MWCC's Weekly e-newsletter

Friday, May 27, 2005

OVER 3,000 ATTEND 2nd ANNUAL MOLLY BISH KID EXPO

By Lea Ann Erickson

Over 3,000 parents and children attended the second annual Molly Bish Kid Expo at Mount Wachusett Community College, Saturday, May 21. The event featured a variety of hands-on

John and Magi Bish help make Molly Bish child I.D. kits inside the college during Kid Expo.

health and safety activities, including free distribution of Molly Bish child I.D. kits. 

“We were overwhelmed again this year,” said John Bish, who, along with his wife, Magi, and a group of volunteers, distributed hundreds of kits between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. To date, over 95,000 kits have been distributed. “It was just about two-and-a-half years ago that we began discussing how to get the word out to families about health and safety,” he said. “I could not have dreamed we would have come this far.” 

Expo attendees also saw an architect’s rendering of the future Garrison Child Care Center and Molly Bish Institute for Child Health and Safety. The college expects to break ground for the new building later this summer.

Magi Bish thanked all the over 40 volunteers who worked at the event. “When everyone comes together, we can make a difference,” she said.

“We are so proud to host this event again,” said MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino. “The growing number of families who are attending each year shows that there is a real need in our communities for this type of event. I am deeply grateful to John and Magi—and all of our partners in this endeavor.”

The event featured demonstrations of child self-defense (R.A.D.KIDS), distribution of free bike helmets by Heywood Hospital and the Gardner Police Department, a search dog demonstration by the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, the Fitchburg Police Department, a UMASS Memorial Medi-Flight landing, a tour of a Gardner fire truck, a bike raffle by O’Neil’s bike shop, a car seat raffle by Wal-Mart, a visit from Smokey Bear as well as music, food and entertainment.  In addition, a resource fair featured a variety of information on health and safety.

Molly Bish Kid Expo 2005 event volunteers included: Nichole Carter, Greg Clement, Leslie Cullen and the MWCC Computer Graphic Design Club, the MWCC Early Childhood Education Department, Katie Forgues, Taunja Golding and her son, Gail Kaddy, Kathy Laperriere, Jo-Ann Meagher, Darlene Morrilly, Jody and Denise Paul, Tricia Pistone, Sharyn Rice, Roberta Rodger, Susan Sayball, Marianne Stoy and the Winchendon High School Key Club Members.

The day would not have been a success without the ongoing hard work of the Kid Expo planning committee: Lieutenant John Bernard, John Bish, Amy Casavina Hall, Dawn Casavant, Lea Ann Erickson, Sergeant Glenn Fossa, Officer Melissa Garneau, Mickey Guzman, Jennifer Hartwell, Professor Mary Ann Kane, Sergeant Jeff Lafrenier, Chief Robert Mackie, Lori Martiska, Dr. Rosanne Morel, Jody Paul, Sayra Pinto, Colleen Provencial, Professor Maureen Provost, Sharyn Rice, Roberta Rodger, Officer Chad Roger and Susan Sayball.

WHAT’S NEXT SPEAKER SERIES TO FEATURE MIT ECONOMIST

By Kimberly B. Caisse

	Dr. C. Otto Scharmer

The MWCC What’s Next Speaker Series continues with MIT economist Dr. C. Otto Scharmer Friday, June 10. From 12 to 2 p.m. at the Four Points by Sheraton in Leominster, participants will enjoy a free presentation by Scharmer about a unique approach to enabling innovation and change.

In addition to being a lecturer at MIT, Scharmer is affiliated with the Center for Innovation and Knowledge Research at the Helsinki School of Economics and Fujitsu Global Knowledge Institute in Tokyo and has consulted with multinational firms and international institutions in the United States, Europe and Asia. Known as an “international action researcher,” Scharmer is also a cofounder of the Society for Organizational Learning and cofounder of the Project ELIAS (Emerging Leaders for Innovations Across Systems) at MIT. He co-authored with Peter Senge, Joseph Jaworski and Betty Sue Flowers the book “Presence: Human Purpose and the Field of the Future” and expands on their presencing theory in his upcoming book “Theory U: Leading from the Emerging Future.”

Presencing is a thought process that requires people to set aside their fears, anxieties and habitual reactions to change in order to reach a “deeper level of learning” that increases awareness of the big picture and develops actions that produce long-lasting change. It’s often used intuitively by business and social entrepreneurs. For more information about presencing and how it’s being used in business and nonprofit organizations around the world before Scharmer’s appearance on June 10, visit www.solonline.org.

Co-sponsors of this event are the Twin Cities Latino Coalition, the MWCC Entrepreneurial Resource Center, the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce and Community Builders, a partnership between MWCC and the United Way of North Central Massachusetts.

To register for this free event, send an e-mail to whatsnext@mwcc.mass.edu or call (978) 630-9547. Visit http://whatsnext.mwcc.edu to learn more about MWCC’s What’s Next Speaker Series.

Upcoming Campus Events:

• Phi Theta Kappa is taking orders for a graduation DVD. The DVD cost $15. The price includes shipping and handling. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Gardner Community Action Council. If interested, please contact Professor Sheila Murphy at smurphy@mwcc.mass.edu.

	One of the paintings by Heidi D'Entremont on display in the East Wing Gallery.

• “Between Two Worlds,” an art exhibit of recent oil paintings by Westminster artist Heidi D’Entremont, will run through Friday, July 1 in the East Wing Gallery of the Raymond M. Fontaine Fine Arts Center. Gallery hours are from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday. The exhibit is free and open to the public. For more information, call (978) 632-6600.

• The second annual New England Student Woodworking Design Competition, hosted by the Forest and Wood Products Institute at MWCC, will be held in the MWCC Fine Arts Exhibition Hall between Monday, May 30 and Friday, June 3. Students from Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical High School in Fitchburg, Newmarket High School in Newmarket, N.H., Londonderry High School in Londonderry, N.H., Marlborough High School in Marlborough, Pinkerton Academy in Derry, N.H., Marshfield High School in Marshfield, U-32 High School in Montpelier, Vt. and Southeastern Regional Vocational High School in South Easton will show their work. An awards ceremony will be held June 3 at 7 p.m. For more information, contact Wood Products Workforce Development Coordinator Ken Hanson at (978) 630-9179.

• Theatre at the Mount will hold auditions for the Rodgers and Hart musical “Babes in Arms” on Monday, June 6 and Tuesday, June 7 at 7 p.m. sharp in room 182 at MWCC. Director/Music Director Jeff Williams and Choreographer Nicole Couture are looking for a large cast of teens and adults (ages 16 and up). Please prepare a short vocal selection (accompanist provided), expect to be taught a short dance combination and wear appropriate clothing and footwear (tap dancers should bring tap shoes.) Cold readings from the script may also be required. The tentative rehearsal schedule is Sundays from 6 to 9 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7 to 10 p.m., beginning June 12. Performances of “Babes in Arms” are Friday, Aug. 12, Saturday, Aug. 13, Friday, Aug. 19 and Saturday, Aug. 20 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 14 and Sunday, Aug. 21 at 2 p.m. For more information, contact Professor Gail Steele at (978) 630-9162, or visit the Theatre at the Mount web site at http://theatre.mwcc.edu.

• As part of MWCC’s What’s Next Speaker Series, the college, the Twin Cities Latino Coalition and MWCC Entrepreneurial Resource Center will co-host a free lunchtime lecture by renowned economist Dr. C. Otto Scharmer at the Four Points by Sheraton in Leominster Friday, June 10 from noon to 2 p.m. Scharmer’s research on affecting change and innovation has been embraced by businesses and nonprofit organizations worldwide. Affiliated with MIT, the Helsinki School of Economics and Fujitsu Global Knowledge Institute in Tokyo, Scharmer has consulted with multinational firms and international institutions in the United States, Europe and Asia. He is a co-author of the book “Presence: Human Purpose and the Field of the Future” and expands on his “presencing” theory in “Theory U: Leading from the Emerging Future.” The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce and Community Builders, a partnership between MWCC and the United Way of North Central Massachusetts, are co-sponsoring the lecture. For more information or to register, call (978) 630-9547 or send an e-mail to whatsnext@mwcc.mass.edu.

• MWCC will hosts the annual American Cancer Society Relay for Life from Friday, June 10 at 6 p.m. to Saturday, June 11 at 6 p.m. The 2004 Relay raised $758,000, the highest amount of the other 156 relays in New England. The Gardner Relay has raised over $5 million dollars since its inception 11 years ago. This year’s goal is to raise $800,000. Other benchmarks reached at the 2004 Relay include having 733 survivors walk the track, a number unheard of at any of the other relays, and being ranked No. 11 nationwide in funds raised (out of 4,200 relays). For more information about the college’s team, the MWCC Pacers, contact Sue Goldstein, JoAnn Brooks and Jan LeClair.

Lea Ann Erickson
Assistant Vice President of Public Affairs
Mount Wachusett Community College
Phone: (978) 630-9322 Fax: (978) 630-9561
cell: (508) 517-5202
lerickson@mwcc.mass.edu

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