Saving Underwood: How a Big Push and Small Donations Preserved a Belmont Amenity

On a sunny autumn afternoon this week, a mom and a banker proudly stood before a fundraising message on a sandwich board to complete a small community miracle.

Sandrick Road’s Ellen Schreiber (the mom) and Robert “Bob” Mahoney (the banker) met in front of the Belmont Savings Bank in Belmont Center on Wednesday, Oct. 8, to place a final sticker to the chart showing the level of support for a fundraising appeal to build the new Underwood Pool.

“We Did It!” read the sticker.

In less than four weeks, the persistence of a master fundraiser and the welcomed kick-off contribution from the home-town bank resulted in $400,000 being raised from residents and businesses to allow a well-loved town amenity to continue at the corner of Concord Avenue and Cottage Street.

It wasn’t all that long ago when, for a few days in late August, it appeared the future of Belmont’s new Underwood Pool was far from certain.

After Woburn-based Seaver Construction withdrew its $3.8 million offer on Aug. 28 to construct the $4.16 million new two pool complex on the site of the historic 102-year-old “swimming pond,” the Underwood Pool Building Committee – the public group that coordinated the new facility’s final design and its detailed budget – was faced with one of two prospects to save the project.

One was to find an extra $400,000 in less than a month (the town was required to select a winning bid on Sept. 26) to match the $4.55 million offer from new low bidder, New England Builders and Contractors, Inc.,

The other, take its chances and resubmit the design to bid with the outside chance a contractor would take on the job at or below budget.

If a solution could not be found, it was likely the pool’s design would need to be greatly altered, or the entire process scrapped, a situation Committee President Anne Paulsen described as “grim news.”

The only certainty was that there wouldn’t be a summer swimming season at the Underwood for the first time since 1912. By the first week of September, the new Underwood Pool – which Town Meeting members and residents voted to support with $5.2 million in public funds – appeared to be hanging on a thread.

In the end, the committee decided to toss the dice and see if it could raise the nearly $400,000 in just under four weeks.

A pair of fortunate choices

As the project’s fate appeared sketchy, two fortunate decisions were made that would change the pool’s destiny. The first was selecting Schreiber to lead the fundraising task.

After a career as a software engineer, Schreiber was co-founder of the Boston Children’s Chorus, campaign manager for State Senator Will Brownsberger, and is now the finance director for a non-profit organization. Schreiber is best known around these parts as being the driving force with Diane Miller in rebuilding Joey’s Park adjacent to the Winn Brook School, raising more than $450,000 and recruiting more than 2,000 volunteers for a nine-day community build.

If you’re looking to get something done, Schreiber will be a good person to head it.

“Ellen is the perfect person for the job,” said Paulsen.

But even for someone who is accustomed to cultivating funds, the initial time limit and amount required was a challenge, said Schreiber.

“It was a lot of money to raise and we had a very short deadline. It was very intimidating, at first,” she said.

Schreiber and the committee caught a break early on when New England Builders agreed to keep its $4.55 million bid open for an additional month, until Oct. 30, providing some breathing room needed to raise the money.

The next fortunate decision was who Schreiber decided to visit first. Following the advice of Willie Sutton, Schreiber headed to where they keep the money. In Belmont, that’s 2 Leonard St., to talk to the man in charge of Belmont’s oldest and one of its largest institutions.

Since becoming President and CEO in June 2010, Bob Mahoney has transformed Belmont Savings Bank from a sleepy depositors-owned institution to a growing stock-issuing regional institution, doubling its asset size to $1.2 billion while expanding its retail operations into three nearby communities through its Star/Shaw’s supermarket branches.

Mahoney had read news reports about the pool committee losing its low bidder and the predicament it and the town found itself.

“I started thinking about it and even sent a note to the town’s Treasurer [Floyd Carman] with some ideas to bridge the gap,” said Mahoney.

Then in a moment of Kismet, Schreiber called Mahoney the next day.

“She said they were trying to pass the hat to raise $400,000, and she wanted to come over and talk to me,” Mahoney recalled.

In another coincidence, the board of the bank’s community and charitable entity, the Belmont Savings Bank Foundation, was meeting the next morning. When he brought up his conversation with Schreiber and the position the town was facing, many on the board began recalling their memories of visiting the pool. A senior member told how his father, who was a lifeguard, and mother, a swim team member met at the Underwood.

“That’s where I said, ‘I think we need to take a leadership role because [the pool] effects so many people.’ Then we started talking numbers,” said Mahoney.

How about $25,000? Somebody raised the figure to $100,000.

Going all in

As a poker player sitting on a good hand, Mahoney decided to go “all in” by upping the ante to $200,000.

“I said if we want to be serious about getting this done, we needed that amount because there was not enough time to raise $300,000,” said Mahoney.

But $200,000 is something that can be done,” said Mahoney, noting the foundation – which receives its funding from stock shares it holds bought at bank’s initial public offering in 2011 – could contribute the amount since the bank stock has risen significantly.

“It’s a way of sharing the bank’s success with the town,” he said.

In one fell swoop, the fundraiser goal facing Schreiber was cut in half.

“The bank came through for us,” said Schreiber. “From my experience, this amount was unprecedented, unheard of.”

Just as important, the bank’s contribution was seen by many donors as a vote of confidence in the Underwood project and the fundraising campaign.

“It got us half way there and so people immediately became excited. It was a powerful statement because [reaching the $400,000 goal] was now a possibility,” said Schreiber.

With Belmont Savings’ financial and business backing, Schreiber did what she does best; convincing people to join “something special.”

The money started rolling in from all directions, more than 400 donations ranging from $10 to $25,000.

“No one gives money to something they don’t care about and clearly they cared about the Underwood pool. People sent notes with their checks and told about their memories, how their children learned to swim there, how they love the fact that the town has a facility anyone can come to,” said Schreiber.

Within three weeks after the bank’s contribution, Schreiber and Mahoney were able to come together to put their stamp (or sticker) on the success of their collaboration.

“It turned out to be a perfect fit for the bank,” said Mahoney. “The donation is what we are about and what the town needed, all coming at right time and the right amount.”

Schreiber looked back at the effort preserving outdoor summer swimming in Belmont more succinctly.

“People just gave from their hearts.”

Got Ideas for Next Year’s Farmers Market? Find Out How to Help

The Belmont Farmers Market ends on Oct. 30. And the Belmont Food Collaborative has begun thinking about the next season. Do you have suggestions or comments? What did you like? What would you like to see changed? The Collaborative is interested in all comments. You can reply here, or use the “contact-us” page on our website to send a private message.

The Belmont Farmers Market is located in the town center parking lot at Cross Street at Channing Road. The market is open from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

This week’s guest vendors include: Turtle Creek WineryThe Amazing SmokehouseSara Ran Away with the SpoonSoluna Garden Farm and Bedford Blueberry Goat Farm. And find all of the weekly vendors here.  

The food truck is Benny’s Crepe Cafe.

IN THE EVENTS TENT

2 p.m. to 3 p.m.: Bridget Curzi returns to sing and play guitar, 2:00 – 3:00.

3 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Fred Astaire Dance Studio demo by two professional dance teachers.

4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.: Story time thanks to the Children’s Room of the Belmont Public Library.

4:30 p.m.: Ryan Lally, one of Boston’s rising young magicians returns with magic for kids and adults.

Help the Belmont Food Pantry by bringing non-perishable items each week. Find out about the Belmont Food Pantry, and see how the Market supports them.

Sports: Brams’ Win Streak Ends; Volleyball on the Verge; Boys’, Girls’ Soccer Take Ones, Field Hockey Blows by Red Devils

Psst, Andrew MacDougall of the Boston Globe: The name’s Brams, Leah Brams

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In MacDougall’s logy write up of the cross girls’ country duel meet between Belmont High School and host Woburn High on Tuesday, Oct. 7, the correspondent described Brams as “a runner from Belmont” battling with Tanner’s star senior harrier Gina D’Addario “as the two entered the final 300-meter straightaway” of the race.

It took D’Addario breaking a quarter-century Woburn course record for her to defeat Brams – who came within one second of breaking the record herself – for the first time in three years and for anyone to defeat the Belmont runner since she first started racing for the Marauders. That “runner from Belmont” was undefeated for nearly three seasons and is now 4-1 head-to-head against the Woburn senior.

It was a long shot that Brams could go four years undefeated in Middlesex League competition and it took a record breaking effort to do so as the Tanners – which ran five top seniors against Belmont’s quartet of juniors and a freshman – defeated the Marauders, 20-41.

Brams will defend her two-time Middlesex League title against D’Addario later this month.

The boy harriers matched up better against Woburn, only falling by 25-31.

Volleyball on the verge of post season

Belmont High School’s Volleyball season could reach a milestone tonight, Wednesday, Oct. 8 against host Burlington. A win this afternoon over the Red Devils will send the Marauders (9-3, 8-2) into the post season as they will reach the 10-win mark.

Belmont has won their last two matches, at home vs. Winchester, 3-1, on Thursday, Oct. 2 and away, 3-0, against Wilmington on Monday, Oct. 6.

 

Soccer each pick up close shut out wins

Despite throwing everything at the Burlington High School Girls’ Soccer team – including playing nearly each and every player he had on the bench – it took a funky sort of goal for host Belmont (7-3-1) to come away with a 1-0 shutout against the Red Devils at Harris Field on Tuesday, Oct. 7.

Belmont’s junior forward Kristin Gay got a foot on the ball just inside the left post and slotted it into the back of the net after only 13 minutes of play in the first half to give the Marauders the only goal needed as the defense – seniors Lucia Guzikowski and Lizzy Ferrante, and freshman Natilie Marcus-Bauer held Burlington to a couple of shots on goal – and midfielders Ava Colasin and Alex Dionne controlled the Red Devils and prevented them from racing onto long passes. Guzikowski nearly double the margin six minutes later hitting the crossbar from distances.

“Another game that a complete team win as all players on team played very well,” said Belmont Head Coach Paul Graham who is inching towards his 300th career coaching win. 

After losing two matches in a row – overmatched at home by Winchester, 2-0, on Sept. 30 and downed 1-0 to host Wilmington Oct. 2 – the Belmont Boys’ Soccer team got back in the winning column with a 1-0 victory over Burlington High in Burlington. Belmont now stands at 8-3-0, just two victories from the post season.

Field Hockey takes out frustrations on Red Devils

After tying Wilmington, 1-1, on Oct. 1 and then losing to non-conference power Concord-Carlisle Regional, 2-0, the next day, the Belmont High School Field Hockey (7-3-1) team took out their frustrations on host Burlington in racking up a 9-2 victory Monday night, Oct. 6.

While admitting that the Wilmington game was “not our best,” Belmont’s Head Coach Jessica Smith said the team played well against a power team from Concord.

“I like scheduling games against strong teams because it challenges us, especially with the playoffs starting in just a few weeks,” said Smith on Wednesday.

The team plays Wakefield on Wednesday, Oct. 8 before a rematch against one loss Reading on Harris Field Friday afternoon, Oct. 10.

Breaking News: Pool Fundraiser Reaches Goal to Construct New Facility

The Underwood Pool Building Committee has reached its fundraising goal of $388,000 to meet the lowest bid to construct the new Underwood Pool complex, according to Ellen Schreiber, the committee member who headed the fundraising drive.

“This will allow the Underwood Pool Building Committee to award the construction contract and get started on the project ASAP, following the expected acceptance of the donations by the Belmont Board of Selectmen. The contractor has said that, if the winter weather cooperates, he will try to have the pool ready for next summer,” said Schreiber.

The fundraiser was started in September after a general contractor withdrew a bid within the Committee’s $4.2 million budget to construct a new two-pool complex to replace the current 102-year-old facility at Cottage Street and Concord Avenue. The next lowest bid came in at $4.6 million.

The fundraiser was given a considerable boost after the Belmont Savings Bank Foundation, the charitable offshoot of the Belmont Savings Bank, gave the committee a $200,000 grant in September.

The full story will be available after 1:30 p.m. 

Open (Fire) House to Celebration National Fire Prevention Week

The Belmont Fire Department is holding an open house at the Fire Department Headquarters on Wednesday, Oct. 8 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. as part of National Fire Prevention Week.

Demonstrations of fire prevention and safety by members of the fire department will be performed. Pizza will also be provided by Papa Ginos. 

The HQ is located at 299 Trapelo Rd.

Stormy Weather Early Wednesday Morning

There is low to moderate risk that Belmont and the rest of eastern Massachusetts will experience a few strong to severe thunderstorms overnight and into early Wednesday morning, Oct. 8, according to the latest update from the The National Weather Service.

The likely peak of the Hazardous Weather Outlook issued by the NWS will be from 4 a.m. to 8 a.m., Wednesday.

Due to the strong winds which will accompany the storms, down branches and perhaps some downed power lines are possible as trees are still full of leaves, said the Service in a report issued at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 7.

If residents should experience a power outage, they should call Belmont Light at 617-993-2800.

Yet the NSW said it can not rule out small hail or even an isolated tornado coming from the storm.

Despite the possible stormy weather, clouds will pass with sunshine likely in the afternoon.

Belmont Fire Log: Fall’s First Flue Flub Up, Barrel Blaze at Winn Brook

Barrel blaze

Sept. 28 – At a quarter ’til 8 p.m., fire teams were sent to the field adjacent the Winn Brook Elementary School where they found a white plastic trash barrel on fire. Fire personnel made quick work of the blaze and the Highway Department was asked to remove and clean up the debris.

Belmont Light in charge
Sept 29 – A little after 8 a.m., Engine 2 was sent to Pleasant Street near Cityside Subaru for reports of arching electrical wires. Belmont Light was also on the scene, cutting power to the line and putting out a small fire on the line with an extinguisher.

Gas issues in the basement
Sept. 29 – A minute before 5 p.m., Engine 2 took off to a School Street address to investigate a carbon monoxide alarm going off. The homeowner said the basement CO detector displayed readings of 25 parts per million, a bit too high to hang around. While the homeowner’s detector was outdated (the model was last manufactured in  1995), there was some gas in the basement, about 10 ppm; there was normal readings on the first and second floors. Personnel decided to shut down the burner and the separate heating unit and red tagged them for service. After the building was ventilated, a second set of readings were conducted and it turned out normal.

The first of many flue calls this season
Oct. 2 – At just about 2:20 p.m., the department went hurrying to a York Road house after a report the house was full of smoke. The Engine 1 crew entered the house and discovered that someone hadn’t open the chimney flue before starting a fire in the fireplace. The result: heavy smoke throughout building. Personnel from Engine 1 and Ladder 1 extinguished the fire and ventilated the building.

Caught in time
Oct. 2 – At 5:35 p.m., fire crews set off to the Baptist Church on Lexington Street after a building fire alarm rang. On arrival, the crew from Engine 1 discovered the cause: an overheated light ballast behind the stage. The light was shut off, just in time.

Too many cooks
Oct. 3 – A quarter ’til 9 a.m., all fire companies headed to a two family on Waverley Street in which smoke was coming out of a second-floor window. They arrived to find the resident of the second floor resident waiting on the street. The Engine 1 crew went inside to investigated while personnel from Rescue 1 evacuated the first-floor occupant. Turned out the blaze was a cooking fire. Ladder 1 assisted Engine 1 in venting the second floor and shutting down the stove. Fire officials told the tenant not to use the stove until her appliance was serviced by a licensed professional.

Coal fired, not today

Oct. 3 – At a quarter past 11 a.m., Ladder 1 arrived at Mark & Toni’s Pizza on Trapelo Road in Cushing Square. Not to pick up that day’s lunch special but to investigate a natural gas odor. Since it did smell a little gassy, as a precaution the employees were asked to step outside. While the department and the gas company could not find abnormally high readings using their CO detection equipment, the business’ heating unit was red tagged, just in case. Fire officials spoke further with the business owner and both parties agreed to close the business for the day.

Slow cooking shut down
Oct. 3 – Just after noon, yet another call concerning a possible gas leak, this time in a two-family on Falmouth Street.  Turned out the odor was coming from the gas stove on the first floor. Firefighters soon discovered that the oven was on at a low temperature and food was cooking inside. Crews shut off the stove and the gas main before venting the apartment by opening the windows and doors. The department notified National Grid and red tagged the stove for good measure.

It happens to us all 
Oct. 3 – At just about 9:20 p.m., fire crews were sent to McLean Hospital due to a fire alarm. The cause: burned popcorn in the microwave.

‘I Ran the Dan’: Second Scharfman Memorial Run Tops First

There were parents who could run very fast and teachers who are strictly middle of the pack, youngsters who could out race most adults and a pair of superheroes – those would be The Mighty Thor (Ed Chen) and Captain America (Mike Worthington) – all who came to Belmont High School’s Harris Field on Sunday to race either over five kilometers and a flat mile.

The racers also brought a great deal of heart as more than 700 runners – both fast and not so fast – participated in the second annual Dan Scharfman Memorial Run 5K on a brilliant autumn morning, Oct. 5.

“We even had more people come out than last year that is fantastic and the day is gorgeous, so it was perfect running weather. We’re thrilled,” said Jamie Shea, president of the Foundation for Belmont Education.

The race is held to raise money – with the hope to top $20,000 from this year’s race – for the foundation’s education innovation fund, the goal of the man for which the race is named.

Dan Scharfman was a school committee member and a long-time supporter of education and the performing arts who sought to bring technology into the classrooms by teaching Belmont educators “the tools and the practices that they need in order to bring innovative techniques into the classroom,” said Shea.

After his untimely death from a heart attack in Jan. 2013, the FBE decided to hold a road race in Scharfman’s memory – Dan was a dedicated ultra-distance runner – with the aim to assist in the foundation’s four-year, $450,000 Innovation Teaching Initiative campaign. This spring, the foundation funded $50,000 for professional development in all grades and curriculum.

For Iris Ponte, leading the four-member Henry Frost Children’s Program team, the race was to remember “Dan, who was an awesome guy.” She can recall when she was a lifeguard at the Underwood Pool, “we would keep the pool open for him so at the end of his big runs he would come flying into the deep end almost every evening.”

“The town has not been the same without him,” said Ponte.

It’s that sort of memory that Rachel Scharfman hopes the annual race will rekindle each year it’s run. Rachel – who with her brother, Jacob (who also sang the National Anthem), aunt and mother, Muriel Kummer, participated in the race – recalls her father being a community leader, runner, friend and, now, an inspiration.

“His biggest passions are combined today in this one event,” she said.

“I know once a year, this town will gather to support the Dan Scharfman Education Innovation Fund. We’ll come together not to mourn but to carry forward Dan’s great loves; running and education.”

Moved up from November to October, this year’s race would be competing with nearly 30 established road races in the crowded fall running calendar. In addition, several long-standing charity events were taking place in Boston and surrounding communities. But came they did, in greater numbers than the first race.

With the help from the Belmont High School Volleyball team – which was spread around the course as marshals and timekeepers – and a hoard of volunteers, the race was successfully completed under a bright warm sun on the cool fall morning.

Racers climbed from Harris Field to the Payson Park Res before starting back down Goden Street before taking a lap around Clay Pit Pond and returning to Harris. The one-milers sped around the “Pit” before sprinting home.

Along the route, the runners passed four of Belmont’s six public schools in another tribute to Scharfman.

As for the winners, Chris Leitz of Watertown (in 17:26.1) took first followed by Belmontian’s Joe Shaw and Belmont High senior cross country captain Ari Silverfine. Rachel Henke of Cambridge (20:15.9) was the top woman with Belmont teacher Sara Saba-Sher second and Christy Lawrence third. In the one mile, Chris Burge broke six minutes by a hair in 5:59.4 followed by Shea Brams in 6:10.4.

“It feels great to finish in the top three,” said Silverfine, just as the race announcer urged all the runners to tell their friends “I ran the Dan!”

“But this is real special because I know the Scharfman family and Dan was a great man.”

‘MacBeth’ Bleeds on the Beech Street Stage Today at 4PM

The New Rep Theatre’s classic company returns to the Beech Street Center, 266 Beech St., today, Tuesday, Oct. 7 at 4 p.m. to deliver a performance of the “Scottish Play,” Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.” 

Considered one of The Bard’s darkest and most powerful works, this tragedy dramatizes the corrosive psychological and political effects produced when evil becomes the means to power. The play is suitable for children over 12 and most adults.

Cost: $10 adults, $5 kids under 16. Come early for the best seats.

After Half Century Wait, Chenery Football Returns to Harris Field

They ranged from six-footers to those challenged to break five feet; ones who run like the wind and others who still have the looping strides of a kid in the playground.

But each member of the Chenery Middle School Football team who took Harris Field at Belmont High School were making history on Friday, Oct. 3.

It’s been five decades since the last Belmont middle school team ran onto the home field of the town’s football teams.

“I told the kids, if they choose to play in high school, they only play about 20 games on this field, their field, so they had to make the most of it,” said Chenery’s Head Coach James MacIsaac.

And how they performed. Before a vocal throng of family and fans, the Cheetahs tackled (sometimes), caught passes (sometimes) and ran (a lot) as a team against a polished and older Melrose squad.

“We have some terrific players and all the kids have worked very hard which caught me by surprise of the caliber of play in our league,” said MacIsaac, who is leading the resurgence of middle school football which has laid dormant since the 1960s.

The new middle school football team, for upper school students in 7th and 8th grade, has been on the field since the final week of August, learning fundamental skills and formations while adding their own inert football knowledge to their play.

“The progression of the team [since August] has been great. I can’t say enough of how quick the kids get everything the coaches give them. We don’t have problems with kids not showing up for practice. It’s been a great experience for all of us,” said MacIsaac.
The middle school program is part of the resurrection of a football culture in Belmont, which has been on the wane since Belmont High School won the unofficial state championship 50 years ago this fall.

With the town-wide sports boosters club on the rise and a new young head coach at the High School, “I hope we see a return of football that is a great sport. It offers a lot of kids who don’t play a lot of other sports the opportunity to be around other kids their own age and compete,” said MacIsaac, who has been an assistant coach at the High School.

As for the score? Belmont lost as time ran out as Melrose stopped the Cheetahs on the goal line.

I would have liked to win, but everyone had fun today and that’s what we strive to do with our program,” said MacIsaac.