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Longfellow Life
Our Monthly Newsletter
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A Letter from Longfellow's President  | |
Dear Members and Friends,
The management and staff of Longfellow want to express our deep sadness over the tragic shootings at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. We feel enormous sorrow for the victims, their families, their school community, and our nation. The directors of our Children's programs have written an email to parents of children in our children's programs. Below are excerpts from this email: "As we try to digest the horrible events of last Friday, we would like to share the guidelines that we follow at the Longfellow Children's Center. We want you to know that our teachers consider it to be their first responsibility to keep the children in our care safe, and they will stay by their side in any eventuality. We have regular fire drills and practice runs to exit our facility. Our "safe haven" is The Longfellow Club unless extreme weather is the emergency and shelter is required--our children and staff are accustomed to the practice runs. These were developed in concert with the local Fire and Police Departments. We are currently talking with our local police once again to determine if any updates should be made."
"If you are concerned that your children have heard about these recent tragic events and are feeling anxious, here are some suggestions counselors and other support organizations suggest--model calm behavior; reassure children that they are safe; avoid children's exposure to news and other media accounts of the events; give plenty of hugs and spend time with your children doing calming activities such as reading or family games."
"During this time of year, when we are especially mindful of the preciousness of friends and family, we want to express our gratitude for each of the families that make up our caring and close-knit community. Longfellow is appreciative of the families that entrust their children to us. We promise to honor our responsibility with the care it deserves."
On behalf of the Longfellow staff, we wish you all a safe and light-filled holiday season. Yours in health, Laury Hammel, President
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New Facebook Holiday Contest !
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 Like the Longfellow Facebook Page and join in the fun!
Longfellow is holding a contest for the holidays. Share with us a creative and/or fun way that you relieve stress over the holidays! Every entry has two categories where it can win - the Most Likely to Succeed and the Most Humorous.
Our esteemed panel of judges - Jane Polley, Laury Hammel, Shayna Nestor, and Michael Jensen - will select the top three in each category, and then our Facebook friends will vote on their favorites. The two winners (current member or non-member) each win a free month's membership at The Longfellow Clubs.
Rules
1. One entry per person
2. 100 words or less
3. All entries must be received by midnight December 31, 2012.
The Longfellow Facebook page continues to gain interest as more and more people "like" it. You can find us on Facebook under "The Longfellow Clubs - Wayland and Natick." "Liking" the Longfellow page means you'll have access to an excellent resource to support your health and fitness goals and give you a boost of inspiration."
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Welcome Fitness Consultants, a New Era for Longfellow!
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We're thrilled to announce an exciting new program at the Longfellow Clubs starting in December. It's a new Fitness Consultation Program designed to show
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Michelle Meagher
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members the best way to achieve their health and fitness goals and keep track of their fitness progress. The Fitness Consultations are fun and informative, and will make it easier for members to stick to a fitness plan.
Please welcome Michelle Meagher, Shayna Nestor, and Justin Kieffer into their new roles as fitness consultants. Michelle is new to the Longfellow team, and is heading up the Fitness Consultant team. Shayna is a longtime member of our Longfellow Membership team and a Water Exercise Instructor, and brings years of working with members in determining and realizing their goals. Justin Kieffer is a member of Longfellow Personal Training team, and brings many years of working with clients to help them achieve their dreams.
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Justin Kieffer
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The Fitness Consultation office is located on the second floor strength training room, in the corner next to the stretching area. Michelle, Shayna, and Justin are all available to help anyone interested in tracking their fitness progress or looking for a way to keep on track all year long.
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Shayna Nestor
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The new Fitness Consultations are available for a one-time fee of $90 which includes four 90 minute appointments a year.
The Fitness Consultations are fun and informative, and will make it easier for you to establish goals, measure success and keep your fitness plan.
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Please donate to those in need
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Donation Box at the Longfellow front desk
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The Longfellow Clubs will be collecting donations for the families and victims of the Sandy Hook Tragedy. The University of Connecticut is offering scholarships for all immediate family members impacted by this tragedy. If there is leftover money, it will go toward scholarships for any Newtown residents that are accepted into UConn. Please make checks payable to The UConn Foundation and note in the memo section: For The Sandy Hook Scholarship Fund. There is a donation collection box at the front desk in Wayland, and there will be a box at both Lumina and the Longfellow Sports Club in Natick.
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Tennis News
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WINTER SINGLES FLEX LEAGUE
Sign up by Sunday, Jan 6, 2013.
Flex League is an inter-club singles league with both Natick Racquet Club and The Longfellow Club Tennis members participating. There are three separate leagues; Men's Flex, Working Women's Flex and Ladies Daytime Flex. Players are separated into flights with other players of like skills.
There are 4 to 6 players per flight. Matches are self-scheduled within the designated week assigned. Scores are turned into either Lorie Gochenour at Longfellow or Holly Osler at Natick. At the end of the league, scores are tabulated and a winner of each flight is declared. Prizes are awarded to the winner of each flight and every participant that completes all their matches. We anticipate starting in mid January, finishing by April.
This is a great opportunity to meet other players of like skills, make friends, and play some great tennis. There is no registration fee. The only cost is the court fee for the actual matches. If you are interested in signing up for flex league, please contact Lorie Gochenour at Longfellow at 508-358-7355 or lorie@longfellowclubs.com, or Holly Osler at Natick at 508-653-4606 or by e-mail at hollynrc@gmail.com
Team Standings
DBH and CMITA are heading toward the middle of the season. All the Longfellow teams are holding their own and are doing well. CMITA Ladies C and DBH 4 North teams are tied for second place in their respective divisions. Alice Edwards with a 5-0 record and MJ Waite with a 6-0 record are standouts on the CMITA Ladies C team. With 6 wins each Virginia Whitehouse, Nellie Glick and Elizabeth Kaplan are leading the charge for DBH 4 North. CMITA Mens B1 team is in 3rd place and only a few points behind the leaders. Amdre Niemierko, Derek Zurn and Steve Plumb continue to anchor the team with excellent play. DBH Central is in first place in their division. All players are playing well, but Dana Davies, Barry O'Lauglin, Rita Fordiani, Sandi Williams and Lorie Gochenour are all undefeated at this time.
Tennis Whizz is here!............Longfellow is proud to announce it will be hosting the Tennis Whizz Program! The Whizz combines education and tennis for 3-4 year olds. We are very excited to introduce a new program for children at the club. The Tennis Whizz lessons are based on 6 broad concepts to help children learn and develop more than just tennis skills. For more information on Tennis Whizz, please contact Phil Parrish or Bev Baker at Longfellow!
 Central Mass League........Congrats to our Men's B Team, which is currently in 2nd place going into the holiday break. Captain Lou Greenberg and Head Coach Jeff Morse has the troops practicing and getting ready for the 2nd half of the season. Congrats to our Women's C Team and Captain Jeanne Ackerly and Co Coaches Tonya Romanowksi and Janet Khaemba as they are in 2nd place going into the holiday break! This team has really improved and is looking to make the playoffs for the first time. Congrats to the Women's B Team in 6th place, looking to crack that top 4 for playoffs. Co Captains Michelle Touw and Sandi Williams, along with Co Coaches Bill Steinroeder and Janet Khaemba continue to put a lineup out every week that is competitive!
DBHITL.........The DBH 3 Central 3 Team led by Coaches Eric Westcott and Jeff Morse, along with Captain Rita Fordiani, has won an astounding 28 of 32 matches the first half of the year. Congrats to everyone! Members of the Team include: Lorie Gochenour, Nancy Donaldson, Freya Pendleton, Leslie Marcelynas, Sandi Williams, Eileen Balicki, Tracy Davlin, Dana Davies, Barry O'Loughlin.............Congrats to the DBH 4 North Team, currently in 2nd place led by Captain Liz Holland and Coaches George Conlin and Sylvia Swartz. They have won 22/32 matches. Members of the the team include: Virginia Whitehouse, Beth Jenkins, Nellie Glick, Jen Bonner, Stephanie Janoff, Elizabeth Kaplan, Jane Denner, Marian Bressel, and Lyn Carroll.
 | B16 National Open Champion Daniel Grunberger (black shirt) and Runner up Charles Shewalter, between Tournament Referee Myke Farricker (l) and Tournament Director
Phil Parrish (r) |
National Open at Longfellow.....Longfellow held the National Open Boys and Girls 16s over Thanksgiving. Winners for the boys were Daniel Grunberger (Great Neck, NY), who defeated Charles Shewalter (Winchester, MA), and the girls winner was Emma Davis (Cohasset, MA), who defeated defending champion Melissa Lord (Bloomfield, CT) in a thrilling 3 set match.
Oxfam.............Longfellow raised over $800 for Oxfam America at the National Open, through spectators' admission fees and the Mixed Doubles Round Robin at Longfellow. This has been a proud tradition of Longfellow since the inception of the National Open. A special thank you to Moonin Mookhirantara and Nikhil Mysore for their volunteer efforts.
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G16 National Open Champion Emma Davis (in shorts) and Runner up Melissa Lord, between Tournament Referee Myke Farricker (l) and Tourn. Director Phil Parrish (r)
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Junior News
Dasha goes to Wellesley.............Congrats to Dasha Kostikina, a Longfellow player, who is going to play for Wellesley College next year! Way to go Dasha!
Holiday Camps.........The junior Holiday Camp schedule is Zip Camp and Challenger Camp 9-1 on December 26-28, $55 per day. Contact the Zip Zone to sign up!
Match Play...........Match Play during Break will occur at the following times:
- Pre HS, HS, Green Ball is 12-1:30,
- College Match Play 1:30-3:30.
These match plays are $25. TTP will have match play from 3:30-5:30 and the cost will be $35.
Junior Team Tennis..............If your child is interested in Junior Team Tennis, we have you covered. Please contact Jamey Finchum in the Zip Zone for information on all ages for Team Tennis.
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Longfellow Hosting 10 and Under Championships!
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 The Longfellow Club is honored to be awarded the opportunity to host the first Annual 10 and under Sectional Championships in New England on Saturday, December 22nd. USTA New England has recognized Longfellow's work and dedication to the 10 and under programs. The boys draw will begin at 10:30 and the girls draw at 1:30. Longfellow will have many of the top players in the tournament. The draw will be a compass draw with each player playing 4 matches and should be very exciting. If you want to get your kids excited about tennis, please bring them on Saturday, December 22nd to watch. See you there!
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A Once in a Lifetime Wimbledon Fantasy Opportunity -
Watch Wimbledon from seats next to the Royal Box! |
 Longfellow has long been a partner with the Sportsmen's Tennis and Enrichment Center and they are once again auctioning off spectacular seats at next June's 2013 Wimbledon Championships! All proceeds benefit this wonderful nonprofit organization serving under-served youth in Boston. If interested, please contact the Sportsmen's Tennis & Enrichment Center at 617-288-9092.
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Little Longfellows News
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 Vacation Camp is almost here!!! The Children's Center invites all children ages 12 months to 12 years to enjoy our wonderful vacation camp weeks. We are offering a three day program Wednesday 12/28 - Friday 12/30 from 9:00 am until 4:00 pm each day, with extended care available 8-9 am and 4-6 pm.
Our program for infants and toddlers features dance, music and gym classes, and art projects daily, as well as healthy snacks and lunch. Our older children receive a morning swim lesson and afternoon free swim in the club's heated pool. We also enjoy basketball, tennis, gym games and crafts, with healthy snacks and lunch daily.
Children in preschool and younger may opt for a 9:00-1:00 program with lunch included. Parents may sign up for individual days or all three days at a discounted price. Please call us for more details and a registration form at 508-358-0710. Our vacation camp program also runs during February and April school breaks, so feel free to inquire about those as well!
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Nutrition
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Nutrition advice can be challenging because so often we hear 2 messages that appear to conflict with each other. Taken separately, for example, the following two strategies both seem logical:
 Eat on a time schedule, and
Eat only when you are hungry
Which of these is best to follow? Actually, they both make sense. Colder, inclement weather often means having more time at home which makes it easier to succumb to too much grazing. Make it a goal to become more connected to healthy/hungry eating vs. cravings/urges.
Balanced meals usually satisfy for up to 4-5 hours. But for those who exercise or live with hypoglycemia, eating smaller amounts every 2-3 hours works best. See if you can anticipate your hunger for the day. Plan the times you will eat and when you are tempted to eat in between, remind yourself that "the kitchen is closed" and how good the food will taste when it is time to eat. If you will dine out or attend a special event, plan around this so that you can eat right and look forward to the occasion.
Holidays are here! Enjoying our favorite foods and traditions is an important part of any healthy eating plan. The USDA MyPlate food guidelines encourage us with simple words: ENJOY YOUR FOOD BUT EAT LESS. This, of course, means eating less of the foods that we might over-indulge in.
Our taste buds will appreciate it if we can savor good food and eat moderately. The eating experience is much more enjoyable when we acknowledge "taste bud fatigue." Eating to excess causes taste buds to become saturated, at which point food starts to have a diminishing return. Be aware of this while eating and notice how much more enjoyable your Latke or piece of pie is when you can actually savor the taste!
And remember, nutritional counseling is covered under most health insurance policies. Happy Holidays!
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Youth Fitness Classes
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 KIDS YOGA- Wednesdays from 4:00 to 4:45 for kids aged 7-12 starting January 9 - February 13, 2013. Carol Kagan is our kids yoga teacher who has been teaching the little ones stretching and poses for over 12 years. Kids yoga is held at LUMINA. PRE-SIGN-UP at LUMINA. Call 508-358-6022 for more info. $90 per session for members/$110 for non-members. Minimum of 6 kids needed to hold the class.
MIDDLE SCHOOL FITNESS CLASS - On Mondays from 4-5 pm, a fitness class for middle school kids will be held. Ages are 10 -14. Learn how to use the cardio equipment, Keiser machines, dumbbells, tubing, resist a balls, medicine balls & more! Kathy Ney will be teaching the class. Minimum to start is 4. PRE-SIGN UP at the front desk. $60 per session for members/$90 for non-members.
TRIFECTA CLASS - Thursdays from 4-5 pm starting January 3 - February 14. Come and play floor hockey, basketball, soccer and sometimes dodge ball for ages 8-11! Class is 20 minutes of each sport. Looking for more kids to come play! Pre-sign up at the front desk at Longfellow. $70 Members/$105 Non-members for 6 weeks. Contact Teresa Newton-Moineau for more info at 508-358-7355, x317
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Group Exercise News
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 There will be a separate schedule for December 24 - Jan. 1. during the holiday vacation. Please pick one up today. Our winter schedule will begin on January 2, 2013. Both Lumina & Longfellow will be closed on Christmas day.
If you are looking for a more powerful yoga class, try Nathan's HOT POWER YOGA on Wednesdays at 6:30-8 pm. It's a vinyasa flow & challenging!
A new FITBUCKS Game starts Monday January 7 - Sunday March 17th. Earn Fitbucks for every activity you do in the club! At the end of the game, you can put your Fitbucks towards a shirt, group training, personal training, pilates reformer training & more! Sign ups began Saturday December 15. Come join in and have a blast, and win prizes!
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Aquatics News
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 We are finishing up Session One of swim lessons at The Longfellow Club. It has been a great season with many kids advancing to higher levels and having a great time. Session Two will start Monday January 7th and run for 10 weeks. Sign up now to get the time that fits your schedule.
Our swim teachers are experienced Red Cross water safety instructors who teach all ages and abilities. We have lessons ranging from preschool levels to an endurance stroke and strength class geared for teens in the evenings. We also have private lessons available if that works better with your schedule. Call Longfellow at 508-358-7355 or email longfellowswim@gmail.com for more information.
During winter break, we are offering both a lifeguard course and a lifeguard re-certification course! Get certified now to work as a lifeguard - it's a great job!
Surf & Turf! We have just started a new swim challenge at the pool. Come sign up and start swimming and exercising to meet the June goal of 70 miles of swimming (surf ) and 70 hours of land exercise (turf). It's a great way to keep motivated this winter.
There is always a lot going on at the pool but don't forget you can just stop in and relax in our 83 degree salt purified pool or 104 degree hot tub.
See you at the pool!
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Core Values: Service and Community
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We're celebrating two of our eight core values this season with our many drives. As always we'll be accepting donations at most of our Longfellow locations.
CLOTHES DRIVE for ST. Francis House in Boston: November 5 - December 20.
Adult Men's and Women's clothing only. Looking for warm clothing for the coming winter - boots/warm shoes, socks, gloves & hats too. Collection box is near the front desk at The Longfellow Club. Click here to learn more about St. Francis House.
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Want to Spread the Word?
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 Are you involved in a local fundraising or other special event? Members of the Longfellow family are always involved in one or another awesome benefit or cool activity. Let all your Longfellow friends know what you're doing out there to make the world a better place. We'd like to promote your good cause by including a photo and information about the event in our Member Newsletter and Social Media. Please contact Sean Sullivan at 508 653 4633 ext.507 or email ssulli9931@aol.com Thanks!
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Video and Article about Laury Hammel's
Social Venture Network Hall of Fame Induction
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 As reported in the last newsletter, owner and founder of Longfellow, Laury Hammel along with 24 other luminaries was recently inducted into the first Social Venture Network Hall of Fame. We invite you to check out this fun video that features Laury twice, and his daughter Eliza as well. We think it's pretty cool. (link to SVN Hall of Fame Celebration video)
"But perhaps it's more accurate to say these entrepreneurs are sharing the baton rather than passing it. Judy Wicks and Laury Hammel--both founders of socially conscious companies--accepted their award for creating the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE). The two have been champions of sustainable business for more than 30 years, and an exuberant Hammel made clear they had no plans to slow down. "It's time to take a stand," he exhorted the cheering audience. "We've got a lot of work to do. Even though a lot of us are turning 65, we're just getting started. Let's go!" |
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Did you know - if you refer a friend who joins Longfellow for an annual membership, then you get a free additional month added onto your membership? The more new members you refer who join, the more months you get FREE! Your friend just needs to mention your name when they join, for you to get your free month. |
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The Longfellow Purpose, Mission Statement, and Core Values
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 The Longfellow Purpose- To build a world where everyone's basic needs are met, and people experience love, happiness, and satisfaction.
- To create a model organization, through the development of successful health and recreation businesses, that works toward the fulfillment of our global vision.
The Longfellow Mission Statement
The Longfellow Clubs is a locally owned and independent business committed to the health and well being of our community, and provides extraordinary fitness, recreational, and educational programs for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
The Longfellow Core Values Mandala
We work to support the Longfellow Purpose and Mission Statement, embody the Longfellow Core Values, and lead by example as we:
- Wow our members every day with extraordinary Customer Service
- Foster a caring and inclusive Longfellow Community and treat others with Respect and Dignity
- Create experiences that result in life-long Health and Transformation
- Contribute to our Community and our environment
- Express Appreciation with affirming words and deeds
- Make Longfellow Sparkle
- Share what we Know and Seek to learn more
- Deliver Happiness and have fun doing it
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Inc. Magazine did a story on the Hall of Fame ceremony that was coincidentally written by Sudbury resident, Leigh Buchanan. Below is a link to the story that ends with a terrific quote from Laury: