The Swellesley Report

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

Wellesley community news: MassBay blood drive; Plaine Jane March Madness fundraiser; Plunge for Elodie returns to Morses Pond

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The latest Wellesley community news:

 

Nursing students hosting blood drive at MassBay

 

The Nursing Student Club at MassBay is hosting a Boston Children’s Hospital Blood Drive at the college’s Wellesley Campus at 50 Oakland Street from 9am-3pm on March 14. Those interested are encouaged to make an appointment by going to http://bostonchildrens.org/halfpints (Sponsor code is MBCC)

Plaine Jaine Foundation Fun-Raiser at Babson

 

The Plaine Jaine Foundation is holding a fun-raiser and raffle on March 27, 6-8pm, at the Babson Executive Conference Center to benefit the Brandon Residential Treatment Home.

Each event ticket includes a March Madness bracket entry, with prizes including sports memorabilia, gourmet dining experiences, and spa packages. The event itself includes conversation, cocktails, small bites, a pop-a-shot competition, and games on the big screen.

Guest speaker will be Jarrett Harper, a former foster youth who is now a foster care reform advocate.

Jarrett Harper
Jarrett Harper

 

Plunge for Elodie returns to Morses Pond

 

The 8th annual Plunge for Elodie is scheduled for March 22 at 10:30am at Wellesley’s Morses Pond to raise awareness and funds regarding the rare, life-threatening genetic skin disorder Epidermolysis Bullosa. More than 20 such events will be held across six countries with a fundraising goal of $600K.

The Plunge for Elodie was created by 10 childhood friends of Elodie’s mom, Emily Kubik. Elodie was born in 2016 with a severe form of EB. Kids with EB are called “Butterfly Children” because their skin is as fragile as the wings of a butterfly. They face severe pain, open external and internal wounds, and a grueling daily bandaging process.

Top fundraisers for the Wellesley plunge will be entered into a drawing to win 4 tickets for a Red Sox game in the Dell Technologies Club.

Plunge for Elodie

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Wellesley Symphony Orchestra to perform benefit concert

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Wellesley Symphony OrchestraThe Wellesley Symphony Orchestra will perform a spectacular benefit concert, “Colors of Culture,” on Wednesday, May 29, 6pm at MassBay Community College, 50 Oakland Street.

Get tickets here.

“Colors of Culture,” led by WSO Director Mark Latham, will feature music from around the world and include captivating performances by the Wellesley Symphony Orchestra and special guests, the Fireside Barbershop Quartet. The concert repertoire will span various cultures and genres, showcasing the universal language of music.

Audiences can anticipate a diverse program, including Johann Strauss’s Overture to Die Fledermaus, Florence Price’s “Dances in the Canebrakes,” and Gabriela Ortiz’s evocative composition “Kauyumari,” inspired by Mexican folklore. The Fireside Barbershop Quartet will charm listeners with their vocal harmonies, adding a unique flair to the concert experience.

Following intermission, the program will continue with the second movement of Ludwig van Beethoven’s iconic 7th Symphony, Manuel de Falla’s spirited “Spanish Dance,” and selections from Georges Bize’s beloved opera, “Carmen.”

Proceeds from the benefit concert will support MassBay and the Wellesley Symphony Orchestra. Attendees are invited to enjoy a reception following the performance, where they can mingle with fellow music enthusiasts and artists.

Get tickets here.

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Wellesley College, MassBay announce commencement speakers

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Wellesley College has announced that Michelle Au, a member of the Georgia House of Representatives and a physician, author, and gun safety advocate, will deliver the commencement address at Wellesley College’s 146th commencement ceremony on Friday, May 17.

Michelle-Au
Michelle Au (Wellesley College photo)

 

The event will take place at 10:30 a.m. on the Wellesley College campus, and it will be livestreamed on the Wellesley Live website.

MassBay Community College’s commencement speaker on Thursday, May 23 will be Priscila S. Sousa, who serves as the State Representative for the 6th Middlesex District, which includes Framingham.

MassBay has issued a traffic advisory: The 6pm ceremony will draw thousands of people to celebrate MassBay graduates, impacting traffic in and around the campus (Oakland Street, Rt. 9 and Washington Street) between 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. The MassBay Police Department and the Wellesley Police Department will work together to ensure traffic and pedestrian safety during this event.

Babson College in March tapped a Home Depot co-founder, and a father-daughter tandem for commencement speakers. Babon’s ceremonies take place on May 11.

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Wellesley Symphony Orchestra

Wellesley Symphony Orchestra presents annual Family Concert featuring “Peter and the Wolf”

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The Wellesley Symphony Orchestra will present its annual Family Concert featuring both young and experienced musicians who will entertain everyone in the family with the timeless musical story, “Peter and the Wolf.”

DATE: Sunday, March 24
TIME: 3pm
LOCATION: MassBay Community College, 50 Oakland Street, Wellesley Hills.
TICKETS: Pay what you can. The WSO recommends $30 per ticket. Get tickets online or at the door.

The concert begins with Johann Strauss’ masterpiece, the overture to Die Fledermaus. This operetta, known as “The Bat,” revolves around mistaken identity (including a man disguised as a bat) and practical jokes that spiral out of control. For Strauss, renowned as The Waltz King, this brought his melodic brilliance to the opera stage. Dancing in the aisles is encouraged!

Wellesley Symphony Orchestra

A group of elementary school string students from the Wellesley Public Schools will join the string section of the WSO and perform two short pieces, led by WSO principal cellist, Seth MacLeod.

Adalia Wen, the winner of the WSO’s 2023 Michael H. Welles Young Soloist Competition will play the first movement of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3. Beethoven struggled with this piano concerto for years—not wanting to overstep his previously published first and second concertos, he held back releasing his third, writing, “Musical policy necessitates keeping the best concertos to oneself for a while.”

The action moves on to Serge Prokofiev’s classic narrated piece “Peter and the Wolf,” where orchestral instruments vividly depict this fun story of a boy capturing a wolf. We welcome back Brian Hagar-McKee as our narrator and master of ceremonies.

The WSO invites you and your family to enjoy this music with them. To make sure everybody can access this concert, the WSO offers a pay-what-you-can-system. You select the price you would like to pay for your tickets. $30 per ticket recommended.

Tickets are available online, or at the door the day of the concert.

[Read more…]

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Wellesley Symphony Orchestra concert to feature rising talents

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Wellesley Symphony OrchestraThe Wellesley Symphony Orchestra will present a free concert on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 8pm, at MassBay Community College, 50 Oakland St., to showcase the talents of six musicians who participated in the Michael H. Welles Wellesley Symphony Young Soloist Competition.

Claire Lee, Lillian Mages, Jiu Moon, Hayden Ren, Dhiren Sivapala, and Jake Winneg will perform music of Samuel Barber, Sergei Prokofiev and Pablo de Sarasate for violin, Antonín Dvořák and Edward Elgar for cello and Gabriel Pierné for bassoon.

No tickets are required! This concert is free and will promote the Wellesley Food Pantry through Music for Food. Monetary donations will be gratefully received.

More about the Young Soloist Competition

The Michael H. Welles Wellesley Symphony Young Soloist Competition is held annually to provide young musicians a financial prize and the opportunity to play at the WSO’s March family concert. This season’s winner, pianist Adalia Wen, will perform the first movement of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, op. 37, with the Wellesley Symphony on Sunday, March 24, 2024, 3pm, at MassBay Community College.

Gov. Healey visits Wellesley to launch free community college plan for those aged 25+

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Governor Maura Healey earlier this month visited MassBay Community College in Wellesley to launch MassReconnect, a program establishing free community college for Massachusetts residents aged 25 and older, and awarded $100,000 to each of Massachusetts’ 15 community colleges to support the quick implementation of the program this fall.

“MassReconnect will be transformative for thousands of students, for our amazing community colleges, and for our economy,” Gov. Healey said in a statement. “It will bolster the role of community colleges as economic drivers in our state and help us better meet the needs of businesses to find qualified, well-trained workers…”

The program has been seeded with $20M for its first year of implementation via the recently signed state budget. This funding covers the full cost of tuition and fees and includes an allowance for books and supplies at each of Massachusetts’ 15 community colleges.

There is still time to enroll in MassReconnect for this fall.

In order to qualify for MassReconnect, students must be 25 or older on the first day of their classes and be a permanent Massachusetts resident for at least one year at the start of the enrolled term. The program is limited to residents who have not previously earned a college degree (associates or bachelor’s) who enroll in at least six credits per semester in an approved program of study leading to an associate degree or certificate at a community college.

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How to go to MassBay Community College in Wellesley for free

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Massachusetts residents 25 years of age and older can now work toward an associate degree or certificate for free at any public community college, including MassBay in Wellesley, through the state’s MassReconnect Program. MassReconnect will cover the direct costs of tuition and fees, and will also provide an allowance for books and supplies for eligible students.

MassBay Community College
MassBay Community College

The MassReconnect program was proposed before the Massachusetts legislature as part of the fiscal year 2024 budget process, and was signed by Governor Healey on August 9. Students can begin attending college for free starting in the fall 2023 semester.

Applications to MassBay for fall semester are due by Tuesday, August 29, 2023, classes begin on Tuesday September 5, 2023. Students who are considering coming to MassBay in September through the MassReconnect program must fill out MassBay’s free application and fill out a free application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible.

“This is a very wise investment being made by Governor Healey and our legislature,” said MassBay President David Podell. “Today’s ever-changing modern workforce requires skilled and trained workers, and yet the skyrocketing cost of higher education has put it out of reach for millions of Massachusetts residents. MassReconnect will truly be life-changing for our students, providing them with the access they’ve long needed to achieve the required credentials for in-demand careers that offer a sustainable wage. MassBay is proud to participate in this tremendous opportunity, and we thank our state leaders for their support.”

Eligibility details

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