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 – Wednesday, January 5 – the Boys and Girls Club hosts a Youth Equity Vaccine Clinic, the Worcester Police Department receives funding for body-worn cameras, YWCA cancels in-person classes through the end of January, Worcester County District Attorney Joe Early Jr. offers funds to support support post-prom and post-graduation events, and the Worcester Bravehearts announce they are letting the fans decide what happens at games in 2022.
Boys and Girls Club Hosts Youth Equity Vaccine Clinic
The Boys and Girls Club of Worcester, at 65 Boys and Girls Club Way, are hosting a youth vaccine equity clinic for those ages 5 and older on Thursday, January 6, from 5 PM to 7 PM.
For questions, call (508) 754-2686 ext. 201 or email [email protected].
Worcester Police Department Receives Funding for Body-Worn Cameras
State Senator Michael Moore announced on Tuesday, January 5, the state has awarded the Worcester Police Department with funding for body worn cameras.
“It is imperative that all of the necessary measures are taken to improve public safety, while simultaneously strengthening the public trust in our police departments,” said Moore . “Body-worn cameras are a proven method when it comes to accomplishing these goals and have become an integral component in the law enforcement community. These grants will ensure that all police departments in the Commonwealth are able to access this technology.”
The Worcester Police Department is one of 64 departments across Massachusetts to receive funding for body-worn cameras. The program is a five-year, $20 million program that expect to deploy 9,000 cameras across Massachusettss.
YWCA Cancels In-Person Classes through January
The YWCA of Central Massachusetts announced this week that its water and fitness classes scheduled in January are cancelled.
YWCA says it is working to bring some fitness programs online.
For more information, contact Deryck at (508) 767-2505 ext. 3200.
DA Early Offers Funds to Support Safe End-of-Year School Events
Worcester County District Attorney Joe Early Jr. is invites local schools and parent groups to apply for mini grants to support post-prom and post-graduation events designed to keep students safe and prevent drunken driving crashes.
These events, organized and overseen by adults, offer safe drug- and alcohol-free alternatives to high-risk activities that often follow the end of the year celebrations for high school students.
“While none of us know what the status of school activities will be in the spring of 2022 due to the COVID pandemic, we are cautiously optimistic and accepting applications for funding requests,” Mr. Early said. “Some celebrations looked different in 2021, but we were proud to continue supporting these efforts and providing students with the fun and safe events they deserve.”
This is the fourth year the office has offered grants thanks to the support of the Massachusetts Office of Victim Assistance Drunk Driving Trust Fund.
Worcester Bravehearts Announce New Interactive Features to Gameday
The Worcester Bravehearts announced its “Twenty-Twenty-You” campaign for its upcoming season, implementing new, interactive features for fans to effect multiple aspects of game day.
During the 2022 season, the fans will be able to choose the Bravehearts’ promotions, jerseys, celebrations, and even the rules of a game. Fans will vote on the Bravehearts’ website and social media pages, while other decisions will be made on the spot during games by a crowd vote.
“Twenty-Twenty-You is not just a catchy slogan, it is the definition of how the Bravehearts will operate for the 2022 season,” said Bravehearts General Manager Dave Peterson. “After two summers of pandemic baseball that prevented us from seeing a majority of our great fans, Twenty-Twenty-You will be the unofficial homecoming to Fitton Field. The entertainment will be unlike anything anyone has seen before.”
The Bravehearts released a promotional video about the campaign. Watch it below:
