School News

Beginning Bridges CFCE’s vision is that children, youth and families reach their full potential now and in the future. Their mission is to work with families and community partners to create the conditions for children, youth and families to thrive socially, academically and economically. Funding for the Coordinated Family & Community Engagement Grant is provided by the Massa-chusetts Dept. of Early Education and Care (EEC) and sponsored by South Middlesex Opportunity Council (SMOC - Childcare/ Head Start). Beginning Bridges CFCE has funding for the towns of Mendon, Northbridge, Upton & Uxbridge. Currently, their free comprehensive services include weekly indoor and outdoor parent/child playgroups. They also offer parent education programs, the Ages & Stages Developmental Questionnaire and can connect families to community resources.

Upcoming Events: Registration is required for all upcoming events. Links can be accessed on their website (BeginningBridgesCFCE.weebly.com)

Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), a leading provider of retirement plans for educators, announced that assistant or contact Emily Murray at 508-278principal Donna O’Donnell and Diana 5110 or Emurray@smoc.org. Horrigan, educators at Our Lady of the Mondays to Fridays, Parent Child Valley in Uxbridge, have received a Playgroups, 9:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., at $2,000 grant as part of the company's the Uxbridge Playcenter, 9 North Main 2022 Unsung Heroes awards competi- Street, Uxbridge, lower left office. tion. O’Donnell and Horrigan are the Tuesdays, October 4th, Music and only winners in the entire state of Movement with Deb Hudgins, 10:30 Massachusetts. a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Upton Town

For 26 years, the Voya Unsung Library. Check Library website for Heroes program has awarded grants to location and registration information. K-12 educators in the United States to Wednesdays, October 19th, Music honor their innovative teaching meth- and Movement with Deb Hudgins, ods, creative educational projects, and 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Whitinsville their ability to positively influence the Social Library. Check Library website children they teach. Since the pro- for registration information. gram’s inception, Voya has awarded Thursdays, December 8th, January more than $5.9 million in support of 5th, Coffee and Conversations, 9:30 educators through this nationwide pro- a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Taft Public gram. Library, 29 North Ave in Mendon, join O'Donnell's and Horrigan's innovative them for an informal drop-in playtime teaching idea, “Collaborate, Innovate, where families will be able to build Create,” focuses on helping Our Lady social connections, learn about early of the Valley develop a STEM (science, childhood development and family technology, engineering and math) lab friendly resources. Please bring your focused on coding and robotics. The lab own coffee. Muffins from Muffin will be an area with flexible seating that House Cafe will be provided. allows for effective hands-on group and individual workspaces and presentations. Once familiar with the concepts behind coding and robotics, students will be tasked with solving different problems currently affecting society. At the conclusion, O'Donnell and Horri-

Uxbridge Educators' get a financial boost Beginning Bridges; helping gan plan to have students promote and children reach their full potential "Educators like Donna and market their solutions to a community Diana greatly influence and group. shape our nation's future Selected from a group of applicants leaders, Their creative teaching methods and innovative thinking inspire and from schools across the United States, O’Donnell and Horrigan are among only 50 winners in the nation to receive the $2,000 award to help fund and bringmotivate students to reach their program to life. In addition, they new heights. For 26 years, will now compete with other finalists through voya Unsung for one of the top three prizes — an Heroes and other educa- additional $5,000, $10,000 or $25,000 tion-oriented programs, we from Voya Financial. have supported educators To learn more about this year’s winwho go above and beyond ning projects, as well as those from preto enrich the lives of their vious years, visit the Unsung Heroes students." website. Unsung Heroes is part of Voya - Angela Harrell, Foundation’s signature program, Voya VOYa’S CHiEF DiVERSiTY aND Teacher Voices, that focuses on CORPORaTE RESPONSiBiLiTY empowering teachers to become leadOFFiCER aND PRESiDENT, ers by promoting the teaching career, VOYa FOUNDaTiON recognizing high-achieving educators, providing training opportunities, and offering financial support to achieve their goals. Send Us your News.... newsatthenut@msn.com

The following events will take place at Purgatory Chasm State Reservation Department of Conservation and Recreation located at 198 Purgatory Road, Sutton, MA 01590. For more information call (508) 234-3733 or visit: mass.gov/locations/purgatorychasm-state-reservation CHASM HIKE Wed & Fri 11:00 am - 12:00 pm, Sat 2:00 - 3:00 pm, Sun 3:00 - 4:00 pm Get ready to scramble around huge boulders while taking in the mystery of Purgatory Chasm! Find out about the park’s history and cultural influence, the chasm’s rock formations, or the wildlife that calls the chasm home. The tour topic will vary, ask for details. Meet at the pavilion at the entrance to the chasm. Appropriate for ages 8 and above. This event is cancelled when the chasm is closed due to wet trail conditions. About 1/2 mile that is generally moderate; also includes rocky terrain. The first portion of the trail is steep and requires some rock scrambling. The remainder of the trail is flat or gently sloped. CHASM PRIMER Saturdays & Sundays 10:00 am Join the Park Interpreter for a 10minute introduction to Purgatory Chasm. They will briefly explore two dramatic events that shaped how the park looks today. This is the perfect primer before your hike through the chasm. Meet at the pavilion at the entrance to the chasm. Appropriate for ages 8 and above. This event is cancelled when the chasm is closed due to wet trail conditions. GLACIAL GEOLOGY HIKE Mondays 2:00 – 3:30 pm Discover our glacial past with a onemile hike along the topside of the chasm to Little Purgatory. Explore evidence of the ice that blanketed this park more than ten thousand years ago! Meet at the Visitor Center. Suitable for ages 8 and above. Wet trail conditions will cancel. About 1 mile over moderate terrain. ROCK DETECTIVES Saturdays 11:00 am - 12:00 pm Have you ever wondered where rocks come from, and where they may be going? Reveal the stories hidden in stones at this interactive display. Stay for five minutes or an hour. This program takes place at the pavilion near the entrance to the chasm. Event moves inside the Visitor Center during severe weather. Appropriate for ages 4 and above. SKULL SCIENCE Tuesdays & Sundays 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Every feature of an animal’s skull has a job to do. Join them to look for clues about how different animals survive in the wild. How will your own bones compare to those of our park’s residents? Stay for five minutes or an hour at this interactive display. This program takes place at the pavilion near the entrance to the chasm. Event moves inside the Visitor Center during severe weather. Appropriate for ages 4 and above. TIME TRAVELER TOUR Tuesdays & Fridays 2:30 - 3:30 pm Take a step back in time! Gain a deeper understanding of this unique park as you walk among its historic structures and geological features, jumping around the park’s timeline all the while. Meet at the Visitor Center. Appropriate for ages 4 and above. Approximately 1/2 mile over easy terrain. OFF THE BEATEN PATH Wednesdays & Thursdays 3:30 - 4:30 pm Hiking trails are the heart of the park system and getting outdoors is a great way to exercise! Join them for a leisurely hike and socialize along the way. Meet at the Visitor Center. Appropriate for ages 8 and above. About 1 mile over moderate terrain.

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LATIMORE LATIMORE MASONRY MASONRY

Can Drive and Popcorn Fundraiser

Come support Cub Scout Pack 316 by visiting us at the Douglas Fire Department at 64 Main St, Douglas from 9 a.m. - noon on Saturday, October 8th. They are accepting clean, redeemable cans and bottles. There will also be delicious popcorn available for sale, and all money raised will directly support our Scout Pack! The Pack provides lifelong memories and friendship for elementary school aged children in Douglas and the surrounding area. Scouts participate in many fun and exciting activities including camping, fishing, hiking, launching rockets, Pinewood Derby races, and more!

Scouts also serve the community through service projects such as cleaning up trash for Earth Day and honoring fallen service members by replacing American flags on the graves of veterans in our local cemetery. If you’re unable to make it during the listed times, you can donate online by visiting; https://trails-end.com/store/ scout/P94x0TJZ, where you’ll find other delicious treats not available in person. Heroes and Helpers donations are also available -- send a gift of popcorn to our first responders, troops athome or overseas, veterans, military families, local food banks, and charitable organizations! Don’t worry, your purchases can ship anywhere in the United States. For more information on Pack 316, please reach out to douglaspack316@gmail. com.

Yoga & Zumba Classes for area seniors

The Uxbridge Senior Center is proud to sponsor a live 8-week Chair Yoga Class and a live 8-week session of Zumba classes for seniors. Interested individuals should call or stop by the Center at 508-278-8622 for more information and receive their application and waiver forms prior to the start of the programs. The center is located at 36 South Main Street in Uxbridge and is open Monday thru Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The program is scheduled to begin Thursday, October 6th from 2:45 p.m.3:45 p.m. at the Senior Center’s Satellite Site which is the McCloskey School located at 62 Capron Street in Uxbridge.

Zumba is a fitness program that fuses entertainment and culture into an exhilarating dance party workout. This is an 8-week specialized program designed for seniors.

The program will begin Thursday, October 6th from 1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. at the Uxbridge Senior Center Satellite Site which is located at the McCloskey School at 62 Capron Street. Suggested donation for either class series is $25.00. Checks may be payable to the Uxbridge Senior Center.