These are different and difficult times and the Rotary Club of Weston and Wayland is rising to meet the new normal needs of our community.
The club meets virtually on Thursdays at 7 p.m. All are welcome to join us for fellowship, information about timely issues through the guest speaker program, and to learn about community service opportunities. Visit WestonWaylandRotary.org for more information.
On May 2, the Rotary Club of Weston and Wayland, friends of Rotary and local businesses came together to share a message of friendship and hope with seniors living in six assisted living facilities in our community.
Sheltering in place and social distancing have been particularly difficult on seniors, especially those living in assisted living communities who are unable to have visitors.
Rotarians Jan Luchetti, membership chair, and Elizabeth Messina, a middle school teacher in Newton, led the project. Messages of hope were delivered to seniors living at Traditions of Wayland, Carriage House at Lee’s Farm in Wayland, Sunrise of Wayland, Sunrise of Weston, Maplewood at Weston and Wingate at Weston.
The response was impressive by residents of Wayland, Weston and Newton to write letters to complete strangers. Gwen Goldin, an English teacher at Wayland High School, offered a video that her students had created. First-graders in Cindy Flory’s class at Woodland School in Weston contributed cards. Middle school students from Newton made electronic cards and submitted a slideshow. Messina and Luchetti collected and sent the electronic cards to be shared at each facility with as many residents as possible.
On April 30, Laura Quereshi of Weston, a member of Rotary Club, reached out to a local business and secured the donation of hundreds of live flowers in pots. In a matter of 48 hours, the Rotary Club rallied volunteers to meet, collect and distribute the flowers to the facilities.
Matthew Trowbridge, resident engagement director at Traditions of Wayland, sent a thank-you for sending along the well wishes. He said, “Every day, I publish a daily packet with articles, ‘today in history,’ puzzles, exercises, and I love to include notes like this ... We already have most of the pansies in the ground or in our patio buckets.”
If you would like to participate in the next card and letter delivery scheduled for June 1, email 
president@westonwaylandrotary.org.
