Community SpotLIGHT Hosts Talk on the History of Westwood

Community Spotlight is a new group in our community, formed through a common desire to promote friendship, respect, enjoyment, learning, wellness, and service through community programs for all. Anna Jean, one of the founders of the group, stated, “It is our desire to understand our community and our surrounding communities whereby we can assimilate our efforts to grow together.”

The topic of the first meeting on September 5 was the History of Westwood, which was given by John Pritchard, our own local historian. John, who is a life-long Westwood resident, gave a captivating presentation covering his many experiences growing up in the town of Westwood and many of the changes that he encountered in Westwood and surrounding communities throughout the years. John was born and raised in Westwood, leaving only to serve in the U.S. Navy. When he returned, he was head of the quality control/assurance department for the Confectionary Division of NABISCO. After his retirement, John became active in many organizations, which he remains active in, including the Westwood Historical Society, Westwood American Legion Post 320, Westwood High School Alumni Association Board, St. Margaret Mary Parish, and as a volunteer in many local organizations. John displayed many rare and interesting visuals to accompany his talk. Guests from surrounding communities enjoyed the talk.

For those who are interested in learning more about Westwood's past history, the beautiful paintings by Judith Ciardi, are being exhibited in the Westwood Public Library through the month of September. Judith is a renowned Westwood artist whose paintings capture the town’s spirit, culture, and history over several decades.

The next Community Spotlight program will be about Fire Safety Awareness. A safety officer from the Westwood Fire Department will speak on home safety. Monti, the therapy dog, and Carolyn Wade, the dog handler, will also be in attendance. The program will be held on Thursday afternoon, October 3, at the Council on Aging in Westwood from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm. Light refreshments will be available. We look forward to having you join us! Please register by calling the COA at 781-329-8799.