LexFun Celebrates 70 Years

By Marie Manning  |

LexFUN! will celebrate its 70th Anniversary this year! When I began researching this article, the phrase that kept coming to mind was: “If we want things to stay as they are, things will have to change,” a quote by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa in his novel The Leopard. Over the past seven decades, LexFUN! has weathered, indeed initiated, many changes. Yet at its core, it remains the same. LexFUN! is, and has always been, about community.

Archived records show that the organization has changed its name twice since its inception. Originally called the Lexington Pre-School Association, it was formally organized on September 7, 1942 by the President of the Lexington Council, Mrs. Robert C. McAnaul. The inaugural meeting was hosted by Mrs.Gandolfo Adolina at her Lexington residence. She was the first President of the association. To this day monthly board meetings take place in the homes of board members throughout Lexington. In 1942 it is reported that Mrs. Adolina served tea. Often, the hosts of modern-day LexFUN! board meetings treat their guests to hors d’oeurvers, desserts and wine…and, yes, sometimes, tea. The first hour and a half of each is dedicated to business. Jennifer Velis, President of LexFUN! during the 2010-11 seasons, has been known to state on more than one occasion, “This Board could lead a fortune 100 company! So on task they are with projects and desires to help serve the community.” Additionally, their members hail from a remarkable range of backgrounds such as attorneys, executives, doctors, event planners, technology experts, fundraising directors, stay-at-home parents, writers and entrepreneurs. As their current name suggests, they understand the essential benefits of play. So, the wrap-up portion of the evening Board meetings are spent catching up with each other socially.

The official minutes from the 1942-43 Annual Report clearly identified the mission of LexFUN!’s predecessor: “The object of this association shall be to study all problems of child nurture prior to the school age and to promote child training for parenthood and homemaking.” To that end, the Board invited special guests to speak about topics relevant to that time period: “Discipline;” “Controlling Communicable Disease;” “Intelligence Rating and Religious Education of the Pre-school Child;” and “Meals for Little Folks.” Though some of the subjects have changed, decade through decade, this organization has provided the forum for parents to continue their educations in parenting. The more recent seminar themes reflect the busy lives we live today, as well as the most pertinent challenges parents face: “Sleeping Soundly: How to Help Your Child and Yourself Sleep Better;” “Raising Sons;” “Raising Daughters;” “Preparing Your Will;” “Strengthening the Couple Relationship.”

The 1942 report continued by identifying that, “It has the distinction of being the first pre-school association in Massachusetts to be in membership with the Massachusetts State Branch of the National Congress of Parents and Teachers.” To this day, LexFUN! is an avid supporter of the Massachusetts PTA. Rallying behind causes such as the “YES For Our Schools” campaign, LexFUN! ensures its members’ voices are heard and their children’s educations protected.

When the organization was founded in 1942 “pre-school” as we know it today simply did not exist. There was no confusion about who was eligible for membership and who was not. If you had children who were not yet old enough for elementary school, you had “pre-schoolers” and were welcome to join the association. This was clarified in the preamble of the charter, “All mothers of pre-school children are cordially invited to attend these meetings, and it is hoped that a large number will be interested enough to become members…” In September of 1958, the still young organization began using the designation “Lexington Pre-School P.T.A.” in conversations and on its official forms: “LPPTA.”

While the term “kindergarten” was coined in Germany in the mid 1800’s, it wasn’t until the mid 1960’s that common thought in the United States turned toward pre elementary schooling. Publicly funded Head Start pre-schools were established in 1965 for low-income families. This shifted the paradigm. Privately funded pre-schools existed prior to this, such as Montessori and Waldorf that had been emerging throughout Europe and in scattered parts of the USA for a half-century. But this era marked the increase dedication to early childhood education. By 2005, census informs us, almost 70% of children nationwide attend some form of pre-school by the age of 4. Thus, the word “pre-school” had taken on a new definition. Here in Lexington, the LexFUN! membership committee was challenged when recruiting new members because of the implied restriction in its prior name. Newcomers, especially parents with infants and very young children, asked continuously, “My child is not in pre-school, can we still become members?” Knowing that for every person that asked this question aloud, many others silently assumed they were not eligible to join, the LexFUN! leadership knew something had to change.

The organization took this identity crisis in stride and undertook as part of their mission to find a new name. Leslie Zales was the President of the Board when the name change occurred. “I was co-President for 2 years and before that on the Board for many years! I was happy to Chair the name change my last year on the Board.” On September 1st, 2009 a press release was issued unveiling their new name: “Lexington’s Five and Under Network: LexFUN!” Former co-President, Gretchen Reisig said, “Our new name is a reflection of who we are as a group, and who we are in the community.”

Community is synonymous with LexFUN! Sandy Schwartz tells us, “When I first moved to Lexington I had just a 6 month old and did not know many people. I was very lonely. Once I found LexFUN! I instantly had so much to do and met almost all of my Lexington friends.” Audra Myerberg echoed this sentiment, “I moved here from Waltham last June and the very first thing I did was to join LexFun and it was the best decision I could have made! It is a great way to meet people. Everyone is so welcoming and there are so many ways to be involved.” Meredith Applegate, current co-President says, “I joined the LexFUN! Board when my first child was several months old and have met so many wonderful people ever since! Getting involved with LexFUN! Is also a great way to become connected in the community as you realize the number of familiar faces that you get to know over the years. It is also a way to feel good about doing good work in the community.” Scott Bokun (Yes, father’s can join too!) voiced his experience with the group, “I joined LexFun! because I was an at-home dad new to Lexington and I needed a support group, some friends for me and my children…I’m still close with many of the friends I met 13 years ago in LexFUN!…It brings together young families and gives them great opportunities for fun and support. When you’ve got little kids, it’s great to have playgroups and activities for them that don’t break the bank. And it helped keep me sane; being at home with young children can drive you crazy!” Leslie Zales encourages those in career-parent transition, “Being on the board helped bridge my former professional life to being a Stay-at-Home Mom–using talents, skills and energy outside of motherhood. It was grounding, yet lifesaving! LexFUN is an impressive, well-oiled non-profit organization that serves our young families, our local businesses and charitable causes. I met my best friends while being on the board of LexFUN! We’ve all graduated but we remain close….we’ve grown up together with our children. I buy a membership every year in support of LexFUN! for all it has given me and my family.” Jen Vogelzang, who recounted how she was in labor during a December LexFUN! Potluck Board Meeting, cherishes her time spent with the group, “It is multi-faceted. You have a support network. You have an outlet for your creative talents. Once you join, you have a gift!”

Deb Rourke brought to light how advances in technology transformed the group. “It used to be that if the newsletter was late – it was a crisis! It contained the monthly calendar and our members wanted it delivered on time.” She spoke of the phone tree that existed when she was co-President in 2004-05. It was used when there was an event cancellation or member emergency. Deb smiled when she remembered the navigation that had to take place the year the widely attended Halloween Parade had to be cancelled. A form of the phone tree exists today, but more often than not, email is the mode of contact. Newsletters and calendars are distributed via the Internet. LexFUN! even has a Yahoo Group Listserv and a presence on FaceBook. Deb continued by saying, “The heart of the organization has not changed, but the efficiency has.” Technology has revolutionized the 1950s Rummage Sale the LPPTA hosted, to the current Annual Spring LexFUN! Consignment Sale. Consignors create an online account via LexFun.org to list their inventory. Bar code price tags are printed and Voila! The goods are ready for drop off. This year’s Consignment Sale is on Saturday, May 12th from 8:00am-2:00pm at St. Brigid’s Parish, 2001 Massachusetts Ave in Lexington.

LexFUN! has a number of committees for volunteers to serve on and the community to benefit from: Community Service, Early Education Liaison, Events, Fundraisers, Membership, Seminars, Social. Every season LexFUN! offers ways members can contribute to community service such as their on-going assistance with the Meals on Wheels program and visits to Youville Place Assisted Living. Many in-kind donations are made to Cradles to Crayons and to local shelters, such as the “Birthday in a Box” program for children and the “Esteem Boxes” they give to homeless mothers. Yes – homeless. Lexington is not immune to the current economic reality so many Americans are faced with. As a 501c3, LexFUN! raises money to make financial contributions to organizations in alignment with their goals including: the Early Childhood Committee; the Cary Memorial Library and the Lexington Education Foundation. LexFun! created the LexFUND Preschool Scholarship Fund. Awards range from $500-$3,000 per child. LexFUND granted over $30,000 in the past two years alone.

There are SummerFun and WinterFun drop-in centers to meet up with other parents as your children play together. The Social Committee coordinates an Annual Member Recognition Night each November, the Bicentennial Park Potluck in June, and regular Moms-Night-Out evenings. Couples are encouraged to attend the Annual Date Knight celebration. LexFUN! publishes The Annual Guide for Young Families in September which is distributed to their membership. Other benefits of membership are discounts at many local businesses and restaurants.

The founding members of the 1942-1943 Board included: Mrs. Gandolfo Andolina, Mrs. Frank H. Ready, Mrs. William P. Clark, Mrs. Stanley Robbins, Mrs. George Wood, Mrs. Lynman Carlow, Mrs. Handel Rivinius, Mrs. George Regan, Mrs. Bertram Gustin, Mrs. Ernest Rogers. Feminists may be taken aback to see such civic-minded women listed on record without any recognition of their first, let alone original sur, name. This is one more of many changes that mark the turning of the tide of this organization. The once ten member board has now grown to more than 60 women, from many walks of life. Each dedicate what time they have to fulfill LexFUN!’s current mission: “to offer social, educational, and recreational opportunities to families with young children [birth through age five].” LexFUN! has over four hundred member families. Only time will tell what cultural changes and influences the future has in store for this thriving group that has become the soul of our community. “If we want things to stay as they are, things will have to change.” LexFUN! you have proven your ability to do just so. Happy Anniversary.

Jennifer Velis and Lisa O’Brien represented LexFUN! on the television show “Contributions to Earth.” It is available on-demand at www.LexMedia.org and excerpts can be seen at: www.TVforYourSoul.com. To find out more about LexFUN!,

visit: www.LexFUN.org