A plea to support Wellesley Morses Pond lifeguards

A Wellesley resident has posted on Tumblr a plea for the community to rally around Morses Pond lifeguards in the wake of the recent drowning at the local breach.

Mark Nikolewski writes that he swung by the Board of Selectmen’s meeting last night to get an update on the Morses Pond investigation, to share concern about the recent push to boost attendance there and to express his support for local emergency responders and lifeguards. He notes that this portion of the meeting, during which Wellesley Police Chief Terry Cunningham provided an update and discussed the hiring of outside consultants to review Morses Pond safety practices, was brief, so he missed it and didn’t get a chance to have his say.

In the Tumblr blog, Nikolewski focuses on the lifeguards and writes in part:

Before leaving I noticed a group of folks standing outside the hall. Turns out they were a group of Morses pond staff, lifeguards and their families. 

They said they had no idea when the pond would reopen -but that they’d be ready this weekend.

When I realized who they were I took the opportunity to share my appreciation for all that they did and do for us. I let them know that we’re behind them and understand that this must’ve been an awful experience -that I couldn’t imagine the grief and pain they must be feeling.

Many an eye welled up. One of them said said “I wished you’d have been here earlier to say that in the meeting.”

I was left with the distinct impression that these folks are hurting that if we as residents could find some way to express our gratitude and support of our lifeguards it would really make a difference in their lives.

Nikolewski goes on to say he’d love to get suggestions for how the community can respond to these first responders.

Chief Cunningham said during the Selectmen meeting that it’s possible the pond could reopen to swimmers as soon as this weekend, depending on what the consultant finds.