As summer approaches, Holliston Newcomers & Neighbors’ year of activities comes to a close. Our year started off with a bang last fall helping our community through Thanksgiving Baskets and Thanksgiving Senior Meals, while the community also had some fun with our Great Pumpkin Trail Walk and Gingerbread House Decorating Party. These fundraisers, along with the fundraisers earlier in 2019, all benefited the 2020 HNN Community Grant Fund. To start 2020, after review of the many grant requests, the HNN Community Grant Fund was distributed to the following deserving recipients:

●      Holliston Public Library for discounted Museum Passes

●      Parks and Recreation for their free Summer Concert Series

●      Holliston Fire Department for an Ice Commander Rescue Suit

●      Holliston Police Department for Flex-safe Barricades

●      Holliston Community Farm for Electrical Upgrade

●      Marigold Project for additional Bulbs for Fall Planting

Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, two of our traditional fundraisers - Princess & Superhero Party scheduled for April & Touch-A-Truck scheduled for June, had to be cancelled. This was not only sad that our community missed out on attending these fun events, but this also meant that the HNN Community Grant Fund would be missing out as well. But with a little planning and a lot of support from our local businesses, HNN introduced a new online fundraiser - A Prize A Day for the Month of May. We hope that everyone had fun waiting to see if they were a winner every day in May. We had so much fun running it - this may just become an annual event! And of course, the community can always help HNN give back by contributing directly to the HNN Community Grant Fund here https://hollistonnewcomers.org/Donate.

The HNN membership social calendar had some adjusting to do as well. After a series of fun get-togethers in the fall including the Children's Trick-or-Treating at Mission Springs, a Ladies Escape November social, a December Dinner Club of hors d’oeurves as well as our monthly Book Club - HNN went virtual. We ‘Zoom’d’ to our monthly board meetings, Book Club get-togethers, Ladies Night In social, and a Saturday morning children’s playdate. Thank goodness for technology!

Of course, we could not have accomplished all this without the support of our 2020 sponsors

●      Gold Sponsors: Harelick Dental Associates & Goldfish Swim School in Milford

●      Silver Sponsors: Tink’s Magical Vacations with Donna and Jensen Sheehan Insurance

●      Bronze Sponsors: Blessed Beginnings Preschool, Dr. Preussner Aesthetic and Family Dentistry, The Bloom Center for Esthetic Dentistry, the Prana Center, Archambault Construction, & Farrell Pool Service

We look back on this year of ups and downs knowing that with some adjustments and a bit of creativity - HNN was still able to accomplish our mission of giving back and bringing people together. If HNN sounds like something you want to be a part of - then become a member at hollistonnewcomers.org/members. We look forward to a new year of fun starting again in the fall. See you around town!

Holliston Newcomers & Neighbors - Building Friendships, Building Community