Happy St. Patrick’s Day to everyone here and all around the Ville. Celebrate and be careful. Remember, it is a religious holiday we are celebrating, not a get-blin-drunk holiday. We hope everyone has a great time. We have a question for readers (you can post your answers on our website, www.thesomervilletimes.com): Do you know the meaning of the clover that symbolizes Irish culture and heritage?

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Kiwanis Club Annual St. Patrick’s Day Luncheon takes lace on March 13  at 12:15 p.m. at the Holiday Inn. Somerville Rotary and Somerville Lions are also welcome to attend. Guest Speaker will be Jimmy Tingle.

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If you spent your teenage years growing up in East Somerville in the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, there is a reunion of all and call out to all Villens East at the Somerville City Club (across from Holiday Inn) Saturday, July 12, from 7 to 11p.m. Enjoy food, entertainment and meet and greet all your friends from East Somerville who grew up with you. The word has gone out to far and wide about this time. So if you lived East of Walnut Street/McGrath Highway to the Charlestown line, you need to set the date aside. There is a Facebook page set aside for all who are interested (search “East Somerville Reunion”). This has been started by Dan Rogovich, who is also on Facebook.  Glen Park, Florence Street Park, down back, Bucket of Blood, Prescott School, Tin Roof, Cross Street , Lower Broadway and plenty of other places we all know and grew up.  East Somerville, from Sullivan Square, both sides of Lower Broadway (including the Nunnery Grounds). If you go on Facebook, they are looking for donations to cover expenses, and all donations go directly to cover the event for the night. If you’re not on Facebook, contact Donald Norton at 617 623-6600, ext. 11.

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“The Duhamel Education Initiative” will be having its 18th annual Pancake Breakfast Saturday, March 29, from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the First Congregational Church, 89 College Ave (enter through the side door). The suggested donation is $9 for adults, $8 for seniors, $5 for children 10 and under or $25 per family. This is an effort to raise funds benefit to students at Somerville’s public schools. Paul Duhamel was a School Committee member and active in the community here and was devoted to the welfare and wellbeing of students. Please come one come all, no reservations needed, and help support this worthy cause. If the weather is bad, contact Doris McDaniels at 857-205-8374 for any date changes.

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Happy birthday to some of our fans and friends here in the Ville and elsewhere!  Marc Piro is celebrating this week. He’s the son of that famous Alderman At Large Peter Piro from years back. Marc is a nice guy, and although he moved his family business over to Charlestown, he still uses the building on Medford Street. To longtime Local Realtor Nick Kondilis, who has worked at Bremis Realty now for many many years, we salute you and say “happy birthday!” Also celebrating this week is Donald Coutoumas of the famous Coutoumas family of old here in Somerville. He’s another great guy and his heart is always here in the Ville. Dennis Fischman, who is very busy with both politics and work, we him wish him best. Linda Pye-Greene celebrates this week, as well; a nice lady and part of a great Somerville family.    And to Jim Halloran, who works for the city and is celebrating this week we wish him HB. And to Jamie Hart, the wife of Ricky Hart, she celebrates this coming Monday, but we wanted to be the first to say “happy birthday!”

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The second annual Comedy Night at Giggles on Route 1 Saugus for the Highland Masonic Temple Association is Wednesday, April 2, at 6:30 p.m. There will be lots of fun, entertainment and surprises for everyone. Contact Steve Dalrymple at 617 628-6251 or Donald Norton at 617-623-6600, ext. 11, for details and tickets. This event is open to everyone.

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An open house at King Solomon’s Lodge AF & AM, Masonic Lodge will be held here in Somerville Saturday, April 12, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The lodge is located at 125 Highland Ave. (rear). You have questions? We have the answers to your questions. Come and learn about one of the oldest Masonic lodges in age and a better-than-average lodge in terms of the number of members. There are over 230 members here in Somerville and surrounding cities and town belong here.

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The Somerville Council on Aging was one of a small group of centers across the state chosen to offer the National Council on Aging (NCOA) Aging Mastery program. The program begins on March 24. Thirty-five of Somerville’s older adults will have the opportunity to participate in the 16-week educational program. The first eight weeks are structured classes. The next eight focus on additional support activities. The goal of this program is to empower older adults to make and maintain small but impactful changes in health behaviors. The topics that will be covered include Physical Fitness, Communicating With Your Doctor, Fall Prevention, Use of Medicare Prevention Benefits, Medication Management, Healthy Eating, Planning Your Future, and Sleep Behavior. For each of these modules, participants will receive basic educational materials developed from highly trusted sources, a checklist of potential next steps, and a system for tracking behaviors, giving points for positive action and presenting awards. If you are interested in learning more, contact the COA’s Health and Wellness Coordinator, Chris Kowaleski at 617-625-6600, ext. 232315.

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DATE CHANGE — Meeting will be held Wednesday, March 19: Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and Ward 1 Alderman Matthew McLaughlin invite you to the third public meeting for the design of Symphony Park, located on the corner of Pearl and Florence Streets in East Somerville. Based on community input, the park is being designed as a neighborhood pocket park containing amenities for all age groups and abilities. The meeting will take place in the Community Room at Bryant Manor (75 Myrtle Street) at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 19. For more information and to view slideshows from the first two meetings, visit the city’s website at: http://www.somervillema.gov/departments/ospcd/parks-and-open-space/symphony-park. If you have additional comments or questions, please contact Luisa Oliveira at 617-625-6600 ext. 2529, or e-mail Loliveira@somervillema.gov.

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Congratulations to Somerville resident Roland Price on his promotion to vice president of Tufts Health Plan. He currently serves as treasurer and will continue performing the duties associated with that job (talk about wearing two very big hats!). As vice president and treasurer, he will be responsible for corporate investments, treasury and financial risk management, in addition to other corporate finance matters. He also serves as treasurer and manages the endowment portfolio of the Tufts Health Plan Foundation. Prior to joining Tufts Health Plan in 1995, Roland held corporate finance and accounting positions with organizations in the hospitality and building-material industries, including the roles of assistant treasurer for the Bird Corporation and accountant and treasury analyst for Omni Hotels Corporation. Price earned a Bachelor of Science in Management from Southern New Hampshire University and a Master of Business Administration in Finance from Suffolk University’s Sawyer School of Management. He is currently treasurer and a member of the Board of Directors of Tufts Health Care Institute. Good luck and best wishes on the promotion!