Family Promise Metrowest (FPM) received a grant of $3,500 from the Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club to support families facing homelessness and housing insecurity in the Metrowest region.

Founded in 2008, the Natick-based organization. collaborates with community-based organizations to provide shelter and other essential services to families in need. The Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club since 2008 has provided not only grant funding, but essential volunteer support. Club members have sponsored product drives for families transitioning from shelter, staffed the FPM front office on weekends, helped with family moving days, and created walkathon teams.

FPM development director Carole Brodrick said, “The WHJWC has been an amazing partner of Family Promise Metrowest since we opened our doors. This group of women have generously donated their resources and time, working side by side to make a meaningful difference in our community.”

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Central Massachusetts Mosquito Control Project (CMMCP) personnel will be in Natick to respond to residents’ concerns about mosquitoes in their area on the following dates:

• June 1
• June 7
• June 8
• June 14
• June 15
• June 22
• June 28
• June 29

Any of the above dates are tentative, especially June 1, and all dates are subject to change due to weather conditions, mosquito populations, mosquito virus activity and/or special event spraying. The program will shut down when cool night time temperatures become predominant in the area. A detailed notice about the spray schedule is posted on the CMMCP phone system after 3:30pm each day, and it is also listed on the CMMCP website (Click the “2023 Spray Schedule” button on the right.)

Requests for service may be recorded by calling the CMMCP office: 508-393-3055, 7am-3:30pm, Mon.-Fri., or online at CMMCP. Results of these requests may initiate an application of mosquito insecticides to defined site-specific areas of town. Such an application may be accomplished by using truck-mounted equipment depending on the extent of the application.

You can opt-out of the program

Per 333CMR13.03(1)(a): “Wide Area Applications of pesticides and mosquito control applications of pesticides approved by the State Reclamation and Mosquito Control Board shall not be made to private property which has been designated for exclusion from such application by a person living on or legally in control of said property.” For more information please check: http://www.cmmcp.org and click the “No Spray Info” button on the right.

More

West Nile Virus detected in Natick mosquitoes in 2022

Established Natick residents know the drill by now on Boston Marathon day, from where to catch the best action depending on your appetite for crowds to how to avoid getting trapped on either side of Rte. 135 if you need to get somewhere else. But for those new to the area or who need a refresher, here’s a quick primer on the Boston Marathon through the 4.5 miles in Natick, the fourth town along the course:

Road closings

Rte. 135 will be off limits to non-official vehicles from 8:30am-3:30pm on April 17, per Natick Police and the Boston Athletic Association, though signage in Natick also says that crossing Rte. 135 will be forbidden as of 7:30am.

Where to watch

It depends on what you’re looking for. Big crowds will gather in Natick Center and along the Common, where you’re likely to find everything from drummers to vendor carts along the sidelines. Crowds are thinner at parts between the 7.5-mile mark at the start of Natick’s section of the course and along the stretch into Wellesley just before the 12-mile mark and the start of the Wellesley College Scream Tunnel.

You can grab water views near the VFW, which sits between Lake Cochituate and Fisk Pond along the stretch from mile 9 to 10. If you’re a history buff, you can let the shoe shop of former U.S. Vice President Henry Wilson photo bomb your marathon shots at mile 8.5. Natick is among the flattest sections of the course, though the road starts to rise into Wellesley.

The wheelchair athletes start just after 9am and should be hitting Natick Center within 40 minutes. The runners start shortly after 9:30am, so should be hitting Natick Center within an hour.

Natick runners

Roughly 50 Natick residents are listed as official entrants by the Boston Athletic Association. Best of luck to all!

Eric Ashe (elite), Ellen Banthin. Michelle Barbin, Shannon Beale, Tara Bharadwaj, Leon Chen, Devon Choi, Lucas Davis, Michael Davis, Benjamin Deschatre, Judith Dixon,  Matthew Ellis, Lexi Fahey, Jack Fleming, Maggie Fox, April Garry, Chris Georgules, Russell Greenwald, Courtney Harris, Eric Hazlinsky, David Holtzman, Charles Jetzer, Dylan Jones, Daniel Joseph, Mary Catherine Joseph, Paul Joseph, Shawn Kearns, Mahnsool Kim, Nicholas Kynoch, Michael Lawrence, Jazmin Lora, Allison Lucenta, Uday Mandhata, Cassie Mclaughlin, Mary Mills, Kirsty Mitchell, Nancy Murphy, Ervis Nunez, Jessica Ordway, Sherry Pagoto, Joseph Ranucci, Miguel Rodriguez, Leah Santo, Patric, Schenk, Caitlyn Siebenmorgen, Rebecca Stern, Aaron Stevens, Edward Sullivan, Nishant Warwade.

Charity runners

We invited Natick residents and those participating in the race for Natick charities to share their info.

More coverage

• Boston Marathon art at 10-mile mark in Natick made from Dunkin’ cups
• What to know about running through Natick (WCVB-TV)
• Natick’s Jack Fleming named Boston Athletic Association CEO
• Where there’s a Will (Smith), there’s a way for Boston Marathon runners in Natick (2022 race)

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Please share your best Boston Marathon photos from the Natick section of the course: natickreport@gmail.com

TEDxNatick is back! An evening with TEDxNatick will take place on Thursday, April 13, 7pm,  at TCAN (The Center for Arts in Natick). Tickets are on sale at www.natickarts.org. The evening promises great opportunities to catch up with these speakers from past TEDxNatick events, and hear what they are up to now.

Buy your tickets soon, every previous TEDxNatick event has sold out in advance.

Line-up of speakers

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