Becca Pizzi’s Big Year Just Got Better With A Fenway Surprise [VIDEO]

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Photo: The happy moment at Fenway with Becca Pizzi and Joe Stilwell. (FOX25 WFXT)

Joe Stilwell was happy to be a supportive partner in the background while his girlfriend of five years, Belmont’s Becca Pizzi, became a running phenom this year by winning the World Marathon Challenge – seven marathons run on consecutive days in seven continents – in a time that is the gold standard for women to strive to match.

But on Sunday, Stilwell decided that it was his time to take center stage. And what a place to do so, but the pitcher’s mound at Boston’s Fenway Park where Pizzi was given the honor of throwing out the first pitch before the Red Sox/Toronto Blue Jays. 

But before she got that chance, Stilwell strode up to Pizzi, got down on one knee and asked for Pizzi’s hand in marriage. As can be seen in the video, the request was pretty much a surprise to Pizzi.

By the way, she accepted. Pizzi then threw the ball on the fly to the catcher. 

And on Monday, she’s looking to run the BAA Marathon in about three hours and a half. 

(Video from FOX25 WFXT)

Belmont High’s Wind Ensemble Plays Symphony Hall Saturday, And You’re Invited

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Photo:Belmont High School Wind Ensemble

The old vaudeville chestnut goes:

“A stranger asks a New Yorker, ‘How do you get to Carnegie Hall?'”

“Practice!”

But for the Belmont High School Wind Ensemble, its path to the stage of Boston’s historic Symphony Hall was paved with gold … a gold medal.

The Wind Ensemble has been invited to perform at Symphony Hall on Saturday, April 16, as a result of its winning performance at the recently-completed Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductors Association festival. 

And Belmont residents can join in the achievement as its gig is open to the public for free. 

The Wind Ensemble will take the stage at 1:30 p.m. sharp, and its performance will last about 20 to 30 minutes.

“If you are looking for a wonderful way to kick off your April vacation, please consider coming to hear this performance by our Wind Ensemble,” said Arto Asadoorian, director of Fine & Performing Arts for Belmont’s public schools.

Asadoorian said this year’s Wind Ensemble is an unusually wonderful group of kids, most of whom are seniors.

“This will be a fitting capstone to their music years at Belmont High School, and something that they’ll remember forever. Having a large, supportive audience made up of their teachers would make the day even more special,” he said.

“Let’s pack the place!” said Asadoorian.

Authors Springs Into The Chenery for Summer Reading/Book Fest

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Photo: Young Adult authors and Belmont residents Diana Renn (left) and Ammi-Joan Paquette who will participate in the “Spring Into Summer Reading” Author Festival & Book Fair.

The Chenery Middle School is where the action will be this afternoon, Thursday, April 14, as seven Young Adult book authors will meet readers and answer questions at the “Spring Into Summer Reading” Author Festival & Book Fair from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Chenery Middle School cafeteria.

The fair is open to all students, especially those from the town’s four elementary schools.

The authors attending the fair include: 

  • David Yoo, 
  • Erin Dionne, 
  • Josh Funk, 
  • Julie Berry, 
  • Kekla Magoon, 

And a pair of Belmont resident authors 

  • Diana Renn
  • Ammi-Joan Paquette

In addition to meeting the authors and asking them questions, participants can attend workshops and presentations – Dionne will speak about writing a catchy beginning to stories to “hook” the reader – and buy books that the authors will sign. Each book sold will help support the Chenery library!

7 News’ Sports Director Amorosino At Belmont Woman’s Club Wednesday

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Photo: Joe Amorosino of 7 News.
Belmont youth and adults are invited to meet Emmy recipient 7 News WHDH-TV’s Sports Director Joe Amorosino, who will speak at the Belmont Woman’s Club/the 1853 Homer House at 661 Pleasant St. on Wednesday, April 13, at 7:30 p.m.

Amorosino covered all four Patriots Super Bowl wins (2002, 2004, 2005, 2014), all three of the Red Sox recent World Series wins (2004, 2007, 2013), the Celtics’ most recent NBA Championship win (2008) and the Boston Bruins most recent Stanley Cup Championship (2011).

The talk and a reception with Amorosino will last one hour.  

 
Th public is cordially invited with free admission.

Oh, Boys! Learn More About Your Son’s Development At BASEC Talk Monday

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Photo: Dr. Michael Thompson in action.

The Belmont After School Enrichment Collaborative’s Parent Lecture Series presents Dr. Michael Thompson who will speak on “It’s a Boy! Understanding your Son’s Development.” on Monday, April 11 at 7 p.m. in the Chenery Middle School auditorium.

Parents of boys often find themselves bewildered or frustrated by certain aspects of boy development: their little-boy anger, their inattentiveness in elementary school, a lack of motivation in middle school or their reluctance to talk to their parents during the high school years.

In this funny and reassuring talk, Thompson –  the supervising psychologist for the Belmont Hill School and author of nine books on the development of boys – addresses the greatest worries that parents of boys have from infancy through high school, distinguishing between what is normal boy development and those behaviors that are worrisome.  

Author To Speak on Kennedy’s ‘Hidden’ Daughter Monday at Library

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Photo: Cover of the book:”Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter” by Kate Clifford Larson.

Author Kate Clifford Larson will speak on her book “Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter” at Books and Bites on Monday, April 11 at 11 a.m. in the Assembly Room of the Belmont Public Library.

Rosemary, Joseph and Rose Kennedy’s daughter, was intellectually disabled; a secret fiercely guarded by her powerful and glamorous family. Now using major new sources – Rose Kennedy’s diaries and correspondence, school and doctors’ letters, and exclusive family interviews – Larson bring Rosemary alive, revealing both the sensitive care that Rose and Joe gave to Rosemary and then – as the family’s standing reached an apex – the often desperate and duplicitous arrangements the Kennedys made to keep her away from home as she became increasingly intractable in her early twenties. Finally, Larson illuminates Joe’s decision to have Rosemary lobotomized at 23, and the family’s complicity in keeping the secret.

Larson is the author of two critically acclaimed biographies: “Bound for the Promised Land: Harriet Tubman, Portrait of an American Hero” and “The Assassin’s Accomplice: Mary Surratt and the Plot to Kill Abraham Lincoln.”

All are welcome to attend this free program, sponsored by the Friends of the Belmont Public Library. Books will be available for purchase and signing. Refreshments will be provided. The Assembly Room is handicapped accessible.

Join Becca Sunday in the Pizzi Family Fun Run

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Photo: Image

Join World Marathon Champion Becca Pizzi for the first ever Becca Pizzi Family Fun Run organized by the Belmont Boosters and sponsored by Belmont Savings Bank.

The Becca Pizzi Family Fun Run is a new race in Belmont celebrating Pizzi being the World Marathon Challenge Champion. The 5K race will also act as a special send-off celebration for Becca Pizzi and all Boston Marathon Runners.

The course will begin and end at the Belmont High School track. Registration and bib pick-up begins at 7:30 a.m., with the 5k beginning at 9 a.m., with the 1-mile kid’s race starting at 9:05 a.m.

The race will also include a 1-mile run for kids around the Belmont High School track.

T-shirts will be available to the first 200 5K registrants.

Proceeds will benefit the Becca Pizzi Scholarship Fund and Belmont Boosters.

Stick around after the race for awards and fun activities.

Registration:

Register here on Racewire.com. Registration fee is $25 for 5K runners and $10 for kids running in the 1-mile race (ages 12 and under).

Belmont Gallery’s Opening Reception for ‘Family Ties/Memory’ Friday, April 8, 7-9

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Photo: Painting by Stephanie Stigliano.

The Belmont Gallery of Art will be holding an opening reception for the exhibit “Family Ties/Memory” tonight, Friday, April 8, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Gallery located on the third floor of the Homer Building in the Town Hall complex, 19 Moore St. in Belmont Center. 
The show runs from April 3 to May 8.
Family Ties/Memory” exhibit is inspired by author Anita Diamant’s “The Boston Girl,” this year’s selection for the One Book One Belmont town-wide read.
Diamant’s best-selling novel tells the story of 85-year-old Addie Baum, recounting her life growing up in Boston’s neighborhoods in the early 20th century. The novel touches on several themes with memory, family,  and family relationships central to the story. It was left up to each of the “Family Ties/Memory” exhibit’s approximately 30 participating artists to interpret the theme of family and memory.
Artists in the show include Kathy Lobo, Christiane Corcelle, Janis Wisneiwski, Iris Chandler, Ruth Segaloff, Susan Tornheim, Ottavio Forte, Pamela Goody, Dilla Tingley, Susan Jones, Lisa Gibalerio, Joanna Dunn, Hellen Lee, Kwan Kew Lai, Cara Fitzgibbon, Teddi Wise, Chris Carter-Husk, Sharon Whitham, Anastasia O’Melveny, Helen Morse, Nicole Bernstein, Judi Babcock, John Williams, Erika Hartwieg and Theresa Monaco, Stephanie Stigliano, Darisse Paquette, Anne Katzeff, Richard Hill, Kay Hudgins and Louise Halstead.
Regular gallery hours are Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to  4 p.m.; and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors are also welcome to visit other weekdays after 10 a.m.

Belmont High’s ‘Urinetown’ Opens Tonight, Thursday, April 7, Runs to Saturday

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Photo: Benjy Cunningham singing “Don’t be the bunny” in the musical “Urinetown.”

The curtain is going up at 7 p.m, Thursday, April 7 for opening night for the Belmont High School Performing Arts Company’s production of “Urinetown, the Musical.”

In a Depression-era metropolis, a 20-year drought has caused such a water shortage that the city government has banned private toilets. The citizens must use “public amenities,” regulated by a monopoly that profits by charging admission for one of humanity’s most basic needs.

Amid the people, a young, idealistic hero, Bobby Strong, decides he’s had enough and plans a revolution to lead them running to freedom! Along the way, the audience is kept informed of the plot with Officer Lockstock assisted by a street urchin named Little Sally.  But, by the end, good intentions don’t always lead to the best outcome. But you’ll have to see the musical to find out what happens.

Performances are:

  • Thursday and Friday, April 7 and 8, at 7 p.m.
  • Saturday, April 9 at 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Tickets will be online and at Champions Sporting Goods in Belmont Center. Tickets are $10 for students (BHS students get half-price tickets Thursday) and $15 for adults ($18 if they wait to buy them at the show).

Belmont High’s Art Show Saturday Night at Beth El Temple

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Photo: Art that will be presented on Saturday, April 2.

Artist from Belmont High School are presenting their Second Annual Art Show this Saturday, April 2, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The show will take place at the Beth El Temple Center, 2 Concord Ave. and feature work from students in Advanced Placement, Art Honors, photography, sculpture and ceramics. 

The night will include performances by Ben Jones, Jack Merullo and Nic Neves, Kail Pelicane, slam poetry by Francesca Pellegrini and more.

Bring your kids for fun activities, free art, music, poetry and food.

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