Local News
Volunteer fair grows to 3-day event
NEWBURYPORT — New events have been added to this year's annual Volunteer Opportunity and Poverty Awareness Fair.
The fair will be held at three different locations from Thursday through Saturday.
"We decided to expand it this year," said Catherine Yesair Gould, the chairwoman of the "Senzeni Na" Fair. The term is from the Zulu, and means "What have we done?"
That question is a powerful one, Gould said. Used in a protest song during the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, the phrase could have several meanings, such as "What have we done to help people?"; "What have we done to deserve this?"; or "Look at what we've done," she said.
"It's a great question," Gould said.
The song will be performed during a closing concert for the three-day-long fair.
Throughout the fair, events will be held at several locations: the Belleville Church, Immaculate Conception, Brown Square/Brown Chapel and the Unitarian church, which is the primary venue for most of the activities.
About 25 nonprofit organizations from the Newburyport area, as well as national groups, will be on hand to raise awareness about their organizations and to promote volunteerism.
The weekend will also feature presentations, documentaries, walking tours and a closing concert by the Boston Community Choir. During a "jelly bean mystery item" auction, items will be "auctioned off" to the person who guesses the amount of the items in the container.
The events are all free in order to be inclusive to all, Gould said.
Along with a strong group of volunteers, Gould has been planning the event since May. The fair is hosted by the Social Action Committee of the First Religious Society Unitarian Universalist, Belleville Congregational Church, Pennies for Poverty: 2 Cents 4 Change Inc., and the Poverty Program.
"It's going to be fun," she said. "We've got a great bunch of volunteers. It's a group effort of a lot of people that worked really hard."
Gould said the group is still looking for sponsors, as well as people who will be willing to volunteer during the fair.
For more information, contact Gould at 978-463-0507 or e-mail 2cents4change@gmail.com.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Unless noted, events are at the First Religious Society Unitarian Universalist, 26 Pleasant Street, Newburyport.
Thursday, Oct. 15
6:30 P.m.
UN Declaration of Human Rights, article 25 and the power of peaceful protest presented by
Ross Varney, showing of "Amandla: a Revolution in 4 Part Harmony".
Event co-sponsored by the local Amnesty International group.
Friday, Oct. 16
World Food Day
10-11 a.m.
NPO set up time.
11-noon
Special fair preview time for students.
NPO time to network.
Noon: Fair Opens
Bake sale
Book signings
Jelly Bean Mystery Item "Auction"
Drop off site for food drive
Noon-2 p.m.
"Waging a Living"
Deb Smith, hosted by Amesbury Friends
2-3 p.m.
Homelessness
Ed Cameron
3-4 p.m.
Power of Music in Creating Social Change
Kathy Heywood
4-5:30 p.m.
Meet at Oak Hill Cemetery
Newburyport Activists and Benefactors
Walking Tour With Ghlee Woodworth
6:30-8:30 p.m.
Immaculate Conception
"The Road to Fondwa" presented by
IC Haiti, at Immaculate Conception.
Saturday, Oct. 17
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Bake sale
Book signings
Jelly Bean Mystery Item "Auction"
9-9:30 a.m.
Pennies, a New NPO Model
Fran Larkin
9:30 -11 a.m.
Immigration Forum presented by FRSUU
11-12 p.m.
The Global Water Crisis: Locally and Globally
Anna Phillips
12-2 p.m.
"Renewal" Documentary
Rob Burnham
3-4:30 p.m.
Meet at Brown Square
African Americans in Newburyport 1800s
Walking Tour With Ghlee Woodworth
5-6:30 p.m.
Belleville Church
MC Ross Varney
Boston Community Choir
(doors open at 4:30 p.m.)
6:30-8:30 p.m., Belleville Parish Hall
Reception Hosted by:
Belleville Congregational Church
7 p.m.
Mystery Item Winners
Presented by Ralph Ayers
-
-
Waves, rescues surge
SALISBURY BEACH — There has been little downtime for Salisbury Beach lifeguards over the past few days, as massive waves have led to frequent rescues and injuries to beach-goers.
Continued ...
Tuesday set a notable record: Lifeguards conducted at least 18 rescues, about half of all the rescues they have conducted this summer. Lifeguard supervisor George Nigro said a combination of warm water, hot temperatures, high surf and a high volume of swimmers led to the busy day. -
MEMA: Earl's impacts still unclear
NEWBURYPORT — As Hurricane Earl spun toward North Carolina's Outer Banks, local officials were preparing for the worst yesterday, though forecasters continued to expect the storm to veer to the northeast sometime today.
Continued ... -
Chief: Flaggers 'not a good arrangement'
AMESBURY — As the state embarks on a long-awaited widening of Amesbury's Route 110 roadway, local police are expressing some disappointment that the Massachusetts Highway Department is choosing to use flagmen instead of the town's police force to handle increased traffic during construction.
Continued ... -
Councilors balk at $10K for charter consultant
NEWBURYPORT — The City Council hesitated this week when faced with a request from the Charter Commission for $10,000 to hire a consultant to assist in the charter review process, saying they needed more specific information about what the money will go toward.
Continued ... -
City wins $625K to fight youth substance abuse
NEWBURYPORT — The city has received a five-year federal grant totaling $625,000, which will ensure that the Beacon Coalition program will continue to flourish and grow.
Continued ...
The Beacon Coalition was awarded a $125,000 annual Drug Free Communities Support Program grant for five years from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. - Heard Around Town
- Earl will slow beach project a bit
- New school leader promotes team approach
- Boats, residents to light up lake
- Household hazardous waste collection Sept. 11
- Conner steps down from Pentucket School Committee
- police logs
- District Court
- September 1, 2010
- Back to the books
- Black Dog ship ties up in Newburyport
- Newbury to ban access to PI beach
- Council approves water plant rehab
- Officials, boaters keep close eye on hurricane
- Lago snowboard to be raffled by library
- Two indicted on child rape charges
-
Waves, rescues surge
