starting off on the right foot.
As part of the inaugural celebration, Mayor-Elect Marty Walsh has organized volunteering events focusing on neighborhoods and community service activities. At a press conference today, Walsh said, “This is about civic engagement and about giving back to our community,” said Mayor-Elect Walsh. “Poverty touches every issue we discuss – education, jobs, housing. This is an opportunity for us to make an impact on one of the toughest issues our City faces.”
On Friday, January 3, and Saturday, January 4, volunteers will hit the streets of Boston for community service activities. Mayor-Elect Walsh will participate in a number of these events; the specific times and locations for his participation will be made available later this week. The volunteer events include :
- Painting and building clean up at Mission Hill Senior Center, St. Monica’s (South Boston), St. Peter’s (Dorchester), St. Mary’s (Dorchester), Mattahunt Community Center (Mattapan), Bird Street Community Center (Roxbury), Riverside Theater (Hyde Park), Holy Family (Mattapan), the Italian Home for Children (Jamaica Plain), and Boys and Girls Club (Dorchester)
- Preparing and serving lunch at the Kit Clark Senior Center (Dorchester), Rosie’s Place (Roxbury), Pine Street Inn (South End)
- Building with Habitat for Humanity (Roslindale)
- Preparing office space and paperwork for Generation Citizen (Jamaica Plain)
- Assisting artists at the Boston Center for the Arts (Back Bay)
- Providing general office help for Generation Citizen (Jamaica Plain), Cradles to Crayons (Brighton), Voice of Tabernacle (Mattapan)
- Assisting Villa Victoria (South End) with their Three Kings Day event
- Organizing a Family Fun Day at the Salesian Boys and Girls Club (East Boston)
Events are also planned for Chinatown, the North End, and Charlestown. Details coming soon.
The Walsh Inaugural Committee is also hosting a book drive for Children’s Hospital. The drop off locations include :
- Trident Booksellers & Cafe (338 Newbury Street, Back Bay)
- Boston Barber Co. (124 Bowdoin Street, Beacon Hill)
- Blackstone’s of Beacon Hill (46 Charles Street)
- Sault New England (577 Tremont Street, South End)
- Barbershop Deluxe (288 Columbus Ave, Back Bay)
Mayor-Elect Walsh is also calling upon supporters to share in helping the people of Boston in two small but essential ways during the inaugural celebration: Donate a canned good, and/or make a modest contribution to the ABCD Energy and Fuel Services program.
Supporters attending the Inaugural Celebration on Monday, January 6, are encouraged to donate a canned good that will go towards feeding Boston’s most vulnerable residents. Donation receptacles will be found at the entrance of the Hynes Convention Center.
Boston-based ABCD provides vital assistance to Boston residents in need of basic services. Their Winter Emergency Campaign provides heating help, food, warm winter clothing, and holiday toys to some of Boston’s neediest households, reaching an additional 10,000 families at risk of serious health problems or housing loss this winter. Contributions can be made online: https://www.bostonabcd.org/donate-now.aspx (select Winter Emergency Fuel Fund from the form’s dropdown menu). Contributions will go towards help low-income families pay for their heating costs this winter.
Mayor-Elect Walsh has launched a website dedicated to keeping the public informed about the inaugural activities. The latest details will be available online at: www.bostoninaugural2014.org. Tickets for the inaugural celebration are available online at: http://www.ticketmaster.com/Mayoral-Inaugural-Gala-tickets/artist/1947013. The Walsh Inaugural Committee is charged with planning and staging not only the official swearing-in ceremony for the Mayor-elect, but also with the Inaugural Celebration and related neighborhood and community service events.
image from MartyWalsh.com
