The rain and wind did not daunt a few to submit entries for the Second Annual 4th of July House Decorating Contest Thank you to everyone that submitted an entry, and let's hope that the weather next year is drier!

Youth Committee Chairman Joe Burns is pleased to announce that Nicole Allen from Needham High School has won the 2021 Needham Exchange Club Scholarship. She is an outstanding student ranking in the top 5 percent of a very strong senior class at NHS. She especially loves Physics and Math, and she is excited to begin studying Bio-Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, GA, this summer.

For the first time in fifteen months, the Needham Exchange Club met in person, in the familiar confines of the function hall at the Needham Golf Club. Members entered the room, ordered beverages at the bar, and socialized with one another in a long-awaited return. Club President Rick Lunetta called the meeting to order, wearing a big smile, announcing, “I am VERY HAPPY to see all of you in three dimensions.” Rick then asked the membership to listen carefully and asked if anyone could hear anything. Breaking the silence himself, the President said gleefully, “I hear no dogs barking, I hear no cross-conversations, I hear none of the stuff we’ve put up with all these months. So, it’s just good to be with you,” to which the audience responded with the first of many ovations of the evening.

The Club’s 33rd annual Charity Golf Tournament was held on Monday, June 7, at LeBaron Hills Country Club in Lakeville. “We had a wonderful day,” Co-Chair Phil Robey commented.

“We had close to 120 golfers, more than we expected. It was a hot day, it was supposed to be 95 degrees… but we got there, and the breeze was coming across.” In recalling the planning process, Phil added, “we were bound and determined to have this. We didn’t know if we’d have 10-15 people. Fortunately, the vaccines came in, and lo and behold, we had the largest crowd we’ve ever had before. ”

Phil cited the tournament as the first opportunity in a long time for many to get out to a large event. He thanked the volunteers, many of whom were out for hours in the heat. “The joy of people coming through – they were just glad to be there."

The Exchange Club of Needham is pleased to announce the three Youths of the Month and the Youth of the Year for 2021.

The Youths of the Month are: Aanika Patel from Buckingham Browne and Nichols, and Aidan Schaffer and Lance Zhang from Needham High School.

The Youth of the Year award, which this year has been named to honor Myron Seiden, has been awarded to Jacqueline Rose Alford, an outstanding student and Executive President of the Student Council at Needham High School.

As usual, the Exchange Club's selection committee had a challenging time selecting the awardees amongst all the highly qualified applicants - congratulations to this years award recipients!

The Exchange Club is saddened by the loss of Myron Allan Seiden, who recently passed away at the age of 86. A Needham Exchange Club member for almost 20 years, Myron for many years was the Club’s official photographer, and was rarely at any Club event without slinging one or two cameras with which to capture the Club’s photographic record.

Growing up in Brooklyn and Jamaica NY, Myron was very proud of having graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School and then having gone onto MIT, from where he graduated in mechanical engineering. He went on to start his first job at General Motors in Syracuse NY and to then finish his career as Asia-Pacific Director for Polaroid. He had many interests that intersected with his work: cars, photography and the cameras themselves to reading, travel and classical music. His love of Japanese history was fueled by his trips to Japan for work and pleasure as well as his family ties. He is survived by his wife Joanne and son Daniel, his wife Katsumi, and 16-year-old grandson Luka, his brother Stephen and his wife Rochelle and children of NJ. He will be dearly missed by family and friends!

The Needham Exchange Club is pleased to announce Celia Blaszkowsky as our 2020 Youth of the Year. A graduate of Needham High School, Celia is a compassionate volunteer and a fighter for human rights. Her empathy for people brought her to Camp Arrowhead, assisting in a wide variety of activities to provide a camping experience for children and adults with various disabilities. Her strong determination has enhanced her objectives and desire to assist others.

Celia will be attending the University of Chicago to begin her studies towards her goal of becoming a physician. Congratulations Celia, and best wishes from the Club for your future at the University of Chicago and beyond!

The Needham Exchange Club is pleased to announce that Peter Nydam is the 2020 recipient of the Needham Exchange Club scholarship. A life-long Needham resident, he has appreciated the nurturing community of our Town and at Needham High School. Peter has a wide range of academic interests, including a strong interest in math and psychology.

Peter has chosen to attend Vassar College in the fall. Congratulations Peter, and best wishes from the Cub for your future at Vassar and beyond!

The January 16, 2020, meeting of the Exchange Club of Needham was held at the new Field House at Memorial Park. Exchange was the first group to use the new building.

The Field House has for decades being instrumental for staging the annual Needham 4th of July events sponsored by the Exchange Club.

Use of the new Field House for the 2019 July 4th events was only possible due to the focused determination of the building project team, comprised of members of the Town's departments as well as the building construction contractor and architect.  Club President Joe Burns introduced and thanked the people who were responsible for the success of the Field House building project.

THE NEEDHAM EXCHANGE CLUB’S TRADITION OF SERVICE TO VETERANS continued with the Club’s annual hospitality project for participants in the Town of Needham’s Memorial Day observances at Memorial Park. Pictured at the Memorial Park Gazebo (a 1986 Club project) are volunteers: (back row, l to r) former State Rep. Lida Harkins, Gerry Rovner, President Mike Taggart, Sam Hart, Ed Cosgrove, George Macrina, Project Coordinator Steve Rosenstock and Don MacIntyre; (front row, l to r): Ann MacFate, Louise Miller, Tedi Eaton, Joan Tirrell, State Rep. Denise Garlick, Immediate Past President Ann Cosgrove and Dianne MacIntyre.