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THE
NOVEMBER, 2008
STURBRIDGETIMES
THE CHRONICLE OF STURBRIDGE COUNTRY LIVING
MAGAZINE
A BOUNTIFUL HARVEST AND SEASON OF JOYOUS THANKSGIVING
TO ALL IN THE STURBRIDGE TOWNSHIPS & BEYOND
Rimscha Concert Series returns for fourth year
By Richard Murphy
There are great values to be had in
Sturbridge area entertainment, with
much to be seen and heard. We have
many venues for theater and music.
Arguably at the top of the list is the
2
THE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINE
Rimscha Concert Series, back for its
fourth season.
The Rimscha Concert Series
brings to Sturbridge artists who perform throughout the Northeast at
ticket prices ranging from $35 to $85
each. If you attend the Rimscha
events, there is no cost. Certainly,
donations would be appreciated, but
no one should miss these concerts. A
mission statement has been formulated to make the point, “The Rimscha
Concert Series presents quality,
entertaining, classically geared con-
certs, at a professional level, to
Sturbridge and surrounding communities. Created with families in
mind, these events embrace diverse
musical styles. The Concert Series,
through sharing a love of music, provides an opportunity to hear great
musicians with no admission charge
to the public.”
Peter Morin and his wife Helen
Beke Morin are the driving spirits
behind the concerts. It all began
when Saint Anne’s Church in
Sturbridge was given the Wissner
baby grand piano of Eduardo
Rimscha. After the piano’s restoration, Peter and Helen, church music
directors, gave a celebratory concert
and out of that grew the series named
for the late Mr. Rimscha.
This year’s program began on
October 18 and will run through
April 25 of 2009. The concerts take
place in St. Joachim’s Chapel on the
grounds of St. Anne’s Shrine. It is
through the generous sponsorships of
individual members of the community as well as business partnerships
that allow the concerts to be presented without charging ticket fees. As
Peter Morin put it, “Despite the tight
economy, we are proud to be a ray of
hope and a provide an opportunity
for everyone in Sturbridge and the
surrounding communities to hear
great music without price shock.”
In the season’s first production,
the boys and girls as well as the adult
choir of All Saints Church in
Worcester put on a show that was a
tour of classical, popular and a little
rock and roll music. From Jesu, Joy of
Man’s Desiring to Somewhere Over the
Rainbow, a lot of ground was covered.
The humorous song, And Her Mother
Came Too about a boy on a date with
an unwanted chaperone was a hoot.
The choir director and organ virtuoso, Peter Stolzfus Berton gave a solo
organ performance that was a tour de
force.
Returning to perform again this
year on November 15 will be the
Metro Sax Quartet. Last year, concert goers enjoyed their crossover
program of half jazz and half classical.
Of course, December brings the
Service of Lessons and Carols that
Peter describes as “resoundingly
Christmas.” Again the combined
Continued on page 4
STURBRIDGECOUNTRYLIVING
NOVEMBER 2008
THE
STURBRIDGETIMES
MAGAZINE
PUBLISHER & EDITOR
MANAGING EDITOR
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
CONTRIBUTORS
PAUL CARR
JOHN SMALL
MATTHEW KLINE
KAREN ROTHWEILER
JEFF BURDICK
TOM CHAMBERLAND
RICHARD MURPHY
STEPHANIE RICHARDS
THE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINE | CARR ADVERTISING
P.O. BOX 418, STURBRIDGE, MA 01566
TEL. 508-347-7077 FAX 508-347-8150
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THE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINE is published every month in Sturbridge, Massachusetts by Carr
Advertising. We accept photos, opinions, short articles, stories, poems and drawings from the general public, but
assume no responsibility for failure to publish a submission or for typographic errors published or incorrect placement. The contents of this magazine consist of copyrightable material and cannot be reproduced without the
expressed written permission of the author and the publishers of The Sturbridge Times Magazine.
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v
F
E
A T
U
R
E
S
FOURTH RIMSCHA CONCERT SEASON BEGINS . . . . . . . . . . 2
ADVICE FROM THE PROS ON CHRISTMAS GIFTS . . . . . . . . 7
FUNDING TRICKLES FOR REGIONAL BRANDING . . . . . . . . 12
INVESTOR OPPORTUNITIES DURING HARD TIMES . . . . . . 14
GLIMPSE INTO A SPECIAL PROGRAM AT BURGESS . . . . . . 18
REAS FOUNDATION HITS GOAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
REVIEW OF GROWING SEASON IN YOUR YARD. . . . . . . . . 20
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THE FLU . . . . . . . . . 21
3
The Morins and Friends are back with another Rimscha Season
Continued from page 2
choirs of St. Anne and St. Mary will
sing. This year the Brookfield Brass
will accompany them. Come on the
13th at 7:00 p.m.
New in 2009 will be the appearance
of Marimba performer, Fumito Nunoya
on January 18 at 3:00p.m. The
Marimba is a percussion instrument
with keys made of wood arranged as
4
those of a piano and struck with a
mallet. Mr. Nunoya is an accomplished musician, touring all over
the world. He has performed at the
Boston Conservatory and as soloist
with many symphonies. Fumito has
taught at Berklee College of Music
and maintains his own studio in
Belmont, Mass. Helen and Peter
are personally excited to have him
at Rimscha. This is an artist you
will want to see.
Back again on February 21st at
7:30p.m. will be Jane Shivick. Jane
is a soprano whom the New York
Times praised for her “character
and vocal richness.”
Known for
her versatility, she is “equally at
home in opera, oratorio, concert
and recital.” Jane directs the chapel
choirs at Assumption College.
The finale on April 25th will feature Helen on violin and Peter playing
Mr. Rimscha’s gift. Also appearing will
be special guest, Suzanne Nance. The
Morins are both classically trained
musicians. Peter holds a masters from
Emory University and after that, studied in England, where he met Helen.
Helen has played with top orchestras.
She is currently concert master for the
Metrowest Symphony and plays with
the Plymouth Philharmonic. She also
teaches. Suzanne Nance, music director for Maine Public Broadcasting and
an artist who has performed all over
the world, will sing with them.
The series is a regional asset. No
one should feel that they cannot
attend because of cost. Sponsorships
and donations are appreciated and can
be addressed to: Rimscha Concert Series,
16 Church St., Fiskdale, MA 01566.
dining out in &
THE FOODIE TRAIL
Enrico’s Brick Oven Pizzeria
a cut above the rest
By Richard Murphy
The good news is that
there is no bad pizza in
Sturbridge. In truth, there is
only one shop in my life
where I’ve had terrible pizza
and it was nowhere near here.
It is a product that is made
well enough in these parts
and I’ve tasted a lot of the
local pies.
Ah, but what if you want
something that is a departure
from the ordinary. One might
expect to have to travel to
Worcester or Boston but that
is not the case. Just a short
trip along Route 20 will take
you to Enrico’s Brick Oven
Pizzeria & Pub at the
Boardwalk Plaza.
This is pizza out of the
ordinary. Well, you chortle,
don’t they all say that?
Maybe, but when you find a
white sauce pizza on the
menu you know that you’re
in a place that is at least
regionally unique.
Just coming in Enrico’s
door, one can sense a differ-
ence. Instead of the conventional steel oven, a large open
brick hearth is the center of
activity for the several cooks
laboring around it. Walk as
close as you can get, and you
see it is deep and the flame is
always going. One cook
advised that it was started at
eight in the morning.
We arrived at 8:00 p.m. on
a Thursday night. As expected, the place was full, but our
wait was not long before we
were seated. Allison, our
server, was there for our drink
order and to answer any questions we had about the menu.
My wife ordered a glass of
merlot and I asked for
California syrah. For an appetizer we ordered Pane alla
Dario. This is the house garlic
bread with a ricotta and
romano garlic butter. We also
ordered the Insalata di Casa, a
garden salad in balsamic
vinaigrette. The bread was
more than enough for two.
We knew from previous
experience that the star of
Continued on page 6
Enrico’s
Brick Oven
Pizzeria
________________
Bedrock Plaza
500 Main Street
Sturbridge
508.347.1740
around sturbridge
A great little Italian restaurant right in Sturbridge
5
Save the trip to the North End, head to Enrico’s for a great pizza pie
Continued from previous page
the evening was going to be the
pizza, having sampled Enrico’s
product often enough. Of course,
we would stick our necks out a little and try the white sauce pizza. It
was not out of fear that we had
previously avoided the option, it
was more from our immense satisfaction with Enrico’s red. We
asked Allison for the Contadino. It
consisted of the white sauce along
with Italian cheeses, caramelized
onions, smoky bacon and feta
cheese. There is a lot of dairy
there, but we forged ahead.
The menu is not all pizza all the
time. We also ordered Linguine
Puttanesca, a pasta dish with a
superb Puttanesca sauce of tomatoes, anchovies, capers and olives.
The Pane alla Dario arrived and
was quickly consumed. I suppose
the meal could have stopped there
with the generous quantity of
Italian comfort food. Still, we were
not fully sated.
The Contadino and Linguine
Puttanesca. arrived within a reasonable period. Pizza presentation
at Enrico’s is unusual. They keep a
hefty can of tomato sauce at every
table which serves as the elevated
resting place for the pizza pan.
This makes sense for a few good
reasons, though the fact that they
have just delivered a pizza that was
baked on a 750-degree brick-oven
will suffice.
B O A R D WA L K P L A Z A
500 MAIN STREET
Sturbridge
Candy
&Gift
Shoppe
Boardwalk Plaza
500 Main Street (Rte. 20)
Sturbridge
508..347.3642
20-50% OFF
Gifts & Jewelry
Open Daily
Fairies, Dragons and so
much more!
120 Varieties of chocolates
Sugar Free Candy
Maple Candies
Homemade Fudge
Salt Water Taffy
$2.00 OFF
$5.00 OFF
any purchase of $10.00 or more
any purchase of $25.00 or more
EXPIRES 11/30/08
6
COLD BEER
FINE WINE
FULL LIQUOR
Hours
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Kitchen
Closed
11:30-9pm
11:30-9pm
11:30-9pm
11:30-10pm
11:30-10pm
11:30-9pm
Bar
Closed
11:30-10pm
11:30-10pm
11:30-10pm
11:30-12am
11:30-12am
11:30-9pm
Luncheon Special:
Pizza by the Slice
until 4 pm
500 Main Street
Sturbridge
508-347-1740
The taste of Enrico’s pizzas is a
reliable pleasure. In our pie that
evening, the caramelized onions
shone through with their mildly
sweet notes.
The smoked bacon flavor was
discernible but not overpowering.
Still, it is the signature white sauce
sauce that sets the Enrico’s white
pizza experience apart. We
inquired about the ingredients and
were told that they blend parmesan cheese, garlic, basil and
oregano. It was a little surprising
to find out that the main ingredient of a pizza sauce was parmesan
cheese, but I can live with it.
Our waitress also advised that
some of the white sauce is added to
the red sauce to cause it to have its
unique flavor. The base of the red
sauce itself comes from the tomatoes in the cans under the pizzas.
The huge cans thus serve to be the
base of the pizza in two ways.
The Linguine Puttanesca was
enjoyed, but it did not in any way
shine in comparison with the
pizza.
Enrico’s non-pizza menu items
include chicken and pasta dishes
and plates that feature notable
uses for mussels, shrimp and other
seafood. Still, it is hard to imagine
anything standing up to pizza in
such a place.
So, while it is in itself a great
little Italian restaurant, pizza is
what you should get when you go
to Enrico’s for the first time. It is
reasonably priced considering the
quality and the work that is
involved. And considering the
fact that this is pizza you’d expect
to find somewhere in Boston’s
North End, it is well worth ducking in for a pizza pie.
SUGAR PLUM
FAIR
Saturday, November 15
9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
HOLY TRINITY CHURCH
446 Hamilton Street, Southbridge
Luncheon Café opens at 11
Silent Auction • Crafts & Gifts
Baked Goods • Books
Jewelry • Attic Treasures
More!
Mother-daughter team are Sturbridge’s gift aficionados
Savoir Donner answers the question: what should a gift be?
By Sarah Milner-Hiser
W
hen the holiday season comes ’round
again, you will surely hear these things
said. Perhaps you have even thought them
many times yourself: “He’s impossible to shop
for”; “She’s so hard to please”; “What do the
kids need this year?”; “She already has everything”. Though we try to focus on the festive
elements of the holiday, holding tight to traditions and trying to make time to absorb the
essence of the Season, we often get bogged
down by the enormity of a long gift list, a
string of invites, and preparations for our own
celebrations! We get overwhelmed by a sense
of obligation – which is not the true spirit of
gift-giving, and at our core, we know it.
No matter how generous our nature, giftgiving requires money, time and, most important, sincere thought. Especially at the holidays – and in this year’s economic environment - we may not have much, if any, of the
These days, everyone needs help with ‘the gifting thing’.
first two. Yet we always have the genuine
desire to please. And with a little planning,
you can make the most of the time and funds
you do have at the holidays by actively gifting.
Continued on page 10
7
THE SHOPPING NEWS
Nature’s Pathways
Nature’s Pathways is located in
Bedrock Plaza, 139 Main Street,
Sturbridge. Hours are from 10 a.m. to
6 p.m., Monday through Friday and
10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday. For more
information, call 508.347.7321.
S
Health foods, natural supplements
put Nature’s Pathways on local map
itting on the couch talking to Lin Van
Dolson, you feel relaxed and overcome by her sense of calmness and
genuine concern. It’s obvious that she has a passion
for educating people on herbs and natural foods and
supplements that could help them feel better. And
she knows what she is talking about.
Van Dolson’s own 28-year struggle with autoimmune disease led her to the path of natural products
and an improved overall health. Thus, it only was
natural for her to open up Nature’s Pathways, located in Bedrock Plaza in Sturbridge, three years ago.
“Because of my own struggle with health related
issues and autoimmune disease, I have stumbled
onto natural things that worked and educated
myself,” she said. “I really feel called to help people.
8
BY STEPHANIE RICHARDS
My husband, Lance, was very supportive of my
opening the store. Our motto is ‘listen with our
hearts.’ It really is a labor of love.”
Customers come from all over New England to
Nature’s Pathways, which specializes in health/wellness products and supplements for cancer and
autoimmune diseases like lupus. The store also carries gluten- and wheat-free products as well as basic
health foods. Van Dolson said everything in the
store has been studied and backed by medical doctors and that customers can also take advantage of a
lending library, where books and other publications
on natural health products can be checked out.
Van Dolson sees education as the key to helping
customers with health issues find possible natural
alternatives to traditional medication or supple-
ments that work with them. “People
need knowledge to empower themselves to make choices related to better health. We’ve done a lot of ground
work on finding out about natural
products. And we work with doctors,
nurses and other medical professionals
in the area,” said Van Dolson. “A lot
of people come in when medication
alone is not working; some have lost
hope in Western medicine. We have
had customers who are on five or
more types of medications; they don’t
want to live life that way.”
Customers have come into the
store with a variety of health concerns, including allergies, congestive
heart failure, lung problems, depression, sleep disorders and chronic pain.
The list is not limited to adults with
health issues as many parents seek
advice on helping children with diseases
like
Attention-Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). “It
never gets dull here…there is always
something good happening. The customers give back to me when they tell
me their success stories of feeling better,” said Van Dolson, a native
Californian who moved to Brimfield
17 years ago.
Van Dolson understands first hand
chronic pain as her struggle with
autoimmune disease and other health
problems left her sleeping most of the
day when her four children were
younger. “The disease may never go
away, but the goal is to cut down the
symptoms and improve quality of
life,” she said. “Some people will say it
(using natural products) is not scientific. But the results show.”
The one product that flies off the
shelf at Nature’s Pathways is New
Chapter Supplements. “The product
is backed by a doctor and we get feedTHE CHRONICLE OF STURBRIDGE COUNTRY LIVING
back that customers have a lot of success with it. For
example, we’ve had people take it and come back and
tell us they can breath without using an inhaler,” said
Van Dolson. “But each case is an individual one, so
we offer a suggestion of what herbs or supplements to
try. Herbs are very potent medicine, so we always
refer customers back to their doctor to check. If you
are on medication, you need to find out what mixes
and what doesn’t. We do not practice medicine
here…just offer suggestions of what natural products
might help.”
Suggestions are not limited to humans as animal
owners have come in for help with pets. “Customers
come in looking for products to help their pets with
general wellness as well as specific ailments like leg
problems or cancer,” she said. “We’ve had customers
with dogs, cats, horses and even mice, guinea pigs and
a kangaroo. There have been phenomenal success
stories from helping them.”
Customers at Nature’s Pathways get personalized
attention as Van Dolson and her staff take the time
needed to answer questions on the wealth of information about natural products. “Everything talked
about is confidential. I often spend 45 minutes talking with customers; most businesses miss that today.
Listening to them is key,” she said. “There are a lot of
infomercials out there that promise to be the cure all
for chronic problems that have false claims. Just
because it says natural doesn’t mean it is. You have to
be discerning and do your own research. You know your
body and have an underlying feeling for what’s going on.
It’s like a puzzle; you have to put all the pieces together.”
Repeat customers are the core of the business and Van
Dolson thrives on hearing their success stories. “Our customers bring in family and friends. They get so excited
when something works and they feel better…their
enthusiasm is contagious. It is all about improving quality of life,” she said. “With the difficulty in the economy,
we have seen huge growth. If just one person comes in
and their life is changed—they feel better—it gives me
fulfillment. You can’t put a price tag on that; it is a blessing.”
Sturbridge Times Magazine photo by Stephanie Richards
Please patronize
our advertisers
and tell them
you saw their ad
in
The Sturbridge Times
Magazine!
Lin Van Dolson of Nature’s Pathways
9
Savoir Donner co-owner gives great advice to all of us on gifting
What should a gift be? A gift,
in its truest state, is a token of any
sort that is offered in acknowledgement of the recipient’s importance to the gifter. We all know
that a gift can be an hour of your
time spent listening to another’s
troubles or dreams. It can be a
dinner specially prepared. It can
be an entire weekend devoted to
teaching your small child to ride
her bike. It can be small, like
those that children most often
give – a bouquet of crinkly, brittle
autumn leaves. It can be lavish,
like lending your beach house to a
friend and his family for a week.
It can be any and all things in
between and beyond. But at the
holidays, we are always looking
for a concrete (and preferably
wrap-able!) expression of our
affection or appreciation for those
we care about.
There must be a practical strat-
10 THE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINE
egy, a tactic or two to make it easier. Over time, many people
develop their own ways of attacking the seemingly insurmountable
challenge of “getting something”
for everyone on our list. Some
have opted to pare down the list,
and give only to immediate family
and closest friends. Some have
chosen to think of the holiday as
just for the children in the family.
Some have gone the route of the
gift card, which while relieves the
time challenge, can leave one to
feel as if their present wasn’t personal enough. If these aren’t
options for you, try the following
“Gifting Plan” this year.
The very first step is to start as
early as you can. Perhaps July
seems a little too early, however
the stores may try to convince us
otherwise, with their red and
green decorations when we
haven’t yet made it to the beach
for the first time all summer!
n
“Work on one person at a
time. Make a list of each
individual you will be
gifting this year. Write
down three things you
know about that person.”
a
However, October, as the air
changes and we start to turn our
minds to the festive days ahead, is
a perfect time to set aside a few
hours at the time of day when
you’re at your best. Location is
important, and “setting the stage”
can be, too. Get a cup of coffee, a
snack and pen and paper.
Perhaps you’d like to have a special notebook for your holiday
shopping that has enough space
to use year after year. This results
in “repeat-gifting” – what happens
when you forget that you gave
them that last year – less likely, as
you can turn to the lists of years
past to remind you what you’ve
given. Naturally, you can use
whatever techie device appeals to
you to do the same thing.
Work on one person at a time.
Make a list of each individual you
will be gifting this year. Write
down three things you know
about that person. For example,
what are their interests or hobbies? What are they always talking about? What is their favorite
color/food/activity?
Set a realistic budget for each
individual, keeping in mind that
the time you are spending in this
exercise is part of the gift – you
for the Christmas and holiday season
are thinking about them, what
matters to them, and how you can
show them that you know them.
To quote the now proverbial
cliché: “Toy Train for Mikey, $50;
Wooden Track to run it on, $28;
Time spent thinking about
Mikey’s face as he watched a real
engine power down the track:
Priceless!”
Search catalogs and the internet for ideas. Based on what
you’ve put down for each person,
now decide on one or two possibilities in the price range you’ve
established that matches his/her
interests. You haven’t even left
the house yet, and you already
have a very good plan for what
you are looking for. Online and
catalog shopping puts hard-to-find
presents at your fingertips, and
makes price comparison a snap.
Closer to Christmas, many website and catalogs even offer
reduced or free shipping.
Get out and about for the
remaining gifts. For those who
enjoy the hustle and bustle of the
malls, now make a game plan for
which stores you need to visit,
and stick to it. Carry your list or
Blackberry with you! Try not to
second-guess yourself. Once at
the stores, something may catch
your eye for a person you’ve
already shopped for. Instead of
complicating things, use what
you’ve learned from being a Red
Sox fan: there’s always next year.
However, make a note so that
you’ll remember!
The art of gifting is in the
thought – the hope of delighting
a dear friend, a grandchild, or a
co-worker. As you get caught up
in yet another festive season,
make this your maxim. You’ll
find you enjoy it all the more!
Christine Milner and Sarah
Milner-Hiser are the owners of
Savoir Donner: The Art of Gifting,
Sturbridge’s custom gift basket shop,
specializing in unique and personalized gift creations. Don’t miss the
following workshops to be given in
November: “Paring Down Your
Christmas List” on Nov. 13th and
“Gift-Giving 101 for Men” on Nov.
27th. Workshops begin at 7 PM,
and require pre-registration. Stop by
the shop at 484 Main Street, or call
508.868.2514. Visit them on the
web at www.savoir-donner.com.
THE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINE 11
A
woman is dressed in fall
clothing, lying on her back
with three words underneath, “Refresh. Restore. Return.”
It is the latest billboard for The
Sturbridge Townships’ “Everything
but Ordinary” campaign and it
appears that tourists are getting the
message.
Due to lack of funding, the new
brand identity and slogan was
released without fanfare August 14
by the Sturbridge Heritage
Preservation Partnership (SHPP).
The group was formed three years
ago in an effort to develop a cohesive approach in attracting tourists
to the region through building a
new brand identity and marketing
campaign. During the first two
years, SHPP received $300,000
annually in grant funds from the
Massachusetts Office of Travel and
Tourism for research, planning and
implementation of marketing tourism to the region. The group
requested the same amount for
FY2009—but that money was cut
when Gov. Deval Patrick signed
“Everything but ordinary.”
Months before this promising regional campaign began in August (without an official launch)
OSV was reporting a marked increase in visitors as far back as January.
Their recent Columbus Day receipts were up 39%.
State funding for the effort is now trickling at the $675,000 investment level.
Now we wait for full-scale implementation. This is really going to happen.
Right?
NO ORDINARY
CAMPAIGN
IN NO
ORDINARY
TIME
By Stephanie Richards
the budget on July 13. Subsequently, the money was reinstated by the legislature, but then partially slashed again by Gov. Patrick
last month due to the state finan-
cial crisis. The group was recently
notified that they will receive
$75,000 of the $300,000 requested
for this year.
Alexandra McNitt, Executive
Director of Central Mass South—
The Chamber at the Crossroads of
New England, said “It has been
frustrating to be on the cusp; we
have worked so hard on it. But we
Courtesy RDW Group
Billboard on display at three locations.
feel fortunate to still be receiving
some funding despite the state’s
financial situation. Now, we are
awaiting word on how the funds
will be distributed so we can move
forward with our marketing efforts.”
Despite the fact that there was
no official brand launch, McNitt
said changes are evident in tourism
numbers. “We have seen a lot of
traffic just in our office; the numbers are way up. And OSV is going
forth with great guns. Plus, the
weather has been on our
side…we’ve had great luck on most
weekends so far this fall. It really
impacts the numbers we see. We
estimate that there were 8,000 people who attended the Harvest
Festival October 18-19.”
Russell Prentiss, general manager
of the Sturbridge Host Hotel,
agrees. “The synergy of the program
has already paid some dividends.
We had a very positive summer and
fall with leisure travelers; our numbers were certainly up from last year.
Apple orchards are mentioned in
the marketing campaign and we
have seen traffic for people coming
to visit them. It has had positive
contributions,” he said.
Along with their own marketing
efforts, Old Sturbridge Village
(OSV) officials say the campaign is
impacting tourism there as well.
“We are planning the media together and they compliment each other;
we (OSV) can’t fund a year round
campaign. The creative work is
done beautifully and it captures the
recreation and natural beauty of the
area. It rings true to what visitors
will find in the region,” said Ann
Lindblad, OSV Director of
Marketing and Communications.
“We have seen a bump in attendance in people looking for enriching things to do close to home. The
OSV experience is resonating during this economic downturn; people
made due with a lot less, harvested
their own food and made things.
The message is definitely relevant.”
Columbus Day weekend, OSV
attendance was up 39% compared
to the previous year, Lindblad said.
“We started seeing a trend in
January this year. It was the best
January we have had at OSV in 10
years. It continued with double
digit increases in visitors over spring
break week and then a sell out
crowd at the July 4 fireworks. And
our numbers were up again for the
recent Harvest Festival weekend,”
she said. “Plus, our international
visitors are up 11% over 2007; they
make up 8% of our visitor mix at
OSV.
The images and message of the
campaign target the natural beauty
of the area, a key point revealed in
the research findings. “The billboard communicates Sturbridge
Townships as a place people can go
to relax and restore…enjoying the
natural outdoors,” said Jim
Pontarelli, President of RDW
Group in Providence, the firm handling the marketing and communications planning for SHPP. “One of
the key appeals of the region is its
genuineness and authenticity and
people are hungry for that kind of
feeling.”
Pontarelli said specific media
outlets so far have included a full
page ad in Yankee Magazine in the
September/October issue; banner
ads on Valleyvisitor.com, (official
site of the greater Springfield
Convention and Visitor’s Bureau),
Boston.com (Boston Globe’s website), and Courant.com (Hartford
Courant’s website); and billboards
on
I-93
(Boston),
I-290
(Worcester) and I-84 (Manchester,
CT).
The marketing mix also includes
a new brochure and website,
McNitt said. “We are in the final
phase of proofing for the new
brochure, and it should be done in
November. We allocated year two
monies for that, combined with
Sturbridge Area Tourist Association (SATA) marketing dollars, to
cover the production. The website
is also up and in development with
year two monies. It is more important because it is not outdated like a
brochure. However, we are finding
that people still want something
tangible, so the brochure still needed to be done.”
While the group awaited a final
decision on state funding, RDW
Group has been working on buildContinued on page 15
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FINANCIAL
FOCUS
JEFF BURDICK
STURBRIDGE FINANCIAL ADVISOR
MONTHLY INVESTMENT ADVICE
FOR
READERS
OF
A
fter pondering the chaos of the past few
weeks, many people might think this is a terrible time to invest in the stock market.
However, history often has a way of turning the tables.
Certainly, there’s reason for concern; and yet,
we’ve certainly had other years in which the investment landscape seemed grim. For example, in 1973, a
series of events — including the Watergate scandal,
the OPEC oil embargo, the Vietnam War and the resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew — had shaken the public's morale. Given all this, you might have
thought that 1973 was a bad year in which to invest
in the stock market.
But you'd have been wrong. From Nov. 30, 1973,
to Nov. 30, 1983, the S&P 500 recorded an average
annual return of 10.9 percent. So, if you had invested
$10,000 in the market at the beginning of that period
Unsettling times still offer
opportunities for investors
and reinvested the dividends, it would have grown to
$28,139 by the end. (Keep in mind, however, that the
S & P 500 is an unmanaged index, and you cannot
invest directly into it.)
Of course, as you’ve heard, “past performance cannot guarantee future results.” And some significant
differences exist between 1973 and 2008. In 1973,
most of the problems that worried investors were
external to the financial markets. This year, it’s the
markets themselves that have turned somewhat toxic.
Still, there’s some cause for optimism. Consider the
following:
• Bailout may improve business climate — One
of the chief goals of the $700 billion bailout is to inject
some much-needed cash into the financial system,
which has been rendered almost illiquid by the subprime mortgage crisis. Increased liquidity means that
businesses will have easier access to credit — and all
companies need credit to expand their operations and
become profitable. Obviously, the greater the number
of successful companies, the more investment opportunities become available.
• Regulatory climate may change — While sever-
al factors are responsible for our current turmoil, one
key culprit appears to be the lack of appropriate regulation over some aspects of the financial markets. It
seems quite likely that lawmakers, in the near future,
will develop some new regulatory guidelines that may
help prevent a recurrence of the events of this year.
• Stocks are attractively priced — Look for quality stocks — representing companies with competitive
products, strong management and long track records
of profitability — and consider buying these stocks
when their price is low Typically, quality stocks are
the first to rebound when the market recovers.
Here’s the bottom line: The investment climate
may be brighter tomorrow — and you can find good
stocks at lower prices today. So don’t stick your money
under the mattress. Years from now, you may look
back and realize that 2008 was, indeed, a very good
year in which to continue investing.
This article has been submitted by Jeff Burdick,
Financial Advisor, Edward Jones, 113 Main Street,
Sturbridge, MA 01566. Jeff may be contacted at 508347-1420 or at jeff.burdick@edwardjones.com
Funding trouble for regional branding project
ing the website (www.sturbridgetownships.com). “Essentially,
the website now is the old SATA site
information with the new (brand)
face on it. We are building new content and specific things related to
dining and recreation. The functionality of it will change too; we are
working on maps,” said Pontarelli.
“Over the next few months, we will
build the site, show it to the SHPP
committee for their input, test it,
and then make changes.”
Both McNitt and Pontarelli didn’t rule out an after-the-fact kickoff
for the campaign in the spring.
“Winter is the least active season, so
we would wait until spring,” said
McNitt.
Pontarelli noted that unconventional ideas that are cost effective
and will attract a lot of attention are
being explored. “A scavenger hunt
is one idea we are looking at as a
way to have people engage in the
activities of exploring the towns.
Another is to have them post photos from their trip to the area to the
website and be eligible for a prize. It
would be a way to populate the site
and build a community.”
As they wait to receive the state
funding and start planning further
media
placement,
Pontarelli
emphasized that SHPP should move
forward on addressing infrastructure
issues noted in the research report
by Ninigret Parners. “The research
report recommended some other
things that can be happening with
infrastructure like community planning, addressing the gateway issue
off the Pike, and assessing/evaluating outdoor activities. These can be
happening while the communications piece is a bit quieter,” he said.
To preview the “Everything but
Ordinary” brand identity for the
Sturbridge Townships, go to
www.sturbridgetownships.com.
Have fun.
Meet your neighbors.
Be a star.
Come and join the cast of
The Sturbridge Follies.
All ages.
Wed. Nov. 5
or Thurs. Nov. 6
7-9 p.m.
Takes just a few minutes.
Sturbridge Senior Center
J MUSINGS FROM LONG HILL
J
SAVORING THE PRESENT SEASON
BY RICHARD MURPHY
I
had written the column
for this issue in my mind
already. It was to be an
inquiry into the events of the day
that seem to be crashing down on us.
Our financial crisis is interesting and
there are many angles to look at it
from. Still, it is becoming tedious,
even if the reality is inescapable.
Ah, but then I made the mistake
of going out into the garden for
some fall cleanup. The sun was glinting off the leaves and cast a warm
and comforting beam my way. A calf
I had tethered to graze off the weeds
came up and nuzzled me. And I was
reminded once again how lucky I am
to live here.
The heck with the world crisis.
It’s November anyway. Time to be
thankful. It’s easy to get wrapped up
in the hype that comes over the
news. They make it seem that a
tsunami of financial terror is about to
break over the whole country and
wash us all away. What do I know? It
might happen. Might not.
All the more reason to enjoy simple pleasures of the day. It took a
long time for a killing frost to arrive
here on the Long Hill. There were
still some eggplant and habaneros
hanging on the vines waiting
patiently, waiting to be chosen late
in October. Perhaps you will agree
that the foliage is better this year
than the last few. Even if I’m hallucinating, I’m smiling because of it.
Of course it is all relative. There
were some long spells of rain this
summer. Everyday, I read alerts from
accuweather by email of flood warnings. Had a large boat with two of
every animal floated by? Wouldn’t
have surprised me in the least the
way they rattled on.
There is also the long and tedious
presidential race. It feels like it has
been going on for all my life. As I
age, time speeds by. Not so with this
election.The campaigning season
gets longer every cycle.
With full respect to the import of
this election and the other factors
that depress us collectively, it is necessary to keep it all in a certain perspective. There is simply too much
to enjoy to view it otherwise.
We mustn’t miss the forest for the
trees. Around here we have lots of
forests and trees to help keep it all in
focus.
To help with that focus, I’m going
to share a secret with you. Not exactly a secret in the sense that it is
knowledge hidden from view. In fact
it is out in the open, and something
so obvious that I find it hard to
believe it is not a topic of conversation.
Go up Route 148 from Sturbridge
to the Quaboag River Bridge and
stop. Later in the day is best. When
the Sun is in the western sky, there is
quite simply no more beautiful place.
It is especially scenic this season with
the combination of sun playing off
the water with the turning leaves.
We have friends whom we visit in
Rockport. By the salt water in that
town, a red shack stands, called
Motif Number 1. It is called that
because it is thought by some to be
the most painted subject in the
country due to its composition and
lighting. A picturesque fishing shack
on a stone wall, one can understand
why artists choose it as a subject.
The view from the Route 148
bridge over the Quaboag is superior.
Of course, I am not a recognized critic so you can take my opinion with a
grain of salt. Certainly, I do not want
to see a colony of artists setting up on
the bridge. So this is just for readers
of The Sturbridge Times Magazine.
Pass it on only to people you can
trust.
Next to the bridge is White’s
Landing. It is a spot where one can
rent a canoe or kayak on the usually
placid river. There is also a café and
occasional entertainment. The place
looks prosperous and I wish them
well.
Still, the prior use of the property
had its own charm. It was called The
Northern Pike, Bait Shop and
Package Store. I cannot see how this
was not a successful niche. There are
a lot of anglers who spend time near
the river shore on the other side of
the bridge. Fishermen (and fisherwomen) are notorious for their consumption of adult beverages.It
seemed a perfect synergy. Alas, it is
no more.
So enjoy the season while you
can, for fall, like the Northern Pike
will be gone in due time.
Robert A. George
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• Estate Planning
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THINGS TO DO
Nov 1. FAMILY-STYLE ITALIAN
DINNER. A Family-Style Italian
Dinner will be served in Fellowship
Hall at the Elm Street Congregational Church in Southbridge, MA.
Dinner is at 5:30 and sponsored by
the Women's Fellowship.
Tickets will be $8 for adults; $4 for
children (5-12) and free for children
under 5. Fellowship Hall is handicap
accessible. Parking is behind the
Town Hall
Nov 1, 6. THE GREEN GABLES
OF ANNE SHIRLEY. Stageloft
Repertory Theater, 450A Main St.,
Sturbridge. Performances are scheduled for: 10 am, noon, 2 pm. Tickets
are $8 all ages. For information and
reservations call 508-347-9005.
Nov 5, 6. JOIN THE CAST OF
THE STURBRIDGE FOLLIES,
which will benefit The REAS
Foundation. Be part of the first annual Sturbridge Follies next March.
Come and join the cast on one of
these two evenings from 7 to 9 p.m.
Rear door. Upstairs. THE STURBRIDGE SENIOR CENTER. Main
Street, Sturbridge.
Nov 7, 30. FIREPLACE FEAST.
Relax by the fire or lend a hand as
your prime rib is roasted in the fireplace using and c.1700 antique roasting jack and chowder is made in an
antique iron cauldron. Take a horse
drawn sleigh or wagon ride. Warm up
with mulled cider or wine. Help
make the apple pie that you will eat
for dessert with an antique apple
peeler. Eat until you can’t eat any
more! Lots of fun for everyone! A
great way to get together with family
and friends. Admission: Adults:
$52.00 Children: under 12, $25.00
SALEM CROSS INN, 260 West
Main St., Route 9 West Brookfield,
MA
Nov 8. JOHN SMALL,
LYDIA
FORTUNE, JEFF CANNON.
Celebrating their new CD release
titled “Live at the Sturbridge
Coffeehouse”. Performing “RoundRobin”-style onstage. Featuring
singer-songwriters and spoken word
poetry 7:00 - 9:00 STURBRIDGE
COFFEEHOUSE, 479 Main Street,
In s p i r a t i o n
Sturbridge
Create Keepsakes
Frame and Protect
Beloved Photos
Cherished Memorabilia
Nov 15.. METRO SAX QUAR-
TET - Rimscha Concert Series
November’s concert, in the series of
Rimscha Concerts, is a performance
by the Metro Sax Quartet starting at
7:30pm on Saturday, November
15th. Presented by St. Anne/St.
Patrick Parish. FREE.
AUTUMN BENEFIT
SOCIAL EVENT: A WINE &
BEER TASTING. Come and sample great wines and beers from
around the corner and around the
world. Taste an array of fine food
from the Chef at Publick House and
Brian Treitman of BTs Smokehouse.
6:30-10:30 p.m. $35.00 per person;
$50.00 per couple. Help The REAS
Foundation. PUBLICK HOUSE
Tap Room & Pineapple Room,
Main Street, Sturbridge.
Nov
New England
Graphics
STURBRIDGE MARKETPLACE
RT. 20 STURBRIDGE
508.347.9655
20.
h
Outstanding Selection
h
Fine Framing
h
Open 7 Days A Week since
Nov 21. MURDER MYSTERY
DINNER. Salem Cross Inn and the
Stageloft Repertory Theater presents Murder Mystery Interactive
Dinner Theater! This time featuring
“The Doo-Wop Murders”. Friday
evening at 6:30pm Show begins
promptly at 7:00pm Advanced ticket sales only. Order tickets online or
call for reservations at 508-8672345. SALEM CROSS INN, Rt. 9,
West Main Street, West Brookfield,
MA 01585.
Scout Can Drive
to help REAS
Boy Scout Troop 161, sponsored
by the Sturbridge Firefighters
Association will conduct a can drive
during the month of November in
support of the REAS Foundation.
The Can drive will run the full
month of November and residents
can drop off their donations at the
collection box at the Sturbridge
Recycling Center or at the community-wide can drive to be held on
Saturday, November 22, 9 am to 1
pm at the Sturbridge Public Safety
Complex at 346 Main Street. Scouts
as well as members of the Sturbridge
Fire Department will be on hand to
collect returnable bottles and cans.
Couple sees positive impact for everyone
from integrated preschool program at Burgess
By Stephanie Richards
Three years ago, Tony and Kelly
Brunetti were ready to move out of
their condo in Charlton and buy a
house. Working full-time in Framingham, the couple came to the area
because it was affordable and fell in
love with its history and surrounding
beauty.
Their son, Tyler, was two years old
at that time and school was the most
important factor in their decision to
relocate. Tyler has hydrocephalus
(water on the brain) where his body
can’t regulate spinal fluid. He also has
Cortical Visual Impairment (deaf/blind) and was recently diagnosed
with a mild case of Cerebral Palsy.
They wanted to find the best school in
the area with services to help Tyler
with his special needs.
After talking to early intervention,
Sturbridge offered the best resources
for Tyler as he would move into a traditional preschool setting. He began
Burgess Elementary at the age of three,
attending five days a week during the
school year and then six weeks in the
summer. “The teachers from the
school came to our house to see Tyler
in his own environment. It made it
easier to relate to him seeing him in
his own surroundings,” Tony said.
As with all parents, Tony and Kelly
were apprehensive about Tyler transitioning to Burgess. “Letting go was and
continues to be hard, because Tyler is
not a typical child. Even though there
are trained teachers and staff, it’s still
difficult. But I don’t know if we have
any more fears than other parents,”
Tony said.
Kelly remembers the concern she
Sturbridge Times Magazine photo by Stephanie Richards
Yes! Sign me up for the 10K Circle of Friends!
___ Enclosed is ___my ___our check for $____________ made
payable to THE REAS FOUNDATION.
___ Contact me/us about volunteer opportunities with the REAS
Foundation.
___ I/we give you permission to list our names in your donor
recognition announcements.
Name________________________________________________
Address______________________________________________
Town___________________________State____Zip__________
Email address____________________Phone________________
Please mail to: REAS Foundation, P.O. Box 737, Fiskdale, MA 01518
or drop off at Village Mobil or Garieri Jewelers in Sturbridge.
Tony, Tyler and Kelly Brunetti
had with Tyler starting at age three.
The couple is pleased with the
“When he started he was three but atmosphere of the classroom as well.
had the functionality level of a 12- to “The classrooms are a warm, inviting
18-month-old and would have to and accepting environment. When
take naps for a short time. But he they do a theme for the week, the
adjusted and we have seen changes, teacher incorporates sign language in
especially from the social aspect. We to coincide with the theme for Tyler.
could not put him in daycare because At the same time, other kids are
of his disabilities, so this was his first learning it too. And Tyler is encourexposure to a classroom with other aged to do better by being with other
kids.”
students,” Tony said.
In the preschool program, oneThe response from staff at Burgess
half of the 92 students have special to Tyler’s needs has been welcoming,
needs, according to Burgess Principal Kelly said. “When Tyler was little, I
Daniel Carlson. Students attend took him to Perkins School for the
two, three or five days a week Blind. Parents would talk about the
depending on their needs and work transition into school and how diffiwith special education staff.
cult it would be to get services. We
During school hours on Monday went to the meeting with notebook
through Thursday, Tyler gets physi- in hand all set to fight. But when we
cal, special, occupational and vision said what we thought he needed in
therapy. But on Fridays, Kelly and terms of services, they didn’t bat an
Tony asked that he would stay in the eye. They were very willing to do
classroom and have time just to play anything to help him.”
and be a kid. “He use to have theraTony and Kelly both recall there
py once a week with early interven- were not many kids with disabilities
tion; now he gets it daily. Physically in the classroom when they were in
he has improved and is walking school and they see how it is a benenow,” Kelly said.
fit for everyone. “I think the integratTHE CHRONICLE OF STURBRIDGE COUNTRY LIVING
ed classroom allows the kids and parents to learn to break down barriers
(in terms of differences),” Kelly said.
“Parents need to talk to their kids.”
As with everything, there are
always areas for improvement.
“There are normal growing pains as
with anything. We were told the
school hadn’t had a deaf/blind child
in 20 years. Communication is the
hardest, especially with Tyler’s capabilities,” Tony said.
Overall, it has been a positive
experience for Tyler. “This community is really good and we haven’t run
into adversity. We know that some
REAS Foundation hits goal
Following are excerpts from a letter by
Thomas Creamer, Executive Director of The
REAS Foundation. To read the entire letter,
go to www.reasfoundation.org. While the
goal has been reached, the 10K Challenge is
still on until November 15, so if you haven’t
yet given to the REAS Foundation, please
help by joining their Circle of Friends. The
need is great. Thank you.
And just like that, its happened.
Four months ago a group of Sturbridge
residents got together and decided to
do something. A little something
based upon a simple premise; local
problems are often best addressed with
local solutions. Certainly not a ground
breaking thought process, yet one that
can be lost to even the most community-minded folks during such turbulent
economic times, where everyone is
struggling to adjust.
These individuals came from all
walks of life, (lawyers, business owners,
bankers, teachers, professional administrators, police officers, CPA’s, moms,
dads, retirees, etc.); yet, they all came
with a common theme — the overwhelming desire to do something
meaningful for the most vulnerable
members of our community, our seniors.
Thus, with little more than high
kids will make fun of him at some
point in time. But so far, most are
very accepting,” Kelly said. “We were
talking to a friend who has a severely
autistic child about the anxiety of
going to birthday parties—if Tyler
was going to be OK—because it can
be uncomfortable. Their child has
never been invited to a party. Tyler
has been invited to several parties
and has been welcomed.”
What advice do Tony and Kelly
have for parents of special needs
children transitioning into school
environments? “Communication is
the key for everyone involved.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions or
put your foot down if necessary,”
Kelly said. “Sometimes you can feel
like you are alone. But, you are not
the only one going through this and
hopes, dedication, and faith in the
community, this group of residents set
out upon uncharted waters to raise
awareness, support, and money. On
July 16, 2008, a press conference was
held to introduce the Residential
Energy Assistance for Seniors (REAS)
Foundation. At that time, they had
$75.00 in a checking account and a
goal to raise $20,000 by November
15th.
By way of two programs, the 10K
Circle of Friends – $10,000 raised by
$10.00 donations from 1000 residents,
and the 10K Circle of Business —
$10,000 raised from business donors,
the group was confident that
Sturbridge would answer the call to
care for its own.
And answer that call — you — the
residents and businesses of Sturbridge
certainly have. As of October 24,
three weeks shy of our November 15th
fundraising deadline, the community
of Sturbridge residents and businesses
have surpassed the $20,000 goal by 3%
with donations still coming in and yet
to be tabulated.
Each of YOU, who have joined the
REAS family, understands well the
importance and necessity of reaching
out to those in need and rallying
around them in common support.
YARDWORKS
Caring for what grows in your yard
By Tom Chamberland, ISA
STURBRIDGE TREE WARDEN
Review of growing season and the fall stages for yard plants
N
ovember is a good time to
take stock in what has happened weather-wise and
plant-growth-wise in our yards. As
seasons change, so do our plants.
As for the weather, we experienced
a very wet and cool spring and summer, with near normal temperatures
and rainfall not occurring until late
August, September and October, the
typical end of our growing season.
Many of you contacted me in
August inquiring about brown leaf
edges and premature leaf drop. Others
inquired about black “tar spots” on
their leaves. Both of these conditions
and others like a white mold on the
leaves are all various forms of fungi,
with common names like maple
anthracnose, tar spot and sooty mold.
These fungi, although they do not
make our plants look nice, do no real
harm, unless the plant is stressed from
other conditions. Our plants are
already in the beginning the stage of
shutting down for the winter during
late August and through September,
and active leaf and twig growth has
stopped.
The best time to treat these fungi
with a fungicide is in the spring, when
we really don’t know we will have a
problem to treat. The best prevention
is now, late fall. Raking up and proper disposal by burying of all leaves will
reduce the over wintering inoculants
of fungi spores for next spring, and if
our weather is more “normal” next
spring the outbreak of these fungi will
be reduced.
If you do want to control the seriousness of these fungi in the spring,
proper timing of the appropriate fungicide is critical. Most fungi have a narrow window of susceptibility to fungicide, which is very weather and temperature dependent. Applying fungicide just two or three days too late or
early, or for that part even at the
wrong time of day, for the particular
fungus will do no good. I would only
consider a fungicide treatment after
several successive years of severe leaf
drop. For more information on fungi
visit: http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.
ultranet/BiologyPages/F/Fungi.html
What other observations can we
make in our yards? How about mulch?
Is the thickness of your mulch in the
beds greater that 4”? If so, you have
too much mulch. Did you know there
are two types of mulching, growing
season mulch and winter season
mulch? Growing season mulch thickness should be no greater than 4”, 3” is
better, and should never be placed so
it is touching or piled high around
woody stem plants, this is often
referred to as “mulch volcanoes”.
These mulch volcanoes and overmulching will cause more fungi to
attack your woody plant stems and can
even damage the bark and cambium
layer causing eventual death to the
plants. Now is a good time to thoroughly rake to loosen the mulch, pull
mulch 3” – 4” away from plant stems,
and pull any weeds before their seed
can fall and set to germinate next
spring.
Winter season mulch, such as
coarse straw hay, hemlock or pine
boughs, and for certain root crops and
bulbs hay or ground leaves is applied
after the ground has frozen to a depth
of two inches. This does not usually
occur until late November, Thanksgiving time or latter. This winter
mulch is used to maintain slightly
frozen soils and stabilize the soil temperatures from the extremes of winter.
Winter mulch is best used around
roses and other flowering shrubs and
some trees that are at their northern
most USDA growing zone. Waiting
until the ground has frozen will discourage mice and moles from taking
up residence near these tender plants.
They will have found other nesting
sites for the winter. Winter mulch
should be removed in the early spring
when daytime temperatures start
reaching 40 degrees. For more information on mulch visit: http://www.gardenguides.com/how-to/tipstechniques/composting/mulch-noframe.asp
For more information on USDA
Growing zones visit: http://landscaping.
about.com/cs/lazy landscaping/
g/zone.htm
Now is not a good time to prune
any woody plant, fungi and mold
spores abound, for these wait until we
have daily high temperatures in the
30’s with nightly freezes, this send the
plants into dormancy and we can then
start out pruning. However now is the
correct time to prune perennial plants.
Remember though that the correct
time to prune flowering shrubs is right
after they have flowered. Spring flowering shrubs have already set their
flower buds for next spring, pruning
them now will reduce their show next
spring. You should only remove broken or extremely long and out of proportion limbs. For more information on
what to fall prune visit: http://gardening.about.com/od/maintenance/a/Fall_P
runing.htm
Noticing brown needle drop from
your evergreen trees and shrubs? This
is normal for this time of year. Just
like deciduous plants shed annual leaf
growth, evergreen plants shed 3 year
and out needle growth. This needle
drop will be more interior to the plant
than the most recent tip growth. For
more information on needle drop visit:
http://utahpests.usu.edu/plantdiseases/ht
m/ornamental/needledrop
Although we rejoice when we
observe the spring awakening of our
plants and the start of the gardening
year, so too should we be observant of
the fall and winter stage and needs of
the plants in our yards too.
THE HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL ADVISER
Your survival guide to flu season
BY THE FACULTY OF
HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL
A REGULAR FEATURE IN
THE STURBRIDGE TIMES
MAGAZINE
Q:
This fall, my company is offering free flu vaccines. I get sick every
winter, but I think I only have bad
colds, not the flu. Should I get the
shot anyway?
A:
When you first start feeling sick,
it can be difficult to tell whether you
have a bad cold or influenza, better
known as the flu. The usual symptoms
of a cold are runny or stuffy nose,
sneezing and sore throat.
But if you’ve got the flu, you’ll know
it soon enough. The symptoms come
on quickly. Most patients have a fever,
sometimes as high as 103 F to 104 F.
Nearly everyone has a runny nose and
sore throat, but unlike ordinary colds,
the flu also produces a hacking, dry
cough. Muscle and joint aches can be
severe. Headache, burning eyes, weakness and extreme fatigue add to the
misery. In most cases, the high fever
and severe distress settle down in two
to five days, but the cough can linger
for a week or two — and the fatigue
even longer.
The most serious — and deadly —
complication is pneumonia. Young
children, senior citizens and people
with chronic illnesses have the greatest risk of this condition. Other complications can include asthma attacks,
ear infections, bronchitis and sinusitis;
inflammation of the heart and nervous
system are rare but dangerous complications. In a typical year, over 200,000
people get so sick that they are admitted to the hospital; about 36,000
Americans die from complications of
the flu.
Influenza is highly contagious. It
spreads on tiny droplets of saliva that
become airborne when someone
sneezes or coughs. That's why it infects
entire families, health care facilities
and other places where people live or
“If you’ve got the flu,
you’ll know it soon
enough. The symptoms
come quickly. Most
patients have a fever,
sometimes as high as
103F to 104F”
work close to each other. The virus
can also be spread by hand-to-hand
contact.
Because different strains of the virus
crop up every year, new outbreaks
occur annually. Most years, the new
strains turn up first in Asia and then
spread around the world. That gives
American scientists a chance to identify the strains and produce new vaccines before the flu bug hits home.
That’s also why you need to get a vaccine every year.
In the United States, October and
November are the ideal months to get
the vaccine. Immunization can reduce
your risk of catching the flu by up to 80
percent. That's a big benefit, but nearly half of the people who need protection the most don’t get it. If supplies
are sufficient, nearly everyone older
than six months should get a vaccine
this fall; people who are highly allergic
to eggs are among the few exceptions.
Protection is particularly important for
people who fall into one of these categories:
— Children ages 6 months to 4
years old
— Adults age 50 and older
— Women likely to be pregnant
during flu season
— People who have asthma,
emphysema, diabetes, heart or kidney
conditions or other chronic diseases
— People who take medications
that impair the immune system
— Health care providers, childcare
providers and people who live in
health care facilities.
Whether you opt for immunization,
a few simple precautions can help protect you and your family. Start by
washing your hands often. Alcoholbased hand rubs and gels are best. Look
for one containing 60 percent to 95
percent isopropanol or ethanol.
Ordinary soap and water will also help.
It's not necessary to use very hot water
or antibacterial soaps. Wash carefully
after contact with people who have
flu-like symptoms.
— Keep your distance. The flu is
most contagious within 3 feet of someone who has it. If your community is
hard-hit this winter, try to minimize
the time you spend in crowded spaces.
— Take steps to protect others.
Don't go to work or school if you have
the flu. Use a tissue to cover your
mouth when you sneeze or cough, and
dispose of it properly. Wear a mask if
you have to get near other people.
While you may not have had the flu
in the past few years, it's nothing to
sneeze at. Influenza is a serious infection. Get an immunization each fall,
and take simple precautions to protect
yourself and your family during flu season. And if you do get sick, ask your
doctor about the prescription drugs
that can speed recovery if they're started soon enough.
Copyright 2008 the President and
Fellows of Harvard College.
COUNTRY PRIMITIVES
Integrated preschool program
you won’t be the last. It helps to talk
with other parents of special needs
children.”
There is an outlet to do just that
in the Assist Special Kids-Parent
Advisory Council (ASK-PAC). “We
provide an environment for parents
to come discuss their issues and concerns, get useful information and
receive support,” said Jen Hermann,
ASK-PAC Coordinator for the last
four years. “The more information
parents can get the better. The goal
is to have a parent walk away from a
meeting with a golden nugget that is
useful in their child’s education.”
Mandated by the state, PAC
groups are separate organizations
that report to the school district.
However, Hermann said not
every district has a group like
Tantasqua. Thus, parents have
attended the group from not only
Sturbridge but surrounding communities like Charlton, Spencer,
Dudley and even Holden.
ASK-PAC meetings, which
are free and open to anyone
interested, are held on a monthly basis from 7 to 9 p.m. at
Rehabilitation Resources, 1
DON’T BUY TIL YOU SEE US!
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Giant Toy & Bike Sale
Layaway for Christmas.
140 Main Street, Spencer, MA
508-885-9343
OPEN DAILY 10 - 9 • Sun. 12 -
Picker Road, Sturbridge. The
next meeting will focus on stress
management for parents of special needs children and will be
held on Wednesday, November
12. For more information, contact Herrmann at 774.277.0254
or email AdvocateHelp
Please patronize our
advertisers
and tell them
you saw their ad
in
The Sturbridge Times
Magazine
Thanks!
Lessons Available
Violins, Mandolins, Guitars,
Keyboards, Drums and Banjos
Sales and Service available
THE
FIDDLE
CENTER
300 East Main St (Rt.
9)
East Brookfield
508-867-6600
Southbridge’s Center of Hope goes postal
For the past 52 years, the Southern Worcester
County ARC, Inc. (SWCARC) has been helping
thousands of the area’s disabled citizens make
strides in their own lives.
SWCARC’s Center of Hope, located at One
North Street, Southbridge, offers a wide range of
services that are tailored to meet the needs of individuals who have significant physical and medical
needs and mental retardation.
The Center operates several businesses around
town which help special needs folks get work experience, including a used book store (Books &
Beans, 15 Hamilton Street), an auto detailing business that offers service at a fraction of the conven-
tional cost (Just the Details, 100 Foster Street), as
well as a landscaping business (Yards of Hope) and
its recently-opened pack and ship business, titled
“Honest Town Postal Center,” located at 12 Crane
Street (rear entrance).
Tantasqua grad, Marty Currie (’98), is the manager of the Center of Hope’s latest venture. “We
pack and ship through Fedex and USPS,” says
Marty, “And we rent private mailboxes that are
accessible daily from 7:00 a.m. to midnight.”
Marty is quick to describe the relative benefits of
renting a post office box at Honest Town. “We
offer a call-in service so we can save you a trip in
case there isn’t anything in your post office box.”
The accessible hours are also a relative benefit.
The Center will pack your packages for free
(delicate items excluded).
Marty has worked with the Center of Hope for
eight years and describes its biggest advantage as
being the opportunity to see employees develop
skills that bring them to employment situations
they might not otherwise have attained.
Honest Town Postal Service is at 12 Crane Street,
located downstairs. Park in back and walk in. Hours:
M-F 10-6, Sat. 10-2. Fedex pickup for Express packages is 4:00 M-F, noon on Sat. Fedex Ground pickup
is 5:00 M-F, with no pickup on Sat. Telephone number is: 508.764.5300.
A DELIGHTFUL PLACE TO ENJOY THE ARTS, FINE COFFEES, DINING, DESSERTS & FRIENDS
DUCT CLEANING
Single System
$265.95
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PDF - Sturbridge Times Magazine

Transcription

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