Carol Hasenfus Stento is a lifelong Needham resident who is a dedicated community volunteer. Her can-do attitude, enthusiasm, and drive have made her a sought after volunteer for many organizations. Carol has devoted much of her time to support the town of Needham and local athletic programs.
Carol has volunteered for Own Your Peace, Needham 300 and Needham Women’s Club, where she is a board member for all three organizations. For Own Your Peace, Carol ran Dancing with the Stars and Needham Laughs Comedy Night. She volunteered for over two years for the Needham 300th birthday. She chaired Sports for the Tercentennial Celebration running Old Fashioned Field Day, 100 years of Needham Football, The Great Play Date and town Cricket match. She was a key fundraiser for Needham 300 responsible for the Program and Commemorative Books.
For the Needham Women’s Club, she is an active member and she co-chairs the Community Affairs Committee, responsible for Veteran’s events, Circle of Hope, Santa’s Visit and traveling meals.She is also on the committee for Grand Wine Tasting. This year Carol was a model with her daughter Jenna for the Community Council Annual Fashion Show. In 2008 Carol received the Needham High School Distinguished Career Award.
Carol has been active in Needham athletics for decades. She began her coaching career for Needham High School cheerleading while at Babson College. Carol played a large part in the expansion and organization of Needham Youth Cheerleading, overseeing many winning squads. She was named Coach of the Year three times for Needham Youth Cheerleading and named an “outstanding coach in the US” by Who’s Who in American Cheerleading Magazine. Carol founded the Needham High School Dance Team with her daughter, Jenna, and Guna Svendsen, Carol’s former Needham High teacher and coach.
The dance team has since become a Varsity sport and has performed at the Outback Bowl, Orange Bowl, Gillette Stadium, and has won a National title and three Massachusetts State titles.
Carol credits her husband, Jim, for being her partner in life and community service for the past 26 years.Together they both have been youth coaches and active officers for Needham Booster Club, Needham 300, and Own Your Peace where they combine their energies to support both the community of Needham and Needham athletics.