WENDELL — With its annual meeting on Sunday, the Friends of the Wendell Meetinghouse will “celebrate a year of great events and community contributions,” in the words of Friends board member Debbie Lynangale. The free event will be held at 2 p.m.
at the meetinghouse, 1 Morse Village Road. It will begin with a reception, followed by the sharing of Friends photos and updates, a presentation of the Community Spirit Award, recognition of meetinghouse donors and volunteers, and music by Garrett and Ajika Sawyer. “We would not have this beautiful community gathering place without everyone’s generous gifts of time, resources and engagement,” Lynangale said in a statement.
“We’re enormously grateful.” The whole community is invited for an annual review of the Friends’ activities and Wendell Meetinghouse events, as well as a workshop on what the community wants to see at the meetinghouse next year. For the past few years, the Friends have focused on programming and making the meetinghouse a vibrant space for performances, spiritual and educational events, and community gatherings.
Events held within the last year include dance, music and theatrical performances; book releases and readings; workshops and public meetings; Spirit Circle and Honoring Elders gatherings; and weddings and memorials. “It’s Wendell’s living room, we call it,” said Friends President Court Dorsey. Dorsey noted the Friends secured a $50,000 matching grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund that will pay for a stage, a sound system, lighting and a storage shed, as well as painting the Wendell Meetinghouse.
Sunday’s event will also include the presentation of the annual Community Spirit Award, which is being given to Patti Scutari, owner of the Wendell Country Store and Deja Brew Café & Pub. Article continues after..
. Cross|Word Flipart Typeshift SpellTower Really Bad Chess “It’s not an easy task because there’s so many wonderful people living here,” Dorsey said of selecting a Community Spirit Award winner. Despite this challenge, the Friends agreed Scutari deserves to be honored for her “extraordinary” service to Wendell through leadership in business, the arts and community since she first came to town in 1993.
Scutari is always willing to lend a hand for the community, both through her business and individually, Dorsey said. Whenever people have a problem, “people just call Patti.” “She just has a remarkable history of showing up for the town,” Dorsey said.
More information about Sunday’s event, the Friends and the Wendell Meetinghouse can be found at wendellmeetinghouse.org . Reach Madison Schofield at 413-930-4579 or mschofield@recorder.
com..
