Since 2009, Mattapoisett resident William Huggins has been battling colon cancer.  He was first diagnosed when he was 37 and was treated successfully.  But the cancer came back and metastasized, spreading to his liver, and quickly advancing to Stage IV.  There is no Stage V.

As a result, Huggins under went extensive surgery during which 75% of his liver was removed.  He is now living back at home with his family and is slowly recovering.

 “His surgeries are done, his chemo is done.  It’s a relief,” said Huggins’ wife, Michelle.

Fighting cancer is more about having great doctors.  The community that surrounds a family dealing with the disease is just as vital for the well-being of those affected.

“Our friends and family, this whole community has really wrapped their arms around us, taken care of us, and helped us in so many ways,” she said.

One of those supporters is BAM Foundation, Inc., which works to raise money to donate to local people like the Huggins family, who received aid from the group.

Cancer is expensive to treat and the peripheral costs are numerous.

“You have to pay for gas, you have to pay the bills, child care, co-pays.  It all adds up really fast,” she said.

BAM was founded by Alycia Halle, a breast cancer survivor and family friend of the Huggins clan.  One hundred percent of the proceeds raised by BAM go to South Coast families.

So as a gesture of thanks, the Huggins family has helped organize the upcoming Freezin’ For A Reason polar plunge on January 1, 2013.

“We felt it was our responsibly to pay it forward to other people who have reached out to embrace our family and helped so much,” said Huggins.

The plunge, to which many local businesses have donated goods or services, will serve to raise money for BAM so that another South Coast family may feel some financial relief.

“We think her organization is great.  There are a lot of people out there locally who are dealing with the same stuff.”

Huggins said they aren’t requiring people to donate a specific amount, but will have a contribution jar at the plunge.  They have worked with many local businesses, which are donating food, drinks, and t-shirts.  She said she expects about 300 people to attend.

“The turn-out is going to be astronomical.  It’s a great way to start off the new year.”

For more information on the Freezin’ For A Reason polar plunge, visit the BAM Foundation, Inc. Facebook page.

By Eric Tripoli

The boom in energy efficiency technology has been steadily progressing despite the world’s resistance to upgrading to a greener standard.  It isn’t as easy as putting some solar panels on the roof or turning down the heat.  Municipalities, especially, have been hard-pressed to “go green” in an effort to save taxpayer dollars that could be diverted to other things.

For the Tri-Town, the age of the facilities is a big determining factor in how to update their energy systems.  The other factor is money.  While there are many municipal programs out there for towns to consider in order to get funding for such projects, the costs can still be high.

Then there is the case of Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School in Rochester.  The school, which was built in the 1970s, recently underwent a renovation of the climate control and infrastructure equipment.

The installation of a new roof-top heating and ventilation systems coupled with a high-efficiency boiler help maintain better control of the temperature of the building.  The school also installed more energy-efficient lighting to reduce the use of electricity.

There is even a solar panel array on the roof, which directly generates some electricity for the building.

“The 3.3 kilowatt photovoltaic array is used primarily for educational purposes. Power produced is fed directly to the main supply for use in the facility,” said Melanie Boulay Becker, a representative from Trane, the company that designed the renovations.  “The upgrades at Old Colony High School have cut their energy consumption by 50%,”

While the renovations to Old Colony were extensive, they were achieved without increasing taxes or tapping town coffers.

According to Boulay, the upgrades were paid for by a special tax-exempt municipal lease.  The money to pay for the lease is taken directly from the energy savings provided by the new equipment.  This style of “performance contract” allows public schools to use future operational and energy savings to fund these projects, rather than requiring the schools to pay a large amount up front.

By Eric Tripoli

December 3 was warmer than expected for this time of year so Dan White of Mattapoisett decided to take advantage of the balmy temperatures and brought his four Scottish Terriers to Washburn Park in Marion for a walk.

They had spent many an afternoon previous strolling the paths around the park and White decided to let the four dogs off their leashes.  They usually stick close to him.

“It’s always there in the back of your mind.  I knew something could happen if I let them run free,” White said.

As he and the dogs moved down a path, two of them became distracted and ran.

“Bella and Angus took off.  I went to go grab them.  Mosley stayed with me.”

When White finally caught up to the other two dogs, the oldest of the quartet, Hasty, was nowhere to be found.

He secured his other three dogs to their leashes and began searching the grounds for the missing pup.

“I went all around there, every path I could remember.  I was scared and I was reluctant to call my wife.  But when I did, she came down and brought me a flashlight,” he said.

White was joined by his daughter, Ashley, and her husband, John.  The group continued the search until about 8:30 pm but did not find Hasty.

At home, White began to come to terms with the reality before him.

“I was thinking I had lost my dog.  ‘I can’t believe I don’t have her.  She’s gone,’” he said.  “That was when it really hit me that I may have lost her.”

Hasty, the smallest of the four dogs, also suffered from a condition known as “Scottie Cramp” which causes spasms in the legs, making running difficult.

“She’s the most defenseless of all my dogs,” White said.

The next morning, he went back before sunrise to continue searching for his lost dog.  After two hours of looking, White decided to knock on doors around the area in an effort to spread the word about Hasty.

“That’s when I went to the horse farm up there next to Washburn Park,” he said.  “I didn’t think she was alive.  I was just going to let them know as a formality.

White was met by Laura DeCosta, one of the custodians of the horses at the stables.  “You mean you didn’t get her back yet?” she asked.  “She was here yesterday.  One of our riders brought her in.  Your dog is safe.”

White was in disbelief and began to well up with tears.

“I didn’t buy it at first because I didn’t see her.  Can I believe this?” he said.

While White and his family were searching for the dog around the park, Hasty had found her way over to one of the paths used by trail riders from the local stable.

“I was riding my horse in the woods and she was sitting by the side of the path.  Nobody was with her,” said Nicole Snell, the 17-year old resident of Carver, Mass.  “I rode on for a little bit but I came back to her and no one had come around.  She was alone, so I took her home.”

When Snell dismounted from her horse, Hasty went right to her.  She was shaking.  Snell picked her up and walked the horse back to the stable.

“I would have felt bad if I just left her there,” said Snell, who has dogs of her own at home.

Once Snell returned home with the missing Scottie, Hasty got comfortable.  According to White, she slept with Snell’s older brother.

“I couldn’t believe it,” White said.  “Her mother even recognized that Hasty needed a different diet and fed her special food.”

Later that day, White met Snell, who presented a very happy dog to him.  With tears in his eyes, he thanked her for taking Hasty home and making the effort to help find her owners.

“On the way home, she sat in my lap in the car the whole way,” said White.  “I’ve come to realize that it’s the unknown that really scares you.  I’m just happy to have Hasty back.”

By Eric Tripoli

For the second year, the Rochester Women’s Club has adopted a family in need of support during the holiday season.

Through the Rochester Memorial School, information on the children in a family was provided so that some of their holiday wishes could be fulfilled.  The identify of the family was kept confidential by the school.

Through the generosity of club members, each  child was given clothing, shoes and toys or items that matched their individual interests.  Gift cards to a local market were also provided.  Disribution was coordinated through St. Rose of Lima Church.

Community outreach is a key function of the club.