Wayland Town Crier 11/10/10: Neighbor Brigade to the rescue!. With the season for giving thanks and giving gifts fast upon us, it might be a good time to think of ways to give – and receive – blessings of time, caring and compassion. One locally grown organization, Neighbor Brigade, offers opportunities for both. Neighbor Brigade dates back to 2002 when friends of Wayland resident Jean Seiden, who was being treated for breast cancer, set up a meal chain and delivered food to her home on a regular basis. Not long after, Pam Washek, who also lived in Wayland, learned she had a tumor in her shoulder, and Seiden offered to set up a similar food chain for her family. "I was so touched by this gesture," Washek recalled recently. "We had a hot dinner delivered three times a week for six months. Both Jean and I felt that we were blessed to have had such support and thought it would be great if there was this kind of assistance available for everyone who needed it." Unfortunately, Seiden lost her battle four years ago at the age of 48. But the spirit between her and Washek still flourishes in Wayland Neighbor Brigade (formerly Wayland Angels), an organization the two women established to mobilize neighborhood volunteers to help people in their town during times of crisis. Since the group delivered its first meal in February 2003, it has grown to more than 1,500 volunteers and expanded to 13 MetroWest towns. They serve families burdened with such issues as sudden illness or tragedy. They deliver meals, drive people to and from local appointments, run household errands, help children with homework, and offer a friendly hand where needed.