In today’s daily 5 Things You Need to Know feature, ThisWeekinWorcester.com explores five important items and stories that Worcester and Central Massachusetts residents should keep a close eye on.
These five things can cover a whole range of subjects and issues that we feel are pertinent to understanding what’s going on in the city and the cities and towns surrounding Worcester.
In today’s edition – Friday, September 17 – there are three upcoming City of Worcester Mobile Equity Vaccination Clinics, the Environmental Police warn residents of moose breeding season, the Massachusetts Pirates announce an upcoming championship rally, local students work with Ronald McDonald House to fundraise for families of critically ill children who need housing in New England, and the Worcester Public Library receives a grant for its Playscape at the Library project.
Upcoming City of Worcester Mobile Equity Vaccination Clinics
The City of Worcester’s Department of Health & Human Services continues to offer several COVID-19 clinics throughout the City. All clinics are open for walk up and no appointments are necessary.
Upcoming scheduled clinics are:
Friday, September 17, from 4 PM – 7PM
The Youth Vax Fall Series
Worcester Youth Center at 326 Chandler Street
Saturday, September 18, from 11 AM to 5 PM
Worcester Public Library
Main Street Branch at 3 Salem Street
Saturday, September 18, from noon to 4 PM
African Community Education [ACE] Festival
Elm Park Community School at 23 North Ashland Street
Environmental Police Warn of Moose Breeding Season
The Massachusetts Environmental Police warn residents that breeding season for moose are September and October.
Moose often have little regard for oncoming traffic and are often difficult to see at night. Because of the height of some moose, their eyes frequently rise above headlights and do not reflect.
Especially during September and October, motorists should be on the lookout for large animals.
Below are some images from a moose, around 700 pounds, that made its way to downtown Worcester on Wednesday. Members of the Environmental Police successfully incapacitated and moved the moose to a safer location.
Yesterday, a bull moose weighing about 700 lb. wandered through downtown Worcester. @MAEnviroPolice successfully immobilized him and #MassWildlife relocated the moose to a nearby forested area for his safety and the safety of the public.https://t.co/3Cjy1xapgA pic.twitter.com/91bGstsCvV
— MA Fish & Game (@MassDFG) September 16, 2021
Massachusetts Pirates Championship Rally
The Indoor Football League [IFL] champion Massachusetts Pirates will hold a Championship Rally in Worcester.
The rally will be on the Worcester Common at 455 Main Street on Tuesday, September 21, at 4:30 PM.
Save the date! @mass_pirates Championship Rally coming to the Worcester Common, Tuesday, September 21, 4:30 p.m. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/Hszr6VOCxF
— City of Worcester (@TweetWorcester) September 16, 2021
Local Students Support Families with Ronald McDonald House
Students across Massachusetts and Rhode Island will rally together for the inaugural Ronald McDonald House Charities of New England [RMHCNE] Student Challenge which supports families of critically ill children who need housing in New England.
The new Student Challenge launched Monday, September 13th and runs until Giving Tuesday on November 30th (students can sign up and complete activities to raise funds for RMHCNE anytime during that period). Groups of students or individuals from kindergarten to college will engage in friendly competition with other students across New England to raise love, inspire hope, and create community.
The funds raised through the RMHCNE Student Challenge will support the two Ronald McDonald Houses (RMH Providence and RMH Boston Harbor) with a goal of raising $50,000 to provide over 300 nights of housing for families receiving medical treatment in New England.
“The students participating in the RMHCNE Student Challenge are making a significant impact on the children and families we serve. Every dollar they raise counts, and a lot of smaller donations add up to a collectively large donation which will have a lasting impact on children facing serious illness” notes Gretchen Manning, CEO of RMHCNE. “Anything from lemonade stands, to car washes, to friendly sports challenges and trivia nights are just some of the ways that students from Kindergarten to College are being creative to help the children and families we serve. And businesses and the community can get involved too by matching the funds raised by their local teams or participating in the fun activities students are developing,” said Manning.
For more information on the new RMHCNE Student Challenge and to sign up, visit the RMHCNE website.
Worcester Public Library Receives Grant for Playscape at the Library
The Worcester Public Library received a federal Library Services and Technology Act [LSTA] grant for $7,500 from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) for the Playscape at the Library project.
On Tuesday, Sept 21, at 10 AM, the library unveils Playscape at the Library in the new Arthur M. and Martha R. Pappas Children’s Center at the Main Library, at 3 Salem Square.
The WPL project seeks to empower families with children ages 0-6 with the tools, space and information to support their child’s development. Through the creation of a playscape in the new children’s room at the Main Library, and the implementation of additional play spaces at our six branches, young children and their caregivers will have access to fee-free spaces in which to engage in playful learning opportunities.
