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5 Things You Need To Know Today in Worcester – November 6, 2019

By TWIW Staff | November 6, 2019
Last Updated: February 2, 2021

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, Nov. 6 —  Boy Scouts are looking for your food donations, McDonald’s is putting vintage toys back in their Happy Meals for a while, the big ACE gala is coming up, there’s a fun music PopUp planned and Massachusetts celebrates being nearly the least-fattest state. 

Scouting for Food Is This Weekend…Or Whenever You See That Bag Hanging From Your Door

There couldn’t be an easier way to give and make a marked difference in someone’s life. Each year, many Boy Scout troops head out and collect food, left out on the doorstep, and supplies the collection to their local food pantries. This year, “Scouting for Food” officially takes place on Saturday, Nov. 9, according to several Troop’s posts (such as Westborough). But according to Bill Dunbar, senior district executive, Heart of New England Council, the collection “ideally would be the first three weeks in November. 

“We provide door hangers to units who in turn blanket their communities leaving them on neighbors doors asking that bags of nonperishable food be left on the doorstep for pick up the following Saturday,” Dunbar told TWIW. “We would ask residents to be on the lookout for door hangers to participate in Scouting for Food.”

Check with your local troop or council to see if they are participating, too. Ideas? Granola bars, Ramen noodles, soups, pasta, pasta sauce, canned tuna, canned veggies and, well, you get the gist. 

 

Annual ACE Gala Helps Nonprofit Reach Fundraising Goal 

The 13th Annual ACE (African Community Education) Gala, sponsored by the Worcester Polytechnic Institute Talent & Inclusion Division, takes place on Thursday, Nov. 7, from 5-9 PM at Mechanics Hall in Worcester.

This annual event includes raffles, a fashion show presented with the WPI Black Student Union, live West African music from Crocodile River Music, dance, step and drum performances from ACE students and college groups and  African cuisine courtesy of Gold Coast Catering Inc. and Fatima’s Cafe

The theme for this year’s show is “The Journey” as WPI highlights the remarkable steps its students and families have taken to get to where they are today along with their plans for the future. The goal this year is $60,000, and according to the organization’s website, $51.2K has been raised so far.  

“Achieving this goal would mark a truly transformational campaign for our organization, helping us to expand our services to reach more of the 20,000 African-born immigrants and refugees in Worcester,” said the release. More here. 

 

Never-mind that Small Cheeseburger and Puny Fry: We Wanted the Box and the Toy! 

Oh, what excitement when our parents would decide we didn’t have time for dinner at home, or we were on the road and couldn’t stop, and HAD to hit the McDonald’s drive-thru. Even more important, what toy was going to be in that Happy Meal box? Back before we cared what what the calorie count was, or that the apple pie was basically a deep fried brick, we got real excited over the small, plastic “collector’s item” that would always be included in a McDonald’s Happy Meal. The restaurant is bringing back these vintage toys to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the first Happy Meal. Starting on Nov. 7 and for a limited time, fans across New England can get a throwback toy in their “Surprise” Happy Meal. 

 

YouTube video

 

Here’s the official lineup of the 17 toys that could make it into your Surprise Happy Meal:

  • Cowboy McNugget (McDonald’s): 1988
  • Fireman McNugget (McDonald’s)
  • Mail Carrier McNugget (McDonald’s): 1988
  • Hamburger Changeable (McDonald’s): 1989
  • Grimace (McDonald’s): 1990
  •  Dino Happy Meal Box Changeable (McDonald’s): 1991
  •  McDonald’s Hot Wheels Thunderbird (Mattel): 1993
  •  Hamburglar (McDonald’s): 1995
  •  Power Rangers (Hasbro): 1995
  •  Space Jam Bugs Bunny (Warner Brothers): 1996 
  •  Patti the Platypus (Ty Beanie Baby): 1997 
  • 101 Dalmatians (Disney): 1997
  •  Tamagotchi (Bandai): 199
  •  My Little Pony (Hasbro): 1998
  •  Furby (Hasbro): 1999
  • Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey (Disney): 2002
  •  Hello Kitty (Sanrio): 2013

Speaking of McDonald’s, Massachusetts Is Far From the Fattest State 

The Bay State, in fact, is almost the least fattest state, coming in at number 49 out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia), based on a recent report released by personal-finance website WalletHub. 

WalletHub timed its survey with November being National Diabetes Awareness Month, noting that Americans collectively spend nearly $200 billion per year on obesity-related health costs. 

WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 29 key metrics. They range from share of overweight and obese population to sugary-beverage consumption among adolescents to obesity-related health care costs.

The fattest states? Mississippi, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama.  The two states less fat than Massachusetts? Colorado and Utah. Massachusetts also had a good showing in the lowest percentage of adults eating less than a serving of veggies or fruit in a day, coming in at number 47. 

Source: WalletHub

 

The 210-calorie-per serving clam chowder ranks at the state’s most popular comfort food. 

 

Music on Main: A Worcester PopUp With Klezmer Tunes

The Worcester Chamber Music Society and Neighborhood Strings performs with special guest—world-renowned Klezmer band Shirim, led by clarinetist Glenn Dickson, at Worcester Popup at 20 Franklin Street on Friday, Nov. 8, at 5:30 p.m. as part of its series Music on Main. It’s free.  Music on Main is funded in part by a grant from the Greater Worcester Community Foundation’s Creative Community Mini-Grant program.


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