Fall Activity Line-Up

I'm a fan of fall for many reasons. For instance, my birthday is in fall. Also, new episodes of my favorite TV shows begin in fall. Maybe my favorite part of fall, however, is the perfect New England weather. Every other season, there's an excuse to stay inside: winter can be too cold, spring too soggy, and summer causes excessive back sweat. But with fall, I try to be outside as much as I can.

If you're like me, and want some ideas for outdoor fall weekend activities, read on:

1) Pick some produce. With so many apple orchards and pumpkin patches nearby, the options are endless. Nashoba Valley Winery in Bolton, MA is a great choice. Not only can you go apple-picking, but they have an operational winery with full tours and tastings. Also, On Your Feet Project is providing transportation to their annual Bluegrass & Brews Festival on Sunday, October 25. Have fun and support a great cause at the same time!

2) Check out an outdoor museum. The DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park in Lincoln, MA has some cool exhibits. Also, Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, MA is a great outdoor option, and, as luck would have it, free this weekend (along with dozens of other local museums) thanks to Smithsonian's National Museum Day.

3) Get lost. In a maze. Made of corn. Sounds like a winning combo to me. I've gone to Davis' Mega Maze in Sterling, MA for the last two years, and only had to cheat once. If you're looking for something a little closer to Boston, I've heard Connors Corn Maize in Danvers, MA is where it's at. This year's theme is Family Guy, i.e., they carved Brian and Stewie into a 7-acre corn field.

So much to do, and so little time. Before you know it, we'll have turned the clocks back, dressed up in silly costumes, eaten a coma-inducing turkey dinner, and we'll look outside and there will be a mysterious white covering on the ground. So get busy and enjoy the foliage!

Volunteer Event! Kicking It With The Kids

It's time to get out there with the kids at the West End House!

On Wednesday, September 23 from 5-7pm, OYFP will be at the West End House in Allston, playing games in their sweet gym (see left) or unleashing our creative spirits in the art studio with the grade schoolers at WEH.

Volunteers can spend their time in the gym, in the studio, or mix it up and spend an hour in each.

And for those of you who can't get swing by at 5, feel free to come by at 6 for the last hour -- it'll be a great time! To make sure volunteers can really interact with the children, we're capping the number of volunteers at 15. Please email David at david.dsilva@oyfp.org to claim your spot.

Bring your gym shoes and your smocks and we'll see you there!

Picture courtesy of the West End House

Got Game?

I loved playing sports growing up and my sport of choice was soccer. I loved the half-time oranges from the soccer-moms (it's true they do exist), the beating up of boys (I was on a co-ed league) and of course playing with my friends. Being apart of a soccer team was much more than simply learning how to kick a ball; you learn team work, good sportsmanship and valuable social skills that stay with you as you grow up.

If you grew up playing sports, think about all the

coaches, trainers, and specialized help you received to learn the sport of your choice. Isn't it time you returned the favor by becoming a coach as well?

One such opportunity would be the volunteer Coaching Positions for the East Boston Recreational Soccer League. Here you will serve as an assistant coach for this introductory youth soccer program and be able to help teach these kids all the special skills you have obtained from previous coaches.

It's not even a HUGE time commitment either. They practice two times a week from 6-7:30pm and games are Saturday morning from 10-noon. The season starts on September 22 and ends on October 31. The location for most of these practices and games is East Boston Memorial Park (close proximity to Airport T stop-Blue Line).

Please do contact Jennifer Molina at 617-568-4701 or molinaj@ebnhc.org for more details.

Related Posts: "Champions" of a cause, An Olympic Debate

Picture Courtesy of: http://www.illinois-valley-news.com/archive/2008/04/30/index.html

5th Annual Taste of Fort Point Channel - Free Food & Music

VOLUNTEERS are needed for the 5th Annual Taste of Fort Point Channel hosted by the Friends of Fort Point Channel on Thursday, September 17th from 12noon-1:30pm at the Children's Museum Wharf Park next to the Boston Children's Museum.

The 5th Annual Taste of Fort Point Channel is a dining event featuring 15 local Fort Point restaurants that will serve up samples of their signature dishes for the public during lunchtime! This event is FREE and will feature live music and a variety of cuisine!

The Friends of Fort Point Channel are expecting about 1500 people at the event!

Details:
Date: Thursday, September 17th
Time: 12noon-1:30pm
Location: Children's Museum Wharf Park next to the Boston Children's Museum, 300 Congress Street, Boston, Ma 02210
List of restaurants

They are looking for volunteers from 11:30 – 2:00 to help welcome people as they arrive and give them a map of the area. If you or your friends are interested, please contact events@friendsoffortpointchannel.org.

Friends of Fort Point Channel is a nonprofit organization committed to making the Fort Point Channel an exciting and welcoming destination for all of Boston’s residents, workforce and visitors.