MIDDLESEX COUNTY PRISON COORDINATING COMMITTEE NEWSLETTER

MCPCC met on Jan. 11, 2006. Those present were Mary Ann Donaldson, Beverly Wilkins, Tom Crowther, Elizabeth Woodbridge, Bill Bergquist, Marjorie Moerschner and Toby and Wesley Frost.

Tom gave the treasurer's report. He noted that we have received the grant money to enable us to prepare a prisoner art show in the spring. We have also receive a donation from Mark Eckstein, and we thank him for his generosity and thoughtfulness.

Meredith McKay, Director of the Lowell Community Correction Center, is very pleased to have the art show there, The date still has to be worked out.

Lynda Justice has retired. We have enjoyed working with her over the years and wish her all the best! She left us some drawings for the art show, and Tom will pick them up.

Mary Ann will write MCPCC's annual fund-raising letter to send out in February.

Beverly had a good conversation with Sean McAdams, the new director of Human Services who is a Deputy Superintendent at the prison. Among other things, he is charged with developing new programs. He is a friend of Robin Casarjian, and is very much in favor of the Houses of Healing program.

Beverly has ordered In the Place of Darkness for the prison library.

Rev. Clovis Turner reports that Moose River Camp in Maine has reopened, but is longer just for the children of prisoners.

Retirement seems to be in the air. Beverly told us that she would like to retire as MCPCC coordinator by next June at the latest. We are very sorry to- think of her retiring- she is a wonderful, creative and inspiring coordinator- but we do understand her reasons and respect her wishes. We will be looking for a new coordinator and will keep you informed.

We would very much like to have more of you come to our meetings and give us your input. Attorney Lee Gartenburg will be our speaker in February, and this would be an especially interesting meeting for you to attend! Second Church is just up from Washington Street in West Newton Square.

NEXT MEETING: WEDNESDAY, FEB. 8, AT 7:00 PM

SECOND CHURCH IN NEWTON 60 HIGHLAND STREET, WEST NEWTON