The West Medford Community Center presents its monthly “Words and Music” program, this edition dedicated to “The Magic of the Mystic River.” From its earliest days, Medford has been tied to the Mystic. At times the river was a resource, and at times a liability. This program will celebrate the Mystic River and discuss what it was, what it is, and what it can be.

The “Words” portion of the program will be a panel discussion featuring Patrick Herron, executive director of the Mystic River Watershed Association; Medford resident and Mystic River champion Ann Frenning Kossuth; and Darya Mattes, a recent graduate of Tufts University’s Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning program who helped the city of Medford’s Office of Energy and Environment in creating a study on local impacts of climate change, which will be released this summer.

The “Music” will be provided by a group of singers from the choir at Grace Church of Medford, led by Grace’s music minister, Ruth Roper, and featuring Monty Hill, lead baritone of the internationally recognized a cappella group Ball in the House. They will perform an assortment of songs of mystic rivers and the great outdoors.

The Community Center launched Words and Music last summer. Offered the first Friday of every month, the event starts off with a discussion on a valuable aspect of the community, followed by a performance by a local musician. For more information on this and other events, visit the WMCC website or call the center at 781-483-3042.