karengarden, Author at Neighborhood View

Lantern walk at Fellsmere Pond lit up Malden

June 10, 2016 karengarden 1

Darkness leisurely replaced dusk. The pond lit up with the procession of people carrying lanterns along its banks. This was Fellsmere Pond on the evening of June 4. Friends of Fellsmere and YODA hosted an evening of family fun. The Friends of Fellsmere is a group of citizens from Malden and Medford dedicated to honoring the 100-year legacy of Malden Hospital. YODA is a group of middle and high school students also known as Young Optimistic Daring Activists. These two groups organized and advertised the lantern walk. It was a lovely evening, warm and dry. It was attended and enjoyed by men, women and children. Lanterns with candles were for sale, or attendees could make their own. There were plenty of cut off 2L bottles, glue and tissue paper. And there were volunteers to help direct the lantern makers who needed help. There were many activities for children including the lantern making. Various size cardboard boxes were on the grass which the children made into houses, built towers, and used their imaginations in many ways. […]

Are Malden’s new vape shops blowing smoke?

May 9, 2016 karengarden 0

The facts about the safety of electronic cigarettes are still pending further study. This article is to inform readers of the facts that are presently known. The history of e-cigarettes dates back to 1963, when Herbert A. Gilbert invented and patented an electronic device. This did not catch on with the public, in some ways because smoking was still very acceptable. And the dangers of tobacco were not known to the public. In 2003, a Chinese pharmacist named Han Lik developed a method enabling smokers to have nicotine without smoke, tobacco or the chemicals found in cigarettes. Lik worked on this after his father died of lung cancer. The company he worked for backed his invention and gave it the name Ruyan, which means “like smoke.” This device became popular in China, and soon moved on to Europe. In 2007, the e-cigarette made it to the U.S. The e-cigarette is a handheld electronic device that vaporizes a flavored liquid and delivers the vapor to the lungs via inhalation. This is referred to as “vaping.” The […]

Special Olympic athletes strike gold at the lanes and in life

November 10, 2015 karengarden 0

Every Sunday the Bowling Stones, a Malden-based Special Olympics team begin their morning bowling at Town Line Luxury Lanes. They are part of Special Olympics Massachusetts, and are coached by certified Special Olympic mentors. The Special Olympics mission remains as vital today as it was when the movement was founded in 1968. Special Olympics strives to create a better world by fostering the acceptance and inclusion of all people. This group of athletes range in age from 16-63, some live at home and some in group homes. What is apparent immediately is how close they are and how much this Sunday bowling event means to them. They’re happy when anyone gets a strike, and no one gets upset if their ball goes into the gutter or misses the mark. The coaches, some of whom are parents, know that these athletes benefit from social activities. One coach mentioned that these special Olympians don’t often get to socialize at the malls, nor do what many of their peers take for granted as everyday popular activities. Therefore the coaches ensure […]

Housing Familes, Inc. serves up thanks to our legislators

September 14, 2015 karengarden 0

It was a potluck dinner with everyone helping out. The staff, volunteers and families brought large plates of delicious homemade food to share with each other and the legislators. The dinner was held to thank the legislators with whom Housing Families, Inc. have been working with through the year. These legislators were able to get HFI and their allies much needed funds to run their programs. The Representatives were Paul Donato, Steven Ultrino, Christine Barber and Paul Brodeur. Also, they gave a special thank you to Senator Jason Lewis. These legislators were able to get much needed funds to enable HFI and their allies, i.e. Youth Harbor(a program for unaccompanied youth between the ages of 18-and-22 years old), RAFT(residential assistance for families in transition) and others. An increase of $18.7 million which allowed another 900 to 1,000 new vouchers was awarded to Massachusetts rental voucher program. This program provides housing stability and security to extremely low income households, including elders, disabled individuals and families with children. A home-based line item which helps prevent homelessness […]

MSAC celebrates five decades of Medicare & Medicaid

August 25, 2015 karengarden 0

On August 6, 2015, members of Mass. Senior Action Council from around the state gathered in Dorchester at the MSAC’s main office to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid. We were joined by partners and supporters from organizations such as MassCare and Mass. Alliance of Retired Americans. Although millions of seniors have been helped by Medicare and Medicaid these plans are threatened with cuts and elimination therefore we must strive to sustain both. Expansion for all is a priority. Twenty-eight states have adopted the Affordable Care Act which expands Medicaid. Massachusetts has not. Lobbyist for physicians insurance companies and pharmaceuticals and other special interest groups would like to dismantle Medicare and Medicaid. We cannot continue to allow corporate interest to supersede the health and well-being of the citizens. Health care is a human right therefore we need to continue to educate and fight for single-payer healthcare. Single-payer healthcare is a system where government rather than private insurers pays for all health care costs. To view the completed video go to MATV’s program schedule […]

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Negotiations continue to secure funding for Housing Families and Youth Harbor

June 30, 2015 karengarden 0

Laura Rosi, director of housing and advocacy for Housing Families, Inc. (HFI) of Malden presented the increased need for funding to the legislators at the State House on June 2. Rosi was accompanied by Kelly Irving, case manager, Rhonda Dunn and Clarissa Thomas, recipients of assistance from HFI. Joining were Sam Margolius, of Youth Harbor, and Cyril Fonrose, who was helped by Youth Harbor. Youth Harbor assists homeless, unaccompanied high school students with housing and individual life skills in order to become self-sufficient. There has been a request for $2 million put into the budget. Margolius thanked Senator Lewis for the support. Youth Harbor has not had public funding before. For the record, there are an estimated 5,000 homeless, unaccompanied high school students in Massachusetts. Fonrose told his story of being left on his own as a teenager. He was in Malden High School and was referred to Margolilus, the high school representative of Youth Harbor. Margolius was able to help Fonrose get housing and assisted him with college admissions. The group first met with […]

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An honest conversation of Ferguson and beyond

January 9, 2015 karengarden 0

On Saturday, December 13, 2014, Mai Du, of Wah Lum Academy in Malden, brought a call to action from the community. Du hosted a forum entitled “An Honest Conversation of Ferguson and Beyond.” She wanted teens and children to speak their thoughts on the happenings of late, and to get more involved. The group of about 75 people consisted of teens, younger children and adults. The program was facilitated by a group of teens. In the beginning, large blank papers were placed around the room for participants to place stick-ums on, according to categories including fears, hopes and questions, etc. The leaders reviewed what had happened in Ferguson, with the known facts. Then participants were given a pre-determined subject to discuss in small groups of six. People were grouped with diverse ages, races and ethnicities. The groups were given about 20 minutes to discuss among themselves. Then, all joined again in the large group to share what came out of the small groups. These groups met three-to-four times with different questions, and would again join […]

Confronting affordable-housing challenges in Malden

May 9, 2014 karengarden 0

To say that the demand for affordable housing has increased since Malden’s strategic five-year plan (2010-2014) and its 2010 master plan were formulated would be stating the obvious. City, state and federal funding has been spent with good intentions and a number of positive results to “preserve” and “expand” affordable housing for Malden’s low- and moderate-income residents. With funding resources dwindling and the debate as to how those funds would best serve those in need, it will have to be decided if temporary or permanent shelter is the way to go — although some school of thought suggests that window of opportunity has closed since millions have already been spent on temporary shelters. According to a December 2013 Boston Globe article by Megan Woolhouse and David Abel: “Record numbers of homeless families are overwhelming the state’s emergency shelter system, filling motel rooms at the cost to taxpayers of tens of millions of dollars a year. In the past five years, state spending on motels has exploded to more than $46 million from about $1 million […]