Last day to cast your early in-person vote in Wellesley is Oct. 30th, 4pm

October 30, 2020 by Deborah Brown 2 Comments

Vote, Wellesley — Washington St., Wellesley

The last day to cast your early in-person vote for the Presidential Election is Friday, October 30, at 4pm.

Residents may continue to drop off ballots at the drop box in front of Town Hall until 8pm until November 3. Please note that the ballot drop box will be closed overnight on Halloween. It will reopen on November 1, 9am.

Ballots may also be returned by mail. They must be postmarked by November 3 and received by November 6 to be included in the official Town count.

Election Day is November 3rd

On Election Day, voting locations will be open 7am – 8pm. Voters who are in line by 8pm will be allowed to vote.

The Board of Selectmen voted on August 4, 2020 to locate the polling locations at non-school sites.

New Polling Locations Map
Polling Locations Change Evaluation Report
Precincts A (Bates), B (Sprague) and C (Upham) will vote at the Municipal Light Plant at 4 Municipal Way.
Precincts D (Schofield) and E (Fiske) will vote at the Warren Building at 90 Washington Street.
Precinct F (Dana Hall) will vote at the Wellesley Village Congregational Church at 2 Central Street.

There are no changes at the below precincts:

Precinct G will vote at the Wellesley Free Library at 530 Washington Street.
Precinct H will vote at the Tolles Parsons Center – Council on Aging at 500 Washington Street.

Don’t know which precinct you’re in? Here’s how to find out where to vote in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

If you do not know where your voting precinct is, or having any election/voting questions, please call the Town Clerk’s Office at (781) 431-1019 x 2252.

If you are a Wellesley Resident and over the age of 60 and would like to schedule a ride to vote on election day, please call MWRTA Reservation Center at (508) 820-4650 no later than Friday, October 30th at 4pm. Not registered yet? No problem, call by Friday and we will get you situated and into the system.

Beyond Wellesley: this Halloween display is a house of horrors

October 29, 2020 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Third-generation Natick, Massachusetts residents Jess and TJ Dillen don’t scare easily. In fact, the only thing that can make the siblings tremble is rain around Halloween. The two have a sizable investment to protect in the form of over 100 zombies, skeletons, ghosts, and ax murderers that hang out on the front lawn of their 118 Pond Street home every year. Apparently it’s a nightmare when the scream team of life-sized figurines gets wet. But not even rain will stop Jess and TJ from sharing their passion for Halloween with the community. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, the two just bring their display of scary-but-sensitive souls inside, and then set it back up later for the enjoyment (or to the horror) of all.

Natick Halloween, 118 Pond Street — It takes TJ and Jess about two weeks to plan and put up the display. They take it down the night of Halloween.

TJ, a power company worker with a side gig as a picker, is constantly adding to the collection. What’s in the front yard on any given Halloween is only the tip of the iceberg. “We have so many there isn’t enough room in the front yard to put them all out,” he says. “We usually have gargoyles on the roof, but we just got the roof replaced. The roofers said don’t put anything up there because of the warranty.” Sorry, gargoyles. Maybe next year.

No matter, between Beetlejuice, the creepy conjoined twins, the scary clowns (you knew there had to be scary clowns) — and the smoke machine and projector show to lend atmosphere to the horrifying scene — you won’t even notice that pristine roof. Or the freshly mulched landscaping. Or the overall prettiness of the three-story home. The Addams Family mansion it isn’t. You’re at 118 Pond Street Manor, and they keep up appearances here.

Natick Halloween — Ah, the family homestead. Jess and TJ live here with their dad in the home their grandfather purchased to raise a family.

TJ also keeps up an active search for all things hideous. He most recently bought a collection in New Hampshire from a former World Wrestling Foundation wrestler. Everyone in the home clean-out and junk removal services field knows TJ will pay top dollar for the right piece to round out his collection of the macabre, the grisly, and the gruesome. The emails about blood and gore for sale don’t stop. ([email protected], if you want to do business.)

The Natick High School grads seem to be something of an inspiration in the neighborhood. “A boy across the street buys stuff we sell at our yard sales and has his own display now. I don’t know if you noticed on the way here, but the whole street is decorated,” TJ points out.

“Over the past few years a lot more people on Pond Street have been getting into it. I think it’s great,” says Jess, a teacher in a childcare center.

About 1,000 trick-or-treaters each year agree. Jess and TJ aren’t sure what numbers to expect this year, but they’ll be ready. “We’re designing a candy chute,” Jess says. “Everything else is canceled. We didn’t want to cancel.”

The two put a lot of thought into how they would handle designing the display during a time of pandemic. They wear masks and keep socially distant on their jobs and in their everyday interactions. They decided there was no reason for their monsters to do the same. “We decided on no quarantine stuff,” Jess says. “Our display is about forgetting all that stuff and just having fun.”

“We love doing this,” TJ says. “We talk about it 9 months of the year. We take a little break from it after Halloween. But it’s a passion.”

“We like to give back to Natick, ” Jess says. “It’s just our way of doing that.”

MORE PICS…

[Read more…]

Wellesley charity roundup: Library virtual gala flies by; Historical Society looks to the future; Junior Women’s Club rekindles fundraising efforts; Friendly Aid annual appeal; Thanksgiving dinner to be delivered to seniors

October 28, 2020 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Our roundup of the latest Wellesley, Mass., non-profit news:

Library virtual gala flies by, raises funds

The prospect of sitting through a Zoom meeting at night after a full day on the computer for work is a tough sell. But when the Wellesley Free Library Foundation asked us if we’d be interested in attending its Virtual Gala this past week, we agreed since we are huge library fans.

And we have to give organizers huge credit for pulling off an enjoyable online event that flew by and raised a boatload of money for the organization, which funds library projects and resources such as unique play spaces, tech classes for kids and older patrons, and English as an additional language courses. A silent auction and virtual paddle raise, along with ticket sales, fueled the fundraiser.

The traditional country club affair was not quite as swanky usual, though the Foundation made attendees feel special by arranging for elves to drop off gift boxes earlier in the day packed with fancy chocolates, cheese, and more.

We spotted a few nice dresses during the web conference, but most attendees went casual, some eating their dinners as they took in the action. Predictably, Lynne Smith stole the fashion show, though in a more understated way than usual. Her necklace and earring combo, paying homage to the the Foundation as well as the books of gala guest Susan Orlean, was magnificent.

lynne smith — Lynne Smith, center, sporting a necklace of tiny Susan Orlean boos. Also shown: Orlean, top left, host Lisa Hughes, bottom left, and Gary Smith.

Magnificent too were author Orlean and local news anchor and Wellesley library patron Lisa Hughes, who emceed the gala and interviewed the author of books such as The Orchid Thief, and more recently, The Library Book (a good read that intersperses personal history, library history, and a suspected crime).

Orlean acknowledged the morphing of libraries, but didn’t lament those changes. “Libraries have evolved since the beginning of time,” she said.

They aren’t “museums of books,” Orlean said. Rather, they “are spaces open to communities, open to everyone,” she said.

Upcoming changes to the Wellesley Free Library that Town Meeting this week threw its support behind are in that spirit.

Orlean said that with so many people working remotely—and getting used to the idea—could actually boost library use by those who stop toiling at traditional offices.

But here’s hoping the Foundation, notwithstanding its successful online gala, will be able to get everyone together in person the next time it holds the fundraiser.

The future is now for the Wellesley Historical Society

For several years now there has been a sign reading “Future Home of the Wellesley Historical Society” in front of 323 Washington Street, which the 501(3)(c) organization purchased in 2012. The longer the sign has been there, the more frequently the group has been asked “So when is the future going to happen?”

The fact is, the Historical Society has been moving toward the future since they bought the 4,000 square-foot space, raising over $1 million dollars that has gone to architectural planning; accessibility improvements; lighting; IT infrastructure; painting; and partial mortgage paydown.

Now they are launching a Capital Campaign to raise an additional $1.5 million to complete the project and realize the goal of having the space to collect, preserve, and share Wellesley’s history for many years to come.

More information here about the Wellesley Historical Society’s Capital Campaign and how to get involved

WHJWC fundraiser — Wellesley Home for the Holidays

Wellesley Hills Junior Women's Club The Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club is putting together two fundraisers. They’re rekindling an old favorite, Luminary Night, and bringing in something new, the Wellesley at Home Cookbook. Here are the details:

Luminary Night

WHAT: On Luminary Night, residents and local businesses are encouraged to line their front walks and driveways with the soft glow of candle-lit lanterns, a unifying site that can be safely enjoyed from a distance. The pre-packaged kits of 10 luminaries will be available for purchase here. New this year, a reusable tote bag stuffed with seasonal swag will complement each kit. Kits with totes are $30, with the option of purchasing additional kits of 10luminaries for $20.

WHEN: Friday, December 11th (rain date Sunday,December 13th)

Cooking up a storm

WHAT: The WHJWC has put together a limited edition Wellesley at Home Cookbook, unlocking access to cherished recipes from notables in the local food scene as well as tried-and-true favorites from current and former WHJWC members. Suitable for gifting to teachers, friends, and family near and far, it will be available for purchase for $35 on the website, along with the Luminary kits.

FUN FACT: Mrs. Swellesley has contributed a fabulous, quick, and easy chicken recipe that has saved dinner many a night at our house.

Thanksgiving dinner for senior citizens

wellesley fire thanksgiving dinner — Thanksgiving Dinner 2019

The Thanksgiving Dinner hosted annually by the Wellesley Fire Department will take place as a delivered meal on Sat., Nov. 21st, and is open to the first 200 Wellesley residents over the age of 60 who register. Registration can be done on My Active Center or by calling the Tolles Parsons Center at 781-235-3961 beginning on Wed., Oct. 28th at 9am.

Wellesley Friendly Aid keeps close to service mission during socially distant times

Wellesley Friendly Aid (WFA), a local 503(c) charity, has launched its annual fund raising appeal with letters and emails sent to Wellesley residents and businesses. All dollars raised are used to help Wellesley residents.

“Each fall we ask neighbors to help neighbors by making a donation,” said Deb Cogill, president of the 17-member Board of Directors. “Our funds come almost exclusively from Wellesley residents and organizations, and they are used for a range of programs to help our neighbors in need. Our Board members not only oversee the organization, but also serve as volunteers who organize and assist with many of these activities.”

Please make a donation directly through Wellesley Friendly Aid or by responding to the Annual Appeal mailing. For more information, contact Karen Mondell at [email protected].

[Read more…]

Wellesley Halloween happenings, 2020

October 22, 2020 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Our roundup of Halloween happenings in Wellesley, Mass., for 2020:

Spooky & fun North 40 trail

The Wellesley Mothers Forum has set up a scavenger hunt in the North 40 woodland trail off of Turner Road (off of Weston Road).

north 40 halloween scavenger hunt

north 40 halloween scavenger hunt mothers forum

Annual house decorating contest

Wellesley Halloween

Halloween movie drive-in double feature

Wellesley has extended its mobile movie nights from the summer until one day this fall, Tuesday, Oct. 27.

The double-feature includes Hotel Transylvania beginning between 5:45- 6 PM and The Ring beginning at 8:30 PM.

Residents may only register for/attend one of the two movies.

All cars from the first movie must exit the Tailby parking lot before it will be opened to cars for the second movie. Forty cars will be allowed in the lot for each movie; attendees must register in advance beginning Oct. 22 through the Wellesley Recreation Department. The movies are free and you must be a Wellesley resident to register. Costumes are strongly encouraged for the movies; post photos on the @recwellesley Facebook and Instagram pages to win prizes.

Linden Square Halloween Costume Contest

More: Wellesley Halloween superfan has a plan

Halloween-time cuteness overload in Wellesley

Wellesley Free Library to get into Halloween spirit

Dental practice seeks cards/letters for frontline workers

Wellesley Halloween: It’s tricky this year; 1 more drive-in movie; no pumpkin patch: scavenge at Morses Pond

Wellesley dump’s Reusables Area to reopen

October 19, 2020 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Wellesley RDF reusables — Wellesley Reusables Area

Good news: the Wellesley Recycling and Disposal Facility‘s Reusables Area will reopen Wed., Oct, 21, 8am – noon, for drop-off only.

Better news: starting Wed., Oct. 28, 8am – noon, the Reusables Area will reopen for “shopping.”

These are COVID times, so there are a lot of rules. Here’s the lowdown:

Step 1: Reusables Area’s hours:

The Reusables Area will be open three three days per week:
Wednesday: 8am – noon
Thursday: 8am – 3:45pm
Friday: 8am – 3:45pm

Step 2: Drop-off only at first

To start, the Reusables Area will be open only for dropping off items:
Wed., 10/21, 8am – noon
Thur., 10/22, 8am – 3:45pm
Fri., 10/23, 8am – 3:45pm
There will be no shopping (also referred to as “pick-up”) on these days.

Step 3: “Shopping” begins

Next, the Reusables Area will be open only for shopping:
Wed., 10/28, 8am – noon
Thur., 10/29, 8am – 3:45pm
Fri., 10/30, 8am – 3:45pm
There will be no drop-off on these days.

Step 4: Rotation system

Dropping off and picking up of items will be rotated each week. You can see the weekly schedule under the READ MORE tag of this post.

Step 5: Know the rules

The Reusables Area will be closed to residents on Mondays, Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
A limit of 20 residents will be allowed at any time. This rule will be strictly enforced by the RDF.
Residents and volunteers must wear masks at all times.
One entrance and exit into the site will be allowed: RDF will monitor all activity.
Limited parking will be available.
A new shortened 10-minute per day shopping rule will be strictly enforced by the RDF. The area is not meant for socializing,
Acceptance of large items will be limited and the decision to accept/reject large items will be made by the volunteer captain on duty.
The drive thru ‘drop-off’ zone will be available for dropping off items only—no browsing allowed while parked in the drop-off zone
The area will likely stay open until the end of Nov./early Dec., depending on the weather.

Volunteers needed

Please contact the RDF office if you are interested in volunteering with the Wellesley Friends of Recycling: 781-235-7600 x3345.

We hear the group’s annual Yankee Swap and potluck is a great time.

Despite the rules and regs, we’re feeling joyful

Those dark corners of our garage and basement have been filling up with stuff we don’t need anymore but that is too good to throw away. Back in pre-pandemic times, that is to say 2019, we would simply bring that old side table or cast-off area rug to the Wellesley Recycling and Disposal Facility’s Reusables Area. It was easy, there was no planning required, and we didn’t have to fuss around on Facebook and arrange a meeting with a stranger to unload our old stuff.

The Reusables Area closed for the winter last December, so our stuff has been piling up for close to a year. Now we can finally get rid of it all. And maybe pick up one or two things that catch our eye during shopping week. We admit it, there’s not a room in our house that hasn’t been “touched by the dump”. Here are a couple gems we picked up awhile back:

Wellesley RDF hours

Keep in mind that the Reusables Area’s schedule has no bearing on the rest of the RDF’s doings. You can drop off your recycling, trash, yard waste, and more at these times:

Mon. – Wed.: 7am – noon
Thur., Fri., Sat.: 7am – 3:45pm
Sun., (July 12 – November 29, 2020): 10am – 3pm

Here’s the Reusables Area’s weekly schedule:

[Read more…]

Halloween-time cuteness overload in Wellesley

October 19, 2020 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

The Linden Square Courtyard was the site of a socially distanced autumn event as members of the Wellesley Mothers Forum brought their kids to the shopping area to decorate pumpkins and pose for selfies in the seasonal pumpkin patch. Here are a few pics:

Linden Square, Wellesley

Beyond Wellesley: this South Natick, Massachusetts garden brings on the drama

October 15, 2020 by Deborah Brown 1 Comment

“When you love something, you don’t look at your watch or the clock. You don’t think about the time. When you love something you just do it,” said Karen Coffman as we looked out at her South Natick garden all dressed up for fall in purples, yellows, oranges, reds, and browns. “I put in the time in the garden, and I love it. I also have really good help. My husband is strong, built like an offensive lineman, and is willing. We’ve lived here since 1995, and I’ve been gardening the whole time.”

Natick garden, Karen Coffman — South Natick gardener, Karen Coffman. She grew up in Webster Groves, Missouri and comes from a long line of mid-western farmers. Karen says she’s the first generation off the farm. “I learned a lot about the instincts of gardening from my parents.”

Karen hasn’t always had her dream garden. For 11 years before she landed in South Natick, she and her husband called Wellesley home. She liked the town, but found the gardening an exercise in frustration. “There were just too many trees shading my property,” she said. “I couldn’t get the six hours of sun per day that I needed without chopping down my neighbor’s trees. I told Lonnie I needed more sun for a garden.”

She found the perfect property that abutted acres and acres of apple orchards and, most importantly, it was a place where she could get direct sun for the necessary 6 – 8 hours per day. Still, the 1⅓-acre space wasn’t exactly ready for its close-up. “When we got here we cut down 37 swamp maples,” Karen said.

With the shade eliminated, the sun poured onto the lot. That was one box checked.

Next, there was the matter of the lack of organic matter. “You know how they say in real estate it’s all about location, location, location?” Karen asked. “Well, in gardening it’s all about the soil, the soil, the soil. The soil was so poor here I knew nothing would grow.”

So she had truckloads of the offending dirt hauled away. “Then I ordered the best loam and filled the yard back in. My budget was 75% spent and I hadn’t bought a single plant. But I had to do it. The land tells you what to do if you pay attention.”

Once the dirt deed was done, another box was checked off. Karen was just a couple more steps away from realizing her dream.

Natick garden, Karen Coffman

Soil and sun are all very well and good, but a garden can’t grow without water. Since, as you can probably tell by now, Karen goes big or goes home, she had an 850-foot well drilled. “With the kind of investment I was making in this garden, I wasn’t willing to just let everything go during periods of drought.”

With the infrastructure in place, it was time to have fun and bring on the drama. Not a problem for someone who trained as an opera singer for 12 years. In fact, both Karen and her husband Lonnie trained at Indiana University. After graduation, they went to New York City and tried to break into the business.

“I did the starving artist bit for three years. Then I came to a fork in the road and made a decision to go into the tech industry, I went into business and entered the sales side of things. I had sold pianos before, and had been good at it then. I found I was still good at sales and that’s what I built my career around.”

But she never lost her love of all things theatrical, and compares the topography of her garden to a raked stage. That’s a set that slopes upward, away from the audience, giving those at the back a better view than if all the seats were at the same level, which explains why so much of the garden is visible from no matter where you stand. As I looked out from the back deck, I could see how the garden layout moved from orchestra pit to mezzanine to balcony.

Unsurprisingly, this was not by accident. Karen considers herself a student of gardening, but says, “I’m not a designer. Never claimed to be one. So I got help from someone who knew what he was doing.”

Enter landscape architect Thomas Wirth who fit in 40 specimen trees to replace the felled maples; added a koi pond; used the existing gazebo as an architectural element; and created flow and balance throughout.

Although the garden was professionally designed, it’s continually evolving. Karen adds here and subtracts there as the muse dictates and aesthetics allow. “My major considerations when planning and working in the garden are height, texture, bloom time, and maintenance,” she says. “It’s an experiment, number one. It’s a puzzle, number 2. If something doesn’t work, if it’s only pretty for a brief bloom time and then ugly for the rest of the year, out it goes.”

As you can see, she’s ruthless. Karen says it’s the only way and cites her decades in executive recruiting as good preparation for ripping out uncooperative plants. “Now that was a ruthless business,” she says.

My tour over, Karen sends me off with a red Solo cup full of dahlias and other autumn gems that she clipped with her number 2 Felcos as we strolled the grounds.

“Don’t forget to let me know which plants you want divisions from,” she calls out as I leave.

Oh, don’t worry, Karen. That’s an offer nobody could refuse.

MORE PICTURES:

[Read more…]