The Home's Board of Ambassadors

Sherri Raftery, alumna of The Home, 2008 Voices & Visions Honoree, 2010 Board of Ambassadors.

"I was just about twelve years old when I first came to The Home for Little Wanderers. My Mom made it sound like I was just going to camp for a while. I waited and waited, but she never came back for me. It was 1977 when I was placed at Orchard Home, a group home for adolescents with emotional and behavioral problems. It has since merged with Longview Farm—where my brother Joseph once lived".

It is official - I am on THE HOME's Board of Ambassadors!

I met with Bob Sherburn & Scott Inman from The Home last week for lunch to discuss ways that I can assist on the Board of Amassadors and yesterday I recieved my letter in the mail:

Dear Ms. Raftery:

I am pleased to inform you that you have been approved by The Home for Little Wanderers Nominating and Developing Committee to serve as a member on our Board of Amabassadors...

Brain Davis, Chair of the Nominating Committee, Board of Directors

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I am thrilled of this honor to be able to assist The Home by sharing my personal story and journey about growing up during my formative years as a resident and client of THE HOME. This is my way of giving back to an amazing organization that has assisted many children and families througout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts - me included. I realize that I am lucky to have been one of them and I want to let others know how much it means to people who had similar circumstances.

How are YOU giving back to those people and organizations that have made a difference in YOUR life?



Board of Ambassadors
http://www.thehome.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_leadership


Success Stories
http://www.thehome.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_success_stories


2008 Honorees
http://www.thehome.org/site/PageServer?pagename=news_video_voices_visions_08_honorees

2008 The Home - Honoree Acceptance Speech

http://sherriraftery.blogspot.com/2008/06/home-honoree-acceptance-speech.html

Linda Nathan, D. Ed founder of the Boston Arts Academy

Linda F. Nathan, founding headmaster of the Boston Arts Academy, has achieved considerable success on the frontlines of an urban education system in crisis.

Linda Nathan is the founding headmaster of the Boston Arts Academy, the city’s first and only public high school for the visual and performing arts. Under her leadership, the school has won state, national, and international recognition, including a Massachusetts Compass Award, a “Breaking Ranks” award from the National Association of Secondary School Principals, and a Mentor School award from the Coalition of Essential Schools. BAA sends well over 90 percent of its graduates—all residents of the city of Boston—to college.

Nathan’s method embraces the idea of asking good questions, and getting teachers, students, parents, and others to grapple with tough issues and work toward answers collaboratively and flexibly.

District 31 is excited to announne that Linda Nathan, Ed. D founding headmaster of the Boston Arts Academy - is our Communication & Leadership awardee for our Spring 2010 Conference on Saturday May 15, 2010 at the Hilton Hotel in Dedham, MA

It is official - I wrote to Linda and ask if she would accept District 31's request to honor her with the Toastmasters Communication & Leadership award on Saturday May 15, 2010 during our Spring 2010 Conference Luncheon and she said "yes" and that she is "very humbled". Honestley so am I. I am excited to honor Linda with her amazing accomplishments in education and the arts. Of course another bonus is that she too is an Emerson College graduate.

Wow what an amazing position being the District 31 Governor is - I too am "very humbled"!

You can follow Linda on Twitter and Facebook!

Read Boston Globe article about Linda and her new book

“THE HARDEST QUESTIONS AREN’T ON THE TEST”: Lessons From an Urban School

http://www.boston.com/ae/books/articles/2010/02/19/boston_headmaster_shares_ideas_obstacles_in_urban_education/

http://www.lindanathan.com/

http://twitter.com/lindanathan

http://www.facebook.com/lindafnathan

Boston Arts Academy

http://www.bostonartsacademy.org/

Founded in 1998, Boston Arts Academy (BAA) is the city’s first and only high school for the visual and performing arts. It was founded on the conviction that academics and the arts are equally important to student development and achievement. The arts are integrated throughout the academic curriculum motivating students with a variety of learning styles to succeed in high school and pursue higher education.BAA is committed to providing a rigorous arts and academic education to urban youth who seldom have the opportunity to focus on the arts.

Mt Auburn Toastmasters Club - Blood Drive

Here is a timely announcement from District 31's Mount Auburn Toastmasters Club!

Mount Auburn Hospital has graciously provided meeting space for the Mount Auburn Toastmasters Club for many years. Our club is sponsoring a blood drive to support the hospital.

The blood drive will take place at the Watertown Public Library (123 Main Street, Watertown, MA 02472) from 10am – 2pm on 2/25 (Thursday).

Mount Auburn, like many hospitals, is struggling to match the demand for blood particularly with all of the recent natural disasters. In giving blood directly to the hospital it also saves them from having to buy blood from blood donation sources done through other national organizations.
Folks that are interested can contact me via

dew3@rcn.com or cell: 617.510.6892

Thanks for your help. Don Whitmore

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The Club meets
Mount Auburn Club - Club #: 6670, Dist #: 31, Est: 06/01/1987
Mount Auburn Hospital 330

Mount Auburn St

Cambridge, MA 02138

United States 978 805 1094

Meeting Time: 5:45 pm 2nd & 4th Wednesday

Club Status: Open to all

http://mountauburn.freetoasthost.us/

Since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped millions of men and women become more confident in front of an audience. Our network of clubs and their learn-by-doing program are sure to help you become a better speaker and leader. Why pay thousands of dollars for a seminar when you can join a Toastmasters club for a fraction of the cost and have fun in the process?

http://www.toastmasters.org/

http://www.district31.org/
"Take Center Stage"!

My Claddagh Ring 2000-2010

"Let love and friendship reign forever"

"With my two hands I give you my heart, and crown it with my loyalty."

I have been wearing the same Claddagh ring since February 14, 2000. I recieved it as a gift from an X-boyfriend - we broke up in 2003. He got married in 2008. We are still friends and his family treats my daughter like their granddaughter. But, last nite I decided it was time to take it off my old Claddagh ring that I have been wearing for 10 years.

At some point I may buy a new one with a whole new meaning. Here's to moving on....Happy Valentine's Day!

Claddagh Ring

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claddagh_ring

The Claddagh ring (Irish: fáinne Chladaigh) is a traditional Irish ring given as a token of love or worn as a wedding ring. The design and customs associated with it originated in the Irish fishing village of Claddagh, located just outside the city of Galway. The ring was first produced in the 17th century during the reign of Queen Mary II, though elements of the design are much older.

Olympic Torch Run - by Attorney, John Raftery

"The torch run was amazing. The reception of the crowd along the streets as we ran through wasbuoyant; there was joy and a spirit of people united, if only briefly, by the flame which had travelled from Olympia, Greece, on its way to Vancouver. I was truly honoured to participate in carrying the flame"! John Raftery -

John Raftery carrying the 2010 Winter Olympic Game Torch

photo taken by Julia Raftery.

The Olympic Torch Run

John carried the Olympic Flame in the Torch Run on Sunday, December 20th , at approximately 11:08 a.m which started at the Maple Crest Village on Main St. E. in Grimsby, Ontario, and went approximately 300 metres to the Queens Lawn Cemetery, also on Main St. E. in Grimsby.

LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!

This is soooo exciting! I love watching the OLYMPICS! Those amazing athletes will come together from around the world and share their passion, committment and love of their sport/s.

Can you imagine the support and training they endure?

Fetch - Ruff Ruffman!

FETCH! with Ruff Ruffman is a children's television series on PBS during the PBS Kids GO! block of educational programming. It is a game show/reality show parody that is hosted by an animated anthropomorphic dog who dispenses challenges to the show's real-life contestants. Premiering on May 29, 2006, the show has since completed four seasons, with a fifth season coming in 2010. In June 2008, the series received its first Emmy for Best Original Song for its theme. http://pbskids.org/fetch/


On Sunday January 10, 2010 I took my daughter Sabs and her friend Ava to the 2010 FETCH Auditions at WGBH in Boston. It is a good opportunity for them to TAKE CENTER STAGE and answer questions while speaking off the cuff. They did not get a call back - but the point was to let them see what it is like to audition for a Kids Television show.