Beyond Wellesley: All were welcomed to Needham MLK Day celebration

January 17, 2023 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

In past years Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was celebrated in Wellesley at a community-wide breakfast sponsored by World of Wellesley (WOW), in partnership with other groups that varied year to year. Although remembrances in Wellesley for Dr. King were held virtually in 2021 and 2022, WOW took a pause on putting together an in-person event for 2023.

MLK Day 2023, Needham — Keynote speaker Michael D. O’ Neal and Odessa Sanchez, who attended the MLK Day event as a representative of the Wellesley Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Taskforce.

Since sticking close to home for an in-person program honoring the civil rights leader wasn’t an option this year, many Wellesley residents instead attended the Needham Diversity Initiative‘s observances of the national holiday at Needham High School. We heard the program was wonderful, which is unsurprising given that part of the grassroots organization’s mission is to create “positive and genuine relationships, friendships, and amity between individuals, communities, and institutions.”

The program featured keynote speaker and Needham resident Michael O’Neal. The Needham High School graduate is a professional life coach, and has served as director of the Young Fathers’ Program at the Urban League.

Also part of the MLK Day celebration: a dramatization of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, by the Eliot Elementary School chorus; music by the Plugged In Teen Band program; a reading segment by WOW co-president Rama Ramaswamy of MLK’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail;” and more.

Thanks to the Initiative for welcoming your neighbors.

More: Natick celebrates spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

World of Wellesley partnering with Needham on MLK, Jr. Day event; Town offices will be closed on holiday

January 11, 2023 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

World of Wellesley is partnering with the Needham Diversity Initiative on a Martin Luther King, Jr., Day celebration on Monday, Jan. 16.

Promised is a morning of music and inspiration from 10am-1130 at Needham High School, 609 Webster St., Needham. Registration info to come.

The event has not been held in person for the past 2 years.

Nearby, Natick is holding an MLK, Jr. Day celebration at Kennedy Middle School.

Town offices to be closed

Wellesley municipal buildings and office will be closed on Monday, Jan. 16 in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

The Recycling and Disposal Facility and the Wellesley Free Library will also be closed.

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Top 10 things to do in Wellesley, Mass. in 2023

January 6, 2023 by Deborah Brown 1 Comment

We’ve updated our popular “Top 10 things to do in Wellesley” page to remind everyone of how much the town has to offer. From hiking the many trails in town, to listening to live music during summer concerts, or enjoying a meal at any number of top-notch restaurants, there’s plenty to do and see in Wellesley.

Have you experienced everything on our list?

Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend, antique cars — Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend, antique cars

Make The Swellesley Report first on your top-10 list of places to support with a contribution.

Top 10 things to do in Natick, Mass.

Options in Wellesley for parting with your Christmas tree

December 29, 2022 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Every holiday season households around Wellesley drag a live tree into their homes and treat it like royalty. The tree—usually a fragrant balsam fir—gets prime family room real estate, is glammed up in twinkle lights and shiny baubles, and admired. This honeymoon period lasts for about three weeks. After that, a certain family member starts giving the tree side-eye, commenting (or muttering… complaining styles var.) about pine needles in the carpet, and fire hazards. The tree must go.

You could load the tree into your vehicle, drive to the Recycling and Disposal Facility (RDF), and add it to the sad-looking pile of once-mighty conifers, all at no charge to Wellesley residents. Or you could get rid of the problem the easy way. By throwing money at it.

There are a couple of young, hardworking Wellesley entrepreneurs we know of who can pick up your tree for a small fee, leaving your car free of pine needles, and saving you that awkward goodbye to a once-valued holiday symbol.

Dirty deeds, done dirt cheap

Hardworking Wellesley resident and Clemson University landscape architect major Patrick Dublin can haul away your tree for a fee of $20. In honor of his grandmothers, Dublin donates 10% of his earnings to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. He drops non big store trees at Unity Farm in Sherborn, and the rest go to the RDF.

To get your Christmas tree picked up, email him at dublinp19@gmail.com or use the sign-up genius.

Dublin is also happy to do dump runs and other jobs, so don’t be shy about asking for his assistance.

Also, Jack Kenney is in the tree removal business. The University of Vermont student said in an email he has upgraded the business and, in addition to dropping trees off at the RDF, has ” partnered with some local farms (like Natick Community Organic Farm and Happy Goats Farm) to feed the xmas trees to the farm animals.” You can schedule a pickup here.

Ryan LeBrun, too, can take away your tree. He tells us, “My family owns The Linden Store and the quality of my work is impeccable. I also offer to remove your tree from your home and take it off the stand. I am very passionate about NOAA Fisheries Bluefin Tuna Research and plan to donate a percentage of my proceeds to help further the grow and research. My fee is $25 for removal.”

You can reach Ryan at 781-540-4099

Are you a hardworking tree-removal entrepreneur? Email us at theswellesleyreport@gmail.com and we’ll add you to this post.

Fair fir trade

To streamline the process for those in the tree disposal business, the Wellesley Department of Public Works has created a Christmas tree collection pilot program. DPW director Dave Cohen during the Dec. 13 Board of Public Works meeting explained that this year those who want to collect trees and bring them to the RDF as part of a business must apply for a permit and pay by the number of trees they drop off. The rate is approximately $1 per tree. (You can see the tree talk here at about 3 minutes into the Wellesley Media recording of meeting.)

In the past, tree-disposal entrepreneurs had to pay the minimum fee of $30 whenever they did a dump run, which added up pretty quickly for someone making multiple trips to the RDF. Such a system favored the business with the biggest trucks, so paying just once for the season has the advantage of somewhat leveling the playing field.

Want to get in on the action? Stop by the RDF office to pick up an application.

How not to get rid of your tree

Disposed Christmas tree — There’s a right way and a wrong way to dispose of Christmas trees. Here’s the wrong way.

Here’s how our swell family has gotten rid of our trees, and it’s all on the up-and-up:

It’s easy to get an Open Air Burning Permit in Wellesley. The season runs January 15 to May 1, and you just have to follow a few common-sense rules. The Wellesley Fire Department requires that a garden hose be available at the site of the burning. Nobody wants to see the peony beds go up in flames accidentally, or worse yet, the woods. Get your burn permit online.

Wellesley RDF holiday hours

Friday 12/30/22 – RDF Open 7am – 3:45pm
Saturday 12/31/22 – RDF to close at 12 noon (open hours 7am-12 noon)
Sunday 1/1/23 – RDF CLOSED
Monday 1/2/23 – RDF CLOSED

Wellesley RDF regular hours

Monday – Wednesday, 7 a.m. – Noon
Thursday – Saturday, 7 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Sunday – Closed

How long will Wellesley stay lit?

December 23, 2022 by Bob Brown 2 Comments

Opinions on how long Wellesley’s holiday lights should remain lit varied among Select Board members discussing the subject at their Dec. 20 meeting (around the 2-hour, 36-minute mark of Wellesley Media’s recording), with the decision apparently being left to the Municipal Light Plant, whose team installs the decorations with the town’s Park and Tree Division.

Update ( 1/5/23): The lights will remain up through Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Jan. 16, per the MLP.

The lights traditionally go up around Thanksgiving and stay lit at night until just after the new year, and indeed, the town website refers to Jan. 2 as the end of the display. In some recent years they’ve stayed up longer, giving locals a boost during the dark days of winter, particularly during the height of the pandemic.

Executive Director Meghan Jop said the town has received inquiries, including from merchants, about whether the lights might be left up a bit longer, maybe until mid-January.

Wellesley Select Board Chair Lise Olney said she would think it’s really an MLP decision since that outfit pays for the electricity and it was not something for the Board to vote on. Having said that, she added: “I don’t support it. I think it undermines our energy use reduction goals and I don’t think it’s of any particular benefit to the town.”

Board member Beth Sullivan Woods said she has heard from residents and merchants—and from holiday decoration donors—that they’d like to see the display extended at least a couple of weeks. “I think it supports our economic initiatives,” she added, referring to the work the town has done to support businesses, including new restaurants.

Board member Ann-Mara Lanza acknowledged that if this is indeed an MLP decision that it should know the Board shouldn’t interfere. “I love them, I think it brightens the town, it brings joy. I think it’s worth it for another couple of weeks to just make the town look beautiful in the winter months,” she said, referring to them as “winter lights” or “holiday lights” as opposed to Christmas lights.

lights wellesley church st — Church Square lights

Leaving the lights on deep into winter can cause damage to the gear, noted Board member Tom Ulfelder, based on the town’s past experience. He said he’d be fine if the MLP sticks with its usual plan or leaves them up through Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

While the Board indicated it wouldn’t interfere with the MLP’s decision, the Charles River Regional Chamber sent a letter to the MLP’s director asking that the lights be left up through the end of January to help support local businesses.

We reached out to the MLP to get clarification on its policy regarding lights and to learn more about the cost of leaving the lights on. We’ll update this post if we hear back.

Wreath alternatives

Holiday decorations were the topic of another Select Board discussion in October. The board mulled using about $4,200 from the funds the town receives for supporting the Boston Marathon to pay for holiday decorations.

Wellesley traditionally has put wreaths on lamp posts, and has expanded beyond Wellesley Square and Linden Square into lower falls. Olney asked whether something “less Christmas-specific,” such as snowflakes or sprays, might be considered so that the publicly funded decorations aren’t tied as much to a single religious holiday.

With supply chains a challenge, the wreaths were ordered and installed. Don’t be surprised if the topic is raised further in advance of the holiday season next year.

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Christmas worship services 2022, Wellesley churches

December 23, 2022 by admin Leave a Comment

Wellesley has many houses of worship that observe Christmas. Whether you’re looking for a service for the kids (complete with a pageant), beautiful music, candlelight, in-person, or a live-streamed experience, check below for a soul-lifting experience. Make sure to check individual websites as you make your plans.

Christmas Eve takes place on Sat., Dec. 24, followed by Christmas Day on Sun., Dec. 25.

First Church of Christ, Scientist

8 Rockland St, 781-235-1114
Regular services on Sunday, December 25, 10am

MetroWest Baptist Church

2 Brook St. 781-431-0828
Check their website for information

Milestone Church at Elmwood Chapel

42 Elmwood Rd. 781-235-6025
Check their website for information

St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church

79 Denton Rd., 781-235-7310

St. Andrew's Church, Wellesley

Dec. 24, 3pm, Christmas Eve Children’s service
Dec. 24, 5pm, Christmas Eve Family Eucharist service
Dec. 24, 10pm, Christmas Eve Choral Eucharist service
Dec. 25, 10am, Christmas Day service

St. John the Evangelist Parish (Catholic)

9 Glen Rd., 781-235-0045

St. Paul Parish (Catholic)

502 Washington St., 781-235-1060

Wellesley St. John, St. Paul Collaborative

Unitarian Universalist Society of Wellesley Hills

309 Washington St., 781-235-9423
Check their website for information

Wellesley Congregational (Village) Church

2 Central St., 781-235-1988

Dec. 24, 4pm, Family service children’s pageant, sanctuary and livestream
Dec. 24, 7pm, Candlelight service with sanctuary choir, sanctuary and livestream
Dec. 24, 9pm Candlelight service with youth and alumni choir, sanctuary and livestream
Dec. 25, 10am, online worship only at this link (no in-person services)

Wellesley Hills Congregational Church

207 Washington St., 781-235-4424

Dec. 24, 3:30pm, family friendly, interactive pageant service for all ages
Dec. 24, 6pm, candlelight service that includes the beautiful sacred music of the Chancel and Handbell Choirs
Dec. 25, 10am service

Wellesley Friends Meeting (Quaker)

26 Benvenue St., 781-237-0268
Check their website for information

Chanukah celebration at Wellesley Town Hall has it all: Parachuting menorahs, daring candle lighting & community spirit

December 22, 2022 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Rabbi Moshe Bleich told the crowd gathered at the Grand Menorah Lighting at Wellesley Town Hall that the Chanukah story is very old, but also current.

“The truth is the story of Chanukah continues, and it continues with us here tonight, tomorrow, every day,” the Wellesley Weston Chabad leader said, standing in a pickup truck bed with a giant menorah behind him. “We are those people, we are here to light up the world and make the world a better place. It takes each and every one of us to continue our Chanukah story…”

Moshe Bleich menorah lighting — Rabbi Bleich: “We are the menorahs, we are Chanukah”

The event took place on Wednesday, the fourth night of the Jewish festival of lights—the Menorah Mobile hit Weston for a similar celebration the night before.

What Bleich hopes will become an annual event included songs in English and Hebrew, jelly doughnuts and light-up menorah necklaces up for grabs, plus the lighting of the grand menorah by local dignitaries. This included Police Chief Jack Pilecki, Fire Chief Rick DeLorie, and Select Board member Beth Sullivan Woods scaling the truck via a combination of a step ladder and chairs in a manner not for the faint of heart that would make Cirque du Soleil performers jealous (the Select Board member did double duty in helping to light the town hall menorah and grabbing a burnt-out bulb that she later planned to run over to Green’s Hardware for replacement).

Chanukah celebration at #Wellesley Town Hall has it all: Parachuting menorahs, daring candle lighting & community spirit https://t.co/hPhfwjvHgB #happychanukah pic.twitter.com/WWFCwJk5R9

— swellesley (@swellesley) December 22, 2022

Bleich himself followed the Grand Menorah Lighting by bouncing to the top of a fire engine, where he began tossing miniature menorahs attached to bright orange parachutes into the air, with kids (and maybe an adult or 2) scrambling to catch them. That was followed by a spectacular chocolate gelt drop, with Bleich throwing the shiny prizes high into the dark sky and sparking a frenzy below.

As an attendee said upon her departure: “This is what community is all about.”