Name: Nutcracker performance at Wellesley HS
Start: 2018-12-27T14:30:00-05:00
End: 2018-12-27T14:30:00-05:00
Location: Wellesley High School auditorium

Watch: An irresistible Wellesley Cotillion ask

December 15, 2018 by bbrown Leave a Comment

Wellesley High senior Liliana Sydorenko went all out in asking her boyfriend, Blake Harju, to attend the Wellesley Cotillion with her in January.

Liliana, who sings with the Rice Street Singers, Song Sisters and Acapella Anonymous at WHS, asked some friends to join her in serenading Blake, who is the lead sound engineer at the high school for the performing arts department. After Liliana got a positive response from a small group of friends, she created a group chat and things expanded from their, with more students volunteering to sing and play instruments. Lilian wound up writing a 4-part vocal and instrumental arrangement, and the group showed up at Blake’s house on a chilly Tuesday night to deliver the invite, complete with Christmas lights.

Liliana’s helpers included Jadon Czerniach on keyboard, Clare Kelley on viola, David Kelly on euphonium, Maia Foley on bells, Brett Zaorski on drums and for the a cappella voices, Elizabeth Robbins-Cole, Grace Seaborn, Maia Grissino, Ryan Magrisi, Sydney Braunstein, Emi Schneider, Chloe Cohen, Keleyia Rochelle, Courtney Cho, Lydia Tusler, Michael Ossam, Jeffrey Ossam, John Muenning, Ryan Magrisi, Lindsay Heffernan, Julianne Klurfeld, Owen Matejka, Jacob Paul, Dylan Yang, and a special appearance by WHS ’17 graduate and Acapella Anonymous alum Ben Matejka.

Update: Wellesley HS donates over 2,200 toys to Toys for Tots

December 15, 2018 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Earlier this week we wrote about how Wellesley High School, was looking like it would come in dead last in a competition with other schools to see who could collect the most donations for Toys for Tots. Things looked bleak indeed until, in a turnaround reminiscent of It’s a Wonderful Life, the empty donation tables were filled by people who cared. All it took was a little competitive spirit, some encouragement from radio station Mix 104.1, and a whole lot of community teamwork.

The long and the short of it: WHS students collected over 2,000 toys to be distributed as holiday gifts to families in need. I’ll let Principal’s Secretary Diane Zinck tell the story. She says:

“The Toys for Tots collection has been such an outpouring of generosity and doesn’t surprise us for one second. This community is built on caring and cooperative relationships, which is one of our school’s core values. The competition with the radio was the catalyst however, it wasn’t the force, that was the kindness that comes for each and every student, parent and staff member that we are so fortunate to have at 50 Rice Street.

“Of the four schools all contributing, Wellesley High School raised over 2,200 toys. The closest to that was 451. From what we understand, the Toys for Tots organization is at an ALL TIME LOW. When our custodial staff delivered the toys in the Town’s box truck, the receivers told them that this was the largest delivery from one place. It truly fills the hearts knowing that all the beautiful toys will brighten smiles and fill the arms of parents and children. It was an amazing experience, and we are forever grateful every day for this best little town on the planet.”

I’m over the moon about the Toys for Tots donations, and I’m also feeling very lucky that Wellesley has Diane Zinck. Can the ship that is Wellesley High School sail for even one day without her? I don’t want to find out.

I’d like to show you a link in the supply chain management of the toys distribution. Our niece Amanda is a Massachusetts State social worker. She’s one part hero and one part rock star to our family, and we’re all super-proud of her. One part of her multi-faceted job is transporting children in crisis to foster families. But the other day she had the opportunity to do a different kind of transport. Here’s her Facebook post:

Amanda, Toys for Tots — Our niece, Amanda, delivers gifts to Massachusetts families. This carload of presents came from private donations. Her office will get an infusion of Toys for Tots stuff next week. Then, as she told me, “this is exactly what the cars of many social workers around the state will look like.” At this time of year, we just call her Santamanda.

Sprague School Cookie Walk a runaway success

December 14, 2018 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

The annual Sprague Cookie Walk was as fun as ever, as families paid $3 a bag for cookies made with love by Sprague families. The PTO fundraiser included a raffle, a holiday plant sale, a magician, and card decorating. They sold 545 dozen cookies in bags of 6 cookies per bag. So if my quick math is correct, all that sugar earned the PTO over $3,000. Here are some pics of the fun:

Wellesley Sprague School cookie walk — Families tried their luck in a raffle at the Sprague School Cookie Walk PTO fundraiser. Photo credit Robin Brett Wechsler

Holiday happenings in and around Wellesley

December 14, 2018 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

There are lots of opportunities around Wellesley to get into the Christmas spirit:

Wellesley Free Library

The Wellesley Free Library has lots of fun activities going on all through the holidays. Below are just a few, but you can find the whole line-up here.

Special Music Sunday

WHERE: Wellesley Hills Congregational Church
WHEN: December 16, 2018, 10 am

Our worship service will be enlivened and enhanced by a presentation of Conrad Susa’s Carols and Lullabies: Christmas in the Southwest. Our Chancel Choir and soloists will be accompanied by a chamber ensemble and conducted by Director of Music John
Finney.

American composer Conrad Susa (1935-2013) created this delightful collection of traditional Spanish, Puerto Rican, Mexican, and Catalonian carols (all popular in the American Southwest), arranging the accompaniment for harp, marimba, and classical guitar to create a magical texture over which the carol melodies sparkle and dance.

The carols, which will be sung in the original languages (Spanish and Catalan), include the Spanish lullaby “A la Nanita Nana” and the immensely popular Puerto Rican carol “Allegría”.

Soloists will be Laurie Stewart Otten, soprano; Shannon Lebrón, mezzo-soprano; Christian Figueroa, tenor; and Stephen Lebrón, baritone. The service will also include an anthem by our Children’s Choir, conducted by Kirsten Oberoi.

Wellesley Town Band, free concert

The Wellesley Town Band returns to the Wellesley High School auditorium at 3pm on Sunday, Dec. 16th for a free concert of wind band favorites. The 40+ member band can really raise the roof with their classic marches, show tunes, light classical and traditional wind band music.

The show lasts for about an hour, so approach this good time as the perfect warm-up for the 4:30pm Patriots – Steelers game.

Wellesley Village Church, Contemplative Christmas

WHERE: 2 Central St., Wellesley, MA 02482
WHEN: Sunday, December 16, 7pm – 8pm

Wellesley College Club, Breakfast with Santa

Reservations required, call 781-283-2700

Sing and Swing – Happy Holidays with Deb Hudgins — Wellesley Free Library
Monday, December 17, 10:30am – 11:15am, drop-in program for pre-schoolers and their caregivers

Giant Snowpeople Craft — Wellesley Free Library
Wednesday, December 26 – Saturday, December 29
Drop in from 1:30 – 4:30 on any day Dec. 26 – 29 to construct Super-Sized
Snowpeople (up to 4 feet; tall).
Good for families with children of all ages.

UU Wellesley — If your kids want to participate in the pageant, have them join right in. You don’t need to be a member. Rehearsals are Sundays in December, 11:45am – 12:30pm. Questions? Contact Suzie Cartreine, Director of Music, [email protected]

Says You! heads ‘Home for the Holidays’ this year thanks to Walnut Hill School for the Arts. Join Says You on Thursday, December 27 and Friday, December 28, at the Keiter Center in Natick, for a special live event. If you’ve never tuned in to the popular weekly WGBH radio show, here’s how it works: Take one word, add two teams, create three definitions and throw in a live audience: and that’s Says You! See what happens when two teams vie for accuracy in the most literate and liberal of arts at the hilarious expense of the English language. Two games will be played with a brief intermission. The seasonal cast includes Wellesley’s own Carolyn Faye Fox, along with Barry Nolan, and Arnie Reisman.

And for those of you who would like to start the laughs rolling a little earlier, tickets are available for an intimate Q&A with the cast before the show at 6:30pm. For details contact Lenny Paul at (860) 510-8158 or [email protected]

WHEN: Thursday, December 27, 7:30pm and Friday, December 28, 7:30pm
WHERE: Walnut Hill School, Keiter Center, 146 Bacon St., Natick, MA
GET TICKETS HERE

Volunteers brighten holidays for Wellesley public housing residents

December 13, 2018 by admin Leave a Comment

From Wellesley Friendly Aid:

Residents at Wellesley Housing Authority’s Morton Circle, River Street, and Weston Road locations received holiday cheer through a combined community effort led by Wellesley Friendly Aid. On Sunday, December 9 residents gathered at these three locations for a light supper and holiday gift bags. Guests at the event enjoyed singing holiday songs and decorating Christmas trees.

This annual event was made a little brighter this year with the help of first-grade students at Sprague Elementary School who collected donations for gift bags. Teacher Karen Lindquist’s classroom gathered puzzles, gloves, holiday treats, and personal items as part of a larger classroom lesson on the importance of community service.

Once Wellesley Friendly Aid collected the items, the Wellesley High School Key Club stepped in to help package more than 40 gift bags for distribution. Key Club members also volunteered to help serve food and sing Christmas carols at the Morton Circle location.

Special thanks to Sally Miller and Alison Glastein Gray, event co-chairs; Chinese translator Johnny Jin; Volunteers Cheryl Maloney, July Gray, Peter Johannsen, Deb Cogill, Dianne Weil, Sharon Kiernan, and Kathleen & Elliot Mark.

wellesley friendly

Wellesley Friendly Aid Association is a community-based, non-profit organization that works to improve the well-being and quality of life of the residents of Wellesley, Massachusetts. Through our evolving range of programs and services, made available both directly and in collaboration with other organizations and agencies, we offer assistance to Wellesley individuals and families of all incomes and ages who have a variety of unmet needs.

For More Information: Wellesley Friendly Aid Association Phone (781) 235-3960, [email protected]

wellesley friendly