More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.
We’ve created a page where we will post profiles of those from Wellesley who are taking part in the 2023 Boston Marathon on April 18 for a charity as well as those who are running for a Wellesley charity.
Fill out this form if you’d like for us to include your bio and a link to your fundraising page on our site.
We’re also happy to hear from others who will be taking part in the race in any way if you’ve got a great story to tell: theswellesleyreport@gmail.com
The Wellesley Field Fund (WFF) set a goal last September to raise $1.5M in private fundraising for Phase 2 of a project to add expensive upgrades, including lights, to the Wellesley High School track and field. Supporters of the Community Investors-backed 501(3)(c) had hoped fundraising would be completed by Thanksgiving, but there’s still $930k to go before lights, team rooms, and a modern sound system come to fruition.
Now the campaign has gotten a boost from Needham Bank with a matching funds campaign that, if successful, would bring fundraising up to 50% of its $1.5M goal. The bank has announced it will contribute $100,000 in matching donations to the WFF capital campaign. This isn’t Needham Bank’s first fundraising rodeo geared toward Wellesley sports. Back in 2016 when the WFF raised $1.3M to resurface the track and install a larger turf field, the bank served as the effort’s lead community partner and donor.
Wellesley resident and Needham Bank chairman, president and CEO Joe Campanelli said, “Having a track and field complex that allows for night games and extends the uses for our town is a win for everyone, not just the student athletes. It brings people together as players and spectators and creates a safe space for the community to gather. We’re very proud to continue to champion this project with our phase 2 gift of $100,000.”
Specifically, the WFF Capital Campaign funds will be used for:
● Team rooms: Locker rooms and bathrooms for home and away teams.
● Lighting: Aimed at providing safety for athletes and spectators during games and practices at dusk or night, and allowing for more people to attend events. The dark sky-compliant lights would be designed to limit their impact on the surrounding area.
● Sound system: Speakers mounted to direct sound to the immediate track & field area.
(Funding for a combo bathroom and concession stand facility would largely be covered by money appropriated at the 2018 Annual Town Meeting.)
More here on the Hunnewell Track & Field Project
Not everyone in town is thrilled about the progression of the Track & Field project. Field neighbors and others have spoken out vociferously against the proposal during public meetings for a variety of reasons, including concerns about noise, environmental impact, and traffic. They appealed to the NRC to stick to its policies related to land stewardship when making a decision.
A Friends of Hunnewell Fields proponent cited proximity of a residential neighborhood to the project. In a letter to the Swellesley editors, Cliff Canaday said, “The closest homes to the track & field are just 34 yards away. Research shows that light at night—especially combined with noise—negatively impacts human health. It is especially harmful to children, and children live directly across the street from the track & field. If this was your neighborhood, if these were your children, what would you do? What should you do, as a neighbor?”
A tipping point occurred during the 2021 Town election, when Natural Resources Commission incumbent Raina McManus lost her seat to challenger Lisa Collins. Many observers predicted that this change in the board’s makeup would result in an NRC vote to allow lights to be installed at the Track & Field. Last July exactly that happened when the NRC voted 3-2 in favor of the School Committee’s proposal to allow the lights on the NRC property.
During the Dec. 6 School Committee Meeting, SC member Linda Chow delivered a presentation on key updates of the project. Chow said that the School Committee and the Natural Resources Commission, co-sponsors of the project, have been able to accept the first infusion of money from Phase 2 to support the design and permitting process for the team room, lights and sound system. However, the town won’t permit construction to begin until all the funds are secured.
Until that point, there’s still plenty of process to wade through. The School Committee has been meeting with the Health Department to address sanitation concerns about the bathrooms and concession stand area. Roaches, their insidious ways, and how to stop them have been discussed at length. There have also been meetings with the Department of Public Works regarding the potential impact on surrounding plantings, and how replacement trees and vegetation will be handled. In addition, color choices and texture for the structures must go before the Design Review board. The NRC will review plans along the way.
Even with fundraising challenges and a multitude of steps to take, Chow said the target time for the Track and Field bathrooms is summer 2023.
Assuming funding is available by end-of-year 2022, team rooms, lighting, and sound could be a reality by fall 2023.
The latest Wellesley charity news:
Wellesley resident Joanna Travis was honored at The Greater Boston Food Bank’s Women Fighting Hunger event, a networking breakfast and fundraiser hosted at Boston’s Intercontinental Hotel. The recent event returned to an in-person format for the first time in 3 years.
Travis, an attorney who has served as chair of the GBFB Board of Directors since 2019, was honored for her leadership throughout COVID-19 and dedication to GBFB’s mission to end hunger across Eastern Massachusetts. She commented at the event on the challenges of fending off food insecurity even as the price of energy and housing is skyrocketing.
Wellesley Asset Management rang in the holiday season by holding a party at TD Garden, where the firm donated $5,000 to help the Boston Bruins kick off their annual toy drive/fundraiser for the Globe Santa Fund. The program provides holiday presents to families in need throughout Greater Boston.
World of Wellesley is looking for a new Treasurer for its board. The treasurer is responsible for managing the World of Wellesley budget and the bank account. The estimated time commitment is about 3-4 hours a month. This is a great way to support the programming for World of Wellesley, which is dedicated to making Wellesley an inclusive community for all.
If you are interested in getting involved, email info@worldofwellesley.org o
If you’re looking for worthy local charities to donate to during the holidays, Wellesley has plenty of organizations that could use your help. Whether you want your contribution to focus on literacy (the Friends of the Wellesley Free Library); fight food insecurity (the Wellesley Food Pantry); or help animals (Stray Pets in Need), hard-working volunteers at the town’s 501(3)(c)’s make sure your money goes to funding programs that positively impact the community.
Here’s a list of some on the grassroots groups in town that make it their mission to serve the town and its residents. Please give generously this holiday season.
Community Investors Supports physical, social and emotional wellness through fun, inclusive, community-based active play.
Friends of the Wellesley Free Library Enhances the library for the community by providing materials, services and programming not funded by the library budget.
Friends of Wellesley METCO Parents and teachers in the Wellesley community and parents of METCO students from Boston committed to supporting METCO students during their time in the Wellesley school system.
Community Fund for Wellesley Mission: to promote the common good and to benefit all residents of the Town. The group encourages a spirit of philanthropic giving to help make Wellesley a better place for its citizens in which to live, work and play.
Human Relations Service (HRS) Community mental health agency serving children and families in Wellesley since 1948. Mission: to treat, reduce, and prevent mental illness.
Kids Backing Kids Supplies kids in need with backpacks stuffed with food, health products, clothes, toys and holiday gifts.
Massachusetts Horticultural Society Helps people of all ages and backgrounds to learn about and appreciate plants, gardens, and the natural world.
Stray Pets in Need (SPIN) Helps find homes for pets in need.
Sustainable Wellesley A volunteer group that engages residents, businesses, and the Town of Wellesley in actions to protect the climate.
Wellesley A Better Chance Provides academically talented and promising young women of color A Better Chance of educational preparedness through enrollment at Wellesley High School.
Wellesley Cancer Prevention Project Studies the link between cancer and the environment in hopes of reducing health risk factors for Wellesley residents.
The Wellesley Conservation Land Trust Protects and preserves Wellesley’s natural environment and maintains its sanctuaries through the contributions and participation of residents.
Wellesley Education Foundation Devoted to enhancing, enriching and maintaining excellence in the Wellesley Public Schools. Organizes fundraisers including the annual spelling bee, and provides grants.
Wellesley Food Pantry Mission: to provide supplemental and emergency food assistance to Wellesley residents in need.
Wellesley Free Library Foundation Supports the mission of the Wellesley Free Library. Its goal is to enrich, not replace, traditional tax-based support for the Library through gifts, grants, and bequests from individuals and organizations.
Wellesley Friendly Aid Association Works to meet the needs of Wellesley residents, offering many forms of assistance to individuals and families of all incomes and ages.
Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club Donations and scholarships are made to groups and individuals in the Wellesley area via major fundraisers such as the Kitchen and Home Tour.
Wellesley Neighbors Mission: to enable members to remain independent and continue living at home. Provides access to practical, reliable services and social support, while fostering a sense of community within the town.
Wellesley Rotary Club Mission: to serve others with a focus on strengthening communities in the areas of health, education and sustainable living.
Wellesley Scholarship Foundation Supports academic pursuits by awarding need-based scholarships. WSF also facilitates scholarship aid on behalf of many town organizations.
Wellesley Service League Provides volunteer services to the community ranging from education, children, elderly, cultural and other charitable interests.
World of Wellesley Hosts events, projects and programs that foster an anti-racist and anti-bias community where diversity, equity and inclusion are fully embraced.
The latest Wellesley volunteer and charity news:
The Wellesley Service League is in the midst of a very busy fall, with members back to work in person and providing support to many partners. Here are a couple of photos from MassBay Community College, where Service league members helped students develop a LinkedIn profile to help get them started on the path to a productive career.
Heroes Fitness in Wellesley Square is hosting a free workout class on Sunday, Dec. 11 at 9am in honor of its annual toy drive for kids in need through Sojourner House. Everyone is welcome to come by, drop off a gift, enter a raffle and enjoy some treats. You can secure a complimentary workout class as well by registering and dropping off a gift.
The Wellesley Housing Authority is holding its first holiday gift drive for seniors and adults with disabilities. The Virtual Mitten Giving Tree involves sponsoring a resident who has identified an item they would enjoy as a holiday gift. Email contact@wellesleyhousing.org or call 781 235-0223 to take part. All gifts must be delivered by Dec. 16
After the Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club took a pandemic-forced two-year hiatus from its annual full-scale Wellesley Marketplace event, the volunteer organization came roaring back to the WHS cafeteria last weekend, bringing in over 200 vendors and artisans who sold everything from gourmet foods to handmade jewelry. The place was packed with 2,000+ excited shoppers who purchased entrance tickets to the juried show ahead of time, in addition to hundreds who showed up the day of the event. We knocked a bunch of lucky gift recipients off our holiday shopping list, all in the name of supporting the WHJWC’s mission of providing impactful scholarships and grants to support those in need in our community.
Friends of Wellesley METCO is an all-volunteer nonprofit whose mission is to help Wellesley METCO students with community building and provide support towards academic achievements.
The Relay For Life of Charles River, which raises funds for the American Cancer Society, is seeking student and adult participants from Wellesley and nearby. The event will take place at the Newman School in Needham on May 20.SPONSORED CONTENT: Help the Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club (WHJWC) welcome back the 44th annual Wellesley Marketplace holiday fair at Wellesley High School on Saturday, November 19 (the Saturday before Thanksgiving). It’s been three years since the WHJWC has been able to bring more than 200 local artists and craftspeople to town, so this year’s Marketplace is a special homecoming of sorts! Artisans are excited to set up their booths with a full range of goods including fine art, gourmet foods, hostess and teacher gifts, jewelry and clothing, home accessories, ornaments and children’s clothes.
Instagram: @wellesleymarketplace
Facebook: @Wellesley-Marketplace
