'Summer in the City' tour brings United Way donors, volunteers to the agencies they help support

Donors, volunteers and United Way staff attended Community Engagement’s Summer in the City Tour on Tuesday, July 13. The event began at noon at UWMB’s office with lunch and an introduction to UWMB's Increasing Youth Opportunities initiative by Peg Sprague, vice president, community impact. After lunch and brief remarks, guests embarked on a private bus hired to escort the group to the various United Way affiliate-agencies featured on the tour.

The group proceeded to Girls, Inc. of Lynn, taking a tour of the Lynn Tech Field House where part of their summer program, Eureka! is housed. Eureka! is a math, science and sports camp for middle school girls and serves as a summer extension to the year-round, after-school Odyssey program.

Meeting with about 15 of the program participants and graduates was the highlight of the visit; visitors had an opportunity to hear directly from Eureka! girls about their experiences in the program. The younger girls cited new friends and homework help as their favorite parts of the camp, while the older girls – now counselors themselves – expressed how emotionally supportive their own mentors within the program had been and how Girls, Inc. had been a catalyst to their social and academic growth over the years.

Particularly inspiring was to hear the program graduates speak of Girls, Inc. as their “second home” and describe their devotion and attachment to the program to which they are now giving back as counselors and mentors.

Roca, located in Chelsea, was the group’s next and final stop. Tour guests had the opportunity to observe video making, sports, and dance before Executive Director Molly Baldwin escorted the group to a large room containing a wide circumference of chairs and a seashell in the center on the floor. This, she explained, was where “peacemaking circles” were held. These circles have become a trademark of Roca and their revolutionary anti-violence methods. In order to resolve a conflict among the young people, the angry parties form a circle to talk out their rage. They must abide by rules of respect, and only the person holding the shell is allowed to speak. Over the years, Roca has found the circles to be a highly effective means of solving problems among their program participants. Most importantly, they are an successful deterrent to the violence so prevalent in the Chelsea community.

Upcoming tours will be scheduled for United Way's sustainable employment and affordable housing impact areas. For more information, please contact Danielle Lipes at (617) 624-8261 or email dlipes@uwmb.org.