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Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield Announces “2020 Youth of the Year”

Each year, the Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield, a youth development organization providing programs and services to children and families throughout the greater South Shore community, selects one exceptional Club member as “Youth of the Year” to serve as an ambassador for the Club’s youth as well as a voice for all young people. 

Jessica Martin and Johanna Cullen, Director of Operations at the Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield in summer 2019.
Jessica Martin and Johanna Cullen, Director of Operations at the Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield
in summer 2019.

The Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield is pleased to announce Jessica Martin, a senior at Marshfield High School, has been named the 2020 Marshfield Youth of the Year. 

Ms. Martin has been a member of the Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield for 10 years. Over the last four years, Ms. Martin has held the role of Afterschool Staff/Summer Camp Counselor at the Club, where she wears “a number of hats” taking on duties ranging from helping with homework to supervising the Games Room. In September 2019, Ms. Martin became the President of the Keystone Club, and has since planned a variety of successful fundraisers.

Outside of the Club, Ms. Martin has served as After School Program staff for Marshfield Recreation Department. For the past six years, she has taught Pre-school and Kindergarten CCD as an assistant teacher at her church. In 2016, Ms. Martin received the Library Volunteer of the Year award from Furnace Brook Middle School for having the most volunteer hours, and in 2018, she received the National Honor Society award. A dedicated volunteer, Ms. Martin has volunteered 95 hours over the past 12 months to the Boys & Girls Club and the community.

As Youth of the Year, Ms. Martin will continue to spread awareness about the Club as a resource and its important role for youth and teens throughout the community. She has her sights set on becoming a teacher and intends to major in Elementary and Special Education at Endicott College in Beverly, MA in the fall.

“I can’t imagine where I would be right now, as the Club has been my second home,” said Ms. Martin. “The Club really played a significant part in my life after elementary school, as I was faced with new challenges. I look forward to starting college in the fall, but I will definitely return to the Club on break and continue to volunteer and give back to this amazing organization that has given me so much.”

About Youth of the Year

Since 1947, Youth of the Year has been Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s (BCGA) premier recognition program, celebrating the extraordinary achievements of Club members. Each year, one exceptional young person from a Boys & Girls Club rises to the role of National Youth of the Year. The National Youth of the Year serves as both an exemplary ambassador for Boys & Girls Club youth and as a strong voice for all of our nation’s young people.

The journey to being named National Youth of the Year begins locally and progresses to state, regional and national levels, with an additional military phase for members of BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations.

The Election Process

There are a number of steps that must be taken prior to being named Youth of the Year at the Boys and Girls Club of Marshfield. Club staff members nominate several teens, who are then asked to write an essay on the “Club experience”. The essays are read by staff and volunteers and four are selected. The top four candidates interview with a panel to discuss their essay, club impact and four areas of development – education, community service, leadership and family life. After the interviews, the panel and club leadership discuss and elect Youth of the Year.

Ms. Martin’s next step is to advance to the State level and compete against 43 other teens from across the commonwealth. This virtual event will take place on June 18, 2020.

“Jessica has tremendous leadership ability and she is a wonderful role model,” said Jim Bunnell, CEO of Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield. “It is our great pleasure to honor Jessica as the Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield’s Youth of the Year. We wish her every success in the future.”

About the Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield

The Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield’s mission is to enable and inspire all young people to realize their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens as well as become tomorrow’s capable leaders. The Club provides programming opportunities in the Boys & Girls Club of America’s (BGCA) five core areas including leadership, education, health, arts, and fitness.  

Currently, the Club serves hundreds of families with children ranging in age from 6 to 18 years old, providing afterschool, vacation week and summer programs, as well as youth athletics, teen, social recreational and leadership opportunities. For more information, visit their website https://www.bgcmarshfield.org or call 781-834-2582.

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“Get a Spine” – Podcast launched. Healthcare professionals encouraged to collaborate.

It is a podcast, a challenge, a call for collaboration.  Welcome, to the newly launched podcast entitled “Get a Spine”, the natural health podcast sponsored by the Chiropractic Society of Rhode Island (CSRI). 

Each month, the CSRI podcast offers health tips and guests who share a fresh perspective. If you’d like to be a health care guest on the show or have a suggested topic for the show, please contact the society at RIChiro.org. 

The first show features tips for maximizing tennis performance and minimizing injury. Tennis pro Jesse Gotlib is the guest and Dr. Michael Gottfried, a chiropractor with Aquidneck Chiropractic in Middletown, Rhode Island and a member of the Chiropractic Society of Rhode Island board of directors, is the host.  Specific tips include stretching routines for both before and after tennis activities.

To hear the first show, go to YouTube – https://youtu.be/900djlV-nSg.

About Chiropractic Society of Rhode Island (CSRI)

Founded in 1918, CSRI is one of the oldest chiropractic associations in the United States and represents more than 25 percent of the chiropractic physicians in the Ocean State. In addition to providing a regional voice for chiropractors in the business and legislative arenas, CSRI also helps educate the general public on the benefits of chiropractic. Those all-natural benefits can include relief from headaches, asthma, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, carpal tunnel, colic, and stress, just to name a few. The Chiropractic Society of Rhode Island is located at 1272 West Main Road, Building 2, Middletown, RI 02842. For more information, call (401) 207-0700 or visit www.RIchiro.org.

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PPG Foundation Provides Essential Support to Old Colony Elder Services’ Nutrition Program

Old Colony Elder Services (OCES), the nonprofit agency proudly serving older adults and individuals with disabilities throughout Plymouth County as well as Avon, Stoughton and Easton, MA, has received a generous donation from the PPG Foundation on behalf of its aerospace facility located in Avon.  

The PPG Foundation is supporting local organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic and has made a $5,000 donation to OCES’ Nutrition Program for the Meals on Wheels daily home delivery of meals.

This funding comes at a critical time as referrals to OCES’ Nutrition Program for home delivered meals has dramatically increased due to COVID-19.  Not only are people staying home, they are interacting with family and friends less so the need for a daily safety check has become crucial to supporting the older adults in greater Plymouth County.  

OCES delivers over 45,000 nutritious meals a month to older adults and individuals with disabilities living within the 23 communities in their service area. All meals are planned by a nutritionist, and with the help of hundreds of volunteers, are delivered to individual homes. 

“We are extremely grateful to the PPG Foundation for their generous donation to our Meals on Wheels program, as their support helps us to provide essential, nutritionally-sound and satisfying meals to our most vulnerable residents,” said Nicole Long, CEO. 

All of OCES’ programs – from Nutrition and Home Care to Protective Services – remain in place and are operating during the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information or services from OCES, contact their Information and Referral Department at 508-584-1561. 

PPG: WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD™

At PPG (NYSE:PPG), we work every day to develop and deliver the paints, coatings and specialty materials that our customers have trusted for more than 135 years. Through dedication and creativity, we solve our customers’ biggest challenges, collaborating closely to find the right path forward. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, we operate and innovate in more than 70 countries and reported net sales of $15.1 billion in 2019. We serve customers in construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation markets and aftermarkets. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com.

About OCES

Founded in 1974, OCES proudly serves greater Plymouth County and surrounding communities. OCES is a private, non-profit organization headquartered in Brockton with a second office in Plymouth. OCES is designated as one of 25 Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. OCES’ mission is to support the independence and dignity of older adults and individuals with disabilities by providing essential information and services that promote healthy and safe living. The agency offers a number of programs to serve older adults, individuals with disabilities, their families and caregivers. For more information call 508-584-1561 or visit www.ocesma.org. 

We protect and beautify the world is a trademark and the PPG Logo is a registered trademark of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.

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Podcast Now” – Free webinar prepares you to be a podcast host.

photo of a podcast microphone

Experts and listeners agree, we are in the Golden Age of Podcasting. More than half of American homes tune into a podcast regularly. If you have ever thought of hosting your own podcast for your business, organization or non-profit, PR Works is hosting a complimentary webinar that prepares you to be part of the boom as a podcast host.

The free online event is set for Wednesday, June 24, 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. To RSVP, click here.

Sponsors of the webinar include My Pinnacle Network, South Shore Networking Professionals and ACTSmart IT. The webinar will be led by yours truly, Steve Dubin, and Joe D’Eramo, also of PR Works.

The webinar prepares you to create your own podcast show including choosing bumper music intro to the specifics of recording the segment to promoting each segment on a wide range of channels including Podcast portals such as Itunes, IHeartRadio, Google Play, YouTube, Stitcher and more.

Podcast appearances establish credibility, create visibility, activate lead generation, create speaking opportunities, stimulate search engine optimization, expand cultural authority, and increase value proposition.

The “Podcast Now” webinar gets you into the game and on the air.

Learn how to –

  • Define your topic niche.
  • Develop timely segments.
  • Choose a podcast platform.
  • Choose the right equipment at a reasonable pricing.
  • Create bumper music and video tease to open and close segments.
  • Design thumbnail graphic icon for Podcast portals such as Itunes, IHeartRadio, Google Play, YouTube.
  • Establish taping protocols.
  • Draft standard questions.
  • Draft show opening and close verbiage.
  • Create verbiage for general podcast description and for each individual segment.
  • Create YouTube channel
  • Promote each episode via podcast portals, social media, e-newsletters, publicity and leveraging the marketing channels of each guest.

Please RSVP for this complimentary webinar by clicking here.

For more information about the podcast event or podcasting services, contact PR Works at www.PRWorkZone.com , (781) 582-1061, 18 Main Street Extension, Suite 409, Plymouth, MA.

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LEARN Behavioral announces Telehealth ABA services now available in Massachusetts through BCI

Children diagnosed with ASD may continue to receive critical ABA therapy remotely during COVID-19 pandemic.

LEARN Behavioral, the leading network of providers serving children with autism and other special needs, announces the availability of telehealth Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services to children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and their families in Massachusetts through their regional provider Behavioral Concepts Innovation (BCI).

To continue providing critical ABA services to client families during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, BCI has innovated their service delivery model and capabilities to provide telehealth ABA services, or “teleABA” as coined by LEARN. 

TeleABA provides another option for families who prefer virtual therapy services over in-person therapy, or who have household family members who are at higher risk for severe illness. It is ABA therapy overseen by a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) that parallels in-person treatment. 

“The COVID-19 response requiring nationwide social distancing and other safety guidelines has left many parents of children on the autism spectrum wondering how to maintain the gains their children have made in ABA therapy,” explained Hanna Rue, Ph.D., BCBA-D, Vice President of Clinical Development for LEARN. “BCI and LEARN are helping parents throughout Massachusetts by providing the option of teleABA therapy which helps ensure that their children are able to continue their forward momentum towards established treatment goals.” 

TeleABA Services
Treatment for ASD is in accordance with state and federal emergency guidance regarding medically necessary telehealth services. It is imperative that children with ASD avoid any break in ABA therapy as this may cause distress, disruption and potential behavior regression. TeleABA is the delivery of evidence-based ABA therapy with master level clinicians via HIPAA-compliant videoconferencing, which is accessible by computer, tablet or smartphone.

BCI’s teleABA services include direct treatment and parent consultation. Direct treatment is one-on-one treatment sessions with a child geared towards maintaining and generalizing communication, play skills and behavioral progress. Parent consultation provides an opportunity to discuss daily routines and challenging behaviors, identify targets, and implement a plan.

TeleABA enables families to continue to build upon and reinforce skills including, but not limited to:
– Potty training
– Bedtime/sleep routine
– Screen time
– Personal hygiene routine, including hand-washing

Through teleABA, BCI helps children and families in a number of ways. For example: discussing strategies and progress on a desired goal; developing a routine that fits in to your family’s schedule; providing individual reinforcement strategies; setting and explaining clear expectations; and offering “in the moment” parent coaching along with references to help successfully reach your child’s goal.

Parent Webinars
One innovative program being launched through teleABA is Parent Webinars. With COVID-19 changing day-to-day lives, new challenges are presenting and old ones are resurfacing. Parent Webinars, offered on a weekly basis, enable families facing similar challenges to join in virtual presentations to share solutions and helpful info. 

The Parent Webinars are led by Ashley Williams, Clinical Director for ABACS and Advances in the LEARN provider network in the Greater Boston area. Each webinar is guided by a BCBA and will include clinical tips, strategies, and suggestions to help parents in these challenging times. 

Dr. Rue continued, “We have received a tremendous response from our families, who are experiencing new successes due to our virtual teleABA services. It is our hope that teleABA treatment will continue to be accepted by insurers beyond COVID-19, as this will enable us to serve a greater number of children and families on the autism spectrum who need services but have limited in-person access to ABA providers.”

Currently, BCI has more than 300 BCBAs providing teleABA throughout Massachusetts and in total, LEARN has served over 2,500 families through teleABA, with nearly 1,000 trained providers across the nation who have delivered sessions. LEARN is dedicated to supporting their staff and has developed a comprehensive resource library which enables them to access tools, resources, training and support online.

For more information about BCI’s teleABA services, visit https://bciaba.com

About BCI
Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Worcester, BCI has grown to become the go-to provider of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services to children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders and their families throughout Massachusetts. We identify and facilitate effective personalized instruction that allows children to discover more, learn more, and be more – increasing their independence and enhancing their quality of life at home, in school, and in the community. BCI is a Massachusetts Department of Public Health approved provider of specialty ABA services for early intervention. BCI also provides center, home-based, and afterschool services through private and public health insurance. Further information on BCI is available at https://bciaba.com.

About LEARN
LEARN is a leading network of providers which includes BCI, as well as ABACS and Advances in the Greater Boston area, that serves children with autism and other special learning needs. LEARN specializes in behavioral health treatment based on the science of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and is committed to providing programs and services that are family-focused, community-minded, and delivered with the highest clinical integrity. The LEARN team delivers more than 2.5 million hours of service annually and is comprised of more than 5,000 passionate professionals dedicated to nurturing each child’s personal best. For more information, visit https://www.learnbehavioral.com
 

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Finding the green. Bob Maffei launches The Maffei Companies to help the next generation of entrepreneurs succeed.

Bob Maffei

Money may not grow on trees. For small businesses in the green (a.k.a. landscape), construction and service industries, Bob Maffei knows it grows in direct proportion to the systems the organization employs. It is with this principle in mind that Maffei, founder of Maffei Landscape Contractors, who has recently stepped down as CEO to pursue a new endeavor, The Maffei Companies.  The Maffei Companies are a consulting, advisory and development group based in Mashpee, Massachusetts.  His goal: To assist entrepreneurs to create scalable organizations that become choice providers and choice employers.

Consulting

The Maffei Companies includes a results-driven consulting division which will focus on working with businesses to develop systems that improve accountability, company culture, operational efficiency, and profit.  These principles were utilized to create Maffei Landscape Contractors, the largest landscape maintenance operation on Cape Cod.

After 30 years in business, Maffei Landscape Contractors was sold to a Capital Management firm.  Maffei remained CEO for 2 years to help with the transition. “After building the company from zero to over 130 employees, and blessed with the opportunity to sell it, I feel I’ve learned more than I could have achieved with an Ivy League education, and I want to share my systems and experience with the next generation of entrepreneurs to help them succeed.”

Development

Maffei is also a managing partner in LandOne Takeoff, a software solution for the green industry that will revolutionize Landscape Operators, Account Managers and Salespersons workloads while increasing sales.

“The Maffei Companies is excited to showcase this cloud-based technology.  The software utilizes satellite imagery, advanced measuring tools and now has the ability to create designs on site while meeting with the Customer. LandOne will enable real time – on site estimating, which will greatly simplify the proposal writing process.” said Maffei. “LandOne is but one example of the products and systems we can put in place for the green industry.”

Advisory

Maffei will also lead peer groups and share thought leadership through speaking engagements for green industry and small business venues.  

Maffei is an active leader in the Cape Cod and green industry communities.    He has held leadership roles such serving on the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.  He has also received numerous awards and recognitions such as being named a Trailblazer in 2016 for National Association of Landscape Professionals and was recently awarded the 2019 Cape Cod Landscape Association’s Legacy Award.

Maffei resides in Mashpee with wife Reyna and their young children. For more information on The Maffei Companies, visit www.TheMaffeiCompanies.com or https://www.facebook.com/themaffeicompanies/. 

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Mask up! Harvard, MA computer engineer puts 3D printer to use to cover-up local fire departments.

photo of Bob Vinci
Bob Vinci

My high school buddy Bob Vinci, now a Harvard, MA-based computer engineer and Harvard (MA) Lions Club member, is creating NIH-approved face shields via five 3-D printers and supplying them, free of charge, to 25 local fire departments throughout Greater Boston.

As a computer genius, he is adept at creating top quality face shields. But publicity and getting people to his Go Fund Me page was another thing entirely.

PR Works stepped in, on a pro bono basis, and now we are on a roll of obtaining coverage town-by-town as he delivers to each fire department. He is about halfway to raising $5,000 to cover raw material expense.

We repackaged the story – more emotion, less product detail – and continue to get it to the right media gatekeepers.

Here is the first bit of coverage from the Concord Journal.

Let us know how you are either helping the community or taking a new, creative approach to your business.

To contribute to Bob’s GoFundMe page, click here.

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Mining the Golden Age of Podcasting. PR Works, based in Plymouth, Massachusetts announces podcasting services.

Experts and listeners agree, we are in the Golden Age of Podcasting. More than half of American homes tune into a podcast regularly. Why not YOURS?

Given this high audible trend, PR Works, based in America’s hometown of Plymouth, Massachusetts, has launched a podcast service. The service ranges from establishing a Podcast strategy to recording and editing the show to promoting it. 

“Podcasting allows you to control the message, control the medium and tap into new clients, strategic partners and referral sources,” notes PR Works Founder Steven V. Dubin, a Plymouth, Massachusetts resident.

He added, “Podcasting is another story-telling channel and the one-to-one audience it creates is powerful. Where most get stalled is in having a clear niche topic and managing all the details of technology, arranging guests, editing the raw footage, uploading each segment to YouTube and the many podcast portals and then promoting the podcast to expand the audience. We help boil that down and get it done.”

Here are some of the considerations to podcasting.

First, the “Why”? 

Are you doing this to position yourself as “the” expert? Book prospects as guests and build those relationships? Generate solid content for social media? Enhance SEO? Provide useful information to your core audience?

Your answer to ALL of the above should YES!

Second, the theme?

What is your unique programming theme? Do you expand upon family business, start-up business, mid-market business? Are you focusing on a niche? Young families? Senior living? Middle-age madness? Choose a theme and build upon it.

Third, the Title?

The title of your podcast should give a hint about the content and entice us in. No surprise about what “Planet Money” is about. “Football Weekly” tells it all. You could get clever, but you don’t want to be obscure and leave us guessing.

Fourth, Scheduling?

Most new podcasters can’t keep up a pace of more than once a month. That being said, it is worthwhile to record the first three segments all at once. In our binge watching/listening world, give your audience a good dose of what you do. 

It is best to develop a schedule and editorial outline of segments for each business quarter.

Fifth, Guests?

Let’s face it, unless you are stand-up comedian or experienced performer, you probably can enhance broadcasts with a guest or two. Guests add insight, variety and color. 

The challenge is to book them, prepare them, obtain background materials, etc. That is a critical part of the process.

Six, the Technology?

How will you record? How will you upload to key podcast portals (Spotify, Itunes, etc.).How will you promote each episode? PR Works has reviewed a wide range of platforms and came up with an inexpensive and thorough solution that includes developing a vlodcast (video of the podcast) and the audio podcast at the same time.  Thus, you are bolstering a YouTube channel and reaching out via key podcast portals.

Seventh, the Promotion?

Now you’ve gone to all the trouble of creating a podcast, how do you get it out there?

Social media posts, e-newsletter, news release and blog posts help move it along.  These messages should ALSO be prepared and customized for your guests to share with their audiences.

Ready to go “live”?  5-4-3-2-1.  For additional information about podcasting, contact PR Works at www.PRWorkZone.com, (781) 582-1061, 18 Main Street Extension, Suite 409, Plymouth, MA.

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Between Rounds Supports Restaurant Strong Fund

Between Rounds Bakery Sandwich Café is supporting Samuel Adams & The Greg Hill Foundation Restaurant Strong Fund to help fellow Connecticut residents in the restaurant industry who have been impacted by restaurant closures during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Between Rounds, the unique bakery café and bagel shop with locations throughout Connecticut, has donated 5 percent of all online orders (placed through their website) during the month of April to the Restaurant Strong Fund.

“Between Rounds is a family-owned business and so far, we’ve been able to continue to provide our customers with takeout and curbside pick-up,” said Between Rounds co-founder Jerry Puiia. “Being in the business, my brother Joe and I understand what many restaurants are going through. We feel strongly about supporting individuals and families impacted by the closures and in need of financial help at this time.”

Supporting First Responders & Healthcare Workers

The Puiia family is also committed to providing support to Connecticut’s first responders and healthcare workers. Between Rounds is offering free coffee to first responders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Police, fire, ambulance, nurses, doctors and healthcare workers may visit any Between Rounds location (take-out or drive-thru) and receive a free fresh brewed coffee, hot or cold, any size. No purchase necessary.

For anyone looking to show their support and thank healthcare heroes, Between Rounds delivers meals that have been donated to healthcare workers/organizations (hospitals, medical offices, etc.). Minimum order is 5 lunch sandwiches. To donate meals, place an order online at www.betweenroundsbagels.com

About the Restaurant Strong Fund

Samuel Adams and The Greg Hill Foundation have teamed up to support those from the restaurant industry across the country who have been impacted by the Covid-19 closures. Learn more by visiting the Restaurant Strong Fund website, https://www.restaurantstrong.org/index.html

About Between Rounds Bakery Sandwich Café

Founded in 1990, Between Rounds Bakery Sandwich Café is a unique bakery café and bagel shop renowned for their fresh, baked-onsite bagels and baked goods as well sandwiches, wraps, salads, soups, specialty coffees and a unique line of giftware. Between Rounds offers patrons an upscale, fast-casual dining experience with free Wi-Fi.

Between Rounds is licensed to manufacture prepared foods, and wholesales their breakfast and lunch sandwiches to gas station convenience stores in Hartford County and beyond. The company is also a wholesale bagel supplier to many independent grocers throughout the region. Between Rounds signature bagels are delivered to grocers fully baked so no additional labor is required of the bakery department. 

Between Rounds locations include South Windsor, Vernon, Manchester and Tolland, CT. Franchise opportunities are available. Corporate headquarters are located at 19A John Fitch Blvd, Route 5 in South Windsor, CT. For more information about their unique franchise offerings, contact (860) 291-0323 or visit www.betweenroundsbagels.com.

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