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Leukemia & Lymphoma Society recognizes Natick’s Landry for fundraising leadership

June 6, 2023 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Like many who raise funds for research nonprofits focused on cancer, Class of 2023 graduate Benjamin Landry has felt the impact of the disease. His uncle has been living with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, and many of other family members, including grandparents, have fought cancer.

But Landry’s involvement over the past year with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has also been inspired by his interests in public policy and advocacy, with a focus on equity and accessibility within the medical field.

Landry was recently recognized by the Society, as well as the Natick School Committee (about 11 minutes into the Natick Pegasus recording), for his leadership efforts in raising $21,134 to support blood cancer research, advocacy, and patient support through the LLS Student Visionaries of the Year program. This philanthropic leadership development program invites high school students to spearhead a 7-week fundraising campaign—with months of planning beforehand—and compete to raise the most money.

Benjamin Landry & Natick High Interim Principal Jason Hoye with big LLS check

Landry led a team under the program called Fund the Future that included his parents, other family members, and friends from Natick and surrounding communities. “At the beginning of the campaign, each fundraising team chooses a pillar with which their reason for joining most closely aligns,” Landry says, and for him that was policy and advocacy.

Since his junior year at Natick High, Landry had been part of a Youth Advisory Council to State Senate President Karen Spilka that meets throughout the school year to discuss topics of interest to young voters, and to draft related legislation.  “The idea is that the Youth Advisory Council is a direct liaison between state legislators and student voices,” says Landry, who has written bills on gun control and school safety as well as on fertility preservation and medical debt assistance.

Landry first learned about the LLS Student Visionaries program through friend Rohan Bhattacharyya, now a UMass Amherst student. Bhattacharyya asked Landry if he’d be interested in keeping the program going in Natick, which had been involved for 6 years.

“Although I had never done any type of serious fundraising work before, I was intrigued by the opportunity and agreed,” Landry says.

The team’s primary methods of fundraising included using social media and making personal asks via letters and emails.

“We also held multiple smaller fundraisers such as tents at the Dover Market and Natick Farmers Market, a March Madness Basketball Pool, and a used sneaker drive. I would say that the fundraising started off a bit slow but definitely picked up in the last few weeks after we sent follow-up emails to our contact lists,” he says.

Landry’s group placed 5th out of more than 20 teams from throughout New England.

Grateful to have been part of the Student Visionaries program, Landry now looks to stay involved with the Society through its Junior Leadership Team.

Landry will attend the College of William & Mary in Virginia, and intends to major in public policy.

Benjamin Landry & family

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Filed Under: Charity/Fundraising, Schools

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Natick Nights returns

June 3, 2023 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

The first in this summer’s series of Natick Nights was held on Thursday, June 1, bringing families, vendors, music, and more downtown.

Natick Nights June

One tidbit we got while on the Common: The Anthology Senior Living rep said they just got state approval to open, so the assisted living and memory care facility expects its first residents to move in within days.

Somehow we didn’t make it down the Adams Street Art Gallery, where beer, wine and food were being offered, and we heard it was a blast. Didn’t want to peak too early.

Natick Nights

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Filed Under: Community, Seniors



Congratulations to the Natick High School Class of ’23

June 3, 2023 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Congratulations to the 2023 graduates of Natick High School and for the ceremony organizers for getting the diplomas handed out before the skies opened. (And thanks to those who shared pics with us.)

 

natick high graduation 2023

 

NHS graduation 2023

 

NHS graduation 2023

NHS graduation 2023

natick high graduation 2023

 

natick high graduation 2023

 

natick high graduation 2023

 

NHS graduation 2023

NHS graduation 2023


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Filed Under: Schools

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Celebrate last day of school at Lilja Carnival in Natick on Thursday, June 15

June 2, 2023 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

The public is welcome to attend the annual Lilja Carnival on Thursday, June 15, from 4-8pm at the Lilja Elementary School (41 Bacon St.). This also marks the last day of Natick Public School for the season.

The event, originally slated for June 4, features food, rides, acrobatics, balloons, inflatables, games, and more.

More info on the carnival, including ticket pre-orders, at the Lilja PTO website.

lilja carnival


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Filed Under: Kids, Schools

Natick names Troy Smith as its first director of equity, inclusion & outreach

June 1, 2023 by Bob Brown 1 Comment

Troy Smith this week started his job as Natick’s first director of equity, inclusion & outreach, the culmination of an effort by the town over the past few years to hire such an administrator. Smith is expected to introduce himself to the public at a Select Board meeting in June.

Smith comes to Natick from North Shore Community College, where he has been a tenured professor in behavioral science, most recently teaching sociology. He has consulted with the city of Lynn on equity and inclusion matters.

During the summer and fall of 2020 following George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis and the protests that took place locally and across the country, Natick and other communities vowed to take steps toward ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion in all they do. Natick formed an 11-member Equity Task Force that did its work throughout the end of 2020 and into 2021, and recommended formation of a standing DEI committee.  The Select Board asserted over the summer of 2021 that it would sponsor a Fall Town Meeting article that would pave the way for Natick to hire its first chief diversity officer.

Natick began seeking a director in March of 2022, but was challenged to find enough strong candidates—a challenge other organizations have had as well. It’s been particularly tough for municipalities wooing talent against well-heeled corporations. Natick reposted its job listing last October.

That job posting read: The position is responsible for the development of diversity, equity and inclusion programs for the Town, leading/supporting the Town’s efforts to support disproportionately impacted populations impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, and engage with the Select Board and relevant stakeholders in advancing such work. The Director of Equity, Inclusion & Outreach will work to develop and operationalize a long-term program of initiatives that will develop a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture, target support for disproportionately impacted populations of the COVID-19 pandemic, and develop priorities that provide opportunities to build diversity and inclusive practices into the Town’s operations. The Director of Equity, Inclusion & Outreach will work with boards/committees of the Town as well as community groups as necessary and described in the essential job functions. For purposes of this position description, social equity is meant to include race/ethnicity, physical ability, LBGTQIA+ identity, socio-economic status as examples, but is intended to be inclusive of all people.

It’s expected that Natick will now revisit the idea of forming a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee, an effort it decided to postpone until hiring a director.


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Filed Under: Embracing diversity, Government

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