Bonvouloir is Youth of the Year
Needham seniors take piano lessons with Bruce
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By Katrina Margolis
Hometown Weekly Reporter
Every Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Bruce Claflin offers piano lessons at the Center at the Heights. Having played piano for 60 years, Claflin has been offering lessons for the past four or five years. By his measure, he is not only teaching, but learning how to...
Needham Street Fair celebrates local non-profits
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By Katrina Margolis
Hometown Weekly Reporter
Needham Center is often bustling on the weekends these days, filled with families and children enjoying a bit of sunshine and fresh air in the newly emerging spring. However the normal buzz of Needham Center is nothing compared to the crowd that turned up for the Needham Business Association...
St. Joseph students donating hair
Students at St. Joseph Elementary School (SJES), located in Needham, MA, are giving back in support of children with cancer. This June, for the fifth year, a record number of more than thirty SJES girls, and a Monsignor Haddad Middle School student, will donate their hair to Pantene Beautiful Lengths to help girls and women...
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Hillside students learn about water
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By Katrina Margolis
Hometown Weekly Reporter
For the past three years, the Needham Center at the Heights has invited Hillside students in the Water Project to give a presentation on the current state of water in the world, as well as their findings and new learnings about water. Amy Cicala’s fourth grade class and George...
VFW holds annual banquet
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The Lieutenant Manson H. Carter Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 2498 in Needham held its Annual Banquet at the Post’s facility on Junction Street Thursday, June 1.
The banquet is held each year to honor the past commanders of the Post, install new officers for the year, and award prizes to the Needham...
Hillside takes Nutrition honor
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The national, non-profit School Nutrition Association has awarded Christina Hartman the Northeast regional Employee of the Year Award, which recognizes the valuable contribution of school nutrition employees who exhibit a remarkable commitment to the school meal program and the students they serve. Hartman works at Hillside Elementary School in Needham.
Christina Hartman does all...
Great weather greets Great Bear Run
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Over 1000 runners and walkers from 66 towns from age 11 months old to 92 years young gathered on Sunday, May 21 for the 27th annual running of the Needham Youth Track Club’s Great Bear Run at Pollard School.
Dan Vassallo of Peabody repeated his 2016 win in the 5K run in 15:24...
NEF grant brings Spheros to Needham
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By Katrina Margolis
Hometown Weekly Reporter
Maria DeCicco has been a classroom teacher for the past 20 years, which has allowed her to fully understand how financial limitations can impact the curriculum, resources, and technology in schools.
DeCicco recently applied for, and received, a $10,000 grant from the Needham Education Foundation, a generous foundation which...
Mattleman, Needham’s consummate listener, talks
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By Stephen Press
Hometown Weekly Staff
The first feeling one receives upon walking into Jon Mattleman's Town Hall office in Needham is one of comfort and ease.
The warmth of the Needham Youth Services (NYS) staff, the physical arrangement of the space itself, and especially Mattleman's inquisitive, amiable tone all contribute to an overwhelming sense that...
Relay for Life comes alive
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By Katrina Margolis
Hometown Weekly Reporter
Relay for Life has is a year-round operation, but all of the hard work that goes into its planning and execution cumulate at the main event. This year, Relay for Life was held from May 20 to the 21st. Kick-off was at 4 p.m., with speakers, activities, a Survivor’s...
Rosemary Complex funding approved
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By Katrina Margolis
Hometown Weekly Reporter
Rosemary Pool is a staple in the Needham summer experience. Even those without pool passes were taken along by friends and experienced the relief of a body of water during the unrelenting summer heat.
For the past couple years, the Park and Recreation Department has been working towards a...
Playing for charities for thirty years
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In 1987, Joe Gillen and Don MacIntyre, active members of the Needham Exchange Club, had an idea to partner their love of golf with the charitable focus of the Club. They decided to start a golf tournament, with proceeds to benefit local non-profits. Thirty years later, and the tournament is still going strong,...
COA celebrates St. Patrick’s in May
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By Katrina Margolis
Hometown Weekly Reporter
St. Patrick’s day is the biggest holiday in the month of March. Green shamrocks and “kiss me I’m Irish” t-shirts are ubiquitous. For those who enjoy Celtic culture, there is an abundance of musical and artistic performances. One of these performers is Davis Bates, a storyteller and singer. Bates...
Open Studios art opens eyes
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By Katrina Margolis
Hometown Weekly Reporter
Once a year, the art community of Needham opens up its doors to let anyone and everyone take a peek inside.
Needham Open Studios features over 30 artists who exhibit their work. Some are full-time professional artists, while others work at art part-time, but every single one has a...
Annual Mitchell vs. Broadmeadow game delights
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By Katrina Margolis
Hometown Weekly Reporter
There is nothing like a little rivalry to rev up passion and team spirit.
On Friday, May 5, parents, teachers and staff faced off once again in the annual Mitchell vs. Broadmeadow basketball game. Held at the Needham High School gym, the event was attended by hundreds of screaming...
First Parish honors civil rights icons
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By Katrina Margolis
Hometown Weekly Reporter
The first word that came to mind after seeing the “Icons of the Civil Rights Movement” exhibit was “striking.”
Inside of First Parish Needham sat 30 original paintings depicting civil rights icons in the tradition of Russian icons. The paintings were done by Pamela Chatterton-Purdy and are also featured in...
Touchdown Club offering Balloon-A-Grams
The Touchdown Club of Needham is offering a chance to congratulate NHS seniors with Balloon-A-Grams.
Members of the community are welcomed to send a balloon - or a bunch, should they so choose - to a graduating senior, along with a personalized message. The blue and gold mylar balloons are $9 apiece.
Balloon-A-Grams will be delivered on...
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Hanley Ramirez greets Needham Little Leaguers
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On Sunday, April 30, Needham Baseball & Softball celebrated its opening day with a parade and festivities.
And they got some special help from a uniquely qualified individual.
Boston Red Sox DH/1B Hanley Ramirez, fresh off from hitting a mammoth, 463-foot home run less than 24 hours before, was in Needham to share the...
Youth Services honors outstanding seniors
