Natick Report

Since 2020: More than you really want to know about Natick, Mass.

Investing in community: Natick Rotary distributes over $10k to local nonprofits

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The Lebowitz Room at the Morse Institute Library was filled with a sense of shared purpose last week as the Rotary Club of Natick hosted its annual grant luncheon to celebrate over $10,000 in grants to a dozen local nonprofits, each working to address critical needs ranging from food insecurity to inclusive recreation.

Rotary Club of Natick
Rotary Club of Natick and grant recipients gather at the Morse Library.

The event was more than just a formal presentation; it was a showcase of the “incredible work happening right here,” according to Rotary president Eileen Fitz. Representatives from the recipient organizations went to the mic to share how the financial awards will be translated into direct action for the community.

Food security emerged as a major theme of the presentation. Rebecca Gallo of A Place to Turn spoke about the organization’s mission to provide food access across 12 communities, highlighting the Mobile Market initiative. Similarly, Rachel Vingsness of the Natick Service Council detailed how the grant would help buy essential fresh produce, meat, and dairy for 900 Natick households currently facing financial hardship.

For those seeking both a meal and meaningful social connection, Natick Open Door continues to be a lifeline. Joan and John Bace, along with Kelly Crane, said that the grant would help cover facility rent at the Natick Elks Club, and materials for their free community dinners.

Grant support also helps ensures every resident can participate fully in community life. Angela Snell and Josh Ostroff of All Aboard Natick shared the success of their adaptive cycling program on the Cochituate Rail Trail. An event earlier this month drew over 30 riders, proving the high demand for accessible outdoor recreation.

Education and youth development were also at the forefront. Deb Sayre and Diane Young of Kids Connect described their K-12 tutoring center as a “life-changing” space for youths in need of structure and positive academic support. Meanwhile, Kirstie Beaton and Casey Townsend of the Natick Community Organic Farm announced that their grant would go directly to the Farm’s scholarship fund, ensuring that children from all financial backgrounds can learn the origins of their food on the South Natick farm.

The spirit of advocacy was represented by Michelle Marotta, speaking for both the MLK Dream Team and SPARK Kindness. Marotta said that the funds would support ASL interpretation and speaker fees for community events designed to foster a welcoming, resilient, and just environment.

“This grant helps us sustain programs that create social connection and support mental health,” Marotta said.

By the end of the luncheon, it was clear that while the $10,000 will provide the fuel, it is the dedication of these dozen organizations that continues to drive the MetroWest community forward.

Rotary Club of Natick, grants Rotary Club of Natick, grants

Next up for Rotary

EVENT: The Repair Cafe
DATE/TIME: May 3, 2pm-5pm
LOCATION: Natick Community Senior Center, 117 East Central Street
DESCRIPTION: The Repair Cafe helps folks by fixing appliances, lamps, bicycles, etc that folks can bring in for free to be checked and hopefully repaired to keep them from being thrown away.

EVENT: Tour de Natick (friendly cycling event)—Sunday, June 21 (Fathers Day)
TIME: Check-in is at 10am, with the ride starting at 11am
LOCATION: begins and ends at Natick Common
DESCRIPTION: The Rotary Club of Natick’s 23rd Annual Tour de Natick is a family-friendly 6-mile cycling event. The route is an easy, family-friendly, 6-mile loop leaving The Common at 11 AM and returning for a complimentary cookout immediately following.
REGISTRATION here

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Earth Day all around Natick

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Earth Day, NatickYou don’t have to travel the entire Earth to let it know you care. A host of Earth Day All Around Natick events are planned for May 2 and 3, with a focus on celebrating the local environment. Activities will appeal to kids and adults.

Saturday, May 2

Sunday, May 3

  • Repair Cafe at Community-Senior Center: Sunday May 3, 2 – 5 pm—Stop by for help with repairs on a little bit of everything: lamps, computer software, small electronics and appliances, small furniture, bikes, and more. Talented volunteers will do their best to repair them for free. Sponsored by Natick Rotary, in conjunction with the Council on Aging and Human Development.
  • Hike Pickerel Pond with terrific trail stewards, Claire and Doug. Fingers crossed we see a beaver!

Thank you to the many volunteers at EcoNatick and other organizations who make this happen every year!

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Natick Select Board office hours for the rest of 2026

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Natick Select Board members hold office hours twice per month. The second Saturday of the month you can find a Select Board member 10am-noon at the Natick Farmers Market; and the 4th Tuesday of the month a Board member is on hand 9am-10am at the Community Senior Center.

Select Board office hours are open to everyone in the community. An appointment is not necessary.

Can’t make Select Board office hours, but have questions? Email Board members at Selectboard@natickma.org

Select Board office hours for the rest of 2026

Select Board office hours, Natick

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Milestone moment: Raymour & Flanigan opens at Natick Mall

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The former Lord & Taylor space at the Natick Mall, closed since 2021, has stood for years as a windowless and silent reminder of a shifting retail landscape. Last week, that silence was replaced by the hum of activity and a flood of natural light (courtesy of multiple brand-new floor-to-ceiling windows) as Raymour & Flanigan officially made its grand entrance. Representatives from the family-owned furniture and mattress retailer with dozens of locations across the country showed off the reimagined—and massive—space during its grand opening last week. At 110,000 sq. ft. of retail space, the new Raymour & Flanigan boasts double the average size of the chain’s stores, and is its largest showroom to date.

Brothers Seth and Adam Goldberg, higher-ups in company leadership, stood before an assembled group including Natick Select Board member Bruce Evans, Natick Planning Board member Terri Evans, State representative David Linsky, news outlets, and influencers. So many, many influencers.

Raymour & Flanigan owners
Raymour & Flanigan owners Seth and Adam Goldberg greet assembled visitors.

“We are very excited to be here, and we thank you for joining us for what really is a special milestone for our company. For those of you who don’t know, this store represents our 150th location and also represents our largest by square footage—and hopefully by revenue—that we’ve ever opened,” Seth said.

During a short history lesson, Seth shared that the company was founded nearly 80 years ago in 1947, in downtown Syracuse, by their dad and uncle after the two completed service in World War II. “They opened one small store and they just tried to support their families,” Seth said.

150 stores later, with 5,000 associates across seven states, seems like the veterans completed their mission.

State Representative David Linsky was on hand to present a fancy-looking proclamation, suitable for framing, from the Massachusetts house of Representatives, that offered sincere congratulations to Raymour & Flanigan. Linsky said the Natick Mall is currently “booming” and has reached a point of near-total occupancy, surrounded by a growing ecosystem of entertainment venues—like pickleball—and dining options.

Raymour & Flanigan, Bruce Evans, Terri Evans, David Linsky
Select Board member Bruce Evans; Planning Board member Terri Evans; State Rep David Linsky

Layout and design

The store is designed as a pure showroom where customers explore curated spaces and place orders for home delivery. A rep guiding the media tour emphasizes a high standard of logistics, boasting a 98% delivery success rate and the ability to deliver in-stock products within three days or less. She attributed the success rate to keeping all facets of the company in-house. “Our delivery people, and all employees, work for Raymour & Flanigan. They aren’t outside contractors.”

The layout spans two levels:

  • First level: features extensive living and dining room vignettes; a leather gallery, and an outlet section for value-conscious shoppers.
  • Second level: reclining furniture, home office solutions, and a dedicated section for baby and kids’ bedrooms.
  • Specialty spaces: second floor also features an immersive entertainment room and two mattress galleries, known as “Sleep Centers,” which represent the largest section of the upper level.
Raymour & Flanigan showroom
Raymour & Flanigan showroom

The investment brings a significant economic advantage to Natick, creating between 35 and 60-plus well-paying, full-time positions. 

As the Goldberg brothers officially cut the ribbon, they said they were celebrating not just the open a furniture store, but a  legacy that began in a small Syracuse shop eight decades ago. 

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Natick mom and RN designs hospital gowns that address needs, preserve dignity

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The community bulletin board at Sweetwater in Natick center was as flyer-filled as ever. Pitches for tutors competed for space with spring clean-up services and school play showtime listings.

Lauren Pfeifer scans the board, looking for a sweet spot—big enough to tack up her brochure, open enough so she’s not foiling someone else’s promotional efforts. The board’s usage commandments number but one—thou shalt not obscure thy neighbor’s posting. She’s found her space. Up go a couple brochures for Untethered, the medical assist women always knew they needed, but didn’t know existed.

Here’s what I learned over a cup of coffee with a nurse on a mission. According to Lauren—Natick mom, 3rd-generation nurse, and entrepreneur—7 out of 10 women don’t realize they can bring their own gown to the hospital and medical appointments. Comfortable gowns. Good-looking gowns. Gowns that fit and make sense.

Wait, what? I can bring my own gown to medical appointments? Now there’s a concept.

Untethered, Natick
Untethered gown, Golden Wildflowers, $135

I’ve worn plenty of gowns in lots of medical settings. If I’ve ever put one on correctly, I am unaware of achieving such a feat. Closure strings that I accidentally tie into knots. Snaps that are always somehow one off. And don’t get me started about breezes. I certainly never knew I could go rogue and bring my own garb.

Enter Untethered hospital gowns for women, an alternative to the standard hospital gown, designed to provide comfort, coverage, and dignity when it matters most. Lauren’s mission is simple: to attend to patients’ needs and humanity—whether they’re at a simple routine visit or dealing with a complex diagnosis. That mission became personal when her mother-in-law, Maryellen, was diagnosed with cancer. Even on her hardest days, Maryellen wanted to feel dignified, self-reliant, and true to herself. Seeing her in a gown that offered no dignity or comfort was heartbreaking—and became the spark for Lauren’s vision.

Untethered, Natick
Maryellen, the inspiration for Untethered.

Seeing Maryellen in a blue hospital gown came to feel like a symbol for Lauren. “It came to represent everything I hated. Cancer. Losing someone I deeply loved.  Having her individuality, importance, everything that made her, her, slowly overlooked as she became “just another patient.”

“I couldn’t help my mother-in-law feel better about the awkwardness about so much of what she was experiencing,” Lauren continued, “But I vowed to her, ‘Maryellen, I’m going to help other women feel more dignified and like themselves.’ ”

From that promise, the mother of three created a line of gowns and named her company Untethered.

Features of Untethered gowns include cues for orientation (no guessing which side is front or back); two center pockets to keep personal items close at hand, including a discreet opening for medical tubing or wires to pass through; and shoulder and back snaps that open as much or as little as you need. (From IVs and ports to exams or breastfeeding, women can remain covered and in control.) Gowns are made of 94% organic cotton and 6% spandex for softness, breathability and gentle stretch.

The fabric, sourced from Ontario is shipped to Pennsylvania where a small family business handles the digital printing process. “This allows us to reduce water consumption and avoid harsh chemical dyes,” Lauren says.

Once printed, the fabric goes to New YorkCity, where it is individually cut and sewn by a local team.

Ranging in price from $115-$135, Untethered gowns aren’t inexpensive. But for those who have long wished for an alternative to the standard “undress and put this on, please” experience, the outlay will be well worth it.

Where to find Untethered hospital gowns for women

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