• ONE WARM COAT DRIVE - Fall of 2008
• HELPED TO REBUILD LIBRARIES IN NEW ORLEANS with BOOK DRIVE- Winter 2008
• MORGAN LAWLER FUNDRAISER-Organized HAT DAY, donated time and classes for silent auction-Fall of 2008
• JON LINDSKOG GOLF TOURNAMENT-donated classes for silent auction, 2007 to present
• MISS NEW BEDFORD annually donated $250.00 scholarship, 2006-present
• MISS TAUNTON-annual donation of Miss Congeniality Award cash prize, 2007-present
• MIDDLEBORO PLAYGROUND-donated classes for silent auction
• Vietnam Moving Wall Exhibit- June 2008- volunteered to sing National Anthem and to sent students to read names of fallen soldiers
• Chernobyl Children Project 2008- Organized entire gala in Braintree, Massachusetts and hosted HAT DAY

Local girl to help four children in need of immediate care

Molly Whalen of Middleboro, Massachusetts will be selling Mardi Gras beads at the Chernobyl Children Project, USA Goodwill Gala-An Evening of Care and Compassion event on Friday, May 9th, 2008 at the Sheraton Braintree Hotel at 7:00pm. The bead game is just one of the activities planned to help defray the costs needed to provide immediate surgery for four Chernobyl children in need of two Spinal Fusions and two Pectus Excavatum procedures.

Molly Whalen of Middleboro will be selling Mardi Gras beads at CCP Event on May 9th.

Molly, a senior at Coyle and Cassidy High School, has been working with local CCP community coordinator Lorna Brunelle on various fundraisers over the past year. One of her favorite CCP memories took place last year when she portrayed Alice from Alice in Wonderland at a story time breakfast for children in Middleboro. Molly was recently quoted saying, “The CCP really touched my heart because these children need our support. I love helping children. Just knowing that I am not only helping families in my area, but that I am helping children and families across the globe, really makes me want to do as much as I can to make a difference. The Goodwill Gala will feature a silent and live auction, entertainment, tasty Hors D'oeuvres and tempting desserts. The event will be emceed by celebrity guest and Channel 5 Meteorologist, Mike Wankum.
The Chernobyl Children Project USA is the largest organization in the U.S. that provides medical treatment and respite care for children from the Chernobyl-affected areas of Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. Based in Boston, Chernobyl Children Project USA arranges medical care in the U.S. for children suffering from a wide variety of ailments and places them with volunteer host families during their stay. The project has provided care for more than 1,400 children. The project has also provided equipment, supplies and training to medical institutions and personnel in the region totaling over $5 million. Boston-area doctors and hospitals have performed surgeries totaling more than $4 million. Each year, more than $450,000 in diagnostic medical services are donated from 15 area hospitals. U.S. doctors also travel to the area to train their counterparts in the use of donated medical equipment, such as ultrasounds for diagnosing thyroid problems.
CCP President Patty Doyle will be traveling to Russia the week of April 19th to organize the children's 2008 summer stay in Massachusetts. Children from Chernobyl will be arriving in Boston on June 24, 2008. It's not too late to get involved and open your heart and home to these wonderful children. Last year, 22 CCP children and 2 adult translators stayed with host families in Middleboro, Lakeville, Taunton and Carver. For information on applying to become a host family, please download a host family application 2008 document on the CCP site at www.ccpusa.org. Lorna Brunelle is collecting gift certificates and auction items for the gala. People interested in donating their time or items for the May 9th event, are encouraged to contact Lorna at 508-946-1071.
Tickets for the Goodwill Gala are $50.00 per person or $500.00 per reserved table. For more information on purchasing tickets to the Goodwill Gala or to make a donation, go to www.ccpusa.org and click on the link on the home page, or contact Patty Doyle at 781-251-0137. Snail mail ticket orders can be sent to: Chernobyl Children Project USA, 75 McNeil Way, Suite 305, Dedham, MA 02026

Molly Caron's Story
Click here for more

Tuesday, March 18th at 7:00pm there will
be a CCP Summer 2008 Open House
at the Burt Wood School of
Performing Arts

The Children Arrived in
Boston, MA - Tuesday,
June 26th!
Chernobyl Children's Project USA, Inc.

2007 Photos

Chernobyl Children Project USA to host Summer 2008 open house
MIDDLEBORO — Chernobyl Children Project USA Community Coordinator Lorna Brunelle is hosting a CCP Summer 2008 open house on Tuesday, March 18 at 7 p.m. at the Burt Wood School of Performing Arts, 63 Anderson Ave. All families interested in hosting CCP children this summer are encouraged to attend.

The Chernobyl Children Project USA is the largest organization in the U.S. that provides medical treatment and respite care for children from the Chernobyl-affected areas of Belarus, Russia and Ukraine.
Based in Boston, Chernobyl Children Project USA arranges medical care in the U.S. for children suffering from a wide variety of ailments and places them with volunteer host families during their stay. The project has provided care for more than 1,400 children.
Chernobyl Children Project USA has also provided equipment, supplies and training to medical institutions and personnel in the region totaling over $5 million. Boston-area doctors and hospitals have performed surgeries totaling more than $4 million.
Each year, more than $450,000 in diagnostic medical services are donated from 15 area hospitals. U.S. doctors also travel to the area to train their counterparts in the use of donated medical equipment, such as ultrasounds for diagnosing thyroid problems.
For more information call 508-946-1071 or visit www.ccpusa.org or www.burtwoodschool.com.

Chernobyl Children Project USA Community Coordinator Lorna Brunelle pictured at the 2007 Ice Cream Social with

Irina Abramenko of Klintsy, Liza Babakova of Klinsty and Tatyana Khodanova of Klinsty. All three girls stayed with The Karen and Gino Iolli of Lakeville last summer. On Tuesday, March 18th at 7:00pm there will be a CCP Summer 2008 Open House at the Burt Wood School of Performing Arts at 63 Anderson Avenue in Middleboro. All interested host families are encouraged to attend. For more info call 508-946-1071.

Local families look forward to unique summer guests!

Lorna with the Stearn family welcoming their CCP children and their interpreter in Boston on June 26. A total of 22 children are staying in the Middleboro-Lakeville area this month.

Click here for more on this wonderful CCP USA Project!

Chernobyl Children's Project USA, Inc.
(For more info click here)

A reason to smile (click for more info)

Chernobyl Children Project USA Inc. in the South Coast Today News
"Getting to Know You" (click for more info)

Aly Levy with Congressman
William Delahunt and State Rep Candidate Tom Calterpromoting her T.O.Y.S. platform "Together Offering Youth Safety." Aly is collecting stuffed animals to present to fire houses in Massachusetts. First responders rely on the toys to establish arelationship of trust if they arrive on a scene and find children in danger. Aly will be collecting toys until November 1st at the Burt Wood School.

Please check out a short documentary about the Burtwood School of Performing Arts on Rep. Tom Calter's website. http://www.tcalter.com

Volunteering for State Reps State Rep Tom Calter, Tom O'Brien and Steve Canessa
Burt Wood staff members, Miss Lorna, Miss Melissa, Miss Erica and Miss Val have all volunteered their time and talent to help State Representative's O'Brien and Canessa by serving on their campaigns and singing for their events.

National Anthem sung at Historical Middleboro Town Meeting on July 28th known as the "Casino Meeting", National Anthem sung at the renaming/reopening of the former Memorial High/Junior High in Middleboro now named Memorial on August11th.

Amy de Silva, 11, was selected to open a recent tribute to Nobel Prize winner Dr. Craig Mello, who came to the presentation of Gov. Deval Patrick in support of stem cell research. To see the video of Amy click here for more...

Dartmouth Girl and Senate President Murray
Eleven year old Dartmouth resident Amy de Silva performed last week for State Representative Tom Calter (D-12th Plymouth) during an annual fundraiser. Amy, a voice student of the Burt Wood School of Performing Arts in Middleboro, was invited to sing at this event by her voice teacher Lorna Brunelle.

Amy de Silva with Senate President, Therese Murray

Miss Brunelle is a member of State Rep Calters' committee and servers as a volunteer throughout the year. This February, State Rep Tom Calter was introduced to Amy de Silva after judging the annual Burt Wood Idol scholarship fundraiser.

Miss de Silva, a contestant in the Burt Wood Idol fundraiser, made a monumental impact on the panel of judges with her moving rendition of the patriotic song "American Tears."  That evening, Amy was declared the winner of the Jr. Category of the Burt Wood Idol leaving a lasting impression on State Rep Calter.

In search of the perfect number to open the festivities at State Rep Calter's annual fundraiser at Coughlin and Coughlin in Kingston, Massachusetts,  Tom discussed the idea of having Amy perform "American Tears' for the crowd on May 31st, 2007.

Thrilled to be a part of the event, Miss de Silva enthusiastically excepted the invitation. Moments before singing her solo, she had the honor of meeting Senate President, Therese Murray. Immediately following her song, Murray invited Amy to sing in Boston at the State House for the Senate and House of Representatives at a meeting later on this month.

Amy de Silva with State Rep Tom Calter (12th Plymouth)

 "I was unbelievably impressed by the amount of time Senator Murray spent encouraging Amy to pursue all of her dreams! Despite her busy schedule, she stopped everything that night and focused all of her attention on Amy leaving her with a message of hope and inspiration for the future. It was a moment I'm sure she  will not soon forget!" -Lorna Brunelle

Amy is the daughter of Catherine and William de Silva
of Dartmouth and 5th grader at the George H. Potter School in Dartmouth. For more information contact Lorna Brunelle at The Burt Wood School of Performing Arts in Middleboro at 508-946-1071 or visit www.burtwoodschool.com

Scholarships: Each year we have a fundraiser to raise money for deserving Burt Wood School students in their senior year of High School preparing for college. Since 1995, we have raised and donated over $14,000.00 to community students in addition to supporting an outside scholarship, THE SEAN Michael EWAS FUND, as Sean was a member of our summer program when he was a young boy. For a list of past recipients click under scholarship on this site.

Also this past year and currently Burt Wood has donated $250.00 to the Miss New Bedford Pageant in 2006 and $250.00 to the Miss New Bedford Pageant in 2007.

Each year the Burt Wood teachers volunteer for the Rotary Auction as a guest auctioneers for the live scholarship auction in addition to donating items to the event.

Each year the Burt Wood School donates time and resources to the Local 691 Scholarship Golf Tournament.

The Burt Wood School has provided volunteer National Anthem Singers for:

• countless Middleboro Town Meetings over the past 11 years
• The McDonald's of Middleboro Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
• Cobra's Football Games
• The Middleboro Elks Flag Day Ceremony
• The Middleboro Rotary Meetings
• The 4-H Fair Opening Ceremonies

The Burt Wood Staff National Anthem trio have volunteered to sing the Anthem for:

• Fenway Park , The Red Sox
• Gillette Stadium, The Revolution Soccer Team
• Mohegan Sun, opening for Scott Record
• Massachusetts State House at the request of Tom O'Brien
• The Unity Rally in Middleboro at the Town Hall after 9/11
• Veteran's Day Ceremonies in Middleboro at the Brick Park
• Sam's Club Opening in Plymouth Mass (Miss Lorna, Miss Melissa and Miss Erica
  had $1000 donated in their name to the Dana Farber Children's Creative and Performing Arts Programs in Boston donated by Sam's Club to thank us for singing at the opening.)
• The Brockton Rox
• Shannon O'Brien/Democratic Breakfast in Rockland , Mass
• Middleboro Town Meeting
• State Police Officers Annual Meeting

The Burt Wood School staff and students have volunteered to sing and have provided music (singers) to the following organizations:

• The Middleboro C.O.A., Miss Lorna was the director of a senior citizen choir.
• The Middleboro C.O.A., Miss Lorna was the soloist for their annual Mother's Day concert for years and brought my students to sing for them each year.
• Burt Wood traveling road show choir students provided music at several local nursing homes in Middleboro including Oak Hill, Hannah B. Shaw and the Montgomery Home each year.
• Burt Wood teachers Miss Lorna and Miss Melissa for the Camp Street Ministries Annual Fundraiser in Rhode Island at the Roger's Williams Zoo.
• Burt Wood Staff provided music and sang for State Rep Tom O'Brien's annual fundraiser.
• Burt Wood staff provided singers and music for the town of Middleboro Employees Annual Holiday Party.
• Miss Lorna provided music programs (Holiday songs and games) for Mrs. Turner's class at the Lincoln D. Lynch School, Mrs. Penini's class at the School Street School and Mrs. Silva's class at the Burkland School.
• The Burt Wood School provided music for the 100th Anniversary of the Middleboro Public Library "Centennial Vaudeville Show."
• The Burt Wood staff provided music and sang for Nemasket River Productions annual Mardi gras fundraiser.
• The Burt Wood staff provided music and singers for the Park Department Activities in addition to running a talent show near the playground for students.
• The Burt Wood staff providing music and singing for the Cabot Club of Middleboro.
• The Burt Wood staff providing singers and performers to Edaville Railroad in Carver Mass.
• The Burt Wood staff performed "A Century Of Music" all over the communities in celebration of the Millennium Year.
• The Burt Wood staff providing singers and music to the Assawomsette Family Fun Day in Lakeville Mass.
• The Burt Wood staff providing singers and music to the Soule Homestead Festival in addition to making annual donations of classes and promotional items to their raffle.
• The Burt Wood students and faculty have Christmas Caroled through downtown Middleboro and caroled for local Nursing Homes for years with the students including shows at the Kimwell Rehabilitative Nursing Home in Fall River, The Oak Hill Nursing Home in Middleboro, the Hannah B. Shaw home in Middleboro, The Montgomery Home in Middleboro, and several nursing homes in Rhode Island and Southeastern Mass.
• Donated theatrical costumes, sets and props to the Middleboro High School, The Nichols Middle School, Coyle and Cassidy High School in Taunton, St. Mary's School in Taunton, the Foxboro Theatre Group, Heart To Heart Productions in Taunton, each year we donate classes and gift certificates to the Herring Run Arts Festival and The Soule Homestead Festival in addition to lining up student directors each year.

Presented an Encore Performance of the Musical GODSPELL as a fundraiser for Police Officers Lake and Silva of Middleboro:

It was brought to our attention that police officers Lake and Silva were in desperate need of community support. One officer was wounded on duty and the other officer's wife was terminally ill with cancer. The Burt Wood School presented an encore production of GODSPELL and donated all of the proceeds to the Middleboro Policeman's Union to benefit the families of those officers.

Sold tickets to and wrote press for Police Officer Raymond Stairs to raise money for his benefit during his battle with cancer.

• Offered a complimentary Creative and Performing Arts five week summer program at the Middleboro Library for two years.
• Set up a face painting booth at the Travis Albert Carnival Fund Raiser in Lakeville Mass.
• Burt Wood Staff Members Judged the State Wide D.E.C.A. Conference at the Sea Crest in Falmouth for several years.
• Burt Wood staff members Judged South Coast Idol for several years at New Bedford High
• Served food on Thanksgiving at the Middleboro C.O.A. to the homeless
• Volunteered with the Boston Conservatory for years helping to cast children in their annual main stage productions, wrote press and attended rehearsals.
• Burt Wood staff and students served as the behind the scenes stage managers for the Scott Record Veterans (Brick) Park Fundraiser at the Nichols Middle School helping Paul Provencher with the program, press, the sound operator, the lighting operators and helping to tie up all loose ends.

September 11th Volunteerism:

• Created a 9/11 Bumper Sticker "These Stripes Stand Tall" with graphic designer Donna Gaudet to raise money for the Fireman of New York.
• Had a car wash at the Rockland Trust Bank in Middleboro to raise money for the Red Cross.
• Recorded and sold "Hear Our Song" a 9/11 CD with the students staff members of the Burt Wood School to raise money for the Todd M. Beamer Foundation set up for the children that lost parents on 9/11.
• Sang at the Middleboro Unity Rally.
• Had the students of the Burt Wood School write letters to the troupes in Afghanistan and Iraq.
• "Operation Shoe Box" had students fill boxes with tolietries, papers, stamps, and other necessities to mail to the troops.

Additional Volunteer Credits:

• Habitat for Humanity: Burt Wood students collected household items in a box in the office to give to the family moving in to a Habitat House in Plymouth Mass. (Miss Lorna's husband painted the Habitat House in Middleboro)
• Flamingo for Breast Cancer: Miss Lorna's mother saw an article about a woman that was selling Pink Flamingos to raise money for breast cancer - so they drove to Waltham to pick up several flocks of birds and sold them at the Burt Wood School . Once they sold out, they returned for more - raising quite a bit for cancer research.
• Volunteered for the Alexander Gamache Memorial Playground by providing music.
• Lent costumes to the Assawomsette Playground Fundraiser in Lakeville.
• Career Day Volunteer Guest Speakers in the Taunton and Norton Public School Systems
• Each summer the Burt Wood School offers a free matinee of our Summer Arts Festival Show to the children of the Middleboro Park Department. The students are invited to the final dress rehearsal at MHS. This enables hundreds of children to experience live theatre without their parents having to buy tickets, which can become pricey if you have a large family or are on a fixed income, to the actual weekend shows.
• Donated "HEAR OUR SONG" 9/11 CDs to Laura Corlin's group the The Star Might Foundation (a group that shares music with children all over the country) located in Strafford , NH 03884
• Volunteer Projects That "Hit Home" with Miss Lorna:
• Miss Lorna Volunteered with her mother at Camp Edwards with the Victims of Hurricane Katrina as part of OPERATION HELPING HAND, through the Barnstable County Sheriff's Office, Miss Lorna worked on base with her mother September and October of 2005.
• Volunteered at Mass Eye and Ear in May of 2006 at the request of surgeon, Dr. Greg Randolph, Miss Lorna was asked to be part of the 20th Anniversary Chernobyl Convocation as a means to raise thyroid cancer awareness. As part of the guest panel, she spoke to doctors and patients about her journey through thyroid cancer. Miss Lorna was also invited to volunteer throughout the year on various thyroid cancer activities
• Children's Chernobyl Project:  Miss Lorna has been raising awareness for this group since the fall of 2004. The documentary "FAITH WORKS" has been passed around along with a New Hampshire Chronicle segment on the Children's Chernobyl Summer Host family program (featuring anchor woman and life long friend Jennifer Vaughn) as a means to getting people more involved with this cause. This past spring, Miss Lorna introduced the C.C.P. summer host family program to friends Rose and John Ewas and shortly after, they hosted two children from Belarus. Since then, she has spoken on behalf of the C.C.P. to members of the Middleboro Cabot Club and Middleboro Rotary. C.C.P. President Patty Doyle will be speaking at the Burt Wood School on Thursday, Jan 25th at 7pm.  Anyone that is interested in opening their homes for the summer adoption program is encouraged to attend. Please help spread the word about this incredible program and help place the children of Chernobyl in America for a month long stay of free medical care and USA love! For more information about the C.C.P. contact:
  Patricia A. Doyle, President
  Chernobyl Children Project USA, Inc.
  75 McNeil Way, Suite 305
  Dedham, MA 02026
  Tel: 781-251-0137
  Fax: 781-251-9175
  Cell: 617-827-7918
  www.ccpusa.org
• 2007 Fundraiser for the CCP hosted by Burt Wood:
  -Dive in Movie, April 18th
  -Story Hour, May 6th
  -Talent Show, May 17
  -Texas Holdem' Tournament, May 26
  -Hat Day, May 30th
  -An Evening With Comedian Maureen Hancock, June 7th
  

Volunteering for State Reps Tom O'Brien, Steve Canessa and State Rep Tom Calter
Burt Wood staff members, Miss Lorna, Miss Melissa, Miss Erica and Miss Val have all volunteered their time and talent to help State Representative's O'Brien and Canessa by serving on their campaigns and singing for their events.