Category Archives: Information

Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund’s 2021 grantees’ report

Legacy Fund Grantees Report

Grantees of the Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund’s latest 2021 round of grants reported to the Medfield Foundation board and the Legacy Fund founders at a meeting this past Monday evening at the Public Safety Building.

  • Peak House Heritage Society showed a remarkably informative video produced by Medfield TV of the PHHS’s archeological dig that the PHHS’s grant funded in the basement of the Peak House. Rob Gregg reported that the most mysterious findings were three 1912 license plates, mysterious because the last residents in the Peak House left in 1910. The rest of the archeological findings are in the process of being analyzed and cataloged.
  • Friends of the Medfield High School Theatre Society reported on the new cyclorama purchased with its grant which was installed at the back of the stage in the MHS auditorium, allowing for better performances. “The replacement of the MHS auditorium cyclorama allows students to engineer complex lighting scenarios; offers those performing a more complex atmosphere in which to tell their stories; and enhances the visual quality of shows for Community members who attend performances.”
  • Medfield Outreach used its grant to commission a survey of town needs, data designed to focus Outreach’s strategic plan. Outreach Director Kathy MacDonald reported on the survey and its results. “In the winter of 2022, Medfield Outreach began work to complete a community needs survey and create a five-year strategic plan for the department. What you see on these tabs is the result of that almost six month long undertaking.”
  • Sustainable Medfield used its grant to further publicize and share its mission promoting sustainability with town residents – “1. Provide residents a one-stop resource of Medfield-specific ACTIONS to improve our environment and reduce our carbon footprint. and 2. Connect community groups to network and collaborate on sustainability.”

About the Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund
The Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund Is a professionally-managed endowment created to support community-driven projects. Volunteer-run and designed to complement the initiatives of Medfield organizations, the Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund raises funds from the community and makes grants to established non-profit organizations through a competitive process. For more information or to contribute to the Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund, please visit https://www.medfieldfoundation.org/legacy-fund.

New Life Is Turning Empty Spaces into Homes

Publishing on behalf of New Life Furniture Bank Executive Director, Rich Purnell –

New Life Is Turning Empty Spaces into Homes

Nearly a decade ago two friends met at a coffee shop and worked on a plan to start a locally based furniture bank. Not long after, that napkin sketch came to fruition and New Life Furniture Bank of MA was formed. Since that time the non-profit has brought hope and comfort to the lives of almost ten thousand people, including: veterans, single parents, survivors of domestic abuse, refugees, people who lost their footing due illness or job loss, and, of course, their children.

New Life is launching its annual campaign with an ambitious goal of raising $185,000 by December 31, and New Life Furniture Bank Executive Director, Rich Purnell is asking that the community support their mission. “Over the last 12 months there has been a massive increase in demand for New Life’s services and our expenses are increasing. For example, donations of gently-used mattresses have declined significantly this year due to the diminished housing market. As a result, we need to purchase more mattresses than ever. Furthermore, the wholesale price we pay for mattresses has doubled over our nine years of operation. Cash donations are essential so that we can provide mattresses for as many of our clients as possible.”

“Try to imagine the challenges, stressors, and fears one faces when coming out of a homeless shelter,” said Purnell as he stood in New Life’s Walpole showroom surrounded by tables, chairs, other gently used home furnishings. “When we meet our new clients, they have at long last found a space to live in, which is fantastic! It’s what they’ve dreamed of for months or even years. But an empty space is not a home. Do you know what makes a place a warm, welcoming home? [It’s] beds, furniture, towels, sheets, and necessary kitchen items. But, with little or no budget for shopping, how can a person do it?” New Life Furniture Bank helps them do it, and supporters financial donations will enable New Life to reach and serve more households and bring support and security all year round.

Over its nine years of operation, New Life has gained a reputation across eastern Massachusetts as a reliable resource partner that provides those in need with quality, gently used home furnishings and personalized support from caring volunteers. During that time the organization has provided household items to more than 4,400 households because of generous donations from residents and businesses in the surrounding communities.

Gifts may be made at newlifefb.org or by check payable to New Life Furniture Bank of MA, sent to P.O. Box 573, Medfield, MA 02052.

Medfield Decarbonizers 7/20 at 7:30 pm

From Fred Davis –

Hi MEC members and friends —

Now is the time for more and more Medfielders to be decarbonizing, so I hope you will attend and please invite three neighbors:

Medfield Decarbonizers

Webinar via Zoom
Wed, July 20th at 7:30 pm

A (new) panel of non-expert Medfield residents will be sharing about their decisions and experiences going EV, PV, HP.
Their non-expert perspectives provide our best resource for influencing others.
Your engagement will be helpful!

This is the time for more and more Medfielders to be decarbonizing.

Attached is the flyer, and seriously, please explicitly invite at least three of your neighbors.

Helen Dewey is doing a great job pulling this together, please support!

Thanks,

— Fred

REGISTER HERE: https://tinyurl.com/MedfieldWebinar

TOMCAP workshop – 7PM, 5/19/22

From Helen Dewey –

THURSDAY MAY 19
7:00 – 8:30 PM
INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP - TOWN OF MEDFIELD CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
Inaugural public presentation of the draft Town of Medfield Climate Action Plan (TOMCAP) ____ We want to hear from YOU! Ask questions and give feedback on the draft plan ____ All are welcome! To request babysitting, please email TOMCAP@medfield.net by Monday 5/16 ____ Hosted By MAPC and the Town of Medfield. https://mapc.ma/medfield-cap
Register here:
Dale Street School
45 Adams St., Medfield, MA

TOMCAP workshop 5/19 at 7PM

From the Medfield Energy Committee –

THURSDAY MAY 19
7:00 – 8:30 PM
INTERACTIVE
WORKSHOP - TOWN OF
MEDFIELD CLIMATE
ACTION PLAN
Inaugural public
presentation of the
draft Town of
Medfield Climate
Action Plan (TOMCAP)
____
We want to hear from
YOU! Ask questions
and give feedback on
the draft plan
____
All are welcome!
____
Hosted By MAPC and
the Town of Medfield
https://mapc.ma/medfield-cap
Register here: Dale Street School
45 Adams St., Medfield, MA

TOMCAP release imminent – Workshop on 5/19

TOMCAP, the Town of Medfield Climate Action Plan, has been drafted & will be available for public comment soon.

A public workshop on TOMCAP will be facilitated by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council on May 19th at 7PM in the Dale Street School cafeteria.  All Medfield residents are invited to learn about the plan and comment on it before it is finalized.

Listening Session for New School, Thursday 7PM

From Jessica Reilley –

Dear Parents and Guardians,

The School Committee, together with the Board of Selectmen, will hold a listening and feedback session entitled:

“Priorities and Progress: Moving Forward to a New Elementary School Project”

Thursday, April 7th

 7:00 p.m.

Public Safety Building Training Room & via Zoom

The BOS and the School Committee would like to hear the community’s future-focused thoughts about how to create a facility that meets the educational needs of our town and achieves a level of consensus that reasonably ensures passage at a future Town Meeting and ballot vote.

Feedback will be taken both in person as well as through Zoom. There will be an open comments document available on both the Town and School websites for additional thoughts after the feedback session.  The meeting agenda for the joint session may be found here.

Tonight April 6, the Medfield Hospital Development Committee will hold a feedback session on the potential sale & development plans of the site to Trinity Financial. The Dale Street project and the disposition of the Former Medfield State Hospital land are long-standing issues within the town. If you would like to attend that session in person or via zoom, more information may be found on their Town of Medfield website.

We sincerely thank you for your continued support of our students and our town,

The Medfield School Committee

Jessica Reilly, Chair

Leo Brehm, Vice Chair

Timothy Knight, Recording Secretary

Michelle Kirkby, Member at Large

Anna Mae O’Shea Brooke, Member at Large

REMINDER – tomorrow from 5-6PM – join Congressman Jake Auchincloss for a Medfield focused virtual meeting

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Medfield virtual meeting with Congressman Jake Auchincloss

Dear friends,

It is my pleasure to invite you to attend a virtual Medfield Roundtable with U.S. Congressman Jake Auchincloss on Tuesday, November 30th from 5:00-6:00 pm.

The Roundtable with the Congressman will provide an opportunity for local community leaders and stakeholders to receive an update about the American Rescue Plan and the pending Federal infrastructure legislation packages and how they can benefit Medfield. The Congressman will share a brief overview of his first several months in office and then will open most of the session for Q & A from participants.

Jake wants to hear what is on the mind of Medfield residents, so please plan on joining us for this unique opportunity to become inform about his work in Washington D.C.

Please let us know if you plan to attend.

The Zoom information is provided below.

Join ZoomGov Meeting
https://ushr.zoomgov.com/j/1612238912?pwd=U2QzUXk0MzVOWENmUmhkTE1BZlF2dz09
Meeting ID: 161 223 8912
Passcode: 160945

SBC’s July Community Conversation -7PM Thursday – in person & by Zoom

From Susan Maritan –

All Invited to Community Conversation Regarding Proposed New Elementary School


Medfield residents who are interested in learning more about the proposed new elementary school for grades 4 and 5 are encouraged to attend or tune in remotely to the July Community Conversation with the School Building Committee (SBC). The presentation will be held on Thursday, July 29th at 7PM at Wheelock School or can be viewed online via Facebook Live or Zoom.


“The SBC is looking forward to connecting with the community and sharing progress to date on this important project,” said Anna Mae O’Shea Brooke, SBC member. “The key topics for this month’s discussion are the educational benefits of both the new school building and the Wheelock campus location. We will also be presenting the most recent architectural renderings of the site. This is especially exciting as the drawings bring the vision of the proposed school to life for all to see.” 


“Today’s modern learning environment has evolved with regards to space planning and technology. The classroom is no longer constrained by physical boundaries and is more dynamic than our traditional view of teachers presenting a lesson in front of their students. We want to highlight some of the key features that the new school will offer not only inside the building but also how the abundance of outdoor space will create educational opportunities that were not available to our grade four and five students in the past,” continued O’Shea Brooke. “We hope residents will come and see for themselves the benefits the new school could provide to our young learners and dedicated educators.”


The SBC will also be taking questions from residents and addressing other topics such as cost planning including the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) reimbursement currently estimated at approximately $18 million, and the next steps in planning as the SBC prepares to present the final project to the community for a town wide vote this Fall.


The Community Conversation will be held at Wheelock School or can be watched remotely on Facebook Live and Zoom. Please visit the Facebook page – Elementary School Project Wheelock Campus – to watch there, or join the conversation via Zoom.
Join from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone or Android device:


Please click this URL to join. https://medfield-net.zoom.us/j/87390173150?pwd=ZVlSVk5qam05S2ZsUklFZEpzNzNVQT09

Passcode: 245605

Questions for the SBC may be submitted to: NewElementarySchoolProject@gmail.com, and for more information on the Medfield Elementary School Project, please visit: tinyurl.com/mednewschool. Those interested in receiving future school project updates may enter their email addresses at the bottom of the home page.

Don’t Let a Playground Injury Ruin Outdoor Fun

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PETERSON | Law
Osler “Pete” Peterson
617-969-1500 – Newton
June 2021
Attorney Photo

How to Avoid COVID-19 on Playgrounds

Thanks to national vaccinations, COVID-19 numbers are declining for adults. But vaccines are not currently available to children under 12, meaning they are still vulnerable to the virus. The question then: Is it safe to take your kids to the park? Doctors say “yes,” as long as you follow basic precautions such as:

* Wear masks and practice social distancing.
* Bring your own toys and food, and don’t let your kids share these with others.
* Wash or sanitize your kids’ hands before and after play.
* Find a different playground if the park is especially crowded or come back later.
Continue reading.


boy on playground

Don’t Let a Playground Injury Ruin Outdoor Fun This Summer

Ah, playgrounds and summer – the perfect combo for millions of children on school break and bursting to get outside. Not surprisingly, playground injuries spike in June, some serious and most preventable. Don’t let a playground injury ruin outdoor fun for the kids in your life this summer with these tips on equipment, clothing and safe behavior.
READ MORE


BY THE NUMBERS

5 to 9

Children ages 5 to 9 have the highest rate of emergency room visits among the more than 200,000 kids injured each year on playgrounds.
READ MORE


VIDEO BOOKMARK

Join the Danger Rangers Before Playtime

The first step to protecting children from playground injury is to talk to them about safety. Here’s a video to watch together before hitting the monkey bars. 
VIEW VIDEO

THE DOCKET
GET TOWN OF MEDFIELD INFORMATION AT MY BLOG


ALL KIDS DESERVE PLAYGROUND FUN

This website will help caregivers find playgrounds that are safe and accessible for kids with disabilities or help DIYers build their own!
READ MORE
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