Rochester Council on Aging

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The full monthly newsletter and calendar are available at www.rochestermaseniorcenter.com. Events and photographs are also posted on the library Facebook page, www.facebook.com/Rochestercoa. 

            The Rochester Council on Aging Board of Directors is seeking a few Rochester seniors to serve on its Advisory Council. The Advisory Council is responsible for the implementation and evaluation of programs offered at the Rochester Senior Center. If you are interested in volunteering for the Advisory Council, please contact Director Cheryl Randall-Mach. Ms. Mach can be reached by phone: 508-763-8723, or by email: Crandall-mach@townofrochester.com.

            The Rochester Senior Center is now offering trips to Fieldstone’s Farm Market in Marion every Wednesday at 10:00 am starting October 16. You will receive a 10 percent discount when you show your COA scan card. Please call the Senior Center in advance to reserve a seat on the van. 

            The monthly Senior Book Club will meet on Tuesday, October 15at 10:15 am. This group is lead by the library director and is held at the Senior Center. October’s book is The Woman in the Window, written by A.J. Finn. 

            The Friend’s of the Rochester Senior Center are holding a fundraising event on Thursday, October 24at 5:30 pm at the Senior Center. This event is a meatloaf supper and is $10 per adult and $5 per child. Please contact Lorraine Thompson in advance, at 508-763-8723 to purchase a ticket for this event. Proceeds will be used for the future construction of the Adult Day Center.

Author Talk at the Mattapoisett Library

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Hear author Jane Healey discuss the little-known but fascinating story of the Red Cross Clubmobile program in WWII and how she created the narrative that became the historical novel The Beantown Girls, all based on the true stories of the women who were part of the program. The author’s talk and book signing, free and open to the public, is at the Mattapoisett Free Public Library on Sunday, October 20from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm. The book offers a glimpse of the “Greatest Generation” and the sacrifices of war from a female perspective, bringing to light their breathtaking courage, compassion, and sacrifice during one of the most volatile times in our history. Books will be available for purchase and signing.

            The Library is located at 7 Barstow Street and is handicapped accessible.

Purrfect Day For Octopurr Fest

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            What do you get when you mix perfect weather with kids and dogs dressed up in Halloween costumes, food sizzling on the grill, games, raffles, artisan booths, and – oh, yes, a purrfect setting? You get It’s All About The Animals’ fifth annual Octopurr Fest fundraiser.

            The no-kill feline shelter has been holding this event each October for the last five years and this year was the biggest yet, much to the satisfaction of the delightful and dedicated founder, Pam Robinson.

            Robinson and her husband, Oren, have sculpted out a quaint looking village on their 103 Marion Road, Rochester property for the purpose of sheltering cats.

            “About eleven years ago, we got a tip that a cat needed to be rescued,” she explained. Horrified by the cat’s living conditions in a run-down house, that cat’s rescue set the Robinsons on a path they could not have imagined at the time.

            It’s All About The Animals receives 100 percent of its funding from grants and private donations. But the 24/7, 365 care of the dozens of cats at a time – hundreds that move through the shelter every year – is no small task, and this fundraiser, the shelter’s largest of the year, is crucial to the shelter’s basic operation.

            Walking around the grounds where cat cottages dot the immaculate forested pathways, one is struck first by the peaceful calm environment the rescued felines get to enjoy. Then, one can only imagine the amount of work it takes to pull off such a massive undertaking.

            But Robinson is energy personified, and on this day, she was clearly enjoying the festive atmosphere. As the DJ pumped out the latest dance music, families, and animal-loving supporters roamed the grounds enjoying games, face painting, and raffles. The smell of food wafted through the pines, and the craft booths held interesting must-have items.

            From animal-themed wall art to plush beds and blankets for fur-babies of all sizes to earrings with charming, dangling kitty faces, the breadth of craft items was supurr.

            A small dinosaur wandered the festival, delighting young and old alike, while dogs dressed up in creative costumes trotted beside their owners. It might have been an event to raise money for cats, but dog owners were out in number. After all, Robinson is an equal opportunity lover of animals.

            Robinson said that local town boards have granted her permission to have up to 50 cats, but would only allow four dogs, making a dog rescue economically unfeasible.

            The shelter is run by a seven-member board of directors and, several times Robinson attested, “No one gets paid.” She said that all monies donated to the shelter are used to care for the cats.

            “We don’t get any money from the state or the town,” she said, saying that only through donations can they carry on the mission of rescuing cats in need for the purpose for rehabilitating them and then rehoming them.

            Medical care is an enormous part of the operating budget, and there is a kitty medical cottage on the property. When cats first arrive, they are isolated and evaluated to determine their medical status and needs as well as their social conditioning.

            “We have very dedicated volunteers,” Robinson said of the more than two-dozen year-around team of what she called “Feline Warriors.” Their mission covers a very large geographical area, which adds to the overall depth of commitment the Robinson have for the cats of the region.

            “We cover from Boston to Cape Cod,” she proudly stated.

            The October event produces a significant sum that will help offset the rising costs of caring for the cats. But the shelter also accepts donations of supplies, such as food and, of course, the essential kitty litter.

            As the festival revelers enjoyed the fun and games, the cats watching from their perches inside their screened free-range ‘catios’ looked unimpressed for the most part. But, clearly, their serene attitudes speak to their comfort level in the kitty village as they wait to find their forever families.

            To learn more about It’s All About The Animals you can visit www.itsallabouttheanimals.org.

By Marilou Newell

Mattapoisett Lions Fall Free Family Fun Festival

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The Mattapoisett Lions Club presents the fourth annual Fall Free Family Fun Festival on Saturday, October 19from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm at Shipyard Park, Mattapoisett. Hay rides, goody bags (one per child), pin-the-nose-on-the-pumpkin, pumpkin bowling, corn hole, face painting, coloring station, snacks, Halloween music and more. Kids can each select one pumpkin from the pumpkin patch to take home. Wear your (non scary) costumes. Parents: Learn about the Mattapoisett Lions Club and all we do for the local community and beyond. Stop by the membership table while at the festival for more information. *Rain date: October 26, same times and location. Snacks, goody bags and pumpkins while they last.

            No registration or charge. Donations accepted to help fund MA Lions Eye Research, Diabetes awareness and local residents in need.

            For more information, visit us on Facebook: Mattapoisett Lions Club or our website: www.mattapoisettlionsclub.org

Heating and Utility Relief for Tri-Town Area Elders

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Coastline Elderly Services, Inc. is providing assistance to elders in Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester who are need help with paying the heat or electric bills. The funds will pay for gas, electric, propane, wood, or other heating needs, to help reduce the financial burden for many elders who have difficulty with these purchases. Funding for this project was made possible by the George E. Curtis Charitable Trust. Please contact the Council on Aging in each town to complete a simple application. Each qualifying elder will receive a one-time assistance of $350. For the councils on aging in Marion, please call 508-748-3570; Mattapoisett, 508-758-4110, and Rochester at 508-763-8723.

ORR Girls Soccer Remains A Dominant Force

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            Meg Hughes continues to pace Old Rochester Regional girls soccer with her unrelenting offensive production. But that’s nothing new for the Providence College-bound senior. Hughes has been at the center of ORR’s offense year in and year out, to the point where she’s now the most successful scorer in the program’s history.

            Hughes now has 102 goals to her names, along with 53 assists, having already scored 26 goals and logged 13 assists through the Bulldogs’ first 12 games – all of which they’ve won (nine of which were South Coast Conference games).

            In fact, Hughes has outscored the Bulldogs’ opposition on her own throughout the 12 matches. The ORR defense, which is led by Grace Greaney and Rachel Fantoni, has only surrendered 10 goals throughout the season as opposed to the Bulldogs offense’s 60 goals. The team’s stingy defense has helped ORR goalkeeper Skylar Cardwell already log five shutouts on the year.

            Each of Cam Brezinski’s three touchdowns was vital in ORR football’s matchup against Dighton-Rehoboth. He caught two passes from Ryon Thomas and pounded one touchdown in on the ground in the Bulldogs’ 28-27 win over the Falcons.

            The one ORR touchdown that wasn’t scored by Brezinski came on the ground, courtesy of Dylan DeWolfe.

            In addition to connecting with Brezinski for two scores through the air, Thomas was 4-for-4 on point after tries – each of which was essential in the one-point win.

            Jackson Cote was all over the place on the ground for ORR. He had 23 carries and rushed for 152 yards.

            Old Rochester Regional is now 3-1 (2-1 SCC) and will host Somerset Berkley on Saturday at noon.

Old Colony

            Old Colony football remains undefeated after winning another low-scoring affair, improving to 4–0 on the season. This time, the Cougars were able to knock off Blue Hills 16-8.

            Old Colony has now won two games in which they scored over 40 points and two in which they only logged two touchdowns or less.

            Thomas Stanton scored another touchdown on the ground for the Cougars. He came in the third quarter and proved to be the game-winner. He now has seven touchdowns on the year and has scored in each game. Stanton also averaged 7.4 yards per carry, finishing with 96 yards on three attempts.

            Blake Dennison was Old Colony’s leading rusher. He logged 124 yards on 12 rushing attempts (10.3 yards per carry. Dennison also punched in both of Old Colony’s two-point attempts.

            Matt Bumpus scored Old Colony’s first touchdown, which also came in the third quarter with the Cougars down 8-0.

            Old Colony volleyball suffered only its second loss of the season on Monday, falling to Tri-County in three sets (25-19,25-19 and 26-24).

            Kat Kirby finished with nine kills, and Jordyn Dexter had 10 assists.

Tabor Academy

            Cat Barry scored yet another goal for Tabor Academy, but it came in a losing effort against Thayer Academy, with the Seawolves dropping to 5-2 following the 2-1 loss. Brooke Ingemi had the assist on Barry’s goal.

High School Sports Update

By Nick Friar

Marijuana Zoning Bylaw Amendments Gain Support

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            Mattapoisett Planning Board Chairman Tom Tucker made no attempt on October 7 to disguise his distaste in having amendments to the current Marijuana Zoning Bylaws be heard in a public meeting. As the petitioner, Stuart Bronstein, explained why the amendments were being put before the public, Tucker maintained a controlled but clearly displeased countenance.

            Before the hearing was underway, Tucker asked Bronstein if he was back because “you didn’t get what you wanted at the last town meeting.” Bronstein responded in the affirmative.

            Bronstein, flanked by marijuana industry consultants Jason Dick and James Sullivan, said that allowing him to grow recreational cannabis alongside his medical plants in his facility would make the plan, simply put, economically feasible.

            Bronstein said that the investment requires a state-of-the-art marijuana growing facility that would not be cost justifiable for just medical use.

            “We need the recreational piece,” said Bronstein. “[It’s] the only way to make it a worthy investment, and in order to get financing we need recreational cultivation.”

            Bronstein said that the town would benefit by receiving 3 percent of the profits and that “good- paying” full-time and part-time jobs with convenient hours for parents, and could employ anywhere between 75 to 100 people.

            When public participation was called, Breck Eagle, a Bay Club resident who had submitted a multi-page letter against the amendments, claimed that his brother in Santa Barbara, California experienced first-hand the odor he finds offensive created by marijuana cultivation, “Especially when the plant is flowering,” said Eagle.

            Bronstein said facilities like those use systems designed for flower cultivation, not for odor mitigation. He said that his 140,000-square-foot Industrial Drive warehouse would be fitted with state-of-the-art air quality and filtration systems. According to Bronstein, the designs and plans he first forwarded when the medical marijuana zoning bylaws were adopted have not changed, except that now, if these new amendments are granted, more growing could take place.

            Dick added his voice, saying, “The market in Massachusetts for recreational marijuana is huge.”

He said that although pricing for marijuana had softened on the medical side, demand was growing on the recreational side. Dick said the inclusion of recreational cannabis would result in a substantial financial gain for the town, but he hesitated to put a number on what the town’s portion could be in terms of dollars.

            That sentiment was echoed by Bronstein, who said that the town’s portion of what he described as upwards of $100 million in sales could help pay for new schools, the fire station bond, and other large public works projects.

            “It would be a shame for the town to not take advantage of this opportunity,” Bronstein said.

            Tucker’s reaction was, “We’ve heard it all before.”

            Resident Christine Cowles was concerned that the bylaw did not include input from the community and questioned why the community had not been involved in the crafting of marijuana bylaws. But there have been public hearings, said Planning Board member Janice Robins, and an exhaustive amount of work had gone into writing the bylaw currently in place, she said. But Cowles maintained that the current bylaw and the proposed amendments are weak and conform to the industry’s interests. “The devil’s in the details,” said Cowles, details she believes are lacking.

            Robins assured Cowles that the Planning Board could write rules and regulations governing the operation of the grow facility.

            Tucker said that the Planning Board was not there that night to take any vote on the article, and that the board was simply the vehicle by which zoning bylaw changes are publicly vetted. “We are not voting on anything tonight.”

            Tucker’s statement, however, proved incorrect.

            While the Planning Board could have opted to make no recommendation, Planning Board Administrator Mary Crain said a vote was needed.

            The ensuing vote resembled what the board members had voted during the previous spring: three votes to recommend, one vote opposed. In the spring vote it was 3-2 with member Karen Field and Tucker opposed. On this night, Tucker stood alone.

            Crain explained in a follow-up that planning boards have a duty to express their support or to make no comment, but generally an ‘up or down’ vote is the rule. In the case of the amendments coming before the voters, she said that because the Planning Board majority voted to recommend the article last spring, further amendments could be sought now. Had the Planning Board voted to oppose the article last spring, then a two-year cooling off period would have prevented Bronstein’s petition at this time, according to Crain.

            The Special Town Meeting scheduled for November 4 will feature a very short warrant. Town Administrator Michael Gagne confirmed that the only articles voters will be asked to consider are amendments to the Zoning Bylaw for the cultivation of both recreational and medical marijuana in the industrial zone.

            This November 4 Special Town Meeting is in addition to the October 21 Special Town Meeting.

            In other business, Tree Warden Roland Cote received permission to remove a locust tree located at 6 Prospect Road due to root damage on private property.

            MA Homes LLC, 56 Church Street, received acceptance for a Form A: Approval Not Required.

            Another filing for an ANR sought by the Town of Mattapoisett for property located on Reservation Road was continued due to a lack of representation.

            An ANR filed by Scott Snow for property located at 6 and 8 Prospect Road, Eldridge Estates, was accepted.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Planning Board is scheduled for October 29 at 7:00 pm in the Town Hall conference room.

Mattapoisett Planning Board

By Marilou Newell

Bourne Wareham Art Association

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The Bourne Wareham Art Association is meeting on Tuesday October 15from 6:00 pm to 8pm, at BB’s Bar and Grill, 2424 Cranberry Highway, Wareham MA. Food is available for purchase. The business meeting will be followed by a discussion on how to paint from a photo by Boston based artist Dianne Panarelli Miller. Miller is a signature member of the New England Plein Air Painters and a “Copley Master” at the Copley Society in Boston. Her approach combines the classic atelier training of the “Boston School”, a mastery of technique with her own personal style expressed through the harmony of color and design. She is represented by numerous galleries from Wellesley, Rockport, Bar Harbor and Boston to name a few. She also conducts classes and workshops, including overseas art trips. New members are welcome. Please visit the group’s Facebook page at “the Official Bourne-Wareham Art Association.” 

Into the Raging Sea, Author Reading and Book Signing

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Into the Raging Seaby Rachel Slade was selected by Tabor Academy as their community wide summer read. The author is coming to campus as a visiting author for a week, culminating in a reading and book signing on October 17at 7:30 pm. The public is invited to this free and open event in Tabor’s Fireman Center for Performing Arts at 245 Front Street, Marion.

            The book is about the U.S. container ship “El Faro”, lost at sea four years ago this month with 33 souls on board during Hurricane Joaquin in 2015. “Tabor chose the book because it features thought-provoking questions about leadership, ethics, and responsibility. Beyond also speaking to our maritime traditions, the story is personal for us as Engineer Jeff Mathias ’92, also a graduate of Mass Maritime Academy, was serving as the Riding Crew Supervisor when El Faro went down,” said Kerry Saltonstall, Director of Communications. “The book uncovers many disturbing factors that contributed to the disaster and it has already generated a lot of discussion on campus. We hope the community will come out and join the dialogue on October 17.”

            For one week before the talk, the author will be visiting Tabor Academy as their 2019 Writer in Residence. She will speak to the full community in Chapel, and will share in small groups how she became engaged with the story of El Faro and how she researched it, as well as other thoughts and tips about becoming a professional writer. Slade is the third professional author in residence at Tabor in as many years.

Spelling Mattapoisett

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If you’ve ever written down the word “Mattapoisett” and stared at it for a second thinking, gosh, that just doesn’t look right to me for some reason, you are not alone. Sometimes we type it out and even Microsoft doesn’t think it looks right and throws that ominous squiggly red line beneath it. Clearly, Wampanoag was not on Microsoft’s list of high priority language options.

            Literally meaning “place of resting”, the Wampanoag word ‘Mattapoisett’ was what the indigenous SouthCoasters called this beautiful place. Once it split from old Rochester in 1857, Mattapoisett became one of the very few towns in Massachusetts – 15 out of the 351, to be exact – with a name based on a Native American language and not named after a settler, notable person, or a city that already existed in England.

            A hundred and fifty years ago, imagine how it must have seemed to someone, say, an immigrant who travelled to America with a destination he had only ever heard spoken and not written. And what would be the result if that person had only heard it spoken by another who had only ever heard it spoken and never written from another person who had only ever heard it spoken? What you might get are letters addressed to someone in Maripostee, Mathipoiset, Mattapolsvet, and Mosbatasett.

            More likely than not, most of us living in these contemporary times never knew there were 113 other ways to spell Mattapoisett until many decades later when a Mrs. Katharine Hammond Frizzell (1899-1974) found a handwritten list of funny nonsense words written by her grandfather, Ellis Mendell (1834-1907).

            Mendell was the Mattapoisett postmaster before the turn of the century, a time between 1870-1900, when the prospect of a better life prompted 12 million immigrants come to America, many of them settling in the northeast and desperate for work. It was also a time when the whaling and fishing industry lured many to the New Bedford region. It was during this time that Mendell began diligently jotting down the various misspellings of Mattapoisett that appeared on the letters that arrived to his post office, and we are so thankful that he did.

            It’s just a hypothesis that many of the misspellings were made by immigrants of foreign tongues from faraway lands, but given that a significant population of Polish immigrants headed for Chicago took the wrong train and wound up in Chicopee, Massachusetts, anything is possible.

            Behold Ellis Mendell’s long, lovely list of Mattapoisett Misspellings:

(Paul to create columns of the following misspellings)*

Mattapositte

Mallaponsatt

Mad Aposit

Mattamomousett

Matapossett

Mattpswett

Minapexett

Mattaposisett

Maripostee

Mattapoysatt

Mattajanisitt

Matticoisett

Mampasette

Mallatoisett

Matipossett

Matposit

Maatahoisett

Maitoisett

Wattaponcitt

Mattakaisett

Mattiosett

Mattagoisett

Mathipoiset

Massipposetts

Medipaset

Mattapolett

Mattaysoisett

Mattapoint

Minapoxet

Matdapoisett

Massapoitt

Mattapatt

Mattiapoisett

Mattapaxit

Metaaposiette

Mattapolsvett

Mattahoisett

Mana Possett

Maltapoesset

Walponset

Matal Possine

Nastypoint

Maittapoopieda

Mattitosite

Maddiepoissett

Mattaposeseth

Mattiapoisse

Motipossitt

Mattipiset

Matapoisett

Mattemest

Nattagansett

Mattopsate

Nastypoisset

Mattapoitte

Mattapoict

Maddipassitt

Matbisett

Mosbatasett

Manie Passite

Mattahoisette

Methadopatset

Mattapoisit

Pattapo’sett

Massapoisett

Mattaboisett

Mathapoisitt

Marraposa

Mattaipoisott

Marraposa

Mattaipiostt

Mallaponsett

Matrapoiset

Mannappoisette

Matta Poinset

Massippositt

Matapoyet

Mattaboisette

Massaprissett

Massipposith

Malagoisett

Massippositt

Marparseth

Mattpoisett

Matta Joisett

Mattzpoisett

Malta Poisett

            This list created by Mendell, rediscovered by his granddaughter, and then graciously re-typed and submitted to Town Hall by Charles Mendell, Jr. is kept safe inside the Town Clerk’s Office to this day. It might only be a trivial part of Mattapoisett’s history, but it is certainly is one gem of a relic from the past of the hard-to-spell town called Mattapoisett.

            Many things make Mattapoisett unique – its whaling history, pristine estuary, stately yet quaint village, historic lighthouse, and big, beautiful seahorse named Salty – aside from the uniqueness of its name. And lucky are we with the privilege to call it something much easier to spell: h-o-m-e.

By Jean Perry