The Swellesley Report

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

Wellesley Fire Dept. hosts 9/11 remembrance ceremony

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The Wellesley Fire Department on Rte. 9 hosted its annual Sept. 11 remembrance ceremony, a solemn event reflecting on the lives lost, people injured, and the sacrifices of first responders.

At the ceremony, color guards for the police and fire departments flanked Wellesley Fire Chief Steve Mortarelli, who presided over the event. Guest speakers included local faith leaders, government officials, and a local veteran. Mortarelli acknowledged the acts of evil from Sept. 11, 2001, but also the acts of courage and heroism from so many.

9/11 ceremony

U.S. Marine Corp. Sergeant Pete Jones spoke of how Americans vowed to never forget, but asked if we have continued to remember. Select Board Chair Colette Aufranc reassured first responders that “we see you,” looking at those in the room, and support you.

Select Board Chair Colette Aufranc shares remarks
Select Board Chair Colette Aufranc shares remarks

 

Pledging allegiance to the flag at 9/11 ceremony
Pledging allegiance to the flag at 9/11 ceremony

 

In a message of hope, Rabbi Moshe Bleich urged all to tip the global scale through our “collective good deeds.”

Bells rang in memory of those who died in the 9/11 attacks.

Four Wellesley residents—John Cahill, Neilie Casey, Edmund Glazer, and Patrick Quigley—were killed in the terrorist attacks.

Wellesley Media recorded the ceremony, and we’ll add the recording to this post when it is published.

9/11 ceremony
Fire Chief Steve Mortarelli speaks with a ceremony attendee

 

Firefighters at 9/11 ceremony

9/11 ceremony

 

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A Truly’s love story in Wellesley

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Rachel Laufer has been glowing ever since the Taste of Wellesley fundraiser took place in May.

That’s the night when Jeff Marcus, who runs the Truly’s ice cream shop in town, put a cherry on top of the evening by asking for Laufer’s hand in marriage—with a charity ring that blinked a rainbow of colors. The two had just finished scooping ice cream for attendees at the Rotary Club of Wellesley event held at the country club.

“After dancing with one another to the band, Jeff completely surprised me by getting down on one knee with the blinking ring and said ‘Would you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?’ That was followed by an acceptance, a kiss, and the most incredible feeling in the world!” Laufer shares.

trulys couple
Rachel & Jeff at Taste of Wellesley (courtesy photo)

 

The couple’s path to engagement started at Truly’s in 2018, the year before Marcus’s family bought the shop. Laufer, who grew up in Canton, had taken her then 2-year-old daughter to the library and then to Truly’s for soft serve. That’s where they first met Marcus.

“Jeff was shy, but we started talking and realized we both were huge fans of ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm!’ Seeing him laugh made me happy. He gave me his number, and to this day, I still hear about me never calling him,” says Laufer, who is partial to the chocolate-vanilla soft-serve twist.

As a busy single mother running an online consignment business, Laufer says “dating was the last thing on my mind!” But she and Marcus thought often of each other over the years, until this past March, when they reconnected.

Laufer and her daughter Olivia moved to town in 2022, and have since embraced the community through the Wellesley Mothers Forum and school activities. Olivia attends Hunnewell Elementary School—conveniently located around the corner from Truly’s—so the mom and daughter naturally made their way back to the shop.

“We now spend more time than I’d like to admit at Truly’s,” Laufer says.

Laufer and Marcus first took their relationship beyond Truly’s earlier this year when he asked her to dinner at da LaPosta in Newton for what he described as the closest thing to authentic Italian pizza in the area.

“It didn’t feel like a typical date. It felt like I was with my person. It was so organic, and I remember just both of us laughing and really enjoying catching up,” Laufer says.

This romance is sprinkled with sweetness. The pair started dating after dinner and realized they shared lots of common interests, including their love for good coffee, traveling, Boston sports, comedies, and more. Laufer even helps Marcus test ice cream flavors.

What’s more, Olivia and Marcus have taken to each other, with his taking part in reading day at Hunnewell being a big hit for the young student.

The Taste of Wellesley event wasn’t technically a date—Laufer and Marcus were working Truly’s booth (Laufer scooping for the first time)—but one thing led to another as the band played under the stars.

The couple has set a date of October 2025 to get married… and that’s the scoop.

Rachel Jeff Olivia Truly's
Rachel, Jeff & Olivia

Got a sweet story to share? Please send tips, photos, and ideas to theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

 

Should we start running engagement and wedding announcements? If so, help us get the ball rolling.

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Making daily Wellesley dump runs—at the age of 91

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I’ve been to the Wellesley Recycling & Disposal Facility hundreds of times since moving to town 20-plus years ago, but I’ll never look at the dump quite the same way again after visiting it recently with 91-year-old resident Stephen Brown.

Stephen has been going to the RDF for years, mainly on Saturdays before he retired as a Boston College theology professor in 2018. Since then he has been visiting the facility almost daily as a hobby, to entertain guests, and to help out those in need.

“Every out-of-town visitor we have gets a personalized tour of the dump from Stephen,” said his wife, Marie. “He is so in awe of this magnificent facility and has been for over the four decades we have lived here. I’m proud of it, too!”

Stephen Brown, RDF

Stephen Brown at the Wellesley RDF’s reusables area

 

I picked up Stephen at his home, one of several Wellesley addresses he has resided at over the years, and we headed to the RDF mid-morning on a temperate Friday in May. I had my back seat and trunk filled with recycling, food waste, and trash, while my companion was just along for the ride.

“We figured we could just do that tomorrow,” he assured, noting that he no longer drives himself there, rather relying on the help of home health aides who love going to the RDF as much as Stephen does. His wife had told me earlier that “Since our children are now grown and in their own homes, I am challenged to find trash collectibles for him” because he goes so often.

As we made our way to the RDF I asked Stephen, an emeritus professor at BC, what he taught.

“I teach philosophy and theology,” he said. “I’m very much a specialist in medieval philosophers, Thomas Aquinas, St. Augustine, and those people.”

Hmmm, a little outside my comfort zone. Good  thing we had the dump to talk about…

Though I tried to determine if there might be any connection between philosophy and the RDF that I could force into this narrative. Stephen’s philosophy on coming to the RDF in the first place years ago was that his family didn’t have the money to hire someone to pick up their trash, he said.

I pulled into the main recycling area, in front of the plastics and aluminum bins, and that’s when Stephen started his play by play, perhaps almost feeling a bit jealous of those with items to chuck.

“We usually head first to the area where they take our cut-up mail and paper,” he said. He pointed out how people “take it seriously about putting things in their right place,” divvying up their bottles from their non-bottles, and added that the signage at the facility has become clearer over time.

I could sense his feeling of relief when I readied to exit the car to start recycling my items.

“Can I help,” Stephen asked, with one leg and his cane already partway out the passenger side door.

Why not?

Crutches, clothing & books

Stephen said one of his favorite areas to head to historically was the healthcare equipment section containing crutches, walkers, and the like. 

healthcare equipment at RDF
Healthcare equipment area at RDF

His family had an acquaintance in New Jersey whose volunteer efforts included supplying hospitals in Africa with such gear. So Stephen would pick up what he could at the RDF, stash it in his garage, and hand it over to the man when he’d be up this way.

“This went on for many years,” he said.

Closer to home, Stephen marvels at the ability of people in town to pass along their shoes, suitcases, and other items through various stations at the RDF to those who can use the items.

Recycling is about a lot more than just plastics, paper, and aluminum.

“You really can bring benefits to many people through the give-and-take area,” he said.

Stephen, a published author many times over, has also taken advantage of the book swap area.

“Some of the people I’ve taught have taken jobs at small colleges where they have little money and limited access to books,” he says. “So I’d spend a lot of time looking through the books here so that I could send them collections, such as encyclopedias or works of Plato or Aristotle. Every day I’d find a handful of books and mail them to them.”

Stephen adds that some of his aides also have kids here or in other countries, and are able to pick up books at the RDF bring or send them home.

As for this day, we came back to his house empty handed, probably much to his wife’s relief.

 

Got a slice of Wellesley life story to share? Please reach out to theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

 

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Wellesley Food Pantry says farewell to longtime director Cynthia Scott

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Wellesley Food Pantry earlier this month held a reception at the Wellesley Hills Church to celebrate the 17 years of service for departing director Cynthia Scott and wish her well as she embarks on a new phase in her life.

Well-wishers included nearly 100 clients and volunteers from the pantry as well as Wellesley’s Massachusetts State Representative Alice Peisch, who read a proclamation approved by the state legislature attesting to the service Scott has provided to the town and the pantry. The pantry’s board also presented Scott with a plaque commemorating her work and attendees were encouraged to sign a memory book for her to keep. Scott’s husband Larry and son James were also in attendance.

 

Cynthia with state rep Alice Peisch and board president Peter Lull
Board President Peter Lull, Cynthia Scott & State Rep. Alice Peisch

 

“Cynthia has done such a tremendous job building the pantry into an amazing resource for the town of Wellesley and she is going to be sorely missed,” said the pantry’s board president Peter Lull. “She has such great care and concern for both clients and volunteers and ensures a good experience for all, and that is why she is beloved by all associated with Wellesley Food Pantry.”

Scott first started volunteering at the pantry occasionally through the Wellesley Service League in late 2004 and then took shifts regularly beginning in 2007. Scott has since served as president and as the pantry’s longtime director of operations, overseeing nearly every aspect of how the pantry was run. She led the move of the pantry to become an independent charitable organization —a 501(c)3—in 2011.  Scott has an extensive and intimate knowledge of how every aspect of the operation functioned and provided training and guidance on procedures, requirements, and needs.

Board member Terry Moy pointed out highlights of Scott’s impact noting, “Cynthia has always had a vision for a healthy and sustainable food availability for the pantry’s clients. From providing fresh produce, reopening during the summer months, to purchasing reusable bags for new clients just to name a few.”

The last five years provided some unprecedented challenges for the pantry. The pandemic hit full force in early 2020, just as the Hills Church, where the pantry is housed, began an extensive renovation project. Scott had to plan and oversee the relocation of the pantry and its operations to the Unitarian Universalist Society of Wellesley Hills property all while dealing with COVID challenges of health protocols and supply chain challenges. Scott accomplished this while keeping continuity of service for the nearly 400 clients who rely on the pantry as a supplemental food resource.

Cynthia with son James and husband Larry
Cynthia Scott with son James and husband Larry

“The scale and complexity of moving our entire operation under such difficult and demanding circumstances cannot be understated, yet Cynthia was able to both plan and execute, as well as adapt to changing conditions on the fly,” noted Lull. “It cannot be overstated what an impressive feat that was.”

Scott leaves behind a robust operation with many recently defined roles to accomplish the many tasks she herself had managed for years. The pantry will continue to operate on Tuesdays to serve the approximately 400 residents who rely on their resources for food security. Approximately 40% of the pantry’s clients are seniors (aged 60+).

“Cynthia has dedicated 17 years to the betterment of Wellesley Food Pantry and the nearly 200 families it serves,” said Moy.”Her compassion and commitment have made the community a better place and we are eternally grateful to her.”

Cynthia with WFP volunteers and board members
Cynthia Scottt with Food Pantry volunteers and board members

 

This article was submitted by the Wellesley Food Pantry.

 

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#TeamJaeger, Wellesley police officers inspire each other at Boston Marathon

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There were a ton of great signs along the Boston Marathon route on April 15—Wellesley College students at the Scream Tunnel brought their A games with funny and racy ones. But there was no better or more powerful message than the one held by 6-year-old Jaeger Dziama that read: “You Got This Winnie’s Mom! Love #TeamJaeger.”

Jaeger was rooting on Wellesley Police Officer Tana DiCenso, also known as Mom to Winnie, the lovable community resource dog that joined the department in 2020. DiCenso, and so many others, have been rooting for Jaeger and his family since he was involved in a lawnmower accident in town last June that resulted in him losing his lower right leg.

He has undergone many medical procedures over the past year, including rotationplasty, as documented on a crowdfunding page for the family. This resilient first grader is now back in action thanks to a prosthetic and ongoing physical therapy. Jaeger has shared his experiences with classmates and teachers, and enthusiastically cheered on Boston Marathon participants.

Officer DiCenso and fellow Wellesley police officer Allie Lucenta, 2017 classmates from the MBTA Transit Police Academy, ran the marathon together in support of #TeamJaeger “to recognize the strength and determination” of this young Wellesley resident.

The community can show its continued support by purchasing #TeamJaeger T-shirts to help with the Dziama family’s medical expenses. The fundraiser was going to wrap up with the marathon, but DiCenso said they’re glad to extend it.

 

Team Jaeger shirt fundraiser

 

“We all sported our #teamjaeger T’s with so much pride and cheered like crazy as they ran by!” said Laura Dziama, Jaeger’s mom, describing their Marathon Monday (both she and husband Justin have run the race in the past).

team jaegerDiCenso was a first responder at the accident scene last June and applied the tourniquet to Jaeger’s injured leg.

“Both she and Allie are living proof that we are capable of getting through extremely hard things & then as a result we become better, stronger, more empathetic human beings,” Laura said.

The Dziama family has been very grateful to medical professionals at Boston Children’s Hospital, patients and families they have met along the way, and the community at large.

DiCenso’s been in touch with the family since the day of the incident.

“That little guy fought a monumental battle, and came out smiling,” DiCenso said. “I picked up seriously running pretty much right after the accident, and Boston was my second marathon (Allie’s 5th Boston Marathon). Running for Jaeger was a no-brainer!”

 

 

 

Bomb threat reported at synagogue in Wellesley

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We received word from a reader and Temple Beth Elohim (TBE) member that TBE—along with other synagogues throughout the MetroWest area—had received a bomb threat this morning via email.

Temple Beth Elohim, Wellesley
Temple Beth Elohim in Wellesley received a bomb threat on Sunday, Dec. 17. The threat was determined by the WPD to be a hoax.

TBE Executive Director of Administration and Operations Stephen Asjkinos provided details to the synagogue’s community about actions following the bomb threat in an email: “When we received the threat, we were preparing for our full day of learning programs. We immediately evacuated, and the Wellesley Police Department responded promptly to search and clear the building. While the threat was being evaluated, we canceled all of our morning programming” including an event to benefit Israeli artists.

After the WPD determined that a credible threat did not exist, TBE communicated plans to reopen at 4pm for afternoon programs. Information about rescheduling the art fair will follow. 

Rabbi Moshe Bleich of Wellesley Weston Chabad, located on route 9 in Wellesley, said, “Thankfully we did not get the threat. We have, though, upped the security and surveillance around Chabad. It’s a sad sign of the times.”

Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP), located in Boston in the Kraft Family Building, sent out an alert to its newsletter recipients calling this morning’s bomb threats part of “a continued series of email and telephonic threats and harassment” directed at Jewish institutions—CJP says there have been over 500 such instances since summer 2023. “While there may not be an actual known threat to life safety, these threats and harassment are designed to create fear and anxiety in the Jewish community,” the charitable organization said.

Herlda Senhouse, Wellesley’s oldest resident, is back home and needs our help

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UPDATE: 12/12/23—Herlda is home from the hospital and care has been arranged. Donations to pay for her bump up in care needs are still being accepted. See the end of this post for directions, and thank you for helping Wellesley’s oldest resident.

Wellesley’s oldest resident, Herlda Senhouse, celebrated her 112th birthday on February 28, 2023 with over 50 guests, cake, and a rousing chorus of “Happy Birthday.” Lately though, the Glen Grove resident hasn’t been feeling her usual joyous self due to an illness that has landed her in the hospital. The good news is that Herlda is steadily recovering. The hard part is that  she cannot go back to her familiar surroundings until health care assistants are in place to ensure that her needs are met.

Herlda Senhouse, Wellesley, 112-years old
Herlda Senhouse at her 112th birthday party, 2023. Photo credit: Town of Wellesley

A blocker to Herlda’s return home—money. Insurance will cover only a portion of her additional care expenses. So her friends are raising funds to help cover the estimated $400/week that she will need to pay out of pocket. Wellesley residents Robert Alevizos and Margaret Robinson have spearheaded efforts to ask the community to help with financial assistance for their dear friend and the town’s oldest resident.

“At 112 years old, finances aren’t great,” Margaret said. “Herlda in her younger years has given and done, and given and done, always for others. Now she needs help.”

How to help Herlda

Checks made out to Herlda Senhouse may be sent c/o Robert Alevizos, 2 Lake Road, Wellesley, MA 02482.

Checks will be deposited directly to Herlda’s bank account. “Believe it or not, Herlda still writes checks on her own to pay for her current home care,” Robert said.

Any questions may be directed to Robert at 781-738-1744 or via email at rzos@yahoo.com

How to help Herlda through Myrtle Baptist Church

Herlda’s church home, Myrtle Baptist Church in Newton, has an easy online giving portal that allows donors to help support Herlda’s healthcare needs. Current plans call for this giving opportunity to remain in place until January 14, 2024.  The church will forward  all money accumulated directly to Herlda.
The following instructions have been developed for use by anyone wishing to donate through Myrtle Baptist Church:

1.    Navigate to www.myrtlebaptist.org

2.    Select the “give” link near the top of the page

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