Medway & Millis April 2020

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Page 2 Medway & Millis Local Town Pages www.localtownpages.com April 2020SHELTERcontinued from page 1Scouting, local churches, andbusinesses who provide support.The Town of Medway itself hasworked hard for the success ofthe Medway House. Sia says,“The Selectmen, the Fire andPolice Departments, the schoolsystem, and the local food pantrytoo—they’ve been really responsiveto the needs of the familiesand wonderful to work with.”In the current climate, theneed is very great. “We can servetwelve families at a time,” Siasays, “and we average betweeneighteen and thirty families in ayear.”When DHCD refers a family,the family is greeted by a casemanager who assesses the family’sneeds and helps them developa plan to meet those needs.“Each family has its own bedroom,”Sia explains, “but theyshare a kitchen, dining room,play area, and bathrooms.” TheMedway House has an outdoorplayground as well, a result ofsupport from the community.The Medway House does everythingpossible to foster independence.Sia says, “We’re smallenough that families can do theirown food shopping and theirown cooking. Their day to day islike any family wants their day tobe, but there’s a lot of negotiatingwhen you’re in a home with thismany people.”The Medway House connectstheir clients with any localresources that can help, whetherit’s job search support, help writingresumes, daycare assistance,or even just transportation tomultiple appointments.Moreover, the Medway Houseoffers educational opportunities.“We get experts from the outsideto come in,” Sia says. They’ve offeredseminars on personal goalsetting, how to look for an apartmentand how to understand alease, financial management, howto locate community resources,how to choose a daycare provider,conflict resolution, nutrition, anddisaster preparedness.“It’s all about empowermentand supporting people,” Sia says.“The information we’re sharingwill help them in their new community.”Plans to acknowledge the anniversaryinclude a party later inthe year when they can hold itsafely outdoors, and also a cakefor the residents and employeeson the actual anniversary date.Sia says, “Medway has been agood community for our familiesto be a part of. We are also seenas a resource to the community.”Sia expresses both happinessand sadness that the MedwayHouse Family Shelter is still activeand necessary 20 years afterits doors opened. “The fact thatthis safety net is here and remainsa priority in the commonwealthis fantastic. Our agency is astrong, vital agency that providessuch a wide variety of services forthe families, and that has helpedus to stay a very highly functioningprogram for 20 years. But it’ssad to me that the great need isstill there, in 2020. As a society,we haven’t solved this problem atall.”Due to COVID-19 concerns,volunteering is suspended at theMedway House for the timebeing, but they still rely on communitysupport. The shelter willbe holding a fundraiser, “Twentyin Twenty-Twenty,” where theywill ask every donor to contribute$20 toward a new van totransport residents to appointments,shopping trips, and jobinterviews. To help the shelterduring this special anniversaryyear, please contact Heidi Sia athsia@smoc.org or visit the websiteat https://www.smoc.org/medway-house.php.NEW ENGLAND REGLAZENOW $ 299. 00Don’t replaceyour old tub, reglaze it!Tubs, tile sinks andmuch moreWe do any TUB!CALL US NOW617-895-7771www.newenglandreglaze.comSAVE$100WITH ADReg. $ 399Color, travel, may apply.Millis Beautification DayCancelledResidents Urged to Pick Up Trashduring Walks, around HomesBecause of Coronavirus, there will be NO MillisBeautification Day. However, with more of usspending time social distancing at home, it’s a greatopportunity to grab a trash bag and gloves andclean up around your area.www.millisgardenclub.orgwww.millislionsclub.orgListen Live!Anywhere,Anytime!Now more than ever our local business community is in dire need of support amid the outbreak of COVID-19. While officialscall for social distancing and suggest the commuinty remain close to home, small business are feeling the strain from adrop in daily traffic. How can we help? What part can we play to insure they come out of this crisis unscathed?Listen to my FM for all the updates from local newsmakers?
April 2020 Medway & Millis Local Town Pages www.localtownpages.com Page 3Millis Public Library Adapts to the Need for VirtualProgrammingThe Millis Public Library, inthe midst of Covid-19 closuresand social distancing, is makingan effort to engage the publicthrough online means. In March,“Miss Rachel” began an onlinestorytime, to the delight of a surprisinglylarge audience.“It’s kind of a constantlyevolving situation, as we get newrecommendations from the townand the state and the federal government,”says Millis Library DirectorKim Tolson. “We’re tryingour best to provide the serviceswe can to the community whilealso keeping staff and patronssafe.”Per Millis Select Board, thelibrary building is completelyclosed to the public now, althoughstaff is still answeringemails and phone calls. Curbsidedelivery was offered at the onset,but has since been halted in aneffort to contain the virus. Thelibrary is also not accepting anyreturns at this time.“We set all of the due dates toMay first,” says Tolson. “We’rejust asking people to hold ontoeverything for the time beingjust to kind of eliminate multiplepeople handling the same items.”Youth Services Librarian RachelSilverman will be holdingstorytime online through a liveFacebook stream every Tuesdayand Friday, at 10:30 a.m.“We had a great response,”says Tolson, remarking on thefirst day. The March 17th storytimehas enjoyed 1.3K views sinceit first streamed. “By the time shehad finished recording the video,there had been 200 that tunedin,” says Tolson. That’s a big risefrom maybe 80 people on a goodday, says Tolson. “That was thefirst virtual program we tried. Weare planning on putting togethersome more virtual programs fordifferent age groups.” One ideaincluded an online book club.“I think that the library isdoing a great job being inventiveand flexible and nimble comingup with ideas to keep patrons engagedand meeting their need,”says Millis Library Trustee JenniferWhite-Farrar, who says sheis incredibly proud of RachelSilverman. “We have figured outshe is a local celebrity with thistoddler group,” she says. She’snot a performer, and she’s justputting it out there. She reallyembraced it, and it was reallygiving of herself.”Library patrons can also visitthe e-Library at millislibrary.org/e-resources to see downloadablecollections, news articles,and educational resources accessiblefrom home. Library WiFi isalso accessible from the parkinglot behind the building and in thecourtyard. If you If you have adevice and need WiFi access, youmay sit in your vehicle or in outdoorareas.At Local Town Pages deadline,staff were available at (508) 376-8282 or milcirc@minlib.net duringour normal operating hoursto to answer questions, help youto access our extensive e-Library,or point you towards other onlineresources to support you duringthis time. Check millislibrary.org/updates and follow them onFacebook to stay up to date onthe services offered.Millis Youth Services Librarian held the library’s first virtual storytimeon March 17th, which, at press time, had gotten over 1.3K views. Thelibrary will continue this online storytime on Tuesday and Friday a.m.at 10:30, livestreaming through Facebook. Photo courtesy of JenniferWhite-FarrarArtWeek Medway–Stay Tuned!As of Local Town Pages deadline, Medway ArtWeek wasscheduled, along with statewide ArtWeek, for May 2-9,2020. As for whether the event was still to take place, CarlaCataldo, Chair of the Medway Cultural Council, said, “Thetruth is we don’t know yet … If we cannot hold it in the firstweek of May, we will probably postpone to a later date, sopeople should keep checking the website for updates.”You can find the Medway Cultural Council on Facebookand at https://www.townofmedway.org/cultural-council.Find out more about Massachusetts ArtWeek at http://www.artweekma.org/.Our Ad & Editorial Deadline is the 15th of the month,for the following month’s issueE X P E R I E N C ES U M M E RP R O J E C T !A TW O O D S I D E M O N T E S S O R IA C A D E M YAttention HomeownersAdd some CoLor to your Home!We know colors!Interior & Exterior PaintingKitchen Cabinets RefinishedPowerwash & Handyman Skills2 Old Fuddy Duddy Painters with 30+ years experienceSAVING MARRIAGES ONE HOME AT A TIME!Call for an Estimate • BILL 508-868-5226Discover! Explore!Weekly ThemesJuly 6th -August 21stfor ages 3 - 11350 Village St. Mills, MA 02054www.woodsideacademy.com
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