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Entering Swellesley
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The Swellesley Report

Since 2005: More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.

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Saturday scenes from Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend

May 17, 2025 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

We did the rounds—along with seemingly everyone else within miles—at Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend attractions on Saturday and the events didn’t disappoint.

If you were looking to climb on vehicles from the scariest looking Department of Public Works and Municipal Light Plant trucks to the loudest fire vehicles and wettest fire hose games, you came to the right places if you hit those open houses.

I overheard one mom, if I interpreted correctly, advising her kid to go into the fire engine manufacturing business after hearing about how much they go for.

DPW Director Dave Cohen termed the DPW open house “a blowout” success.

If you were looking for a little exercise, members of the military were more than happy to run you through their family boot camp, maybe giving you a break on the amount of weight that they typically lug.

And if you were looking for some afternoon sustenance, the Wellesley Police Department had you covered with their usual hot dogs and fixings spread. Oh, and lots of great swag, from stickers to police trading cards. I actually did hear about a crime on my rounds at Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend: A Swellesley reader told me he couldn’t figure out how to donate to support our work (here’s how).

When we saw fire vehicles show up at the police station we figured maybe the officers had turned up the heat too high on the dogs. It turned out to be a routine fire box issue—though suspiciously convenient for firefighters at lunchtime.

Meanwhile, over at the Royal Irish Artillery encampment next door at Morton Park the re-enactors were wrestling with a beast of a turkey on a spit. In hindsight, that might have been a healthier lunch choice if they were sharing.

Others filled up at earlier at the annual pancake festival at the high school, where teens were doing a heck of a job serving up pancakes, waffles, and more. When I asked one family how they heard about the event, they gave the right answer: “The Swellesley Report.”

pancake www
Meenakshi Nagarajan, Mira Misra, Kavya Misra and Kanishka Misra gave the Pancake Festival rave reviews

 
pancake www volunteers
Thank you to the Pancake Festival volunteers

 
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I didn’t think this kid was ever going to give up his sweet seat at the DPW open house

 
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Blowout event at the DPW

 
mlp www
High atop an MLP vehicle

 
Fire Chief Steve Mortarelli wellesley's wonderful weekend
Fire Chief Steve Mortarelli greets guests

 
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Hose happy at the fire house

 
dpw fire
Matching hats

 
encampment www
Royal Irish Artillery encampment

 
encampment www
 
family boot camp www
Family Boot Camp

 
family boot camp www
Family Boot Camp

 
Wellesley Police Chief Scott Whittemore open house www
Free-for-all in Wellesley Police Chief Scott Whittemore’s office

 
WPD WWW open house
Feasting at WPD

 
WPD WWW open house
You were allowed to cross

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Filed Under: Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend

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57th Annual Wellesley Veterans Parade honorees: Military leaders; Local government volunteers & employees; Beloved businesses & more

May 16, 2025 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

The 57th Annual Wellesley Veterans Parade, set to run from 1-3pm from Wellesley Hills to Wellesley Square on Sunday, May 18, will call special attention to 20 people and organizations that have contributed mightily to the town’s character and community.

They will be among the many taking part in the annual parade during Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend that features school floats, marching bands, colorful characters, and even giant balloons. See the line of march at the end of this post.

WellesleyCountryClub

Here’s the list of honorees, with bios courtesy of the Wellesley Celebrations Committee:

Grand Marshals

  • Lt. Col Michael P. Madon, US Army (Ret)
  • Lt. Robert H. Bradley, US Navy (Ret)
  • Capt. Brian J. Shortsleeve, US Marines (1995-1999)

Distinguished Service Award

  • Lise Olney

Chiefs of Staff

  • LTC  Robert H. Fleming –US Army (Ret)
  • Col. William F. Sinnott—US Marines (Ret)
  • CDR Crystal L. Schaefer –US Navy , Commanding Officer: USS Constitution, ”Old Ironsides

Community Service Awards

  • Wellesley Historical Society
  • Lisa Collins
  • John Lanza
  • Craig Mack

Dedicated Service Award

  • Nathanial Brady (Assistant Fire Chief)

Special Recognition Awards

  • Deland Gibson Insurance
  • Dover Saddlery
  • Café Mangal
  • Green’s Hardware
  • Isabel Harvey
  • The Swellesley Report
  • Wellesley/Weston Magazine

Representing our Wellesley Veterans

  • Joe Nickerson

[Read more…]

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Filed Under: Business, Government, Military, Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend

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Wellesley Veterans Parade to feature 8-foot high balloons honoring the military

May 16, 2025 by admin Leave a Comment

For the first time in its 57-year history, the Wellesley Veterans Parade on Sunday, May 18 (1-3pm) will feature three giant 8-foot helium balloons—much like those you typically see in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.

Inflating the balloons will be supervised by Dr. Brian O’Connor, a Wellesley resident and veteran who served in as a doctor in a MASH unit during the Afghanistan War.

The three balloons will be guided down the street by members of the Wellesley High School lacrosse and football teams, supervised by Coach Jerry Nigro of the Wellesley Lacrosse team as well as members of the Wellesley Country Club (the title sponsor of the parade on Sunday).  Each balloon has a 7 pound lift and four residents of Wellesley will handle each balloon.

The balloons will each feature the logo of a specific service—U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps. and  U.S. Navy.  These three services were founded in 1775.  The theme of this year’s parade celebrates the 250th anniversary of each.

Submitted by Carl Nelson, Wellesley Celebrations Committee

parade balloon parade balloon parade balloon

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Filed Under: Military, Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend

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Great spring running events in Wellesley (and beyond)

May 16, 2025 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

On your mark, get set, register! Spring is road race season, and Wellesley and area towns welcome runners of all talent levels for a host of runs. There’s still plenty of opportunity to train, so hop off that couch and put in the miles.


Dash for Dane Family Day & 5K Trail Run—Dover

DATE: Saturday, May 17
LOCATION: Powisset Farm, 39 Powisset Street, Dover
DESCRIPTION: Not into trail running/walking? There will be activities for all: 1K kids run @ 11:30am, Magic Shows, crafts, tie dye, face painting, live DJ, local pizza and drinks! This event serves to honor Dane’s competitive spirit and passion for gathering his friends and family, and to raise awareness and bring an end to Crohn’s & Colitis and colorectal cancer.
REGISTER HERE


WonderRun—Wellesley

DATE: Sunday, May 18
START LOCATION: Wellesley High School track, 50 Rice St.
DESCRIPTION: The Wonder Run is a celebrated part of Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend. Proceeds directly support community groups, scholarships for deserving local students, and grants to organizations and programs that provide education, enrichment, and essential services to our local population. Sponsored by the Wellesley Hills Junior Womens Club.
REGISTER HERE

Wellesley Hills Junior Women's Club

 


Schofield 5k—Wellesley

DATE: Sunday, June 1
LOCATION: Schofield Elementary School, 27 Cedar St., Wellesley
REGISTER HERE

DESCRIPTION: 9:30m 5K (USATF Certified Course); 10:30am Kids Fun Run & Award Ceremony; 10:45am-12:45am Fun Fair


Bright Futures Rwanda 5K Fun Run

DATE: June 7

LOCATION: Morses Pond

REGISTER HERE

DESCRIPTION: Wellesley High School’s Bright Futures Rwanda club is hosting a 5K fun run on Saturday, June 7 at 10am at Morses Pond to support The 9 Mile Project, a nonprofit that funds school tuition for underprivileged children in Rwanda. The organization helps students attend boarding schools—eliminating the need for their daily 9-mile walk to and from school and opening doors to dramatically better educational opportunities and greater economic prosperity throughout their lives.


Healthy Kids Running Series

Healthy Kids Running Series is a five (5) week running program in the spring and fall for kids pre-K through 8th grade. Each HKRS Series takes place once a week and offers age-appropriate running events including the 50 & 75 yard dashes, the 1/4 mile, the 1/2 mile and the 1 mile run. Kids will earn points for each race they complete based on their finish.


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Filed Under: Charity/Fundraising, Entertainment, Health, Sports

Newton-Wellesley Orthopedic

Wellesley Athletes of the Week: Tennis players Sarah Mackey & Ellias Lukic

May 16, 2025 by admin Leave a Comment

Wellesley Athlete of the Week is made possible with sponsorship support from Deland, Gibson Insurance. The family-owned and operated business has carried on this Wellesley tradition for over 30 years.


Athlete of the Week: Sarah Mackey

Sarah Mackey

Sport: Girls tennis (singles, senior captain); Follow team @raidersgtennis/ on Instagram

When & how you got involved in tennis: Since I grew up watching my mom and older brother play tennis I started playing when I was 4, at my country club. I played tournaments throughout elementary and some of middle school but took a break to focus on basketball before 9th grade. I then returned to playing in high school, when I tried out in 9th grade, and have played all 4 years.

What you love most about tennis: I really enjoy getting to be outside during the spring with my teammates. I am so grateful to have the encouragement, support and love through the friendships I have made from the tennis team.

Pre-match routine: Listening, and singing, music with the team.

Top goal for this season: To win the state championship (again).

Thoughts about this year’s team: Not only do we have amazing talent on the team but we also have great team chemistry. It is easy to say that I am friends with my teammates on and off the court. This makes coming to practices and matches every day super fun. By being such a cohesive group we have found so much success and I think it all comes down to how we all love and support one another.

An accomplishment that you’re especially proud of:  I am super proud of our State Championship win last year. We were the underdogs coming into the semi-finals as the 4th seed and we were able to prove everyone wrong and win.

An inspiring story related to your involvement in tennis/this team: During my freshman year I was thinking about playing softball because a bunch of my friends were playing. However, my parents told me I had to choose between golf and tennis, because I had little to no experience in softball. I ended up choosing tennis because I wasn’t very good at golf. It ended up being the best decision I ever made because I made so many friends and memories through this sport.

Interests outside of tennis: In school I really like psychology and ceramics. In psychology I have learned so many new things about the way our brains work and it has taught me so many things about myself that I didn’t know before. I also really enjoy ceramics, being a part of the intensive ceramics class at Wellesley, because I am able to channel my creativity into my work. Outside of school and sports I really enjoy hanging out with friends, traveling, and coaching tennis at a local tennis camp.

What other sports do you play, if any? I run cross country and play basketball for Wellesley.

Coach Rob Miller on Sarah Mackey: “Sarah is undefeated at her third singles position. In recent play, she won her matches in straight sets. She beat the third singles player from Needham, 6-4, 6-1. Then Sarah defeated her opponent from Westborough 6-0, 6-0. Both Needham and Westborough are in the top 10 in Power Ranking. So far Sarah has played and won when playing first, second, and third singles. She has been an outstanding captain leading the team on and off the court and is a three-sport athlete.” 


Athlete of the Week: Ellias Lukic

Ellias Lukic

Sport: Boys tennis (singles, junior); Follow team @wellesleyboystennis on Instagram

When & how you got involved in tennis: My dad played tennis and got me to start playing when I was eight years old.

What you love most about tennis: My favorite part about tennis is the strategy involved and the fact that everything is in your control to win each point.

Pre-match routine: I always make sure to eat a snack before a match and listen to good music to get me pumped up.

Top goal for this season:  My top goal is to just get better and help my team as much as I can in the playoffs.

Thoughts about this year’s team:  We’ve gotten a lot better this season and defied our expectations for how good we can play.

An accomplishment that you’re especially proud of:  I went from starting the season at second doubles to playing second singles.

An inspiring story related to your involvement in tennis/this team:  Coach Katie (Sullivan) makes everyone laugh.

Interests outside of tennis: Playing basketball with friends, watching sports, playing video games.

What other sports do you play, if any? I like to ski.

Coach Mike Sabin on: “Ellias currently plays 2nd singles for us. He lost challenge matches in March that initially put him in doubles for the first few matches. He performed well, partnered with fellow junior Deniz Eryilmaz. After we had some tough results as a team, we had a couple more challenge matches near the end of April and this time Ellias won the match that put him 2nd on the team’s ladder. He almost won a very close match at Needham, a much closer result than our first match against them. Then he won an important match vs. Westborough which helped us clinch an important victory against a higher rated team. Due to our win that day, we moved up in the state rankings 2 spots to 12th.  

Ellias has worked really hard since last season ended, improved his shot making, and is getting better at finding more ways to win points. His comportment during matches has improved as well. He’s been a big part of why he team hast started seeing some better results, and maybe the turnaround we needed going into the last third of the season.”

(Athletes of the Week are nominated by their coaches.)

More Athlete of the Week profiles


Deland, Gibson, Wellesley

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Filed Under: Athlete of the Week, Sports, Wellesley High School

Rotary, Taste of Wellesley

Don’t miss a thing during Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend—here’s the schedule

May 16, 2025 by admin Leave a Comment

Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend

*Please note, asterisk indicates a small fee may be charged.

                                     Friday, May 16

Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend


Saturday, May 17 highlights

  • Encampment Display
  • Pancake Festival
  • Free Vision Screening
  • DPW Touch a Truck
  • Open Houses at MLP; Police Station; Council on Aging; Town Hall
  • Fire Station Open House
  • John Schuler Guided Path Walk
  • Potted Plant Sale
  • Family Boot Camp
  • Sharim Singers
  • Art in the Park Yarn Bomb
  • Build Your Own Fairy House
  • Veterans Mass at St. Paul Church
  • Pups in the Park

    Sunday, May 18 highlights

  • Wonder Run 5k and Kids Fun Run. Register here.
  • Guided Bird Walk at Morses Pond
  • Antique Car Show
  • 57th Annual Wellesley Veterans Parade
  • Picnic in the Park at Hunnewell Field
  • Fireworks—the biggest and the best!

Wednesday, May 21

Taste of Wellesley Charity event featuring local restaurants, cafes and caterers. Tickets here.

DETAILS ON ALL SATURDAY AND SUNDAY EVENTS BELOW

  • [Read more…]
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Filed Under: Entertainment, Holidays, Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend

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