, Somerville map

Somerville Community Corporation (SCC)
337 Somerville Ave, Somerville, MA
617-776-5931
SCC Staff

The annual Summer Membership Meeting drew a crowd of active community members from all over Somerville for dinner and workshops. This year the theme was "A Time for Action!" Translators were on hand for Spanish and Portuguese residents, and the large turnout reflected the diversity of Somerville.


A full house at the annual SCC Membership Meeting.

The entire group heard about the successes and the projects SCC and the residents of Somerville have worked on over the year. As a small taste of what the SCC is all about, people were then given the chance to join in workshops on some of the important issues affecting Somerville. The workshops focused on four areas:

• How the Green Line will impact Somerville
  
• Getting good jobs for Somerville residents (Danny LeBlanc)
  
• Making Massachusetts more welcoming for our immigrant neighbors (Tito Meza)
  
• Understanding your budget and credit needs (Thais DeMarco)
  

A Financial Literacy graduate leads the discussion in the budget and credit workshop with instructor Thais Demarco.

Each workshop had an open discussion and was welcome to everyone. The workshops are a great way for people to get an idea of the services and opportunities the SCC has for community education and involvement. The financial literacy course and workshop, for example, aims to empower people to take control of their budget in simple, practical ways that can help move people towards financial security.

If you are interested in being a part of future discussions, or enrolling in the course on financial literacy, or if you know someone who might, please get in touch with the SCC.

August Calendar

Correction: The East Cambridge Planning Team Meeting with Alexandria was incorrectly listed as Monday the 12th. The 12th is a Tuesday. Thanks to Fred Fantini for the correction.

This monthly calendar represents only a small portion of the many interesting things happening in Cambridge and Somerville. If you would like to add another event, or a link to your own calendar of events, please email my office at toomeyblog@gmail.com.

Other Local Calendars:

August in Cambridge
City Calendar

August in Somerville
City Calendar
The Growing Center

SomerMovie Fest August Schedule
Mayor Curtatone and the City of Somerville offer free screenings of movies, projected at parks around the city. All movies are on Thursday nights, starting at dusk.
Thursday August 7: Spiderman 3 @ Conway Park, Somerville Ave map
Thursday August 14: Hairspray @ Foss Park map
Thursday August 21: We Are Marshall @ Prospect Hill Park, Munroe St map
Thursday August 28: Enchanted @ Hodgkins Park, Holland Ave map

Tuesday, August 5
National Night Out
Cambridge: Rindge Field map
Riverside Press Park on Memorial Drive map
Somerville: Foss Park map
Hit the streets and parks with your neighbors and local law enforcement for the 25th Annual National Night Out. This is a great chance to have fun bringing the community together and raising awareness about crime prevention.

Wednesday, August 6 @ 7pm
Museum of Science Wind Turbine Community Meeting
East End House, 105 Spring St, Cambridge map
Join David Rabkin from the Museum of Science at the East End House to learn about the Museum of Science's plans to install five types of small wind turbines--2 in Cambridge and 3 in Boston. A great chance to learn about some innovative ideas for alternative energy.

Thursday, August 7 @ 11:00am
Summer in the City: Art of Black Dance and Music
Donnelly Field, 67 Berkshire St, Cambridge map
From the City of Cambridge calendar: The Cambridge Arts Council invites you to enjoy “Summer in the City,” a series of free, interactive and multicultural events and performances held in parks and open spaces throughout the city. On August 7th, join performers from Art of Black Dance & Music as they teach the common history of humankind through African-rooted dance, music, and folklore.
Rain site: King Open School, 850 Cambridge St map

Tuesday, August 12 @ 7:00pm
East Cambridge Planning Team (ECPT) Meeting on Alexandria
Kennedy School Cafeteria, 158 Spring St, Cambridge map
ECPT has organized a neighborhood meeting with representatives from Alexandria Realty to discuss the current proposal for biotech development in East Cambridge.

Wednesday, August 13 @ 11am
Somerville Mayor's Senior Picnic
Nathan Tufts Park, Powderhouse Circle, Somerville map
The Mayor's Senior Picnic is an annual event, inviting all Somerville senior citizens to enjoy a picnic lunch in the park complete with music, entertainment, food, and dancing. Sponsored by Mayor Curtatone and the Somerville Council on Aging, the Picnic is one of the year's largest events.

Thursday, August 14 @ 7pm
Wellington Harrington Neighborhood Association (WHNA) Monthly Meeting
Vin-Fen, 950 Cambridge St, Cambridge map
This month WHNA will be speaking with members of the Cambridge Police Department about crime concerns.

Thursday August 21 @ 7pm
Oldtime Baseball Game
St. Peter's Field, Cambridge map
From the City of Cambridge: The Oldtime Baseball Game features players wearing a dazzling collection of flannel uniforms that represent virtually every era in baseball history – including the Boston Braves, St. Louis Browns and Brooklyn Dodgers. Players are chosen from colleges and universities from the Boston area, with an occasional retired big-leaguer added to the mix. Plan on bringing a folding chair or blanket. Parking will be provided.
For directions, and more information, please visit http://www.oldtimebaseball.com

Rose Kelly of Cobble Hill celebrates her 100th Birthday

SOMERVILLE - Somerville City Club, 20 Inner Belt Rd. - map
Somerville Journal article: "Sox fan celebrates 100th birthday"

Rose Kelly of Cobble Hill Apartments celebrated her 100th birthday surrounded by family and friends at the Somerville City Club. Her family flew in from all across the country, including California, to join her in reaching this amazing milestone.


Rose Kelly, second from the left, was surrounded by friends and family for her 100th birthday.

Her friends and neighbors from Cobble Hill shared in the festivities and we all enjoyed a meal with music and good conversation. I had a chance to chat with my friend Bill Roche, Alderman for Ward 1 in Somerville, along with many of Rose's friends and familiar faces. With so many friendly people around, I can see what makes Cobble Hill such a lively community and a great place to live.


Rose's friends and neighbors at Cobble Hill Apartments with Alderman Bill Roche.

It was my pleasure to meet Rose and her wonderful family. Rose looks amazing for her age--I could hardly believe she was turning 100! In honor of her momentous day, I presented Rose with a citation from the Massachusetts State Legislature congratulating her and wishing her many more birthdays to come.



Happy Birthday Rose!

Video: Tim presents Rose with a citation from The Massachusetts State Legislature.

A Visit with SPELL Students at the Argenziano School

SOMERVILLE - 290 Washington St - map

I had the pleasure of visiting with two groups of students involved in the Summer Program for English Language Learners (SPELL) at the Argenziano school in Somerville.



The first was a group of rising third and fourth graders who had lots of great ideas about how to improve our state and their schools. Among some of the more enticing ideas were a Massachusetts state-wide pizza day, and a swimming pool for every classroom. The students all showed great interest in how our state makes rules, and I wouldn't be too surprised to see one or two of those faces down the line in the next generation of this state's political leaders.



The second was a group of rising eighth graders, mostly from East Somerville. They had all prepared questions for the visit, and were not shy about going right to the important issues--the first question I was asked is if I would ever like to be Governor. Although I was flattered by the question, I told the class that I've had my current job for nearly twenty years. I love the job I have and district that I represent, and I wouldn't want to do anything else.

Marsh Post Welcomes Home Cambridge Troops

CAMBRIDGE - 1 Gerrys Landing Rd map

On Saturday,I joined the American Legion Marsh Post #442 as they hosted a welcome home barbeque for our local soldiers returning from duty in Iraq. Company C First Battalion of the 181st Infantry Massachusetts Army National Guard returned safely home from Iraq on March 19, 2008 after being deployed July 9, 2007.

The event was organized by Jim Gray of the Marsh Post in coordination with the Cambridge Veterans’ Organization, Boy Scout Troop 45 and the City of Cambridge’s Department of Veterans’ Services. Being sure that our troops who are returning home from the war in Iraq are honored for their service should remain an important focus and organizations such as these should be commended for their efforts.

Concerned Glen Park residents meet to talk about Tufts Street contamination

SOMERVILLE - Capuano Early Education Center - map
Boston Globe Article
Informational document from FNGP (pdf)

A group of concerned residents met to learn about the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection's new report on the contamination at 50 Tufts St. in Somerville. Organized by Leanne Darrigo, coordinator of the Friends and Neighbors of Glen Park (FNGP), the meeting drew about 40 people looking to learn how the contamination affects the neighborhood.


Tufts University professor Anne Marie Desmarais explains the contamination to Glen Park residents.

Inspectors discovered the contamination six years ago after a chemical sales company moved out of the building at 50 Tufts St. During the 50 years they had owned the site, the cleaning chemical Percholoethylene (PERC) seeped into the ground around their building.

The chemical is not mixing with the drinking water, which comes from a reservoir out of town. Anne Marie described that the only way residents would be exposed is through "vapor coming from the ground water getting into your house." The 50 Tufts St. site has started a running a vapor-extraction device to clean up the soil, but the larger area affected and the surrounding homes have been asked to mitigate their own exposure with fans and other safety precautions in their basements.

I urge everyone living in the area to get involved with Leanne Darrigo and the FNGP to learn as much as you can. I will be working closely with the group to help spread the word to the neighbors and investigate further steps to protect the residents, school, and businesses of Glen Park.