Community Corner
VIDEO: Volunteers Create 120+ Care Kits For Victims Of Domestic Violence
Volunteers from the Leadership Metrowest and the Boys and Girls Clubs of MetroWest gathered at the Middlesex Savings Bank, in Framingham, to assemble these kits.
Members of Leadership MetroWest, a yearlong program, and students from the Boys and Girls Clubs of MetroWest have joined together and assembled 120 "care kits" for victims of domestic violence or those who are temporarily displaced.
These kits will be distributed to 5 area emergency rooms, , and police departments in the 10 MetroWest towns covered by the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce (Ashland, Framingham, Holliston, Hopkinton, Natick, Sherborn, Southborough, Sudbury, Wayland, and Westborough).
Lt. Patty Grigas of the Framingham Police Department, a member of the leadership group, described the effort to Framingham Patch. "Our group of 30 individuals has been meeting one day a month since September, as well as a longer retreat at the beginning of the program. We have an end-of-the year mission to do something that will make a difference to the MetroWest community."
Find out what's happening in Dover-Sherbornwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
"We've been brainstorming since October, and everyone agreed on the "care kits." They are meant as a simple gesture for those who arrive in a temporary situation with only the clothes on their back. Nothing like this has been done before as far as I know," she said.
Each "care kit" includes personal hygiene items, playing cards, toys and a stuffed animal, a T-shirt, and a card that lists emergency phone numbers. Items have been donated by TD Bank, Middlesex Savings Bank, MetroWest YMCA, the Sheraton Tara Hotel, the Boys and Girls Clubs of MetroWest, and the Sudbury Lincoln Wayland Domestic Violence Roundtable.
Find out what's happening in Dover-Sherbornwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Leadership member Julie Horrigan, vice president of resource development for the Boys and Girls Clubs of MetroWest brought student volunteers from the Keystone Club into the project. These six students from Marlborough - Rich Darrach, Haven Greenlaw, Devin Smith, Zachary Lowe, Sean Scanlon, and Shaun Tynan - raised $300 for the effort by holding a fundraising event atRollerKingdom in Hudson.
Yesterday, the students and eight members of the leadership group came together at the Middlesex Savings Bank in Westborough to assemble the kits. This gathering was hosted by Bruce Weisberg, senior VP and real property manager for the Middlesex Savings Bank. Weisberg is a graduate of the MetroWest leadership program.
Once the kits were assembled, it was discovered that there were extra personal hygiene items. Horrigan reported that the students from the Keystone Club will be donating these items to the troops.
Twenty-five Years of Leadership
According to the Leadership MetroWest’s website, "Building a continuous pool of informed and enthusiastic leaders in the municipal, business and nonprofit sectors is an investment in the positive future of the region. Leadership MetroWest is proud of the strong record of achievement of our more than 550 alumni."
This June when its current class of 30 leaders graduate, the Leadership MetroWest will celebrate its 25th year. For information on next year's class which begins in September, visit the website, or call Helen Lemoine at 508-872-6161.