Building off of the popularity of its Loker dads and kids gatherings, which was brought back four years ago, the Wayland Dads group has expanded to also take advantage of beautiful New England summer mornings.
And the only thing that’s better than meeting up with friends and kids playing on a Sunday morning may be adding bagels and Dunkin’ Munchkins to the mix. That’s exactly what’s been happening since July 19 at the Hannah Williams playground when the Wayland Dads group meets there.
“Four years ago, a group of dads reintroduced the Loker Dad & Kid Drop-ins on the first Saturday of the winter months,” said Scott Walters, one of the Wayland Dads founders. “The drop-ins have proven once again to be a huge success. Earlier this year, we kicked off an effort to recruit new dads and create Wayland Dads 2.0. Nate Kenton and Tom Oslow kicking off their Sunday morning Hannah Williams Park meet-up is right on brand with Wayland Dads.”
All are welcome for the 9:30 a.m. meetup — including moms — although they may prefer some quiet time alone.
These playground gatherings germinated when new member Kenton proposed the idea he got while out walking his dog in Hamlen Woods. His inspiration came from his positive experiences at the Loker Dads Group meetings that he attended the previous fall and winter.
“My wife and I have lived here for three years, but we have been raising very young children and struggled to meet folks in the community with our busy schedules,” said Kenton. “I was very excited to hear about Wayland Dads, and I spontaneously proposed this idea to get more involved with the group and the Wayland community. We love living here and think this is a great place to raise our daughters, Emma and Ruth.”
Oslow, a resident for nine years, says he immediately enjoyed many aspects of Wayland but he felt that something was missing.
He was hoping to broaden his social circles in town and when a former Boston socialite told him about Wayland Dads, it was the key to helping him to meet many new friends, acquaintances and even business clients.
Now Oslow enjoys his time at Hannah Williams as much as his children Orion, Oliver, and Odessa do. Whether it’s sliding down the slide, swinging, or simply running around, there’s fun for all. He has also participated in the Loker group where Dads and their kids play in the gym.
“The dads open up the gym, pull out the mats and sports equipment,” said Oslow. “The kids play and eat Munchkins, and the dads have coffee and bagels while juggling their kids. We even bring a toaster.”
In addition to playing at Loker and Hannah Williams, the Wayland Dads have multiple opportunities to socialize throughout the year. When it started over 12 years ago, there was no definitive vision. In time, the group has solidified and expanded.
“Those early years brought a number of successes,” said Walters. “Regular poker nights, our Family Ski Day, golf tournaments, and a host of other events. The biggest was the Dad & Me Camp-out at the high school done in collaboration with the Recreation Department. More than 100 kids and dads showed up for games, outdoor activities, a BBQ, and a massive 40×40 drive-in-style movie screen attached to the bleachers. It was an extraordinary event. Unfortunately, three years later COVID-19 scuttled that tradition.”
Today, the Wayland Dads also organize two annual golf tournaments, poker nights, an annual family ski day, plus many other social events. While the 40-year traditional fathers, daughters and sons breakfasts at Mel’s are independent of the Wayland Dads group, they still strongly support it and lists it on their website.
Oslow is a big promoter of the group that aims to support the community and advocate for the children in town.
“For a remote town with very little commercial activity, it’s very social and active, with top-shelf parents who are there to jump in during a crisis,” said Oslow.
