December 20, 2010

Photo Finish from the Dec. 20, 2010 issue

Photo/Courtesy The Framingham Co-operative Bank Charitable Foundation has donated $3,000 to the Townwide Creative Arts Council for Opera to Go, a program aimed at Framingham Public School students. The program will introduce more than 4,000 students to the basic elements of opera. Pictured, Rachel Stewart, director of the charitable foundation (third from right), and Michael Bilinsky, the bank's business development officer (second from right), with the cast of Opera to Go.

Photo/Courtesy Bay State Savings Bank of Worcester, the Shrewsbury Street Merchants Association and Citadel Broadcasting have given $5,000 to Girls Inc. in Worcester. The money comes from the bank's Champions for Children initiative at the Taste of Shrewsbury Street annual festival. The bank ran a dunk tank at the event and sold entrance buttons at its branches, donating the proceeds to the organization. Pictured, from left to right: Bob Zompa of Citadel Broadcasting; Paul D. Gilbody, executive vice president of Bay State Savings Bank; Debora B. Hopkins, executive director of Girls Inc.; Paul Barber of Flying Rhino Restaurant and chairman of Taste of Shrewsbury Street; Diane M. Giampa, senior vice president of Bay State Savings Bank; and John Piccolo, president of the Shrewsbury Street Merchants Association.

Photo/Courtesy United Way of Tri-County and MetroWest Medical Center have installed a nature and fitness trail aimed at young children behind the hospital's Leonard Morse campus in Natick. The Born Learning Trail includes signs inviting children to make up songs, jump like frogs and identify shapes and colors, as well as games like hopscotch. It is designed to help parents and caregivers interact with children from birth to five years old and promote language skills and literacy. Pictured: Paul Mina, president and CPO of United Way of Tri-County (center left), and Andrei Soran, CEO of MetroWest Medical Center (center right), cut the ribbon for the new trail.

Photo/Courtesy Dennis Berkey, president of Worcester Polytechnic Institute, traveled to China for 10 days this fall, meeting with the leaders of five major universities to discuss new collaborations. Berkey also visited sites where WPI students and faculty are working with Chinese students and faculty on projects sponsored by global companies with operations in China. WPI students work with students in China on projects in areas including mechanical design, robotics, manufacturing processes and environmental engineering, and the university plans to expand these efforts. Pictured, from left to right: WPI Professor Kevin (Yiming) Rong; and WPI President and CEO Dennis Berkey with officials from Huazhong University of Science & Technology.

Photo/Courtesy Singer Judy Collins helped AdCare Hospital celebrate its 35th anniversary recently at Worcester's Mechanics Hall. Besides singing, Collins spoke about her personal story of addiction and recovery and signed copies of her book, â€œSanity & Grace.â€ She also visited the hospital, which treats those with alcohol and drug addiction, and spoke with staff and patients. Pictured: Collins signs her book for a fan.