School community to honor alumni
By Angela Greiner Community Reporter

Marlborough - The Marlborough Public School (MPS) Foundation is inviting the community to their Inaugural Marlborough Alumni and Community Recognition Awards event, which will be held Saturday May 17 from 6 to 11 p.m. at the Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel.

The event is being held to honor both distinguished Marlborough High School alumni and other community members who have excelled within their professions. MPS Foundation President Martin Levins explained that honorees are also being recognized for their individual contributions to the Marlborough school district.

The MPS Foundation is a nonprofit volunteer-run organization launched in February 2007 to oversee the "Our Kids Win" program, which, Levins explained, is a campaign to raise money for the school through shopping both locally and online. By simply logging onto the Marlborough Public School website and clicking on the online shopping link to access sites like Amazon. com, the schools receive a rebate from the portion of the money spent.

Levins's organization recently received the first rebate check, in the amount of $2,300 to be distributed to the schools.

"It is free money," Levins said.

In addition, the MPS Foundation is also targeting large businesses and corporations for support with specific project requests. In lieu of simply raising money, the foundation wants to know specifically what the schools need because grants might be available to provide it.

"Tell me what you need," Levin said. "If I do not have the request, then I cannot get grants to fund it."

The foundation, which has already funded a nutrition program and two sessions of the Smart Moves Program at the Jaworek Elementary School, is in the early stages of applying for grants for some of the items on the MPS wish list. Items that the group is currently looking for grants to fund include solar panels, solar window shades and technology for class rooms.

Also included on the wish list are larger projects like walking tracks, bathrooms and concessions stands. Levins was not phased by the large prices tags associated with some of the items on the wish list.

"In the corporate world, businesses love to give money for items that they can see," he said.

The upcoming recognition awards, also sponsored by the Marlborough Chamber of Commerce, is not only an opportunity to recognize committed community members, but also an opportunity to raise funds to support the MPS Foundation.

Some of this year's honorees include Superintendent of Schools Mary Carlson; Second Assistant Magistrate of the Court Stephen LeDuc; Marlborough Chamber of Commerce CEO Susanne Morreale-Leeber; former Assistant Principal and City Councilor Don Landers; former teacher and City Councilor Edward Clancy; Darren McLaughlin, general manager of Wayside Racquet and Swim Club; actress Marcia Cross; and Athletic Director Rich Riley.

This is the first of what Levins hopes will be an annual event. Next year, he said, candidates will be nominated by community members.

For more information about purchasing an advertisement in the event program, about purchasing tickets ($40 per person) or about the MPS Foundation, visit the website at www.Marlboroughalumni. com or purchase tickets by phone at 508-460-3793.