Alternatives’ celebrates
the Grand Opening of the Whitin Mill
Concerts, Exhibitions and the Valley Friendship Tour highlight the month of
May
The month of May is coming alive at
Alternatives’ Whitin Mill. Concerts, green posters and a weekend long grand
opening celebration, mark the beginning of a summer full of events.
Winning posters from the “Going Green in the
Blackstone Valley” poster contest will be on display Thursday, May 16th
from 5:30 to 7:00 PM in the 1826 Brick Mill at Alternatives’ Whitin Mill.
The competition was co-sponsored by Alternatives and the Blackstone Valley
Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation. Students from Assumption School in
Millbury, Northbridge Middle School and Whitin Middle School in Uxbridge
were challenged to create posters that would depict awareness and concern
for global warming, conservation and renewable resources. Five finalists
from each school were selected and these posters will be on display at
Alternatives starting May 16 through the end of the month.
On May 29th the Whitin Mill Grand
Opening Celebration starts with a concert at 6:30 PM on the riverside plaza
at Alternatives. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy performances by Brass Venture,
the brass quintet of the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra, and the Blackstone
Valley Community Chorus. In case of inclement weather, the concert will take
place in the Singh Performance Center at Alternatives Whitin Mill.
An official ribbon cutting ceremony will take
place on Friday, May 30th at 10:30 AM. Dignitaries will be in
attendance. At 1:00 PM, “Going green in the Blackstone Valley” poster
contest awards will be given out. That evening
from 7:00 PM there will be a screening of “Front Wards, Back Wards,” a PBS
documentary by William Rogers. The film discusses the history and future of
Fernald State School and will be followed by a panel discussion. The concert
on Thursday and all of Friday’s activities are free and open to the public.
The weekend culminates on
Saturday, May 31st with Alternatives’ 23rd Valley
Friendship Tour. The annual fundraiser is an opportunity to spend a fun day
for a great cause by walking, jogging or pedaling through the historic and
beautiful Blackstone Valley. Individuals and teams are asked to raise money
to support crucial programs at Alternatives. Since it began, Valley
Friendship Tour has raised over $1 million dollars which has enabled the
agency to purchase furnishings and adaptive equipment, continue its
Community Bridging Grant program, and support to health and wellness
initiatives.
For information on the Valley
Friendship Tour or any other upcoming event, please call (508) 234-6232 or
go to
www.alternativesnet.org. All events take place at
Alternatives’ Whitin Mill, 50 Douglas Road in Whitinsville.
Tours of the facility will be available
throughout the weekend. Alternatives is a non-profit agency
serving more than 550 adults with developmental and psychiatric disabilities
in 45 programs throughout central Massachusetts.