Volunteer Park Re-Dedication Tonight

On June 21 at 6:30 p.m., Melrose will rededicate the Warren Street Park as Volunteer Park, Mayor Rob Dolan writes.

Editor's note: The headline of this article was changed on Thursday, June 1. This guest column was submitted and written by Mayor Rob Dolan. Volunteers are the lifeblood of our city. Over the years they have lent millions of dollars worth of time, expertise, and hard work to make our city a better place. Whether they are serving on a board or commission, rounding up spin bikes for Healthy Melrose, or tutoring students in our schools, volunteers provide a host of services and expertise, and we are a richer community, in every sense of the word, because of them. On June 21, we will honor all our city's volunteers in a special way, by rededicating the Warren Street Park as Volunteer Park. We will have a special celebration at the park, with …

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Five Things You Need to Know Today

5 Things You Need To Know Today—Friday, Jan. 13

Your editor takes a week-long journey into imagination; Day of Service for MLK tomorrow.

Check the traffic out there and local gas prices before heading out the door! Today is Friday, Jan. 13—884 years ago today, Pope Honorius II granted a papal sanction to the military order known as the Knights Templar, declaring it to be an army of God—and here are Melrose's five fast facts for the day: 1) When grey skies turn blue, I'll come back for you: A chance of showers today, mainly between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. Patchy fog before 11 a.m. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 48. Windy, with a southeast wind 9 to 12 mph becoming southwest between 23 and 26 mph. Winds could gust as high as 46 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent. Tonight, partly cloudy, with a low around 26. Breezy, with a west wind between 16 and 25 mph, with …

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Patch Picks

Melrose's Volunteers of the Year

For this week's Patch Picks column, we asked you to tell us who has been an outstanding volunteer in the city this year.

Last week, we asked you if knew someone who has spent hours working for free at a local non-profit organization, mentoring children after work or picking up trash—and to nominate that person as a Melrose Patch Volunteer of the Year. Here are the nominations we received: Mary said, "Should be Preston Johnson of F.I.S.H. He is driving people to medical appointments daily. He is the head of it and coordinates all volunteer callers and drives." J. Dwyer said, "I like many people volunteer here and there for a few hours at a time, but April Kiley is a women with a huge heart, incredible energy, and a caring nature that can't be measured. I nominate April for Community Volunteer of the Year. She is an amazing woman. April and the whole Kiley …

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Who Are Melrose's Volunteers of the Year?

For next week's Patch Picks column, tell us who has been an outstanding volunteer.

Do you know someone who has spent hours working for free at a local non-profit organization, mentoring children after work or picking up trash?  If so, nominate that person as a Melrose Patch Volunteer of the Year in the comments section, including the person's name and a brief description of how he or she served the community.  We'll compile the nominations for next Thursday's Patch Picks column, so that everyone can learn about their neighbors' good work. 

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EMARC: Offering One-of-a-Kind Programs for People with Developmental Disabilities

The agency that supports Melrose residents has some fun recreation programs going on this summer, and volunteers are always needed.

Almost 60 years ago a group of parents and relatives of persons with mental retardation began seeking solutions to the lack of services for their children, and their determination bloomed into an agency that is known today as EMARC. EMARC's mission is to help children and adults with developmental disabilities live, work and play in local communities. This non-profit agency also serves the families of such individuals, and is offering a variety of recreation programs this summer. "There is such a lack of access for people with disabilities to be engaged and active in their communities, and that is why EMARC Recreation exists," said Chenine Peloquin, CTRS, Director of Recreation. "We work within our local communities to expand the future …

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Viewfinder

Photos: Volunteers Clean and Spruce Up Ell Pond

Melrose residents also donated old bicycles and swapped books and plants at the Ell Pond Green and Clean Day on Saturday.

Melrose residents undertook some spring cleaning during the the Ell Pond Green and Clean Day on Saturday, while also donating old bicycles and swapping books and plants. Sponsored by the Ell Pond Committee in collaboration with Melrose Unitarian Universalist Church, the day also gave Melrosians the opportunity to donate old bicycles to Bikes Not Bombs. Tristan Stull and Scott Harper from the Jamaica Plain-based organization said 400 bikes were scheduled to ship out to Guatamala on Sunday, while most of the bike donations they receive lately go to Africa. Some are used to create manpowered machines—such as powering a generator or operating a blender—but most are used for the basic purpose of providing transportation. On the Tremont Street …

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