Annual Belmont Boosters Fund Drive This Sunday

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Photo: “B” there.

On Sunday, Oct. 18 from around noon to 2 p.m., Belmont High’s student-athletes will be traveling around town knocking on doors in support of Belmont Booster’s annual fund drive.

The students will be seeking donations in exchange for your very own “B” decal – a snazzy item, indeed.

The fund drive helps the Boosters’ mission to provide funding for items that are outside the athletic budgets. The Boosters have contributed $170,000 in the past six years towards the purchases and improvements of new football and softball scoreboards, the wrestling clock, the Hockey Rink P.A. systems, new trophy cases, Belmont Marauders club car, coaches training and equipment, Marauder spirit flags, the 2014 renovation of White’s field house, the 2015 renovation of the Fitness room and 2015 installation of new flooring for the Wenner field house.

Annually the Boosters provide the jackets awarded at the seasonal athletic awards nights, championship banners in the field house and the team captain leadership program.

This Week: Harry Potter Fans, Hanneke Cassel Band Concert Thursday

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Photo: The Hanneke Cassel Band.

On the government side of “This Week”:

  • The Board of Selectmen is holding an abbreviated morning public meeting at Town Hall on Monday, Oct. 19 at 8 a.m. in which there will be the usual granting of licenses and hear from the Town Administrator. 
  • The Belmont School Committee holds its annual Boston meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at the Shelburne Community Center at 2730 Washington St. in Roxbury beginning with a reception at 6 p.m. with the meeting starting at 6:30 p.m. when the committee will update the METCO program in Belmont. 
  • The Town of Belmont Energy Committee will discuss the Solarize Belmont initiative which is part of Belmont Light’s new Solar Policy at its meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 8 a.m. in Town Hall. 
  • The Belmont Cultural Council will meet at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 22 at Town Hall to discuss grant applicants and guidelines for receiving money from the group. 

• The Teen Book Club for 9th to 12th Graders will meet on Monday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. in the Belmont Public Library’s Flett Room to discuss Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. Snacks will be provided. If you have any questions, please e-mail Kylie Sparks at ksparks@minlib.net or call 617-993-2873.

Tuesday is story time at both of Belmont libraries.

  • Pre-School Story Time at the Benton Library, Belmont’s independent and volunteer-run library, at 10:30 a.m. Stories and crafts for children age 3 to 5. Parents or caregivers must attend. Siblings may attend with adults. Registration is not required. The Benton Library is located at the intersection of Oakley and Old Middlesex.
  • Pre-School Storytime at the Belmont Public beginning at 9:30 a.m.We’ll read longer books, sing and dance, and make simple crafts. For 3-5-year-olds with a longer attention span.

• Kelsey Perkins from US Rep. Katherine Clark’s office will be holding office hours at the Beech Street Center, 266 Beech St., from noon to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 20.

• Storytime for 1’s is for walkers and toddlers under 24 months will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 10:30 a.m. in the library’s Flett Room. They will share simple stories, songs, and nursery rhymes, and end with time to play.

• It’s early-release day for students at the Chenery Middle School on Wednesday, Oct. 21..

• The International Fiction Book Club will discuss Please Look After Mom by Kyung-sook Shin on Wednesday. Oct 21 at 7 p.m. in the Flett Room. Come for fun conversation, tea and snacks.  Everybody is welcome. If you have a question, or need help finding a copy of the book, contact Kylie at ksparks@minlib.net. The book club is a great way to explore different cultures and read great books international fiction books.

• Hogwart lovers, the Belmont Public Library is hosting the Harry Potter Fan Club on Thursday, Oct. 22 from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Flett Room. 

• The Belmont Public Library’s OTAKUrabu program offers students (7th to 12th grades) the chance to watch anime, do a craft/activity, plan for future events and nibble on some Japanese snacks (while they last – they’ll go fast) on Thursday, Oct. 22, from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Assembly Room. Provided to you for free, thanks to the Friends of the Belmont Public Library. Just drop in, no registration required.

• After spending a two-day residency at Belmont High, the Hanneke Cassel Band will perform in concert on Thursday, Oct 22, at 7 p.m., in the school’s auditorium. This concert is free and family friendly. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Both high school and middle school string students will perform on the first half of the show, followed by a second set of the Hanneke Cassel Band – Hanneke Cassel, violin; Mike Block, cello; Christopher Lewis, guitar – showing off their fan favorites. 

• The Belmont Historical Society welcomes historian Doug Stewart who will speak on “Massachusetts’ Role in the 19th Century China Trade” (including Belmont’s) on Thursday, Oct. 22 from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Belmont Public Library’s Assembly Room. 

• Literacy Playgroup is a parent and child group that supports child’s language and literacy development on Friday, Oct. 23, 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. in Flett Room. You’ll play, read, sing and take home new ideas. Presented by educators from the CFCE grant program; for children age 4 and under.

Annual Belmont Library Fall Book Sale Saturday, Sunday, Oct. 17-18

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Photo: Patrons of the Friends of Belmont Library’s book sale.

If you love books but not looking to pay and arm and a leg for them, this is your weekend to stock up on fiction, non-fiction, children’s and every other sort of book as the Friends of the Belmont Public Library holds its annual Fall Book Sale.

The sale takes place on Saturday, Oct. 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 18 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Assembly and Flett rooms at the library, 336 Concord Ave.

The sale’s proceeds allow the Friends to purchase museum memberships, bring authors and demonstrations to the library while adding to the technology available to patrons.

Belmont Yard Sales, Oct. 17-18

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Photo: Yard sale in Belmont.

Yard sales in the “Town of Homes.”

• 130 Common St., Saturday, Oct. 17, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• 331 Common St., Saturday, Oct. 17, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• 9 Coolidge Rd., Saturday, Oct. 17, 9 a.m. to noon.

• 22 Coolidge Rd., Saturday, Oct. 17, 9 a.m. to noon.

• 28 Coolidge Rd., Saturday, Oct. 17, 9 a.m. to noon.

• 25 Falmouth St., Saturday, Oct. 17, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• 56 Grove St., Saturday, Oct. 17, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Limited Number of Tickets Remain for Annual BHS PAC ‘Broadway Night’

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Photo: The dancers performing to “King of New York” for Newsies.

It’s a touch of the Great White Way in Belmont as the Belmont High School Performing Arts Company presents “Broadway Night,” its annual musical theater showcase on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 16 and 17 at 7 p.m. in the high school’s Little Theater.

But you need to get your tickets asap as the performances easily sell out.

Students perform classic show tunes and contemporary work from new musical theater composers (such as Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx from “Avenue Q”) in an evening of song, (dance and storytelling. 

This year’s production features 20 solo, duet and group numbers, including a dance number to “King of New York” from “Newsies,” staged by “Anything Goes” choreographer, Jenny Lifson.

Tickets are $5 students, $12 adults and are on sale tickets at Champions in Belmont Center or online Buy Tickets.

Brighton Street Closed at MBTA Rail Crossing From Saturday Until Monday AM

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Photo: The MBTA track crossing at Brighton Street.

The reconstruct of the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority commuter rail grade crossing at Brighton Street will require a small but important segment of the road to be closed for more than 48 hours, requiring traffic to be detoured through Belmont Center, according to a press release from the T.

In addition to the temporary road closure, the release said work to the rail line will require the MBTA to suspend weekend service on the Fitchburg line until Nov. 22.

“We apologize for any inconvenience this work and may cause. It is critical that these major construction efforts be undertaken over weekends and some nights when the track is taken out of service. These improvements are essential to the rehabilitation of the Fitchburg Line,” said the release.

At approximately 1 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17, Keolis Construction will begin the reconstruction work, closing the roadway to vehicular traffic until 5 a.m., Monday, Oct. 19, with the completion of the paving of the roadway.

Police details will be in place to mitigate any traffic issues, according to the MBTA. Access to the nearby neighborhood be residents and businesses will be maintained throughout construction by the detour.

More information on the weekend service suspension can be found at www.MBTA.com

Questions concerning the project, please contact us via email at MBTA Fitchburg Project email –FitchburgProject@MBTA.com or via telephone at MBTA Fitchburg Project Hotline 617-721-7506.

Sports: Girls’ Swimming Powers Past Minutemen as Rockets Await

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Photo: Belmont High senior swimmers and divers.

For the seniors on Belmont High’s Girls’ Swimming and Diving team, the past three meets with the Lexington High Minutemen have been heartbreakers (twice), exhilarating (last year) and always close in determining which team would win the Middlesex League title.

But for those seniors, this season’s confrontation held at Belmont’s Higgenbottom Pool on Wednesday, Oct. 14, would be an outlier as the Marauders scored often and early to easily power past the visiting Minutemen on Senior’s Day.

While the final score was 88-87, the officials stopped tallying Belmont’s score with three events remaining.

“We have a good solid team,” said Ev Crosscup, Belmont’s head coach who has been coping with a serious lung infection over the past five weeks. 

“We are continuing to work hard and don’t let down. I’m not concerned that we are peaking too soon. We should be OK going into the sectionals and state championships.” 

In two weeks, Belmont will host a red-hot Reading High Rockets, which is returning to its past prominence when it won multiple league titles.

“That will be difficult,” said Crosscup. “They have a ton of good freshmen and are also quite solid in every stroke. It should be a very competitive, exciting meet.” 

Shining for the Marauders was, predictably, senior star and co-captain Jessica Blake-West who broke Belmont’s long-standing 50-yard freestyle pool record with a blistering 24.57 seconds, one of four events that Blake-West dominated individually or as part of a team.

The four-year starter, who Crosscup called one of the best overall swimmers in the state, also took first in her specialty, the 100 butterfly in 57.34 (eight seconds faster than the field) in which she is defending Div. 2 state champion.

Blake-West started the meet joining freshman Sophie Butte, sophomore Alison Sawyer and freshman find Nicole Kalavantis to win the 200 medley relay, dipping under two minutes in 1 minute, 59.31 seconds, while later teaming up with Sawyer, Solvay Metelmann (who finished second in both the 50 free and the 100 backstroke) and Julia Bozkurtain to capture the 200 free relay. 

Joining Blake-West with multiple wins was Kalavantis, who took first in the 200 (2:05.50) and 500 free (5:36.78) where she led a Marauder sweep with senior co-captain Sara Noorouzi (second) and junior Allie Beecroft (third). 

Capturing firsts included senior co-captain Emily Quinn in her specialty, the 100 breaststroke, in 1:11.71 and junior Molly Thomas whose 1:06.88 in the 100 back qualified her for the state championships. 

Over at diving, senior Cynthia Kelsey treated the meet with a perfect score of 10 (out of three judges) in her first of six dives to win the competition.

At the midpoint of the meet, seniors from both teams received roses and balloons and Crosscup’s speech about fleas didn’t go over as well as expected. But the girls joined him in reciting a quote from one of their coach’s favorite speakers, UCLA basketball coach John Wooden.

“Strive each day to make it your masterpiece.” 

 

Opinion: Well Worth the WAIT After Playing at Belmont’s Parks, Fields

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Dear Belmont Residents:

We are all in our neighborhood parks, sports fields and athletic facilities at one time or another, either participating or enthusiastically coaching or cheering from the sidelines. All too often, in the flurry to head out to the next engagement, our parks, fields and facilities are left in a bit of a mess.  

Here is a simple mnemonic device for coaches, instructors, parents and athletes to address this situation before the field is deserted. It’s called WAIT, and it breaks down as follows:  

W – Waterbottle: Double check that you have your water bottle (recyclable or preferably reusable)

A – Athletic Gear: Look around!  Do you (and your teammates) have your sweatshirt, goalie gloves, cleats or helmet?  What about cones, balls, bats and sticks? 

I – Itty Bitty Pieces of Trash: OK, this really means all trash. But, a thorough scan for the little stuff – stray bottle caps, the ripped off corners of granola bars wrappers, the lone orange rind, gum wrappers and wads of athletic tape – makes a difference. 

T – Thank your coaches: Or instructors, or teachers, or lifeguards, or drivers or leaders, whether they are volunteers or professionals. They are out there because of you, and a little acknowledgement and appreciation goes a long way.  

Please take a moment to share this with your team, your teammates or your families. Think about the impact if we all could WAIT before heading home!

Donna Ruvolo

Choate Road

Belmont Serves Brings Volunteers Out for A Day of Service

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Photo: Everyone pitched in at Monday’s Belmont Serves.

Wearing gloves and carrying a clipboard, Mary Lewis was spending a beautiful Columbus Day morning getting dirty. 

As one of two coordinators at the Burbank Elementary School, Lewis had a long list of projects that needed to be done during the sixth annual Belmont Serves day of community service.

“We’ve been clearing a lot of brush from the back of the hill, picking weeds and planting pretty bulbs for the spring,” she said, as three friends from the Chenery Middle School – Anthony Casale, Zach Moss and Harry Brennan – prepare to load branches and leaves into yard waste bags. 

“We’ve done a lot, just this morning,” said Brennan. 

For more than 300 parents, children, teens and other residents who started and ended the day at St. Joseph Parish Hall, the Columbus Day holiday was not of laying around until noon, but an effort to give back to the community where they live. 

Sponsored by the Belmont Religious Council, Belmont Serves “is about providing just a little help to people or a project that needs our attention,” said Rev. Joseph Zarro of Plymouth Congregational Church, this year’s BRC vice president. 

The largest group event each year is retrieving grocery bags of food that residents left on their stoops the night before for pick-up on Monday. SUVs and cars toured specific neighborhoods around Belmont collecting the food stuffs and sundries, bringing them back to the Belmont Food Pantry located behind Belmont High School. 

By early afternoon, 1,700 bags of food was delivered to the Pantry, restocking the empty shelves – there are no food drives in the summer – which will last through the holidays in December.

“This is a tremendous response from the Belmont community to support and help their neighbors. I know that the recipients of the pantry appreciate and are most grateful to the Belmont residents,” said Patty Mihelich, the pantry manager.

She said at least 50 volunteers helping both outside and inside the building, sorting and stocking, “and everyone had a great time.”

Special thanks go to the following businesses who supplied the paper bags: Iggys, Belmont Cambridge and Waltham Star, Whole Foods Cambridge, Arlington and Cambridge Trader Joes.

 

Sold in Belmont: Cross Street Antebellum Colonial No Longer on Ice

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Photo: A great example of worker’s housing in Belmont in the mid-19th century. 

Screen Shot 2015-10-15 at 2.09.37 AM

16 Leslie Rd. #2. Walk-up condominium (1925). Sold: $501,000.

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332 Cross St. Mansard-style Colonial (1860). Sold: $641,000.

A weekly recap of residential properties sold in the past seven-plus days in the “Town of Homes.”

• 16 Leslie Rd. #2. Walk-up condominium (1925). Sold: $501,000. Listed at $425,000. Living area: 1,185 sq.-ft. 7 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 1 baths. On the market: 56 days

• 332 Cross St. Mansard-style Colonial (1860). Sold: $641,000. Listed at $699,000. Living area: 1,462 sq.-ft. 7 rooms, 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths. On the market: 101 days

The tiny antebellum “old-style” Colonial on Cross Street is a gem of a house (once you get by the 1950’s brick and iron stoop) that is one of few remaining examples of seasonal housing built for the ice and brick workers that populated the area from the 1840s to the 1870s. The architecture and the building construction are basic and one of the reasons many of these dwellings were pulled down when the land was turned into subdivisions. 

But this “laborer’s cottage” with the mansard roof, which could have been added later to increase the space to its second story, survived in fairly good shape. There are even the remnants of the original “front parlor.” Not on the same historic level as the grand houses on Pleasant or Somerset, but a great example how the average worker lived as Belmont grew.