Honorees for 53rd Annual Wellesley Veterans’ Parade

By writer to theswellesleyreport.com

Wellesley has so many individuals to be grateful for over the previous yr, and over the numerous previous years. Right here’s who will acknowledged this weekend throughout Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend on the 53rd Annual Wellesley Veterans’ Parade, which takes place Sunday 1-3pm.

(We’ll add fuller bios on honorees from the Wellesley Celebrations Committee to the tip of this submit as we get them.)

Grand Marshals

COVID Healthcare Heroes: The Board of Well being & Employees, The Neighborhood Fund for Wellesley’s COVID 19 Aid Fund, Stitching COVID Assist Group, Wellesley Fireplace and Police

Distinguished Service Award

Sue Webb, 44 years Retired Animal Management Officer

Chief of Employees & Oldest Veteran

Willard Hunnewell, 100-year-old U.S. Navy veteran

Willard P. Hunnewell, Wellesley — Willard P. Hunnewell

Neighborhood Service Awards

David Chapin, Retired 25 years on Board of Assessors
David Donohue, Retired 25 years on Board of Public Works
Marjorie Freiman, Retired 2-term Member of Board of Selectmen
Sharon Grey, Retired 2-term Member of Faculty Committee
Matt Kelley, Retired 2-term Member of Faculty Committee
Regina Larocque, Retired three yr Member of Pure Assets Fee
Jack Morgan, Retired 2 time period Member of the Board of Selectmen
Lloyd Tarlin, Jr., Retired four time period Member of the Board of Well being

Neighborhood Caring Awards

J. Michelle Grignaffini, Kidney donor
Thomas Kelley, COVID survivor

Devoted Service Award

Linda Corridan, Retired 10 yr, Head Faculty Nurse

Particular Recognition Awards

Leslie Holmes, Retired 25 yr President of the Wellesley Symphony Orchestra
Max Hobart, Retired 25 yr Conductor of the Wellesley Symphony Orchestra
Joyce Downes, 74 yr member of the Wellesley Symphony Orchestra

Honoree bios from Wellesley Celebrations Committee to observe on leap web page:

Grand Marshals: COVID Healthcare Heroes

The Covid-19 outbreak introduced our city to a standstill confronting us with a disaster we’ve by no means seen earlier than, and is actually redefining the best way we reside.

Our city responded. Heroes emerged. Over the previous 18 months, Wellesley has efficiently mitigated the group unfold of COVID-19.

Wellesley residents have been vaccinated, worn masks, saved knowledgeable, and volunteered their effort and time to help probably the most weak. City departments, most notably the Workplace of the Choose Board and the Faculty Division, collaborated successfully with the Board of Well being and Employees of the Well being Division. The Fireplace and Police Departments had been there for us. For the reason that starting of the outbreak, healthcare professionals have actually been selfless warriors, giving of themselves tirelessly to guard us.

Wellesley is lucky to have a educated, devoted, and skilled elected three-member Board of Well being, together with Shepard Cohen, Marcia Testa Simonson, and Linda Oliver Grape, supported by an extremely devoted and proficient Well being Division workers led by Director Lenny Izzo. For the reason that Spring of 2020, they’ve labored tirelessly; educating the general public, protecting abreast of evolving science and Federal/State pointers, sustaining communications with Federal, State, and regional public well being businesses, responding to residents’ considerations, offering direct assist and help, contact tracing, and far more; all whereas assembly their different group and environmental well being duties. Total, they led and supported Wellesley’s response to the pandemic, and proceed to take action. It’s the native public well being businesses on the frontlines which might be finally accountable for the well being and well-being of the group. Wellesley is certainly lucky to have a genuinely distinctive native public well being board and workers.

On this time of want The Neighborhood Fund for Wellesley’s COVID 19 Aid Fund (CCFW COVID 19) was created in partnership with the Wellesley Choose Board to establish and handle group wants throughout the coronavirus disaster. With the assist and generosity of Wellesley residents, the CFFW COVID 19 Aid Fund was capable of grant over $125,000, in emergency reduction funding in important areas. The CFFW COVID 19 Aid Fund was made potential fully by neighbors caring for his or her neighbors. Grants had been made to assist the next areas of important want together with:

· Meals insecurity – the creation of a Wellesley restaurant supply program offering a whole lot of sizzling meals and grocery reward playing cards for meals insecure residents.

· Well being Care & Psychological Well being – expertise to assist improved communication for nursing residence residents & their care givers; creation of professionally led assist teams & useful resource supplies to handle pandemic associated psychological well being wants; transportation to vaccination facilities; and, reward playing cards to buy emergency provides for residents with COVID.

· PPE – Over 5,000 masks/items of PPE had been supplied/created, together with KN95 masks & supplies for creation of masks, and masks for the Wellesley Police Dept as a part of the ‘Masks Up’ program; hand sanitizing stations for native companies as a part of the enterprise districts’ reopening.

· Training – distant studying supplies, arts & crafts provides, biweekly lunch program for at-risk WPS college students.

· Youth Employment – creation of the Inexperienced Shirts youth employment program, assist for youth sports activities teaching/mentoring jobs.

· Neighborhood Engagement & Recreation – assist to create COVID-safe Cell Film Nights with the Wellesley Kiwanis Membership; present summertime splash pads for youth; and assist for downtown artwork exhibits.

Our city additionally honors the numerous volunteers, donors, and stitching group members who’ve stepped up on this time of want to assist present important security provides for our group. By the tip of the summer time of 2020, greater than 20,000 face masks, headbands for nurses, and nursing caps had been painstakingly measured, minimize, pinned, and sewed by the Stitching COVID 19 Assist Group; the medical group, residents, City workers, and companies all benefited. In what felt like a blink of a watch, face masks grew to become a important a part of our plan to guard our group and decelerate the speed of an infection and the Stitching COVID 19 Assist Group of devoted volunteers emerged and rose to the problem of creating patterns and offering these important provides underneath the management of Lynda Cowin Nijensohn to fulfill the necessity.

The plague got here to Wellesley and abruptly a courageous medical military of volunteers and City workers stood sturdy, you need to be our Grand Marshals.

Distinguished Service Award: Sue Webb, Retires After 44 Years of Service

On January 5, 2021 Animal Management Officer Susan “Sue” Webb accomplished her final shift because the City of Wellesley’s Animal Management Officer. She leaves huge sneakers to fill, as she served because the city’s sole Animal Management Officer for over 44 years. She first started her profession with the Wellesley Police Division in 1976. She left for a few years within the early 1980’s when she moved out of state, however quickly returned to Wellesley and was re-hired because the City’s Animal Management Officer.

Many may suppose there wouldn’t be a lot for an Animal Management Officer to do, however Sue’s days had been crammed with many animal associated requires service; starting from the abnormal barking canine criticism or misplaced cat to trapping bats in homes or skunks in basements and even rescuing beavers in misery within the Charles River. Sue was additionally accountable for imposing the city’s Bylaws for canine/cat licensing, canine conduct, nuisance or harmful canine hearings and the related penalties and fines for violations. After doing the work for thus a few years she knew many of those pets by identify and the place they lived.

One other large a part of Sue’s job was schooling for the general public. Sue has spent the previous 40 plus years educating residents about their family pets and the wildlife they might have contact with of their backyards or whereas strolling the varied trails round city. She is a strolling encyclopedia of animal associated data and liked sharing her data with others. Sue most loved when she obtained to work together with the youth on the town to teach them about her job and animals. You’d at all times see Sue with a desk arrange at group occasions such because the Police Division’s Annual Open Home and July Jubilation within the Sq..

Over time Sue has reunited numerous canines and cats with their homeowners. She has estimated that between microchips and the usage of social media she is ready to reunite 95% of pets again to their homeowners in lower than 24 hours.

Sue loves her work and volunteered numerous hours of her private time working with the Protected Individuals Protected Pets Program, being an advocate for Home Violence and Sheltering Animals, Stray Pets in Want and plenty of different organizations.

Sue has a ardour for search and rescue and has owned a number of search and rescue canines over time. After the 9/11 assaults Sue responded to New York Metropolis to help within the search and rescue efforts for victims trapped within the rubble. She plans to proceed her search and rescue work in her retirement.

We thank Sue for her devoted and unwavering service to the Police Division and City of Wellesley and want her properly in her retirement.

(Article by Lt. Marie Cleary, Wellesley Police Dept.

Chief of Employees and Oldest Veteran: Willard P. Hunnewell

One of many nice privileges of residing 100 years is the chance to take action a lot good on your nation, for your loved ones, and for our city.

Willard P. Hunnewell has carried out a century of accomplishment.

With a big thanks from all the city, The Wellesley Celebrations Committee, a standing committee of the Choose Board, City of Wellesley honors Willard Hunnewell as each our CHIEF OF STAFF and THE OLDEST VETERAN.

Willard is the great-grandson of Wellesley benefactor Horatio Hollis Hunnewell, whose household residence “Wellesley” impressed the identify of this nice city in 1881. A 1943 graduate of Harvard College, Willard served our Nation in World Warfare II as a U.S. Navy navigator within the Atlantic and Pacific theatres. He owned Apco Mossberg Firm, which created precision devices and instruments together with these used within the jewellery business.

The various stunning bushes you see surrounding Lake Waban are there by way of the care and nurturing of Willard Hunnewell. As caretaker for the Pinetum a set of pine and conifer bushes from world wide created by H.H. Hunnewell and situated on the Hunnewell property.

Mr. Hunnewell has pursued a lifetime ardour for nature by way of quite a few horticulture associations, together with as a member and previous president of the Massachusetts Horticulture Affiliation, as a Charles River Watershed Affiliation volunteer, as a revered beekeeper managing a number of hives on the Hunnewell property.

An ethical and social chief in our group. Willard sturdy character, dedication to Wellesley, and pleasure of life, enriches and beautifies the city we share.

Willard Hunnewell has had the blessings of alternative to unfold not solely the items of charity but additionally the fantastic thing about nature making our city a showplace of sustainability.

Thanks, Willard Hunnewell for all you might have executed.

Neighborhood Service Award: Jack Morgan

jack morgan There’s a duty that comes with success. We’re affluent city, wealthy in beliefs and beneficiant in group service. Many who volunteer to serve deliver that duty and make Wellesley a greater place.

Jack Morgan has served on the very best ranges. So right this moment, The Wellesley Celebrations Committee, a standing committee of the Choose Board, City of Wellesley honors Jack Morgan, for his service with a COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD.

Jack Morgan has over 40 years of broad common administration, advertising and marketing, planning, finance, and enterprise improvement expertise within the biotech and healthcare merchandise business. Jack graduated from Boise Excessive Faculty, Yale College, and the Stanford Graduate Faculty of Enterprise.

He moved to Wellesley in 1991 and served on Wellesley City Assembly for 22 years and on the Choose Board for 5 years, together with serving as Chair from July 2018 to June 2019. Over the previous twenty years he additionally served as an officer of the Advisory Committee, Neighborhood Preservation Committee and on quite a few Faculty services planning committees and the Wellesley City Democratic Committee.

Jack moved to Natick in 2020 however continues to be an lively member of the Wellesley Hills Congregational Church, the place he’s at present Rising Moderator. He regrets lacking the Parade right this moment as he attends his 45^th GSB reunion in Palo Alto.

Thanks, Jack for all that you’ve got executed.

Neighborhood Service Award: Matt Kelley

Matt Kelley There’s a important mission for the Wellesley public colleges: To make sure that all our children, have each probability to pursue the American dream, to realize the abilities, to allow them to make their very own selections. Each city member of the college committee is devoted to that mission.

Matt Kelley has served admirable on the college committee. It’s lengthy hours and plenty of conferences. However our colleges should at all times be the crown jewels of the city.

Right now, The Wellesley Celebrations Committee, a standing committee of the Choose Board, City of Wellesley honors Matt Kelley, for his service with grateful provides him our Neighborhood Service Award.

Matt is a local of the Midwest however got here to the Boston space for college in 1984 and has by no means left. After ending his levels at MIT whereas working for BBN Communications in Cambridge. Matt joined Rocket Software program in 1990, then a startup software program firm with three workers. Matt and his spouse, Laurie, moved to Wellesley in 2004, the place they’ve raised their 4 youngsters, at totally different instances having children in six totally different Wellesley public colleges.

After virtually 25 years of laborious work and Rocket’s success past goals, he retired from software program, prepared for different pursuits in life. Partly out of a need to provide again to the group and partly to mannequin civic engagement and laborious work for his youngsters, Matt ran for election to the Faculty Committee in 2014, and to his shock, gained a seat. His six years of service on the Faculty Committee, together with two years as Chair, concerned extremely laborious work, however had been additionally extremely gratifying. He’s grateful to have had the chance.

Thanks, Matt Kelley on your dedication and repair.