Concord and Maynard, MA (September 2, 2025) – Open Table, the MetroWest charity dedicated to fighting hunger and building healthy communities, today announced that Reesa Morabito has joined the organization as chief development officer. In this new position, Reesa will be responsible for developing multi-channel fundraising campaigns, stewarding major gifts, and creating thoughtful donor experiences that deepen engagement and inspire giving.
“Reesa is a strategic and relationship-driven fundraising leader with over a decade of experience helping nonprofit organizations grow through philanthropy,” said Alexandra DePalo, executive director, Open Table. “She is compassionate and genuine and will be a terrific addition to our team as we work together to meet the needs of our clients.”
Prior to Open Table, Reesa served as chief development officer at SMILE Mass, where she secured the largest gift in the organization’s 16-year history, launched its first Annual Golf Tournament, and cultivated meaningful relationships across all areas of the community -- including donors, board members, and program participants. Before SMILE Mass, Reesa worked at MGB Spaulding Rehabilitation, where she led high-impact initiatives like the Race for Rehab Boston Marathon program and developed long-term engagement opportunities for major donors, physicians, and hospital leadership.
“Open Table is fortunate to have a community that supports it in so many ways,” said Reesa Morabito, chief development officer, Open Table. “I look forward to getting to know the staff, volunteers, and donors so that we can work together to help fight food insecurity among our neighbors.”
Reesa Morabito lives in Framingham with her husband and children. Outside the office, she enjoys spending time outdoors, riding bikes, cooking, reading, and sharing time with family and friends.

Acton, MA  Household Goods, a local non-profit organization that provides a full range of donated furniture and household items, free of charge, to help people in need make a home, is experiencing a surge in demand and is in need of more essential items. The organization is urgently requesting donations of the following:

• Blankets and comforters in all sizes (no rips or stains)
• Towels in all sizes (bath/hand/washcloths; no rips or stains)
• Sheet sets (all sizes, but especially King, Queen and Full)
• Sets of drinking glasses (no stemware)
• Sets of Flatware/silverware
• Pots and pans (especially larger frying pans)
• Mixing Bowls
• Baking dishes (especially size 13 x 9)

"We are seeing a significant increase in the number of clients referred to us because they cannot afford to buy the furniture they need to fill their empty homes," said Sharon Martens, Executive Director of Household Goods. "Many of our clients are starting over after experiencing homelessness, fleeing domestic violence, or overcoming other challenges. These items are essential for creating a comfortable and functional home environment."
Household Goods is open for donation drop-offs every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 9am to 12 noon at 530 Main Street in Acton. Volunteers are on hand to assist donors with unloading their vehicles.
Individuals or groups interested in hosting a collection drive can find guidance here: https://www.householdgoods.org/volunteering/host-a-drive/
"We are grateful for the community's support in helping us meet the needs of our clients," said Martens. "Every donation, big and small, makes a difference in the lives of people who are working hard to make a home."
For a complete list of items that Household Goods can accept, please visit their website at https://householdgoods.org/guidelines.
About Household Goods
Household Goods, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in Acton, MA that provides donated furniture and household items to individuals and families in need. The organization has been serving the community for over 30 years and has helped thousands of people make a home. Learn more at householdgoods.org and follow on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

August 25, 2025   Worcester, MA –  Worcester Chamber Music Society kicks off its 20th Season with a concert titled “Serenade and Souvenir: Our Twentieth-Year Celebration” at Mechanics Hall in Worcester on September 27.
Hailed as a group with imagination, style and chops, Worcester Chamber Music Society took the Worcester, MA scene by storm with its initial concert in 2006. It has become a recognized cultural presence within the Greater Worcester area by presenting sold-out concerts to captivated audiences, receiving consistent critical acclaim, and building new young audiences.
All of the core members of the ensemble get their chance to shine as they take the stage in a joyous performance. Souvenir de Florence is at the heart of this concert. Written for the city Tchaikovsky adored, it is offered here as a tribute to Worcester, the city WCMS adores, whose people welcomed them twenty years ago and continue to support them today.
Free dessert will be served at intermission as a thank you to their loyal and wonderful patrons. It will be quite the occasion, designed to be the highlight of this momentous season!
Worcester Chamber Music Society Musicians:
Krista Buckland Reisner, violin
Rohan Gregory, violin
Mark Berger, viola
Peter Sulski, viola
Ariana Falk, cello
David Russell, cello
Randall Hodgkinson, piano.
With guests:
Tracy Kraus, flute
Pascale Delache-Feldman, double bass

Saturday, September 27 @7:30PM
Mechanics Hall
321 Main Street, Worcester
Pre-concert talk @7 PM
Intermission dessert reception for all

Program
Heinrich Hoffman | Serenade for flute and strings, Op. 65
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Piano Trio in G Major, K.564
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky | Souvenir de Florence, Op. 70
All venues are handicapped accessible.
Several levels of admission are available, including Community seats for $10. Tickets are available at https://worcesterchambermusic.org/serenade-and-souvenir/ or by calling the WCMS office at (508) 926-8624.

Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Chelmsford invites you to join us for Rally Day as we return to our regular schedule on Sunday, September 7, with worship services at 8:30 and 10:45 a.m. The 10:45 service is livestreamed and also recorded for later viewing.

Church School classes for children and youth run from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. At the same time, we will offer a coffee and fellowship hour, and at noon we will have a potluck lunch.

Aldersgate UMC is an intergenerational church family with diverse programs and opportunities. We strive to live our faith as we worship, learn, and serve together. All are welcome to a congregation that affirms and supports everyone.

The church is located at 242 Boston Road (Rt. 4) in Chelmsford. For more information, contact the office at (978)256-9400 or aldersgatechelmsford@verizon.net, or visit us online at www.aldersgatechelmsford.com or www.facebook.com/aldersgateumc.chelms. We hope you to see you!

October 4 “Miles for Mutts” 
5K Race/Walk
Early Bird Registration Discount!

Join Save A Dog at our 6th Annual “Miles for Mutts” race/walk on October 4 and make a difference in the lives of animals in need! Sign up to walk or run a scenic 5K course that starts and ends at the Marlborough Moose Lodge in Marlborough and winds through the beautiful Assabet River Valley Rail Trail.

The fun includes medals for the top three finishers overall and by age category, a goody bag for all participants, and a commemorative t-shirt for the first 100 entrants! Dogs are welcome to walk the route, too, and enjoy a yummy pup cup at the finish line!

To register, go to https://runsignup.com/Race/MA/Marlborough/MilesForMutts5KRunWalk.
An “Early Bird Discount” of $35 for Adults ($25 age 18 and under) is available to those who register by September 1.

The race starts at 10 am, with registration open at 8:30 am. All proceeds from the race support the vital rescue work of Save a Dog.

Now in its 27th year, Save A Dog has found loving, forever homes for nearly 9,000 homeless pets through its Sudbury shelter and network of dedicated foster homes. More information about Save A Dog and the rescue’s adoptable dogs (and cats!) can be found at www.saveadog.org. 

This scary photo was taken today (8/19), looking into our EMPTY storeroom!!  Usually it is FILLED with furniture, couches on couches, tables and chairs, and no room to move.  The chairs on the left go with dining tables; we have very few couches, recliners and armchairs.  We need couches, storage cabinets, desks, coffee tables, end tables, and dressers.
     We are also very low on queen sized fitted sheets, small appliances, strainers and silverware.
     If you don’t know about Fresh Start Furniture Bank, take a look at our website (www.freshstartfurniturebank.org)to see where we are and what we do, our location and the hours for accepting donations. We distribute new and used items in good condition, keeping them out of landfills.  And we give a lot of people a good start in a new home.
     Please help us to fill up our storeroom!  Thank you.

Marlborough, MA — The Highland City Striders, a local non-profit running club, in collaboration with the Friends of Woodlands and Waters, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and protecting the Assabet River. Great Meadows, and Oxbow National Wildlife Refuges, announces a new race, the Race for the Refuge, debuting on Sunday September 28, 2025 at the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge in Sudbury, Mass.

This event aims to raise awareness about the ecological, historical, and recreational value of the Refuge and raise funds to help the staff increase access to and enjoyment of the Refuge for the local community. The race offers a range of events, including a one-mile walk guided by the Friends of Woodlands and Waters, 10K and 30K running races, and 3-hour and 6-hour running events.

“We are thrilled to present this exciting opportunity for people in our community to come and experience the Refuge in this new way,” says Judy Proteau, vice president of the Highland City Striders and co-race director for the Race for the Refuge. “It is one of my favorite places to run and enjoy nature’s beauty and we can’t wait to share it.”

The Highland City Striders is dedicated to promoting health and fitness through the sport of running. The club hosts weekly training runs, camaraderie events, and supports local charities. In 2024, over $19,500 and five truckloads of canned items were donated to the Marlborough and Hudson food pantries in an effort to combat food insecurity.

Race for the Refuge builds on this success and aims to highlight the Refuge and to help the staff fund a volunteer coordinator position who will work to build interpretive programs that increase access to and enjoyment of the Refuge for our community. Funds from the race will also support improvements at these three local National Wildlife Refuges – Assabet River, Great Meadows, and Oxbow – all of which are part of the Eastern Massachusetts National Wildlife Refuge Complex, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

“One of the goals of our Friends group and the entire refuge system is to create outreach, environmental education, and volunteer opportunities that foster appreciation for the value of healthy habitats that support native plants and wildlife, and to help people connect meaningfully with these protected natural spaces,” says Paula Goodwin, President of the Friends of Woodlands and Waters. “We hope this event will introduce many new people to the natural beauty and remarkable history of the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge.”

Centuries ago, the Assabet National Wildlife Refuge lands were hunted and fished by Nipmuc Tribes. Later, they were farmed by colonists, intersected by a railroad, and used for military training. Those who join the race will run past military bunkers that were in use when the area was known as the Sudbury Training Annex, which was part of Fort Devens. The U.S. Army transferred the land to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2000, establishing the Refuge.

Since then, the Refuge has become home to freshwater wetlands, oak and pine forest, and shrubland that support many types of wildlife, including wading birds, songbirds, raptors, beaver, bobcat, white-tailed deer, and various reptiles and amphibians.

Each registrant will take home a collapsible cup. These are lightweight and easy to pack along on runs and hikes so you can grab a quick drink of water without creating waste. A post race celebration at Clover Road Brewing will include snacks, music, and one free beer ticket for race registrants.

Visit the Race for the Refuge web site  (https://runsignup.com/Race/MA/Sudbury/RaceForTheRefuge) to learn more and register.

Visit the Assabet National Wildlife Refuge web site (https://www.fws.gov/refuge/assabet-river) to learn more about the refuge.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21ST, The Walk 'n Mass Volkssport Club invites walkers to complete a 5km or 10km (3.1 or 6.2 mile) walk route in B0ST0N, MA. This is a walk-at-your-own pace, just-for-fun event “in your own backyard.”
The start point is Prudential Center, 800 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199. Meet in the lobby across from the US Post Office, inside Pru. Registration for the walking event is from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.. This is a map-guided walk with the opportunity to go on your own or join a group-led walk. 10km & 5km group-led walks start at 8:45 am.; participants decide the distance for a group-led walk at 10 a.m. If you do not wish to walk with a group, you may register and proceed with a map at any time during the registration/start window. Participation fee is $4.00 per person. Boston, known as “America’s Walking City”, is steeped in history and tradition. The trails follow downtown streets and walkways, exploring a plethora of historic sites, monuments, and landmarks.
The 10km and 5km routes explore the Esplanade along the Charles River, including the Hatch Memorial Shell, Bay Village consisting of small brick 19th century homes, the Armory, and the New Old South Church built in 1875. Additional sights to be seen on the 10km route include the Church of the Advent built in 1879; the Harrison Gray Otis House; Custom House Tower;Liberty Square with its statue honoring the 1956 Hungarian Revolution: the site where Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone; and Chinatown.
Both routes are doable for strollers, but not wheelchairs. There is one set of stairs along with
occaisionally uneven sidewalks or missing curb cuts.
Volkssporting events sponsored by Walk 'n Mass Volkssport Club promote fun, fitness and friendship through non-competitive walking and biking to the public. There is also an achievement awards program through the AVA: America’s Walking Club (ava.org). For further
information contact Carol at carolclay101@gmail.com. You may also contact
www.walknmass.org for this event and future events.

MVACO is a youth & adult string orchestra open to all levels of string players in all towns. The goal of MVACO is to build on a mentorship platform.  The Mentor/Mentee position will go both ways between youth and adults.
Has it been 20 years?  It's ok, dust off the strings, or rent from University Music and let's get playing!

Registration link/Qr Code: https://forms.gle/baxXYTrhmnF1hgPZ6 
For more information:    https://bit.ly/CCS-MVACO

Rehearsals: 6:30-8pm: 9/28, 10/5,10/19,10/26, 11/2,11/9 @ Music Elements
160 Turnpike Rd, Chelmsford, MA 01824
Concert: 6:30pm  11/16 @ McCarthy Middle School Auditorium,  250 North Rd, Chelmsford, MA 01824
Program fee: $100 (Only $14/session!)