Sunday, June 12, 2011
Closing ceremony is today
Friday, June 10, 2011
New pictures of the Moving Wall in Natick
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Opening Ceremonies Weather Advisory
Moving Wall in Natick starting tonight
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Vietnam Moving Wall Schedule of Events
Monday, June 6, 2011
Moving Wall parking
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Vietnam Moving Wall Schedule of events
Friday, May 27, 2011
Town searching for family of Natick's fallen
Monday, February 28, 2011
Natick Reads Explores Vietnam
Friday, February 25, 2011
Marathon spots still available from Natick
By Ian B. Murphy/Daily News staff
NATICK - The town is still searching for runners interested in a number for the Boston Marathon who are willing to raise $2,500 for local charities.
Natick has five runner bibs left, which officials say is surprising after registration for the race sold out in record time last fall.
"We're really surprised that these haven't gone faster, because especially this year, the right to have a number to run, it is a hot commodity," Town Administrator Martha White said. "People should contact us as soon as possible so they'll have the best opportunity to train, and if they're interested they can get one of these few remaining permits."
White said the town's late jump on offering the bibs is likely behind the lagging interest. Natick finalized its plan to distribute the bibs in mid-January.
"It was a lot of pieces to put together in a tight time frame," White said.
The town was one of four along the race route to receive 20 bibs from the sponsor, the Boston Athletic Association, along with Framingham, Ashland and Wellesley. The sponsor previously gave bibs directly to fire and police departments along the route, but this year they were distributed to town managers and administrators.
Natick divided its permits between its fire and police departments and then made eight available for charity runners willing to give a minimum donation of $2,500 to either Moving Wall Natick or the Healthy Pantry Initiative.
The former will bring a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., to the Natick High soccer field on West Street from June 9 to June 12.
The latter is a collaboration between the Natick Service Council and Natick Community Organic Farm.
In Ashland, the town worked with a resident to distribute the 20 bibs to active runners. Runners will donate at least $2,500 to special town programs and social services, according to the town's website. In Framingham, the town split bibs among the fire and police departments, and then each of the five selectmen and the town manager gave bibs to runners raising money for local charities.
Wellesley gave four bibs to Children's Hospital in Boston and six to town employees interested in running. It opened the remaining 10 to the public, seeking $2,500 in donations for the Fund for Wellesley, a local charity that offers grants and funds programs for the community.
Chris Ketchen, deputy director of general government, said Wellesley set its program in motion in early January. It had one permit left after a runner dropped out and is concerned about the time left for potential runners to train.
"Running the Marathon is big commitment, in terms of the training that's involved," Ketchen said. "Next year, we'll have enough lead time to get the word out faster."
(Ian B. Murphy can be reached at 508-626-3964 or imurphy@cnc.com.)
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Boston Marathon Numbers Available in Natick!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Natick to host Vietnam memorial in June
By Ian B. Murphy/Daily News staff
The MetroWest Daily News
Monday, January 31, 2011
Natick offers Marathon numbers to charity runners
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Boston Marathon Numbers Available in Natick!
Boston Marathon Numbers Available in Natick!
Town Seeks Local Runners to Raise Funds for Two Natick Charities
January 25, 2011
The Town of Natick is pleased to offer local residents and charity runners with an opportunity to compete in the 115th Boston Marathon® on April 18, 2011. This year, the Boston Athletic Association (“BAA”) released 20 “invitational” applications to the towns along the Boston Marathon route, as a thank you for the coordination and cooperation of these communities during the Boston Marathon®. These invitational entries will allow towns along the route to raise funds for worthy community causes. These numbers are highly coveted by those who wish to run as it is limited to a certain number of runners and sold out at a record pace this year.
On Monday, January 10th, the Natick Board of Selectmen endorsed Town Administrator Martha White’s proposal to issue several of the permits to members of the Natick Police Department who run the Boston Marathon®, issue 5-6 of the permits to the Natick Fire Department to be donated to The Michael Carter Lisnow Respite Center in Hopkinton – an organization long supported by Natick Firefighters, and the balance of Natick’s invitational entries being used to support the following causes:
- Bringing the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Moving Wall™ to Natick this summer www.movingwallnatick.org
- The Healthy Pantry Initiative, a collaboration between the Natick Community Organic Farm www.natickfarm.org and the Natick Service Council www.natickservicecouncil.org
Both of these charities will enable runners to raise tax-deductible donations and the Town of Natick will
work with the selected runners to enable the processing of online (credit card) donations. Details:
- The Marathon entry fee is $300, to be paid by the runner
- The minimum fundraising contribution is $2,500. Runners must guarantee this minimum fundraising level with a credit card.
- All prospective runners must submit a letter of interest no later than 5:00 pm on February 4, 2011. Letters may be hand delivered to the Town Administrator’s office in Natick Town Hall, 2nd floor or submitted by email to Maureen Fleming at mfleming@natickma.org. Letters of interest must include the runner’s name, address and phone number, designation of the charity for which funds will be raised, and indication of the amount of funds you commit to raising for the charity.
- The first five invitational entries will be made available to those runners who guarantee raising the highest total dollar amount for either/both designated charities. So, to guarantee entry into the race, you must include in your letter of interest a dollar figure at, or above, the minimum
$2,500 and be among the five highest bidding fundraisers. You will receive an invitational entry
and will be required to sign a letter of commitment to achieving your bid level of fundraising.
- The remaining invitational entry winners (anticipated to be five or more) will be restricted to
Natick residents and will be determined by lottery. The lottery will be conducted on Monday February 7 at 5:30 p.m. at the Natick Town Hall. Entrants are invited to attend the lottery and winners will be notified after the drawing. In the unlikely event that there is an insufficient number of Natick residents entered in the lottery, the Town Administrator reserves the right to make alternative arrangements.
If you have an interest in seeking an invitational number to the 115th Boston Marathon, please submit your letter of interest to the Town Administrator’s office, Natick Town Hall, or mfleming@natickma.org by no later than Friday, February 4, 2011 by 5:00 p.m. The Town Administrator’s office can be reached at 508-647-6410.
Friday, January 28, 2011
It’s official!
Check out the January 27th post of the Natick Blog, A blog about all things Natick:
"It’s official: Moving Wall comes to Natick" by Maureen Sullivan