Sweet Auburn: The Magazine of the Friends of Mount Auburn Mount Auburn: Pathways of Connections | Page 17

People and Happenings
Board Profile: Widgie Aldrich
A Champion of
Mount Auburn’s Landscape
by Lauren Marsh, Communications, Grants & Events Coordinator
Since Widgie Aldrich has been a Trustee of both
Mount Auburn and the Friends of Mount Auburn, having
joined in 2004-05, she has become one of our biggest
champions. Encouraged by Trustees Ann Roosevelt and
Louise Weed, Widgie interviewed as a prospective Board
member with then-president, Bill Clendaniel, after which
she saw how her ideals were congruent with those of the
Cemetery. “Mount Auburn is so beautiful, such an oasis,” says
Widgie. “It’s alarming to see how steadily our Cambridge
environment has become so urbanized. This development
makes it even more important to preserve the green space
we have.”
As a former fifth grade teacher and currently a teacher of
reading to dyslexic children, Widgie’s passion for education is
reflected in her philanthropy. She has served on the boards
of Associated Early Care & Education (formerly Associated
Daycare Services of Metro Boston), for which she is still a
Benefactor; Children’s Discovery Museum in Acton, Mass.;
The Rivers School in Weston, Mass.; Boston Lyric Opera;
and Cambridge Skating Club. In addition, she has helped
with fundraising efforts for Mother Caroline Academy in
Dorchester, Mass., as well as teaching in the Cambridge
School Volunteers Program and volunteering at Hospice of
Cambridge.
Widgie with former Mount Auburn president, Bill Clendaniel, and her
husband, Peter (right), at the Lawn Party for Bill Clendaniel’s Retirement
in 2008.
In one of her early visits to Mount Auburn with her
husband, Peter, they came upon Consecration Dell, the
beauty of which reminded Widgie of her upbringing
in Lincoln, Mass. “It was like we were explorers and we
happened upon this magical, wild place.” Memories of her
childhood came flooding back of when she and her twin
would wander around in the unspoiled woods for hours.
“It is rare now that children have the opportunity to be so
immersed in nature and to have to use their own resources
to find their way home.” She never imagined that she would
end up living so close to the Cemetery and have the op-
portunity to explore this
beautiful landscape. “Being
in a place of beauty is
calming, away from the
frenetic pace of the city.”
Widgie has been
named Chair of the
Friends’ newly established
Education Task Force to
which she will bring her
experience as an educator
within our community.
“Our mission has always
involved education as
there’s such a trove of
Mount Auburn Trustee Widgie Aldrich
resources here for learning
opportunities whether
historical or related to the natural world. We have programs
that are spectacular, but we’d like to reach a more diverse
audience.” In addition to meeting with local educators about
what kinds of lessons would fit into their curriculum, Widgie
also strongly advocates for a more organic kind of learning.
“Teaching both children and adults about finding a haven
in nature is a worthy goal for Mount Auburn Cemetery. I
believe that this kind of stimulation is emotionally important
in our society.”
In her free time, Widgie is a serious gardener, growing all
of the vegetables that her family eats during the summer at
their home in Little Compton, Rhode Island. Beekeeping
is among her newest interests and she is taking a course so
that she can personally care for her hive. An avid traveler, last
February she stayed true to her Norwegian roots and visited
Lofoten, which is north of the Arctic Circle. Other interests
include annual trips to watch Red Sox Spring Training, golf,
walking with friends, and membership in the Little Compton
Garden Club, a book club, and The Mother’s Club, of which
she is currently president.
Yet Widgie, with her cheerful demeanor, is best known by
the Friends as someone on whom we can always count to
be our advocate, our supporter, our friend, and an admirable
example of what it means to be philanthropic. “People need
to understand that most non-profits would not be able to
exist were it not for philanthropy,” she says. “If we want Mount
Auburn to remain a wonderful place of peaceful repose,
historical and horticultural collections, and an opportunity
for people to learn about nature, we have to rely on people’s
generosity.”
Spring/Summer 2011 | 15