News Brief

MVES Seeks Healthy Aging Group Leaders

Mystic Valley Elder Services (MVES) is seeking Healthy Aging Program Group leader volunteers to help advance the mission of its Healthy Aging Program by assisting people with chronic medical conditions to manage their medical problems and disabilities by leading the workshops that support, educate, and nurture a greater control over their lives. Group leaders receive a $300 stipend for facilitating a Healthy Aging Program workshop(s) and will also receive training. 

MVES offers a variety of free, evidence-based workshops to promote health, wellbeing, and happiness including:

• My Life, My Health Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP)

• My Life My Health Chronic Pain Self-Management

• My Life, My Health Diabetes Self-Management

• Tai Chi for Arthritis Self-Management

• Matter of Balance

• Healthy Eating

 Healthy Aging Group leaders lead workshops at various locations across the 11 cities and towns served by MVES. They encourage interactive discussion, as well as socializing, idea sharing, and problem-solving among the participants. New leaders attend a two-to four-day Leader Training for the program(s) that they would like to facilitate. Ideal candidates for this role have strong communication, interpersonal and listening skills. Leaders should be comfortable teaching, facilitating group discussion and role play. A leader is responsible for teaching the six week (2.5-hour class) to eight week (one-two hour) class to participants in a community setting. Once trained, lay leaders are asked to commit to leading two classes within one year of certification. Most importantly, the group leaders have fun!

Interested? Contact MVES’ Healthy Aging Program Coordinator Donna Covelle at [email protected] or 781-388-4867 about current opportunities.

Located in Malden, Mass., Mystic Valley Elder Services is a non-profit agency that provides essential home- and community-based care and resources to elders, adults living with disabilities, and caregivers who reside in Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Medford, Melrose, North Reading, Reading, Revere, Stoneham, Wakefield and Winthrop. Agency services include coordination of home care, transportation, Meals on Wheels, and information and referrals. For more information, please call (781) 324-7705 or visit www.mves.org.

Saint Joseph Prep Exceeds Fundraiser Goal

From Oct. 1 to Dec. 31,  Saint Joseph Prep, a co-ed Catholic, independent high school in Boston, held a $100,000 matching challenge fundraiser. The three-month challenge was issued by Mrs. Agnes Burns Hughes of Greensboro, North Carolina, an alum of the Class of 1948 of Mount Saint Joseph Academy, a predecessor school of Saint Joseph Prep. 

At midnight on New Year’s Eve, the amount raised stood at $201,568, more than double the ambitious goal set when the campaign began. With the addition of Mrs. Hughes’ gift, the grand total is $301,568, an outstanding success.

“We’re thrilled with the results of the campaign and the widespread, generous support we received,” Robin King, Director of Advancement, said. “Here at Saint Joseph Prep, we pride ourselves on offering a high-quality education founded on the Catholic values championed by our sponsors, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston, and this will help us continue to support our students’ learning and growth.”

For Mrs. Hughes, who issued the challenge because she believes so strongly in the ability of each Saint Joseph Prep student to make a difference in the world, seeing the SJP community rise to her challenge affirmed her reasons for offering it. “I’m hopeful that the success of the campaign sends a powerful message to the students and that this gift will inspire them to take full advantage of the opportunities afforded them. To them I say, ‘Make the world a better place.’”

Outside of New England, donations came in from 12 other states, including as far away as California and Arizona. SJP’s students also took part, raising money during a tag day.

Lasell University Student Named to Dean’s List

Christina Leone of Winthrop was named to the Dean’s List at Lasell University for her strong academic performance in fall 2019.