Category Archives: Teens

The Trac(e)y’s – MFi volunteer awards nominees for the ANGP

Posted on March 6, 2017 | Comments Off on The Trac(e)y’s – MFi volunteer awards nominees for the ANGP

tracy-tracey

Tracy Fedak and Tracey Rogers

The Trac(e)y’s, Tracy Fedak and Tracey Rogers, were nominated for the Medfield Foundation volunteer awards by Ann Whitla for chairing the All Night Graduation Party (ANGP) for three years.

The Trac(e)y’s and all the other remarkable 2017 volunteer nominees will be feted and honored for their service to the town at the reception at 3 PM on March 19 at The Center.  The public is invited to attend and be inspired – come to hear the magical stories from the nine 2017 volunteers of what they have done, and leave amazed.

Brothers Marketplace is the generous sponsor of the 2017 Medfield Foundation Volunteer Awards, with support also from the Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation.

Below is Ann Whitla’s nomination of The Trac(e)y’s:

 

Representing an army of All Night Graduation Party volunteers who happily toil under
the brilliant leadership and tireless efforts of Tracy Fedak and Tracey Rogers, I enthusiastically nominate “The Trac(e)ys” for the Medfield Foundation’s Volunteer of the Year Award.

The All Night Graduation Party (ANGP), celebrating its 25th year in 2017, takes place at
Medfield High School from 9pm – Sam on graduation night and is one of the most highly anticipated traditions for Medfield graduates. Over 4,500 MHS seniors have celebrated their graduation at the ANGP and each year, 97% of the graduating class (200+ students) attend this extraordinary event. MHS is truly transformed for the ANGP, with 15 distinct areas of the school decorated in the spirit of that year’s theme. So complete is the transformation that students often forget they’re at school. Instead, they might enter the world of Harry Potter or Candy Land, or the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Beyond the phenomenal decorating, the party is buzzing all night long with activities to delight and entertain for eight full hours, from dancing and blackjack to jumping castles and magicians. At the ANGP, kids who have been together since kindergarten come together for one last joyous gathering – a festive farewell that requires a community of volunteers to pull off, and the leadership of The Trac(e)ys.

ACTION – what do the nominees actually do

2017 marks the third year Tracy Fedak and Tracey Rogers have co-chaired the ANGP, an eight hour event that requires nine months of planning and execution.

In 2016, work began even earlier, as The Trac(e)ys decided to participate in Medfield
Day to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the ANGP. Their award-winning booth raised
much needed funds and significantly raised awareness of the event within the greater
Medfield community.

Party planning begins in October, as The Trac(e)ys recruit captains to head up
decorating, fundraising, food and beverage, prizes and gifts, and chaperone
coordination. They also recruit the 100+ volunteers required to assist these captains.
They also oversee early stage meetings where the party theme is established and nine
month plans are put in place. Every decision is made with the graduating seniors in
mind – what will make it festive and fun and memorable for them.

Throughout, The Trac(e)ys also manage the enormous fundraising arm necessary to
pull off such a large scale event. The cost of the ANGP is typically $30,000-35,000, or
$150 per student – a bargain for an eight-hour non-stop extravaganza. The ANGP
receives no funding from the school and, while much of the funding comes through
contributions by graduates’ families, all contributions are voluntary. The party is open to all graduates regardless of their ability to contribute. The ANGP Fashion Show (another tradition, where senior students model the latest prom fashions), a solicitation mailing to all Medfield residents, and a one-day fundraiser at Roche Brothers provide additional funds, all managed by The Trac(e)ys. The Trac(e)ys’ fundraising efforts mean that every year they’re able to break even.

In January and February, The Trac(e)ys meet with the decorating captains  (one-on-one and at larger meetings) to ensure all the captains understand the theme and have a plan for their designated area. They brainstorm the design, needed materials, and how to display the theme in the best possible way, while still allowing for the safe movement of kids in each room. January is also the time when The Trac(e)ys work with the Fashion Show co-chairs to begin planning that event.
Every Wednesday night, from the first of March through graduation, The Trac(e)ys host decorating workshops, assisting the decorating captains and their teams of volunteers to help bring their artistic vision to life. The Trac(e)ys purchase supplies, coordinate collections of craft materials, and all the while, behind the scenes, continue to head up fundraising, safety, banking, prize and gift purchasing, chaperone recruitment, and record keeping.

And then the party weekend arrives. The Trac(e)ys coordinate the transformation of a school into a party in just a matter of hours. The school is turned over to the ANGP at 3pm on Friday. The Trac(e)ys lead the 100+ volunteers who work into the night (and often into Saturday morning), installing the elaborate decorations and setting up food stations and entertainment venues. Everything must be completed by Saturday, when the Fire and Police Chiefs come through to perform their inspections. Saturday afternoon The Trac(e)ys play host to the Medfield public, who are invited to tour and admire the amazing display (if you haven’t yet done this, I encourage you to go – you will be blown away!). The Trac(e)ys host another tour, for the graduates’ families, following graduation on Sunday afternoon. Graduates themselves are not allowed in ahead of the party – the theme and decorations are a closely guarded secret.

During the event itself, The Trac(e)ys oversee all aspects of the party. They manage the arrival and display of food and beverages (with multiple vendors providing a  variety of food choices, staggered throughout the night). Each student leaves the party with several gifts and prizes (typically dorm room items), which have been coordinated, shopped for and delivered to the school by another host of volunteers,  under the direction of The Trac(e)ys. They also oversee the Volunteer Chairs, who coordinate the staffing of chaperones across three different time slots. When the party ends at Sam, another team of volunteers comes in to disassemble and clean the entire space. Just two hours later, at ?am, undergraduates arrive for Monday morning classes.

Following the party, The Trac(e)ys catalog and store all reusable decorations and
supplies, conduct follow up meetings and surveys to collect feedback for the following
year, and wrap up the financial paperwork.

NEED – what community need do they address

The ANGP provides Medfield’s graduates with a phenomenal, inclusive, memorable, safe, and drug and alcohol-free evening – with nearly 100% participation. In fact, the Medfield ANGP is so good that The Trac(e)ys often host visits by other school committees looking to emulate Medfield’s success.

In the words of Police Chief Meaney, “In many communities, graduation night is a night when you hope that nothing bad happens. Unfortunately, having hope about anything is very nice but it is not a plan to deal with a situation. In Medfield, we have a positive event for each Medfield High School graduate to attend. That is what the All Night Graduation Party accomplishes with style and surprise each year. I went to several as a parent and I have attended each one since 2006 as Chief. The best part is watching the expression on the faces of the new alumni as they walk into a building that has been transformed. The number of young people who I watch and listen to each year as they come up to parent volunteers and sincerely thank them for their efforts is remarkable. You know you have filled a need when you see the expression on their faces. It is always the best part of the night for me.”

IMPACT – how does their work make a difference

The Medfield community comes together to ensure our children are well-cared for on a night that could otherwise go disastrously wrong. It’s an opportunity for parents and
friends of graduating seniors to give their children one last wonderful gift before leaving.

Again, Chief Meaney writes, “As far as impact, the record will show that nearly all the
graduates show up that night. Some of these young adults have been together since pre-K and this will be the last time that they are all together in one place. They don’t want to miss it. I rest much easier that night knowing where most of the graduating class is. There is a lot of supervision that night but you really don’t see the graduates’ fun being the least bit crushed. They have a brilliant time. All you have to do is be there for a couple hours to understand the positive impact of this night.”

INSPIRE – in what ways do they inspire others to contribute

From several ANGP volunteers inspired by the work and leadership of The Trac(e)ys:

“The Trac(e)ys exude enthusiasm, high energy, and fun, which is how they recruit the 100+ volunteers required for this event. For months, they roll up their sleeves and keep the laughs coming. They lead, they manage, they oversee – but by all means, they work, right alongside every other volunteer, to make every ANGP the best it can be. Volunteers are motivated to do their best because of the passion and commitment of The Trac(e)ys, and we have a great time along the way, enjoying the preparations as
much as the graduating seniors enjoy the party itself.”

“The Trac(e)ys together make an incredible team. Both have competencies that play off each other and allow them to successfully create and lead a huge team of volunteers to a truly fabulous result. Tracy Fedak has boundless energy and an artistic eye. Tracey Rogers is detail oriented, organized and works behind the scenes diligently to manage the administrative process. They bring out the best in each other as well as the best in everyone else. They inspire all of us to contribute, to work hard, and to have fun.”

“It seems a natural fit that Tracey Rogers and Tracy Fedak would take the reins as ANGP co-chairs. Both are born hostesses with a great knack for entertaining and hospitality. Oftentimes, Tracey and Tracy open their homes for ANGP committee and decorating meetings, putting out a spread of food and drink and making everyone feel welcome. Remarkably, they pulled off one of the most amazingly decorated ANGPs for a large class that included their own children. That gift of time and dedication speaks volumes.”

And finally, from Robert Parga, Principal of Medfield High School:

“The All-Night Grad Party is an event that our seniors look forward to each year. It’s an opportunity for them to celebrate one last time as a class and to share memories and reflect on their time as students in the Medfield Public Schools. Most importantly, the event provides a safe and supportive social environment for the graduates. I have always been amazed at the amount of work that goes into putting that whole night together. Tracy Fedak and Tracey Rodgers have spent countless hours over the past several years volunteering their time to the Medfield High School community. What
they have done with the ANGP is above and beyond what any school could ask for. They are creating memories for our students and their efforts are to be applauded.”

POST SCRIPT:

As if their work co-chairing the ANGP isn’t enough, The Trac(e)ys donate their time in other ways as well. Tracy Fedak joined the Blake PTO as co-president shortly after moving to Medfield and performs volunteer work at her church.

Tracey Rogers has been very active in Girl Scouts, is co-vice president at the Medfield Food Cupboard, ran the Rocky Woods Feast at Wheelock as well as the Teacher Appreciation Luncheon at Blake.

Thank you for your consideration of this nomination. For any additional information, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Ann Whitla
419 Main Street
Medfield
617-763-8775
ann.humphrey@gmail.com

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Posted in Events, Medfield Foundation, Medfield High School, Teens, Volunteers

MFi Youth Volunteer of the Year

Posted on March 5, 2017 | Comments Off on MFi Youth Volunteer of the Year

lily-doctoroff

Lily Doctoroff

2017 Medfield Foundation Youth Volunteer of the Year

Lily was nominated by Beth Sancher, her Mentor/Adviser at Medfield High School, who submitted the following nomination:

Lily Doctoroff will change the world without any pomp or circumstance.

I first met Lily when she was in 3rd grade. And from that moment I knew she was a force to be reckoned with. Lily, at a young age, possessed a quiet confidence rarely found in adults, let alone in a child and to this day carries herself in such a manner.

Lily has performed more service for others than most adults I know. While many volunteer in a desultory fashion  in order to “pad up” a resume, Lily does not.  She’d actually  be repulsed by the idea.

Let me tell you why Lily Doctoroff is the ideal candidate for Medfield Youth Volunteer of the Year.

Since 5th grade Lily has given back to her community through her volunteer efforts with the Vine Lake Cemetery Restoration Committee. As part of her service she has cleaned gravestones, helped maintain the grounds, and participated in large-scale clean-up events.

At the age of fourteen, Lily organized the “Bigger than Bullying” initiative created to combat bullying and its impact on the community, and to raise money for several anti-bullying organizations. She designed this program to increase awareness and empower middle school students to fight back against bullying. The program was so successful that it was incorporated by the Ben Speaks Foundation, a prominent local anti-suicide and bullying organization.

For the past two years Lily has been an intern and a member of the Medfield State Hospital Planning Committee. In her volunteer role she is responsible for the meeting minutes, writing a weekly newsletter, and she also wrote articles for the town newspaper.  As a member of the Communications Sub-Committee, Lily has worked with town officials on the use of social and traditional media to maintain dialogue on the ongoing work of the committee between town and residents.

This past year, Lily has added one more act of service to her large repertoire and has volunteered at New Life Home Refurnishing. New Life Home is a local non-profit organization dedicated to collecting and refurbishing furniture to supply individuals and families in need with furniture when they find new homes after overcoming difficult situations. Lily has personally refurbished over 25 kitchen sets over the course of a three month period.

Lily’s volunteer efforts are also demonstrated in her school-life.

As a 9th grader, Lily decided that Medfield High School needed a Gender Equality Club and sought out an advisor and a space to hold the meetings. The club was founded with the intention of promoting awareness of gender and sexuality in society and provide a forum for political discussions within the school and larger community. As the president of the club, Lily partnered with the Medfield Gay Straight Alliance to fundraise for LGBT homeless youth.

Lily is also the president of the Medfield High School Chapter of the National Honor Society. In her role as President this year Lily has led multiple fundraisers such as selling candy bars in order to raise money for the senior scholarships. Not only is she president of the NHS, but Lily is an active member of the National Art Honor Society and the Chinese National Honor Society. As a member of the Chinese NHS, Lily has helped to host programs and events that promote Chinese culture nights for the public.

Moving beyond the Medfield domain, since 2010 Lily has visited the Medway House Family Shelter  to provide childcare and organize activities for children aged between 6 months and 13 years. Lily’s biggest contribution, however, was when she organized a fundraiser where she collected supplies for families during their transitions.

Lily’s volunteer efforts in the Medfield community not only directly affects the lives of  those she serves, but she is an inspiration to all.  As a mother of two young girls, I can only hope my daughters will give of themselves so diligently and selflessly.

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Posted in Medfield High School, Teens, Volunteers

Marijuana shops opt out ballot & ATM questions

Posted on March 3, 2017 | 1 comment

Both our town election on 3/27 and our annual town meeting (ATM) on April 24 we will be voting to determine whether Medfield should allow or ban marijuana stores.

The following materials were put together by residents Carol Read, a Public Health/Prevention Specialist, and Cathy Callaghan, a Nurse Practitioner, both with lots on knowledge about the issues.

I will personally be voting to ban marijuana businesses from our town, as pot shops downtown or anywhere in town would send the wrong message to our children, namely that use by them is OK.  The data is too clear as to the damage that marijuana use does to our children, by increasing their risks of problems later in life.  Adolescent brains are not fully formed until their mid-twenties, and we owe it to our children to give them as much protection until then as we can.

Vote YES on March 27th to STOP POT SHOPS in Medfield What does the new law really mean? Last November, Massachusetts voters approved the Recreational use of marijuana law (Question 4) that legalized adult (21 years and older) personal use, possession and growing of marijuana for recreational purposes. Medical use of marijuana is a separate law*. In addition to legalizing adult personal use The Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act (Chapter 334 of the Acts of 2016) also legalized all marijuana related businesses in 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth automatically. What are “marijuana businesses”? Pot shops: Shops sell smoke-able plant marijuana products, edible products including candy, brownies, cookies and sodas with highly potent THC levels. Commercial growing and production sites: Staff grows hundreds of marijuana plants, extract THC oils from the plants to make highly potent THC smoke-able products and use oils to make edible products including candy, cookies, and brownies. Does Medfield have to allow pot shops and grow sites? Although Medfield was one of 90 towns in the Commonwealth that voted against the law our town will very soon be “open” to pot shops unless we vote to “opt-out”. The Marijuana Policy Project, an advocacy group that writes marijuana ballot questions nationwide specifically put an “opt-out” provision in our law requiring the expensive and time consuming steps of an “opt- out” by the voters. Medfield residents CAN vote to “opt- out” The Medfield BOS unanimously voted to prohibit marijuana businesses by adding an “opt-out” question to the town election ballot on March 27th and added “opt-out” warrant articles that will prohibit marijuana businesses for Town Meeting on April 24th. Voting YES to “opt-out” at the town election and at town meeting will STOP POT SHOPS in Medfield. Vote YES to STOP POT SHOPS for youth health and safety: Keeping pot shops out of Medfield will prevent youth access to highly potent marijuana candy, brownies and cookies and sodas that are packaged to attract youth. Edible products make up nearly 60% of Colorado’s marijuana industry; emergency departments are routinely treating children who have ingested edible products with 90 + % THC levels (compared to 20% in a typical joint) Vote YES to STOP POT SHOPS to prevent youth use increases: Youth marijuana use in Washington State has risen since legalization among 8th and 10th graders; Colorado past- month (30 day) marijuana use rates among the population ages 12 and older are the highest in the nation. Youth in legalized recreational states report significant declines in their perception of harm from using marijuana. Vote YES to STOP POT SHOPS to protect our services and resources: Pot shops and grow sites require extensive inspection of operational security as well as testing of all products for mold and contaminates. The cost of these requirements would outrun the potential revenue Medfield would take in from marijuana businesses. Vote YES to STOP POT SHOPS will prevent our public safety and health inspection resources being shifted to the security, monitoring and inspection of marijuana businesses. Vote YES to STOP POT SHOPS to preserve Medfield’s character. Medfield places the highest value on our family friendly culture, working hard to support our town services and schools and to preserve open space, protect the health of our senior population and promote businesses that align with these goals. Many of our neighboring communities Westwood, Norwood and Walpole are also voting to “opt-out” of marijuana businesses. Will the “opt-out” change adult personal use? Voting YES to “opt-out” of pot shops will NOT change adult person use. As of December 15th recreational personal use, possession and home growing is legal in Medfield for anyone 21 years and older. It is legal in Medfield to: (1) Grow up to 12 marijuana plants in a home (6 plants per adult) (2) Possess up to 10 ounces of marijuana (about 600 joints) in a home. (2) Personally possess and transport 1 ounce of marijuana (about 60-75 joints) (3) Give away up to 1 ounce of smoked marijuana, including 5 grams of marijuana concentrate (oils) which are used to make brownies, cookies and candy. Thank you very much for your time and consideration of this information. Carol Read, Public Health/Prevention Specialist and Cathy Callaghan, Nurse Practitioner *This new law follows the voter approved the Medical use of marijuana law in 2012 which legalized the medical use of marijuana for all age residents with a doctor recommendation.20170303-cr-medfield-opt-out-letter-3-3-2017-with-photos_page_2

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Posted in Downtown, Safety, Teens

Volunteer of the year

Posted on February 16, 2017 | 2 comments

mfi-volunteer-awards

The Medfield Foundation is pleased to announce that the 2017 Medfield Foundation Volunteer Awards will honor the following extraordinary individuals for their remarkable volunteer services in the Town of Medfield. There were six nominees for the volunteer of the year, but only four separate nominations as there were two pairs nominated. There were two youth nominees, one lifetime achievement nominee pair, and one person was nominated twice.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
patti-jim-schwartz-3-2

Jim Schwartz and Patti Schwartz for their combined 77 years of service to the BSA, 46 years of it in Medfield, for Medfield Boy Scout Troop 89.
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
tracy-tracey

Tracy Fedak and Tracey Rogers for chairing, running, and inspiring the hugely involved and successful All Night Graduation Party (ANGP) for the past 3 years.
linda-frawley

Linda Frawley for 13 years of lead-by-example service organizing and leading the 400 girls, aged 5-17, in the Medfield Girl Scouts.
nancy-irwin-mary-pat-mcsharryNancy Irwin and Mary Pat McSharry for creating and running the SWAP area at the Transfer Station for the past 8 and 4 years, respectively.
Jean Mineo

Jean Mineo for founding the Cultural Alliance of Medfield, the Holiday Stroll, implementing the Straw Hat Park, and working on the Medfield State Hospital Master Planning Committee.
YOUTH VOLUNTEERS
lily-doctoroff

Lily Doctoroff for organizing Bigger than Bullying, starting a Gender Equality Club, and working with the Medfield’s Vine Lake Preservation Trust, Medfield State Hospital Master Planning Committee, New Life Home Refurnishing, National Honor Society, and Medway Family Shelter.

anne-phipps

Anne Phipps for helping build a school in Kenya, assisting at a camp for seriously ill children, volunteering for Project Teamwork, Student Council, Medfield Cares About Prevention, peer tutoring, Dean of Students Advisory Board, Putting for Patients, Medfield Food Cupboard, and Digital Learning Day.
Special Recognition:

  • Lily Doctoroff is the 2017 Youth Volunteer of the Year.
  • Jean Mineo is the 2017 Volunteer of the Year.
  • Jim Schwartz and Patti Schwartz receive the 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award.

All these extraordinary volunteers will be celebrated and feted at a reception to be held on Sunday, March 19 from 3:00 – 5:00 PM at The Center on Ice House Road, Medfield, to which the public is invited.  At the March 19 reception, each nominator is asked to introduce their nominee, and each nominees is asked to share and describe what it is they do and why they do it.  In the past, those stories and vignettes have been interesting, and at times both magical and moving.

Brothers Marketplace generously sponsors the MFi Volunteer Awards, and support is also received from The Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation.

 

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Posted in Medfield Foundation, Teens, Volunteers

Angel Run opportunity

Posted on February 6, 2017 | Comments Off on Angel Run opportunity

angel-run-2016

This from the Angel Run –

The MFi Angel Run is looking for a volunteer to chair the Publicity Coordinator position. This person will coordinate press releases, social media and other marketing activities. This is a two year commitment with the first year working directly with the current chair with the goal of transitioning the role fully in the second year. The role requires approximately 1-2 hours per week August – December. If you are interested, please email Rose Colleran (rosecolleran@yahoo.com) for additional information.

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Posted in Charity, Children, Events, Medfield Foundation, Teens, Volunteers

MHS Jazz at Lovell’s & Blue Moon this weekend

Posted on December 9, 2016 | Comments Off on MHS Jazz at Lovell’s & Blue Moon this weekend

mhs-jazz-band

MHS Jazz at Lovell’s & Blue Moon this weekend

 

The jazz will be flowing from the greenhouse and bakery!  Take a break from holiday craziness and cold temps, and stop into the colorful greenhouse at Lovell’s Nursery on Saturday, Dec. 10, or take in the warmth and great aromas at Blue Moon on Sunday, Dec. 11, to hear some music from members of MHS Jazz Band!  The students will be fundraising for their trip to Cuba in April. All donations are welcome; checks should be made payable to Medfield Music Association (receipts available on site).

 

Lovell’s Nursery (greenhouse) w/hot cocoa & candy canes!

Saturday, Dec. 10 – 1:30 to 3 p.m.

 

MHS Jazz performers:

Francis Brooke

Brigitte Cronin

Dana Cruickshank

Micah Grinnell

Nolan Melia

Joe Pagliazzo

Justin Plakias

Brendan Tormey

Jack Wagenseller

 

Blue Moon

Sunday, Dec. 11 – 9:30-10:30 a.m.

 

MHS Jazz performers:

Melanie Baime

Gavin Connolly

Julie Han

Kyle Infantino

Patrick O’Connor

Dan Stromland

Brendan Tormeymhs-jazz-bandmhs-jazz-bandmhs-jazz-band

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Posted in Entertainment, Events, Medfield High School, Music, Teens, Uncategorized

2016 Angel Run race results

Posted on December 5, 2016 | Comments Off on 2016 Angel Run race results

 

Angel Run race results
View this email in your browser
 angel-run-2016

The Results are In!

What a difference 24 hours makes. Natasha was surely smiling down on all of us yesterday for the 11th annual Angel Run. It was a beautiful day and another very successful event. Thank you to everyone that volunteered, donated or participated.

A proper thank you will be coming out soon but for now we have received a number of requests for how to find out finish times. You can view your time on Cool Running.

We will be sending out more information on how to get copies of photos and more. If you haven’t already done so, we ask that you Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter so you can get important updates. So for now, on behlaf of the Medfield Foundation, thank you!

 

See Race Results

 

 

Copyright © 2016 Medfield Foundation, All rights reserved.
You registered for one of the many MFi Angel Run events

Our mailing address is:

Medfield Foundation

Medfield Town House

459 Main Street

Medfield, MA 02052
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Posted in Children, Events, Medfield Foundation, Recreation, Sports, Teens

Angel Run – noon tomorrow

Posted on December 3, 2016 | Comments Off on Angel Run – noon tomorrow

angel-run-kids

Don’t Miss the Angel Run!

There’s Joy to share,

An event to remember:

Get your bells and your bib

Wear your Wings, your Antlers or Holiday gear

It’s that Festive Time of Year!

There will be hot cocoa and Christmas Carols

Beautiful Bells and Jazz Ensembles.

You can walk or you can run

For 5K or ‘til you’re done.

Bring the kids, the dogs and Gran,

Call your friends and make a plan.

For Charity and for Fun –

This Sunday,

It’s the Angel Run!

 

Leanne LaBelle 2016

 

Join Us!  December 4, 2016 at 12:00pm

www.MedfieldFoundation.org

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Posted in Animals, Charity, Children, Events, Medfield Foundation, Music, Teens, Uncategorized

Veterans Day Breakfast – Wow!

Posted on November 23, 2016 | Comments Off on Veterans Day Breakfast – Wow!

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The Medfield veterans were poignantly honored on Veterans Day with the now annual Veterans Day Breakfast at The Center, thanks to soon to retire Veteran Service Officer Ron Griffin, which included entertainment by the Singing Trooper, Dan Clark, in the bottom photo.  Dan Clark is one great, professional, polished show, that would be well worth viewing the show on Medfield TV (click here).

All Viet Nam veterans were thanked and honored by a reception line composed of ten town officials for their service with a Presidential Proclamation, a pin, and a sticker, as part of the 50th year celebration of the Viet Nam War era veterans – about forty Viet Nam veterans were specially honored.

Service to the veterans was provided by the students from the Medfield High School group Warriors for the Warriors, seen standing in the top photo.

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Posted in Entertainment, Events, Teens, Veterans

Please vote “NO” on legal marijuana

Posted on October 27, 2016 | Comments Off on Please vote “NO” on legal marijuana

Reasons legal marijuana is not good:

  • Marijuana’s long-term negative impact on youth. Use by adolescents can impair brain development, reduce academic success, and lower IQ. Marijuana is also associated with susceptibility to long-term mental health issues (e.g., paranoia, depression, suicidal thoughts, and schizophrenia) and heart attacks.3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10
  • Marijuana can be addictive. The earlier someone begins using marijuana, the higher their risk of addiction –one in six users who start under age 18 become dependent; 25-50% of teen heavy users become addicted.1
  • Marijuana’s potency is greater than in the 1970s. Marijuana products available today range from 5% to85% THC (the psychoactive part of marijuana). This includes edibles (candies, cookies, sodas). Highly concentrated marijuana is more likely to be associated with addiction and the negative health consequences in young people seen in recent years.2
  • Marijuana dependency is associated with addiction to other drugs. In a prospective study, marijuana use was linked to a 6.2 times higher risk of developing a substance use disorder. The younger marijuana is used, the higher the rates of addiction to marijuana and to other drugs, including opioids.11,12
  • Where marijuana is legal, young people are more likely to use it. Since becoming the first state to legalize, Colorado has also become the #1 state in the nation for teen marijuana use. Teen use jumped 20% in Colorado in the two years since legalization, even as that rate has declined nationally.13,14, 17
  • Colorado saw a 49% increase in marijuana-related emergency room visits during the two years after marijuana was legalized (2013-14) compared with the prior two years. 14, 15, 16, 17
  • Increased accidental marijuana use by young children. Marijuana infused products such as gummy bears, candy bars and “cannabis cola” are often indistinguishable from traditional products and attractive to children, placing them at significant risk of accidental use. 14,16, 17

Footnotes:

1Comparative Epidemiology of Dependence on Tobacco, Alcohol, Controlled Substances, and Inhalants: Basic Findings From the National Comorbidity Survey,”
Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, 1994;

2Potency trends of Δ9-THC and other cannabinoids in confiscated cannabis preparations from 1993 to 2008. J Forensic Sci., 2010.

3Persistent cannabis users show neuropsychological decline from childhood to midlife. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A., 2012.

4“Impact of adolescent marijuana use on intelligence: Results from two longitudinal twin studies,” Proceedings of the National Academy of Science of the United States of America;

5Cannabis use and depression: a longitudinal study of a national cohort of Swedish conscripts. BMC Psychiatry, 2012.

6Marijuana Use and High School Dropout: The Influence of Unobservables. Health Econ., 2010.

7Proportion of patients in south London with first-episode psychosis attributable to use of high potency cannabis: a case-control study. The Lancet Psychiatry, 2015.

8Daily use, especially of high-potency cannabis, drives the earlier onset of psychosis in cannabis users. Schizophrenia Bulletin., 2014.

9Marijuana use in the immediate 5-year premorbid period is associated with increased risk of onset of schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders. Schizophrenia
Research, 2015.

10Adverse cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and peripheral vascular effects of marijuana inhalation: what cardiologists need to know. Am J Cardiol.,
2014.

11Cannabis Use and Risk of Psychiatric Disorders: Prospective Evidence From a US National Longitudinal Study. JAMA Psychiatry, 2016.

12Young adult sequelae of adolescent cannabis use: an integrative analysis. 2014.

13“20 percent increase in youth marijuana use,” WSAV, 1/13/2016; SAMHSA National Survey on Drug Use and Health, December 17, 2015;

14“The Legalization of marijuana in Colorado: The Impact,” Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, September 2015.

15“Marijuana Tourism and Emergency Department Visits in Colorado,” The New England Journal of Medicine, 2/25/2016.

16The Implications of Marijuana Legalization in Colorado. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2015.

17“The Legalization of marijuana in Colorado: The Impact,” Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, Vol. 4, September 2016.

www.mapreventionalliance.org

MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION: What Does Ballot Question 4 Mean?

  • Sets no limits on potency of marijuana products. Ballot question 4 specifically authorizes marijuana edibles (products like candy bars, gummy bears, “cannabis cola,” etc.), oils and concentrates.
  • Severely limits municipalities’ (and the state’s) ability to limit the nature and presence of the marijuana industry in their communities. Ballot question 4 potentially invalidates any state or local rule deemed “unreasonably impracticable.” Municipality must allow marijuana retail businesses in an amount at least 20% of the number of alcohol package stores – unless voters pass an ordinance or bylaw by majority vote. 94G, s. 3(a)(2)(ii).
  • Sets no limit on the number of stores that can sell marijuana statewide or number of operations to grow or manufacture marijuana and marijuana products. As written, ballot question 4 prohibits communities from enacting meaningful numerical caps on the number of marijuana stores (or types of marijuana businesses) except if explicitly authorized by special city/town referendum.
  • Mandates that communities must allow retail marijuana stores to open in any “area” that already has a medical marijuana dispensary. Additionally, it grants existing medical marijuana facilities the right to enter the recreational market at the same location—i.e. convert their dispensary into a “pot shop.” If ballot initiative is enacted in November, then any existing or future medical dispensary is guaranteed cultivation, manufacturing and retail licenses for recreational sales until a 75 quota is reached. Ballot initiative SECTION 10 and 11.
  • Bars communities from restricting “home grows.”
  • Sets the tax rate very low, meaning little or no net revenue benefit. Ballot question 4, prohibits host agreements that require marijuana businesses to pay anything over and above whatever costs are directly attributable to their operation. This would limit the amount of money a community could collect from “pot shops”.
  • No protections against drugged driving. Evidence shows that marijuana use impairs driving but there is no standard test to clearly identify a person under the influence of marijuana.
  • No provisions for data collection and research. This would limit the ability of Massachusetts to determine the impact of commercialization of recreational marijuana on our communities and our state without significant costs to taxpayers.

**Commercialization of marijuana will result in increased access to marijuana by our young people. This coupled with decreased perception of harm associated with marijuana use as a result of the “normalization” of marijuana products, including candies, cookies, and sodas, will increase the likelihood that MA adolescents will use marijuana.**

Sources: “What legal marijuana in Mass. would mean for your town,” Boston.com, 4/22/2016; “Medical pot dispensaries get first crack at licenses, exemptions under referendum,” CommonWealth, 5/24/2016; http://www.mass.gov/ago/docs/government/2015-petitions/15-27.pdf
www.mapreventionalliance.org

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