Essex Happenings March 1, 2013

Essex Heritage Events and Activities

Partnership Grants Application Deadline

Applications were due: Sunday, February 17, 2013

Essex Heritage has closed the online applications for the  2013 Essex Heritage Partnership Grant Program. The Partnership Grant Program is a matching grant program created to foster and support the stewardship activities of organizations that share the Commission's mission to preserve and promote the historic, cultural and natural resources of the Essex National Heritage Area.

Benefits of Local Historic Preservation Designation

There are many great benefits of a Local Historic Preservation designation. One of the strongest reasons to seek local historic district designation is to protect and preserve local resources, even while the community is changing. If you are working to inspire your friends, neighbors and community leaders to establish a Local Historic District, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has a few tips that might help. Learn more.

Essex Heritage Corporate Membership Program

In the last couple of weeks, we have had several new Members, and for those commitments we are most pleased.

•      The Cummings Center of Beverly has joined the Essex Heritage Corporate Membership program and if any of you are planing a move to this region they have space to fit any need at their commercial facility in Beverly, MA. Make an appointment to visit their location.  They have a space for every need and they provide substantial parking both in open spaces or in garages for your staff and potential clients.

•      Andover Country Club on Canterbury Street in Andover has recently agreed to become a corporate member of the Essex Heritage Program. They and their owner/operator Yvon Cormier offers a sensational banquet and celebration facility for any occasion.  In addition, there is a championship eighteen hole golf course connected to the facility that is both a great challenge but still a wonderful way to spend  a pleasant day in the outdoors.   The space used by the golf course is a spectacular and wonderful way to preserve some of the important natural resources of this region.

In addition to all previously mentioned Mr. Cormier is a proficient and capable homebuilder with sites available in the complex where a home can be built.   I have been proud and pleased to have known Mr. Cormier for four decades and know that everything he does and is connected with is done with great class and competence.

Non-profit News

I have printed an EDITORIAL Sent to me by the Director of North Shore Elder Services that outlines the needs that Not for Profits are facing and why the Corporate Membership Program noted above is so important.

The following op-ed by Deborah Kincade Rambo, President, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Boston, was published in the current edition of the Boston Business Journal.

Nonprofits learning to do more with less

By Deborah Kincade Rambo, President, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Boston

With the still largely unresolved fiscal cliff, pending deficit reduction efforts and the reality of ongoing diminishing support from state and federal governments, it’s a challenging time for nonprofits and social services agencies. In this environment where nonprofits are stretched thin, it is crucial for organizations to work as efficiently as possible to fulfill our mission while still investing in programs and infrastructure.

These new financial pressures have challenged nonprofits to be more active in their appeal to the business community and general public for support. It has also required us to be more creative in our program development — constantly doing more with less — while at the same time demonstrating to our impact on the community.

Unlike for-profit organizations, nonprofit agencies are charged with delivering value not just to the clients we serve but also to our donors. Demonstrating return on investment for donors — and the long-term impact of their contribution — is especially important to grow these relationships and hold on to donors in a tough economy.

Donors often evaluate charities based on “efficiency ratings” that show what percent of funding goes to direct and indirect program costs, but being overly efficient can demonstrate a lack of investment, innovation and even compassion. This push for efficiency data strengthens accountability and aids in program evaluation, however, it is important that we all recognize that statistics don’t always tell the full story and can miss the qualitative aspects of our work. And while we can measure return on investment for donations and the impact of specific programs on individuals, one figure that remains constant is the demand.

At Catholic Charities we recognize we need to have the right tools in place to run the organization as efficiently as possible while also demonstrating a return on investment for our donors. This indirect investment in the future of the organization — such as a new database to track client progress — is key to our long-term sustainability, just as the early education programs we facilitate are key to the long term success for our children and ultimately the future prosperity of our community

Regional News

Town of Andover to offer only one contested contest at 2013 Annual Meeting.

The Town of Andover has announced that there is only one active race being offered in the March town election as two candidates are seeking a single Town School Committee Seat.  This certainly is an indictment on the public’s desire to participate in local government affairs. There is a real commitment to service required and finding interested citizens is becoming more and more difficult to find,

City of Salem to Offer Cultural Grants

The City of Salem has offered a group of cultural grants that totaled over $10,000 for the current year.   The funds are obtained from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and are just a portion of the over $35,000 that was formally requested. This year, the funding in Salem went to the Salem Arts Festival, the Salem Arts Festival, the Salem Jazz and Soul Festival, Salem Theatre Company Productions and other entities.

President Washington Honored with Bell Ringing on Holiday

On the official birthday of our first United States President, George Washington a thirty- minute period of bell ringing in Abbott Hall and various community churches occurred in the Town of Marblehead to honor the President.

City of Methuen is awarded one half million grant

City of Methuen Officials and the State of Massachusetts

Energy and Environmental Affairs department received a $500,000 grant to add a 4000 sq. ft. clubhouse to Nicholson Stadium.  The new facility will include dressing and meeting rooms and a concession section.   

Long Range Schedule of events offered by Danvers Historical Society

The following information is provided by the Operations Manager of Danvers Historical Society .  The schedule is through one event in the Spring of 2014  and allows advance  planning  by area residents if there is an interest in any of the listed events.

Danvers Historical Society Programs and Fundraisers:

·         Sun. Feb. 24 Tea & History at the Page House.  We’ll celebrate George Washingtons Birthday.  This program is SOLD OUT!!!!

·         Corned beef sandwiches and green libations Tapley Memorial Hall price TBD

·         Thurs. April 18, 2013 Americas First Ladies  7 PM Tapley Hall

·         Sun. April 28, 2013 The Essex Harmony Spring Concert 3 PM

·         Thurs. May 16, 2013  Salute!  To our Vietnam Veterans 7 PM Tapley Hall

·         Thurs. June 16, 2013 Annual Meeting and  50th Anniversary of our purchasing GMF gala.

·         Mon. June 24 History, Harmony, Hot Dogs and Hits.  Rain Date Mon. July 1, 2013

·         Mon. Sept. 16, 2013 Golf Tournament Black Swan C.C. $125 includes golf, cart, lunch and lots of fun!! or sponsor a hole for $125.

·         Thurs. Nov. 14, 2013 program: Richard Trask “JFK Assassination, A Personal Perspective” 7 PM Tapley Memorial Hall

·         Sat. Nov. 30-Sat. Dec. 7  Parade of Trees Tapley Memorial Hall

·         Designers Holiday Showhouse GMF Dates TBD

·         Fri. Dec. 6, 2013 Christmas Soiree

·         Sun. Dec. 15, 2013 Members Christmas Party at Tapley and The Essex Harmony Concert

·         High Tea at GMF to benefit Derby Summerhouse Date TBD-Spring 2014

Senior, Medical and Disability Issues

This is a message from North Shore Elder Services regarding a positive vote expected to support the Salem Senior Center Plan.

Please see the message from Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll below and the attachments for detailed information about the proposed new senior center for the residents of Salem.  Mayor Driscoll has asked for support from North Shore Elder Services.  The NSES Program and Advocacy Committee considered this request at its meeting earlier this month and recommends that NSES support the proposal.   This consideration has been added to the agenda for the February 28th NSES Board of Directors meeting.

I have also included a well drafted letter to the Editor of the Salem News written by Kay Walsh, a Salem News editorial in support of the proposal, and a letter to the editor written by former Salem Mayor Tony Salvo which contains a lot of inaccuracies and factual distortions.

If you have any questions or comments, prior to the meeting please contact me. Thanks, Paul Lanzikos

St. Richard’s Parish Golden Anniversary Celebration

One of the most active catholic parishes in Danvers is in the process of celebrating its Golden Anniversary as a parish. St  Richard’s Church has several events planned and the next one is on have March 9th. .  This event will feature a traditional Irish dinner with entertainment. No tickets will be sold at the door that evening. There are more events in the planning stages.   There is also a raffle ticket good for a month with prizes awarded every day that month.  Both of these tickets are available after any of the services each weekend.

One of the things the publicity committee has decided on is the presentation of series of historical elements that have occurred in the past five decades.   The first of these historical presentations was prepared by the Chairperson of the Anniversary Celebration Ms. Betsy Geheb and appeared last weekend in the Parish Newsletter.  The material on a social group called Danvers Catholic Mr. & Mrs. Club. is reprinted for your information as follows.

By 1960 the population was booming in the small farm town of Danvers. St. Mary’s Parish had just completed a successful capital campaign to build St. Mary’s School, which opened in September 1958. Couples involved in the school capital campaign became friends sharing their lives both spiritually and socially. At the same time the newly assigned, very dynamic, Rev. John J. Berube arrived in town. Together they recognized a means to provide Catholic Couples the opportunity to bond and relate more with each other and God establishing The Danvers Catholic Mr. & Mrs. Club.

The first club officers were John and Jane Larivee (President), Earle & Beverly Annis (Vice President), Don & Bernadette Mc Neill (Secretary) and Pat & Corinne Begin (Treasurer) serving from January 1961-¬‐June 1962 with Fr. Berube as their Spiritual Advisor. Dues, bylaws and guidelines were established.

By 1963 growth continued to expand to the southern and western sections of town – St. Mary’s Parish was bursting. As a result, Cardinal Cushing established a second parish in Danvers, St. Richard. With the railroad tracks as the divide, many of
St. Mary’s parishioners now found themselves in St. Richard Parish. That same year Fr. Berube was re-¬‐assigned to St. Francis of Assisi in Braintree and the Rev. Patrick Kelly took over as Spiritual Advisor for the club. The decision was made to have a joint club of all Danvers Catholic Couples.
St. Alphonsus (rebuilt from a fire) opened in Danvers in 1968 expanding the club to three parishes of Catholic couples.

In March 1973, Rev. Donald D. Sullivan accepted the request to become the Spiritual Advisor of the club as Fr. Kelly departed to St. Ann’s in Wayland. Fr. Sullivan had the most remarkable ability to recall names and affix them to the proper faces. He influenced the club’ charity of choice, St. Michael’s Indian School in Arizona. Christmas gifts were sent to the Navajo children annually. Fr. Sullivan was well liked with the club celebrating his Silver Jubilee on October 1, 1978. He remained Spiritual Advisor for 18 years before leaving for Our Lady of Assumption in Lynnfield as a Senior Priest in Residence in June 1987.

Pastors from the parishes assumed the role of Spiritual Advisor. Under Sullivan’s guidance the purpose of the club continued - “to provide a means by which Catholics in Danvers could become better acquainted, enrich their understanding of our common faith and to have fun.   My wife Marge and I served as Presidents of this group as did many other couples in Danvers who took a turn as an officer of the club.

More information from ST. Richard’s that is in the Planning stages of a planning process regarding a Parish Capital Campaign.   SEE NOTICE THAT FOLLOWS.

Please attend the first Capital Campaign Committee Meeting that will be held on February 25th at 7:00P.M. in the St. Richards Parish Rectory. We hope that you will be able to make it and we look forward to seeing you then.  Thank you.

Attorney James M. Sears

7 Federal Street, Suite 17

Danvers, MA 01923

Tel. 978-777-2104

Fax. 978-750-6940

SearsandSears@aol.com

THE LONGEVITY CONNECTION

The Longevity Connection that is a subsidiary corporation established by North Shore Elder Services and was created to provide similar services to the region to a segment of the population that is not eligible for NSES services due to either assets or income.   There is no doubt that there are many that wish they could avail themselves of the available programs and could pay for the services if not eligible.  The Leadership of the longevity Connection is committed to bring this message to the region and if you have a group that would like to receive a presentation on the services available contact the Longevity Connection at 978 774 4540 for more information or to set up a presentation to a local group.   The leadership has most qualified presenters and would welcome the chance to meet with local groups.

  

COPAA Fundraising

I want to be very careful in using this BLOG to promote the Fundraising effort of other not for profits that I am associated with. I do so much work on this site to raise funds for Essex Heritage, but because COPAA does so much to help the many amputees in our area I wanted to offer this information.   The following is a message that was received from the COPAA Director.  I have helped point her in the right direction for financial help

I received a message this week from the COPAA Director that follows

Hi, Tom:

I enjoyed seeing you and Marge again at our meeting Wednesday. Eileen was just great and we all enjoyed her thoroughly. I plan on going over there to visit her next week and to check out the store. 

She is speaking here about our speaker this month from North Shore Elder Services and their subsidiary, The Longevity Connection.

I wanted to let you know about our contributions so far.

On behalf of the COP Amputee Association, I would like to announce the following:

•      CR Lyons of CR Lyons And Sons Funeral Home  in Danvers contributed $100,  which will help pay for two amputees from our group to go on our ski trip to Loon Mt. in New Hampshire on March 9.

•      Kevin Lyons, President and Owner, Lyons Ambulance Service, LLC, of Danvers contributed $100 as well. This will also help us pay for two of our amputees to go skiing at Loon Mt. on March 9.

•      Mary Margaret Moore, Executive Director of The Independent Living Center of the North Shore and Cape Ann, located in Salem, contributed $100 which we will apply towards our ski trip on March 9, 2013.

•      So far, seven of our amputees are signed up to go to Loon Mt. in Franklin, New Hampshire on Saturday, March 9 to spend the day outdoors skiing.  Loon Mt is the home of New England Disabled Sports and along with Spaulding Rehab.  are offering people with disabilities the opportunity to come and spend the day with them .  For $65 per person they provide us with all the necessary equipment, give us a private adaptive ski lesson, and all that comes with an all day ski pass at Loon.

•      Last year some tried the tri-ski, one ski with two outriggers for balance, support and steering.  One person was helped into a sled and guided down the mountain by an Adaptive Instructor. A few were experienced enough to go out on their own, snowboarding or skiing with one ski. All in all it was a fun day. This should be about a dozen participating, and it is always better with more going.

•      Danvers Ford in Danvers has offered to help us out by renting us a 15-passenger van to bring everyone up in. They gave us a great discounted price for the entire time we will be using their van This is a great savings from last year, and then we only had a 12-passenger van on that trip.

•      Many thanks to CR Lyons of CR Lyons and Sons Funeral Home, Kevin Lyons of Lyons Ambulance Service, LLC,  Mary Margaret Moore of the Independent Living Center, and Danvers Ford for helping us to give our amputees a weekend they will never forget.

MORE INFORMMATION FROM COPPA DIRECTOR

Hello, everyone!

 I have come across a link about an expo called The Abilities Expo coming to Boston on September 20-22, 2013. My friend Diane told me about this and so far we haven't seen any announcements from our usual sources ( Spaulding, DCR), so I am sending along this link to all my friends from the COPAA as well as some of our local friends who have helped us so much during the past year.

Please click onto this and get as excited as I am about this Expo. It is for all people with disabilities. It looks like there is a little something there for everyone. It is going to be held at the Boston Convention Center. Check it out! I'm going! 

Best regards,

Posie

This certainly looks like a worthwhile event to attend

People in the News

Essex Aggie Top leader to Retire

 Mr. Roger Bourgeois who currently has served Essex Aggie since 2007 has announced that he will be leaving his position as School Superintendent to take a similar and newly created position  in the Boston School System.  In light of the impending merger of the Agricultural School and the Regional Vocational Technical School his presence will be missed.

City of Beverly’s Mayor Ponders Another term

In his annual State of the City Speech presented a most positive picture of the condition of the city.  Mayor Scanlon, now in his 18th year as the chief executive of the Garden City, indicated without a re-election commitment that he was very interested in seeing the results of the work that he and his team have done to position the community for success.

Personal Observations

STATION NIGHT CLUB FIRE 10TH ANNIVERSARY

During the last couple of days found many who were and continue to be connected with the one hundred victims of the devastating Station Night Club fire gathered to remember and commemorate those that perished in the fire.  In light of the terrible tragedy that took place recently in Brazil that was so eerily similar to the Warwick Rhode Island event are using the tenth anniversary of this event to continue to call for a more complete package of safety improvements in the way public places.  They are prepared to insure that this kind of event could not happen in this region again.