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Bailey honored for veteran balanceFor the full story, go to:https://norwoodrecord.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/4/8/114832579/n...
12/06/2025

Bailey honored for veteran balance
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By Jeff Sullivan

The Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) came by the Norwood Fire Department (NFD) on Monday morning to present NFD Chief Timothy Bailey with the ESGR Patriot Award and an official citation honoring him for his work with active duty soldiers on his staff.

The impetus behind the ESGR and the award is that many employers – sometimes fire departments included – are not always understanding of the commitments U.S. National Guardsmen and Reservists make when they sign up. Many times, according to NFD Captain and U.S. Army Reserve Sgt. First Class Joseph Mawn, employers or managers will try to play soldiers against their commitments or family life in favor of their income.

Bailey said he was “humbled” by the award, and added he did not feel it was a burden or chore to make sure his firefighters could keep their commitments.

“No not really, just treat everyone the same way,” he said. “We have a special group of veterans who work here and it’s a privilege to be their boss.”

About two dozen NFD personnel came out for the award, along with Norwood Veteran Services Agent Derek Wennerstrand. Mawn said Wennerstrand helped provide this honor for Bailey by nominating him with the ESGR.

“I’ve had over three deployments, and then throw in all the weekends, the two-week active duty training, talks at schools, conferences, and all that bologna, with six different chiefs here at NFD, not one of them has given me the ‘you can’t do that,’ or tried to get me to go back to work right away or tried to guilt me into not going to the things I’ve had to go to,” he said. “The only things they’ve said to me are ‘Let me know what you need,’ and ‘Let me know when you’re going to come back.’”

Mawn said this is not always the case.

Spirits alight at Roslindale SquareFor the full story, go to:bulletinnewspapers.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/4/8/114832579/wr_...
12/06/2025

Spirits alight at Roslindale Square
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By Dilani Yogaratnam

Merely two days after Thanksgiving hundreds were ensconced in holiday spirit at Roslindale Square for the annual Christmas tree lighting.

This year marks the 40th anniversary according to Emma Blaxter, director of Roslindale Village Main Streets (RVMS), which organizes the event. A multitude of families stood excitedly in Adams Park taking in all the Christmas decorations and lights while also enjoying hot chocolate and viewing Santa fulfill Christmas wish lists on a cool night.

After a tumultuous government shutdown, the sparkly distraction appeared very much welcome to the hundreds enjoying themselves in the Square.

RVMS created the tree lighting event because the group felt it would be a good way to draw activity to the Square and be a cool thing to fill the day, Baxter said. This year’s program ran from 3 to 5 p.m., starting with Mayor Michelle Wu and Santa (Roslindale Community School Director Dennis Kirkpatrick) arriving on a fire truck. Wu’s fire truck arrival is part of the tradition and once she and Santa settled in, they invited all the kids to gather near for the grand Christmas tree lighting.

Along with the main attraction, the event offered a performance by City Ballet and musical groups Making Music Matter and JP Honk. Baxter said the ballet was her favorite part.

“So much fun; it was a great interpretation of the classics.”

Emceeing the event was Glenn Williams who runs BNN (Boston Neighborhood Network) Media. He is also a longtime volunteer for RVMS and a community activist.

For many families attending, the get together was as much for them as it was for the kids as it offered a space and opportunity to be among friends and neighbors.

“It was something to do with the kids. This is an area that caters to family-friendly activities,” Jude David said. His daughter Addison seemed giddy and unable to contain her excitement. “I love this whole event but especially seeing Santa.”

David said he is from Hyde Park and wanted a fun night out with his family. They huddled together in line to go see Santa.

While trying to contain the excitement of a little child in a dinosaur jacket, Molly Sass said she enjoyed coming to this annual event to see neighbors and friends while taking in the performances. Michael Brod, also of Roslindale, echoed Sass’ comments and said he appreciates the community creating space for family-themed engagements.

Chief: crime rate relatively stable, recent incidents still troublingFor the full story, go to:https://norwoodrecord.wee...
12/06/2025

Chief: crime rate relatively stable, recent incidents still troubling
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By Jeff Sullivan

In the last 30 days, the Norwood Police Department (NPD) has released several incident reports on serious felonies taking place in Norwood, including one apparent fatality.

On Monday, NPD Chief Christopher Padden organized police crime data from 2017 to year-to-date (YTD) 2025. In each category of crime, numbers have not significantly fluctuated. Padden stated that each category is part of the Incident-Base Reporting (IBR) system the department uses.

Definitions are as follows. Group A Crimes are essentially serious violent crimes, categorized as crimes against a person, property or society; each listed separately within Group A. Group B Crimes are less serious crimes, including driving under the influence, disorderly conduct, public drunkenness and trespassing.

In terms of Group A Crimes, 2017 had 929 incidents, 2018 had 805, 2019 had 807, 2020 had 756, 2021 had 716, 2022 had 817, 2023 had 845, 2024 had 609, and 2025, so far, has had 635. For Group B crimes, the totals were 448 in 2017, 573 for 2018, 505 for 2019, 365 for 2020, 320 for 2021, 433 for 2022, 438 for 2023, 439 for 2024 and 416 so far in 2025.

The different categories of Group A crimes are shown in the graphic associated with this article.

Padden did state that 2025 is still underway, and those numbers may increase.

Statistics aside, Norwood has seen serious crimes and incidents in the last few months. The Norfolk Country District Attorney’s Office announced on Monday that it had arrested Isaiah Pierre-Mike, 19, of Norwood, for charges of manslaughter and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon after an incident at 9 Hoyle St. at around 2 p.m. on Nov. 29. Pierre-Mike was arrested on Monday after an investigation by the Massachusetts State Police.

Pierre-Mike is charged in relation to the death of 25-year-old Anton C. Dowling of Boston, which was originally reported as a shooting. The Norfolk District Attorney’s Office stated that emergency room doctors trying to treat Dowling initially believed that the wound was from a gunshot, but the Chief Medical Examiner determined that, after an autopsy, the injuries were sustained from a sharp object.

Doris Bunte apartments updateFor the full story, go to:https://bulletinnewspapers.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/4/8/114832579/b...
12/06/2025

Doris Bunte apartments update
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By Richard Heath

At the invitation of the Jamaica Plain Housing Committee (JPHC), Joe Bamberg, chief of planning, construction and development at the Boston Housing Authority (BHA) came to the Nov. 18 committee meeting to report on Doris Bunte Apartments (DBA) and to clear up some misunderstandings.

To anyone living east of the Orange Line, Doris Bunte Apts is the 20-story tower in the heart of Egleston Square, seen from as far away as the Arnold Arboretum’s Peter’s Hill (or Hemlock Hill, if you want a little rougher climb).

Bamberg provided information on the modernization and rehabilitation of all 165 apartments and the common areas.

Bamberg was joined by Raul Leon, director of asset management and property manager of Doris Bunte Apartments.

As first reported by The Bulletin, the project notification form was filed with the Boston Planning Department on Oct. 15, 2021, an Article 80 meeting was held on May 23, 2023 and the project was approved by the Boston Planning and Development Agency Board (BPDA) on June 13, 2023.

“It’s a remarkable history,’ Bamberg said, “An ionic Egleston Square building, 20 stories. A cylindrical building built in 1968, (completed in 1970), designed by Richmond and Goldberg. It’s eligible for the National Register (of Historic Places).

“It’s multi-family housing that serves seniors and elderly disabled.”

In November 2020, the BHA received approval from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to convert DBA from standard public housing funding to Section 8 funding.

“What HUD gives in public housing is pretty meager,” Bamberg said. “A one-bedroom is $1,100. Section 8 is tied to market rates; it gets a higher subsidy. A one-bedroom is subsidized at $2300, or 30 percent of what a tenant earns.

WR Toilet Bowl: ‘going’ strong since 1952For the full story, go to:bulletinnewspapers.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/4/8/1148325...
12/06/2025

WR Toilet Bowl: ‘going’ strong since 1952
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By Jeff Sullivan

The West Roxbury Toilet Bowl Thanksgiving game may not be the cleanest football you can go out to see on Thanksgiving morning, but it’s a tradition that’s been going strong for 73 years. That’s how long the tradition has been in existence.

Organizer Richie Moses said they took 2020 off because of COVID-19, but stipulated that they have had now, after this past Thursday, 72 total Toilet Bowl games in the neighborhood.

The colorful euphemism for the annual game doesn’t stem from the fact that the game is played over a sewer/drainage basin. In fact, construction of the sewer was actually a great improvement for the players as the Draper Field, behind the Boston Centers for Youth and Families (BCYF) Draper Pool, used to regularly flood into a muddy mess. Yet they played anyway.

“This place used to be all mush and slush back then,” Moses said. “But it’s been nice weather for the past 10 or 15 years… But if you came down here a few years ago, you would have seen us up to our waists in muck.”

And this is somewhat verifiable, because if you go to the city’s map database website – https://tinyurl.com/zcc2v9ah – you can see definitive brown spots on the borders of Draper Field from the city’s 1955 aerial map of the city.

Luckily, Thursday’s game had solid ground beneath it while the black shirts played the green shirts for the coveted Toilet Bowl Trophy – which is wrapped in toilet paper.

Moses said 13 neighborhood friends started the tradition back in the 50s including Tom Grattan, Nick Tobichuk, Barry Krug, Bob Guiney, Bob Runci, Jerry Quinn, Fred Grattan, Frank Crossen, Larry Deraney, Paul Mantosh, Dennis Guiney Jr., Dan Lavache and Leo Glover. Moses pointed out all the houses of the founders that can be seen from the field as the game went on.

He said the day has a way of generating new recruits as it passes down (or runs down, depending on the play) the generations.

“It’s a neighborhood thing; every generation comes down,” he said. “The younger kids would throw the football around on the sidelines while the founders would play the main game. As the kids got older they infuse themselves into the game itself, IF they could handle the punishment.”

Troop 7 Scouts turn Centre Street into a winter wonderland, Special to The BulletinFor the full story, go to:bulletinnew...
12/06/2025

Troop 7 Scouts turn Centre Street into a winter wonderland, Special to The Bulletin
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By Jai Sathiraju, a 12-year-old Scout, Troop 7, West Roxbury

Most kids spend the Friday after Thanksgiving finishing leftovers, playing video games, or pretending they’re “helping” clean the house. But Troop 7 Scouts? We had a different plan.

At 1 p.m., our troop met at Holy Name Parish School, where I used to go to school and where our troop hosts our regular meetings, and walked on Centre Street to hang Christmas wreaths all along West Roxbury’s Centre Street.

We arrived layered like onions and looked at a car full of green wreaths and bright red bows. Armed with zip ties, determination, and enough Christmas wreaths to decorate the Prudential, this was our way of saying thank you to the community that supports our biggest fundraiser every year.

It was my first time and as a 12 year old Scout leading this initiative, and on that day I quickly learned two things:

Wreaths are a lot heavier than they look, and zip ties are the greatest invention in human history.

We split into teams like a highly organized holiday SWAT unit (minus the danger and plus a lot of tangled ribbon) with parent chaperons.

Once we split into teams, we started down Centre Street armed with zip ties and wire, and the kind of determination you only get when you’re carrying something that smells like pine.

As soon as we hung the first wreath, something crazy happened. Snow flurries. Actual, magical, movie-style flurries. It was like the weather decided to cheer us on. Suddenly everyone got way more excited — even my fellow Scouts, at least a few of whom were still half-asleep from Thanksgiving turkey.

Hanging wreaths is harder than it looks – some of those lamp posts are really tall, and zip ties do not always cooperate – but doing it made us realize how much our community gives us all year long. Our troop’s biggest fundraiser depends on the support of people right here in West Roxbury, and this was our way of giving back – something green, cheerful, and slightly pokey.

As we worked our way down Centre Street, people waved at us from cars and pedestrians said hello. Shop owners stepped outside to check out the decorations, and one person even shouted, “Thanks, Scouts! You’re making it look like Christmas already!” That made us stand a little taller, even though we weren’t standing on ladders.

A big win for Troop 7 and it made us realize Scouting is who we are, not just what we do.

BZC to hold public hearing on new S+S districts, Cleary Square rezoning to followFor the full story, go to:https://bulle...
12/06/2025

BZC to hold public hearing on new S+S districts, Cleary Square rezoning to follow
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By Matthew MacDonald

The Boston Zoning Commission (BZC) will hold a public hearing on Dec. 10 regarding the adoption of two new zoning districts being proposed by the Planning Department as part of its Squares + Streets (S+S) planning and zoning initiative. If approved, they will be added to the six others that were adopted into the citywide code by the BZC in April of 2024.

This represents the latest milestone in what has been a long, contentious community process regarding City Hall’s proposed rezoning of Hyde Park’s Cleary/Logan Square business district.

S+S – applicable to any neighborhood downtown selected by City Hall – is marketed as a comprehensive quality-of-life improvement plan. However, its most controversial aspect involves rezoning those areas to encourage multi-unit residential development in them.

The S+S districts, and their loosened zoning requirements, would also eliminate binding community input from the development application process. They could also very likely lead to a significantly reduced business/commercial footprint in the Cleary/Logan Square planning area.

This, other issues, and the lack of meaningful community input during the S+S planning process was of such concern that a volunteer group of local residents formed in the summer of 2024 to prepare and submit a citizens petition to the BZC that proposed its own additional S+S zones as a more effective way to protect local business and its potential in downtown Hyde Park.

Over the next year, multiple drafts of the petition would go back and forth between the group and City Hall, eventually prompting the Planning Department to draft its own amendment proposing the two new S+S zoning districts now set to be voted on by the Zoning Commission.

The six existing S+S districts (S0-S5) step up from maximum heights of four, to five, to seven, to about 12 stories (145 feet) in varying densities and mixed-use proportions.

Brighton Tree Lighting brightens the nightFor the full story, go to:https://bulletinnewspapers.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/4/...
12/06/2025

Brighton Tree Lighting brightens the night
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By Jeff Sullivan

More than 150 residents squeezed into the small traffic island at the intersection of Market and Cambridge streets for the annual Elks Brighton Center Tree Lighting on Monday.

It was not all fun and games however, as a pedestrian in a mobility chair was struck crossing Cambridge Street shortly before the festivities began by a Ford Mustang. Boston Police Officers directed traffic around the incident as Boston EMTs extricated the pedestrian out of their chair and into an ambulance.

Despite this, Santa Claus still cheered up local children, taking photos – as well as gift lists – with and from the dozens of children gathered on the Center.

The event is a mainstay of the Brighton Elks Lodge #2199, and for the past several years Rockland Trust has partnered with the Elks to make everything happen.

First Vice President of Rockland Trust, Jennifer Christie, said she has overseen the partnership for the last few years. “This is probably the third or fourth time we’ve done this and I wanted to be involved because I was born and raised in the Brighton community,” she said. “We decided to team up with the Elks. It’s a great turnout every year; it just continues to get bigger and bigger.”

Rain doesn’t dampen holiday spiritFor the full story, go to:https://norwoodrecord.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/4/8/114832579/n...
12/06/2025

Rain doesn’t dampen holiday spirit
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By Jeff Sullivan

While there were certainly a few hitches at this year’s Norwood Holiday Extravaganza (and not just from the hitch posts needed for the horse-drawn hayrides), hundreds of residents still braved the rain for this year’s celebration and tree lighting.

Norwood Recreation Department Director Sam White said they tried to work with the weather forecast to keep everyone as dry as possible, but Mother Nature didn’t want to cooperate.

“We’ve been dodging the rain drops all day; we had to move it up a little bit just because we saw the rain was supposed to be coming a little later. Ultimately it all worked out,” he said. “Everyone showed up, we’re happy with the turnout and happy for another year of the Extravaganza.”

The Neponset Valley Sunrise Rotary Club – https://neponsetvalleysunriserotary.org – provided the s’mores this year, which went pretty fast.

“I have not had one yet and I want to get over there before they’re all gone!” said White. “I see a couple of sticks left, so I’ll grab one soon.”

Residents came out to enjoy face painting, sketch artists, a horse-drawn hay ride through Town, the kids run Reindeer Dash, a performance from the Norwood High School Madrigals, a performance from the Norwood Band Gig, a performance from the Kinetic School of Dance, a bake sale, and of course, the Santa Parade with the Norwood High School Marching Band.

Organizer Lou Harris said he was very happy with the day’s outcome.

“All in all, it went pretty well,” he said. “We moved things up in time so people didn’t get too wet, the hard stuff Rain) has held off. We had plenty of s’mores, good hay rides and Santa and Mrs. Claus made it on time, so we’re doing great.”

Parade goers may have noticed this year’s sleigh to be a new addition to the parade, and Mrs. Claus said this is because the Norwood Department of Public Works managed to build it and, presumably, ship it up to the North Pole for she and her husband to use.

WRBPA kicks off Families in NeedFor the full story, go to:https://bulletinnewspapers.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/4/8/11483257...
12/06/2025

WRBPA kicks off Families in Need
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By Jeff Sullivan

The West Roxbury Business and Professional Association (WRBPA) met with about 60 residents last Tuesday, before Thanksgiving, to organize and distribute 150 turkey dinners from the Roche Bros. lot off of Centre Street.

The distribution, officially called the Mary Mulvey Jacobson Families in Need fundraiser, has been around for more than 30 years. Originally founded by Jacobson, the idea back then was to help out anyone facing tough times during the holidays and deliver a turkey dinner to residents in the Parkway for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Jacboson has since passed on, but WRBPA President Jim Hennigan has picked up the slack along with help from West Roxbury mainstays, Boston politicians, local residents and Jacobson’s family. Hennigan said it’s a lot of work, but many hands have lightened the load.

“This has been excellent,” Hennigan said. “Every year we reengage with our volunteers and the families we deliver to, and so there have been a lot of phone calls these past few weeks and it’s been going well.”

Hennigan said every year they distribute about 150 dinners – as that’s what they have agreed to in terms of storage with Roche Bros. – but he said this year the list filled up much quicker than usual, presumably because of the federal government shutdown.

“This is an event that people look forward to,” he said. “We’ll give (delivery) people their envelopes and they’ll go out to deliver. My job’s easy, I just give out envelopes and then everybody hops in their cars and go somewhere in the Parkway. We do have a few people in Jamaica Plain and a few in Dedham, but the vast majority is West Roxbury or Roslindale.”

Hennigan said he always watches the weather forecast intently for obvious reasons.

“I watch the weather forecast from a week out, that’s when I start,” he said. “We’re lucking out because I think we’re getting rain tomorrow.”

Jacobson’s sister, Maggie Mulvey Kelly, and her sons/Jacobson’s nephews, Quinn and Aiden, were some of the family to stop by to help.

“We were very close,” said Quinn. “We’ve been volunteering since I can remember, at least a decade now, whatever Mary would need. I took care of more the paperwork things when I was younger, and now that I’m older I help bring the groceries in and step in when needed.”

Second Wellness Fair a hitFor the full story, go to:https://norwoodrecord.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/4/8/114832579/norwood_r...
11/24/2025

Second Wellness Fair a hit
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By Annie McDonough

It was smiles, vendors, and health advocacy at Norwood's 2nd annual Wellness Fair, held at Norwood High School.

The Norwood Public Schools (NPS) Public Health Council organized the event on Nov. 15. More than 45 vendors packed both the high school's gym and cafeteria. Everything from local fitness centers to advocate groups to official Town resources were stocked with representatives ready to discuss what makes their specific area of personal health great.

Ryan Quigley, the Norwood school system's Wellness Department chair for Grades 5-12, was on hand to discuss the event's goals. Quigley's biggest personal hope was that attendees “take away the strong sense of community [...] that Norwood has.” Norwood Public Schools organized the event alongside the Town's substance use prevention coalition, Impact Norwood.

Impact Norwood's program director, Conor Brosnan – also the chief event organizer, explained that the most crucial ambition of the four-hour Wellness Fair is to “[showcase] the different resources, businesses, [and] organizations that we have right here in our community that can help you reach your wellness goals, whether it's mental health, or physical health, or spiritual health.”

A sizable focus of the event was on physical wellness. Norwood Trails Advisory Committee member Marguerite Krupp shared her passion for the Town's little-known walking trail system and the work the Trails has been doing. Krupp highlighted the versatile nature of the Town's trails: “Most of them are just walking trails and you can make it as long or short as you want.” She added they’re not exactly difficult trails:

“Nothing White Mountain-ish,” she said with a laugh.

Brandon Lee, a trainer at Field Martial Arts Academy and lifelong student of multiple martial arts styles, enthusiastically shared what touches him the most about teaching his students:

“Changing people’s lives, because martial arts is a way of life,” he said. On the health benefits of learning to stay active through tae kwon do and other styles, Lee shared that participating in his lessons can improve focus and help channel students’ energy into having fun while staying physically healthy.

Mental health strategies were also well-represented. Massachusetts Behavioral Health Help Line representative Ashleigh Miller discussed the crucial nature of mental health resources for both crisis and routine situations. Miller explained, “People having the supports they need," like access to food or household staples, “are all connected and important to help people through stress and struggles.”

It wasn't just professionals who turned out for the event. Several Norwood High School cheerleaders helped spread joy to attendees, citing a desire to “uplift the program and show the younger kids the priority of cheer.”

Humanity at the HP Food PantryFor the full story, go to:https://bulletinnewspapers.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/4/8/114832579/...
11/24/2025

Humanity at the HP Food Pantry
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By Matthew MacDonald

It’s right around 8:30 a.m. on the first Thursday of November, and a line of about 15 people – most of whom have brought wheeled, folding shopping carts with them – are standing in the alley leading to the side entrance of the Hyde Park Municipal Building/BCYF (1179 River St.).

They’re all waiting for 9 a.m., when the door to the Hyde Park Emergency Food Pantry will open and the distribution of that day’s groceries will begin. As the hour approaches, the line lengthens to the sidewalk and turns the corner toward the fountain park and the YMCA next to it.

The people are a mix and match of races, ethnicities, and ages, and there is an intermittent murmuring of English, Spanish, and Haitian-Creole among them, many appearing to be of, or nearing, senior status. For all their apparent differences, they have something in common: they live in Hyde Park.

Inside the Food Pantry – a cramped 15-by-30-foot room filled with a dozen refrigerators and shelving stocked with dry and canned goods, and fresh produce – a handful of local volunteers are bagging groceries in preparation for what they anticipate will be an extremely busy three hours. Their expectation is not only because it is the first and most frenetic distribution day of the month, but also because federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits were suspended on Nov. 1, leading inevitably to more people looking for something to eat.

Behind those immediate concerns, another less visible one has been emerging for some time. Since 2023, the number of households being served by the Hyde Park Emergency Food Pantry has more than doubled, with an increase of 40-50 new registrations per month during this period. Indicative of neighborhood residents’ increased demand for food, on Sept. 2 the pantry completely ran out of it – mid-distribution – for the first time in its 25-year existence.

Food Pantry Manager Margaret Dietzel shared this information at a recent Hyde Park Neighborhood Association (HPNA) meeting as part of her effort to draw awareness and donations to the non-profit – the pursuits of which she spends much of her free time engaged in.

The Hyde Park Food Pantry purchases most of its monthly supply from the Greater Boston Food Bank, which makes two 10,000-pound site deliveries of frozen meat and vegetables, non-perishables, fresh produce and whatever else it has, on the second and fourth Monday of the month. The “truck team” – a handful of volunteers, most of whom are either retired or of retirement age – is responsible for unloading it and restocking the by then depleted stores.

It's a functionalized system, and volunteers push shopping carts of food inside to others positioned at their workstations, while still others break down cardboard boxes and fill up the alley dumpster. Given the tight quarters, moving parts, and the generally backbreaking and overwhelming nature of squaring away five tons of anything, it’s quiet and contained, but it’s also fluid and good-natured as the work plays out from mid-afternoon until early evening.

Dietzel and other volunteers also regularly pick up donations from other providers when/if they come available, and trucks also intermittently stop by the pantry at odd times to drop off food. It’s all part of the network that Dietzel has developed over her seven years at the Food Pantry.

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