"Helping YOU Take Center Stage"!

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...

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 C...

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 ----- 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: 5:4...

"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 Que...

"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! 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.