Natick Report

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

Scenes from Natick book & music sale at Morse Institute Library

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It looked more like the mall than the library when I showed up at the Morse Institute on Saturday afternoon to take a few photos, as families exited with bags or arms full of treasures scored at the winter book and music sale. With items selling for $1 and under, how could you go wrong?

The Friends of the Morse Institute Library sale, held on Saturday, Jan. 28 (8:30am-4:30pm) and Sunday, Jan. 29 (12-3pm), featured upper and lower level sales spaced out to give browsers and shoppers more room to maneuver.

The Friends raises funds to support library services and programs ranging from the check-out system to museum passes and educational programs.

book sale

Natick Cultural Council grants: Projects range from school murals to senior hip hop to Johnny Cash

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The Natick Cultural Council has announced more than 30 grants ranging in amounts from $200 to $2,132 to fund a variety of projects that support the arts, humanities and interpretative sciences.

The projects, intended to benefit the Natick community, run the gamut from films to dance to history.

One project that we’ve previewed is called “What’s in your heart? NATICK,” and will be a public art display on the MBTA pedestrian bridge.

Among other grant recipients are the Brown Elementary School PTO, which is receiving $1,000, and Lilja Elementary School, which is receiving $1,500. Both will use the funds to paint murals at the schools.

Brown Elementary will be having artist-in-residence Joe Pimentel working with students and staff in March to create a welcoming new mural in the lobby, says Michelle Parven, visual arts educator at Brown.
A generous grant from Natick Education Foundation got the school 75% of the way to funding the cost of the mural, and the Natick Cultural Council grant will cover the rest, Parven says.
What will make this mural unique is that Pimentel “incorporates students into the entire process – from ideation (kids generating drawings based on a theme) to execution (all hands on deck to help with the actual painting).  He feels that this gives students voice in the design and ownership of the finished product,” says Parven who discovered the Ulster County, N.Y., artist on Instagram.
In October, students met with Pimentel over Zoom and made drawings aligned with the theme “Our School Community.”  Pimentel sent Parven drafts of the design, and it has since been finalized in preparation for the artist’s visit to the school during the last week in March.  “While I have renderings, I cannot share them with you at this time—we want to keep things a surprise!” Parven says.
The Council, which awarded grants totaling $16,582 in this latest round, will seek applications again in the fall.

Fiscal year ’23 funding list

Recipient Project Title Amount
Argyrople, Catherine Growing Pains (Feature Film) $300
Brown School Parent-Teacher Organization of Natick, Massachusetts, Inc. Brown School Lobby Mural $1,000
Brown School Parent-Teacher Organization of Natick, Massachusetts, Inc. Ball in the House $2,132
Costarelli, Eve Jerusalema Flash Mob: The Dance of Joy $200
Edgecomb, Diane Fantastical Folktales of Flowers $400
Girardin, Denise What’s In Your Heart Natick? $800
Hiller, David Natick Family Science Nights $400
Historical Natural History and Library Society of Natick, Inc. Know Natick History: Natick Reimagined (working title) $300
Lilja Elementary School School Mural $1,500
Lilja School PTO, Inc. Three Billy Goats Gruff by Pumpernickel Puppets $400
Lilja School PTO, Inc. Peoples of the Dawn Land $400
MUSIC Dance.edu I am Autistic I am Fantastic $300
MUSIC Dance.edu Hip Hop Chair Dance for Seniors! $300
MacInnes, Rebecca “Crankie” Muscial Story-Telling $400
Moock, Alastair Johnson Elementary PTO presents Alastair Moock’s musical social justice assembly “Playing With Tradition” $400
Natick High School RoboNatick Team 6032 “Lightning Hawks” $300
Natick Parents Music Association, Inc. Natick Jazz Night $500
Newman, Howard Knock on Wood, acoustic folk-rock duo $400
Polatin, David “The Fifties – The Golden Age of Music” $400
Quazi, Shahreen Tribute to Natick Praying Indians $350
Radhakrishnan, Smitha Radical Love: A Community Movement $600
SPARK Kindness, Inc. SPARK Kindness Week 2022 $400
Sound & Spirit, Inc. “Get Happy!” $500
Taunton City Band, Inc. Taunton City Band free community concert $200
The A Cappella Singers, Inc. Concert Season 2022-2023 $500
The Morse Institute in Natick Ezekiel’s Wheels Klezmer Band $400
Voices of MetroWest, Inc. Trial Educational Tool – ChoralTracks $400
Waterman, Jon Live Music Making History Live $300
Wilson Middle School Masterclasses for Music! $600
Women of Note, Inc. Women of Note Holiday Concert $400
York, Matt Johnny Cash – Songs & Stories $400
Zaino, Nick 100 Years of Boston Comedy $200
Zinshtein, Ronen Dance competition $250
Zinshtein, Ronen National Training camp and Dance competition $250

Natick library winter book & music sale set for Jan. 28-29

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The Friends of the Morse Institute Library is holding its two-day winter book & music sale on Jan 28 (8:30am-4:30pm) and Jan 29 (12-3pm). The book sale and children/tween book sale will  be on the lower level of the library and the music sale, with vinyl and CDs, will be in the Morse Room on the first floor. Adult books, puzzles, and games are $1, books for children, tweens, and teens are $0.50, and DVDs are $2. CDs are $1 each or $2/set.

No scanners or strollers on Saturday, please. Masks are encouraged.

Morse Institute Library

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Natick charity news: Rockin’ 9th grader earns music grant; Behavioral Healthcare awards; Cram the Van at Natick Mall with healthy food

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The latest Natick nonprofit & charity news:

Rockin’ 9th grader earns music grant

Congrats to Natick’s Jack McElroy, a 9th grader at Willow Hill School in Sudbury, for earning a scholarship from The Doug Flutie Jr., Foundation for Autism to support his musical pursuits.

The nonprofit teamed with singer and autism self-advocate Kodi Lee to grant 18 Kodi Lee Gives Back Grants worth a total of $25K to those pursuing music or fine arts. The foundation aims to help those with autism in their education, employment, and outside interests.

According to the Foundation, McElroy plays electric guitar, takes lessons at School of Rock in Natick and his favorite bands include Bon Jovi, Green Day, and Imagine Dragons.

Jack M flutie foundation

 

Jack M flutie foundation

 

 

Behavioral Healthcare group issues awards

The Natick-based Association for Behavioral Healthcare recently announced its Salute to Excellence awards recognizing professionals dedicated to serving those with mental health and substance use challenges. Its Legacy Leadership Award went to Massachusetts Health & Human Service Secretary Marylou Sudders, who spearheaded the state’s Roadmap for Behavioral Health Reform.

Sudders was among 10 honored during the in-person event, which followed a couple of years of virtual ones.

“The pandemic has only exacerbated the need for high-quality, accessible behavioral health treatment,” said Secretary Sudders.  “Across the Commonwealth, behavioral health professionals have answered the call and stepped up to provide clinical care to some of Massachusetts’ most vulnerable residents.”

 

Cram the Van at Natick Mall with healthy food

The Natick Mall joins with Daniel’s Table to encourage people on Black Friday weekend (Nov. 25-26, noon to 5pm) to help fill a van full of food for neighbors in need.

Donate a healthy snack item or other nonperishable foods, and take away a free gift.