• Contact Us
  • Events calendar
Entering Swellesley
Pinnacle, Wellesley

The Swellesley Report

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

  • Advertise
  • Contribute
  • Eat
  • Wellesley Square
  • School
  • Top 10 things to do
  • Embracing diversity
  • Charities/Community
  • Arts
  • Camp
  • Kids
  • Events
  • About us
  • Subscribe
  • Natick Report
  • COVID-19
  • Letters to the Editor
Needham Bank, Wellesley
Boston Sports Institute, Wellesley

COVID can’t stop Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club from its mission of service

September 27, 2020 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

It broke their hearts, but Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club co-chairs Natalia Morgan and Adela Tarshi did what they had to do. Earlier this month, they let the community know that the WHJWC’s biggest and most anticipated fundraiser of the year, Wellesley Marketplace, would be canceled for 2020.

In an email to club members, vendors, and others, the co-chairs said, “As we were getting closer to the date, it became clear to us that we could not make the event a fun and safe environment for everyone. We realize the impact of this decision for small businesses and the disappointment of our vendors and customers who look forward to the Wellesley Marketplace each year. However, the safety and health of our community is our top priority.”

Wellesley Marketplace
Wellesley Marketplace crowds converge at WHS in 2019.

The show, a late-November tradition for the past 43 years, typically draws a crowd of over 1,700 shoppers eager to score goodies made by over 200 artists and crafts people from New England and afar. It isn’t all about the swag, though. Marketplace has always been a true community event. The Juniors traditionally have provided at least a dozen tables pro-bono for area non-profits, clubs, and school groups. Last year, Hardy Elementary School 5th graders sold snacks to help fund some of their end-of-year programs; the Wellesley HS varsity cheerleaders were there to show spirit and raise money for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; and A Better Chance volunteers were there to raise awareness and funds in a quest to purchase a permanent new home for the program’s scholars. (Mission accomplished, by the way.)

The cancellation represents a major financial hit for not only the WHJWC, but for the over 240 vendors and artisans who were planning on a big revenue day. Application fees have been refunded to vendors.

Fundraising activities such as Marketplace raise over $165,000 per year, which is given away each year by the WHJWC in the form of college scholarships and donations to community groups. Without its fundraisers, the Club’s coffers are taking a beating. But there’s hope.

Club member Susan O’Dell says, “We’ve had people who have been doing rainy day planning for the Club ever since the Club started. Now’s our rainy day, and we’re ready. We can fill all the needs we normally fill for now. Hopefully things will get better, and we will be back to fundraising in full force again soon. Our rainy day fund can’t last forever. But for 2020 – 2021 we are planning to go forward with all the funding we normally to do for scholarships and for area groups who rely on us for part of their funding.”

The WHJWC hasn’t given up on fundraising. This winter they plan to breathe new life into an old tradition — Luminary Night is going to make a triumphant return after a hiatus of a few years. On Luminary Night, typically in mid-December, neighborhoods and businesses throughout Wellesley light luminary candles purchased from the WHJWC. The idea is to create a beautiful town-wide glow along Wellesley’s streets, sidewalks and doorsteps, welcoming the holiday season.

The Club is also considering publishing a cookbook with recipes from Club members, local restauranteurs, and others.

O’Bell says, “We have 80+ members. When every one of us does a little bit, which is how our club operates, a lot of good can come out of it. We all need a sense of community giving to happen again. As a Club, we want to get back on track with that as soon as possible.”

print

Share

Filed Under: Entertainment, Fundraising, Shopping

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Linden Square, Wellesley
Write Ahead

Tip us off…

Please send tips, photos, ideas to [email protected]
Wellesley Square ad
Wellesley, Jesamondo
Sexton test prep
Feldman Law
Fay School, Southborough
Wellesley Theatre Project
Admit Fit, Wellesley
image of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
Never miss a post with our free daily Swellesley Report email
Name: 
Your email address:*
Please wait...
Please enter all required fields Click to hide
Correct invalid entries Click to hide

You can subscribe for free, though we appreciate any contribution that supports our independent journalism.

Click here to read our Natick Report

Natick Report

Events Calendar

« January 2021 » loading...
S M T W T F S
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
Tue 26

Rum tasting and history talk

January 26 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Most Read Posts

  • Wellesley Police arrest 3 juveniles following Crest Road-area car break-ins
  • Wellesley Business Buzz: Babson might want to study us; Downtown Starbucks temporarily closed; Sisters of Charity partners
  • At Wellesley High, you can't have too many robotics clubs
  • Wellesley Business Buzz: Linden Square tests new signs; Custom Ink setting up shop; Foundation for MetroWest has new leader; The Cottage doing takeout & delivery; visiting The Greenhouse at Lookout Farm
  • Natick issues boil water alert due to E. coli, some Wellesley homes affected

Pages

  • Wellesley coronavirus (COVID-19) updates
  • Wellesley’s 7 official scenic roads
  • Wellesley, Mass., fishing spots
  • Please support our advertisers—they support us
  • Embracing diversity in Wellesley
  • Wellesley, MA Police logs
  • Wellesley Choral Society
  • Wellesley College Notable Alumnae
  • Wellesley College, Wellesley, Mass.
  • Wellesley outdoor art gallery
  • Wellesley restaurants offering take-out and delivery
  • Wellesley, Massachusetts restaurant — Amarin of Thailand

Recent Comments

  • Bob Brown on 10 takeaways from the Town of Wellesley’s FY20 annual report
  • S Hawkinson on 10 takeaways from the Town of Wellesley’s FY20 annual report
  • Barbara Moore Keever on Wellesley Animal Control Officer Sue Webb to retire after 45 years on the job
  • Anon on Wellesley Police arrest 3 juveniles following Crest Road-area car break-ins
  • PZ Maury on Wellesley Police arrest 3 juveniles following Crest Road-area car break-ins

Links we like

  • Great Runs
  • Jack Sanford: Wellesley's Major League Baseball Star
  • Taquitos.net
  • Tech-Tamer
  • The Wellesley Wine Press
  • Universal Hub
  • Wellesley Sports Discussion Facebook Group

Categories

  • 2021 Town Election (4)
  • Animals (377)
  • Antiques (48)
  • Art (534)
  • Beyond Wellesley (28)
  • Books (342)
  • Business (1,356)
  • Camp (1)
  • Careers/jobs (44)
  • Churches (72)
  • Clubs (207)
  • Construction (280)
  • Dump (113)
  • Education (2,876)
    • Babson College (239)
    • Bates Elementary School (14)
    • Dana Hall School (29)
    • Fiske Elementary School (6)
    • Hardy Elementary School (33)
    • Hunnewell Elementary School (34)
    • MassBay (47)
    • Schofield Elementary School (20)
    • Sprague Elementary School (19)
    • St. John School (1)
    • Tenacre Country Day School (9)
    • Upham Elementary School (30)
    • Wellesley College (598)
    • Wellesley High School (883)
    • Wellesley Middle School (195)
  • Embracing diversity (36)
  • Entertainment (721)
  • Environment (664)
  • Fashion (133)
  • Finance (12)
  • Fire (141)
  • Food (327)
  • Fundraising (559)
  • Gardens (136)
  • Government (382)
    • 2020 Town Election (47)
  • Health (735)
    • COVID-19 (132)
  • History (357)
  • Holidays (365)
  • Houses (118)
  • Humor (45)
  • Kids (814)
  • Law (3)
  • Letters to the Editor (5)
  • Media (63)
  • METCO (5)
  • Military (3)
  • Morses Pond (96)
  • Music (543)
  • Natick Report (27)
  • Neighbors (242)
  • Obituaries (58)
  • Outdoors (582)
  • Parenting (60)
  • Police (687)
    • Crime (344)
  • Politics (534)
  • Real estate (286)
  • Religion (127)
  • Restaurants (302)
  • Safety (142)
  • Scouts (1)
  • Senior citizens (107)
  • Shopping (121)
  • Sports (897)
  • STEM (104)
  • Technology (154)
  • Theatre (383)
  • Town Meeting (22)
  • Transportation (209)
  • Travel (11)
  • Uncategorized (1,205)
  • Volunteering (316)
  • Weather (161)
  • Wellesley Election 2019 (21)
  • Wellesley Free Library (258)
  • Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend (5)
RSS Feed Icon Subscribe to RSS Feed

© 2021 The Swellesley Report
Site by Tech-Tamer · Login