July 2011 PrimeTime

free

A

ccording to The Humane Society of the United States, 39 percent of households in America own at least one dog, and 33 percent own at least one cat.

That translates to more than 171 million pets.

To say that Americans value the love of animals, then, would be an understatement.

For many families, the household dog or cat is a member of the family. They get their own stocking at Christmastime, and for the truly devout, they might even get a birthday party all their own.

For this issue of PrimeTime, we tried to capture that love and devotion.

We also tried to highlight the extremes that people will go to in order to spoil their pets, by getting the grand tour of three Rhode Island businesses that exemplify pet pampering.

Ahead of the Pack is the ultimate dog salon, and owner Karen Mulcahey has become certified in grooming, dog massage and dog CPR all to bring the highest quality service to her customers and their four-legged loved ones. Pawfectly Clad offers custom tailoring for any fashion found in the store, where all of the dog coats, dresses and more are hand made by owner Chris Fontaine. And at Park Ave Puppy’s, Susanna Barrett caters to a sophisticated clientele that wants the best for his or her dog, from Versace to Louis Vuitton.

Besides their shared love of animals, these three women have another thread that ties them together: their careers started on different paths. Mulcahey came from banking, Fontaine from nursing, and Barrett initially had dreams of becoming a doctor. Ultimately, their passion for pets brought them into this industry, through, and they haven’t looked back.

Pearl Salotta’s career has also been steered by animals. She has revolutionized pet assisted therapy, July 2011 1944 Warwick Ave. and made it a household term in Warwick, RI 02889 Rhode Island. Learn more about 401-732-3100 FAX 401-732-3110 how to make a positive impact on the community with your pets in this issue.

Distribution Special Delivery Dogs are the foundation for Sergeant Matt Zarrella’s career, but it’s a path he always wanted to take. After joining the Rhode Island State PUBLISHERS Police in 1990, he set out to create a K-9 unit Barry W. Fain, Richard G. Fleischer, for the police, and has been growing its ranks John Howell ever since.

EDITOR If you want to learn more about how to Meg Fraser train your pet, don’t miss our Q&A with trainer megf@rhodybeat.com Christina Johnson, or the doer’s profile on Jim O’Neill and his obedience techniques.

MARKETING DIRECTOR Donna Zarrella But best of all, in this July issue, you can donnaz@rhodybeat.com see page after page of loveable animals who are looking for a home. We touched base with the Creative Director Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of CruLinda Nadeau elty to Animals, as well as the Potter League in lindan@rhodybeat.com Middletown, and got to meet, pet and play with WRITERS dozens of dogs, cats, bunnies and birds who are Don Fowler, Don D’Amato, Heather Fraser just itching to be a part of your family.

Joan Retsinas, Mike Fink, Meg Chevalier, In other words, this issue has gone to the Cynthia Glinick, Joe Kernan, Kerry Park dogs.

Pr i m e Ti m e

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Donna Zarrella – donnaz@rhodybeat.com Carolann Soder, Lisa Mardenli, Janice Torilli, Suzanne Wendoloski, Gina Fugere Classified ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Sue Howarth – sueh@rhodybeat.com Brittany Wardell – brittanyw@rhodybeat.com PRODUCTION STAFF Matt Bower, Joseph Daniels, Brian Geary, Lisa Yuettner

A Joint Publication of East Side Monthly and Beacon Communications.

PrimeTime Magazine is published monthly and is available at over 400 locations throughout Rhode Island. Letters to the editor are welcome. We will not print unsigned letters unless

Meg Fraser editor

nextmonth

In August, we will cool things down and focus on a more serious issue: life planning. Be on the look out for our break down on how to plan your finances, retirement and health care in order to successfully age in place.

o n t h e c ove r Pet therapy dog Angel (photo by Meg Fraser)

inthisissue

4 The best medicine

Pearl Salotta puts pet assisted therapy on the map

5A The ‘Pawfect’ fit hobby turns into a profession with Pawfectly Clad boutique

6 new leash on life

Karen Mulcahey leaves corporate America to become a dog groomer and finds her true passion

9 must love dogs

Q&A with Trainer Christina Johnson

10 lap of luxury

Park Ave Puppy’s offers top of the line fashions and furnishings for dogs

13 Rhode Island’s Dr. Dolittle

Dr. E.J. Finocchio and the RISPCA advocate for animals in the Ocean State

16 potter

14 Taking a bite out of crime

Sgt. Matt Zarrella takes the State Police K-9 unit to new heights

league heroes

Looking to rescue an animal? We’ve got the place for you!

FOOD & DRINK In the kitchen.................................................................................11 PEOPLE & PLACES Doer’s profile..................................................................................12 Glimpse of RI’s past.....................................................................24 LIFESTYLES That’s Entertainment..................................................................17 What do you Fink?.......................................................................18 Gay & Gray.......................................................................................19 SENIOR ISSUES Retirement Sparks.......................................................................19 Director’s column........................................................................21 Culture change coalition.........................................................21

b y Meg Fraser

The Best

primetime pets

Medicine

Pearl Salotta with one of her therapy dogs, Panda.

Below, Angel is another of Salotta’s hard working pups.

Photos by Meg Fraser 4 | PrimeTime

Most people would guess that Pearl Salotta’s love for animals influenced her career choices.

But the way Salotta tells it, it was more the pets’ decision than her own.

“My pets have guided me in this career,” she said.

“It’s not like I woke up one day and said, ‘I’m going to be a pet therapist.’”

A former school teacher and social worker, Salotta says she is where she is today thanks to her dogs DJ and Maj-En. “When I got DJ, and also Maj-En, they showed me their love for people. I couldn’t help but think about it,” she said. “The pets set the example and pulled me along on the end of the leash.”

Salotta began teaching Pet Assisted Therapy in New York in 1986. Even then, when the concept was just beginning to gain traction, she saw the need – and the demand.

“I think there’s always been interest,” she said.

“All you have to do is have a pet anywhere and it creates interest. When you tell people you can work with these animals as a profession, most people are really excited about that.”

DJ and Maj-En have since passed away, but Salotta’s commitment has not wavered. A new generation of therapy dogs, Panda and Angel, inspire her to continue.

Twenty-five years after she started on this path, Salotta is known across Rhode Island for creating the Pet Assisted Therapy certification program at the Community College of Rhode Island, which, since 1996, has educated and empowered animals and their guardians to make a positive impact on the community, from schoolchildren to elderly nursing home patients.

While Salotta has a penchant for samoyeds and great pyrenees, she says any breed can work for therapy purposes, as long as they have the personality for it.

“What counts is not the breed, but the love in the family,” she said. “I pride myself on the fact that my program at CCRI does not discriminate against any breed – we welcome any student.”

In fact, it’s not only dogs Salotta works with.

She accepts any household pet in the class, and that has included cats, bunnies, and even a duck. The only requirements are that the animal is a family pet, and they must pass a temperament test that shows they are comfortable with being touched by strangers.

That, and they have to enjoy the work.

“The dog or cat or bunny has to enjoy it,” Salotta said.

Once in the PAT course, the animal/guardian pairs go through three courses in order to receive their certification.

The first course is based on theory, covering the safety issues and the basic how-to’s of pet therapy.

The second course is the actual training, where dogs

become acclimated to wheelchairs and walkers, loud noises and busy spaces, all to ensure they can handle a classroom or other crowded environment.

Most often, cats are excused from this portion of the class, though some owners will opt to go through the training.

The third course in the program is a 20-hour internship in the community.

It’s out in the community where Salotta gets her energy to continue.

“It’s my dream that every agency and every school in the country will have a full-time pet therapist on site,” she said.

In schools, Salotta and her dogs educate children on respecting animals. She also tries to tie in academic components into her visits, by asking the students to write about Panda or Angel, paint a mural of animals, or integrate the lesson into other subjects.

“Kids love to write about what they’ve learned from my pets,” Salotta said. “I’ve never found a school district that didn’t enjoy the benefits of pets.”

The same is true for nursing homes, senior centers, hospitals and assisted living facilities where Salotta introduces seniors to her pet therapy dogs.

“They want to come out of their rooms and meet the animals,” she said. “They reminisce, and it encourages mobility and range of motion.”

Salotta cites studies that have proven the physical benefits of having animals around, from lower blood pressure to improved mental health.

“Pets can be incorporated into treatment goals,” she adds.

When asked how she handles people who are afraid of her dogs, Salotta says she lets each person go at their own pace, never forcing the issue.

Still, she has seen tremendous changes in seniors and children who have let go of their fears. In one instance, a woman in a nursing home refused to go near Salotta’s dogs for months. One day, when speaking with Salotta from inside her room, she conceded to “one little pet.”

“The rest is history,” Salotta said. “She was absolutely hooked.”

Decades later, so is Salotta. Animals, she says, have changed her life for the better, and she believes do the same for countless others.

“I think pets set an example for the world about non-discrimination and acceptance,” she said. “Pets do set a good example of giving unconditional love and appreciating the moment, and I’ve learned so much from them. I’ve been really blessed.”

The next round of PAT courses begins on July 6 and runs through Aug. 24 at CCRI’s Providence campus. For more information, call 455-6144 or visit Salotta’s website at www.djppat.com. ■

July 2011

b y Meg Fraser

The

‘Pawfect’ Fit

primetime pets

Chris Fontaine worked as a nurse for 35 years before she decided last summer that a change of scenery was in order. She quit her job, and turned her hobby into a new career.

In November, Fontaine opened Pawfectly Clad, a specialty boutique for pet fashions in Johnston.

“Talk about a change of career path,” she said, laughing.

A longtime animal lover, Fontaine has been making outfits for her dogs, Zoey and Lulu, for years. They’re small dogs, and would shiver anytime they had to go outside in the winter or in the rain.

It was her experience that pet boutiques were hard to find, and when she did track them down, were too expensive.

“I’m not going to pay more for a coat for my seven-pound dog than I am for myself,” Fontaine said.

Since her job in nursing was flexible, Fontaine was able to bring her dogs to work. There, her co-workers got to see new fashions modeled weekly, and began putting in orders for items for their own pets. They’d give Fontaine a general idea or advise her of their favorite colors, and let her creativity run wild.

She tried to run a web business first but found it difficult to drive up traffic.

As time passed, Fontaine found herself becoming more adept at making patterns and sewing.

Now, Fontaine is sewing constantly in the workshop in the back of her storefront. She can make six harnesses in a single day. For the most part, though, she is only making one or two of any given design, so that customers can rest assured that their purchase won’t be on every dog in town.

“Over the past two to three years, I’ve built the inventory. Everything I make is very, very sturdy with dog safety in mind,” she said. “I get these ideas in my head and I just run with them.”

Fontaine focuses on fashion for small dogs, up to 25 pounds, from coats and collars to dresses and even holiday costumes. Her harnesses, adorned with fur or leather or frills, have a hook for leashes on the back rather than on the neck, which she says is safer and more comfortable for animals.

Her most popular items? Anything sports related.

She also has leashes and collars for larger dogs, collars for cats, gift baskets, pet beds and homemade pet treats made with fresh, all natural ingredients.

Fontaine says her primary objective, outside of making products that are safe for animals, is to keep her prices low, with some items as low as $2.95 for very small dogs. Unlike many boutiques, the price is determined by the amount of material needed.

After eight months in business, she also added tailoring to her repertoire, making custom outfits for dogs as they come in.

It’s a demanding job, but Fontaine wouldn’t change it for anything.

“It’s a wonder. I look forward to work every day,” she said. “I’m doing something that I really, really love.”

Pawfectly Clad is located at 1478 Atwood Avenue, Suite 102, in Johnston and can be reached at 331-1012. It is a pet friendly establishment; in fact, Fontaine encourages shoppers to bring their dogs in for fitting purposes. ■

Chris Fontaine fits her fashions on her favorite clients – her own dogs.

Photos by Nicole Carriere July 2011

PrimeTime | 5

b y meg fraser

New

Leash on Life Karen Mulcahy, her staff and her four-legged clients at Ahead of the Pack. Photos by Nicole Carriere

6 | PrimeTime

July 2011

primetime pets

Twenty years ago, Karen Mulcahey never would have guessed her life would take this path. A Providence College graduate, she worked her way up the corporate ladder to become a vice president in banking.

But when her position was eliminated, she re-evaluated her career options.

Return to banking, or pursue a true passion?

Mulcahey went with passion, and more than two years ago opened Ahead of the Pack, an animal spa that focuses on grooming, but with the added luxuries of massage, Barkery-Bakery and pet fashions available for purchase.

“My goal when I opened this was to create a place where I wanted to bring my pet,” Mulcahey said.

“I wanted to be around happy pets.”

When Mulcahey decides to do something, though, she does it all the way.

Rather than diving headfirst into opening a business, she wanted to become an expert in grooming. She began taking private lessons with an expert groomer, and initiated internships at two salons.

Despite coming from corporate America, Mulcahey wasn’t above being the low man on the totem pole.

“People think grooming is easy - it’s really not,” she said.

Mulcahey wasn’t satisfied with just learning the basics either. She got her pet massage certification in Pennsylvania through the Northwest School of Animal Massage.

She learned CPR for pets through the American Red Cross, and also earned her certification from the New England Pet Grooming Professionals.

“I wanted to learn everything I could. I knew I didn’t want to fail, so I wanted to take the time up front,” she said.

Mulcahey continues to learn. She is now studying Reiki therapy for dogs.

With holistic treatments like Reiki or massage, Mulcahey believes she can create a positive experience for even the most nervous or agitated animals.

“My mother and my husband call me the dog whisperer,” she said, laughing from the Warwick Avenue store. “Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been drawn to pets.

I’ve always had that respect for all beings.”

She has a dog of her own, but Mulcahey considers all of her clients her own. When a new face comes into the store, she lets them hop up beside her on the couch and gets to know their personality, always keeping safety in mind and not mingling big breeds with small dogs. She sits down with the owner and talks one-on-one about the pet’s needs, and the type of styling the owner wants.

“It’s about making them feel good about the process,” she said. “We have a lot of luck with the nervous nellies and the pets that have been poorly behaved in past

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grooming experiences. I take the extra time to let them feel comfortable.”

Mulcahey handles the customers up front, and relies heavily on the talent of groomers Shauna, Sherry, Lauren and Linda, who give every dog an oatmeal and aloe vera bath followed by a cream rinse conditioner. As they keep the pets looking great, Mulcahey has more time to get on the floor in the Pampered Pet Lounge where dogs have their own fenced-in runs with a pillow and toy. There, Mulcahey gets to play with the dogs the highlight of her day.

“I have a top 10 list but there are 100 pets on it,” she joked.

Ahead of the Pack began with five clients and “a leap of faith.” Today, her client base has grown exponentially.

“It really grew far more quickly than I ever dreamed.

It really surpassed my expectations,” Mulcahey said.

And the biggest difference is her outlook on life.

“In the corporate world, you come home and you’re stressed; here it’s very different. I’m just so much happier when I come home from work,” she said. “At the end of the day, I feel like I made a difference in the lives of the pets. I have to pinch myself sometimes and say, ‘I did it.’”

Ahead of the Pack is located at 1692 Warwick Avenue in Warwick. Call PET-PACK (738-7225) for more information. ■

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Berkshire Place announces new team Dick Lewis and Carolyn Killian recently joined the Berkshire Place Nursing and Rehabilitation Center administrative team. Lewis was named Administrator and Killian joins the team as Administrative Director.

Lewis has more than 35 years of experience in the long term care profession.

He is a Providence College and Johnson and Wales alumnus with degrees in health services and accounting.

Killian has more than 25 years of experience in Human Resource Management and she is an alumnus of the University of Pittsburgh with an advanced degree in English. Killian has worked for Intel, Honeywell, Brown University and Norwood Hospital and is Six Sigma certified.

Berkshire Place recently expanded its community with the addition of “Woodland Pines,” a 32-bed geri-psych behavioral unit. Woodland Pines specialized unit offers individualized care for behavioral and psychiatric residents and specializes in behavioral management.

For more information about Berkshire Place or to schedule an appointment to tour the facility, visit their website at www.bp-nc.com or contact Administrator Dick Lewis at 553-8600 or info@bp-nc.com.

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July 2011

b y Meg Fraser

Christina Johnson has always been an animal lover, but when she was injured on the job while working as a veterinary technician, she was forced to find a new way to do what she loved.

Johnson turned to animal training, and hasn’t looked back.

She’s been working as a trainer for nearly two decades, and her business, Better Behaved Dogs, brings years of expertise in training and nutrition into the homes of families across southern New England.

Her services include diagnosing and resolving behavior problems, preventing bad behaviors, evaluating tempers and testing for canine good citizens. From barking and jumping to aggression and anxiety, she’s got you and your dog covered. We caught up with Johnson to find out more about what makes dogs tick, and picked her brain on how to get Fido to stop barking at the mailman.

Must Love

Dogs

primetime pets

Q&A with trainer

Christina Johnson

When you meet with a family for the first time, where do you start?

Generally, I am working with people in their homes. Whether it’s a new puppy or an aggression case or whatever, the first visit usually takes one to two hours. We go over all the basics and I custom tailor the training program.

Is it ever too late to start training?

It’s always better to start young, because most behavior problems can be prevented.

But if you start changing the rules, most of the time it works, as long as you make sure all the members of the family are enforcing the same rules.

What’s the hardest thing to teach a dog?

Dogs need to learn the art of self control, because in a dog’s world, they do what they want.

Separation anxiety is a big problem for a lot of dogs. How do you break that?

There’s really a lot of different factors to it.

With separation anxiety, the first step is to work on dominance. And don’t misunderstand; I’m not saying to be overbearing. You need to find a multitude of ways to dominate the dog. It brings the dog’s confidence up. You also need to desensitize your dog to leaving triggers. You mix things up and throw them for a loop.

In your experience, what’s the biggest roadblock for successful training?

Privileges – that’s usually the biggest one. Humans and dogs have a very different set of rules, and for dogs, it’s smarter to give privileges with a specific set of rules. When you spoil your dog, it gives them the impression that they should be in charge. Most dogs don’t want that responsibility.

Barking too much and guarding the home – it’s a fine line. How do you establish the difference?

I teach the commands for speak and quiet at the same time. You want to get a good, solid quiet command. Then you need to sit down with your family and decide what’s appropriate barking and what’s not appropriate.

You outline what you want from the dog.

You advertise your business as “holistic problem solving” for dogs. What does that mean?

By holistic, I mean I look at the whole situation. Does the dog have a disposition problem or have the people accidentally enforced or created that problem?

How hard is it to work with a family with multiple dogs?

It’s definitely more challenging, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done. You teach the dogs one at a time.

What’s a good breed to look at for an older person, maybe someone in retirement?

A greyhound or a cavalier king charles spaniel. I wouldn’t think about something that’s really high energy; you’d want an easier disposition.

OK, we all do it – how bad is it to feed from the table?

I recommend not to feed from the table, but table food is OK. I actually am an advocate of natural diet, but not everyone is capable of doing it.

After all these years of working with animals, what do you think the impact is on individuals and families?

A lot of times they become part of the family. Just petting an animal can bring the heart rate and respiration down. They definitely have a very positive effect on people.

The dog is helping physically, but they’re also helping emotionally. It becomes a very reciprocal relationship.

For more information on Christina Johnson and Better Behaved Dogs, visit www.BetterBehavedDogs.com, e-mail Christina@BetterBehavedDogs.com or call 539-0947. ■

Dogs find their own way to communicate their feelings. How can we understand that?

There are a ton of indicators. There are probably 25 to 30 behaviors that indicate stress.

The tail is a critical indicator; I call it the “tailometer.” You have to bear in mind that every breed has a different tail set, though.

You have to know the dog you’re working with.

When a dog seems stressed or scared, like during a storm, how should the owner respond?

The number one thing not to do, is say, ‘It’s OK, you’re a good dog.’ Most people try to soothe the dog, but basically what the owners are saying is, ‘That’s right, be scared.’ Do positive things and don’t coddle them.

July 2011

PrimeTime | 9

b y M eg fraser

Lap of

Luxury

primetime pets

Park Ave Puppy’s offers the best of the best for pets Walk into Park Ave Puppy’s, and you’re immediately struck by the glitz and glamour on display.

Plastic gates are replaced by leopard print crates with faux fur pillows.

Plain colored leashes are nowhere to be seen, but Louis Vuitton harnesses are showcased in glass cases.

And behind the counter, photographs of celebrity customers adorn the wall.

It’s not your average pet store, and owner Susanna Barrett is just fine with that.

“I look for the quality of the product, and I also look for uniqueness of the product,” she said.

Barrett has always had a passion for pets, and believes they should be treated with respect. For years, she spoiled her chihuahua, Isabella, dressing her in stylish dog fashions, which created interest from family and friends. Although she had finished business school and studied premed, Barrett saw a new opportunity and decided to open a store of her own on Federal Hill 11 years ago.

“I opened it out of passion - as a hobby. I never imagined it would be my career,” she said.

Six years ago, Park Ave Puppy’s moved to its current location on Reservoir Avenue in Cranston, and business is booming.

“We believe pets have their place in society, and I think people are treating them more like an active member of the family,” Barrett said. “I think people are paying more attention to their pets.”

That’s good news for Barrett. The clothing, collars and leashes have always been big sellers, especially from brand name designers like Versace, but new fads have changed the inventory as well.

In the summer, Park Ave sells cooling mats. In the winter, they sell heating pads. Year-round, more and more customers are looking for all-natural food and snacks. Barrett won’t sell anything she wouldn’t use on her own dogs.

And perhaps the most unique feature that Park Ave Puppy’s offers is event planning.

“We’ve done weddings, we’ve done bar mitzvahs,

10 | PrimeTime

Owner Susanna Barrett shows off her inventory, and one of her puppies for sale. Photos by Meg Fraser and we do a lot of birthday parties,” Barrett said. “We’ll try to fulfill any request.”

Barrett sells several small breeds of puppies as well, such as Yorkies and Maltese.

Below the boutique, a 2,000 square-foot grooming facility gets the dogs looking their best before they pick out a dress, bikini or raincoat. For one photo shoot, Barrett had a dog in a 1,000 carat Swarovski crystal collar.

Outside of the store, Park Ave Puppy’s has created a reputation for giving back to the community. Barrett has been involved in pet fashion shows across the region, runs the Rhode Island Pet Expo Fashion Show and donates her services to countless charities.

For her customers, she offers Yappy Hour events that allow animals and their owners to mingle. The business

has been featured on Animal Planet, Pet Talk, Million Dollar Listing, Top Chef and other national venues.

“We do hundreds of events in the community each year,” she said. “We’ve had a lot of opportunities to branch out and do other things, but we like to keep our home base here in Rhode Island.”

And the key to her success?

“We treat the pet that comes in as our own,” Barrett said.

For more information on Park Ave Puppy’s, visit www.parkavepuppys.com, call 464-8800 or visit 843 Reservoir Avenue in Cranston. ■

July 2011

in the kitchen

food & drink

Chef David Rankin from

Tockwotton HOme

chefseries

What are the must haves in your fridge?

Fresh herbs are an absolute must, along with homemade stocks. Of course, one can never have enough fresh cheese of all varieties.

What’s the strangest menu request you’ve ever gotten?

Nothing too odd, although we did get a request for a grilled cream cheese and olive sandwich. One resident loved them so we made them for her often.

Where did you train to become a chef?

Initially, I attended Johnson & Wales for Hotel and Restaurant Management, but I learned most of my training first hand, working in kitchens in various roles and experimenting.

What’s the best part of your job?

After serving each meal, I enjoy watching residents and their guests dining and sharing time together. This is such a special part of their day. They were brought up in a time period when family and friends enjoyed daily meals at the table together. It brings a special bonding.

Have you had any other jobs in the culinary industry?

Before coming to Tockwotton Home, I owned a restaurant for eight years. After September 11, 2001, business declined sharply and I was forced to sell. Prior to that, I was in restaurant management.

What’s the most popular item on your menu?

Anything with lobster. The lobster fettuccine is very popular, as well as the lobster newburg. The baked stuffed shrimp is also very popular. We have a strong seafood loving clientele.

July 2011

Pr i m e Ti m e

Describe your perfect meal?

Even though I am a Rhode Island native, my perfect meal would be a low country boil (a southern pot that includes shrimp, crawfish, potatoes, sausage and corn). You spread it out on a table and everyone digs in. Include family and friends with a cooler of ice cold beer and you have my perfect meal.

■

PrimeTime | 11

DOER’S PROFILE

PEOPLE AND PLACES

by JOAN RE TSINAS

Helping a New Best Friend be Friendly On a sunny Saturday afternoon, we are all inside. I’m gazing out the window, longing to escape into the sunshine. Larry feels my eagerness; he is bouncing around, more or less ignoring the adult’s instructions. Henry, on the other hand, is perfect - obedient, cooperative.

As for Kai, he is blithely sitting and observing, content to be in his own space.

Larry, Henry and Kai are not children. They are a springer spaniel mix, a blue tick coonhound and a keeshond, respectively.

At the Ocean Dog Club facility in Pawtucket, they are learning manners, or, in the jargon of the classes, they are learning to be “canine good citizens.” At the end of however many sessions they need, they will take - and we hope pass - a CGC test. They will get a certificate from the American Kennel Club; their owners will get the satisfaction of knowing that their dogs can live harmoniously in the world.

For older owners, that civility is crucial.

“The training embraces common sense, with safety in mind, for you and your dog,” said trainer Jim O’Neill. “This is important for all dogs. They should know how to behave. But the consequences for older owners can be dire.”

Consider: the dog who yanks at a leash to chase after a squirrel could make you trip and break your ankle. Ditto for a dog frightened into bolting when he hears a loud sound. If you want to turn right and your dog pulls left, you could fall. The dog that jumps at the friend you meet on the street could make that friend trip. As for the dogs that bite, if they end up in shelters, they generally end up euthanized.

So, whether you are getting your first dog, or getting a new dog, you and your dog will gain from the lessons of canine citizenship.

O’Neill offers a few basics.

You should train the dog yourself. Indeed, he sees his role as “training the trainers.”

He gently leads adults and their dogs through a series of exercises, expecting the adults to practice at home.

The first exercise focuses on “separation.” You tell your dog to sit while you walk away, and, miraculously, your dog stays put. Not surprisingly, dogs that love their owners want to bound after them. Only when the owner signals “come” should the dog come. And, again not surprisingly, the motion to come is a loving embrace: the owner kneels and opens his arms, to welcome his dog.

Next come the directions to stay, lie down, turn left, turn right, about face. With enough practice, dogs learn those routines. They even learn to ignore loud, distracting noises.

Harder tasks focus on interaction with strangers. Loving dogs want to jump on strangers, to slobber them with kisses, to invite them to play. Well-behaved dogs will sit patiently while the adult stops to talk to a friend. O’Neill puts two pairs through the meet-and-greet routine, letting an owner walking his dog meet another owner, also walking a dog. Both dogs must resist running up to the other person, or the other dog.

A final exercise takes the dog through the motions of letting the owner, as well as another person, groom him: brush his hair, feel his ears open his mouth.

Throughout the session, owners reward every feat with a treat. Eventually these dogs will not need food as reward. Owners, moreover, continually talk to their dogs, congratulating them when they are doing well, petting them and reassuring them.

Dogs, along with their adults, have basic personalities. O’Neill remarks that some dogs are simply impulsive: they know what to do; they just want to do something else. Similarly,

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some owners are more accepting of their dogs’ impulsiveness.

In the last eight years as a trainer, O’Neill, a graduate of the Massachusetts College of Art who went on to study dog training at Mount Ida College and is a CGC Evaluator, has trained hundreds of dogs, often in their homes. In helping dogs and adults acclimate themselves to each other, he is strengthening the bond of love between the two species.

At the end of the hour-long session, Larry, Henry and Kai trot off into the sunshine, eager for the fun-filled romp that both the dogs and their owners are looking forward to. ■

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Dr. Finocchio and the RISPCA advocates for animals Dr. EJ Finocchio is not immune to the recession. His job is affected by the economy in a big way.

However, he’s not worried about job security.

That’s because as the president of the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Finocchio has seen an increase in animal surrenders, as families can no longer afford the cost of pets or are forced to leave their homes and animals behind.

At any given time, the RISPCA has 70 to 100 animals in their shelter, most of which are ready to be adopted.

“I would say 37 percent of the animals at my shelter are here because of economic reasons,” he said.

The vast majority of the animals at RISPCA are surrendered by families. They discourage people from bringing in strays.

To try and keep pets with their families, the organization also offers financial assistance to the elderly and disabled through the Marvin Fund.

Another big piece of what the RISPCA does is advocacy. They advocate for animal rights, and push for laws that ensure the safety of all animals. Writing that legislation can be a challenge.

“How do you legislate common sense?” Finocchio asked.

He praised cities like Warwick, Cranston and East Providence for taking matters into their own hands and setting stricter guidelines for issues such as leaving an animal in the car.

“I’m truly in favor of the towns and cities that go through their own ordinances. That solves hundreds and hundreds of problems,” he said.

They promote existing laws as well, such as the requirement to spay and neuter cats, or a piece of Rhode Island legislation that states that if you feed a stray cat, you take on responsibility for that animal.

“When you feed a stray cat, all you’re doing is giving them the energy to reproduce,” Finocchio explained. “The cat situation in this state is to-

tally out of control.”

Experts estimate there are 100,000 feral cats in Rhode Island, and a total of 82 million cats nationwide.

Finocchio says that the people who leave their dogs in the car or feed stray cats do not realize they could be hurting more than helping. Pet owners think they are doing something good by taking their animal with them rather than leaving them home alone. An elderly woman thinks she’s helping the cat by feeding it, not contributing to the overpopulation.

It becomes the job of the RISPCA, then, to educate animal owners.

“The instances of neglect are ignorance or financial,” Finocchio said.

He used the example of horses he encountered in February that had been malnourished. The owner was feeding them all that he could afford.

Finocchio gave the owner a warning and repeatedly checked on the animals, but he recognizes that these situations are symptomatic of the financial hardship facing many Rhode Islanders.

That doesn’t mean that animals aren’t being abused.

“The violence has always been there,” he said.

“Hard times also cause stress in the family and the animal is another thing to pick on.”

The RISPCA president estimates that 90 percent of the calls about abuse turn out to be unfounded, but the non-profit still has to check them out. Between calls for assistance and checking for abuse, the staff is constantly inundated with work.

“The RISPCA is the only agency in the State of Rhode Island that enforces the animal cruelty laws,” Finocchio said.

Dr. Finocchio is technically an officer of the law and is allowed to carry a gun. He doesn’t carry a weapon, but the responsibility of that enforcement weighs on him.

For each instance of cruelty, the RISPCA must call the police and have the suspect arrested.

RISPCA writes up a report that the police then investigate.

In the future, Finocchio hopes the process will change so that once the issue goes to court the RISPCA can act as an animal advocate rather than serve as a witness.

“We wish we had more of a say in the prosecution of the case,” he said.

Whether the economy is good or bad, Dr. Finocchio knows there will always be a need for the RISPCA. The organization has been fighting for animal rights for over a century, and as long as there are advocates like Finocchio around, animals will have a voice in Rhode Island.

For more information about the RISPCA, or to consider adopting a rescued animal, call 4388150 or visit www.rispca.com. ■

Photos by Meg Fraser July 2011

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Bite

b y M eg fraser

Taking a “Go to work.”

The command is yelled out and a German shepherd named Maxwell races up the rocky hillside, tail wagging and nose pointed to the ground. He circles a valley of rocks below before finding a hole in a large board where a few fingers are sticking out.

He barks until his owner comes to investigate the source of the noise.

A tennis ball emerges from the hole, and Sergeant Matt Zarrella praises the dog from below, still hidden from view.

He’ll go through this exercise another half dozen times today, the summer sun beating down on the rescue dogs as they go to work.

Zarrella is the Canine Coordinator for the Rhode Island State Police, and brought K-9 operations to a new level in the Ocean State. He joined the State Police in 1990, and within a year had connected with Connecticut State Trooper Andy Rebmann, another trailblazer in K-9 search and rescue operations. By 1994, Rhode Island had a part-time K-9 unit, thanks in part to Zarrella.

“I always wanted to be a K-9 handler,” Zarrella said. “I wanted to help people and I wanted to make a difference in the lives of others, but I wanted to do it with dogs. The State Police saw the benefit to the program and wanted to start a K-9 unit.”

The most common breeds used for K-9 programs are German shepherds, malamutes, border collies, golden reINDYAd4C:Ad front 10/5/10 1:16 PM Page 1 trievers and labradors, but other dogs are not necessarily

out of Crime

excluded. The longer the snout of a dog, the better their ability to smell. The dog must also have stamina and be “trainable.”

Not all of the dogs are used for the same purposes, however. Some dogs are called upon for search and rescue, while others are specifically meant to find cadavers. The training varies based on these missions.

“Every search discipline is different,” Zarrella said. “It requires different levels of proficiency and skill.”

The Rhode Island State Police has 10 canines now, with another five expected to join the ranks. Another 15 or so are available for missions through a volunteer task force.

The term volunteer is used loosely here. The men and women who “volunteer” their dogs, and their services, go through extensive training and commit a great deal of time to the task force. It can take as long as 18 months before a dog and its handler are ready for service. The pair tackles forests, rubble, elevated land and tunnels before they can move on, and working police dogs are also trained in the water for cadaver searches.

The volunteers, like Zarrella, see the value in the program.

More police departments are developing their own K9 units as well. Zarrella says they get fewer calls from out of

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state, solely because other states are catching on.

“The level of awareness has risen dramatically,” he said.

Out of state calls still happen, though, especially when a severe disaster strikes.

Zarrella was one of 70 responders from Rhode Island to fly to the aid of the victims of Hurricane Katrina. K-9 units were also dispatched to Vietnam, where the dogs and their handlers searched for missing American soldiers.

Whether it’s a local drowning, a missing person, or a natural disaster overseas, Zarrella says K-9 response teams are equal parts dog and handler.

“It’s a team effort,” he said.

And as he looks to the future, with retirement as few as four years away, Sgt. Zarrella is confident that K-9 programs will continue to grow and serve law enforcement well.

“More volunteers are doing it and more states have the resources,” he said, adding that in Rhode Island, “I’ve worked very hard to ensure that the unit will carry on after I retire.” ■

Photos by Meg Fraser

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Potter League

The Potter League has been helping animals find safe, loving homes since 1929. As more and more animals from Newport County were turned over for rescue, though, the organization found itself overwhelmed. They couldn’t meet the demand.

Rather than throw up their hands and maintain the status quo, the staff of 22, and 500plus volunteers at the Potter League decided to take their mission to the next level.

More than two years ago, the organization erected a state of the art LEED-certified building that has Rhode Island’s rescued animals living on easy street.

Walk through the eco-friendly building, and you’ll see dogs lounging in personal, climate-controlled runs with air purification systems that prevent airborne illnesses from spreading to the animals. In the “man cave,” a group of male cats curl up in plush beds or lay in the sun of the screened-in porch. Upstairs, a cat named “Bootsy,” the League’s unofficial mascot who is the face of a pet column in the Newport Daily News, lies outside of a full medical unit.

Step into the training room, and a volunteer is commanding a pit bull to sit before she launches a tennis ball into the air.

Another day, that same room will be used to conduct classes for animal adopters, helping them with the transition.

Anyone can take advantage of the training expertise, with classes ranging from Puppy 1 ($120 for general public, $60 for Potter League adopters) to an intermediate “Junior Honors” course for $60. There are also specialty classes like $10 agility lessons, free canine good citizen evaluations and $7 play groups.

On the outreach side, the League offers humane education, volunteer opportunities, support groups for pet loss and financial assistance for spay/neuter and other emergency veterinary care. They offer a summer camp for kids who love animals as well.

The accommodations are impressive, to say the least, but the mission of the Potter League remains a challenge. In 2010, they received 2,021 animals.

“We stay pretty busy all year round,” says Patricia Heller, the director of development and community outreach for the Potter League.

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At the most, the facility will house as many as 130 animals. On average, it’s around 110.

Quite a few of the animals come from transport services like Fetching Friends, which takes in animals from other states and as far away as the Caribbean in order to avoid euthanasia. Since 2004, the lives of more than 900 dogs have been saved by Fetching Friends.

This time of year is particularly challenging for rescues, however. Many families move at the end of the school year, and Heller says moving is one of the most common reasons for relinquishing a pet.

Kitten season, which lasts from May to December, is in full swing.

Adoptions also slow down in the summer because families take vacations and children are off at camp.

Even with the high number of abandoned and rescued pets, the Potter League runs an efficient operation. The only reason the Potter League will euthanize an animal is for severe health or aggression problems.

The live release rate is 92 percent.

Families interested in rescuing an animal can peruse options online, and file an initial application on the website. At the Middletown facility, private rooms allow potential owners to get to know the dog, cat, bunny or other pet they’re interested in.

On average, Heller says the turnover for an animal is just eight days.

“We bring them in and we get them out very, very quickly,” she said.

For more information on the Potter League, or to rescue an animal, visit PotterLeague.org or call 846-8276.

Photos by Meg Fraser July 2011

THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT

lifestyles

by DON FOWLER

Rhode Island Hosts Traditional Music Festival Lineup The good news is that all of the traditional Rhode Island music festivals will be back this summer.

Newport Music Festival

This world-famous classical music extravaganza continues under the leadership of Mark Malcovich the IV in the mansions of Newport.

An opening evening concert of July 8 will be followed by three, and sometimes four, concerts a day through July 24. Call 846-1133 for a complete schedule.

Sunset Music Series

The Newport Yachting Center on America’s Cup Ave. in downtown Newport is home once again for this varied concert series that opened in June.

The Robert Cray Band with special guest Shemekia Copland will play on Friday, July 22. We won’t miss the fabulous Doobie Brothers, with two of the original members, on Friday, July 29. Guster will be on stage Aug. 4, followed by the Pink Floyd Interstellar Laser Show on Aug. 12.

Call 846-1600 for reservations, or go online at www. newportwaterfrontevents.com.

Newport Folk Festival

Save the dates of Saturday and Sunday, July 30 and 31 for the annual Newport Folk Festival at Newport’s Fort Adams Park.

It is getting more difficult each year to define “Folk Music,” but the Newport Folk Festival has a history of bringing back some of the veterans of the genre, while introducing new, young artists who sometimes play outside the box.

We’re looking forward to hearing legends Earl Scruggs and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, along with Emmy Lou Harris, Gillian Welch and Elvis Costello, doing an acoustic

concert. For a full listing of all the artists, some with some rather strange names check them out online at www.NewportFolkFest.net.

Newport Jazz Festival

The Newport Jazz Festival, the granddaddy of them all, will be at Fort Adams Park on Aug. 6 and 7, with a pre-festival concert on Friday evening, Aug. 5 at 8 p.m. at the Tennis Hall of Fame.

Friday’s concert features Michael Feinstein and Wynton Marsalis.

Like the Folk Festival, George Wein has lined up some of the greatest artists of the genre, including Ray Coltrane, Joshua Redman, Wynton Marsalis and the incredible Esperanza Spalding.

Marsalis and Spalding will perform on both Saturday and Sunday.

If you don’t like a particular style of jazz, there are artists performing simultaneously in three venues. Check out NewportJazzFest.net online for performer updates and further information.

2nd annual Newport Waterfront Reggae Festival

It is back to the Newport Yachting Center for the second Reggae Festival on Saturday, Aug. 13, featuring Jamaica’s dancehall pioneer, Yellowman and his Sagittarus Band, plus two-time Grammy winner Michael Rose.

Two stages of reggae performers will play continuously from noon into the evening. Check out the newportwaterfrontevents.com website for more details.

Rhythm & Roots Festival

We wouldn’t miss this family-friendly, foot stompin’, music, dance and food festival for the world, having sat through rainstorms, chilly evenings and hot, sunny days

and a near hurricane to enjoy Cajun, Zydeco, blues, TexMex and all kinds of great roots music.

The Rhythm and Roots Festival is at Ninigret Park in Charlestown from Sept. 2 to 4. Host band this year is The Red Stick Ramblers, who will perform all three days.

Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys will be back, along with Coret Ledet and his Zydeco Band and many other favorites.

Music goes on beginning at noon and well into the evening on the main stage, in the dance tent, and in the workshop tent. There are activities all day long for the kids, including a Mardi Gras parade, where the kids have made their own costumes.

Camping is available, plus a fresh water pond for swimming, loads of vendors and some of the best regional food (you’ve got to try the Jambalaya). For more information, check them out at www.rhythmandroots. com. They are also on Facebook.

R.I. International Film Festival

While it doesn’t fit into the category of Summer Music Festivals, the Rhode Island International Film Festival is music to the ears for film lovers.

Over a six-day period, Aug. 9 to 14, hundreds of feature length and short films will be show in a dozen locations around the state, with the main site being the Veterans Memorial Auditorium. Other Providence locations include the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, Bell Street Chapel, URI Feinstein campus, Jewish Community Center, Providence Public Library and Providence Place.

This is the largest film festival in New England. Short films are eligible to qualify for the Academy Awards. ■

Are you stressing out your pet?

In his book, “The New Holistic Way for Dogs and Cats,” Dr. Paul McCutcheon reveals that stress isn’t reserved for pet owners.

“A lot of people think that stress is something that only affects humans, but it’s a very real threat to the health and happiness of their pets, too,” said McCutcheon, a veterinarian with more than 45 years experience.

“Better pet care will result when pet lovers and veterinarians understand that stress is the underlying cause of every form of health problem a dog or cat can have.”

Dr. McCutcheon believes that stress, combined with diet and other environmental concerns, can present seriJuly 2011

ous – but unspecific – symptoms that can worry both the pet and the pet owner.

“The best way to support your pet’s present and future wellness is through stress prevention. Tune into the kinds of stress that affect your pet and stress-proof the ways you look after their daily needs. For instance, boredom and loneliness are probably the most damaging stress factors in a pet’s life,” he said.

Dr. McCutcheon’s tips for pet owners who want healthier, happier pets include: • Think Before You Adopt – It’s critical to ask yourself serious questions about your lifestyle and future before you adopt a pet. In that sense, you can better choose an animal whose needs are similar to your own. By being honest with yourself about your personal circumstance, you can ensure that your pet won’t face a stressful future and inevitable health problems.

erinarian can be a good coach who provides you opinions and advice that help you make better choices regarding the care and feeding of your pet.

• Watch Their Diet – Just as processed foods are being blamed for an increase in obesity for people, causing a wide variety of health problems, processed food is a danger for pets, as well. Look into switching over to a new trend in pet food, raw foods. They can be found in pet specialty shops and grocery stores in the refrigerated section. They are also known as “fresh” foods for pets, so ask your store managers about them. They provide a balanced diet with none of the dangers associated with processed food, which makes up the majority of the pet foods available at pet stores and supermarkets today.

For more information on McCutcheon and his book, visit www.newholisticway.com. ■

• Establish Your Role -- You need to see your role and your veterinarian’s role in a different way. While you are in the best position to influence your dog or cat, your vetPrimeTime | 17

wHAT DO YOU FINK?

LIFESTYLES

by MIKE FINK

A Summer Library The attic of the college building on the urban campus of the School of Design was dedicated in the deep depression, at the outbreak of the war. Soldiers on leave, the homeless drifting in from the streets and hillsides, the wandering minstrels and students on summer break were officially invited to make use of the contemplative alcoves of the then-brand new library, with its wonderful views of the lands of Roger Williams, with his welcome shelter likewise devoted to “persons distressed.”

This artist’s collection of books about the paintings, the sculptures, the architecture and the poetry of the past was designed in every detail to produce quiet peace, spiritual comfort, solace and relief from the troubles and terrors of the world outside. The cork floor, the upholstered chairs that would not squeak if moved, the brass chandeliers to cast light upon your thoughts, all such considerations of the spacious but intimate reading room. The nooks, crannies and shelf-lined alcoves were articulated in a pamphlet you can now find only in antique shops. This hardback brochure was distributed to the original guests of the college building. Our gem of a resource closed its doors some seasons ago. The books and furnishings were sent to a much more majestic, vast realm over the river and into downtown, the gilded world of a former bank building. For many semesters, the former library echoed only with a few footsteps as it gathered dust. An occasional ceremony or class would use the phantom chamber.

As this June passed along and schools let out their fresh graduates and let in their youthful pupils for July and August programs, a colleague in the English department of the liberal arts division dreamed up a scheme. All dressed up in elegant garb, Mairead Byrne entered the ghost world with rag and mop, with beeswax and paper towels and proceeded to polish up one of the alcoves. She did this as a sort of compliment to me, for my nostalgic nagging about how lovely had been this lighthouse, high above the rivers of downtown. She named one of the little rooms “Mike Fink’s Aerie.” It was Mairead who chose that eagle’s nest word because we shared a taste for the literature and metaphorical terminology of ornithology. Words about birds. My new elective, titled “Birds in Books,” caught her fancy and she asked me to contribute my tomes and volumes about wildfowl. I had a pair of wicker thrones left for me by a retired chairman of the department, George Sullivan, a poet, a World War II veteran and a lover of American literature. I brought them back from my cellar workroom and also some ancient birds nests I had stored underneath the staircase to my basement. My late father had fixed up that cramped triangle of lost square footage for my collections of abandoned nests and

A Lifetime of Achievement Demands Protection

pictures of the varied builders, the orioles and cardinals, robins, bluebirds and wrens. Now, at long last, I had a far fancier place to redeem my past.

Mairead put a vase of flowers on a small table, stretched a red ribbon across the panels, made a brief speech to a crowd of well-wishers from the offices of the campus, and declared that “This is an unfinished project, something of an installation, and altogether an invitation to take a book, leave a book, borrow a book, spend some time in the shade among the leaves of pages.” She gave me five minutes to sum up my ideas about the “new” old library.

I thanked my colleague for the effort she had made to make this happen, and went on about the importance of birds in my life, my career and my prospects.

“My first column was called ‘The Hummingbird’ because we both fly backward, into the landscape of memory,” I said.

I got a few handshakes and kisses, the gift of a book, wrapped and ribboned, and some kind words, even a hug from a former student. Perhaps the noblest thing was that one of the buildings and grounds crew, a lovely lady named Lina, cut some white roses from the thin strip of a hillside grove of bushes and added them to the tall vase that Mairead had installed.

A library is a thing of beauty, of patience and of endurance. Volumes sewn and bound are gradually becoming antique objects, admirable but no longer urgent necessities for study and research. As the word becomes a thing, a form imprinted upon paper, the line between writing and drawing blurs, as all notions blur with time. This had been a library without computers, a magic forest. A summer with a thousand Julys - the phrase from an old song - that meant the pursuit of happiness. July is the perfect month for a library, and I have a miniature one of my own to share with one and all.

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GAY & GRAY

LIFESTYLES

by CYNTHIA GLINICK

Wisdom Begins at the End George Bernard Shaw’s time-honored phrase, “Youth is wasted on the young,” could easily be seen as an accusation or an indictment of youthfulness. I prefer to think of it as an acknowledgment of the fact that we know more now than we did then, but we often lack the vitality and stamina to do something with our wizened status.

And while our age doesn’t preclude us from the many things we do to better a life for others, and ourselves, it can make it a bit of an uphill struggle.

Organizations, like the people who run them, are no different. Without some fresh grease for the wheels, fuel for the fire and someone at the helm, it quickly runs out of steam. But unlike people at the end of their lives, organizations can be renewed and live on in perpetuity. So, let me defy the titular wisdom above and start at the beginning.

Between 1994 and 2007, SAGE/RI (Senior Action in a Gay Environment) organized to provide advocacy for gay and lesbian elders. Based largely on New York’s 1970’s SAGE, which provided companionship visiting and shopping assistance, SAGE/RI set out in that same vein but ended up taking another direction. The goal of the organization became

to educate dedicated governmental agencies, health care facilities and the general public about the special needs of gay and lesbian elders while also bringing support to this disenfranchised section of the population.

“We did a testimony for the White House Conference on Aging which we sent to the Rhode Island Department of Elderly Affairs,” recalled Mildred Bates, an early organizer of SAGE/RI. The Director of RIDEA agreed to include lesbian and gay within the general scope of elders and sent a letter to all of the senior centers and meal sites encouraging them to become trained in this area. A couple of grants made it possible to provide training for housing coordinators, nursing homes, Meals on Wheels and other family service agencies that had elder programs, and to do outreach to new members and community organizing.

“We got a call from a man who was rejected by a meal site because he was gay,” Bates said, “and we responded by offering to do a training and they said they wouldn’t because they ‘didn’t want to give people any ideas.’ We did everything we could. We had the letter from the RIDEA Director; we made it clear that it was a violation of federal guidelines, which

retirement sparks

were pretty progressive at the time. Buddy Cianci even got involved. We tried everything but they wouldn’t budge. Except for that one instance we reached out to dozens of agencies.”

There’s no doubt that the early incarnation of SAGE/RI was a tremendous success. But despite the spirit, the flesh became weak and it folded as its members either left the state or could no longer handle the volume of work. Its non-profit status was maintained and what little money it had left was placed in escrow.

In 2005, Equity Action, a field of interest fund at the Rhode Island Foundation, held an Elder Summit that included an LGBT workshop called Meet the Older Neighbors. An in-depth, anonymous survey was administered to about 150 attendees. Topics covered in the survey were living arrangements, transportation and socialization, relationships, spirituality, sexual orientation issues, need for services, community/leisure activities and health concerns.

“What we learned led us to resuscitate the organization in 2008, in order to address some of the issues and concerns that came up as a result of the survey,” said Pat Burbank, the keynote speaker at the Elder Summit and subsequent member of the

new SAGE/RI Steering Committee.

In a nutshell, survey respondents indicated that they needed LGBT friendly housing, assisted living and nursing homes; expanded civil rights protections; greater LGBT visibility in the media; LGBT sensitive health care providers and services; and support services specifically for LGBT elders. For more specific details on the survey, go to www.rifoundation.org and click on Community Initiatives.

“Our mission is to lead in addressing issues related to LGBT aging in partnership with constituents and allies,” Pat continued.

Allies like MERI (Marriage Equality Rhode Island). The irony is, legalizing same-sex marriage would have solved many of the problems encountered by lesbian and gay elders and made everyone’s lives that much easier.

Grants are being applied for, a website is in the works, a permanent meeting place is being researched and they just had their “kick off” last month at URI Providence.

The wheels are turning slowly, but they are greased, the fire is stoked and it’s full steam ahead for SAGE/RI. ■

senior

b y elaine m . decker

issues

Health Care: The Complexities of Simplification One of the most common goals of retirement is to simplify life. The day that my Medicare began, I went from one health insurance card to three: basic Medicare, supplemental coverage and prescription coverage. I wasn’t on it for even a week when a fourth card arrived in the mail. What part of “simplify” does the government not understand?

The fourth card is for prescriptions that aren’t covered by the third card, but it costs nothing. The papers that came with it say I should be sure to use the third card before using the fourth one. Of course, they don’t refer to them as cards three and four. They are the card for Part D and the card for “the AARP Prescription Discount Program.” If the discount program card costs nothing July 2011

and I received it without even asking, why isn’t it just folded into Part D, the third card, which I also have through AARP? That would be too simple.

So let’s get back to counting retirement cards. Four for my health care coverage, plus my AARP card, and I’m sure I’ll get some type of card when I start collecting Social Security. That makes six and leaves me just one short of having a card for every day of the week. Which brings back fond memories of that set of embroidered panties I had in the sixth grade. The Saturday ones were my favorites. Sigh.

That, in turn, reminds me how my mother always told us to be sure to wear clean underpants each day.

“You never know when you might get

hit by a truck and be rushed to the hospital.

Think how embarrassing it would be if you arrived there with dirty undies, or worse yet (gasp!) ones with holes in them.”

(I can see a lot of you out there smiling, because your mothers said the same thing to you.)

But I bet when you were in kindergarten and took the second bus, she didn’t make you bring a brown paper bag with clean underpants for your brother in first grade (first bus). This is because she couldn’t find yesterday’s pair, and it never occurred to her that he might have put them into the hamper.

Talk about embarrassing. I’m not sure he’s forgiven me to this day. I actually made him put them on, even when he insisted his were clean. My mother had made me promise to.

Since I hopefully have your attention on this tangent, please raise your hands.

How many of you turned this around on your mother your freshman year in college?

When I came home with leopard print bikinis in my laundry, my mother was horrified. “What if someone saw these?” she wailed. To which I replied in my most innocent voice, “Yes, but mother, if I got hit by a truck, at least I’d have on clean ones with no holes.” She was not amused.

And to think this all started with me counting health care cards. Mom always had a knack for making everyone smile. I guess she still does. Double sigh. ■

PrimeTime | 19

calendar of events

Time to focus on South County Dust off those cameras and tripods and set your focal point to South County. The South County Tourism Council is sponsoring the 10th annual Photo Contest with prizes totaling over $1,000 to be awarded to the top eight place photographers. The Council is looking for memorable photography capturing the people and places of South County during winter, spring, summer and the fall. Entries are being accepted through Aug. 10. For an entry form and contest rules, e-mail info@southcountyri.com.

Cocktail culture Through July 31, the Rhode Island School of Design will present Cocktail Culture: Ritual and Invention in American Fashion, an exhibition that explores the social ritual of the cocktail hour through the lens of fashion and design. The exhibit is organized by the RISD Museum of Art’s Department of Costume and Textiles. More than 220 objects are included. For details, call RISD at 454-6500.

Rockwell returns The artwork of Great American illustrator Norman Rockwell will be on display again for Newport’s 2011 Summer Season. An exhibit of his work is available for viewing at the National Museum of American Illustration, which is located at 492 Bellevue Avenue in Newport. Guided tours take place on Fridays at 3 p.m. Visit www.americanillustration.org or call 852-8949 ext. 29 for more information.

Explore the Valley Explore the nature and wilderness of the Blackstone River Valley on the Valley Explorer. Tickets for weekly Sunday tours are available at www.rivertourblackstone.com. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for seniors and children. Tours are on a first come, first served basis, and leave at 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. On the last Sunday of each month, Citizens Bank sponsors a free riverboat cruise.

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Home & Hospice connects art and healing Home & Hospice Care of Rhode Island (HHCRI) highlights the work of Rhode Island artists in its 2011 season at its 1085 North Main St., headquarters in Providence.

Making art accessible through public and private partnerships is just one of the objectives that makes Public Art Works, a group of professional Rhode Island-based artists, an important entity in the promotion of art in public space.

“There is a profound connection between art and healing,” said Diana Franchitto, president and CEO of Home & Hospice Care of Rhode Island. “Besides the inherent beauty that each exhib-

20 | PrimeTime

it brings, art creates a sense of peace and joy that can be a powerful healing force.

We are delighted to partner with Public Art Works and to give local artists a venue to display their great work.”

A series of tree inspired works by artist Mimo Gordon Riley will be on display at Home and Hospice Care of RI through August.

Artists interested in submitting their work may visit www.publicartri.com for additional information. For more information about Home & Hospice Care of Rhode Island’s services, visit www.hhcri. org or call 415-4200.

CLUES ACROSS 1. Pina drink 7. Belongs to him 10. Dashed at top speed 12. Horizontal fence bar 13. Poisonous gas COCI2 14. NW Israli city 15. A contest of speed 16. ___ and ends 17. Dekaliter 18. First Chinese dynasty 19. Culture medium 21. Indicates near 22. Roadster 27. Rhode Island 28. Plug modifier 33. Delaware 34. More cheerful 36. Gas usage measurement 37. Prevents harm to creatures 38. Old World buffalo 39. W. Ferrell Christmas movie 40. Friends (French) 41. Soluble ribonucleic acid 43. Come out 44. More unattractive 48. UT 84057 49. So. Australia capital 50. Neither 51. Jeans

CLUES DOWN 1. Popular casual shoe 2. Belgian River 3. Liquefied natural gas 4. Consumed 5. Home of a wild animal 6. Sweetened lemon drink 7. Queen Charlotte Is. Indians 8. Int’l. Inst. of Forensic Studies 9. Patti Hearst’s captors 10. CT 06330 11. Bones of the fingers or toes 12. 1/2 diameter (pl) 14. Care for the dying 17. 1776 female descendant org.

18. Br. god of the wild hunt 20. Divulge secrets 23. Corner bed support 24. 2nd largest lake in Europe 25. We 26. Spasmodic contraction 29. Foster song __ Susannah 30. Many not ands 31. Matured fruit 32. Announce 35. British Air Aces 36. Moss genus larger than Bryum 38. Fossilized tree resin 40. About aviation 41. Close violently 42. Master photographer Jacob 43. Spanish mister 44. Previously held 45. A lyric poem 46. Manpower 47. __ Lilly, drug company

July 2011

b y catherine taylor d i re c to r , r i d e p a r t m e n t o f e l d e r l y a f f a i r s

senior

issues

Congress takes up reauthorization of the Older Americans Act Congress took a historic step forward in recognizing the challenges of growing older in the United States when it passed the Older American Act (OAA) in 1965. This piece of legislation established support for the states to develop programs and services that preserve the independence and dignity of individuals age 60 and older. The Act also established the Administration on Aging to oversee these efforts.

Today, OAA programs serve seniors through a national network of 56 State Agencies on Aging, 629 Area Agencies on Aging, nearly 20,000 service providers, 244 Tribal organizations and two Native Hawaiian organizations representing 400 tribes. These programs include home-delivered and community meals, in-home care, disease prevention and health promotion, support for caregivers, legal services, the long-term care ombudsman program, programs to protect seniors against elder abuse, neglect and exploitation and the establishment of Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs) across the nation. We know Rhode Island’s ADRC as THE POINT. Every few years, Congress revisits and renews the OAA. Some of the milestone amendments that have been included in the OAA during past reauthorizations are: 1972: Funds for national nutrition programs 1978: Grants for states to develop community multi-purpose senior centers, and establishment of state long-term care ombudsman programs.

1987: Nursing Home Reform Act 1992: Vulnerable Elderly Rights Activities.

2000: National Family Caregiver Program 2006: The Act provided the funding of the ADRCs Now, in 2011, Congress once again has the task or reauthorizing the OAA, and, in the process, examining whether OAA programs are meeting the current needs of older Americans.

Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Kathy Greenlee appeared before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging at a hearing on May 26.

She testified that the OAA has been crucial in supporting the freedom and independence of seniors, helping them live with dignity by enhancing their health and well-being, protecting their rights and ensuring their safety and security, and supporting families and caregivers with respite care so that they can keep their loved ones in the community.

“Families tell us that when they may need some help in supporting their efforts to care

for loved ones, they don’t want assistance that is confusing or frustrating. They simply want to know where to turn for help,” Asst. Secretary Greenlee said in her testimony.

She cited some examples of initiatives that should be included in the reauthorization of the OAA: helping elders to adopt healthy life habits and teaching them to manage their chronic diseases; enhancing senior employment programs to engage seniors in community service; and combating Medicare and Medicaid fraud, waste, and abuse.

Last year, the U.S. Administration on Aging (AoA) established three mechanisms for receiving citizen input concerning the 2011 reauthorization. AoA has already convened more than 60 listening sessions nationwide that focused on elderly rights and elder justice, prevention, wellness and healthy aging, and establishing systems for serving diverse needs. It is also encouraging local OAA reauthorization input events, as well as direct consumer input via the AoA website.

A few weeks ago, DEA held community hearings on our draft State Plan on Aging in Westerly, South Kingstown, East Providence, Johnston, Warwick and Woonsocket. We heard loud and clear that the needs and interests of older individuals are changing as Baby Boomers turn 65 – at a rate of 9,000 a day across the country! Baby Boomers seem more interested in attending an exercise class at a senior center, for example, than they are in joining friends for a meal there.

In addition, some Baby Boomers are carrying the problems of their youth – such as alcohol and drug addiction – with them into old age. We need to tailor our programs and services to the changing needs of older Americans, and reauthorization of the Older Americans Act is our opportunity to identify how we do that over the next several years.

As DEA Director, I am gratified to support the work that Rhode Island’s aging network agencies and professionals do each day to preserve the independence and dignity of seniors and adults with disabilities. I know the challenges that families and caregivers face as we struggle to keep our loved ones at home. We all need to be advocates for a system of long term care that provides a full range of appropriate supports to seniors, adults with disabilities, families and caregivers.

I encourage you to tell your own story to the Administration on Aging. Instructions for commenting on Older Americans Act reauthorization either online or by mail may be found on the AoA website at www.aoa.gov/AoARoot/AoA_Programs/OAA/Reauthorization/index.aspx.

If you don’t have a computer, ask a friend or relative to print the comment form out for you to fill out and mail in. Make your voice heard! ■

senior issues

b y kerry park

Culture change coalition drives quality of life in nursing homes Most would agree that comfort, security and access to quality health care are key issues for aging Rhode Islanders. One group of volunteers in particular has made it its mission to deliver all three. The RI Generations Culture Change Coalition is a diverse group of nursing home providers and stakeholders aimed at helping Rhode Island nursing homes move from institutionalized services to individualized care.

The notion that a paradigm shift was needed in the way nursing home care is delivered was conceived about two decades ago.

Back then, nursing homes and other medical institutions evolved around the concept of efficiency. Choices like when someone wanted to wake up or eat were irrelevant.

What mattered was the organization of the operation and resident preferences ranked a far distant second. The resulting dissatisfaction led to the “culture change” movement, a national effort aimed at making sure that institutional efficiency takes a backseat to the individual needs, interests and lifestyle choices of nursing home residents. Culture change is the key driver of RI Generations.

“What’s the point of health care delivJuly 2011

ered in a setting that diminishes the will to live?” asked Virginia Burke, RI Generations board member and president of the Rhode Island Health Care Association, a non-profit trade association representing 60 of Rhode Island’s 85 nursing homes. “What [RI Generations] strives to do is put quality of life back into the quality care equation.”

Incorporated in the spring of 2007, RI Generations’s volunteer membership includes all of the heavy hitters in Rhode Island’s long term care community. Participating organizations include the state ombudsman’s office, the Rhode Island Department of Health and Quality Partners of Rhode Island – a leading, national health care quality improvement organization, as well as the Rhode Island Health Care Association and Leading Age, Rhode Island’s skilled nursing and rehabilitation trade associations. With everyone at the table, discussions regarding best practices for de-institutionalizing services and individualizing care emerge in a free flowing exchange. The group works to educate local stakeholders, including providers, educational institutions and state surveyors about culture change

– its role in modern health care delivery and methods for its implementation.

“Everyone agrees that providing a personalized environment that promotes choice is the ultimate goal for nursing home residents but our regulatory system wasn’t built around that. Nevertheless, our state survey agency really supports nursing homes that make the necessary changes to individualize care,” said Burke.

Nursing homes are inspected by the Department of Health on approximately 1,000 areas of compliance each year. RI Generations helps bring survey teams and providers together to create a new way of thinking about quality care. While safety, outcomes and cleanliness remain top goals, the regulators and nursing home representatives who belong to RI Generations work together to create environments that support each resident’s life, dignity, rights and freedom.

RI Generations has also been a key driver behind quality improvement initiatives among providers, best exemplified in its work with the Advancing Excellence campaign, a national initiative to improve quality in nursing homes. One hundred percent

of Rhode Island’s nursing homes participate in the campaign, more than twice the national average.

Monthly meetings that promote the importance of campaigns like Advancing Excellence, quarterly Coffee Exchanges that allow providers to share best practices, and annual symposiums aimed at educating stakeholders all contribute to a nursing home environment in Rhode Island that is recognized as one of the best in the country.

Board members, in fact, have been asked to present on individualized care planning throughout the country.

“We’re proud of what we’ve been able to achieve but there’s a lot more to be done.

Today’s nursing and rehabilitation centers are far different from those in the past,” Burke said. “If you haven’t visited a nursing home lately, you’ll be surprised by what you see.” ■

PrimeTime | 21

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There are many people in our local communities who desire to remain in their own homes as they contend with the ever-increasing challenges of aging or living with a disability. Home is where comfort and personalized care are found, but it is often difficult and costly for families to care for their loved ones in this setting. Caregivers are often forced to give up employment and other means of support in order to sustain this level of care for an elderly or disabled family member. There is a solution to this dilemma through Caregiver Homes of RI (CGH).

CGH is an organization that provides compensation for individuals who strive to care for their dependant loved ones in their homes. It is a community based alternative to nursing home care that actually pays a caregiver to provide this daily, home-based care. . The elderly or disabled individual must meet certain fiscal requirements, namely that they are eligible for Medicaid funding. Caregiver Homes of RI will assist the family as they navigate through the application process, which can often be complicated and overwhelming.

Once eligibility is established, a Case Manager and a Registered Nurse are assigned to the client and his/her family. Caregiver Homes of RI then pays for carefully screened, credentialed and trained caregivers to provide care in the client’s home, seven days a week, 24 hours a day. More times than not, this caregiver is actually a family member.

Family members are also rigorously screened and provided ongoing education. Additionally, CGH works with families to connect them with other supportive resources such as Adult Day Health Centers, Respite Care agencies, even Hospice care. This is a comprehensive, client-driven approach to shared living that offers a loving, least-restrictive environment for families and their frail loved ones.

Accountability and connectivity are strongly valued with Caregiver Homes of RI. Caregivers are each given a personal electronic medical record or EMR, called “Senior Touch� which they use every day to chronicle their observations. At the end of each day, a team of nurses and social workers monitor this communication device and are then able to offer advice or support as needed or requested.

Caregiver Homes of RI offers financial, emotional and physical resources to families seeking an option to nursing home living. Just ask Judy Gould of North Providence who, through the assistance of CGH, cares full-time for her aging mother in her home.

Of CGH, she says ~ “This program has changed my life. Although I have given up a lot, it is because my mother gave up a lot for me. I could never turn my back on my mother.� Of her loving daughter, Doris remarks “She is always there for me when I need her.� A feeling of love and trust are present in this home. Judy adds that this transition would not have been possible without the support and nurturing she receives from both the nurse and case manager from Caregiver Homes.

If you feel this program fits your needs as a family, please don’t delay. Contact Caregiver Homes of RI on their website at www.caregiverhomes.com or call them toll-free at 1-866-797-2333. Just ask Judy, she will tell you, this may be the best call you ever make.

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22 | PrimeTime

July 2011

ght business spotlion Scandinavian Retirement Center An Assisted Living Community

The Scandinavian Retirement Center a non-profit Assisted Living Community, is located at 50 Warwick Avenue in Cranston. The name reflects the heritage of its founders, but today they are an inclusive community that welcomes people of all faiths and ethnic origins.

With just 35 apartments in the Assisted Living Community, residents and staff come to know each other well. Bonds of friendship and trust grow easily, and residents are able to balance the level of privacy, socialization, independence and support that fits their personal lifestyle and needs.

Each apartment is individually climate controlled and features a kitchenette with dining area, private bath with sit-in shower, and a walk-in closet. Our spacious one-bedroom apartments feature large living rooms and bedrooms. A grand dining room, library, atrium, and other cozy gathering places create an environment that is as comfortable as any home. There are also studio apartments with shared bathroom and kitchenettes.

Scandinavian Assisted Living Community also offers Respite Suites for those who may need a short stay while their primary care giver is unavailable. Respite Care allows your loved one to be surrounded by attentive staff and know that they are well fed, secure, and with people who care. The assisted living community is part of the larger Scandinavian Home family. The Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation facility and Assisted Living Community are attached and therefore allows residents to age in place.

The mission of the Scandinavian Home is to provide a continuum of excellent health care to individuals through their stages of life in a warm homelike environment where resident dignity and quality of life are emphasized.

Some of the services at Scandinavian Retirement Center include: Meal Service * Three meals with a choice of entrée served daily * Late morning self-served continental breakfast cart * Afternoon snacks served daily * Tray service is available Transportation * To medical appointments (residents can still visit their own doctors in the community) * For weekly banking, shopping, library visits, and postal services locally * For planned outings and activities Health Care & Personal Assistance * Medication Administration and monitoring * Follow up with personal physician as needed * Full time licensed nursing on site * Assistance with activities of daily living * An Enhanced Program is available for those who need more help on a daily basis * Housekeeping and laundry services * Priority admission to the Scandinavian Nursing Home for qualified stays In addition, residents of Scandinavian Retirement Center enjoy a rich cultural and social life. Activities include trips to theaters, restaurants, concerts, movies, and religious services (There is a chaplain on staff and St. Paul’s Catholic Church is right next door).

To keep fit, exercise programs which include yoga, meditation, physical and massage therapy, and Wii games are available. If residents want to keep in touch with friends, surf the internet, or just play solitaire they can use the It’s Never 2 Late computer system.

Small enough to be personal and responsive to every resident’s needs, yet part of the Scandinavian larger Home family, the Assisted Living Community is living at its best for men and women seeking support, security, and the comforts of home without worries.

For more information or to schedule a visit, call the Director of Resident Services, Tai Sodipo, R.N. at 461Resident Viola Knapp (left) enjoys the Annual 1444. Please visit their Spring Tea with her guest. web site at www.ScandinavianHome.com.

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PrimeTime | 23

PEOPLE AND PLACES

A GLIMPSE OF RI’S PAST h i s t o r y w i t h d o n d ’a m at o

The Next Generation Takes Control When William Sprague, often called the “old governor,” died of typhoid fever in 1856, the control of the then very prosperous A&W Sprague Manufacturing Company fell to his son, Byron, and his nephews, Amasa and William. While Byron and Amasa were both well versed in the company business and contributed to its continued success, the real mover and shaker was William (1830-1914), the boy governor, who became a principal figure in Rhode Island history.

Young William Sprague William Sprague’s story as a young businessman, Rhode Island’s youngest governor, a patriotic leader of men in the Civil War and as a controversial and sometimes misunderstood U. S. Senator, is one of the most fascinating in Rhode Island history.

William Sprague was a well-known figure during the late 19th century. His name appeared often in the journals of the day. Yet, the picture presented to us is often clouded, obscure and, at times, completely out of focus. In an attempt at sensationalism to sell papers, his achievements and his successes are often overshadowed or negated by the scandals, inconsistencies and failures of his life. He is an enigma to most historians. Many know of him, few know about or understand him. No mention is made of Sprague in most history textbooks and no biographer has carefully studied his life.

We are presented with a series of contradictions. We are told he was erratic, unhappy, confused, egotistical and disliked by many at various points in his many years of public life, while often at the same time he appeared to be consistent, rational, modest and the idol of countless others.

Looking Back Mrs. Amasa Sprague, the former Fanny Morgan of Connecticut, gave birth to a son on the twelfth day of September of 1830, in Cranston. The child was given the name William, carrying on the tradition of seven generations of William Spragues that had lived in America. By this time, the Sprague family had achieved a good deal of success and wealth. William’s paternal grandfather was one of the first men in the United States to introduce calico printing in textile manufacturing, and from very small beginnings he had emerged as one of the foremost cotton manufacturers in New England. In 1836, when William was 6 years old, the enterprise passed into the hands of his father, Amasa, and his uncle, William, who formed the A&W Sprague Manufacturing Company. His father, as the eldest son, controlled Cranston Print Works and moved his family into the mansion house at 1351 Cranston Street. In the early years of his life, William enjoyed all the advantages of being the youngest son of a prosperous family. He was bright, articulate, and though the youngest in the family, a natural leader, showing a strong desire for a military life. In the Sprague household, matters of concern to the family business and to the state as a whole were often discussed and William was very much impressed by the events of the day. When he was 12 years old, the state was imbued with a military spirit aroused by the “Dorr War.” Military companies were organized everywhere. William listened while his father and uncle discussed the problems of Dorr’s election and rebellion and wanted to take action.

A boy of action He decided to imitate his elders and organized a group of 40 boys. At first, he was content with being their captain, drilling and marching his 40 “soldiers.” After a while, however, he felt that this was not enough as his ambition was higher than his station. When he heard of the debates between Thomas Dorr and Samuel Ward King, both claiming to be governor, and realized the military power a governor would have, he resigned from his post as captain, had the boys elect him governor, and then appointed his own officers, exercising his powers as commander-in-chief. The troop decided to defend the state and Governor Samuel Ward King and suppress Dorrites.

Young Sprague’s regiment then proceeded to Acote’s Hill in Chepachet, where Dorr and the insurrectionists had assembled. It is possible that the boys would have reached there before the state troops, but for the fact that they were stopped halfway and sent home by the authorities. ■

24 | PrimeTime

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PrimeTime | 25

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calendar of events Life in the Round Remember the Warwick Musical Theatre at the Warwick Museum of Art’s exhibit that features daily screenings of the 90-minute documentary, “The Tent: Life in the Round.” The exhibit also has memorabilia from the personal collection of Larry Bonoff. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 12 to 4 p.m. and admission is free. Call 737-0010 or go to warwickmuseum.org for details.

Route 44 • Greenville Common Greenville, RI (401) 949-0180 andersonwinfield.net

Call Frank 231-3736 or Gil 831-3301 For More Information KWVA – Chapter 3

PRIMETIME 4 Lines / $12

For classified advertising information, contact Sue 401-732-3100 sueh@rhodybeat.com

This service includes: Collation of information, one person transfer of remains to funeral home, use of facilities for mandatory waiting period, preparation of remains (not embalming), cremation container, transfer of remains to crematory, securing death certificate and filing of certificate with appropriate town or city, and crematory fee.

Meetings held 2nd Wednesday of every Month

00

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PERMANENT MAKEUP Eyebrows, eye liner, lip line & color. Call Diane today, 401573-1128.

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C/O BEACON COMMUNICATIONS CLASSIFIEDS 1944 Warwick Avenue, Warwick, RI 02889 OR CALL (401) 732-3100 OR EMAIL sueh@rhodybeat.com

Marco Polo! Experience the Newport International Polo Series at the Glen Farm Polo Grounds all summer long, through Sept. 24. Matches take place on Saturdays at 5 p.m., and September matches start at 4 p.m. For a full schedule of match ups, go to www.nptpolo.com or call 846-0200.

Concert Under the Elms On the lawn of the John Brown Museum, attend a concert on Thursday evenings through Aug. 11. Shows begin at 6:30 p.m. and admission is $8. Children under 12 can attend for free. For more information, call 331-8575 ext. 33 or go to www.rihs.org.

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26 | PrimeTime

July 2011

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x216 to Place Your Ad. PrimeTime | 27