April Vacation Programs at Plumb Library

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All programs take place at the Joseph H. Plumb Memorial Library, 17 Constitution Way, Rochester. Please register for all programs unless otherwise noted. Register on the Events Calendar on the library website, www.plumblibrary.com. 

            Pop-up Projects in Your Pajamas! Ages 4 and up. Stay in your pjs and pop in to do Science and Art activities. Both artists and scientists try to see the world in new ways so Science and Art are related! Take Home Activities will also be available. Best for ages 4 and up. No registration needed. Tuesday, April 16, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm and Friday, April 19, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm

            The Craft of Cursive, Ages 8 and up – Come meet retired teacher, “Tia Louisa” to learn the beginning basics of cursive writing! Sign-up for one session or all three. (Register by date). This program is for children ages 8 and up – no exceptions. Tuesday, April 16, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm, Wednesday, April 17, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm, and Thursday, April 18, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

            Make a Shoe Box Crankie! Ages 5 and up. On Wednesday, April 17, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm, kids ages 5 and up can make a moving panorama in a shoe box. All materials will be provided. Please register on the library’s website. This program is part of the “One Book, Tri-Town” series of events and programs.

            Barkology 101, ages 8 and up, Wednesday, April 17, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Welcome back Ms. Cathy and Merida from Plymouth County Extension 4H Canine Encounters for Barkology 101, which is geared to kids ages 8 and up. This presentation explores the intricate communication of dogs, their behavior, care, health and breeds. Students meet Merida, a certified pet therapy dog, who will demonstrate the lessons. Kids will learn about dog training and how to approach a dog! Registration is required. This program is for children aged 8-13 per Ms. Cathy. No exceptions. Register your child only if they meet the age requirements, please.

Candidates Sought for 4th Annual ‘Miss Inspirational’ Program

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Young women and girls with special needs and disabilities from across the state will once again grace the stage and amaze the audience at the 4th Annual Miss Inspirational Program to be held at the Old Rochester Regional High School auditorium in Mattapoisett on Saturday, May 11, at 6:00 pm.

            With overwhelming feedback and requests to make this an annual event, proceeds from this year’s Miss Inspirational Program ticket sales will once again benefit Boston Children’s Hospital.

            Hosted by Mattapoisett resident and former Miss Massachusetts, Jillian Zucco, the event is designed to be a confidence-builder focusing on ability and empowerment. Her goal is to give girls and young women with special needs the same opportunity she had available to her—a pageant-like program that offers the opportunity to tell the community their story, to demonstrate their grace and confidence in a beautiful dress or evening gown, and to showcase their talent, unique ability, or something they are proud of in front of a large audience. And in doing so, she hopes to raise public awareness of our “differently abled” population.

            Zucco, a 2016 Magna Cum Laude graduate of the Honors Nursing Program at UMASS Dartmouth, is now working as a registered nurse for SouthCoast Health. Inspired by the special bond she has with her disabled cousin and her 8 years working as a personal care attendant for girls with varying levels of disability through the Cerebral Palsy of MA organization, Zucco wants the public to be more sensitive and embracing of those with special needs.

            “Individuals with special needs want the same things we all do. They want and deserve to be included socially.” Zucco feels that by highlighting the participants’ abilities and celebrating their achievements, the program will create a community that is embracing of difference and more understanding of their needs. “There is really so much we can learn from them if we simply pay attention.” She feels this program not only helps make us a better society by facilitating understanding and appreciation of their challenges and abilities, but it promises to help the participants take pride in their accomplishments and to walk (or wheel) confidently among us.

            Admission to watch the show is $12 if you purchase online through www.eventbrite.com (available through May 6 only) or $15 at the door, pending availability. The auditorium will open to the public at 5:30 pm. Refreshments, raffles, and Chinese auction will be available in the foyer. To register to participate, or for more information, email MissInspirationalProgram@gmail.com or visit www.facebook.com/MissInspirational/.

Selectmen Support MLT Land Pursuit

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            During the April 9 meeting of the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen, the conversations centered on a variety of grants for a variety of projects and propositions for everything from land acquisitions to buying antique fire trucks.

            Coming before the board was Mike Huguenin of the Mattapoisett Land Trust (MLT). He enthusiastically discussed a large parcel of land that covered Prospect Road to the water’s edge at Pine Island Pond. Marshlands and other tender buffer zones in the 120-plus acres have been for sale by the Hiller family. Huguenin called it a “wildlife corridor” with a $1.5 million price tag.

            Before sharing the MLT’s plans for securing funding, Huguenin explained that, beyond the massive wildlife habitat the acreage has been identified as, it also has been recognized by the state as vulnerable wetlands within the municipality, a major watershed area.

            Huguenin said the MLT would partner with the Buzzards Bay Coalition to seek and apply for various grants such as the state Land Acquisition for Natural Diversity grant, Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness grant, and a federal North American Wetlands Conservation Act grant. It is the hope of the MLT, he said, that these grants, along with private donations and a grant from Mattapoisett’s Community Preservation Committee (CPC), could cover the purchase price. He added that the CPC money would not be necessary if a larger sum is secured through the grant process; however, it would not be spent if other funding sources could not be secured.

            Of the CPC grant application, Huguenin said the MLT asked for $250,000, which the organization would cover via bonding and tax levy. Later in the evening, CPC Chairman John DeCosta confirmed that the committee had voted to forward the grant request to Town Meeting.

            Huguenin also asked the selectmen to provide the MLT with a letter of support and approval so they could proceed with grant applications, which the board agreed to do.

            DeCosta, flanked by committee members Margaret DeMello and Jodi Bauer, presented the list of CPC grants that were identified for inclusion in the May 13 Town Meeting Warrant. They are, along with the MLT request, $19,000 for repairs to antique fencing at the Cushing Cemetery; $15,000 to the Mattapoisett Bike Path for engineering studies for Phase 2; $20,000 for the renovation of the press box with ADA compliant features for the ORR Athletics Booster Club; and, $7,500 for the purchase of a 1921 fire engine that originally belonged to Mattapoisett and sought by the Fire Fighters Association.

            A grant request that had been withdrawn by Town Administrator Michael Gagne was described by Selectman Paul Silva as critical. The application was for construction needs at Long Wharf. Gagne assured Silva that the project was not being abandoned, that he was waiting for firmer cost estimates, and that it would be on the radar soon.

            “To me that’s Mattapoisett,” Silva said speaking of the wharf area. “Without that…” The incomplete thought was left hanging in the air.

            Also coming before the selectmen was Brendan Annett, vice president of the Buzzards Bay Coalition (BBC), to discuss goals and plans for returning “The Bogs” on Acushnet Road to a natural wetland state. He said that plans had been sidelined for some time, but that now an agreement between the former owners, Decas Cranberry Corporation and the U.S.D.A., were moving forward.

            Annett assured the selectmen that he was working closely with Highway Superintendent Barry Denham who had previously expressed his concerns regarding the need to avert possible flooding of abutting private properties and/or municipal roadways.

            Annett said the BBC had engaged GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc. to study soils, groundwater, projected water movement, and other related matters. Once this is completed, he said, a meeting would be held with the U.S.D.A. to discuss the technical report. At that time, options and alternatives for wetland restorations would be the goal. He said a public meeting would be held inviting community members to learn about the project and for the BBC team to gather feedback. The first public meeting is scheduled for April 25 at 6:00 pm at Center School.

            The Cat and Dog Rabies Clinic is available to all pet owners on April 14 from 10:00 am to noon at the Mattapoisett Fire Station. The fee is $15 and licensing will be available to Mattapoisett residents. The event is sponsored by the Mattapoisett Fire Department, Mattapoisett Natural Resources Department, and Capeway Veterinary Hospital.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen is scheduled for April 23 at 6:30 pm in the Town Hall Conference Room.

Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen

By Marilou Newell

Matthew Grinnell Underwood

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Matthew Grinnell Underwood, 35, of Providence, passed away on March 23 at home. His many loved ones are heartbroken, and wish to share love for Matt and gratitude for his short life.

            Matt was raised in Marion, MA by the late Peter Grinnell Underwood and the late Annie Goodwillie Underwood. In 2018, Matt received his MFA from Alfred University in Alfred, New York. He has been described as an artist’s artist, brilliantly talented and prolific in visual, audio, electronic and performance media. Matt was a quiet person of inquisitive fascination and deep, tender kindness, generous with his time and gifts. The sadness he felt throughout his life sometimes opened up with a laugh that was a bright light of joy.

            A non-denominational memorial service will be held Saturday, April 13, 2019 at 1 pm at Bell Street Chapel, 5 Bell Street, Providence, RI, 02909. His loved ones are accepting donations to AS220, a Providence arts organization, and The Trevor Project, a suicide prevention service for LGBT youth. Donations can be made at gofundme.com/matthew-underwood-memorial.

            Matt is survived by his dear friend and former partner Brady Dunklee; by Nicola Anderson; by grandmother Nancy Sayre, aunt Beth Underwood, uncles Michael Underwood and Robert Sayre, and cousin Gwen Underwood; and by a beloved community of friends. We love you, Matty.

William Edwin Stolecki

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William Edwin Stolecki, 92, passed away peacefully on March 27, 2019, surrounded by his loving family. Presently a resident at Tatnuck Park Assisted Living in Worcester, Bill and his devoted wife Eunice lived in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts for 58 years, where they raised their children.

            Born in the Bronx, Bill spent many years of his early childhood in Blankenburg, Germany with his grandparents, but returned to New York at 10 years old. He was the son of Edmund and Elsie (Bismark) Stolecki.

            Bill leaves behind his adoring wife of 68 years, Eunice (Randall) Stolecki; his four children and their spouses, John E. Stolecki and Kathryn Armstrong, Jane (Stolecki) Neergheen and Chabilal Neergheen, James W. Stolecki and João Mendes, Joseph A. Stolecki and Bonnie (Brackett) Stolecki; his six grandchildren, Maple Stolecki and Isin Ozaksoy, Joshua Stolecki, Lucinda Neergheen and husband Aaron Druck, Vanessa Neergheen, Jessica Stolecki, and Alyssa Stolecki; and three great-grandchildren, Kayla Stolecki, Cain Stolecki, and Remy Druck. He also leaves his brother Ralph Stolecki and wife Paula (Ciafone) Stolecki of West Harrison, New York, and five nieces and nephews, along with many members of his extended family, the Randalls of Mattapoisett, Massachusetts.

            During World War II, Bill joined the Navy as an Electronic Technician’s Mate Third Class until July 1946. He then attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and after graduating worked as a mechanical engineer until he retired.

            He loved the outdoors, nature, and especially the sunshine. His greatest joy was spending time with his family. He had a beautiful voice and loved to sing. His bright blue eyes were so engaging and his smile was infectious.

            Burial will be at the convenience of his family. Contributions may be made to the Hospice of Western & Central Massachusetts, 1325 Springfield Street, Feeding Hills MA 01030 or to the Forest Park Donation Account, City of Springfield, 200 Trafton Road, Springfield MA 01108.

Birding: There’s An App for That

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The next Nasketucket Bird Club Meeting date has changed to Thursday, April 18, 7:00 pm. Learn how to improve your birdwatching with the help of your smartphone! Bird club president, Justin Barrett, will share with the group several bird-smart apps and demonstrate how to use them. Utilizing smartphone apps can help identification, assist in learning bird songs, and can be essential when finding where the latest rare birds are located in the area.

            The meetings, open to the public and handicapped accessible, are held at the Mattapoisett Free Public Library, located at the south door entrance at 7 Barstow Street in Mattapoisett.

            Check our website at: massbird.org/Nasketucket/ or email our President Justin Barrett at jmbarrett426@gmail.com

April Events at the MAC

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The Marion Art Center (MAC) is pleased to present its newest exhibition, featuring paintings by Lori Bradley & John Irwin. The show runs April 12 – May 18, 2019, with an opening reception on Friday, April 12, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm. Join us for light refreshments and hear the artists give a brief introduction to their works. In addition to the exhibition, each artist will host a one-day painting workshop in the MAC Studio in May – dates and times to be announced.

            Instructor Patricia White will be teaching a 6-week course, Beginning and Continuing Watercolor Painting for Adults, on Thursdays from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm in the MAC Studio. Classes run April 18 – May 23. Cost: $140 for MAC members and $155 for non-members (students must supply their own materials and paints, minimum of 5 students). Description: After a brief introduction each week, students will explore different techniques, while working on the landscape, still life, figurative, and/or imaginative painting, in a nurturing environment.

            Beginning April 26, the Marion Art Center will host ArtWeek for the second year in a row, with 12 events focused on music, theater, history, visual arts and crafts, and arts experiences for children, adults, seniors, and families. In keeping with the ArtWeek mission to offer programs at low cost to the public, ArtWeek events range from free to just $35. ArtWeek runs April 26 – May 5. Visit the MAC online at www.marionartcenter.org/artweek to learn more or to register. Space is limited – sign up today.

Rochester Memorial School Dedication Mural

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Rochester Memorial School, with grant assistance from the Rochester Cultural Committee, continues to collaborate on making the elementary school a hub for artwork and art appreciation.

            Students, faculty, and staff, since June of 2018, have been able to enjoy a large-scale mural, painted by accomplished muralist and tattoo artist, Todd Woodward. Based in Brooklyn, New York, Woodward, or “Woodz” as he is often referred, was born in New Bedford and began drawing on his parents’ wall when he was six years old. The artist has previously returned to the Southcoast to grace his hometown with works on Acushnet Avenue and Nash Road. 

            The piece that now stands at Rochester Memorial is a wall of gorgeous poppies. The mural was dedicated to Mrs. Diane Lagasse, the school’s administrative assistant, also known as the “heart of the school” for more than fifteen years; poppies being her favorite flower. Joanne Smith, RMS’s art teacher, had fifteen students, grades K-5, hand-make and paint ceramic poppies representing Mrs. Lagasse’s tenure at the school. The ceramic flowers were placed along a pathway which lead to the mural. Mrs. Lagasse was also given a second set of ceramic poppies to go to her home garden. It was later shared that Mrs. Lagasse’s own son, grew up with and played with Woodward, a fact unknown during all the planning. 

            Mrs. Smith had the ceramic poppies, based on “Poppies in Artwork” by Geogia O’Keefe and by the several artists who create poppy artwork in honor of Remembrance Day in Europe – as Mrs. Lagasse adores Queen Elizabeth.

            Rochester Memorial School is also slated to receive another grant award from the Rochester Cultural Counsel for renowned street artist, TOMBOBNYC to return to the school for a second installation. TOMBOB, also New York-based, whose genius transforms the mundane into whimsical, colorful works of art, graced the elementary school in October of 2018; and turned an electric box into an ostrich. “Students shouldn’t put their heads in the sand” being the message. TOMBOB donated his time and materials to compose the first painting at the school, but RMS is hopeful that a grant from the Cultural Council, in addition to monies raised by the PTO, will bring the artist back for a larger-scale fixture. 

ORRJH Students of the Month

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Kevin T. Brogioli, Principal of Old Rochester Regional Junior High School, announces the following Students of the Month for March, 2019:

Green Team: Steven Morrison & Aiden Sylvia

Orange Team: Laura Pardo & William O’Shaughnessy

Blue Team: Rylie Coughlin & Ethan Furtado

Red Team: Aaliyah Ingham & Theodore Cecil

Special Areas: Marina Martins & Emilia Perriera

In Marion, Spring Time is Art Time

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            ArtWeek is returning to Marion this year April 26 – May 5, but in the time leading up to then, it’s an entire Art Month at the Elizabeth Taber Library, with plenty of events to inspire the artist in you.

            Anyone can stop by the library and create their own pin back button to hang on the library’s growing button mural that is beginning to sprawl across the wall near the children’s section. The library will provide all the supplies while you provide the creativity.

            From April 14 – 16, the library is hosting comic craft drop-ins where you can create art inspired by your favorite comic books. 
            Join fellow budding artists onApril 22from 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm for a little session of Jackson Pollock-esque drip art painting.

            Then on April 29, stop by the library from 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm for an event titled “Rock Painting & Transformative Art Program.”

            Pre-register for these events if you’d like by calling 508-748-1251, or drop by to see what everyone else is making.

            The Marion Art Center (MAC) has released its schedule of events for ArtWeek, with 12unique events over 10 days, all focused on music, theater, history, visual arts and crafts, and arts experiences for children, seniors, and families.

            With the help of generous donors from ArtWeek 2018 and community partners such as the Council on Aging and the Sippican Historical Society, the MAC is able to offer a multitude of programs in keeping with the ArtWeek mission to offer events at low cost to the public. Many ArtWeek events at the MAC are free!

            Witness a poetry knockout between Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson, join an authentic New Orleans-style jam session, bring the kids to make instruments and costumes out of recycled materials, or paint your own coastal scene while tasting some great wines for the season – all during ArtWeek at the MAC, April 26 – May 5.

            There is a Jazz Jam at the MAC on May 4, 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm ($12 per person). Sit in on an authentic New-Orleans-style jam session with professional musicians. Bring your instrument, or just listen and enjoy!

            Come by for some Irish step dancing at the MAC, April 27, 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm, and enjoy a free a performance. Stay after for a free lesson in dance! Fun for the whole family!

            OnApril 27, come by for the Process Art Party: Found Object Instruments from 10:00 am – 11:30 am. This free kids and family workshop incorporates art making, music, and movement!

            There is a MAC New Play Reading of “Cedar Beach”, written by Mark Howland: on April 29, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm. Hear a reading of an original play and join the discussion during a feedback session! This event is free!

            Then it’s Dickinson vs. Whitman, the Poetry Knockout on May 3, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ($10 per person). Come see a poetry dual and enjoy original readings by local poets. Submit your own poem to the MAC for a chance to read.

            There’s a Feng Shui Workshop on April 26, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ($15 per person), when you can join Cid Tamagno, Feng Shui specialist and artist, for this fun and creative workshop.

            Join the MAC for a Cecil Clark Davis Walking Tour and Tea on April 28, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm ($5 per person). The event starts at the Marion Music Hall for the guided tour, and see the works of Marion’s own Cecil Clark Davis.

            Why not join Jill Sanford for a special program titled “Art for Your Mind: Why So Famous?” Ever wonder why some artworks are so famous? Find out on April 30, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ($5 per person).

            OnMay 1 is“Paint and Sip at the MAC” from 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ($30 per person). Try out painting with water-based acrylics while sipping wine in a relaxed workshop and take home your own painting.

            Shibori Scarves with Jodi Stevens is scheduled for May 2, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm ($35 per person), when you can learn Shibori dyeing techniques and take home two scarves of your own.

            The Council on Aging is hosting “Seniors & Children: Create & Connect” at the Benjamin D. Cushing Community/Senior Center on May 4, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm, a free, fun, intergenerational program where you can create a colorful, decorative tray in a workshop designed for seniors and children.

            Then it’s the MAC Sidewalk “Sale-abration” on May 5, 11:00 am – 4:00 pm (free). Join us for a big sidewalk sale, family-friendly activities, and more! Chalk painting in the street with artist Tracy Barbosa will take place from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm.

            Registration is now open for ArtWeek. Visit www.marionartcenter.org/artweek.

            ArtWeek, presented by Highland Street Foundation and produced by the Boch Center, has become an annual award-winning innovative festival featuring hundreds of unique and creative experiences that are hands-on, interactive, or offer behind-the-scenes access to artists or the creative process. ArtWeek was born in Boston in 2013 and has since expanded to serve communities across Massachusetts. Statewide partners include the Mass Cultural Council, Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism, as well as Mass Center for the Book, MASSCreative, MassHumanities, MassPoetry, New England Foundation for the Arts, New England Museum Association, Young Audiences of Massachusetts, and VSA Massachusetts.

            To learn more about our regional and local collaborators, as well as about the festival and its growth, visit www.artweekma.org.