My Southborough

Southborough’s new rugby team dominated tournament

by beth on June 14, 2019

Above: Eagles Rugby successfully competing at a tournament last Saturday (contributed photo)

A middle school rugby team started by a Southborough Boy Scout this spring is having an impressive first season. According head coach, Edward Gostick, the team was made up mostly of players who started at the end of April never having touched a rugby ball. They already earned a huge win.

Gostick tells me that 40 kids joined the Northborough Southborough Eagles Middle school rugby team. With just weeks of practice and play under their belts, they entered a tournament at Curry College last Saturday. They knew they were going up against teams from all over the state that had been playing for years. So, the main aim was just for everyone to have fun.

Surprisingly, the Eagles won all six of their matches “and dominated the tournament becoming the overall winners.”

Gostick shared:

We are so proud of all our team who succeeded through pure grit and determination. . . I could not have had the success we have enjoyed without the help of my six adult volunteer coaches and five high school rugby players from both the Algonquin boys and girls team who have volunteered as assistant coaches. The team is also supported by Southborough Recreation so this really is a community effort.

Speaking of Recreation’s support, I just heard back yesterday on the Choate grants awarded this year. One of the two recipients is Southborough Recreation to support the middle school rugby program.

Below are more of the photos Gostic shared. Click thumbnails to open:

According to the original announcement promoting the new team, the kids will continue to play up to the Bay State tournament in July.

Tagged as: feelgood-fridays

{ 0 comments }

Obituary: Maowu Huang, 80

by beth on June 14, 2019

Maowu Huang, of Southborough, 80, beloved husband of Zhongjie Zhu, passed away surrounded by his family on June 12th at UMass Memorial Medical Center – University Campus Hospital after a sudden illness.

Mr. Huang was a retired professor of Southern China Agricultural University and resided in Southborough, Massachusetts with his daughter Ying Huang. He had long journey on sport, education, and health cultivation. He had a successful carrier as the Dean of Sport Dept at SCAU and became well-known scholar in the cross-field of sport and health. He was a dedicated family man and active figure in the local Chinese community.

[click to keep reading…]

Tagged as: Southborough obituaries

{ 0 comments }

Farmer’s Markets/Stands: Fresh produce and locally prepared foods (plus, maybe a little family fun)

by beth on June 14, 2019

Above: Chestnut Hill Farm has fresh produce and local prepared foods for sale. And area Farmers Markets offer both local foods and a fun outing for families. (Photo left from Facebook right by Beth Melo)

One of the great things about summer is all the fresh produce. If you’ve only been getting your food at the supermarket, you’re missing out.

There are quiet a few options worth checking out – including one today and some over the weekend.

In town Farm stand

Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday:

Chestnut Hill Farm‘s Farm stand is conveniently located on Chestnut Hill Road. In addition to the fresh produce grown right there, prepared foods from local vendors, and sometimes even farm raised meat. The stand is open from 2:00 – 6:00 pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays (during CSA hours). It’s also open on Saturday from 9:00 am – 2:00 pm. You can also sign up to join their produce and/or meat CSAs.

While you’re there, you can swing by the goats to say hi and check out the new display this summer for kids – Storywalk on the Trails:

Laminated pages from a children’s book are attached to wooden stakes, which are installed along one of our farm’s trails. As you stroll down the trail, you’re directed to the next page in the story.

Farmer’s Markets

Hopefully, Southborough’s Fay School will be bringing back their weekly Farmers Market in the fall. Until then, there isn’t one in Southborough. But you don’t have to drive far to find one. There’s a farmers market open nearby five days per week in a neighboring town. [click to keep reading…]

Tagged as: summer-fun-for-adults-2019, what-to-do-with-kids-this-summer-2019

{ 0 comments }

Changes to Summer Camp offerings: Updated list (including Woodward Camp at Trottier Middle School)

by beth on June 14, 2019

Above: Southborough Recreation’s camp for 2nd-6th graders will be at Trottier again this summer. That means some changes, but still lots of fun including field trips. (images cropped from Facebook)

Earlier this week, I posted about the camps offered through Southborough Recreation for the summer. I wish I had held for a few days – since it turns out there are three big changes. (One was one that I didn’t realize and the other two more recent decisions.)

As I previously posted, Rec’s main offering is the annual Finn and “Woodward” camps, along with a CIT (Counselor in Training) program at both. (Act quickly on CIT programs, most weeks are already full!)

It turns out that for the second summer, Woodward Camp 2nd – 6th graders is being relocated to Trottier Middle School. (The decision was made to accommodate work on the parking lot and driveway scheduled for this summer.)

The camp loses access to the private school facilities I referenced earlier this week. And the middle school doesn’t have a playground – but it does have access to the Neary playground down the hill. Plus, they’ll again be able to make use again of the Trottier running track, plus the tennis courts and volleyball courts on the shared campus.

Kids ages 2.9 to 1st grade will still be at Finn School as usual.

For details on the weekly themes for both camps, click on the flyers below :

The CIT program allows 7th-9th graders to be involved in the fun, from the other side:

Too old to be a camper but too young to be a counselor? Get ahead on developing important job skills during an active week of learning games and leadership skills. CIT’s will assist counselors in our Recreational Summer Camps. Participants should be interested in working with children and possess maturity, flexibility, a strong work ethic, and the ability to have fun. The CIT program is an educational program, with a curriculum designed to develop the technical skills necessary to be an effective camp counselor. Your participation in a CIT program can lead to leadership opportunities at school, in extracurricular activities and at future jobs.

Click the following links for the registration forms: Finn Camp, Woodward Camp, and CIT. For the campers, you can also click here for online registration. (CITs don’t have that option.)

Also on offer this summer are specialized one week camps and ongoing sports clinics and camps.

Unfortunately, the Tennis Clinics that I promoted have been cancelled due to lack of an instructor. (If that changes and they are able offer classes, I’ll let you know.) Plus the camps offered at the South Union Building in June are being cancelled – though the August ones are still on offer.

Below are the specialty camps that are available this summer through Rec: (Scroll down for photo options.*)

Specialty camps (scroll down for credits)

[click to keep reading…]

Tagged as: what-to-do-with-kids-this-summer-2019

{ 0 comments }

Summer Concert Series: A look at this week’s fun and saving the dates for future concerts at Neary

by beth on June 14, 2019

Above: Hit the Bus will play “the music people want to hear, dance and party to” at the next Southborough Summer Concert. Just make sure you head to the right field to hear them. (photo from Facebook)

The Southborough Rotary Club and Youth and Family Services deserve a big shout out for the fun community event they put on this week.

Combining with the last night of Rotary’s Food Truck Festival was a great launch for Southborough’s free Summer Concert Series. The concert drew in a large crowd on a beautiful night.

I managed to capture a glimpse to share on my cell phone before it died. Here’s the Midtown Horns playing to the crowd at St. Mark’s Meadow:

I’m hoping the crowd follows the concert series over to its regular summer venue the week after next. So, I’m reminding you to mark your calendars.

For the rest of the summer, the concerts will be held biweekly* on the outdoor stage on the Neary School field.

They’ll take place Wednesdays from 6:00 – 8:00 pm.

Next up is the return of Hit the Bus on June 26th.*

The band describes itself as playing “eclectic mix of music ranging from the 50’s to Today.” You can get a taste of that via SAM’s video of them playing in the 2015 series at the bottom of this post.

The remaining schedule for the 7th season is*: [click to keep reading…]

Tagged as: summer-fun-for-adults-2019, what-to-do-with-kids-this-summer-2019

{ 0 comments }

Supporting Wildlife in your Backyard – Tuesday

by beth on June 14, 2019

Above: Open Space is holding another talk next week about using native plants to support pollinators, like butterflies, birds and bees (images from flickr, top cropped from pic by Elizabeth Nicodemus; bottom left by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Northeast Region and right by Eric Kilby)

The Open Space Preservation Commission is hosting a presentation by next week as part of its Native Plant * Native Pollinator initiative. This one features a presenter from MassAudubon.

The public is invited to join them at the Southborough Library on Tuesday, June 18th at 7:00 pm:

Love the birds and butterflies? Want to help our native bees? The plants we choose to put around our homes and how we maintain them can make a big difference in helping our native wildlife. Learn best practices for a beautiful, healthy yard that supports birds, pollinators, and other wildlife.

Presentation by Marth Gach – Conservation Coordinator, Mass Audubon / Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary and Conservation Center

Following the Audubon presentation, the Open Space Preservation Commission will review their Native Plant * Native Pollinator Initiative and roll out the new Southborough Community Wildlife Habitat Community Certification as part of the National Wildlife Federation Program.

Wrapping up the evening will be a Panel of representatives from local organizations discussing ways they are working to provide Healthy Backyard Habitats.

Hear from the Stewardship Committee, Southborough Open Land Foundation, Native Plant Gardens of Southborough and the Southborough Natural Sciences Club.

{ 1 comment }

Scholarship announcements: Town and Gardeners make awards

June 14, 2019 07:30:06 AM

This spring, I shared news on scholarship opportunities in town. Now, I’m following up to find out who snagged the awards.

0 comments Read the full article →

On the market this week in Southborough

June 13, 2019 02:16:43 PM

What went on and off the market this week.

0 comments Read the full article →

Board of Selectmen concerned about Historical Commission’s behavior last June, may not re-appoint members

June 13, 2019 12:41:42 PM

One year later, selectmen are publicly reacting to the Commission’s public filing of a complaint against one selectman by calling before them the two members of the commission up for reappointment this month.

0 comments Read the full article →