Posted onApril 14, 2025|Comments Off on Climate Week 2025 – events
From Helen Dewey –
Climate Week 2025
Medfield Environment Action MEA is excited to announce Medfield’s third annual Climate Week, Saturday May 3 – Saturday May 10! There will be a variety of unique events throughout the week at various locations around town that will get one thinking about climate change and ways to help. Check out the complete Schedule of Events at MEAMedfield.org. Check back frequently as new events may be added. Most events are free, and all are welcome!
For the second year, Dale Street School will celebrate “Bike or Walk to School Day” on Wednesday, May 7. Last year the event was well attended and several police officers rode along with the kids. Other transportation related activities include an Electric Vehicle Car Show on Sunday May 4, 1-3 pm at the Center at Medfield parking lot with an opportunity to test drive a Lucid. A showing of the documentary “Idle Threat: A Man on Emission” which raises awareness of the impact of unnecessary engine idling, will be on Saturday, May 3. In addition, there are nature hikes, walks along the Rail Trail and a bike ride along scenic trails in Medfield.
New this year will be a Repair Café in which you can bring your broken items (jewelry, lamps, textiles, small furniture, small appliances and locks (rekeying). Volunteer Fixers will be on hand on Saturday, May 3, 2-5 pm. Fixing is free but not guaranteed. The Medfield Swap will be open both Saturdays, Wednesday and Friday of that week. The library is hosting a Visible Mending Workshop for Denim. The annual yard sale to benefit the Council on Aging will take place on Saturday, May 3.
During the week, there will be presentations on Gardening Water Wisdom, Wind and Solar Power and Eating Sustainably with “Nuggets”. Several homeowners will provide informal demonstrations of sustainable practices such as an effective, simple, no spray mosquito control or a natural lawn and No Mow May. Another homeowner will show off his solar roof shingles and share his solar production and savings.
Shopping locally is sustainable in and of itself. Local businesses are offering various promotions throughout the week such as used clothing at the Butterfly Tree Shop, meatless pizza at Medfield House of Pizza, organic wine at Larkin’s Liquors, organic juices/smoothies at Juice on Main and art produced sustainably at Aesthetic Intent. The Peak House will be open on Saturday, May 10 offering a colonial cooking activity utilizing vegetables and greens from their sustainable garden.
Bring the family to First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church on Sunday, May 4, 1-4 pm. There will be interactive Carnival Climate related games to try, a sale of gently used clothing accessories and for $1 you can try a small, vegan “ice cream” cone.
If you are worried about the climate you are not alone! There will be several informal opportunities to sit down with others and discuss your concerns and ways of coping. Another creative outlet is Expresso Yourself Climate Action Poetry Slam which will take place on Saturday, May 10 and will donate all funds to an environmental justice organization. Learn how to knit a temperature blanket which is a visual reflection of the Earth’s changing temperature.
Mark your calendar and attend as many Climate Week Events as you would like! There is something for everyone! Email, meamedfield@gmail.com with any questions. The full schedule for Climate Week, 2025 with more details on each event, can be found at meamedfield.org. Check back often as it will be continually updated.
Posted onApril 12, 2025|Comments Off on Sustainable Medfield’s Action of the 2nd Quarter 2025 = Reject Fast Fashion
From Jackie Alford of Sustainable Medfield –
Sustainable Medfield Announces Action of the 2nd Quarter 2025
Reject Fast Fashion: Refuse/Reduce/Reuse/Recycle
Sustainable Medfield is pleased to announce that its Action of the Quarter is Reject Fast Fashion: Refuse/ Reduce/ Reuse/ Recycle.
Sustainable Medfield works to amplify and elevate messages of its partner organizations to educate residents on issues related to sustainability. We work with TSARC (Transfer Station and Recycling Center), Medfield Environment Action, Medfield High School’s Environmental Club, and other local groups. Our goal is to share ideas on ways to educate the public about the humanitarian cost of Fast Fashion consumerism and the impact of excessive clothing waste on the planet, and to give suggestions on what individuals can do about it. Join other town residents to help us spread the word about this under-publicized crisis.
Throughout the quarter, we will promote special presentations, films and events related to Fast Fashion’s detrimental impact on the environment. For weekly tips and updates, follow Sustainable Medfield on Instagram and Facebook. Sustainable Medfield will also host a booth at several upcoming Medfield Community Market days. Stay tuned for dates and please stop by to say hello and learn more about this topic.
For more information and to access helpful resources visit SustainableMedfield.org and head to the Action Portal.
Sustainable Medfield is an initiative of the Medfield Foundation. Learn more at MedfieldFoundation.org.
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Zullo Gallery-Center for the Arts Trustee Martha Moon and Executive Director Bill Pope on the gallery rooftop deck with local resident/landlord Tom Nightingale. The historic building is located in the heart of downtown Medfield.
MEDFIELD, Mass. (April 9, 2025) — The Zullo Gallery-Center for the Arts, a nonprofit arts organization in downtown Medfield, is moving toward ownership of its longtime home at 454-456A Main St., thanks to a pending building sale and more than $500,000 in community commitments.
Building owners Tom and Lisa Nightingale have reached an agreement to sell the historic property to the Zullo Gallery. The deal follows months of fundraising and planning by Executive Director Bill Pope, and a group of Zullo trustees, advisory board members and other supporters.
Among the 35 individuals who pledged support are the Nightingales themselves. The final piece is coming together with financing from Needham Bank, a longtime supporter of the gallery that previously funded construction of the rooftop deck in 2007.
A Long-Awaited Goal
“We’ve had many twists and turns over the last two months,” said Pope. “And while we still have additional steps to go, we’re excited to have gotten this far with so much community support for the Zullo Gallery to have a permanent home in downtown Medfield.”
Pope said purchasing the building has been a long-term goal for the organization. Ownership will allow for capital improvements that are otherwise out of reach for renters — including handicapped accessibility, which will open up new grant opportunities, as well as a kitchen and deck covering to support expanded programming.
Pope also emphasized that the gallery plans to retain its three downstairs tenants: Casa Bella Pizza, Absi Jeweler, and Medfield Barbershop. “They’re an important part of what makes Main Street special,” he said.
History, Legacy and the Arts
Tom Nightingale, who purchased the building in 2015, said selling to the Zullo is a meaningful decision.
“As someone raised and educated in Medfield, with children who were also involved in the arts, my wife and I have enjoyed seeing the Zullo thrive and grow since its founding in 1988,” he said. “We’re pleased to be part of its future.”
He added, “To shepherd this historical property for a decade while creating opportunities for three first-generation immigrants to live the American dream, and my fourth-grade gym teacher to bring the arts to our community, has been a real privilege.”
The Main Street building lies within the Town Center Historic District. Though the town assessment database lists it as built in 1890, local records and historians — including Medfield Town Historian Richard DeSorgher — indicate the structure was built around 1860 and relocated from North Street to Main Street.
For nearly four decades, the Zullo Gallery has presented art exhibitions, art classes, live music and community events. In addition to Needham Bank, past and present supporters include Medfield Foundation Inc. and Massachusetts Cultural Council via the Medfield Cultural Council.
Community members who want to join the team that is making a significant investment in the future of the gallery are encouraged to contact Bill Pope for details.
Regular donations can be made online at zullogallery.org or mailed to/dropped off at Zullo Gallery, 456A Main St., Medfield, MA 02052.
BELOW IS BILL POPE’S LETTER TO the ZULLO COMMUNITY –
Zullo Poised to Buy Medfield Building;Community Offers $500K of Support
April 9, 2025 Dear Friends, A great landlord is exceedingly rare, but for our non-profit Zullo Gallery-Center for the Arts, it has been a true gem. I’m excited to announce that the Zullo Gallery has entered into an agreement with local residents and building owners Tom and Lisa Nightingale to purchase the 454-456A Main St., Medfield property. Helping to forge this agreement has been a contingent of Zullo Gallery advisory board members and supporters pulling together more than $500,000 in commitments from 35 community members (including the Nightingales themselves) to seal the deal.
We are currently working with Needham Bank to finalize financing for the remaining purchase price. Needham Bank funded the Zullo rooftop deck in 2007, and has supported the gallery with numerous event sponsorships over the years. Navigating the path ahead The process began in late January after the Nightingales let us know they were considering selling the building and would offer the Zullo the right-of-first refusal. While we’ve had many twists and turns since that time, and still have additional steps to go, we’re excited to have gotten this far with so much community support for the Zullo Gallery to have a permanent home in downtown Medfield.
As many long-time supporters know, owning the building has been a goal for decades, but the opportunity always passed us by. Especially important will be making the Zullo handicapped accessible since it will allow us to qualify for more and larger grants. A kitchen and covered rooftop deck are also much-needed building improvements that will in turn, allow for expanded programming. It’s been difficult to do all of this as renters. It’s important to add that the Zullo team intends to retain the three tenant businesses below (Casa Bella Pizza, Absi Jeweler and Medfield Barbershop) which greatly contribute to the small-business landscape and character of Medfield’s Main Street.
Keeping the legacy alive “As someone who was raised and educated in Medfield, and had children who also went through Medfield Public Schools and were involved in the arts, my wife and I have enjoyed seeing the non-profit Zullo Gallery thrive and grow since its founding in 1988. We’re pleased to have reached an agreement to sell the building to the Zullo, and to be a part of its future,” said Tom Nightingale, who purchased the building in 2015.
He added, “To shepherd this historical property for a decade while creating opportunities for three first-generation immigrants to live the American dream, and my fourth-grade gym teacher to bring the arts to our community, has been a real privilege. We’re excited to see the Zullo move to the next chapter in its history.” The Main Street building is in the Town Center Historic District. Records and an article by Town Historian Richard DeSorgher indicate that the building was constructed around 1860 on North Street and later moved to Main Street (even though the town assessment database states it was built in 1890). For nearly 40 years, the Zullo Gallery has hosted art exhibits, art classes, live music and community events. In addition to Needham Bank, the Zullo counts Medfield Foundation Inc., and Mass Cultural Council/Medfield Cultural Council among its major past and/or present supporters. On behalf of our Zullo Gallery Board of Trustees, Advisory Board members, and everyone else who has supported the gallery for nearly 40 years, thank you. The building purchase is an exciting milestone for the Zullo Gallery-Center for the Arts, and we hope you’ll continue to be a big part of its continued success.
Sincerely, Bill PopeExecutive Director, Zullo Gallery-Center for the Arts
P.S. You can still be part of the team that is making a significant investment in the future of the Zullo Gallery!
The state tells Medfield when it has to employ watering bans, and the state uses the water level in the Charles River as one measure of when such water bans are required. This graph shows the water level in the Charles River over the past year. I do see that the data is from the federal government, so it is possible that data may not be available in the future.
Medfield needs to regulate the water usage of private wells in town, as low water levels are a shared issue. I hope the private wells annual town meeting (ATM) warrant article that subjected the 87 private wells in town to bans which was recently withdrawn can get enacted next year.
Posted onMarch 31, 2025|Comments Off on Medfield’s earth month ecochallenge 2025
From Kate Blood –
NB – HYPERLINKS IN JPG VERSION ABOVE DO WORK IN THE VERSION BELOW
earth month ecochallenge 2025 April 1 – April 30 Attention Families- In celebration of Earth Month in April, we’re inviting you to participate in an online, worldwide ecochallenge. Please consider participating with your family as one of our Sustainable Medfield team members. This is a wonderful, educational, accessible and dynamic opportunity for shared family experiences. Pick up one piece of trash each day in April… Ditch fast fashion – shop second hand… Watch a movie together on an earth- related theme of your choosing… Borrow from our “Library of Things” – avoid buying more stuff… Take a walk in one of our beautiful local conservation lands… Ride your bike to school one day a week – skip the drive… Skip plastic – BYO bags/coffee mugs/water bottles to refill when out and about… These are just starting points – for those of looking for actions with more heft? Perhaps save a rainforest, clean up an ocean, reverse global warming… There’s plenty for you too. All that said, spring is busy – we get it. The steps are simple: 1) Click this link to become a member of the “Sustainable Medfield” team. 2) Set up an account for you and/or your family. 3) You and your kids choose from hundreds of different earth-minded options, ranging in effort and output. Select actions that feel manageable, meaningful, and motivating. We’re excited for the amazing things our community will collectively accomplish in April! For more information, contact Sustainable Medfield – sustainablemedfield@gmail.com. Warm regards, Kate Blood – ecochallenge Coordinator for the Medfield Community and member/volunteer with: Sustainable Medfield, MEA (Medfield Environmental Action) This event/activity is not sponsored by the Medfield Public Schools.
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I started this blog to share the interesting and useful information that I saw while doing my job as a Medfield select board member. I thought that my fellow Medfield residents would also find that information interesting and useful as well. This blog is my effort to assist in creating a system to push the information out from the Town House to residents. Let me know if you have any thoughts on how it can be done better.
For information on my other job as an attorney (personal injury, civil litigation, estate planning and administration, and real estate), please feel free to contact me at 617-969-1500 or Osler.Peterson@OslerPeterson.com.
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