Page 10 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, August 25, 2023 Youths collect for elders in need Intergenerational support for Mystic Valley Elder Services Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mass. sponsors free Bluebikes Adventure Passes every Monday in August for “Mindful Mondays” initiative State’s largest health plan also hosting free Bluebikes Spin Class to celebrate National Wellness Month Malden Catholic junior Amelia Ferringo and classmate Ben Gowrie are pictured here delivering some donations to MVES CEO Lisa Gurgone. (Photo courtesy of MVES) A melia Ferringo finished her junior year at Malden Catholic by giving back. She worked with her school to organize a “dress down day” to support the Emergency Closet of Mystic Valley Elder Services (MVES), which provides essential items like bedding and toiletries for older adults in the community. Working with classmate Ben Gowrie, Amelia’s efforts raised $2,180 for the Emergency Closet. Amelia also extended her efforts to Chelsea Jewish Lifecare, where she works part-time. She collected dozens of donated items for the Emergency Closet. MVES supports residents of Malden, Everett and eight nearby communities. To learn more or donate to the Emergency Closet, visit www. mves.org/emergency-closet or contact 781-388-4822 or development@mves.org. District 12 Challenger Day Games held at Alex Gentile Park M ayor Gary Christenson cut his weekend getaway short to be back in time for the 2023 District 12 Challenger Day Games at Alex Gentile Memorial Park! The Mayor surprised attendees, including Ward 5 Councillor Barbara Murphy and Medford Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn, at the baseball tournament that was held for children and teens with differing abilities. The free event is run by Bernie Colbert and Marie Shea. The Malden Police and Fire Department Honor Guards kicked off the opening ceremony, which included the National Anthem sung by Malden Soprano Natalja Sticco. Fans and volunteers came together to welcome the young athletes onto the field and cheer them on during the exciting one-inning baseball game. Wally the Green Monster, Tessie, Barbie, Cinderella and Spiderman were among the characters that greeted and spent time with the athletes. There was a fire department ladder truck for the children to tour. n recognition of National Wellness Month, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (“Blue Cross”) is sponsoring free Bluebikes Adventure Passes every Monday in August for its third annual “Mindful Mondays” initiative and is also hosting a free Spin Class on August 28 – the last Monday of the month – to encourage people in the Metro Boston region to exercise and take care of their mental health. The free Adventure Passes are available across 13 municipalities: Arlington, Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Medford, Newton, Revere, Salem, Somerville and Watertown. Blue Cross is the sponsor of Bluebikes, which is owned by the municipalities and operated by Lyft. Riders can take advantage of I complimentary Adventure Passes on August 28 by downloading and opening the Bluebikes App and entering the appropriate code. The code will unlock one free Adventure Pass, which includes an unlimited number of two-hour rides during a 24-hour period. The code for Monday, August 28, is BLUECROSS0828 To honor Blue Cross’s commitment to providing access to wellness-oriented experiences in support of whole health journeys, it is also hosting a free 60-minute Bluebikes Spin Class on August 28. The class will be first come, first served and open to the public, and it will take place at Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park in Boston. Rev’d Indoor Cycling instructor Alyssa Pannozzi will be leading the class. Reportedly, biking can help put us in a mindful state – reducing stress, improving mental and physical health and even increasing overall happiness in life. Taking 20-30 minutes away to concentrate solely on exercise can rejuvenate mood and lessen anxiety. “National Wellness Month serves as a valuable reminder of the crucial role that mental health plays in one’s overall wellbeing,” said Blue Cross VP of Corporate Citizenship and Public Affairs Jeff Bellows. “For the third year in a row, we’re promoting healthy communities and the power of mindfulness with our ‘Mindful Mondays’ initiative, and we hope Metro Boston residents can get outside, practice mindfulness and enjoy the whole-body benefits of a Bluebikes ride.” Blue Cross has been the title sponsor of Bluebikes since its launch in May 2018. Through its partnership with the municipal owners of Bluebikes, Blue Cross continues to support system growth and accessibility, including station expansions, upgrades and additional bikes. About Bluebikes: Bluebikes is public transportation by bike. The system is jointly owned and managed by the Cities of Boston, Cambridge, Everett, Salem and Somerville and the Town of Brookline. Blue Cross is the system’s title sponsor. Riders can find 455 stations and 4,000 bikes across 13 municipalities in Metro Boston. For more information about Bluebikes, visit bluebikes. com www.bluebikes.com About Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts: Blue Cross (bluecrossma.org) is a community-focused, tax-paying, notfor-profit health plan headquartered in Boston – committed to the relentless pursuit of quality, affordable and equitable health care with an unparalleled consumer experience. Blue Cross is rated among the nation’s best health plans for member satisfaction and quality. Like us Mayor Gary Christenson takes a turn at the mound during the Challenger Day Games. Following the games, attendees were treated to pizza and hotdogs inside the Forestdale Cafeteria. “I am grateful to Bernie and Marie for their efforts in making the event a success for these amazing athletes,” said Mayor Christenson. “They are an inspiration to all of us.” on Facebook advocate newspaper Facebook.com/Advocate.news.ma
11 Publizr Home