Essex
Happenings…. August 3, 2012
ESSEX HERITAGE PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES
Essex
Heritage Web Site
I have spent time recently reviewing the information that is
presented on the Essex Heritage website.
It has been several months since I last
took time exploring the commission website.
The site has a wealth of information
on this region, and it is well worth the visit.
It has information on almost everything you need to know about the
mission and the work of Essex Heritage. There are sections that list the many
accomplishments of the Commission, and there are sections about the 34 communities
that comprise the Essex National
Heritage Area. There is also
information about Essex Heritage’s many
partners and they are listed by community with links to their websites. A
listing of both the volunteer leadership and the staff of the commission can also
be found. The address for the Essex
Heritage web site is www.essexheritage.org. I encourage you to visit – you will be
pleased that you did!
Essex
Heritage Membership Program
The Essex National Heritage
Membership program offers residents unique opportunities to explore this
heritage area. Members are the first to hear about exciting events, receive
discounts at these events and receive the quarterly invitation highlighting
up-coming activities. Supporting Essex
Heritage through our membership program means you embrace and champion our
mission to preserve, promote and enhance the historic, cultural and natural
resources of the Essex National Heritage
Area. We can't do it without you! Thank you!
For questions regarding the Essex
Heritage membership program call 978-740-0444 or review membership details here.
Become a member
Thank you to our Corporate Members
Essex Heritage
is grateful for the generous support of our Corporate Members!
Corporate Members
enjoy unique visibility opportunities and privileges. Visit our Business Partnership Opportunities
and Corporate Sponsors page to find out more.
Along the Essex Coastal Scenic Byway
Salem
Sound to Boston Kayaking Guide
Enjoy
this guide which details information about 35 North Shore access sites, along
with suggested paddling trails. Check out the guide!
Beverly's
North Shore Music Theatre's 2012 Season Continues
Enjoy
this award-winning theatre, nestled in the heart of Beverly. Enjoy
"Annie", "9 to 5 The Musical" and much more! For tickets.
Newburyport's
Waterfront Movie Series
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Transportation Bond Bill Includes Funding Essex Coastal Scenic Byway
The recently enacted MA transportation bill includes the
authorization for funds for the Essex Coastal Scenic Byway. The funds
will go towards the installation of
signs and other improvements along the 85 mile route. The actual money will only come as the
governor approves specific projects, but it is good to see this important
regional project included in the bill.
The state senators and representatives from the Essex National Heritage Area showed a lot of leadership and
foresight by including the byway project.
The Essex Coastal Scenic Byway
is a regional project managed and administered by Essex Heritage.
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The following profile has been prepared to provide information
about Essex Heritage Trails & Sails Partners, so that you can visit
the site outlined and enjoy Trails &
Sails without waiting for the two planned weekends.
Schooner
Thomas E. Lannon
One
of the most treasured programs in Essex County that has played a regular role
in Trails and Sails since its inception is the sailing ship Thomas E.
Lannon. It addition to participating in
the annual two weekend fall festival, Ms. Kay Ellis the wife of the boat’s
owner and captain has served for a full three terms on the Board of Directors
of Essex Heritage. I have known the
Captain and principal owner of the ship since my days as a banker. Even then, in 1997, I was involved in the
development of the mission of Essex Heritage and had a strong interest in the
role that the ocean played in the history of this region. Tom visited me several years ago at Salem
Five in my role as a community activist to measure my interest and expectations
for his venture to build a sailing ship and offer it as an attraction in this
region.
Before
we go any further, let me outline a little history about the ship and its
mission.
Like
lots of others before him, Tom Ellis had wanted to own a schooner for a good
part of his life. One day in the spring
of 1996, Tom was invited to sail aboard the Ellida with several Annisquam buddies. That sail was
what did it for Tom. He decided quickly
that this was about the size boat he wanted (Ellida is 63 feet on deck). Having
been around boats most of his life and having been in the construction business
for years, Tom knew that he wanted to build a new boat. He also knew that the only way he could
afford to own such a vessel would be to make it a commercial venture. He had
been working on his wife, Kay, for many years to try and get her to agree to
build a schooner. Kay ultimately
realized that the tourists were coming to Cape Ann and this region in great
numbers each summer and tourists are always looking for fun things to do while
they're on vacation. She too came to
believe that there was potential for a successful venture with a wooden
schooner boarding tourists and area region residents for sails around
Gloucester harbor and beyond.
Tom
and a crew cut the trees that would be used to build the boat by the Burnham
Boat Yard in Essex on a local property owned by The Essex County Greenbelt
Association. With a model of the ship to be built and planning complete, a keel
was laid in late 1996 and the boat was officially launched in June 1997. Her launch was followed by an inaugural sail
the following month and now fourteen years later she is still boarding
passengers in Gloucester, all through the summer and fall and showing those
passengers that opt to sail with them, what sailing on a wooden sailing vessel
is like.
We
have been blessed to have the “Lannon” participate in the Essex Heritage two-weekend fall festival every year and we
encourage the residents and visitors of this region to take advantage of what
can be a sensational adventure on a sail during this 2012 season. Do not wait for Trails & Sails to plan a short ocean trip.
For
more information or to make a reservation for a sail on the Thomas E. Lannon
this year call 978) 281-6634 or visit www.schooner.org . You will be glad that you made
the decision to be a sailor at least for a day. The next month or so must be the best time of
the year to enjoy this regional asset.
REGIONAL NEWS
Town
of Danvers to Receive Federal Bike Safety Grant
Through the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Danvers Police
Department will receive a $3,000 grant to improve pedestrian and bicyclist
safety.
“There are many tools available to protect pedestrians and
cyclists, including education, enforcement and outreach, and this grant
provides much needed funding which will help us reduce pedestrian and bicyclist
injuries and fatalities,” said Chief
Neil Ouellette.
The Massachusetts Traffic
Records Analysis Center (MassTRAC) said from 2006 to 2010, more than 1600
bicyclists and pedestrians were injured in crashes and 360 of those resulted in
death. Bicyclists and pedestrians are particularly vulnerable road users
because unlike those in vehicles, there is nothing to protect them from the
impact. Over 70 percent of bicycle and pedestrian crashes involve an
injury, compared to 25 percent for all motor vehicle crashes.
According to Sergeant
Robert Bettencourt, the department will coordinate with the town's Rail Trail and the Downtown Improvement Committee, to find areas to concentrate on.
The grant In Danvers will
fund a variety of law enforcement activities such as: targeted enforcement and
decoy patrols, and the use of equipment like breakaway signs and crosswalk
reflective tape. A combination of techniques and devices will help
departments analyze and crack down on both pedestrians and cyclists who put
themselves in danger as well as drivers who do not share the road
appropriately.
The Danvers Police
Department, in partnership with EOPSS,
recognizes that traffic crashes are preventable, and is committed to using this
grant to reduce the number of motor vehicle-related fatalities and injuries
relating to pedestrians and bicyclists in Danvers.
"Any death or injury on our roadways is one too many."
Local departments also receiving grants include Lynn, Revere, and Woburn. Awards ranged from $3,000 to $7,500 based on the
population size of communities. With
the development of the Danvers Bike Path,
finding ways to make bikes, motorized vehicles and pedestrian safety is a
priority.
Beverly
Receives NEA Grant
This seems to be a good time for grants to our local
communities. The most recent grant is
focused on Montserrat College of Art
that in the past has worked with Essex
Heritage on a brochure that helped promote the Essex Heritage Coastal Scenic By-way. The College will now begin to work a
partnership with the City of Beverly
to create a downtown Arts and Cultural District. The project will be underwritten by a National Endowment of the Arts grant in
the amount of $75,000 from NEA. The
college was one of a very few award winners as they were one of only two in the
Commonwealth and one of only eighty winners nation-wide. The partnership that will be formed with the
Beverly Main Streets program will
also include some matching funds from the college. This award will be important to the
community and the region. The college
maintains active partnership arrangements with many organizations including the
City of Beverly and the Essex Heritage Commission.
Beverly
Approves Construction of Building
The planning Board in
Beverly has approved the construction of a controversial new drug store on Dodge Street in the Garden City. The final approval had been withheld in the
past due to neighborhood and traffic concerns and a real concern for the
preservation of a first period home on the site that was erected in 1815. This home is one of a few remaining such
properties in the city. The concerns
were real and several compromises were enacted that have most people satisfied
and the planning board feels positively that the project is a good financial
addition for the city. Part of the
compromise includes a substantial portion of the historic building will be saved
and reused and that feature of the agreement pleases Essex Heritage.
Beverly
Homecoming Festival to Begin
The annual Beverly Homecoming
began on Friday August 4th with several events including a tennis
tournament and will come to an end on Sunday August 12th with a
concert and a fireworks display. There will be multiple events during the ten
days. To obtain a schedule of the many
events see the local newspapers or visit www.beverlyhomecoming.com
Sail
Salem Offering Classes This Summer
Sail Salem is a community sailing program for Salem residents. It was started in 2008 as a program for youth
8 years old and up. It has now expanded
to include adults. It has had 400
attendees this summer at the program’s Winter Island base of operations. The program now has a fleet of two-dozen
boats. For more information on the program visit www.sailsalem.org
Listing
of Important Salem State University Dates
Save the Dates!
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July 20-22
and July 27-28 Summer Theatre at Salem continues with Almost, Maine
featuring theatre alumni. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm
and Sundays at 2 pm. To purchase tickets or for more information please call
978.542.6290 or please visit www.salemstatetickets.com
September
19, 2012 Friends of the School of Social Work
Fall
Professional Development Workshop
September
20, 2012 Writer’s Series with Dr. Ann Taylor and Professor Kevin Carey
of the SSU English Department
October 12,
2012 Athletes Hall of Fame Induction
October
13, 2012 Alumni Golf Tournament
October
13, 2012 Celebration of Coaches and Athletes
October
14, 2012 Alumni Athletics Games
October
14, 2012 Alumni Barbecue
Click here to
visit the official page of Athletes Weekend
October
13, 2012 Friends and Family Weekend
November
3, 2012 Friends of the School of Education and the School of Education
are hosting the 6th Annual Best Practices Conference
June
7-9, 2013 Alumni Weekend
For
more information about these events please click here
or email us at alumni@salemstate.edu
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COMMMUNITY HEALTH AND ELDER AFFAIRS
In a continuing effort to keep this region informed about elderly
affairs, we provide the following report provided to us by North Shore Elder Services of Danvers.
Later this summer the Aviv Center for Living (formerly
known as the Jewish Rehabilitation Center for the Aged) will be initiating
operations as a 144 bed nursing facility in Peabody. Prior to this,
the facility had been in operation in Swampscott (part of Greater Lynn
Senior Services’ area) as a 180 bed facility. The new site will become
operational on or about September 1st and operation Lynn will
cease at that same time.
Additionally, Cedar Glen Care and Rehabilitation Center is
expanding its license capacity from 100 to 120 beds this summer when it begins
operations in a new facility. Both the new location and the old one were
and will be located in Danvers.
North Shore Elder Services will
soon be requesting additional federal funding in the FY 2013 for allocations
for CSSM assessment activities as well as nursing facility ombudsman services
in recognition of this added volume will soon have to be addressed by North
Shore Elder Services personnel.
This is a rare occurrence. Almost all the changes in
licensed nursing facility bed inventory during the past decade have been
reductions of either licensed bed capacity or the closure of entire facilities.
At North Shore Elder Services, we
have not experienced any such closures during this time. In fact, the
supply of licensed beds was even increased several years ago when Brooksby Village added to its nursing
facility capacity through the transfer of licensed beds from another service
area.
Governor Patrick Signs Bill To Improve Dementia Care
Workers who treat dementia patients will receive specialized
training, and nursing home and dementia special care units will be subject to
minimum care standards under a bill signed by Governor Deval Patrick on Sunday. Sponsored by Rep. Alice Wolf and Sen. Marc Pacheco the new law will
establish regulations to specify minimum safety and quality standards for
dementia care units in long-term facilities, including guidelines for the
physical design of the units that can allow for dementia-specific activities
such as anti-wandering methods and a "therapeutic environment."
The Department of Public
Health also must implement dementia-specific training for direct care
workers, activity directors and supervisors in traditional nursing homes and
special care units.
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PEOPLE IN THE NEWS
Salem
State University Names New Chairperson of the Board
Salem
State University has named Pamela Scott
of Danvers as the new Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of
the University. In her personal life,
she serves as President and CEO of LVCC
Inc. a consulting company that helps companies grow and prosper. She has served many non-profits in the area
during the last few years and brings a great deal of experience to her new
role. She has had previous experience
with the United Way and Boys and Girls Clubs. On the personal side, she has had several
banking affiliations and is a graduate of the Amos Tuck Business School at Dartmouth. We anticipate that she will be a very important
asset of Salem State University and
will help us continue the excellent partnership affiliation that Essex Heritage maintains with the University.
Eastern
Banker Receives Important Award
Ms.
Cynthia Merkle of Swampscott, an Executive Vice President of Eastern Bank
and member of the Bank’s Management
Committee, has been named one of Banker
and Tradesmen Woman of FIRE for 2012.
The award recognizes the key female players in the local FIRE Community FIRE
stands for Finance, Insurance, and Real
Estate sectors of business in this region.
Cynthia, whom I have know for
a number of years, was a contemporary of mine in my banking past. Eastern
Bank has been a great supporter of Essex
Heritage. We congratulate Cynthia on this well-deserved award.
PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS
New
England Patriots Unable to sign Wes Welker to a Long Term Contract.
From my perspective as a long-term Patriots fan, it is sad that the New England Patriots were not able to close a long-term agreement
with a most prolific National Football
League receiver, Wes Welker. Welker
will still be available to the Patriots
for 2012 as they have secured his services for this year by naming him their
franchise player for this year and for that service he will be extremely well
compensated. The big question going
forward is will they be able - or even want - to lock him and have his valuable
services in the future or do they believe that he is more a function of the
system and can be replaced when this contract year has ended.
North
Shore Music Theatre Visit
I was so impressed with the experience my wife and I when we
attended a fundraising event for the North
Shore Elder Services at the North
Shore Music Theater earlier this year, that we decided to attend a couple
of the 2012 performances at the popular regional theatre. Late last month, we attended the opening
night performance of the show Annie,
and we were most impressed with the large audience that attended, with the
excellent condition of the handicapped section in the theatre, and with the high level of talent in the
cast. The show was uplifting, and we
enjoyed the entire experience. We also have
tickets for another production, Guy’s & Doll’s later in the year. We extend our congratulations to Bill Haney and his team. NSMT
has been a long time supporter of the work of Essex Heritage. We certainly
hope that NSMT continues to draw big
crowds, and that their future shows are as entertaining as the one we viewed. They are certainly a major contributor to
the cultural experience of this region.
The
Once Every Four Years Summer Olympic Event is Underway
The summer Olympics XXX
are currently underway in London,
England, and the United States
athletes are doing well. The games are
most entertaining and exciting, but many of us are holding our collective
breaths hoping that there is no incident that mars these two weeks. Let’s hope that the competition and the
fellowship that the games foster will not be spoiled by a group of people or
individuals trying to make a political statement.
Local
Little League and Babe Ruth Players Performs Well
Congratulations to all of the young men from the communities in
this region that participated in the local Annual
Little League run up to their world series in Pennsylvania and the various Babe
Ruth Leagues. This
is the culmination for many of a season’s efforts and many young people that
were most successful.
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