Third Square Apartments, Equity Residential’s newest premier property located in Cambridge, teamed up with its sister property in Boston - The West End Apartments – for the annual Teddy Bear Drive for Shriners Hospitals for Children. Donation boxes were tastefully placed in building lobbies, and residents are able to spread some holiday cheer by donating a new, unwrapped stuffed animal for a child staying at the hospital.
Top row, left to right, are David Simon of Shriners Hospital; Michaelena Harnois of Third Square Apartments; Emily King of Third Square Apartments; Rebecca Parmenter of Shriners Hospital; Mary Jo Baryza of Shriners Hospital; Greg White, development for Equity Residential; Stephanie Wild of The West End Apartments/Third Square Apartments; Stephanie Clark of Shriners Hospital; and Stacey Paveo of The West End Apartments.
Bottom row, left to right, are Casimir Deronette of Third Square Apartments; Jeremy Feldman of Equity Corporate Housing; Lisa Donovan of Shriners Hospiital; and Connor Lennon of The West End Apartments.

Area A-1, which includes Beacon Hill, Charlestown, Chinatown and downtown, experienced an 11-percent decrease in violent and property crime in 2009, compared with the pervious year.
According to Boston Police, Part One crime incidents have dropped to 3,137 from 3,514 in 2008.
Burglaries and attempted burglaries were down 29 percent as the number of incidents dropped to 155 from 218 the previous year. Captain Bernard O’Rourke of Boston Police attributed the decline in this category in part to an increase in directed patrols and “safe street teams” assigned to A-1 hot spots, including Downtown Crossing, the Financial District and the area south of Park Plaza.
“This allows officers to stay in the areas to which they’re assigned, rather than responding to outside calls,” O’Rourke said.
Aggravated assaults dropped 19 percent as the number of incidents fell to 269 last year from 334 in 2008. O’Rourke chalked up this trend to an increase in patrol initiatives paid for by nightclubs in the Boylston Place Alley, as well as the areas around Stuart and Tremont streets and Broad and State streets.
Robberies and attempted robberies were down 13 percent as the number dropped to 196 in 2009, compared with 224 in 2008.
Vehicle theft and attempted vehicle theft were down 10-percent – an ongoing trend that O’Rourke continues to credit to car keys equipped with computer chips and other new technology.
Larcenies and attempted larcenies saw a 10-percent decrease. While O’Rourke said while shoplifting remains a prevalent problem in Area A-1, the arrest of several key players in 2009 brought about a dramatic decrease in number of larcenies from motor vehicles.
The number of homicides dropped to one in 2009 from three in 2008 while the number of rapes and attempted rapes remained steady at 16 both years.
“A lot of these incidents involve date rape or parties who are known to each other,” O’Rourke said.
Despite the overall decrease in violent and property crimes, O’Rourke said police remained committed to combating drug dealing, public intoxication and other quality-of-life issues.
“Some of the biggest obstacles we deal with are quality-of-life issues, and we’ll continue to work on those, as well,” O’Rourke said.
Citywide, Part One crime was down 8-percent, with 26,604 incidents last year, compared with 28,908 in 2008.

The Hampshire House recently presented a $10,000 check to the Jimmy Fund, one of the benefactors of the Cheers for Children Charity program.
The donation was raised at the Hampshire House Anniversary Party, which took place on Nov. At that time, Tom Babson, a Beacon Hill resident who played Tom the Lawyer on the TV series “Cheers” TV show, was honored for his charity work the night with the Cheers for Children and Tenacity charities.
Pictured, left to right, are Sara O'Malley, Hampshire House marketing coordinator; Chef Jose Fuentes; Jen Noonan, adolescent specialist for the Jimmy Fund; Billy DeCain, general manager of Cheers Beacon Hill; Lisa Scherber, patient activities coordinator for the Jimmy Fund; Chef Fouad Hairoufe, sous chef for the Hampshire House; Tom Babson; Janet Kershaw; Jon Whales, manager of Cheers Beacon Hill; Chef Sandro Julio; Thomas Kershaw, owner of the Hampshire House Corp.; and Markus Ripperger, vice president of operations for the Hampshire House.

CAPTION: Miles Marden, Belmont Hill School student and West Hill Place resident, receives Merit Award on behalf of his school community, for donation of DVD players to the children. Pictured, from left to right: Marilyn Gifford, MGH Pediatric Child Life Specialist; Marden; and Paul Bartush, Director, Volunteer, Interpreter, Information Ambassadors and General Store Services.

This holiday season was a little brighter for terminally ill children at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), thanks to the efforts of Miles Marden, a West Hill Place resident and freshman at the Belmont Hill School who delivered 13 portable DVD players for use in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit last month.
“It makes me feel good knowing that it gives them the opportunity to not think about their situation and just be happy for a couple hours out of the day,” Miles said.
Last summer, Miles wanted to volunteer to work with children at the hospital and met with Wayne Newell, Program manager of Volunteer Services for MGH. Miles soon realized, however, that the time commitment for the hospital’s traditional volunteer program far exceeded what he could devote to on top of his school and extracurricular obligations.
Miles then consulted with Newell and MGH Pediatric Child Life Specialist Marilyn Gifford and came up the idea of donating DVD player for sick children staying at the hospital to use.
“This was a new twist for a high school student to do something like this,” Newell said. “We broke out of the mold by allowing him to volunteer without having to physically be at the hospital.”
Newell added that many of the children who are now using the donated DVD player are unable to leave their rooms and somewhat isolated.
“These are kids who can’t come out of their rooms while other kids are in the playroom watching movies,” he said. “With the DVD players Miles obtained these pediatric patients can enjoy the joy and amusement in their rooms”
After receiving the blessing from MGH, Miles began selling candy to his classmates at the Belmont Hill School with the help of Donna David, advisor to the school’s Community Service Programs, and the Middle School Community Service Team. David also sent an e-mail to parents on Miles’ behalf, asking for donations of cash and gently used DVD players.
On Dec. 10, Miles delivered the DVD players to the hospital and was presented with a Special Recognition Award by hospital officials, but he said that his school truly deserves the credit.
“Without the Belmont Hill community, I never could have done this,” Miles said. “I’m fortunate that the people at my school rallied behind me with the resources to bring the DVD players to the table.”
Despite Miles’ modesty, his mother, Suzy Marden, is proud of his accomplishment and generous nature.
“I continue to learn a lot from Miles,” Suzy said. “Miles is not in it for the accolades - I think that makes him uncomfortable. He is 100 percent committed to the goal, and I think this attitude makes for a contagious spirit.”
In fact, Miles first indulged his philanthropic side as a fifth-grader when he sold posters signed by a number of jazz legends to help build housing for New Orleans musicians who were displaced following Hurricane Katrina. His efforts eventually netted $3,500 in relief money for the non-profit Habits for Humanity.
For Miles, however, there is a clear distinction between his work to support New Orleans and this latest cause.
“This time, there wasn’t a natural disaster that called me to help out,” Miles said. “I just wanted to give back to people in the community.”

The dead of winter

It is the dead of winter – that quintessentially New England moment in the midst of the snow and cold when there is just as much of it in front of us as already behind.
It is the dead of winter and we face at least three more months of frigid cold, show and ice.
The earth is frozen. Our minds become locked in this moment when everything in front of us is as difficult as everything already behind.
The darkness of the early morning determines how our connection to the sunlight can dictate how we feel.
Then there is the setting sun early in the afternoon and the darkness, again, long before we want it to appear.
This is the time of year – January’s short cold days – when those who suffer from depression have an especially hard time.
However, there are many more who live for the winter, for this moment, and who love the cold, the early darkness and the snow.
These are the hardy souls who love the New England winter, who enjoy it for what it is without fighting it or wishing they were in Florida.
On Beacon Hill and in Back Bay residents, visitors, tourists and shoppers walk faster and bundle up. They pay homage to the dead of winter, to the bitter chill, to the snow frozen on the ground and under our feet.
There is no rest for the weary who hate it.
There is the joy in having it here for those who love it.
The dead of winter comes each time this year.
It is here. It is real.
Not to worry – it won’t last very long.
In another week, we’re on the other side of it.
Next month, its presence is already retreating.
By April, we’ll have it licked.
Just the same, it is a long time until April.

The Patriots, Athens and Rome

The past glory of the New England Patriots is like the past glory of Athens and Rome.
The Patriot’s loss to the Ravens over the weekend represented the diminution of their empire, the piercing of their legend, the collapse, if you will, of their football empire almost in its entirety.
The Golden Age of Athens under Pericles lasted but 50 years.
Rome’s decline hastened under the Caesars – and Roman democracy came to an end when Caesar crossed the Rubicon.
Tom Brady – for about five years – has been both Pericles and Caesar combined, leading the New England football team to greatness.
Following the weekend debacle, the greatness of the Patriots, like the empires and dynasties that came before, lies in the ashes, or in this instance, on the artificial turf.
The boos inside the stadium exceeded the cheers on Sunday afternoon.
Nothing lasts forever.