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 – Thursday, September 15 – Worcester announces the search for the city’s next Poet Laureate, Holy Cross announces a $40 million scholarship initiative, Quinsigamond Community College is hosting free yoga classes, a new mixed-use development in Clinton breaks ground and Insomnia Cookies is holding a pajama party next week.
Worcester Announces Search for Next Poet Laureate
Worcester has announced the nomination process for the City’s next Poet Laureate.
The next Poet Laureate’s term will begin Jan. 1, 2023. The deadline to apply or nominate is Oct. 17. More on the City of Worcester Poets Laureate program, including guidelines and a link to the current application, can be found here.
All interested in applying or nominating a qualified candidate are encouraged to join a Poet Laureate Application Workshop Wednesday, Sept. 28, at 5:30 PM. Attendees will have a walkthrough of the application process and can ask questions of Cultural Development staff and current Worcester Poet Laureate Juan Matos.
Register for this Zoom workshop here.
Holy Cross Announces $40 Million Scholarship Initiative
The College of the Holy Cross announced on Wednesday that it has partnered with the Schuler Education Foundation on a $20 million matching grant, for a total of $40 million, to expand its financial aid support of low-income students and students with undocumented status.
To qualify for this funding, Holy Cross has committed to raise a dollar-for-dollar match of the total amount expected from the Foundation over the next 10 years.
Holy Cross is one of just five schools, and the only college located in Massachusetts, selected this year to partner with the Chicago-based foundation on the Schuler Access Initiative, which aims to generate $1 billion in investment for this underserved population over a 10-year period. The College joins Barnard College, Centre College, Scripps College and Trinity College, in this second cohort of partnerships with the Schuler Education Foundation, and Carleton College, Kenyon College, Union College, Bates College and Tufts University, in the inaugural cohort.
Find more information about the Schuler Access Initiative here.
Groundbreaking on New Development in Clinton
A groundbreaking ceremony took place on Tuesday at 500 Main St. in Clinton, the site of at Jack’s Mill, a mixed-use development project.
This redevelopment of the 150,000-SF historic Bigelow Carpet Mill is a signature piece of Clinton’s downtown revitalization plan. The project, by local developer Cunningham Equities, plans to feature a pet salon and community Bark Park, restaurant and bar, salon and spa, and home for more than 150 residents.
QCC Partners with UniCare for Community Health
Quinsigamond Community College (QCC) and UniCare are partnering to improve community health, beginning with offering free yoga classes to the Worcester community on Friday, Sept. 30 and Saturday, Oct. 1. The classes will be held at 9 AM on both days at the QCC soccer field at 670 West Boylston St. in Worcester and are open to all.
UniCare is a Massachusetts-based health company providing access to healthcare for nearly 200,000 state and municipal workers across the Commonwealth.
The classes will be taught by Kate Dalrymple, the owner and operator of Kula Yoga & Barre in Worcester. The first 20 attendees to register and attend each day will receive a free UniCare-branded yoga mat (one per person) and a QCC water bottle.
For more information and to register, visit yogainourcommunity.com.
Insomnia Cookies Pajama Party
Insomnia Cookies is having a pajama party on Tuesday, Sept. 20, from 9 PM to close. Wear your “PJs” for a free cookie in store.
There will also be cookie pack deals, free swag, and an exclusive cookie flavor drop.
Insomnia Cookies has a location at 1 Kelley Sq. in Worcester.
PJ Party is under 1 week away! here’s the 🍪 dropping for our biggest party of the year. meet Deluxe Filled Ft. Sour Patch Kids® cookies
🎉🎉🎉
try this sugar cookie filled with a gooey raspberry SOUR PATCH KIDS® center topped with SOUR PATCH KIDS® Bitz – available 9/20 – 9/25 pic.twitter.com/u0bB12a6hu— insomnia cookies (@insomniacookies) September 14, 2022
