Medford Health Matters (MHM), in coordination with the City of Medford, is embarking on an exciting switchbox beautification project. Over the next few months we will be matching local artists and interested students to work together to develop a theme and draft a mural to be painted on the large electrical boxes around the City of Medford. We hope to engage several local artists to collaborate with us and our local students to turn our switchboxes into proud pieces of public art, much like similar successful initiatives in Malden and Somerville.

We will have MHM Project Managers to assist the artists and students in the coordination and development of each MHM Board approved project from start to finish. Local artists will be given a stipend for the supplies (TBD) and their time to complete the project and students will earn community service hours.

If you are interested in participating in this project please complete the attached form and return it to me at City Hall, Room 214, or via fax (781) 393-2105, or fill it out by going to this link http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LGW76JX, and return it no later than December 20, 2011.

We will have an orientation meeting to begin our planning process in early January and ultimately have the box project complete by early Spring. Artists and students can be a part of as many box projects as they like. We have 21 switchboxes throughout the city than will be painted. We hope you will be part of this fun and educational city project.

If you need more information and/or have questions please contact me at 781-393-2501 or at dmcleod@medford.org

Sincerely,

Diane McLeod

MHM Member

Fun… Fun is what you create and you bring with you

The Medford Family Fun Contest is making this summer even hotter. Join the summer fun and share what your family does to spend time together. Fun is everywhere; fun is going for a walk with a grandparent and sharing stories, fun is sharing a meal with loved ones, fun is having your aunt and uncle come to your sporting event. Any positive activity that is important to you is what Team Medford wants to hear about.

Team Medford is all of us, everyone in Medford that cares about the health of our community and promotes positive attitudes and activities for youth. Team Medford wants you and your family to share their story. How does your family spend time together? What is fun for you? What experiences have you had with family? What positive activities or interactions do you have with family members that are special to you?

Relationships and bonding are important to building healthy and happy youth. Team Medford promotes these assets that are caring and supportive.

Medford Family Fun Contest is intended to recognize families in our community who spend time together in different ways. How you define family may be different from someone else and we value your interpretation of what positive relationships you have.

Team Medford invites children and parents to share their families’ experience with Medford.  There may be an annual trip taken as family or weekly dinners enriched with conversation that is inspiring and valuable to your family. Please share your story…

Each winner- 5 families from Medford will receive a $20 gift card for each member of the family and have their story featured in an article.

To share your story click here.

JUDGING CRITERIA

Our selection committee will be looking for:

*Family activity demonstrates healthy and happy lifestyle

* Importance of family and connectedness

*Values of integrity, honesty, and responsibility

*Displays a bonding to family

ENTRY DEADLINE:

Thursday, September 27^th, 2011

Winners Notified: Friday, September 30^th, 2011

Winners Posted: Friday, October 7^th, 2011

Official Rules

1. ELIGIBILITY: Open only to residents of Medford Massachusetts. Parent and youth must submit their story together, youth may submit their story, of if youth has a story that is experienced outside of the immediate family. Sorties may be submitted by youth ages 5-18 with assistance of parent.
2. ENTRY: Please submit your story within the deadlines given. Share your story by going to www.medfordhealthmatters.org and completing the online entry form. Incomplete entry forms may not be considered for a prize. Entry deadline is September 27th, 2011. Winners will be contacted on Friday, September 30th, 2011.
3. WINNER: The selection committee will take full responsibility in selecting the winners of the Family Fun contest. There will be 5 families that are selected for prizes and must all be willing to share their story with the community. Each member of the family will receive a gift card and have their story published on face book, local newspapers, and flyers. There will be an optional opportunity to share their story on camera with written contest.
4. PRIZES AND RESTRICTIONS: Two (2) Prizes for families: 1) $20 gift card for each member of the family 2) Your submitted story will be shared with the Medford community. Team Medford is not responsible for replacing any gift card that is lost, damaged, or stolen.
5. PUBLICITY: Participation in the Family Fun contest does not imply winner’s consent to use of a photograph, name, or other personal information received by Team Medford. Before the name or photo, if received, is used on the website or publicly in any way Team Medford must get his/her written consent and release. When Team Medford has written consent, they can use the winner’s story, name, and other personal information to share with the Medford Community.

Contact Brooke Johns for any questions:

Team Medford

146 Exchange Avenue Medford, Ma 02155

781.395.1815

bjohns@glfhc.org

Please join Medford Health Matters at our next members’ meeting.

Medford Health Matters’ members meeting will be held on Thursday, March 3 2011, from 7pm to 8:30 pm at Medford City Hall in the Council Chambers, 85 George P. Hassett Drive, Medford.

There is a change in our meeting presentation.  Our meeting highlighting the Medford Census data for 2010 will be postponed since the Census Bureau may not have released Massachusetts data by March 3.  Please watch this space for information regarding the census presentation, and join us for the March rd meeting which will include highlights of Medford Health Matters partnership projects.

*   Team Medford, Penny Bruce Medford Substance Prevention Task Force
*   Science to Service Award for I’m Allergic to Stupid Decisions, Medford Substance Prevention Task Force
*   Environmental Justice and the Mystic Watershed, Nick Cohen Tri-City Community Action Program, Inc. (Tri-CAP)
*   “Voices of Medford,” Diane Mcleod Human Diversity Director for the City of Medford

Come and learn about  Medford Health Matters and how you can participate.  Medford Health Matter’s board meets on the first Thursday of each month at 8:00 a.m. at Medford City Hall.  Member meetings are held every other month and alternate between morning and evening meetings.  Please watch this space for details.

Medford Health Matter’s mission is to foster an environment of wellness and healthy lifestyles for all those who live, learn, work and play in Medford.

DROP-IN PLAYTIME at the Family Center

Parents, Caregivers, Guardians are welcome!

JANUARY 2011 Drop In Schedule

Monday       9:00 am to 5:00 pm (except 1/17, 1/31)

Tuesday      9:00 am to 11:30 am AND 12:30 pm to 5:00 pm

Wednesday    9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Thursday     9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Friday       9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Sign in all family members when you arrive and leave each day!

Drop-in playtime at the Family Center is a wonderful opportunity to play and interact with your child.  Come down and enjoy the company of other families with young children while playing in our large playroom.  Books, puzzles, toys, blocks, and more await you and your child(ren)!

CLEAN UP…CLEAN UP…EVERYBODY EVERYWHERE. CLEAN UP…CLEAN UP…EVERYBODY DO YOUR SHARE!

Please make every effort to clean up “as you go” and before you leave.  Clean up activities help children sort, organize, and have a sense of accomplishment, supporting their optimal development.

MFN Family Center, 489 Winthrop Street, Medford, MA  02155

Contact us at (781) 393-2106 with any questions!

hfuller@medford.k12.ma.us

Medford High School Students poured through the halls in their school colors, the sounds of excitement and band music filling the air.  As everyone filed into the gym for the pep rally before the big Thanksgiving game, the new Team Medford banner did not go unnoticed.  Team Medford: Join the Winning Team to Prevent Underage Drinking is a new project of the Medford Substance Abuse Task Force.  Over 1,000 bracelets and key chains were handed out to students, athletes, teachers, coaches and community figures in an effort to unite the community in fighting the battle to prevent underage drinking.

Members of the Medford Substance Abuse Task Force joined students in cheering as they connected with one another and were asked to join the winning team. Many of our young leaders are very pleased to be a part of the team and were happy to help distribute bracelets while getting their fellow peers to commit to our team: Team Medford. Everyone is a key player on Team Medford, and many stepped up today showing their pride for the community. “Everyone was in high spirits,” reported Penelope Bruce, the Underage Drinking Prevention Coordinator, “the positive energy was contagious and many of our youth wanted to jump on board.”

Team Medford is a collaborative effort in supporting our youth in which Team TADD (Teens Against Drinking and Drugs) played an enormous role. “It’s great that we finally have a positive mission that unites the city, while getting the word out about underage drinking and drug abuse issues right in our own community”, said Crystal Chandler, a Team TADD leader, and member of Medford’s Substance Abuse Task Force. This is a great start for Team Medford and a beginning that is headed in the right direction. Many more activities and local events will be organized to get more team players involved. For more information contact Penny Bruce at prbruce@medford.org or 781-393-2560

INTERNATIONAL FAMILY FESTIVAL “Celebrating our Japanese Connections”

A FREE event designed for children ages 0-13

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2010

1:00 to 4:00 pm at Springstep in Medford Square

Featuring: Odaiko New England (Japanese Taiko Drumming)

Michiko Kurata (Japanese Traditional Dance)

Sumie Kaneko (Traditional Shamisen and Koto)

There’s so much to do!

* Learn Origami

* Design your own Japanese Uchiwa fan

* Decorate a hachi maki headband

* Play Japanese games

* And much more!

To register, call the Medford Family Network at (781) 393-2106.

Event will be held at Springstep in Medford Square; contact the Medford Family Network for transportation options.

This event is presented by the Medford Public Schools,

Early Childhood Department, Medford Family Network, Springstep &

the Japanese Language School of Greater Boston, celebrating their 35th year!

The Friends of the Medford Family Network (FMFN) will be hosting our 8th
annual comedy FUNraiser on Thursday, November 11 at 7:00 pm Giggles
Comedy Club. This is an adults only event.

The cost for the event is 20 dollars. This includes all you can eat
pizza, a 75 minute comedy show and many many great raffle items and
baskets from local business in Medford and the surrounding towns.
A limited number of tables are also available for sponsors, including
prominent advertising at the event and year-long advertising on
medfordfamilies.org

The Medford Family Network of the Medford Public Schools offers support
services to more then 1500 families living or working in Medford each
year. Since its founding in 1998, the MFN has increased our services
each year, we now offer support to Medford families with children from
birth to age13! All services are provided completely free of charge to
families- made possible by fund-raising, which provides most of the cost
of programs including:

• Parenting education/support
• Age-specific playgroups
• Family literacy initiatives
• Resource/drop-in center
• Information/Referral services
• Clothing, book and toy swaps
• Summer Concerts
• New Mom’s Support Group

To buy tickets or to donate please visit our website
medfordfamilies.orgIf you have any questions or would like further
information about how to support what we do; please feel free to call us
at 781 395-8624Friends of the Family Network Giggles FunRaiser

pashley bike

Happy Spring! It is wonderful to see the crowds of people walking and riding bikes, buses, and trains! New Walk/Ride Day coordinators and sponsors are joining us and integrating new events, challenges, and incentives. If you would like help organizing an event, please let us know, so we can add it to our website and help spread the word and inspire others.

BOSTON AREA EVENTS
APRIL 30, WALK/RIDE DAY!
7:30-7:45 a.m.: RozzieBikes/JP Bikes Walk/Ride Day Ride Join us for all or part of your commute. Beginning bike commuters welcome! Car parking available. More info here.

BIKE MONTH: Keep in mind that May is Bike Month and more, with all sorts of activities and events — too many to mention!

May 28, 2010~June 25, 2010~July 30, 2010~August 27, 2010
September 24, 2010~October 29, 2010~November 26, 2010~December 31, 2010
January 28, 2011~February 25, 2011~March 25, 2011~April 29, 2011

The Green Streets Initiative is a grassroots organization that encourages the use of alternative transportation to create safer, quieter, healthier streets for all.
The Green Streets Initiative is best known for our monthly Walk/Ride Days, which take place on the last Friday of every month. On Walk/Ride Days, we invite people everywhere to go green, wear green, and celebrate!

Our vision is to create a monthly city-wide party that celebrates alternative transportation, helps people connect with their community, and improves our well-being and that of our Earth.

Green Streets seeks individuals in businesses, schools, and state and local government to help spread the Walk/Ride Day concept. If you are interested in becoming a coordinator or a sponsor, please contact the Green Streets Director at walk-ride-days@comcast.net.

Click on image to enlarge

The Amazing Race through Medford Square

We are Team T.A.D.D. West (Teens Against Drinking and Drugs), a youth group of Medford Health Matters who meets in West Medford at the West Medford Community Center. We are organizing an Amazing Race that will take place in Medford Square on April 21, 2010. This race is being held to raise awareness of underage drinking and drug abuse prevention while raising funds to benefit our group. This race is targeted towards teens to provide them with an alternative to destructive decisions over April vacation. We are trying to create a stronger, united community by hosting this race. We are looking for adult volunteers and teenaged participants to take part in this race. Participants will enter as teams of two. The entrance fee for each participant is a $5 donation to our group. The Amazing Race will begin and end at City Hall’s Council Chambers. All participants will need to fill out and return a registration form (parent’s signature required). The deadline to enter the Amazing Race is April 16^th. Please come and enjoy the fun!  For more information, to enter the Amazing Race as a contestant or to volunteer, please contact Penelope Bruce at (781) 393-2560 or PBruce@medford.org

Parent Advisory Committee, pawinn@yahoo.com

Parents have long asked what they can do to help us make the club a successful place for their child. In an effort to allow parents to make their voices heard we have created a parent advisory committee. Phyllis Winn parent of Robert and Samantha Winn has agreed to head this committee, her email address is listed above. If you are interested in helping her with any of the following events, or know another way that you can help our club to be a greater place for youth please let us know.

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Movie and Pizza Night, Friday April 16th 6-9 p.m.

Need a night out, not interested in hiring a baby sitter? Leave your kids at the club and know that they’ll be safe and entertained. For only $15.00 per child, you can enjoy three hours of child free bliss. We’ll provide pizza and an age appropriate movie. Registration is required for this event. Please obtain a registration form from the front desk. All registrations must be received by Friday April 9, 2010.

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