You may qualify for free or low cost state health coverage, even if you work!

Come to any of the FREE April Enrollment Events in Worcester!

Plumley Village, Job Development Office

Wednesday, April 9, April 16, April 23 & April 30

9:00 am - 12:00 pm

16 Laurel St.

South Worcester Neighborhood Ctr.

Wednesday, April 9, April 16  & April 23

    9:00 am - 1:00 pm

47 Camp St.

Lakeside Community Center

Monday, April 14^th

10:00 am - 2:00 pm

28 Lakeside Ave.

Centros Las Americas

Thursday, April 24

8:30 am – 12:00 pm

11 Sycamore St.

UMass Memorial Medical Center Lobby (University Campus)

Wednesday, April 29

9:00 AM- 3:00 PM

55 Lake Ave.

UMass Memorial Medical Lobby (Memorial Campus)

Wednesday, April 29

 9:00 AM- 3:00 PM

119 Belmont St.

UMass Memorial health insurance counselors will be available to answer

your questions, complete and submit your application for insurance

and find you a primary care physician.

If you are unable to attend, UMass Memorial health insurance counselors

are always available to help you enroll in insurance plans.

Please consider the following announcements for Medical Memos, Bulletin Boards and Public Calendars. Please contact the Office of Public Affairs & Publications at 508-856-2000 with any additional questions.

April events for UMass Medical School and UMass Memorial Health Care are listed chronologically by category.  Unless otherwise noted, these events will be held at UMass Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North in Worcester, and are open to the public and free of charge.

Donation Program
April: UMass Memorial Blood Donor Center is currently seeking healthy volunteers to donate blood or blood products to provide life-saving blood products and therapeutic services to patients at UMass Memorial Medical Center. All blood types are needed, and appointments are only required for platelet donations. The Blood Donor Center, located on Lakeside Level A of the UMass Memorial Medical Center–University Campus, is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday. Free valet parking is offered for blood donors. For information or to schedule an appointment, call 508-421-1950. Walk-ins are welcome.

Events
March 7 – April 18/Friday: New England Landscapes, a photography exhibit, will be held at 5 p.m. The latest installment of the Lamar Soutter Library’s Artist in Residence Series, the exhibit features the photography of Paul Berman, MD, assistant professor of medicine at UMass Medical School. The exhibit will be on display on the first floor of the Lamar Soutter Library from Friday, March 7, through Friday, April 18. The library is open seven days a week. For information, contact Nancy Harger at 508-856-3334 or nancy.harger@umassmed.edu.

April 2/Wednesday: The 4th Annual Gerald F. Berlin Prize for Creative Writing, an award ceremony and reception, will be held from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the Library Conference Room in the Lamar Soutter Library. Established by Richard M. Berlin, MD, poet and UMMS associate professor of psychiatry, the Gerald F. Berlin Creative Writing Award encourages creative writing among UMMS students and residents and honors Dr. Berlin’s father, who struggled with a severe chronic illness. Berlin is the author of the poetry collection How JFK Killed My Father, which describes his career in medicine as well as his father's illness. For information, contact Nancy Harger at 508-856-3334 or nancy.harger@umassmed.edu.

Health & Education Programs
April 4/Friday: The UMass Memorial Weight Center Orientation Meeting will be held from noon to 1 p.m. in the Hiatt Auditorium (S1-608) in the Medical School. The meeting, which will discuss behavioral and surgical weight loss options, is open to anyone concerned about being overweight. For information, call 508-334-3886 or e-mail weightcenter@ummhc.org.

Health & Education Programs (cont.)
April 9/Wednesday: Asthma Co-Management Program, offered by UMass Memorial Medical Center, is a six-week course that teaches participants the basics about the disease, such as how to identify early warning signs and triggers of asthma and how to prevent life-threatening attacks. A behavioral psychologist, pulmonary nurses and renowned pulmonary physicians teach the course, which begins April 9 and costs $50. Classes are held Wednesday evenings on the University Campus, 55 Lake Avenue North, Worcester, from 6 to 7:30 pm., and preregistration is required. Contact Ginny Babin at 508-856-1975 for information.

April 9-13/Wednesday-Sunday: Integrating Mindfulness-Based Interventions into Medicine, Health Care and the Larger Society, a five-day international, scientific conference that will examine the connection between meditation, medicine and neuroscience, will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Worcester. Sponsored by the UMMS Office of Continuing Education and the Center for Mindfulness, the conference is an opportunity for clinicians, researchers, faculty and students to interact with a pioneering group of scientists, clinicians and educators who will be presenting approaches and key findings about the profound connections between neuroscience, medicine, healing, meditation and the mind. Registration is required. For more information and to register, call 508-856-5493 or 508-856-2656 or e-mail mindfulness@umassmed.edu.

April 10/Thursday: Child Passenger Safety Seat Education will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the UMass Memorial Health Care EMS Garage at 23 Wells Street in Worcester. The program, sponsored by the Injury Free Coalition for Kids of Worcester, educates parents and care givers about child passenger safety. Technicians are available to check car seats and help parents install them. Appointments are required, and the inspections are open to everyone. For information, call Carol Carpenter at 508-793-6016.

April 10/Thursday: Looking Backwards to the Future: The Holocaust Center, Boston, North will be held from noon to 1 p.m. at the University Campus, Room S2-351/352. The program, sponsored by the Diversity and Equal Opportunity Office, will feature Harriet Wacks, executive director of the The Holocaust Center, Boston North Inc. Ms. Wacks will discuss the importance of documenting and preserving history, reducing hatred, prejudice, ignorance and indifference through education, and preventing future tragedies through the study of the universal lessons from the Holocaust. For information, e-mail Nellie Toney at nellie.toney@umassmed.edu.

April 10/Thursday: The UMass Memorial Weight Center Orientation Meeting will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Hiatt Auditorium (S1-608) in the Medical School. The meeting, which will discuss behavioral and surgical weight loss options, is open to anyone concerned about being overweight. For information, call 508-334-3886 or e-mail weightcenter@ummhc.org.

April 24/Thursday: Child Passenger Safety Seat Education will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the UMass Memorial Health Care EMS Garage at 23 Wells Street in Worcester. The program, sponsored by the Injury Free Coalition for Kids of Worcester, educates parents and care givers about child passenger safety. Technicians are available to check car seats and help parents install them. Appointments are required, and the inspections are open to everyone. For information, call Carol Carpenter at 508-793-6016.

Support Groups
April 14/Monday: Bereavement Support Group, offered by UMass Memorial Hospice, will meet from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in the Conference Room at the Shrewsbury Senior Center, 98 Maple Ave., Shrewsbury. The group meets the second Monday of each month, and is for anyone who is suffering from a loss due to a death. The purpose of the meeting is to offer participants support through sharing, information and education. For more information, call Carol Sazama or Ted MacNeil at 508-754-0052.

April 14 & 16/Monday & Wednesday: Parents Apart, a two-day educational seminar for separated or divorced parents, will be held on the University Campus in Amphitheatre III, 6th Floor, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Cost is $65 and pre-registration is required. For more information and to register, call 508-856-8600.

April 15/Tuesday: Bereavement Support Group, offered by UMass Memorial Hospice, will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. at UMass Memorial Hospice, 650 Lincoln St., Worcester. The group meets the third Tuesday of each month, and is for anyone who is suffering from a loss due to a death. The purpose of the meeting is to offer participants support through sharing, information and education. For more information, call Ted MacNeil or Carol Sazama at 508-754-0052.

April 23/Wednesday: The Pancreatic Cancer Alliance will meet from 6 to 8 p.m. in the 4th floor conference room of the Aaron Lazare Medical Research Building. The Pancreatic Cancer Alliance supports the efforts of the medical and research communities as well as patients and their loved ones in the battle against pancreatic cancer; raises funds for pancreatic cancer research at UMMS; educates patients and medical professionals; and raises public awareness of pancreatic cancer. For more information, call 508-856-5520 or visit www.pancreaticalliance.org.

For Immediate Release

Contact: Director of Public Relations and Marketing Lea Ann Erickson

P: 508.929.8018

F: 508.929.8142

(Worcester, MA)—Author and Scholar Dr. Cornel West will speak at Worcester State College, Wed., Feb. 13, at 7:00 p.m. in the Sullivan Auditorium.  The lecture, part of the Third World Alliance  “Courageous Conversations,” series is free and open to the public.

One of America’s most provocative public intellectuals, Cornel West has been praised by The New York Times for his “ferocious moral vision.”  Worcester State College President Dr. Janelle Ashley said the College is committed to bringing noted scholars to the campus and community.  “Worcester State College values spirited debate and intellectual challenge,” she said.  “I am so proud that our students, faculty and staff were instrumental in bringing Dr. West here.  We are delighted to be sharing this very important event with the entire community.” Third World Alliance President Jonathon Perez, a Worcester State College Junior majoring in Sociology and Spanish, said Dr. West will bring a new awareness to the community.  “He is an intellectual who has been very open about making religion part of his dialogue,” said Perez.  “That is what personally appealed to me.  Also, he urges that people be judged by who they are and what they bring to the table.”

Currently the Class of 1943 Professor at Princeton University, West burst onto the national scene in 1993 with his bestselling book, Race Matters, a searing analysis of racism in American democracy. Race Matters has become a contemporary classic.  West has published 16 other books and has edited 13 texts.

In his last book Democracy Matters, West analyzes the arrested development of democracy both in America and in the crisis-ridden Middle East. He argues that if America is to become a better steward of democratization around the world, it must first recognize its own long history of imperialist corruption.  His latest CD, Never Forget: A Journey of Revelations is a collection of socially conscience music featuring collaborations with Prince, Outkast, Jill Scott, Talib Kweli. West also offers commentary weekly on The Tavis Smiley Show from PRI.

West earned his bachelor’s degree from Harvard in three years, magna cum laude. After earning his Ph.D. at Princeton, he became a professor of religion and director of the Afro-American Studies program there. West has also taught at Union Theological Seminary, Yale, Harvard, and the University of Paris.

West was an influential force in developing the storyline for the popular Matrix movie trilogy and has served as its official spokesperson, as well as playing a recurring role in the final two films.

The event is sponsored by Third World Alliance, Academic Affairs, Center for Human Rights, Center for Service Learning and Civic Engagement, Diversity Office, Faith Zeady Foundation, Henry Lee Willis Center, Multicultural Affairs Office, Philosophy Department, President’s Office, Sociology Department, Student Activities Office and Worcester Youth Center.

Lea Ann Erickson

Director of Public Relations and Marketing

Worcester State College

486 Chandler St.

Worcester MA

01602

phone: (508) 929-8018

fax: (508) 929-8142

lerickson1@worcester.edu

LONGMEADOW, MASS. – Award-winning independent filmmaker Anne Makepeace will be at Bay Path College to discuss her documentary Rain in a Dry Land, which will be screened prior to her discussion. The event will take place Thursday, February 7 at 7:00 p.m. in the Blake Student Commons on the Bay Path College campus.
        Rain in a Dry Land chronicles the journey and resettlement in America of two Somiali Bantu families from Africa.  Beginning with “cultural orientation” classes in Kenya, where they are introduced to such novelties as electric appliances and the prospect of living in high-rise apartment buildings, the film follows the Muslim families on divergent yet parallel paths as they learn that the streets in America are definitely not paved with gold, especially for poor immigrants.
        Connecticut-based Anne Makepeace has been a writer, producer, and director of award-winning independent films for more than twenty years. In 2003, Makepeace completed Robert Capa In Love and War for the American Masters series. That film premiered at Sundance and was broadcast nationally on PBS, as well as on the BBC and many other foreign stations. The film won a national prime time Emmy and the Voice for Humanity Award at Telluride MountainFilm. Coming to Light, her documentary about Edward S. Curtis, the pre-eminent photographer of Native Americans, was short-listed for an Academy Award in the feature documentary category, premiered at Sundance 2000, and was broadcast on American Masters/PBS in 2001, on Arte in France and Germany, and other foreign stations.
        Joining Anne Makepeace at the Bay Path discussion will be Yasmine Ahmed, a caseworker for the New American Center for Jewish Family Services; two Somali Bantu women from Springfield; and Kathy Wiezbicki-Stevens, assistant professor of psychology at Bay Path College.
Registration for this program is not necessary. For more information please call Bay Path College Office of Special Programs at 413.565.1066.  
                                                        ###

For Immediate Release

Contact: Director of Public Relations and Marketing Lea Ann Erickson

P: 508.929.8018

F: 508.929.8142

WORCESTER STATE COLLEGE TO PARTICIPATE IN CLIMATE CHANGE TEACH-IN

(Worcester, MA)—Worcester State College will participate in, “Focus The Nation,” an unprecedented national teach-in on global warming solutions, Thursday, January 31.  The day-long teach-in event will be preceded by the Stanford University webcast, “The 2% Solution,” produced by the National Wildlife Federation and aired by the Earth Day Network.  Panelists will include actor Edward Norton, Stanford climate scientist Steve Schneider, Hunter Lovins, CEO of Natural Capitalism and environmental justice leader, Van Jones, executive director of the Ella Baker Center in Oakland, Calif.

“We are proud to have faculty who are so engaged on this crucial topic,” said Worcester State College President Dr. Janelle Ashley.  “Because of their commitment to this issue, our students will be hearing about the local impact of climate change right on our campus from the faculty they know so well.”

The teach-in event will feature remarks from Worcester State College Assistant Professor of Geography Dr. Allison Dunn.  She will outline how global climate change will impact New England.  In addition, Worcester State College Environmental Safety Officer Bob Daniels will explain how Worcester State College is reducing its environmental footprint.

Teach-in sessions will take place at 8:30 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. all in the Blue Lounge in the Student Center.  The day will also feature a film series in the Ghosh Science Center:        

                2:30                        Light refreshments

                2:45-4:15              Everything’s Cool; a Toxic Comedy about Global Warming (2007)

                4:15-4:45              Discussion and Intermission

                4:45-5:45              Kilowatt Ours (2007)

                5:45-6:00              Discussion

                6:00-6:30              Pizza

                6:30-8:00              An Inconvenient Truth (2006)

                8:00-8:30              Discussion

Focus The Nation has created a teach-in model centered on the three most essential pillars for today’s youth to embrace solutions to global warming: education, civic engagement and leadership.

# # #

Focus The Nation is an unprecedented educational initiative on global warming solutions for America occurring at more than 1,000 universities and colleges and in all 50 states on Jan. 31, 2008. As the largest teach-in in U.S. history, Focus The Nation is preparing millions of students to become leaders in the largest civilizational challenge any generation has faced. For more information, please visit www.focusthenation.org.

Lea Ann Erickson

Director of Public Relations and Marketing

Worcester State College

486 Chandler St.

Worcester MA

01602

phone: (508) 929-8018

fax: (508) 929-8142

Media Alert

January 16, 2008

Contact: Sandy Lashin Curewitz

Communications Director

508-373-9529

508-887-2388

sandy.curewitz@becker.edu

Congressman Richard E. Neal to give Civil Rights lecture

at Becker College

(Leicester, Mass.) Congressman Richard E. Neal will present his lecture, The Evolution of Civil Rights in America, in Daniels Hall, in the Borger Academic Building on the Leicester campus of Becker College, 10:00 a.m. on Friday, January 25, 2008. Press are invited to a briefing, to be held in the Student Center immediately following the lecture.

Cong. Neal’s remarks will highlight the watershed moments of the Civil Rights Movement and his experiences as an activist alongside some of the seminal figures of that time.

As a representative of Leicester, Congressman Neal has supported Becker’s efforts to bring national attention to historical resident Reverend Samuel May’s significant activity in the early abolitionist movement, and the Congressman has been a strong proponent for the designation of the Reverend Samuel May House as an official Freedom Network Visitor Center.

Becker College traces its history to 1784 and has over 19,000 alumni.  With campuses in Worcester and Leicester, Massachusetts, the college serves nearly 1,500 students from 18 states and 12 countries.  The College offers 23 concentrations from among 9 bachelor degree and 7 associate degree level programs, as well as a variety of adult learning options. The College’s unique class offerings and hands-on professional practitioner orientation to higher education, have earned Becker a national reputation for career focused academics, particularly in the fields of business, education, veterinary sciences, health care and the arts.

# # #

Please consider the following announcements for Medical Memos, Bulletin Boards and Public Calendars. Please contact the Office of Public Affairs & Publications at 508-856-2000 with any additional questions.

January events for UMass Medical School and UMass Memorial Health Care are listed chronologically by category.  Unless otherwise noted, these events will be held at UMass Medical School, 55 Lake Ave. North in Worcester, and are open to the public and free of charge.

Donation Program
       
January: UMass Memorial Blood Donor Center is currently seeking healthy volunteers to donate blood or blood products to provide life-saving blood products and therapeutic services to patients at UMass Memorial Medical Center. All blood types are needed, and appointments are only required for platelet donations. The Blood Donor Center, located on Lakeside Level A of the UMass Memorial Medical Center–University Campus, is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday. Free valet parking is offered for blood donors. For information or to schedule an appointment, call 508-421-1950. Walk-ins are welcome.

Event

Jan. 16/Wednesday: The Alchemy of Grief, a reading and book signing of Emily Ferrara’s award-winning book of poems, will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Rare Book Room of the Lamar Soutter Library at UMass Medical School (UMMS). Ms. Ferrara, who is assistant professor of family medicine & community health at UMMS, will discuss her experiences with using writing to heal from the loss of her 19-year-old son, who died of complications from a congenital heart defect. For information, contact Nancy Harger at 508-856-3334 or nancy.harger@umassmed.edu.

Health & Education Programs

Jan. 4/Friday: The UMass Memorial Weight Center Orientation Meeting will be held from noon to 1 p.m. in the Hiatt Auditorium (S1-608) in the Medical School. The meeting, which will discuss behavioral and surgical weight loss options, is open to anyone concerned about being overweight. For information, call 508-334-3886 or e-mail weightcenter@ummhc.org.

Jan. 10/Thursday: The UMass Memorial Weight Center Orientation Meeting will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Hiatt Auditorium (S1-608) in the Medical School. The meeting, which will discuss behavioral and surgical weight loss options, is open to anyone concerned about being overweight. For information, call 508-334-3886 or e-mail weightcenter@ummhc.org.

Jan. 25/Friday: Leaving a Legacy for Medical Education, a program about the Anatomical Gift Program at University of Massachusetts Medical School, will present information to Massachusetts residents interested in bequeathing their bodies to educate tomorrow’s doctors. Two sessions will be held during the day. The first session will begin at 9 a.m. at the Hospice & Palliative Care of Cape Cod, 765 Attucks Lane in Hyannis. To attend, call Melissa Weidman, communications manager of HPCCC, at 508-957-0307. The second session will take place at 1:30 p.m., and it will be hosted by the Town of Yarmouth Senior Services, 528 Forest Road in South Yarmouth. To register for this program, call Karen Marciante, director of Senior Services for the Town of Yarmouth, at 508-394-7606. At both events, refreshments will be provided and free parking will be available. For more information about the UMMS Anatomical Gift Program, call 508-856-2460.

Support Groups

Jan. 7 & 9/Monday & Wednesday: Parents Apart, a two-day educational seminar for separated or divorced parents, will be held on the University Campus in Amphitheatre III, 6th Floor, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Cost is $65 and pre-registration is required. For more information and to register, call 508-856-8600.

Jan. 14/Monday: Bereavement Support Group, offered by UMass Memorial Hospice, will meet from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in the Conference Room at the Shrewsbury Senior Center, 98 Maple Ave., Shrewsbury. The group meets the second Monday of each month, and is for anyone who is suffering from a loss due to a death. The purpose of the meeting is to offer participants support through sharing, information and education. For more information, call Carol Sazama or Ted MacNeil at 508-754-0052.

Jan. 15/Tuesday: Bereavement Support Group, offered by UMass Memorial Hospice, will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. at UMass Memorial Hospice, 650 Lincoln St., Worcester. The group meets the third Tuesday of each month, and is for anyone who is suffering from a loss due to a death. The purpose of the meeting is to offer participants support through sharing, information and education. For more information, call Ted MacNeil or Carol Sazama at 508-754-0052.

Jan. 23/Wednesday: The Pancreatic Cancer Alliance will meet from 6 to 8 p.m. in the 4th floor conference room of the Aaron Lazare Medical Research Building. The Pancreatic Cancer Alliance supports the efforts of the medical and research communities as well as patients and their loved ones in the battle against pancreatic cancer; raises funds for pancreatic cancer research at UMMS; educates patients and medical professionals; and raises public awareness of pancreatic cancer. For more information, call 508-856-5520 or visit www.pancreaticalliance.org.

Jan. 28 & 30/Monday & Wednesday: Parents Apart, a two-day educational seminar for separated or divorced parents, will be held on the University Campus in Amphitheatre III, 6th Floor, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Cost is $65 and pre-registration is required. For more information and to register, call 508-856-8600.

670 West Boylston Street

Worcester, MA 01606

Media Release                                                                       For Immediate Use 12/12/07

Worcester Public School Robotics Teams to Compete at QCC Competition

WORCESTER, Ma – On Saturday, December 15, thirty-seven robotics teams from the Worcester Public Schools will gather at Quinsigamond Community College to take part in the QCC Quad Quandary Robotics Competition.

            The event, funded by a grant from the Microsoft Corporation, will bring Worcester high school, middle school, and selected elementary school students to QCC to participate in the city-wide competition. Currently, Worcester Public Schools has over 400 students throughout the district participating in robotics programs.

QCC’s Betty Lauer, associate professor of computer systems engineering technology, coordinates Quinsigamond’s piece. She states, “What most Worcester residents don’t know is that WPS as a whole is known as a ‘power house’ in robotics.  Last March at the Hartford FRC Regional competition, 4 of the 5 participating WPS teams landed in the final 8 alliances out of over 50 teams.  The Hartford FRC Regional is known as one of the toughest venues in FRC because of the experience of participating teams, where most have been involved for 10 or 15 years.  WPS have been involved only 3 years.  In every venue that the WPS participates in, a proud level of success is achieved.”

Saturday’s event will begin at 9:00am and will be held in the Hebert Auditorium on campus.

##

For more information contact Meredith Galena, Marketing Assistant at 508-854-7498, mgalena@qcc.mass.edu; or Victor Somma, Director of Marketing and Public Affairs at 508-854-2729.

Saturday, December 1: New Treatment Options for Parkinson's Disease, a free educational program for those who have Parkinson’s and their loved ones, will be held at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North in Worcester. Learn about new advances in medical treatment options and the role of deep brain stimulation as a possible treatment. Ask specialists about treatments and meet others who have undergone various treatments. Registration begins at 11:30 a.m., and the program will be held from noon to 2 p.m. in the Faculty Conference Room (S1-342) adjacent to the Medical School lobby. Lunch will be provided, and registration is required. For information, call 508-334-0596.

Worcester Local First to Hold Official Kick-Off
on November 14 at Percy's TV & Appliance

WORCESTER, MA - NOVEMBER 12 - Worcester Local First will hold an Official Kick-Off on Wednesday, November 14 from 5-7 p.m. at Percy's TV & Appliance on Gold Star Boulevard. Light foods and drinks will be served.

The Worcester Local First mission is to urge Worcester consumers to "think first" of locally owned businesses when shopping for products and services, and to let them know which businesses are in fact locally owned. The primary reason is that for every $100 spent at a locally owned business, $68 stays in the local economy, while only $43 of every $100 spent at a non-locally owned business stays in the local economy. (Source: Andersonville [Michigan] Department Corp. and Andersonville Chamber  of Commerce, 2004, Civiceconomics.com/Andersonville/.) These figures do not factor in the profits made by locally owned businesses that also stay in the community rather than leak out through non-locally owned businesses.

The Worcester Local First Steering Committee includes co-chairs Bill Cavanagh of C.C. Lowell and Alan Lavine of Percy's TV & Appliance as well as Bernie Rotman of Rotman's Furniture, Andy Davis of Davis Advertising, Mark Waxler of The Beechwood Hotel, Chris Liazos of The Webster House Restaurant, Peg Naylor of Goddard-Homestead, Ernie Floyd of Pride Productions, and Kwasi Sarpong of the African Community Development.

Local First is a national campaign launched in 2003 by the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, which was founded in 2001. Laury Hammel of Cambridge, a BALLE co-founder, owns and operates (along with his wife) the Longfellow Clubs fitness centers in Natick, Wayland and Franklin. He is working with the Worcester Local First Steering Committee, on a volunteer basis, to create and launch the Worcester Local First campaign.

For more information regarding Worcester Local First and long-term sustainability:

• Worcester Local First:  To hear a 20-minute  interview, in MP3 format, with WLF co-founder and co-chair Bill Cavanagh in November 2007 for Energy Freedom Fighters on WCRN/830 AM, visit BestRateOfClimb.com/EFF-Episode20.mp3. The interview begins approximately 37 minutes into the show.
  
• Business Alliance for Local Living Economies: LivingEconomies.org. To hear a 30-minute interview, in MP3 format, with BALLE co-founder Laury Hammel in May 2007 for The Business Beat on WICN/90.5 FM,  visit BestRateOfClimb.com/BusinessBeat-LauryHammel-5-3-07.mp3.
• The Great Turning: DavidKorten.org. David Korten, a resident of Washington state, is one of the founders of BALLE as well as the author of The Great Turning and other books regarding long-term sustainability, or "seven generations." According to The Great Law of the Iroquois Confederacy, "In our every deliberations, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations."

Note: The Worcester Local First website, WorcesterLocalFirst.org, will be operational the week of November 18. For more information, e-mail Steven Jones-D'Agostino at steve@bestrateofclimb.com.

                                                                November 5, 2007

Clark University to host International Law expert Nov. 15

Harvard Professor Jens Meierhenrich to discuss concentration camps, post-genocide justice

WORCESTER, MA— The Clark University Strassler Family Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies presents “Concentration Camps in International Law,” a lecture by International Law expert Jens Meierhenrich, on Thurs., Nov. 15, at 7:30 p.m. in Tilton Hall, 2^nd floor, Higgins University Center, 950 Main Street, Worcester.

        Meierhenrich is assistant professor of government and of social studies at Harvard University, and serves as a research associate at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, the largest international research center within Harvard University’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences. He is also visiting associate professor of law at the University of Tokyo. 

Professor Meierhenrich will talk about how post-genocide justice poses troubling questions—for lawyers and for the public. He will shed light on judicial responses to crimes perpetrated in some of the most notorious concentration camps of the 20^th century, from Bergen-Belsen to Keraterm. His analysis of national and international courts and tribunals spans U.S. military courts to the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia.

        A rising star in the field of International Law, professor Meierhenrich recently served as the Carlo Schmid Fellow in Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and, previously, worked with the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.

Professor Meierhenrich is the author of a series of articles on comparative and international law and politics and is currently working on a monumental trilogy on genocide: The Rationality of Genocide; The Structure of Genocide; and The Culture of Genocide.

The recipient of many prestigious fellowships and awards, professor Meierhenrich has enjoyed the support of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Social Science Research Council, the American Council of Learned Societies, the Japan Foundation, the American Bar Foundation, and the Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies.

A reception will follow this lecture. For more information, call 508-793-8897.
The mission of the Strassler Family Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies is to educate undergraduate and graduate students about genocide and the Holocaust; to host a lecture series, free of charge and open to the public, to use scholarship to address current problems stemming from the murderous past; and to participate in public discussion about a host of issues ranging from the significance of state-sponsored denial of the Armenian genocide and well-funded denial of the Holocaust to intervention in and prevention of genocidal situations today.

 Clark University is a private, co-educational liberal-arts research university with 2,100 undergraduate and 900 graduate students. Since its founding in 1887 as the first all-graduate school in the United States, Clark has challenged convention with innovative programs such as the International Studies Stream and the accelerated BA/MA programs with the fifth year tuition-free for eligible students. The University is featured in Loren Pope’s book, “Colleges That Change Lives.”

-www.clarku.edu-

Angela M. Bazydlo
Associate Director of Media Relations
Clark University
University Communications
ph: 508-793-7635
cell: 508-365-8736
www.clarku.edu  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                4 October 2007

CONTACT: Lori Schafer , PR Director 508.752.4615 x40 lschafer@davisad.com

Photos attached.

#1 Nicole Tadgell

#2 Cover illustration for Josias, Hold the Book

WORCESTER AGENCY EMPLOYEE IS AWARD WINNER, AGAIN

Illustrator Nicole Tadgell Collects Numerous Accolades for Children’s Book

Spencer MA Artist to Be Honored at Library of Congress

( Worcester MA ) -- Davis Advertising’s Assistant Art Director Nicole Tadgell has once again been recognized for her exceptional talents. In addition to serving the agency and its clients in incalculable ways, Nicole also has a significant following as an award-winning children’s book illustrator. Recently, she received five new honors for the hardcover children’s picture book, Josias, Hold the Book to add to her growing list of accomplishments. It is further testament to the high degree of award-winning talent on staff at the 59-year-old Worcester-based Davis Advertising.

Josias, Hold the Book (illustrated by Nicole Tadgell, written by Jennifer Riesmeyer Elvgren) is brought to life through Nicole’s luminous watercolor illustrations. It is the moving story of a Haitian boy determined to make his garden grow. Published by Boyds Mills Press in March 2006, the 32-page hardcover book is geared toward ages 4-8.

Josias, Hold the Book has received the following significant awards:

2007 Americas Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature

The national Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs (CLASP) selected the book as one of just two recipients of the 2007 Americas Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature. The Américas Award is given in recognition of U.S. works of fiction, poetry, folklore, or selected non-fiction (from picture books to works for young adults) published in the previous year in English or Spanish that authentically and engagingly portray Latin America, the Caribbean, or Latinos in the United States. Nicole and her book will be honored at a ceremony this weekend at the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. For more information, visit http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/CLACS/outreach/americas.html.

2007 Best Books of the Year

The Children’s Book Committee of Bank Street College in New York City has named Josias, Hold the Book to its list of 2007 Best Books of the Year. The Children's Book Committee was founded almost 100 years ago to help parents, teachers and librarians choose the books that children will find captivating and transforming. On an annual basis, they publish The Best Children's Books of the Year from their headquarters at Bank Street College , a small, vibrant institution passionately devoted to improving the education of children. For more information, http://www.bankstreet.edu/bookcom.

2007 Growing Good Kids – Excellence in Children’s Literature Book Award

The Junior Master Gardener Program and the American Horticultural Society (AHS) honor engaging, inspiring works of plant, garden and ecology-themed children's literature through the new "Growing Good Kids - Excellence in Children's Literature Awards" Program. This award recognizes a select group of children's books that are especially effective at promoting an understanding of and appreciation for gardening and the environment. Josias, Hold The Book was honored at the AHS 15th Annual National Children & Youth Garden Symposium in July 21 in Chaska , Minnesota . For further details, visit www.jmgkids.us/index.k2?did=14558§ionID=10398

Additionally, Josias, Hold The Book has been selected for the 2007 Maine ’s A Capital Read Children’s List as well as the 2006 Excellent Choices of Trade Books for Grades K-9, which is granted by Eastern Washington University .

For more information about Nicole Tadgell, visit http://www.nicoletadgell.com.

Other books Nicole has illustrated include:

Josias, Hold The Book by Jennifer Riesmeyer Elvgren, Boyds Mills Press, March 2006.

Lights Out! by Angela Shelf Medearis, Color-Bridge Books, 2004.

A Day with Daddy by Nikki Grimes, Color-Bridge Books, 2004.

Moving Day Surprise by Tina Stolberg, Bebop Books, 2003.

Fatuma's New Cloth by Leslie Bulion, Moon Mountain Publishing, 2002.

(Winner, Children's Africana Book Award, 2003)

Just Call Me Joe Joe by Jean Alicia Elster, Judson Press, 2001.

I Have a Dream, Too by Jean Alicia Elster, Judson Press, 2002.

I'll Fly My Own Plane by Jean Alicia Elster, Judson Press, 2002.

I'll Do the Right Thing by Jean Alicia Elster, Judson Press, 2003.

 (Winner, Atlanta Daily World Atlanta Choice Award, 2004)

About Davis Advertising

Davis Advertising -- founded in 1948 -- is a full-service, $45 million agency. As the largest group in Central Massachusetts, Davis handles more than 60 diverse clients throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions such as Charter Communications, Fidelity Bank, Worcester State College, Legacy Banks, St. Vincent Hospital , the Telegram & Gazette, and some of the largest automotive groups on the East Coast. Davis Advertising is headquartered at 306 Main Street in Worcester MA and will celebrate its 60^th anniversary in 2008. For further information, visit www.davisad.com or call 508.752.4615.

--- End ---

Lori Schafer

PR Director

Davis Advertising

306 Main Street

Worcester MA 01608

508.752.4615 x40

fax 421.8001

"Words that move people, ideas that move product."

From:  Bill Coleman <billcoleman3@hotmail.com>   
To:  
Subject:  Sunday article---------September 30 
Size:  25 KB 


"The departure of Ogretta V. McNeil from the School Committee could
leave the city without minority representation. For the second time,
Maritza Cruz, a Hispanic candidate, failed to qualify for the City Council.
Unless Mr. Coleman performs a miracle, local government could be lily
white. The lack of an all-out effort by minority groups to gain power
through the ballot box is disappointing. So is the utter failure of
bilingual ballots that were supposed to increase minority participation."



This message has to get out to the Black Community .........Bill
Coleman  508-826-1307
 
Sunday, September 30, 2007 
City elections 2007 promise status quo
Robert Z. Nemeth
Commentary

Once again, the preliminary election underscored the absurdity of the
1985 charter reform ...
When I read the initial story on Worcester’s recent preliminary
elections at an Internet café in Budapest during a recent visit to Hungary,
I stared with disbelief at the list of district council candidates who
did, and did not, make the cut. Later it turned out the list, prepared
in advance as a test template to determine space needs, was printed by
error. When I eventually caught up with the actual results, they did
not make much sense, either.

For one thing, a 14.8 percent voter turnout is a poor reflection of
true public sentiment. It’s impossible to tell whether people stayed
away from the polls because they are satisfied with local government, gave
up on it or simply don’t care. When only a small fraction of
eligible voters bothers to get involved, issues seldom decide the outcome.
Name recognition and visibility play major roles. Candidates who can
mobilize friends, family and special interests usually prevail.

There were no major surprises. No new political star was born. While
several newcomers made the cut, there was no evidence of a massive
anti-incumbent sentiment. The five highest vote collectors are incumbents,
and the top two — Gary Rosen and Konstantina B. Lukes — are political
veterans. Evidently, the results persuaded Mike C. Perotto and Dennis
L. Irish to drop out of the mayoral contest and concentrate on keeping
their council seats. On the other hand, they encouraged Mr. Rosen to
join Mrs. Lukes, Frederick C. Rushton and William S. Coleman III — who
made a name for himself by losing every election he has ever entered
— in running for mayor. 


The mayoral contest has attracted much attention, and with good reason.
While the charter empowers the mayor to chair City Council and School
Committee meetings, it relegates him or her to largely ceremonial
responsibilities. However, Timothy P. Murray (and, to some extent, Raymond
V. Mariano before him) elevated the position above that of a glorified
ribbon-cutter. Mr. Mariano brought order to chaotic council meetings.
Mr. Murray showed how the job could entail consensus-building, conflict
resolution and forming coalitions to advance proactive agendas. He
proved the value of collaboration with the city manager.

It is no secret that some very powerful politicians, including U.S.
Rep. James P. McGovern, and now Lt. Gov. Murray, have been promoting Mr.
Rushton for mayor. Rick Rushton is an able official, and there’s
something to be said for the argument that a well-connected “insider�
can do more for Worcester in the One-Party State of Massachusetts than a
political “outsider.� Still, depending on a political machine at
all levels of government — a mighty machine in which all of the cogs
turn in the same direction — is risky business.

One of the great strengths of our council-manager form of government is
that it is supposed to be free of party politics. Municipal government
rests on professional management rather than on party loyalties.

Over the years, residents wisely rejected various “strong mayor�
schemes, designed to change the system.

Mr. Rosen, a former chemistry teacher and hot dog seller, who spent
much of his time on street corners holding signs during the campaign,
received the largest number of preliminary votes, prompting him to run for
mayor. While his endurance is admirable, it hardly qualifies him for
the top job. Over the years, his approach on issues reflected expediency
rather than a principled pursuit of public interests. Credibility is
hardly the word that comes to mind in describing Mr. Rosen.

That leaves Mrs. Lukes, who is in a good position to be elected mayor,
based on her second-place finish and 27 years of public service. You
know what? If that happens, the world will not come to an end. She is
smart, experienced and has come a long way in shedding her image as a
habitual naysayer. Every public body needs an outspoken voice and
independent mind. Moreover, the mayor in our Plan E form of government has no
special powers and privileges. If Konnie Lukes makes the wrong move, her
colleagues can muster the votes to overrule her.

The finals on Nov. 6 are about much more than just selecting a mayor.
They should produce a City Council that, at the very least, will build
on recent progress. There is a need for a core of competent councilors
to help City Manager Michael V. O’Brien advance a proactive agenda.
Incumbents such as Paul P. Clancy Jr., Barbara G. Haller, Kate Toomey,
Joseph M. Petty, Mr. Rushton, Mr. Irish and Joffrey A. Smith, who
portrays himself as the voice of a new generation of urban residents, could
provide that nucleus. (It is especially important to re-elect Mr. Petty,
a thoughtful and effective councilor, who emerged in a somewhat
vulnerable position from the preliminaries.)

Former gubernatorial candidate Grace C. Ross has enjoyed a build-up in
the media, but her populist agenda would do nothing for the city. She
is the quintessential carpetbagger with no political identity in
Worcester. She could just as easily run for office, say, in Lowell or
Springfield. Michael J. Germain’s personal history — keeping a drunken
driving accident under wraps during the campaign — hardly justifies
confidence. (It is puzzling how he could be on disability retirement at 41,
while continuing to coach high school hockey.) Six at-large councilors
will be elected on Nov. 6. Newcomer Morris A. Bergman and Mr. Coleman
are also in the running.

It remains to be seen what impact William J. Eddy, a longtime
Democratic Party operative, would make if elected in District 5. The chairman of
the Worcester Democratic City Committee, he is another cog in the
mighty party machine. His opponent, Richard E. Ball, seems to be running on
the strength of the “Smiley face� his father created.

The departure of Ogretta V. McNeil from the School Committee could
leave the city without minority representation. For the second time,
Maritza Cruz, a Hispanic candidate, failed to qualify for the City Council.
Unless Mr. Coleman performs a miracle, local government could be lily
white. The lack of an all-out effort by minority groups to gain power
through the ballot box is disappointing. So is the utter failure of
bilingual ballots that were supposed to increase minority participation.

Once again, the preliminary election underscored the absurdity of the
1985 charter reform that established district representation and a
convoluted system of choosing a mayor.

The flawed reform enables five district candidates to win election to
the City Council with only a fraction of the votes that at-large
contestants need to succeed, while wielding the same authority.

To the extent a 15 percent voter turnout can provide a clear picture,
it is unlikely that Election 2007 will produce dramatic changes.

Whether maintaining the status quo is good enough to ensure prosperity
remains to be seen. One thing is certain: No meaningful change can
occur unless the voters take an active interest. That hasn’t happened in
Worcester for a long time.

Robert Z. Nemeth's column appears regularly in the Sunday Telegram.

“Take a Stroll to Keep Families Together This Holiday Season” is the theme of two new very special events being organized by the United Way of Tri-County.  Community Holiday Strolls and Festivals will be held in Clinton and Framingham, in part to raise funds for food, clothing, and shelter for those of our neighbors experiencing crisis and hardship during the upcoming holiday.

“We’re bringing together hundreds of volunteers, businesses, congregations, and organizations to help children, families, and individuals who need a hand up!” Paul Mina, President and Chief Professional Officer of the United Way of Tri-County announces. “Our mission is to assist neighbors in need with a hand up, providing help that enables people to become independent and back on their feet.”

The first Community Holiday Stroll and Festival will be held on Thursday evening, November 29^th, from 5:00 to 9:00 in downtown Clinton.  Activities will be conducted out of the Clinton Elementary School, where “strollers” will register. The one mile Stroll will take participants around eclectic downtown Clinton, with many of the shops welcoming them with special holiday values!   The Festival, co-sponsored by the Wachusett Chamber of Commerce, will include Holiday Refreshments, Holiday Music, a Sports Memorabilia Silent Auction, Celebrity Appearances, A Craft Show, a Holiday Gift and Business Show, a Massage-A-Thon, and more!  WXLO will broadcast live from the event!

The second Community Holiday Stroll and Festival will be held at the Joseph P Keefe Technical School in Framingham on Saturday, December 8^th, from 9:00 to 4:00.  The one mile Stroll will be held inside the school, as participants enjoy holiday fun along with the many activities which will also include a Holiday Gift and Business Show, a Craft Fair, Holiday Refreshments, Holiday Music, a Sports Memorabilia Silent Auction, Celebrity Appearances, a Massage – A- Thon, Bake Sales, and more!  The Pike will broadcast live from the Festival in Framingham.

These fantastic events are more than simply United Way of Tri-County fundraising projects.  “Our organization is hoping to bring the entire Metrowest Community together through running these two Community Holiday Strolls and Festivals, so we’re inviting any charitable organization, congregation, schools and school organizations, municipalities and departments within communities with financial needs, fraternal organizations, or clubs to raise funds for their own needs at the festivals!” Mina continues.  “Organizations may participate in the Holiday Strolls, and / or they may set up a table at the Festivals and conduct fundraising and outreach projects of their own, from bake sales to raffles to silent auctions, anything they can come up with to benefit the wonderful organizations that make up the fabric of our communities.”

A few of the organizations already planning to participate in one way or another include: the AMC Cancer Research Center; Boys and Girls Club of Metrowest; A Place to Turn; WHEAT; D.A.R.E. Massachusetts; the Milford Youth Center; and the Salvation Army Framingham Corps.

Local businesses are invited to participate in the Holiday Gift and Business Show, with booth space only a $25 per space contribution ( you bring your own table and chairs ), again keeping the booth space costs low to bring as many business people together in these holiday celebrations as possible. 

Crafters and craft enthusiasts are invited to participate in the Craft Fairs at both venues, also at a cost of only $25 per space ( again, bring your own table and chairs ). 

The Healing Body Works, a Worcester based massage therapy organization, will conduct a Massage-A-Thon at both events. 

“All of us associated with the United Way of Tri-County are very excited about the response we’ve been getting to this first time community event!” Mina says. “The numbers of volunteers interested in forming Stroll-Teams for the United Way or for other participating organizations, the numbers of retailers, home-based business people, and service professionals such as financial services professionals who are committed to participate already, and the number of charitable organizations and congregations that are already planning to participate is just astounding!”

“We’re also thrilled that a number of organizations from Framingham State College will be playing important roles in the Framingham event, such as the college’s Sociology Club.” He continues. “Our community partnerships with the Clinton School System, Keefe Technical School, the Wachusett Chamber of Commerce, and Framingham State College make these events possible, and we are grateful for their participation as well.”

Any charitable organization, congregation, school or school group, municipality or department, club, business, crafter, or individual interested in learning more about the Community Holiday Strolls and Festivals should contact Matt LaBarre at the United Way of Tri-County; 508-872-3291 ext 27, or at mattl@unitedwaytri-county.org

For immediate release

Contact: Janice O’Connor

            Assistant Director of Public Relations

            Office: (978) 630-9547

            Fax: (978) 630-9561

            joconnor@mwcc.mass.edu         

Monday, Aug. 6, 2007

MWCC FIRST COLLEGE IN MASSACHUSETTS TO OFFER STUDENTS
GOOGLE EMAIL AND COLLABORATION SOLUTIONS

GARDNER - Mount Wachusett Community College is one of the first colleges in the nation and the first in Massachusetts to offer its students Google Apps ™ - Google’s set of hosted and customizable communications solutions – as part of the college’s core IT service offerings. As a result, students now have free communication tools including email, shared calendars, instant messaging and word processing under their MWCC domain names.

Google Apps will make communication with students easier and more efficient than ever before, while relieving the college’s IT department of the traditional costs associated with email and collaboration solutions. “We’re glad to let Google do what it does best – provide us with great technology – so we can do what we do best, serve our students,” said MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino.

Chief Information Officer Patricia Ainsworth agreed, adding that the implementation of the new system was flawless. “Students will now enjoy 2,000 times more storage space than they previously had on our old system and access to word processing, spreadsheets and calendars.”

Google Apps for Education allows MWCC to transition from its limited email systems to Gmail, Google’s popular email service already being used by millions of students nationwide for their personal accounts. But unlike standard Gmail accounts, according to Google, schools can maintain their edu addresses, have students log in from school Web sites, brand the system with their own logos and block advertisements that typically appear in standard Gmail accounts. All services are hosted by Google and are available to users via any Internet-connected computer.

###

For Immediate Release

Contact:

Michelle Park

HeatSpring Energy

617-252-0600

mpark@heatspring.com  

Geothermal Start-Up Joins the Massachusetts Clean Energy Sector

Cambridge, Massachusetts – HeatSpring Energy, a start-up out of Babson College, is one of the latest companies to join the Massachusetts clean energy sector. The business provides education and training on geothermal space conditioning systems in buildings.  HeatSpring Energy course offerings range from geothermal basics to advanced technical design for building professionals and system installers. The company has partnered with several local universities including Olin College of Engineering who will host an introduction to geothermal seminar on October 12th in Needham Massachusetts.

“We are really energized about the public interest in clean energy and energy efficiency.  HeatSpring Energy is excited to represent the geothermal heating and cooling industry in Massachusetts. The industry is exploding right now throughout New England and across the country. We are doing everything we can to support building professionals during this growth period,” said Duncan Miller, HeatSpring Energy co-founder. 

In Massachusetts alone many large geothermal systems have already been installed at sites including: Trinity Church in Boston, Harvard University and City Hall Annex in Cambridge, Noble and Greenough Academy in Dedham, Harrington School in Lexington, Fessenden School in Newton and Woods Hole Research Facility in Falmouth.  Demand is strong as well for smaller residential systems throughout the state.

“Everyone wants to know more about what’s happening with geothermal heating and cooling systems. It is an industry that is growing tremendously fast and we need to focus on it, both for environmental and economic benefits,” said Ed Pesce, an attendee of HeatSpring’s geothermal design seminar series in July.  Mr. Pesce is an engineer at Pesce Engineering & Associates in Plymouth.

HeatSpring Energy points to the EPA for a good source of information and research.  According to the EPA, geothermal systems are the most efficient space conditioning system in the world. Geothermal technology uses the earth as a renewable heat exchanger, providing low cost heating and air conditioning through even the harsh New England summer and winter temperatures. While geothermal has a higher upfront cost than traditional systems, it eliminates direct use of oil and natural gas for heating and uses up to 70% less energy than traditional systems.

HeatSpring Energy course attendees include building professionals such as architects, engineers, well drillers and HVAC contractors. Several other courses are geared towards building owners and government personnel to help educate the public on the benefits of energy efficiency. More information can be found at www.heatspring.com.

###

NY COALITION FOR IMMIGRANTS' RIGHTS TO DRIVERS' LICENSES

Press Release

For Immediate Release, September 21, 2007

Coalition of Labor, Religious and Community Groups

Applaud Governor Spitzer’s Decision to Broaden

Immigrant Access to Driver’s Licenses:

Fair Policy Will Benefit All New Yorkers

New York , NY – Labor, religious, civil rights and community groups convened a press conference today to demonstrate broad support for a new state policy to provide New Yorkers with access to driver’s licenses without regard to the applicant’s immigration status.

“This is a great victory for our communities,” said Amilcar, a member of the New York Civic Participation Project who will benefit from this policy.   “Now we will finally feel safe taking our children to school, taking our loved ones to the hospital and going to work everyday.  Our voice rang out and now it has been heard.” 

In 2003 the Pataki administration created a de facto immigration requirement for driver’s licenses by changing the list of documents that New Yorkers needed to present in order to receive a driver’s license.  Today, Governor Spitzer announced a reversal of the Pataki-era policy.  New Yorkers will no longer have to prove their immigration status when applying for a driver’s license.  Instead, applicants will have to submit secure identity documents, such as valid foreign passports, when applying for a driver’s licenses.

“ New York State is enriched by the diversity of the people who live and work here.  Access to a driver’s licenses is an important way for people to be able to identify themselves, to drive safely and to function in day to day life,” said Edgar Romney, Executive Vice President of UNITE HERE and Secretary-Treasurer of Change to Win.  “Governor Spitzer has recognized the urgent need for a state as diverse as New York to develop a workable way to issue driver licenses to its broad population.”

The new policy will benefit millions of New York residents, as hundreds of thousands of motorists who used to be uninsured will now be able to obtain a driver’s license and automobile insurance, ensuring safer roads.  Moreover, New York State will still have one of the most secure driver’s license systems in the nation.

"Our state's new driver's license policy is a win-win for immigrants and for all New Yorkers," said Chung-Wha Hong, executive director of The New York Immigration Coalition, one of the co-founders of the driver's license coalition.  "Not only does it enable more New Yorkers to get licensed and insured, making our roads much safer, but it's going to make our licensing system far more secure and immune to fraud.  We applaud the governor for developing a smart and fair solution that can serve as a model for the rest of the nation."

“Governor Spitzer should be commended for his decision today to provide all immigrant workers with access to driver’s licenses and a legal and safe way for millions of workers to get to work,” said Hector Figueroa, Secretary Treasurer of SEIU Local 32 BJ. “The governor's decision is an example of the progressive and pragmatic leadership we need to see from more governors.  Denying working people the ability to drive limits their capacity to work and support themselves; hampers local business from tapping a much-needed source of labor; and slows the region's economic growth that we all depend on for our well-being.”

While New York’s new policy will make roads safer and ensure fairness, civil rights advocates expressed concern that the federal government will attempt to force New York to reverse the progress made by Governor Spitzer’s decision to broaden immigrant access to driver’s licenses.

“We applaud Governor Spitzer for his leadership in ensuring that all New Yorkers are treated equally by their state government,” said Donna Lieberman, Executive Director of the New York Civil Liberties Union.  “We look forward to continuing to work with the Governor to prevent misguided and unjust federal policies, such as those contained in the Real ID Act, from erasing the positive gains for immigrants made under the new state policy announced today.”

The Real ID Act attempts to federalize state driver's licenses by imposing a broad array of regulations on how they are issued and verified.  Should the Real ID Act become law in New York , it will place the Department of Motor Vehicles right back in the business of enforcing federal immigration law. Yet New York State is not required to implement the Real ID Act.  In fact, seventeen states have already passed legislation rejecting the Real ID Act.

Representatives from a diverse array of organizations expressed their support today for Governor Spitzer’s decision.

“Finally hard working immigrants in New York City will have the long-awaited opportunities they deserve.  They contribute to society thorough their hard work.” Said Edison Severino, Business Manager of Laborers 78,  “I personally commend Governor Spitzer for his leadership in these troubled times when immigrants are facing so many obstacles and hurdles. It is great to see that there is still some hope in the future for our brothers and sisters who work so hard to make this country great.”

"This is a first step in a big victory for immigrant people who have been fighting fearlessly for drivers licenses- which are a lifeline for so many families.  Our communities want to continue to work with the Governor to now ensure that people are given licenses in a timely way and that we ensure that DMV does not share information with Department of Homeland Security. We will stay vigilant until we see safe and full access for all immigrants." says Monami Maulik from Immigrant Communities in Action and its member group, DRUM-Desis Rising Up & Moving.

"Denying immigrants access threatened the public security and safety of all New Yorkers.  This policy change signals a new and forward-looking direction for New York, recognizing immigrants' unparalleled contributions to the state's economic growth in the 21st century. As much as this policy change will benefit the Korean American community - where one in five is undocumented - this win also builds momentum for comprehensive immigration reform," stated Yu Soung Mun, Executive Director of YKASEC - Empowering the Korean American Community.

The New York Coalition for Immigrant Access to Driver’s Licenses first formed after Governor Pataki changed DMV policy on access to driver’s licenses.  It is a state-wide coalition of over 60 labor, religious, community and civil rights organizations that have been working together to ensure fair access to driver’s licenses for immigrant New Yorkers.

 "Today's announcement is a huge victory for the immigrant, civil rights and labor movements," said Amy Sugimori, co-chair of the New York Coalition for Immigrants' Rights to Driver's licenses.  "For four years, diverse groups from across the state have been working to ensure that all New Yorkers are treated equally by the government.  Today our voices are being heard.  We applaud Governor Spitzer for his leadership as he sends a strong message to the country that second-class treatment of immigrants is bad public policy."

# # #

Contact:

Norman Eng, NYIC 917-622-1606

Amy Sugimori, La Fuente, 512-589-6546

Matt Nerzig, SEIU Local 32BJ, 212-539-2882

Yu Soung Mun, YKASEC, 917-667-1456

Please consider the following announcements for Medical Memos, Bulletin Boards and Public Calendars. Please contact the Office of Public Affairs & Publications at 508-856-2000 with any additional questions.

October events for UMass Medical School and UMass Memorial Health Care are listed chronologically by category.  Unless otherwise noted, these events will be held at UMass Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North in Worcester, and are open to the public and free of charge.

Donation Program
       
October: UMass Memorial Blood Donor Center is currently seeking healthy volunteers to donate blood or blood products to provide life-saving blood products and therapeutic services to patients at UMass Memorial Medical Center. All blood types are needed, and appointments are only required for platelet donations. The Blood Donor Center, located on Lakeside Level A of the UMass Memorial Medical Center—University Campus, is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 8:30 pm on Wednesday. Free valet parking is offered for blood donors. For information or to schedule an appointment, call 508-421-1950. Walk-ins are welcome.

Health & Education Programs

Oct. 5/Friday: The UMass Memorial Weight Center Orientation Meeting will be held from noon to 1 p.m. in the Hiatt Auditorium (S1-608) in the Medical School. The meeting, which will discuss behavioral and surgical weight loss options, is open to anyone concerned about being overweight. For information, call 508-334-3886 or e-mail weightcenter@ummhc.org.

Oct. 11/Thursday: The UMass Memorial Weight Center Orientation Meeting will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Hiatt Auditorium (S1-608) in the Medical School. The meeting, which will discuss behavioral and surgical weight loss options, is open to anyone concerned about being overweight. For information, call 508-334-3886 or e-mail weightcenter@ummhc.org.

Support Groups

Oct. 1 & 3/Monday & Wednesday: Parents Apart, a two-day educational seminar for separated or divorced parents, will be held on the University Campus in Amphitheatre III, 6th Floor, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Cost is $65 and pre-registration is required. For more information and to register, call 508-856-8600.

Oct. 8/Monday: Bereavement Support Group, offered by UMass Memorial Hospice, will meet from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in the Conference Room at the Shrewsbury Senior Center, 98 Maple Ave., Shrewsbury. The group meets the second Monday of each month, and is for anyone who is suffering from a loss due to a death. The purpose of the meeting is to offer participants support through sharing, information and education. For more information, call Carol Sazama or Ted MacNeil at 508-754-0052.

Oct. 18/Tuesday: Bereavement Support Group, offered by UMass Memorial Hospice, will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. at UMass Memorial Hospice, 650 Lincoln St., Worcester. The group meets the third Tuesday of each month, and is for anyone who is suffering from a loss due to a death. The purpose of the meeting is to offer participants support through sharing, information and education. For more information, call Ted MacNeil or Carol Sazama at 508-754-0052.

Oct. 22 & 24/Monday & Wednesday: Parents Apart, a two-day educational seminar for separated or divorced parents, will be held on the University Campus in Amphitheatre III, 6th Floor, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Cost is $65 and pre-registration is required. For more information and to register, call 508-856-8600.

Oct. 24/Wednesday: The Pancreatic Cancer Alliance will meet from 6 to 8 p.m. in the 4th floor conference room of the Aaron Lazare Medical Research Building. The Pancreatic Cancer Alliance supports the efforts of the medical and research communities as well as patients and their loved ones in the battle against pancreatic cancer; raises funds for pancreatic cancer research at UMMS; educates patients and medical professionals; and raises public awareness of pancreatic cancer. For more information, call 508-856-5520 or visit www.pancreaticalliance.org.

September events for UMass Medical School and UMass Memorial Health Care are listed chronologically by category.  Unless otherwise noted, these events will be held at UMass Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North in Worcester, and are open to the public and free of charge.

Donation Program

September: UMass Memorial Blood Donor Center is currently seeking healthy volunteers to donate blood or blood products to provide life-saving blood products and therapeutic services to patients at UMass Memorial Medical Center. All blood types are needed, and appointments are only required for platelet donations. The Blood Donor Center, located on Lakeside Level A of the UMass Memorial Medical Center—University Campus, is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 8:30 pm on Wednesday. Free valet parking is offered for blood donors. For information or to schedule an appointment, call 508-856-3851. Walk-ins are welcome.

Events

Sept. 18/Tuesday: Artist in Residence Reception will be held at 5 p.m. to celebrate the sixth installment of the Lamar Soutter Library’s Artist in Residence Series, Barry Hanshaw: Textures of Nature in paint and pastel. The exhibit will feature the artwork of James B. Hanshaw, MD, professor emeritus of pediatrics. Dr. Hanshaw’s selected artworks will be displayed on the first floor of the library from Monday, Sept. 17 to Friday, Oct. 26. The Lamar Soutter Library is open seven days a week.  For information, call Nancy Harger at 508-856-3334 or e-mail nancy.harger@umassmed.edu.

Sept. 19/Wednesday: The 2nd Annual Prostate Cancer Symposium will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Aaron Lazare Medical Research Building on the University of Massachusetts Medical School campus. The event is a special day for men at risk, men who have been diagnosed, survivors, their loved ones and health care professionals to learn about prostate cancer. Robert “Bruce” Montgomery, assistant professor of the University of Washington School of Medicine and attending physician at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, will deliver the keynote address. The symposium and parking are free, but seating is limited. To register, call 508-793-6525.

Fundraising

Sept. 3/Monday: The 4th Annual Bullfinch Duck Race will take place at the Grist Mill near Longfellow’s Wayside Inn, 72 Wayside Inn Road in Sudbury. The event will kick-off at noon, and participants may buy “adoption papers” for a duck for $5 each. Adoption papers may be purchased at Bullfinchs restaurant, Route 20 West in Sudbury or by calling 978-443-4094. Proceeds from the race of rubber ducks will benefit the Child Life Program at UMass Memorial Children’s Medical Center. The first place finisher will win $500, second place will receive $300, and a dinner for four will be awarded to third place.  For information, call Bullfinchs at 978-443-4094 or visit www.bullfinchs.com.

Sept. 4/Tuesday: Day on the Links, the Clinton Hospital Foundation’s 20th annual golf tournament, will be held at The Oaks course at The International in Bolton. The participation fee is $350 per individual. The tournament begins with registration at 10 a.m. followed by a barbeque lunch at 11 a.m. A shotgun start is scheduled for noon, with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at 5 p.m. and dinner at 6 p.m. Contact Maggie Shields at 978-368-3893 or shieldsm@ummhc.org for information.

Sept. 7/Friday: 2nd Annual “Dancing with Friends” Walk to Cure Cancer Benefit, sponsored by Poise, Style and Motion Ballroom Dance Studio, will be held at Maironis Park, 52 South Quinsigamond Avenue in Shrewsbury, from 8 to 11 p.m. In addition to dancing, the event will feature a DJ, live band, professional and amateur dance performances, raffles, pizza and cash bar. The cost of the event is $10 per person. Attendees and others who would like to contribute to the Walk to Cure Cancer can spend the afternoon brushing up on their dance steps. Salsa, swing and foxtrot lessons will be offered beginning at 2 p.m. The cost of classes is $10 per person per class or $30 per person for an all-day pass for the afternoon lessons.  All proceeds will benefit the Walk to Cure Cancer. To purchase tickets or for more information, call Deb Celularo at 508-856-2293 or Lena DeSantis at 508-856-3346.

Sept. 22/Saturday: 4th Annual Harmony from the Heart fundraising concert will take place at 7 p.m. in Franklin at the Knights of Columbus Hall, Route 140. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. The night will include live music, dancing, a silent auction, raffles and a variety of delicious foods donated by local restaurants. Proceeds will benefit the Center for Platelet Function Studies at UMass Medical School. For information and to purchase tickets in advance, visit www.kaiolsson.com and click on the Harmony link or e-mail Mary Olsson at maryolsson1@verizon.net.

Sept. 23/Sunday: Walk to Cure Cancer, the largest, single-day fundraising walk in Central Massachusetts, will be held at UMass Medical School in Worcester to support cancer research. Registration is from 10 a.m. to noon, and the walk will begin at noon. Once participants complete the walk, they will be treated to an after-walk party featuring Chubby Checker. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor or team leader, visit www.walktocurecancer.org or call 508-856-5520. Event volunteers are still needed. If you would like to volunteer, contact Stephanie Rexford at 508-856-5552 or by e-mail at Stephanie.Rexford@umassmed.edu.

Sept. 28/Friday: 2nd Annual Dancing with Celebrities—Marlborough Style, will be held at the Best Western Marlborough Hotel at 7:30 p.m. Sponsored by the General Federation of Women’s Clubs’ Marlborough Junior Women’s Club (MJWC), the event will include local celebrity dancers  John Polanowicz, president of Marlborough Hospital; Darren McLaughlin, manager of Wayside Racquet Club; Alicya LeDuc, community volunteer and wife of State Representative Steven LeDuc; Dawn Tsai,  Colonial Garden Club member and community volunteer; Elizabeth Young, MJWC Clubwoman of the Year 2006; and many more. The event will feature Salsa Storm of Worcester and the Dennis Frias Dance Company, a 50/50 raffle and a raffle for anyone who brings a donation for the Marlborough Food Pantry. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door, and proceeds will benefit the Marlborough Hospital Healing Garden Project and other MJWC community contributions. For information, visit www.dancingwithcelebs.com or call Linda Dodge at 508-486-5807.

Health & Education Programs

Sept. 7/Friday: The UMass Memorial Weight Center Orientation Meeting will be held from noon to 1 p.m. in the Hiatt Auditorium (S1-608) in the Medical School. The meeting, which will discuss behavioral and surgical weight loss options, is open to anyone concerned about being overweight. For information, call 508-334-3886 or e-mail weightcenter@ummhc.org.

Sept. 13/Thursday: The UMass Memorial Weight Center Orientation Meeting will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Hiatt Auditorium (S1-608) in the Medical School. The meeting, which will discuss behavioral and surgical weight loss options, is open to anyone concerned about being overweight. For information, call 508-334-3886 or e-mail weightcenter@ummhc.org.

Support Groups
Sept. 10/Monday: Bereavement Support Group, offered by UMass Memorial Hospice, will meet from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in the Conference Room at the Shrewsbury Senior Center, 98 Maple Ave., Shrewsbury. The group meets the second Monday of each month, and is for anyone who is suffering from a loss due to a death. The purpose of the meeting is to offer participants support through sharing, information and education. For more information, call Carol Sazama or Ted MacNeil at 508-754-0052.

Sept. 18/Tuesday: Bereavement Support Group, offered by UMass Memorial Hospice, will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. at UMass Memorial Hospice, 650 Lincoln St., Worcester. The group meets the third Tuesday of each month, and is for anyone who is suffering from a loss due to a death. The purpose of the meeting is to offer participants support through sharing, information and education. For more information, call Ted MacNeil or Carol Sazama at 508-754-0052.

Sept. 26/Wednesday: The Pancreatic Cancer Alliance will meet from 6 to 8 p.m. in the 4th floor conference room of the Aaron Lazare Medical Research Building. The Pancreatic Cancer Alliance supports the efforts of the medical and research communities as well as patients and their loved ones in the battle against pancreatic cancer; raises funds for pancreatic cancer research at UMMS; educates patients and medical professionals; and raises public awareness of pancreatic cancer. For more information, call 508-856-5520 or visit www.pancreaticalliance.org.

Clark University announces talk on Black Arts Movement and Poetry Events

Worcester, Mass.  -- Clark University announces events on the Black Arts Movement and a poetry workshop and reading by Wesley McNair.  The events receive funding from Clark’s Higgins School of Humanities. 

lecture
Monday, March 19, 2007
7:30 pm
Grace Conference Room, Higgins University Center
Clark University, 950 Main St.

The Black Arts Movement and the African American Radical Tradition of the 1960s and 1970s
Professor James Smethurst, Professor of African American Studies, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, will situate the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s and 1970s within the African American radical tradition, and will discuss the political and cultural antecedents of the explosion of politically-engaged and formally adventurous work by black artists in the 1960s and 1970s as well as the continuing legacies of the movement on the culture of the United States. This event is sponsored by the Higgins School of Humanities.  It is offered as part of the African American Intellectual Culture Series. 

Workshop
Craft Lessons: The Use of the Line in Free Verse
Thursday, March 22, 2007
workshop is from 6 to 8 pm, discussion at 8 pm
2nd floor Lounge, Traina Center for the Arts
Clark University
(By prior registration only)
Poet Wesley McNair is the author of eight collections of poetry, the editor of four anthologies of contemporary Maine writing, and the recipient of numerous fellowships – from the Rockefeller, Fulbright, and Guggenheim Foundations, and from NEH and NEA.  His recent collections of verse are Talking in the Dark, Fire, and his current volume, The Ghosts of You and Me, published in 2006.

Please contact Professor Lea Graham (lgraham@clarku.edu) to register. While space at the workshop itself is limited, both sessions will be live on Clark’s streaming media for those interested in listening and calling in their questions. This event is co-sponsored with the English Department and is offered as part of the Higgins Modern Poetry Series.

Poetry reading
Wesley McNair reads from his poetry
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
8 p.m.
Levis Browsing Room, Dinand Library
College of the Holy Cross, Worcester
Poet Wesley McNair is the author of eight collections of poetry, the editor of four anthologies of contemporary Maine writing, and the recipient of numerous fellowships.  His current volume, The Ghosts of You and Me, was published in 2006.

These events are free and open to the public. For more information, call 508-793-7479.

Clark University is a private, co-educational liberal-arts research university with 2,000 undergraduate and 800 graduate students. Since its founding in 1887 as the first all-graduate school in the United States, Clark has challenged convention with innovative programs such as the International Studies Stream, the Strassler Family Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies and the accelerated BA/MA programs with the fifth year tuition-free for eligible students. The University is featured in Loren Pope’s book, “Colleges That Change Lives.”

-www.clarku.edu-

For households who heat with oil and have either used up their fuel assistance or are over income for fuel assistance please have them call:

Citizens Energy Oil Heat Program at 1 877 563-4645

Of course, if they have not signed up for fuel assistance and may be eligible please have them apply for fuel assistance first.

Peter Wingate

Director of Energy Resources

Worcester Community Action Council

484 Main Street, 2nd floor

Worcester, MA  01608

(508) 754-1176 x. 149

(508) 754-0203 fax

pwingate@wcac.net

The Legal Assistance Corporation of Central Massachusetts (LACCM) is pleased to announce the next in our latest series of community-based legal education training events.  On Friday, March 9, 2007 LACCM is sponsoring a training for human service agencies on DTA benefits.  Topics to be covered will include the following areas: TAFDC, Food Stamps and Advice for Recipients on Common Benefits Issues.

This training, which is free of charge, will be held Friday, March 9, 2007 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at LACCM, located at 405 Main Street, 4^th Floor, Worcester, Massachusetts.    PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A FRIDAY TRAINING AND NOT OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED THURSDAY TRAINING.  If you are planning to attend, you must RSVP no later than, March 1, 2007 by mail or fax (508-752-5918) to the attention of Linda Boss or email at lboss@laccm.org. 

***If you require special accommodations to enable you to attend this training, you must notify Linda Boss at (508) 752-3722, ext. 3035 as soon as possible, but no later than, February 14, 2007***

IN THE EVENT OF INCLEMENT WEATHER, PLEASE CONTACT LINDA BOSS AT (508) 752-3722, EXT. 3035 OR TERRI LACAVA AT EXT, 3033

To:       All Staff

From:   Sheilah

Date:    January 30, 2007

Re:       SVH Prenatal Clinic Tuesday Lunches

Hi, Everyone,

This memo is a follow-up to a voice mail message I left regarding the Saint Vincent Hospital Prenatal Clinic Open House. Every Tuesday in February, Maureen Lavoie, Nurse Practitioner, has invited all of us to a lunch and Open House from 1:00 -2:00 p.m. in the clinic.

Please bring a client or clients to the lunch and invite anyone else you think should know about the clinic. We want to do our best to spread the word about the services right here in our building.

ACTION: Adoption Connections Training Institute: OneWorld Neighborhood

Tuesday, February 6, 2007

Worcester Public Library, Saxe Room

6:30pm

PURPOSE:

1 – To discuss the needs of Youth of Color in the city of Worcester and what we need to do as a community to assure all of our children are able to reach their full potential.

2 – To provide an opportunity for the Worcester Youth Center board to discuss how they are addressing the use of racial slurs by their Executive Director within the constraints of employer/employee regulations.

BACKGROUND:

As many of you know, we met on January 12^th, to discuss the use of Racial Slurs at the Worcester Youth Center .  That meeting generated a great deal of discussion in the city regarding race relations in general.  Many people talked about the need for communities of color to be proactive in creating the type of community we want our children to live in. 

Attached is a detailed summary of the meeting held on January 12, 2007 at the Worcester Public Library regarding the use of Racial Slurs at the Worcester Youth Center in December of 2006.  During the meeting, it was clear that the situation at hand was one example of other acts of inappropriate behavior that has been happening in the city, and that the debate about acceptable language is also occurring at the national level. 

• Health Reform Implementation

• Children’s Mental Health

• Health Disparities

• Health Care Quality

• Health Care Cost

• Outreach and Enrollment

• Women’s Health

• Private Market Insurance

• Immigrant Health

• Advocacy Training

• Oral Health

• Mass. Assoc. of Community

• Chronic Disease Self-

Health and Technology

Register at www.hcfama.org

For more information: hcfaconferenceinfo@hcfama.org or

For release: March 30, 2006
Contact:
Alan Stone
617-495-1703
617-495-1585

Reinforcing its commitment to opportunity and excellence across the economic spectrum, Harvard today (March 30) announced a significant expansion of its 2004 financial aid initiative for low- and middle-income families. Beginning with the class admitted this week, parents in families with incomes of less than $60,000 will no longer be expected to contribute to the cost of their children attending Harvard. In addition, Harvard will reduce the contributions of families with incomes between $60,000 and $80,000.

The new income thresholds build on the program announced two years ago, which provided that families with incomes below $40,000 would not be expected to contribute to the cost of education, with a reduced contribution for families with incomes between $40,000 and $60,000. (See 2004 release) The number of students enrolled at Harvard from these income brackets increased by 24 percent for the class entering this past fall - the first full year of the program.

"There is no more important mission for Harvard and higher education than promoting equality of opportunity for all," said President Lawrence H. Summers. "We are fortunate to have significant resources, and there is no better way to use them than to support families seeking to provide the best possible opportunities for their children. These increases in financial aid build on and extend our emphasis on recruiting students from low-income backgrounds, and send a clear signal to middle-class families who have all too often felt that Harvard and other leading universities are out of reach."

Harvard is also revising its policy on outside awards won by incoming students, ranging from scholarships provided by local community groups to programs such as the National Merit and Gates Millennium Scholarships. Students will now be able to apply these awards to eliminate their summer savings obligations. Previously, outside awards could be used to offset the $3,650 self-help expectation toward the cost of attendance, but did not apply to the summer savings obligation of $2,150.

Overall financial aid

"We are very pleased to offer such exceptional financial support to our undergraduates," said William C. Kirby, dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, which oversees Harvard College. "Even before these enhancements, the financial aid budget for next year was projected at $90 million, a 6.2 percent increase over last year, and a 65 percent increase over the past six years. This new initiative will add an additional $2.4 million annually. Although many students and families might find this hard to believe, Harvard is actually more affordable for many students than public colleges or universities."

Two-thirds of Harvard students receive financial aid, and the average grant award for next year is expected to be more than $33,000, or 70 percent of the total cost of attendance. In the past decade, Harvard has reduced the median four-year debt for graduating seniors from more than $16,000 to $6,400 - less than one-third of the national average of $20,000.

Expanding the reach of the 2004 financial aid initiative

"Since its inception two years ago, the financial aid initiative aimed at families with incomes below $40,000 has had an enormous impact in attracting students of all backgrounds to Harvard's applicant pool," said William R. Fitzsimmons, dean of admissions and financial aid. "The message that Harvard is open to all talented students continues to resonate and the momentum the program has created has encouraged students to consider colleges they had never imagined before."

Raising the income thresholds for the financial aid initiative to a level above the median family income in the United States is meant to address the very real dilemmas felt by families struggling to balance rising living expenses and the cost of higher education.

"Our financial aid initiative has been very successful in attracting students from the lower income ranges, and we see it as an important step in attracting more students from middle-income families, where our application rates are lower than they should be," said Summers. "If there are thousands of highly qualified students not applying to Harvard, we need to find ways to address that problem. Middle-income relief is one of the steps we are taking, but we also want to reach out to these students in other ways."

In its ongoing effort to attract the best students, Harvard continues to seek talented students across the nation with intensive recruiting by the Office of Admissions, faculty, alumni, and a team of undergraduates.

"Students who have benefited from the financial aid initiative are anxious to give back to the program by working with students who come from similar backgrounds," Fitzsimmons said. "We hope that as we increase the number of students who benefit from the program, we will inspire students from every economic background to consider the full range of our nation's colleges and universities."

In collaboration with Holy Cross College, WCAC (Worcester Community Action Council / 484 Main Street, 2^nd floor) will be providing Free Income Tax Preparation beginning on Saturday, February 10, 2007.  The schedule is as follows:

February 10, February 17^th, February 24, 2007 (Saturdays),10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

February 14, February 15, 2007 (Wednesdays) - 2:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

February 21, February 22, 2007 (Thursdays) - 2:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

If you interested in this service, please email me your name and telephone number (pholmes@wcac.net) (508-754-1176 x169).  I will inform Ray Bilodeau, volunteer working here at WCAC from Catholic Charities, and he will call to schedule a time.  The Free Income Tax Preparation will occur in the computer room next to the GED classrooms.  Please share this with friends and family.  THANK YOU!

USCIS Online Change of Address

Introduction

Customers who have an application and/or petition which have been filed with USCIS but has not yet been decided (also known as a 'pending' case) should notify USCIS of an address change as soon as possible after moving.

The law requires nearly all non-U.S. Citizens¹ to report a change of address within 10 days of moving by completing a Form AR-11. Abiding by these legal requirements and completing the necessary forms does not update an address on any applications or petitions pending with USCIS. Non-citizens with pending cases must do both.

Most customers can now notify USCIS to change their address on a pending case online here on our website. Non-citizens can also now complete the Form AR-11 online here on our website.

If you choose to change your address online using our Online Change of Address Notification tool, you will need to have some information available. Please have the following information available before you begin:

• Your receipt notice or other notice we sent you showing your receipt number (if you have a pending case with USCIS).
• Your new address
• Your old address
• If you have filed a petition for a family member, please have the names and biographical information for that person.
• When you last entered the United States (if you cannot remember this information please fill in an approximate date)
• Where you last entered the United States (through what port of entry you entered - whether by land, sea or air)

Sources: USCIS Website

PUT MONEY IN YOUR POCKET

FREE TAX PREPARATION 

& E-File

(For qualifying households with income of less than $39,000)

Do You Qualify?

If in the year 2006 you earned less than

·        $12,120 ($14,120 if married filing jointly) without a qualifying child

·        $32,301 ($34,001 if married filing jointly) with one qualifying child

·        $36,348 ($38,348 if married filing jointly) with two qualifying children

you may qualify for the Federal & State Earned Income Tax Credit.

FREE SITES OPEN IN JANUARY, 2007

See reverse side for a list of sites & what to bring

the Worcester EITC Coalition Community Partners:

The Community Builders / Plumley Village, Assumption College, Worcester State College, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester Community Action Council (WCAC), Worcester Youth Center /  Weed & Seed Initiative, The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), United Way Of Central MA, WCCA TV- 13, UniverCity Partnership / Chamber of Commerce, City of Worcester: Division of Neighborhoods & Housing, and American Association of Retired People (AARP)

For Immediate Release:

Press Release                                                   FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Home Staff                                                       Brett Salmonson, Marketing Manager

108 Grove Street                                               E-mail: bretts@homestaffma.com

Worcester, MA 01605                                       Phone: 508-755-4600 Fax: 508-421-4758

Local Charity Collection Site for Abby’s House – Monday, Dec. 18^th

Worcester, MA – December 15, 2006 – A member of the Worcester Chamber of Commerce and Better Business Bureau, Home Staff, is opening up their Charity Collection Drive to the public in support of Abby’s House and will be honored to be a collection site for ladies winter accessories, towels, twin size sheets, etc.  Home Staff is located at 108 Grove Street in Worcester, MA.

Home Staff is a family-owned home health care agency since 1977.  For additional information contact Brett Salmonson @ 508-755-4600 or visit www.homestaffma.com.

-- END --