By Ellen Walker
Special to the Gazette
As New Englanders, we often hear comments “Summer went by so fast! “ as we welcome the Fall weather and scenic foliage that surround us. The fall weather brought a pleasant surprise – Representative Nika Elugardo and Mayor Walsh met in Mission Hill and had coffee at Mike’s Donuts where they were greeted by owner Maria Weinograd. Here at Mission Hill Main Streets, along with our favorite season, we have planned a week of fun and deals that you do not want to miss. More on that later in this article. A heartfelt thank you to all those who voted in last month’s Best of Mission Hill Survey. Your support and vote help us press on with our work to promote vibrancy in Mission Hill and we are grateful to be nominated as Best Neighborhood Association of 2020!
We have welcomed the students back to Mission Hill and though there were a few hiccups, through the extraordinary efforts of the local colleges, more is working well than not. It is great to have more foot traffic in the neighborhood and in the small businesses. After all, students are a vital part of the Mission Hill community.
Here are a couple of messages sent by neighboring institutions in our community that echo our sentiment. The Five Colleges sent out a moving piece to their “Mission Hill and Fenway Neighbors” about their efforts for the communities during this pandemic. The Five Colleges of the Fenway have been our neighbors for almost 200 years and, as they stated so well, “We have been through thick and thin – tough economies, wars and now, a pandemic. Despite these challenges, we have survived and thrived because we have worked together to create a healthy and vibrant Mission Hill and Fenway.”
Then from the heart of Mission Hill, Mission Grammar School’s President Aliece Dutson. “Our families rely on the care they receive at Mission Grammar and need us now more than ever. Quite a few of our families are first responders or are already physically back to work and returning to school has been a great source of support. Many of our other families are still working from home and reopening has been equally as supportive; we know it is difficult to work a full-time job from home while also caring for children. By reopening, families can successfully work and know their children are safely engaging in academic, social and emotional learning.”
Remember to reach out to the elderly or those who cannot get out. Watch over and help each other as we work together to be stronger and better.
Now for the Fun and Deals! All 29 restaurants in Mission Hill will be offering specials during the week from October 20th to October 27th. This is MHMS’ first restaurant week and we are combining it with our annual community appreciation fundraiser. Visit any Mission Hill, order take-out or delivery in during restaurant week and we all benefit!
Hold the dates – Tuesday, October 20th through Tuesday, October 27th for MH Restaurant and Community Appreciation Week with “GO-GIVE! specials.
• GO out to eat at a Mission Hill restaurant
• GIVE to support both your local restaurants and MHMS programs
• Order from the “GO-GIVE” menus, when possible, as we fight the impact of COVID-19
Watch for more details via Facebook, FB Live and Instagram and be a part of the fun and excitement!
In November, we look forward to featuring some of the wonderful artwork by students at Mission
Grammar for the MHMS anti-littering campaign. The theme is “Please, Pick It Up!” Always fun to have young people put their spin on things.
Mission Hill Main Streets logo reads: Eat. Play. Live. This is the best neighborhood to enjoy it all so eat locally, play in our parks, and live by “shopping small, shopping local!” Visit us on our webpage – www.missionhillmainstreet.com, “like” us on Facebook and download our free mobile app at Distrx.com to find the latest on our Farmer’s Markets, restaurants and coffee shops in the neighborhood!
“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.”
Albert Einstein