Fire Training at the Frigate

on March 13, 2014

There was a lot of action at the old Frigate Restaurant on Monday evening. The Marion Fire Department held a fire training drill at 6:30 pm, with three engine trucks, a ladder truck and an ambulance standing by. Approximately twenty fire department personnel and Emergency Medical Technicians took part. The drill lasted two hours.

Fire barrels were placed in the building and were filled with hay, which was then ignited. The ladder truck pulled up to the building and cut three holes in the roof above the area with the most fire and smoke. “We cut a hole in the location over the fire which dissipates the heat and smoke,” said Deputy Chief Joe Dayton, who organized the drill.

The fire department personnel put on their breathing apparatus and followed each other, in a line formation, into the building. “It was dark and there was smoke everywhere,” said Tom Nye, who took part in the drill.

“We follow the person in front of us,” said Dayton. The team of firefighters had two chances to rotate through the building. Portable fire extinguishers were also used. According to Daton, the breathing apparatus unit lasts approximately thirty minutes and then has to be refilled with 4500 pounds of compression.

“The drill was excellent and we were lucky to have the owner of the property allow us to come in and practice,” said Nye. “For some of the younger department members, this was their first chance to have this kind of practice.”

“We are very pleased with how the drill went,” said Dayton, who plans to interview each department member on how they thought it went and to solicit suggestions for future drill ideas.

By Joan Hartnett-Barry

Boys’ Basketball Knocked Out of Tournament

on March 13, 2014

Here is a look at the thirteenth and final week of scheduled games for ORR winter athletics.

Boys’ Basketball: The ORR basketball team has seen a great deal of success this season. After narrowly losing the SCC title to rival Wareham, the Bulldogs kept their heads up and received the top seed for the Division 3 South tournament. Then, after a first-round bye, they won their first playoff game in over a decade against Joseph Burke High School. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs could not find success in the South Sectional Semifinal, where they ended their season with a loss to Westport, 57-55, in a hard-fought nail-biter.

The game got off to a strong start for the Bulldogs, who jumped out of the gate to an 8-2 lead. Things began to deteriorate from there, as the Bulldogs were plagued by over a dozen turnovers in the first half alone. Turnovers and a strong Westport defense made it difficult for the Bulldogs to capitalize on any offensive drives. By the close of the first quarter, ORR was trailing 20-11, and by the end of the half, 33-24.

A large crowd, who traveled up to Taunton to cheer on ORR, watched anxiously as the Bulldogs came out in the second half, hoping that they could narrow the Westport lead. The Bulldogs delivered, going on an incredible 14-0 run to take a five-point lead, thanks largely to senior Paul Graves, who scored two three-pointers to lead the Bulldog run. ORR maintained the lead, and at the close of the third quarter, the game was a close 46-40 in ORR’s favor.

A tense fourth-quarter matchup ensued. ORR and Westport continually countered each other’s shots, and ORR held a slight 53-50 lead with half a quarter to play. Unfortunately, Westport scored a big three-pointer as well as a pivotal layup that would put the Bulldogs behind. ORR was never able to fully recover. With the loss, the Bulldogs were knocked out of the tournament. It was the last high school game for seniors Haydon Bergeron, Jeremy Bare, Robby Magee, Ryan Simcoe, Jack Smith, Mikey Pruchnik, and Graves.

With the boys’ basketball loss, the winter season has officially ended for ORR. ORR notched two SCC championships this winter, thanks to girls’ track and boys’ ice hockey. Athletes will now be looking to spring sports, which begin on March 17.

Below are the final overall winter team records, followed by the conference records in wins, losses, and ties as of March 9.

Boys’ Basketball: (17-5-0) (13-4-0); Girls’ Basketball: (6-15-0) (6-10-0); Boys’ Track (6-2-0) (5-2-0); Girls’ Track (8-0-0) (7-0-0); Boys’ Swimming: (1-7-0) (1-7-0); Girls’ Swimming: (4-2-0) (4-2-0); Hockey: (13-10-0) (9-1-0).

By Michael Kassabian

Parent Volunteers Speak Up at Center School

on March 13, 2014

On March 5, I had the pleasure of meeting with a handful of parent volunteers at Center School in Mattapoisett. Melanie Vandal, Shannon Giumetti, Monika Whalley, Pamela Souza, Barbara Pepin, and Erin Moreau all made time to meet with me first thing that Wednesday morning. As a mother myself, I have always been curious about what takes place inside the walls of our children’s schools, and who better to shed a little light on the subject than a group of women who spend an abundant amount of time there? These women also give the often unrecognized gifts of patience and compassion to our children and our community.

Melanie began by introducing herself as a mother of two and a volunteer at the school for the past two years. Before that time, she had volunteered at East Fairhaven School. Her reasons for getting involved were that she “wanted to get to know the teachers and the kids as well.” She has enjoyed learning about who her children gravitate towards in school, and has also found that it’s helpful at parent-teacher conferences to have already established a relationship: That way they can get right down to the nitty-gritty.

Shannon spoke up next about her experience with volunteering, saying that she moved to Mattapoisett before her son, Ben, started kindergarten. “He’s my only child. He’s the sole reason I wanted to volunteer.” She found that Center School welcomed her with open arms and now, with her son in 3^rd grade, she has made quite a name for herself as a dedicated contributor to the school. “I do it because I can. Volunteering is my life, and I love it.”

Pamela became involved when her daughter started kindergarten as well. “I felt like I knew nothing. I wanted to see how the teachers interacted and see who the kids were. And when you volunteer, you get to know the moms. You get to pick their brains.”

The moms chatted a bit about the principal, Mrs. Rose Bowman. Words such as “fantastic” were used, and Monika claimed that “she’s not a principal, she’s a fairy!”

Monika began volunteering when her eldest daughter started kindergarten at Rogers School in Fairhaven. “I grew up in Europe, and it’s a very different school system there.” Monika said that she wanted to learn more about the school system that her children would be attending and at one point vividly remembers reading somewhere about “recess” and thinking “what is recess?” Her family moved to Mattapoisett at the beginning of this school year, and since then she has been a part of Center School.

Barbara started volunteering when her grandsons began school. She has helped a second grade class to make a quilt that they then donated to the women’s shelter in New Bedford. She’s also taught the children how to make apple-dolls by peeling apples, cutting faces into them, and dipping them in lemon juice and letting them shrivel up for two weeks. Then it’s time to dress them up with outfits made with fleece, felt, fur, feathers and beads. These particular apple-dolls were made to represent either Native Americans or Pilgrims, and even little bonnets were made. “The kids love it. Even the boys. I let them sew on my sewing machine.”

Erin, a mother of three, likes to come in and help with reading and writing. She says that “it’s very fulfilling to volunteer. The children feel very valued.” She says her own children are very proud to have her there and that it’s very important to them. She interlaced her fingers and explained that that she believes that volunteering really helps mesh the community and the school together.

Pamela laughed about a time when she was talking with her family about going back to work, and her daughter’s reaction was “can you not? I want you to keep coming into school.”

Monika shared a sweet story about a time when she was volunteering in the library and a little boy came to check out a book. Unfortunately, he already had three books out and that was the limit. He explained that he had just brought the books back, but had put them on the wrong shelf. Monika told the boy that next time he should bring the books right to her because she needed to let the computer know that the books have been returned. The boy leaned right up to the computer and said loudly “Computer, I brought my books back!” All the moms agreed that the kids make them laugh all the time.

I asked how parents who are not volunteers can be more involved. The ladies agreed that by asking their kids specific questions, parents will find out more about what’s really happening in school, rather than a shrugged off “my day was fine.” Questions about whom they sat next to at lunch, or what the worst thing was that day, or asking about the curriculum. Teachers are also a good source of information, and they seem to really encourage communication via phone or email. The moms agreed that email is great. Melanie added that “knowledge is power. You have to be involved.”

I was left with a sense that these women experience fulfillment and joy on a regular basis coming into the school. Not to say that it isn’t draining at times. Sometimes the work that they do is more of the brunt work, which allows the teachers the ability to focus on the children and the curriculum. Sometimes the kids test the limits, and the moms need to establish boundaries.

The work these ladies do is not often broadcasted into the community, and it feels good to acknowledge them and show some appreciation and thanks. They are the glue that keeps the school solid. I also could not have conducted this interview were it not for the brilliant organizational skills of Center School’s front desk woman, Laurie. (I’m leaving off her last name because she did not want to give it to me, saying she didn’t need recognition, but I think she does.)

All in all, it was a lovely and informative morning and I’m happy to have learned as much as I did about the role these women play in Center School. We are fortunate to have them looking out for our kids!

By Sarah Taylor

Tariq B. Johnson

on March 13, 2014

Tariq B. Johnson, 15, of Wareham died March 11, 2014 at Tufts Medical Center after a lifelong courageous battle.

Born in Boston, the son of Richard and Donna (Offley) Johnson of Wareham, he lived in Wareham most of his life.

He was a member of Onset Four Square Church.

Tariq was an eight grade student at Wareham Middle School and the mayor of Tufts Floating 7.

He was a member of the Wareham Boys and Girls Club. Tariq was a published author, artist, poet, writer and designer.

Survivors include his parents; 2 of his very special friends, Sarah Darsch and Laureen Decas; 6 siblings, Richard Townsend of Nevada, Nicole Sanches and her husband Jah of Wareham, Tahlon Johnson of Marshfield, Rhondelle Offley of Wareham, Bradley Johnson and his wife Briana of Fairhaven and DeVay Cardoza of Wareham; his great-grandmother, Pauline Faria of Wareham; his maternal grandfather, Warren Offley of Taunton; 2 nieces, Amiaya Townsend and Dejá Townsend, both of Arizona; his nephew, Bradrick Sanches of Wareham; his biological parents, Tony Smith and Patricia Sanchez of Boston; his biological maternal grandmother, Cynthia Sanchez of Middleboro; his biological paternal grandparents, Mattie Johnson of Florida and Willie Smith of Boston; many aunts, uncles and cousins.

He was the brother of the late Tahj Smith and grandson of the late Robert and Ann (Barros) Monteiro, William Sanchez and Douglas and Caroline Johnson.

His Funeral Service will be held on Monday at 10 AM in the Emmanuel Church of the Nazarene, 6 Rogers Ave. Wareham. Burial will follow in St. Michael’s Cemetery in Boston. Visiting hours Sunday from 2 – 7 PM in the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home For Funerals, 50 County Rd. (Rt. 6) Mattapoisett. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to The Hole In The Wall Gang Camp Fund, 555 Long Wharf Dr., New Haven, CT 06511. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

Mattapoisett Free Public Library

on March 12, 2014

Dr. Who Night! The excitement is building for the library’s first Dr. Who Night! Join other fans on Friday, March 14 from 4:00 to 6:30 pm to watch episodes of Dr. Who. Enjoy lots of Dr. Who talk and snacks. Bring your friends. Make Dr. Who buttons on our new button machine. Everyone is welcome.

Saturday with Sadie: Sadie, the listening ears dog, will be here this Saturday, March 15, along with her handlers so that children can read to her. She loves books, and this month she’s waiting to hear And Then It’s Spring by Julie Fogliano. Children who are 5 years old and older may sign up to read. Please call 508-758-4171 to register your child, as there is a limit of ten children.

There’s Still Time to go on a Blind Date with a Book: Blind dates are waiting to be checked out! Stop in the Reading Room and take a chance on a “blind date book.” You will know the genre, but not the title or the author. Give one a try and rate your “date” for a chance at one of three prizes to be awarded on St. Patrick’s Day. The prizes are an iTunes gift card, movie gift certificates, and a gift certificate to Nick’s Pizza.

Spring Story Time Series: Registration for the spring story times for toddlers and preschoolers begins Tuesday, March 18. The series begins the week of April 1. Call the children’s department at 508-758-4171 to register.

Women’s History Month Display: Stop by the circulation desk area to see the new display on books related to women’s history. Any of the selections may be checked out. Biographies, women’s anthologies, and history titles are available.

911 Thank You

on March 12, 2014

Dear Editor,

I want to publicly thank Sergeant Richard B. Nighelli of the Marion Police Department for his help in resolving an address issue regarding calling 911. When you call 911, both the police and fire department see an address, to which they immediately respond.

My home had an address that was very similar to another address in town. I live on Briggs Lane and the property was confused with a similar number on Briggs Lane Court.

Besides having Scott’s Lawn Service fertilize my lawn (twice), I have had furniture deliveries, UPS deliveries, FedEx deliveries and other confusions regarding the two, very similar addresses. My home was the first one they encountered, so they came here. (I was tempted to look at the furniture, but I am an honest person.)

I worked with the town and asked for a new address, which was granted. However, the same issue regarding GPS location persisted and continued inaccurate deliveries came to my door.

My concern, after thinking about this confusion between the two addresses, was what would happen if I, or someone in my family, had to call 911.

I sought help with the Marion Police Department, and Sergeant Nighelli and I had several ‘trial’ 911 calls to see which address came up on the line. Over and over it came up with the old address. But, Mr. Nighelli continued to work with me and Verizon on the issue.

Finally, success! I called a test 911 call last evening and Sergeant Nighelli told me that the correct address came up on the monitor. Yeah!

Thank you.

Joan Hartnett-Barry

Marion, MA

The views expressed in the “Letters to the Editor” column are not necessarily those of The Wanderer, its staff or advertisers. The Wanderer will gladly accept any and all correspondence relating to timely and pertinent issues in the great Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester area, provided they include the author’s name, address and phone number for verification. We cannot publish anonymous, unsigned or unconfirmed submissions. The Wanderer reserves the right to edit, condense and otherwise alter submissions for purposes of clarity and/or spacing considerations. The Wanderer may choose to not run letters that thank businesses, and The Wanderer has the right to edit letters to omit business names. The Wanderer also reserves the right to deny publication of any submitted correspondence.

Judge Issues Decision of Solar Farm Lawsuit

on March 12, 2014

The judge presiding over the case of a Marion couple suing the Marion Zoning Board of Appeals for denying them a permit to build a solar farm has issued a decision ordering the ZBA to define “light manufacturing,” the foundation for the board’s denial of the permit.

Judge Alexander H. Sands wrote in his February 6 decision that “…the ZBA decision [to deny the permit] did not describe how a solar farm would fall under the category of ‘light manufacturing.’”

Light manufacturing is described in the Town’s zoning bylaw as “fabrication, assembly, processing, finishing work or packaging.”

The ZBA denied the permit because light manufacturing is not permitted in residential zones.

“…Provided that the ZBA can justify that a solar energy farm is ‘light manufacturing’ under the Bylaws,” wrote Judge Sands, “I find that the ZBA Decision, which maintains the division between commercial solar energy systems and residential accessory solar energy uses, is reasonable and does not violate [the law].” After the remand, Judge Sands will make a final judgment on the case.

Dale and Laura Briggs own 512 County Road and reside at the abutting property. On September 4, 2012, Building Commissioner Scott Shippey denied the Briggs’ application to construct a 3,520 panel “solar energy system” on the 5.93 acre lot because the bylaw at the time only provided for an accessory use of a solar installation within a residential zone.

“I cannot approve something not in the bylaw,” said Shippey during an interview on March 7. “If it’s not in the bylaw it’s not allowed.”

When the Briggs appealed Shippey’s decision to the ZBA, on February 22, 2013 the board denied the appeal and upheld Shippey’s decision, citing that the bylaw only permits solar energy facilities as an “accessory use to otherwise permitted residential and non-residential uses.”

The board’s decision stated, “The development of a commercial solar energy facility is, accordingly, prohibited within the Town’s Residential Zoning Districts.”

Subsequent amendments to the bylaw regulating solar energy facilities were approved by Town Meeting back in October 2013, and received approval by the Attorney General’s office, with recommendations, according to Shippey.

Shippey said the Attorney General cited Massachusetts General Law Chapter 40A Section 3, which prohibits the “unreasonable regulation” of solar energy installations.

“That’s where it gets sketchy,” said Shippey. “But our bylaw is not really unreasonable.”

Section 16.11 of the amended bylaw specifically states that a ground-mounted solar farm is allowed in a residential district with a minimum of three contiguous acres, complies with the required setbacks, including 100 feet from the nearest property line, with a maximum structure height of eight feet. The Planning Board is the special permit-granting authority for solar energy facilities, as stated in the amended bylaw.

As to whether or not there could ever be a solar farm at 512 County Road, Shippey said that only if the plans meet the requirements under the bylaw could it ever come to fruition.

“We really won’t know if they’ll be allowed until it goes back to the court and they make a ruling,” said Shippey. “I can’t speak for the board. I can’t speak for the judge.”

The Briggs property where they planned to construct the solar facility is described in the judge’s decision as “a wooded area and [also] partially screened in areas that will be visible.”

The Wanderer made several attempts by phone to reach Dale Briggs for a comment, but he did not return our calls.

The ZBA was set to discuss the judge’s remand during its meeting on March 6, but the attorney for the Briggs requested a continuance until April 3.

By Jean Perry

Soy Butter Sandwiches for Lunch

on March 12, 2014

After the April school vacation, the kitchen area of the Rochester Memorial School cafeteria will go peanut-free. Director of Food Services Caitlin Meagher said the peanut butter sandwiches provided to students through the school lunch program will change to WOWBUTTER® sandwiches, a substitute peanut butter made from non-GMO soy.

“I could not tell the difference,” said Principal Derek Medeiros.

Meagher said the soy butter costs a bit more than regular peanut butter, but since the cafeteria sells on average only about two peanut butter sandwiches a day, the increase would not be significant.

“We’re not saying that students can’t bring peanut butter from home,” stated Meagher. “We just won’t be using it in the kitchen.”

Meagher said keeping peanuts out of the kitchen area would eliminate the threat of cross contamination, a concern for some of the parents of children at Rochester Memorial who have severe peanut allergies.

“I think it sounds like a great idea,” Chairperson Michelle Cusolito told Meagher. “Thank you for being so responsive to the families’ requests.”

The cafeteria already has designated “peanut-free” tables for students allergic to peanuts.

Meagher also updated committee members on the status of delinquent lunch accounts and brought to the committee’s attention that a formal policy for dealing with overdue balances was never officially adopted.

“Oh,” said Cusolito, surprised. “I thought we actually approved that decision.”

Superintendent Doug White confirmed that, although there had been discussion over providing a substitute lunch to students with overdue accounts and a policy was drafted in the past, the process was stalled at one point and then never followed through.

The committee agreed to put the matter on next month’s agenda, and Meagher said she still has a copy of the draft that she would forward to committee members in the meantime.

The lunch staff at Rochester Memorial has been preparing new menu item ideas and providing samples to the students in an attempt to make the lunch program more appealing to the kids and, according to Meagher, with some success so far.

The lunch staff has started preparing their own pickles and making more foods and soups from scratch. Recently, some students were given samples of a pulled pork recipe, which Meagher said was a hit.

“My son is a big fan of the pulled pork sandwich,” said one parent in attendance. “He even asked me, ‘Mom, can you make this?’”

School lunch participation has been trending upward over the past few months, up to 41% in January 2014.

Fiscal year 2015 budget discussion was put on hold for now to allow School Budget Subcommittee members to meet with the faculty and staff at Rochester Memorial School for their feedback on the latest draft budget.

The next Rochester School Committee meeting is scheduled for April 3 at 6:30 pm at Rochester Town Hall. The public hearing for the FY15 budget will also take place on April 3. The public is welcome to attend and participate in budget discussions.

Nutritional information on WOWBUTTER® is available at http://www.soybutter.com/nutrition-facts-soybutter.html.

By Jean Perry

Grant Writer Position Faces the Chopping Block

on March 12, 2014

The grant writer position could be eliminated completely from the fiscal year 2015 budget, if the Marion Finance Committee gets its way.

Development Specialist Pamela Marean is paid $30,600 annually to research available grant opportunities and, with the assistance of Town department heads, write proposals and apply for any grants that would benefit the Town.

“While we were hopeful that this expense would more than pay for itself, that has not proven to be the case over the past few years,” states a February 28 FinCom memorandum addressed to the selectmen. “This has been confirmed in discussions with [Town Administrator Paul] Dawson.”

Marean says it is not her fault, and she defended herself during a special Board of Selectmen meeting arranged for the sole purpose of discussing the FinCom memo.

She said she cannot be successful in her duties all on her own, and that she relies on the field expertise of the department heads while seeking out grants for which the Town may be eligible.

“I haven’t had cooperation from that end,” Marean told selectmen. “I don’t hear back and I follow up and I don’t hear back and I assume they’re not interested.”

Finance Director Judith Mooney defended other department heads, saying, “We try to tell you what we’re looking for. What we want specifically.” Mooney added that there was discussion about offering Marean an office space at the Town House and office hours one day a week to foster better communication for the grant writing process, but that has not yet happened.

Mooney said Marean needed to learn more about what each department head’s specific duties are so that Marean knows where to turn for the information she needs to go after specific grants.

Mooney pointed out that for much of the time Marean has been employed, she confused the treasurer with the finance director.

“It definitely needs that communication and the follow-up from that end,” said Mooney. “As a department head, we’ve tried to communicate what we’re looking for. We’ve tried to convey what we do.”

During a follow-up interview, Marean said she feels she has more than paid for her salary in grant monies she helped the Town acquire – to the tune of $1,019,000 over just about two years on the job. She said she works 20 hours per week as Marion’s grant writer.

“I research for hours and hours each week looking for grants to apply to,” she said. “One of the problems with the job right now is I’m not getting any feedback.” She said the only way she can do her job better is if other town employees work with her.

After the meeting, Dawson said the number of grants the Town has acquired since Marean began her employment has remained steady and has not increased significantly.

“Department heads did and still do apply for grants,” said Dawson. “I’d say grants have not changed significantly since we created the position.”

Selectman Jonathan Henry argued that the selectmen have not been included in the budget process up to this point, adding that the selectmen might not agree with FinCom’s recommendations at all.

“When do we get involved with the thought process?” asked Henry. “I mean, it is the Selectmen’s budget.”

Historically, this is just how it has always been done, stated Dawson.

“I don’t want to just blindly walk into a budget reduction,” said Selectman Stephen Cushing. ”It’s obvious we’ve had some success,” adding that perhaps some people have expected immediate success from Marean instead of giving her some time to establish herself and show results.

“There’s really not a hell of a lot more to cut,” said Henry, in response to Chairman Jonathan Dickerson’s emphasis that, for years, the Town has been maintaining a level-service budget. “Does it make sense to cut off our nose to spite our face?” asked Henry.

The Board of Selectmen voted to attend the next Finance Committee meeting on March 12 to discuss cutting the grant writer position from the budget. In the memorandum, Finance Committee Chairman Alan Minard wrote that the committee is shooting to have a completed FY15 budget approved by March 12.

By Jean Perry

On a Mission in Mattapoisett

on March 12, 2014

Spatters of afternoon sun shone through the tall panes of glass this past Sunday, and the golden light from the windows, together with the joyful smiles of the people inside preparing a meal together and singing hymns, seemed to make the room glow with an almost heavenly light.

Several members of the Mattapoisett Congregational Church were gathered together to feed each other both physically and spiritually during a “Loaves and Fishes” experience at one of their weekly meetings preparing for a special week-long mission to Appalachia on June 21.

Led by the Reverend Amy Lignitz Harken, 28 people will travel to Cherry Log, Georgia in southern Appalachia, to bring food, books, and cultural enrichment to the children of rural Appalachia.

“That’s an area of the country that has a lot of need,” said Pastor Amy. “And it’s a distance away and going to another culture, which heightens the mission experience.”

They will assist the Craddock Center in Cherry Log in establishing their “Road Show” program, aimed at engaging young people in cultural and educational activities during the summer months and also providing federally-subsidized lunches to the children of low-income communities.

“This is the first full-blown mission trip that we’ve done in several years,” said Pastor Amy. “And we’re hoping to make it an annual tradition.”

Inspired by the fishes and loaves story from the Bible, this particular meeting on March 9 was a way for the group to experience the abundance of that story, as Pastor Amy described it before joining the group, who were already seated in a circle to talk about the meaningfulness of working together.

Pastor Amy asked the group, besides traveling to Appalachia to bring books and build bookshelves, what other blessings would they be providing, and what types of blessings would they be receiving?

“These people are going to know that somebody else out there cares for them,” said Claire Keene.

Cindy Johnson recalled when she and her husband Jerry traveled to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, calling it a life-changing experience. She remembered how it enhanced her sense of closeness with others, as well as with her husband.

“The closeness of being in a relationship,” said Johnson. “Not only with the folks … but with each other.”

Fifth-grader Maggie Berry believes that the people in Appalachia, although they are poor, after the mission “they’ll be rich.”

“Rich in spirit,” agreed Drew Nahigyan.

“That was one of the best feelings I ever had,” said Lauren Keene, remembering when he went on an adult literacy mission and helped a young man whose only wish was to be able to take his girlfriend to Friendly’s and read the menu. “And finally he was able to take his girlfriend to Friendly’s,” said Keene. “What came back to me was amazing.” He said, for the feeling he got from helping just one person, he would actually walk the whole way to Appalachia.

The congregation is trying hard to raise funding to cover the cost of the supplies and travel expenses for the trip, and have held a number of fundraisers so far to reach their goal of $15,000.

Their next fundraiser, a Bluegrass and Folk concert, will be held on March 15 at 7:00 pm at the Congregational Church Hall. Tickets are $12 for general admission, $10 for students, and $25 for a family.

Featured will be the groups “Gravel Road” and “David Dunn, Dick Derry, and Friends,” and all proceeds will benefit the mission trip to Cherry Log. Tickets are available at the door, or can be reserved in advance by calling the Church Office at 508-758-2671 or by emailing ggrosart@aol.com. Donations to the Mission Program are graciously accepted.

Going on the mission trip to Appalachia are: Pastor Amy; Freemin Bauer; Maggie and Pattie Berry; Ali Caine; David, Diana, and Griffin Dunn; Megan and Kim Field; Sue and Gary Grosart; Claire and Bruce Harken; Lori and Greg Howes; Claire and Lauren Keene; Elizabeth, Lucy, and Rebecca Milde; Drew and Nancy Nahigyan; and Suzanne and Noah Perdigao.

By Jean Perry