Cultural diversity celebrated in Wellesley

Wellesley Public School’s Junior Kodaly choir sings “Obwisana” and “Hymn to Freedom” during the Culture Bite and Enlight Event Nov. 7 at the Bill Gies Recreation Complex in Wellesley. Contributed photo

By Gary West

The Wellesley-North Easthope Agricultural Society along with Engage Rural held a very successful Taste the Culture Bite and Enlight Event Nov. 7 at the Bill Gies Recreation Complex in Wellesley. Organizers said the evening was all about enjoying, celebrating and learning about the people of diverse cultures who now make Wellesley Township their home.They say it started as a brain wave of Nazia Khan as a fundraiser for the Wellesley Township Fall Fair two years ago.Mary Lichty-Neeb added to Khan’s idea and it blossomed into an initial committee of Khan, Lichty-Neeb, Barb Nowak, Bea Borsato, Beth Schueter and Wendy Richardson, who worked together over two years.At the same time, they also applied for a grant and recruited some Wellesley residents from Pakistan, India, Japan, Ukraine and Turkey – just some of the cultures that today, make Wellesley Township their home.Mayor Joe Nowak contacted Engage Rural, which was happy to be the main sponsor of the event through Christine Allison.At the event, there were decorated cultural tables set up, cooked food from each of the cultures and each one gave a presentation about their individual food and cultures from their countries.Organizers said 200 spots were filled within one-and-a-half weeks and 25 more spots were added, which also filled up quickly from those on a waiting list.The ladies from each culture prepared a presentation, decorated their individual cultural tables and prepared their specialized cultural food for 225 people.They hope to make this an annual event.