Meet (Me In) Belmont: Large Crowd Discovers Their Home Town

Sara Oaklander was scurring around the Chenery Middle School lunch room on Tuesday, Aug. 27, helping locate the correct table location, directing volunteers and even carrying bowls of small candies and snacks.

For Oaklander and Jennifer Page, members of the town's Vision 21 Implementation Committee, Tuesday evening was the culmination of a months-long effort to bring together – for one night – all that Belmont can offer its citizens with the confines of a school lunchroom.

And this year's version of Meet Belmont turned out to be one of the best attended in recent memory.

"It's very gratifying that we can be part of connecting the rich array that Belmont can give to its residents," said Oaklander. 

The annual event provided new and long-time residents an opportunity to learn about the vast selection of resources, services and civic groups in and around the town.

The Town Clerk's office registered voters while the top officers from the Police Department were assembled along with the town administrator walking around greeting residents.

At each of the tables were organizations of all stripes – from the arts, education, houses of worship to conservation – as well as elected officials including two candidates for the open 5th Congressional District seat.