MIDDLESEX COUNTY PRISON COORDINATING COMMITTEE NEWSLETTER

MCPCC met on Sept. 13, 2006 in West Newton. Those present were Tom Crowther, Mary Ann Donaldson, Joanne Glover, Marjorie Moerschner, Elizabeth Woodbridge, and most especially MCPCC's new coordinator, Mark Hemenway.

Mary Ann, as chairman, opened the meeting. She welcomed Mark on behalf of the committee, and asked him to give an opening prayer. Mark prayed for the work of the committee and for guidance as we start a new season and seek new ways to be effective.

Tom gave the Treasurer's report. There have been several recent donations as follows:

First Church of Christ, Congregational, in Bedford

Lucille W. Weisner

Dorothy E. Weitzman

Al and Mary Fullerton

These donations have been helpful and much appreciated.

Mark reported that Sean McAdam, the director of Human Services at Billerica is back at work after suffering a broken collarbone. Carol Peters continues to lead her popular Houses of Healing courses at Billerica. She has recently been given an award by the Dept of Corrections for her work as a volunteer at the prison. Such recognition is truly deserved; it's great to hear this.

ART SHOW! We have a date, SUNDAY,OCTOBER 15 from 3 to 6 PM. The place: the Lowell Community Counseling Center, 291 Summer Street, Lowell. Refreshments will be served. Beverly Wilkins will be there and will receive recognition from Sheriff DiPaola for her years as MCPCC's coordinator. Please put this event on your calendars! Please come!

The art work has been professionally framed and hung by Judy and Eric Lustig. After the show the pictures will return to the

prison and be permanently displayed in the new facility.

The organization which arranged the campership program for children of prisoners has changed its procedures and requirements. MCPCC and several of its supporting churches have given to this worthwhile program in the past, but because of these changes we were unable to do so this year. Mark will try to get more information.

Joanne invited the committee to attend a Lyceum focused on prisons and criminal justice issues at the Bedford Unitarian Church on Sunday Oct. 8, to take place before the regular service. We will be glad to do so. Mark will make a brief presentation to be followed by an open discussion. The service that Sunday will be conducted by two speakers from the City Mission Society's Public Voice Project, in which ex-inmates talk about their experiences in prison and after prison.

Chaplain Thomas is collecting Christmas cards for inmates to send to their families. All cards should have envelopes, and the men prefer cards with messages. Charity cards are fine; we all get so many sent to us at this time of year. Rev. Thomas needs to have the cards in hand by Dec. 1.

We spent a bit of time discussing projects for the coming months and where we should be going as a committee. This will be an ongoing discussion.

NEXT MEETING: 7:00 pm WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2006

SECOND CHURCH IN NEWTON 60 HIGHLAND STREET, WEST NEWTON

Talent from Behind the Walls

An Exhibition of Inmate Art

Sunday, October 15, 3-6 pm

Lowell Community Counseling Center

291 Summer Street, Lowell

Map & directions at www.mcpcc.info

Free admission and parking adjacent

Hosted by Sheriff James V. DiPaola

Organized by MCPCC, Inc.

40 pictures created by inmates

at the Billerica House of Correction