Friday, October 3, 2014

Essex Happenings … October 2014

Essex Heritage News
Board of Trustees Elections Held
This fall, the Essex Heritage Board of Trustees elected the following members as new officers for the organization:
·         Vice President – John Farmer, Eastern Bank (current Essex Heritage Treasurer)
·         Treasurer – Kevin Rourke, Salem Five Bank
·         Assistant Treasurer – Timothy Felter, Newburyport Five Cent Savings Bank

Five Essex Heritage Commissioners were also elected to be new trustees:
·         Gary Coon, Managing Director, Major League Investments, Inc., Salem
·         Wayne Eisenhauer, President, Danvers Historical Society
·         James Rudolph, Managing Partner, Rudolph Friedmann, LLP, Boston
·         Thomas Sullivan, Law Office of Thomas J. Sullivan, Haverhill
·         Pamela Yameen, Butcher Boy Market, North Andover

Other Essex Heritage Matters
Move It: Essex Heritage has teamed up with the YMCA of the North Shore for  Move It! 100 Miles in 100 Days challenge – a new program inspiring individuals and families of all ages to get active.

Yankee Magazine Award: Essex Heritage was named a 2014 “Best of New England — Editors’ Choice” Winner by Yankee Magazine for the film "Salem Witch Hunt: Examine the Evidence"

Regional Visitor Center Information Desk: Essex Heritage had a Grand Opening Celebration on September 16 to mark the opening of the new Essex National Heritage Area Visitor Information Desk.  Located within the National Park Service’s Regional Visitor Center, the Essex Heritage staff will provide information on things to do and places to visit all over the 500 square mile Essex National Heritage Area region.

Trails & Sails: This annual  Two Weekends of Walks and Water was again held on the last two weekends of September.  With wonderful weather and great events, it was a great success and there were more than 5,000 participants who explored the 150+ FREE events all around Essex County.

Annual Fall Meeting: On October 23, Essex Heritage will hold its Annual Fall Meeting at The Governor’s Academy in Byfield. Your participation is welcome at this very valuable morning of networking and regional engagement.  For reservations contact Essex Heritage at 978-740-0444 or contact them at www.essexheritage.org .   The event is free, most informative and rewarding.  The Governor’s Academy is the oldest continuously operating boarding school in the US.

Regional News
Local financial institutions completed merger on September 1
North Shore Bank and Saugus Bank have completed their merger under the banner of North Shore Bank on September 1ST.  David La Flame will continue to be the CEO and Kevin Tierney will be the President.  David is a Trustees at Essex Heritage and Kevin is a former Trustee and also served as President of Essex Heritage for several years.  At this time we are uncertain how the merger will impact their connections with Essex Heritage.

Town of Danvers Fireworks Decision
As reported in last month’s BLOG, the volunteer board of Family Festival, due to the costs and safety issue connected with this event, have canceled the fireworks feature of this month long celebration.  Now Danvers town leadership has wisely decided that those burdens will not be borne by the community.  So the spectacular event will be just history.

Preservation of Historic Farmhouse on Locust Street in Danvers Urged by Residents
Staying with news in Danvers for this report, a local developer is attempting to create an over age 55 residential property on land in Danvers that has been used recently by the Clark School.  The property is a first period house and a number of area residents have come out in favor of preserving the property in its present condition.  The Town’s Preservation Committee will soon be holding a public hearing on this issue.

Essex County Foundation Seminars for Non Profit Corporations to be held in Wenham
The Essex County Foundation, among its efforts to raise funds for worthwhile organization in the county, has announced that it will be offering a four part  series of workshops for the local leadership of non-profit organizations in this region.  The events will take place into the first week of October and will be held at the Wenham Museum and the Community House in Hamilton.  For more details information on times and costs contact the Foundation at www.eccf.org.

City of Peabody announces ten flu clinics for its residents.
This year the City of Peabody will be partnering with a number of local organizations to attain the broadest participation.  For dates, times and locations please contact the city public heath nurse at 978 538 5931.

The Town of Danvers will also offer flu shots at the Senior Center - call then for time and dates.

Follow-up on Boys and Girls Club of Greater Salem
The Boys & Girls Club’s Drop-In and Teen Program opened on Wednesday beginning at 2pm to 8pm at the Collins Middle School for boys and girls ages 8 to 18. The annual membership fee is $25. Children will be able to take buses from their schools to the Club at Collins just as they did in the past to when the Club was located at Hawthorne Blvd.

We are excited about our strong staff who will be directing our Club programs this year. Meghan Murtagh-Martin is the Program Director for the after School Drop-In Program.  Meghan did an incredible job leading our After School License Child Care Program for the past two years and is enthusiastic about leading our Drop-In Program.  Our new Arts & Education Director is Keshia DeLeon, and Keith Langlais is returning as our Athletic Director.
Andre Daley is back as our Teen Director, and Grace Duran is our new After School License Child Care Director.

Parents may rest assured that any child who would have taken a Salem School bus to our Hawthorne site will be able to take a school bus to our Collins site. Programs at Collins will include all the regular ones for children ages 8 through 12, and those for youth ages 13 through 18.  There will not be licensed childcare at Collins for children younger than 8 years old.  Children at Witchcraft Heights, Saltonstall and Horace Mann Elementary Schools may still receive Boys & Girls Club licensed after-school care at those schools.  Children at Bates, Bentley, Carlton, and Bowditch, who want a Boys & Girls Club licensed program, may be transported to Witchcraft Heights.  For more information about this new chapter in the Club's history, please visit our Facebook page, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salem or our website www.bgcgs.org; or call the Club at 978-744-0915.

Court facility in Salem To Be Named for Former Judge
Governor Deval Patrick formally announced recently that the Essex County Probate and Family Court in the County Court Complex on Federal Street in Salem will be named in honor of Judge Thaddeus Buczko who served as the Presiding Judge in that court until his retirement in 1996.  Judge Buczko is lifelong resident of Salem and served in a number of elected municipal and State positions including that of State Auditor.   Ted Bucko was a distinguished member of the Armed Forces, serving in two conflicts.  He has long been a fixture in Salem and was a person you could look to for advice on difficult situations. A formal naming event will take place in the future when the currently refurbished building is finished.

Personal News
Golf in Norton, MA
Prior to losing my leg, the game of golf was one of my favorite pastimes.  Last Saturday, I attended with my family the PGA event in Norton, Mass.   The event was most entertaining and we all enjoyed the event while watching the strong group of participants.  We are most appreciative of the efforts of our financial advisor who provided the tickets to us.

As a personal comment, I have not ever experienced an event or a group of volunteers that were any more aware of the needs of people with handicaps   There were special buses, golf carts and caring volunteer everywhere we went that day.  The sponsoring Deutsche Bank should be most proud of their volunteers.

Abilities Expo in Boston
On a Saturday early in September my wife brought me into the Boston Convention Center for our first visit to that great location for the Abilities Expo.  We viewed a great deal of material for people with handicaps and Marge received some specific information about how to easily move my wheelchair  in and out of the back of our car without having to physically lift it out each time which is getting more difficult with each passing day.

COPAA Information
As you know. I have been very involved in a locally based organization focused on assistance to people with amputations.   The organization has recently opened a web site to provide information.   Unfortunately, the term COPAA was already used and the next best internet name that was available was www. copamp.org. Please visit the organizations and find pertinent data. The site can be accessed at www.copamp.org.  Log on and take a look at www.copamp.org

We also just received word that the IRS has declared contributions to COPAA are tax deductible.   If you have any inclination to make a contribution to COPAA, check our website for information on where gifts might be sent.

Back in the swing at Tedesco CC Sponsored by Spaulding Hospital
I have participated in a three week program offered by the Adaptive Sports Program of the hospital that was most helpful in my rehabilitation – Spaulding of the North Shore.   The program featured balance and swing principals, and after the sessions, I believe I am ready to attempt some golf with the help of family.

St. John’s Prep News
Admission Open Houses!  
Admission season is underway and this is an especially busy year with the Prep’s new Middle School opening in September 2015.  All interested families are invited to attend fall Open Houses to learn more.  Additional information can be found on the website.
•  High School Open House: Sunday, September 28 and Saturday, October 25.
•  Middle School Open House: Sunday November 2 and Wednesday December 10.

Homecoming at the Prep – October 18-19
Save the date! The School would love to see you and your family back on campus for Homecoming on Saturday, October 18.  Activities will include the rededication of Cronin Memorial Stadium; varsity football vs. BC High; varsity soccer vs. Catholic Memorial; an alumni soccer game; and a family BBQ.  On Sunday, October 19, a Memorial Mass will be celebrated in the Administration Building Chapel at 9 am. More information and registration can be found here.

Reunion
FYI, the class of 1954, of which I am a member of a fast shrinking group of former gradates, will be holding its 60th reunion during that weekend.  We will be venturing into Salem for dinner where we will challenge Halloween crowds at the Hawthorne Hotel, owned and operated by a fellow classmate, Mike Harrington.
  
Professional Sports in Boston
Soccer
The New England Revolution signed a USA World Cup star and went on a short term winning streak
  
Football
The Patriots started poorly but have as in the past and have a record of 2 wins and1loss after three weeks.   They have improved as they progress through the year.  The first couple of weeks in October are more difficult the year.  Let’s hope for success.

Red Sox Future
As the difficult 2014 season is mercifully coming to an end the Red Sox are looking to the future with young pitchers getting a chance to show their skills and a recent signing of a Cuban player shows promise.  It seems that the decades long cry of the Red Sox of “wait until next year” might be a correct one in 2014.

Bruins Hold Captain’s Practice
The Boston Bruins are currently holding Captain’s practices, and the pre-season Training Camp and Exhibitions games are not far away.  The Team has some positional holes to fill and the first weeks of this month will be important to team development.



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