Annual gala planned for SYFS.

COLUMN: Neighbors

SHREWSBURY - The fifth annual Gala for Shrewsbury Youth & Family Services will be held from 5:30 to 11 p.m. Feb. 28 at St. John's High School. The event is a fundraiser to support SYFS programs for local children and families.

The gala will be hosted by Jen Carter from WXLO-FM 104.5 and includes a cocktail reception with live music. There will also be a large silent auction, a three-course gourmet dinner by award-winning Struck Catering, presentations of the 2009 Outstanding Youth of Shrewsbury and Harry S. Cutting awards, and a live grand drawing. The keynote speaker will be author Lynn Donohue.

Tickets are $75 and can be purchased by calling [phone] or going to the SYFS office, 240 Maple Ave.

Also, time is running out to buy tickets for the Feb. 28 grand drawing that also will help support SYFS programs. The grand prize is a trip to Disney World, a Cabo San Lucas vacation or $2,500 in cash. Other prizes include a fighter-pilot-for-a-day package, a large plasma HDTV, $1,000 in cash and box seats at a Red Sox game. Winners need not be present at the drawing. Tickets, one for $25 or five for $100, are available in Shrewsbury at Commerce Bank, Central One Federal Credit Union, or the SYFS office, 240 Maple Ave.

SYSF is the town's only private, nonprofit community counseling and social services agency. For more information, go to www.syfs.cfsites.org.

Local students

to perform in BYSO 

The Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras will perform at Symphony Hall in Boston at 3 p.m. April 5. The BYSO consists of about 420 students representing more than 120 communities from New England. The orchestras consist of three ensembles, the Young People's String Orchestra; the Intensive Community Program, which brings fine music training to students who may not otherwise have access to it; and the Boston Youth Symphony.

Local musicians who will perform include:

Young People's String Orchestra - Zoe Chang of Northboro, violin, Grade 4, Lincoln Street Elementary School; Yang Lin of Northboro, violin, Grade 8, Melican Middle School; Eric Cui of Shrewsbury, violin, Grade 7, Oak Middle School; and Nathan Geurkink of Whitinsville, cello, Worcester Academy, Grade 6.

Boston Youth Symphony - Chris Coyne of Paxton, oboe, Grade 11, Wachusett Regional High School, and Emilie Campanelli of Westboro, violin, Grade 10.

Under the baton of music director Federico Cortese, the BYS students will perform Mahler's Symphony No. 5 in C sharp minor. Tickets are $25; call the Symphony Hall Box Office at [phone]. More information about the BYSO and its 51st season schedule is available at www.BYSOweb.org.

Foundation awards education grants

SHREWSBURY - Clint Mills, president of the Shrewsbury Education Foundation, dropped us a line to tell us that his organization recently held its annual awards dinner where they honored Shrewsbury teachers who were awarded grants to fund projects in their schools.

Since its inception in 1992, Mr. Mills said, the foundation has awarded nearly $250,000 in grants. In 2008, the foundation awarded $15,400 in grants. He said the money is used for programs and is not used to pay for teachers' time.

Mr. Mills thanked Philips Healthcare for its third annual grant sponsorship, and Shrewsbury Federal Credit Union and Danielson Flowers for their support as well. He also thanked Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Murray for being the guest speaker at the awards dinner and presenting a citation from Gov. Deval Patrick's office to retiring School Superintendent Anthony Bent.

School event raises $2,000 for activities

SHREWSBURY - The combined PTO for Sherwood and Oak Middle Schools recently hosted a coffee house with refreshments and entertainment. Each school team at Oak Middle School put together baskets to raffle, and approximately $2,000 was raised in two hours. The money will be used for student activities.

The talent show was student-driven and the Oak Middle School jazz band performed under the direction of director Phil Koziara.

Holiday House Tour rated a success

WESTBORO - The Westboro Woman's Club is thanking the community for supporting its Holiday House Tour. Five homeowners opened their doors to more than 120 people to view architecture, design and holiday decor. Proceeds from the tour are used for community improvement projects and scholarships.

The club's next fundraiser will be the annual Fashion Show and Luncheon on April 4 at the Double Tree Hotel. Tickets are available by calling Judy at [phone]. The fashions will be provided by Stein Mart. There will be vendors from 11:30 to 12:30 p.m., and a lunch will be served at 12:30.

ART: PHOTOS

PHOTOG: SUMITTED PHOTO

CUTLINE: (1) Shrewsbury Youth & Family Services volunteers, shown with some of the silent auction items for the annual gala, are: back row from left, Michael Gregory, Virginia Winship, Kelly Marcimo, Helen McLaughlin, Kristin Koe; and, front row from left, Cathy Sampson, Annette Vaillant, Dina Nichols, Karen Donovan-Bean.

From left, Melissa Horne, from the Westboro Woman's Club, and Karen Hutchinson at Ms. Hutchinson's home during the recent Holiday House Tour. (2) From left, Karen Ludington, president and CEO of Children's Friend Inc. of Worcester; Claudia Meade, general manager of Panera Bread of Shrewsbury; and Marleen Kilcoyne, development associate at Children's Friend, with a big check representing money donated by Panera to Children's Friend.

Students from the Oak Middle School jazz band perform during a recent coffee house held at the school to raise money for student activities.