The biggest news story this past week has been the announcement about PFAS in our drinking water. Please see this page for related news and information.
There are two contested races in our upcoming Town Elections (School Committee and Board of Public Works). For a list of candidates and information on voting, click here. Mark your calendar now for the League of Women Voters’ Candidates Night on April 29.
* Weston-Wayland climate group discusses transition to zero waste. This is the second in a series of articles based on a March 4 presentation for MetroWest Climate Solutions by Kirstie Pecci, director of the Zero Waste Project at the Conservation Law Foundation. The next piece will cover relevant pending legislation. If you would like to view the session, it is online here.
* State legislators pen letter to governor in support of regional vaccination site in Acton. Gov. Charlie Baker’s office is getting pressure from six state lawmakers to approve a plan for a regional COVID-19 vaccination clinic in Acton. In a letter to Baker’s office, Reps. Tami Gouveia, Ken Gordon, Tom Stanley and Danillo Sena, along with Sen. Mike Barrett and Speaker Pro Tempore Kate Hogan all signed in support of having the regional clinic at the KMart/Stop & Shop site at 252 Main St.
* Wayland boards considering mandatory travel order for town. The Wayland School Committee planned to discuss a possible travel order with the Board of Health this week regarding Wayland residents and workers returning from out-of-state travel, moving beyond Gov. Charlie Baker’s travel advisory. [Note: the Schools ended up issuing this notice that included information about travel]
Each week, families provide us with a brief list of groceries and other household supplies they need. Community volunteers sort through purchased items to fulfill requests for essential items like milk, pasta, proteins, fruit, veggies and paper goods, and then deliver their requests directly to their homes. We rely on donations from the public to purchase requested items from our local Donelan’s and Stop & Shop stores, and since its creation last April, the food pantry and COVID-19 Relief Fund has supported over 800 deliveries, helping an average of 17 families each week.
1. Select “Wayland, MA” in the Municipality drop down menu
2. Click the gray “Click here to VIEW or PAY your bills” box
3. On the next page, select “COVID-19 Relief Fund” in the left column titled “Select Bill Type”, enter requested information, and then click on “Add to Cart”
4. Proceed to checkout where you can pay by echeck or credit card (there is a fee for credit card payments).
If you or someone who know is in need of basic food resources or would like to volunteer on Wednesday mornings, please call us at 508-358-7701.
Wayland High School WSPN Fundraiser – Live online Practice SAT Exam, Saturday, April 10, 9am – 1pm. Cost: $20, all proceeds benefit WSPN. To register, click here. Take a full-length practice test under timed conditions. A proctored practice exam will help your child build testing endurance and give you a real-time snapshot of their testing performance. More details online here.
Cradles to Crayons Stuff-a-Truck, Saturday, April 10. The annual spring Wayland Cradles to Crayons Stuff-A-Truck will take place Saturday, April 10, 9am-12pm, in the parking lot at Claypit Hill School. We are collecting clothing and winter coats only. Donation bins will be available beginning on Thursday, April 1 at Loker, Happy Hollow, Claypit Hill, and Wayland Creative for anyone who wants to drop off in advance. Please see www.cradlestocrayons.org for donation guidelines. Email alliekat325@gmail.com with questions. We hope to see you there for a safe, contactless dropoff!
Please donate yarn to the Wayland COA.The Wayland Council on Aging is collecting donations of yarn and knitting needles for our “Knit Together” knitting group, which is making children’s hats, mittens, scarves and other items to donate to children in need. Our knitted items will go to The Knitting Connection in Medford, which gives knitwear to shelters and agencies that work with families in need. A marked bin for donations is located inside the front entrance of the Town Building. Thank you for helping us help others!
Wayland Community Fund serving Wayland residents temporarily in need of financial assistance. Please call us if you need help!
The Wayland Community Fund (WCF) provides short-term emergency financial assistance to Wayland residents who have lived in Wayland for at least one year. WCF provides funding for basic needs such as utilities, rent, food, medical bills, and other living expenses. Please call us if you need help with your bills, 508-358-3624 or go to the town website for an application.
Join the MRC! New Medical Reserve Corps Volunteers are always needed! We have a great group of volunteers, however, we would love to recruit new members. If you are interested in helping out your community and would like to volunteer please contact the Health Department at Health@wayland.ma.us.
Upcoming Meetings
Meeting Schedule for The Week: See the Town Website’s Calendar online here. Please check the online calendar for the latest updates, as meetings noted below could have been updated (change in date, time or location) since we captured them. Also, some meetings could have been added since we collected the calendar information.
Please check the Town Calendar to confirm meeting times, locations and agenda. There can be updates from when we capture the schedule below.
Links to join the meetings via zoom are posted on each agenda. The call-in number for public comment during board and committee teleconference meetings is 508-358-6812.
* Board of Selectmen, 6pm. Agenda includes PFAS update and discussion, Wayfinding and branding update with Town Planner, medical marijuana application, goals for FY21-22
For Families: Pop-Up Parking Lot Library. Stop by the library on Wednesday afternoons between 1-4 p.m. for in-person browsing of popular and new materials, plus fresh air! Maintain 6 feet if there is a line. Wear a mask & hand sanitizer will be provided prior to browsing. Remember to bring your library card! Weather permitting.
The League of Women Voters of Wayland will hold its 71st Annual Candidates Night on Thursday evening, April 29th via Zoom. Both contested and uncontested candidates will have an opportunity to speak. There are contests for the School Committee and the Board of Public Works. Three candidates are running for two positions on the School Committee: Ellen Grieco, Jessica Polizzotti, and Kathleen Steinberg and four people are running for two seats on the Board of Public Works: Abner Bruno, Duane Galbi, Sherre Greenbaum, and Cliff Lewis. In addition to the seven people running for the two contested boards, there are 12 candidates running for uncontested positions covering eight boards. Nancy Brumbach from the Sudbury League will moderate the forum. All candidates will make an opening statement. This will be followed by a question and answer period. Residents are urged to submit their questions in advance of the forum by sending an email to Mary Antes at mantes2@verizon.net. There will be no opportunity to ask questions via Zoom.
Town Elections will be held on Tuesday, May 11th; the polls will be open from 7am to 8pm; no-excuse absentee voting will be available. On May 6th, the League will hold its annual Town Meeting Issues Forum, where a number of Town Meeting articles will be explained. We hope you will put both dates on your calendar in preparation for Town Elections and Town Meeting.
Exploring a Human Rights Commission, Tuesday, April 13 at 7pm with Professor Martha F. Davis. Martha F. Davis, an expert on local human rights, is University Distinguished Professor of Law at Northeastern University, where she is faculty director of the law school human rights program. Professor Davis is an affiliated scholar of the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law in Lund, Sweden. She has written widely on human rights and social justice, with work appearing in publications ranging from the Yale Law Journal to the Boston Globe. She is the co-author of the textbook, Human Rights Advocacy in the United States, co- editor of Global Urban Justice: The Rise of Human Rights Cities and co-editor of the forthcoming Research Handbook on Poverty and Human Rights. Register for the Zoom link online here
Pooled COVID-19 testing extended through school year, April 9 deadline to enroll.Pooled testing can quickly detect, trace, and isolate COVID-19 positive individuals, helping us to attend school in person and keeping students, staff, and families safe! The program is voluntary, but is strongly encouraged to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.
The extended program runs for seven weeks from April 26 – June 11 for $32 per student. Financial assistance is available at 50% or 100% of the fee.
New Walk-In Hours for Wayland Municipal Buildings. In accordance with the Governor’s orders to advance to Phase IV, Step 1 of the state’s reopening plan on March 22, 2021, the Town of Wayland will continue the process of opening its buildings to the public in a limited capacity. Click here for announcement for full listing of hours.
Lifeworks Expands Autism Services Across Boston Region, Establishes Support Center for Adults.Lifeworks, a nonprofit human services provider that supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, announced today – the first day of National Autism Acceptance Month – that it is expanding its community-based autism services to include adult autism support in 40 communities in the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) Boston Metro Region, in addition to its existing youth and family autism services in Newton and parts of Norfolk county. For complete announcement, click here.
Got Puzzles? Let’s swap! The Wayland Council on Aging is hosting a Puzzle Swap during April. Drop off new or used jigsaw puzzles (with all the pieces, please, and no children’s puzzles) in the donation bin inside the front entrance of the Town Building. We’ll collect puzzles through Friday, April 23. Then, on Wed., April 28 from 1 to 2pm, puzzles will be displayed outdoors on tables on the walkway between the Town Building and the soccer field. We will help “customers” maintain appropriate social distance. Rain date: Thursday, April 29, 1-2pm. Questions? Call the COA at 508-358-2990..
Listings from Prior Newsletters
The Children’s Way now enrolling for 2021-2022.Ages 2.9 – 5 years (or until entrance to Kindergarten). Three, four or five days, half days or full days. Applications available at https://tcw.wayland.k12.ma.us/home. Go to the “For Families” tab at top to find applications. (No application fee required)
On April 10, it’s a Mini Spring Fest at the Wayland Transfer Station. Drop off your roadside and trailside trash collections between 10am-3pm (more info on the Clean Up here). And pick up town discounted
1. rain barrels: 44 rain barrels were ordered!
2. compost bins: They are $61 and must be ordered by 4/9. More details here.
At the Transfer Station, please wear masks, socially distance, and follow all the rules.
“Renewal” – a juried exhibit. Renewal is an instance of resuming an activity or state after an interruption and the repair of something that is worn out, run-down, or broken. After more than a year of coping with the pandemic and intermittent shut-ins, we are beginning to reach out to friends and family and to resume some of our daily activities with greater protection and safety, as vaccines become available and the number of Covid cases decline. As spring flowers begin to blossom and the weather beckons us outdoors again, our emotional, creative, and spiritual energies can be renewed as well. We invite all artists to submit 2D and 3D artworks that speak to the theme of “Renewal” for our spring juried exhibit. All information is also available on the W Gallery website (artswayland.com) Jury: The entries will be juried by a committee made up of Arts Wayland member-artists.
Celebrate Spring and Shop small, shop local at the Wayland Depot. The Wayland Depot has fabulous gifts for all your special occasions. Find intriguing items for the Easter basket, graduation, Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day. Cloth books, reusable metal straws, fine jewelry, clever wooden boxes, beautiful scarves, pretty pottery, local honey and maple syrup, and Wayland Booster apparel are all available at the gift shop located in the old Wayland train station.
Wednesday – Saturday, 12pm – 4pm
One Cochituate Road, Wayland, MA 01778
508-358-5386
Musicians of the Old Post Road presents C’est Magnifique. Saturday, April 24, 7:30pm. Live Streamed on www.oldpostroad.org. Tickets $10 students, $35 individual, $70 family.
On April 24 at 7:30 pm, the period instrument chamber ensemble Musicians of the Old Post Road will livestream its final concert of the 2020-21 season. Entitled C’est Magnifique!, the program will spotlight the fiery French Baroque style of the 18th century when composers were merging French elegance with Italian virtuosity. For more information and tickets: visit www.oldpostroad.org
2021 Kindergarten information is now available. Intent to Enroll is in progress. The Wayland Public Schools have begun planning for Kindergarten registration for September 2021. Letters have been mailed home to families with children who will be 5 years old on or before August 31. The Intent to Enroll process begins on March 8. More information is available on the Wayland Public School Kindergarten Information website
My COVID Experience: A Pandemic of Institutionalized Loneliness. Tuesday, April 6, 7pm, on Zoom. Wayland’s Frank Cutitta spent 100 days in the hospital last year after contracting COVID, more than 40 in a coma. Now, this health care journalist has had time to reflect on his experiences, and particularly on the loneliness he felt and observed in others. His story has been told by The Boston Globe, National Public Radio, andNortheastern University, where he teaches. Join us for this fascinating first-person account, an exploration of the emotional impact of the pandemic on patients, families, and health care providers, and a conversation about antidotes to loneliness. To sign up, contact the Wayland Council on Aging at coa@wayland.ma.us or 508-358-2990.
The Floral Heart Project : A Covid Memorial (created by Kristina Libby, NYC)- It has been over a year since the first case of COVID-19 showed up in Massachusetts. To remember those lost and those struggling, a banner and floral heart (generously donated by Russell’s Garden Center) has been placed on the front yard of First Parish, 225 Boston Post Road, Wayland to remain until the end of March. (Questions: Rev. May) Feel welcome to visit the memorial, with friends, family, small socially distancing groups, add a flower/wreath. Display your own floral heart image at your house or business. Contribute to charities that support and aid those suffering financially from this pandemic. Support neighbors/all of Asian descent who fear increasing numbers of hate crimes, especially the latest shootings in Atlanta.
Roundtable Spotlight Series: Amplifying the Voices of Male Survivors of Sexual Assault. Over the course of the year, the Roundtable has hosted a Spotlight Series focusing on segments of our communities that face additional barriers when considering if and how to seek help or support. In recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, please join the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable on Tuesday, April 13 at 3pm for their next Spotlight Series event: Amplifying the Voices of Male Survivors of Sexual Assault. This event will feature male survivors from the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center’s (BARCC) Survivor Speakers Bureau, who will share their stories and what they want the community to know. The conversation will be moderated by a staff member from BARCC and allow time for participants to submit questions through the chat. The BARCC Survivor Speakers Bureau (SSB) was formed in 2002 by a group of survivors who wanted to share their stories as tools to educate others about the realities of sexual violence. The members of the SSB share their stories and engage in a dialogue with audiences ranging from college students to mental health counselors. For complete details, including registration information and support resources, please click here.
Capturing the Stories of our Elders: from Hollywood to our own families, April 6. Hollywood filmmakers will teach you to create a video time capsule to spotlight your loved ones and inspire future generations of your family. In this live webinar, Tiffany Woolf, seasoned filmmaker and daughter of Boston legend Bob Woolf, and Noam Dromi, Emmy Award winning writer/producer, will share their inspirations to create Silver Screen Studios to celebrate the stories of our elders. They will tell us why capturing our senior family members’ stories of hope and resilience can enrich the lives of future generations and help ease our grief when these relatives are no longer with us. Tiffany and Noam will also provide unique advice regarding how to gather and develop the stories, whether you’re on a shoestring budget or interested in a professionally produced film. All of this, sprinkled with anecdotes and clips from Tiffany’s upbringing with her renowned celebrity/sports agent father, as well as Tiffany’s and Noam’s projects with such Hollywood icons as Carl Reiner, Larry King, Norman Lear and Marion Ross. In addition, we will kick off a contest to win an exclusive Silver Screen Studios film production featuring your elder loved one’s life. More information, including registration online here.
WayCAM Board Seeking New Members. WayCAM’s Board of Directors anticipates two vacancies later this year, and encourages interested parties to seek information now. The board meets regularly with Executive Director Jim Mullane and brings a variety of skills to discussions and decisions. A nonprofit organization, Wayland Community & Access Media, Inc. (WayCAM) manages facilities for community access TV on the Public, Educational, and Governmental (PEG) access channels of the Wayland cable television system. Contact Executive Director Jim Mullane for an overview of WayCAM’s mission and how board members contribute.
Household hazardous waste day will be on April 24th, online registration will begin in early April.
Wayland Youth Fishing Derby cancelled for 2021. Safety for all youth and families comes first. With so many changes in the ways we live our lives over the last year, it is with sadness I bring news that the Wayland Youth Fishing Derby 2021 will be canceled until 2022. After consulting with many health care organizations, speaking with many of the loyal supporters and families, we have decided it is in the best interest to stay safe and healthy until we can overcome Covid. Thanks to all for understanding the hard decision that has been made. -Tom Antonellis (Organizer and Sponsor)
Roundtable Spotlight Series: Amplifying the Voices of Male Survivors of Sexual Assault. Over the course of the year, the Roundtable has hosted a Spotlight Series focusing on segments of our communities that face additional barriers when considering if and how to seek help or support. In recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, please join the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable on Tuesday, April 13 at 3pm for their next Spotlight Series event: Amplifying the Voices of Male Survivors of Sexual Assault. This event will feature male survivors from the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center’s (BARCC) Survivor Speakers Bureau, who will share their stories and what they want the community to know. The conversation will be moderated by a staff member from BARCC and allow time for participants to submit questions through the chat. We encourage everyone to join us on April 13th at 3:00 PM to hear and participate in this important conversation. Working together, we all have a role to play in recognizing the voices and stories of all survivors of sexual assault in our communities. Registration is required, and can be completed through the Roundtable’s website. For questions, please email infodvrt@gmail.com. For complete details, click here.
EMASS Senior Softball League opens registration for 2021 season.Eastern Massachusetts Senior Softball (EMASS) is opening its annual registration campaign for slow-pitch softball players age 50 and over. With over 400 members, the league attracts players from towns across Eastern Massachusetts with games played on fields in Wayland, Medfield, Ashland and Framingham. The EMASS season opens in May with 18 weeks of regular season games scheduled through Labor Day and year-end playoffs completed in early October. Click here for full post
Music-making continues virtually. Wayland’s favorite senior singers continue to lift their voices together every week, and YOU can join the fun by (old-school) telephone or (new-school) computer, tablet or smartphone. After 30-something years of music-making, we’re determined to stay connected and healthy with singing! Contact us at goldentones.org, or call 508-318-6318 to learn how to join our 90-minute “virtual rehearsals,” weekly on Tuesdays at 10am, and Fridays at 2pm. There are no auditions and no attendance requirements, only a friendly group of music-lovers from all over MetroWest who enjoy singing, dancing and music-making to pop classics and show tunes.
Transportation for Wayland Seniors. Under a new, grant-funded program, the Wayland Council on Aging (COA) can now arrange for free taxi rides for seniors who have no other way to get to non-emergency medical appointments or other essential errands such as grocery shopping, visits to food pantries, or to pharmacies to pick up prescriptions. The program is funded by a Metropolitan Area Planning Council/ MassDevelopment grant designed to offer short-term support to communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Wayland residents age 60 and over who find themselves without transportation options may contact the COA to request a ride. COA staff will review requests for compliance with the grant’s guidelines. For those who qualify, staff will make arrangements with either Tommy’s Taxi and JFK Transportation, who are partnering with the COA under the terms of the grant. Ride requests must be made at least one full business day in advance. The program runs through December 31, 2020, or until the funds are depleted. If you have questions or would like to ask about a ride, call the COA at 508-358-2990 or email coa@wayland.ma.us
Would you like to serve on a Town Board or Committee? Many appointment opportunities, ranging from A-Z (literally! from the Audit Committee to the Zoning Board of Appeals) are posted online here.
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