Back to Longmeadow: Meet the McVety Family
Written by Seth Stutman
Photos by Lanae Photo
Sponsored by East Village Place
Published in Longmeadow Neighbors (April 2023)
From Longmeadow to Mocorro and back again - for the McVety family, there’s nothing like raising a family in the town you grew up in - especially if that town is Longmeadow.
“The close-knit feel is different from any other place I have lived. The connections that people make are genuine, and it is a place where one can feel safe,” said Elizabeth McVety.
Between the soccer fields, school, and the Field Club, it’s hard to miss the McVety family. Elizabeth and Brian have three children under ten years old - Nora, Hadley, and Lyla, and they have been ensconced in town since they returned.
“I think so much of our town is about engagement,” Brian McVety shared. “There are so many great programs for young kids to get involved with, and that supporting these opportunities is essential to bringing a town together.”
Elizabeth was born and raised in Longmeadow, and while she knew she wanted to raise a family in town, it was a meandering journey back to the 413. Liz and Brian met at Quinnipiac University, cementing their bond during the year they lived abroad in Morocco, working, teaching, traveling and exploring new opportunities.
Once they decided to settle down and begin a family, Longmeadow was the goal. “When I was younger, I always thought it was a nice, quaint town, but didn’t think I would be living here,” said Brian. “As I grew older, I saw the town for what it is: a place where people embrace the small town feel to provide a sense of community for kids and each other.”
Liz, who grew up in town and ran cross country and track at LHS, was not always sure if she would end up raising her family here. As a teen, it was hard to imagine that she would want the kind of security that the town offered, but raising her own family, her perspective has changed.
“Whether it is utilizing the terrific programming at Storrs Library, embracing swimming, tennis, and paddle at the Field Club, or just going for a run or a bike ride around town, I feel like there is always something we are involved in. It’s great that you can go for a walk and feel at home in any part of town,” Liz said.
The kids seemingly have adopted their mother’s love of Longmeadow. Nora enjoys field hockey, acting, reading and writing, theater, and the Girl Scouts. Hadley relishes in soccer, completing puzzles, dancing and Girl Scouts. Lyla, the youngest, attends Longmeadow Montessori, and loves most anything her sisters are passionate about - including the family’s betta fish, August.
“The girls run our lives in the best of ways,” said Brian. “They really are such good friends with each other, and it has been really great to experience the type of friendship and bond that sisters develop. During the pandemic, they really relied on each other to play together and that has brought them all closer.”
Brian McVety has wanted to be a teacher for as long as he can remember, and he has been molding young minds for 16 years. Starting in Cheshire, CT, Brian has also taught in Reading, Massachusetts, Morocco, and finally, landed at East Longmeadow High School as an English Teacher. As if that wasn’t enough, he also is an adjunct professor at Johnson and Wales University.
“I love that I get to laugh everyday,” Brian says. “I love talking about books and writing with students. I teach mostly seniors now, so I enjoy working with students and preparing them for life beyond high school. I love to write and like working with young writers and developing a passion for writing as well. As one who likes to write, it is a blessing to be able to talk about philosophical ideas and have time to write on a daily basis.”
Between teaching and parenting three young girls, Brian also takes time to coach soccer and has coached two of his daughters' teams - and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Not only do you get to meet wonderful people around town, but I enjoy working with younger kids since I am primarily in contact with teenagers on a daily basis,” he said. “It is a different sort of refreshing experience to be able to work with kids in Kindergarten and 1st grade.”
How do the McVetys manage a busy schedule of work while managing a family of five? Liz’s parents still live in town, and Brian’s aren’t so far away, visiting often from Rhode Island. When the family isn’t in town, they are often visiting grandparents, and trying to find a few minutes of solace to sneak off and see their college friends on the beach.
The McVety family is delighted with their decision to move to town and while their children are growing by leaps and bounds, they don’t want to miss a minute. Between playing town sports, and engaging with friends and family (even creating a backyard music festival for their neighbors), the McVety family is smitten with Longmeadow.
“Last year, we created DingleFest, a small music festival in our backyard, and we invited our friends and neighbors to join us for some music, food, and fun,” said Brian. Celebrating community, music, and a topographical oddity, DingleFest was not just for parents pining for simpler times, but also a celebration of the power of community, and how people of different generations and backgrounds can bond over some backyard tunes.
“We are fortunate enough to live on a wonderful street and have really grown close with some neighbors,” said Brian. “They feel like family, and seeing our kids play and get along together reminds me of my neighborhood growing up. All of my relatives were out of state, and with much of my family not living in town, it has been amazing to have such wonderful, engaging people that live on your very street.”
