The South Coast Insider - March 2023

the south coast issuu.com/coastalmags

Inside derr

MARCH 2023 Vol. 27 / No. 3

Soul food

Women’s history Passion into profit

Sharing art Great outdoors

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prima-care.com March 2023 | The South Coast Insider

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Shop small, shop local!

Why risk your health (and sanity) at crowded malls on Black Friday? Take advantage of incredible offerings in your own neighborhood on Small Business Saturday, November 28, throughout the South Coast. Check out sbsshopri. com for shop-and-stroll events in Rhode Island. For that special gift, support local craftsmen and artists by heading over to the Waterfire Arts Center in Providence to visit the safe outdoor pop-up markets (waterfire.org/art-mart). And on First Thursdays (November 5) you can “shop and dine local” in Barrington, Bristol, and Warren (discovernewport.org).

Kick-off the holiday season at Frerichs Farm in Warren with “Girls Night Out” on November 6, 7 and 8 – buy your holiday trees, greenery, and gifts there, too (frerichsfarm.com). Then mark your calendar for the Newport Block OVER 1.2 ACRES ON 1 FLOOR Party & Holiday Stroll at Bowen’s Wharf SOUTHERN ENGLAND'S LARGEST SHOWROOM on November 27 – youNEW can watch the Illuminated Boat Parade while you shop and enjoy Caribbean music (bowenswharf.com).

March 2023 | Vol. 27 | No. 3

Saturday, November 28, 2020

Open 10 am - 5 pm Monday - Sunday

167 Borden Street Fall River, MA

It’s the thoughtful gifts that count And if you can’t find gifts for all the special people in your life, consider buying gift cards to restaurants, shops, vineyards, special event venues, local farms, e-commerce websites, or grocery stores.

Use mail-order services to deliver flowers, sweets, and specialty foods yearround to someone you want to thank or to express your appreciation.

For those who are always hard to buy a gift for, consider signing them up for an annual subscription to a streaming service, app, podcast, premier sports/ movies/cultural channel, magazine, or newspaper. Or make a donation in their name to their favorite charity, educational institution, or cultural organization.

Consider how much it would be appreciated if you upgraded an older relative’s digital capabilities with an easy-to-use smartphone, tablet, or notebook – and then helped to set up Zoom or Skype.

You can keep the holiday spirit alive this year, even though you may not all be together to celebrate Thanksgiving. It just takes some imagination and good cheer!

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Ljiljana Vasiljevic

This Small Business Sales Manager Saturday, Mari Burns (508) 916-0374 Shop Local and Contributors Lori Bradley, Michael J. DeCicco, Shauna Ferry, Support your Paul Kandarian, Tom Lopes, Sean McCarthy, Elizabeth Morse Read community.

Editor Sebastian Clarkin

Layout & Design Janelle Medeiros

The South Coast Insider is published monthly for visitors and residents of the South Coast area and is distributed free of charge from Mount Hope Bay to Buzzards Bay.

508.676.7169 jjjewlery.com All contents copyright ©2022 Coastal Communications Corp.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, by any means, without written permission from the Publisher. All information contained herein is believed to be reliable. Coastal Communications Corp. does not assume any financial responsibility for typographical errors in advertisements, but will reprint that portion of an advertisement in which the typographical error occurs.

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March 2023 | The South Coast Insider

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Published by Coastal Communications Corp.

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Our advertisers make this publication Monday -Saturday 9am-5pm possible— please support them.

The South Coast Insider | November 2020

9

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March 2023 | The South Coast Insider

3

CONTENTS M A R C H 2 0 2 3 JEWELERS, INC., SINCE 1890

COVER STORY

SAME FAMILY, SAME LOCATION

10 Wonderful women

By Michael J. DeCicco

14 Full plate

By Sean McCarthy

ranco sten, a ilding, River scent.

nd

THINGS TO DO

We buy GOLD and DIAMONDS

6

By Elizabeth Morse Read

18 Love of the land

By Lori Bradley

BUSINESS BUZZ

table, how erries. local ollege cent

12 Small businesses, big dreams

By Shauna Ferry

16 Art about

r on an n on a policy . Over y al ed ed the ower sal the on. pes to h as finding p’s and and city’s

t org.

Marching into spring!

By Sean McCarthy

ON MY MIND

22 My Mikey

By Paul Kandarian

ON THE COVER

CELEBRATING 132 133 YEARS! CELEBRATING YEARS! | The South Insider June42021 March | The 2023 South Coast InsiderCoast11

Jesse DeSouza has run Cove Surf & Turf since 2014, and recognizes that he is a part of New Bedford’s social fabric. In addition to providing healthy and delicious meals to paying customers, he also takes every opportunity to help raise funds and donate meals for local causes. Learn more about Cove and DeSouza’s impact by turning to page 14 or by visiting coversurfandturf.com.

the south coast

issuu.com

/coastalma

Insider S

MARCH

Vol. 27 /

gs

oul food

Women ’s histor y Passion into prof it

Sharing art Great ou tdoors

2023

No. 3

March 2023 | The South Coast Insider

5

THINGS TO DO

into spring!

Marching

by Elizabeth Morse Read

Spring is just around the corner! After a long winter, we’re all eager to come out of hibernation and breathe free. Take advantage of the South Coast’s extensive public lands and natural beauty, teeming with new life and the promise of warmer weather.

W

ear your green on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, your red on St. Joseph’s Day, March 19, and observe Women’s History Month every day! Don’t forget to change your clocks forward on March 12, and celebrate the first day of spring on March 20!

Get outdoors – and get moving!

Get healthy – for free! “Walk With a Doc” on Saturdays, or head for the Greater New Bedford Boys & Girls Club on Sundays for Zumba, meditation, or yoga, all part of the New Bedford Wellness Initiative (nbewell.com)!

Register now for the Shamrock Stampede 5K through Plymouth (and the tavern!) on March 18 (southshorerace.com) or the New Bedford Half Marathon on March 19,

6

sponsored by the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick (newbedfordhalfmarathon.org).

Go on a guided Seal Watch boat tour with Save The Bay, departing from Bowen’s Ferry Landing in Newport through April (savebay.org/seals)!

Sharpen your ice skates (or rent them) at indoor skating rinks in Southeastern Massachusetts (fmcicesports. com/rinks), or the huge outdoor rink (and bumper cars!) in Providence (theprovidencerink.com).

Catch a glimpse of snowy owls and other migratory birds at the Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge (fws. gov/sachuestpoint) or the Norman Bird Sanctuary (normanbirdsanctuary.org), both in Middletown, or else go on an Evening Owl Prowl on March 6 or 20 at the Lloyd Center for the Environment in Dartmouth (lloydcenter.org)!

“Discover Buzzards Bay” offers an

March 2023 | The South Coast Insider

online portal with information about more than 100 public places to walk, bird-watch, kayak/canoe, fish, snowshoe or cross-country ski (savebuzzardsbay. org/discover). You can find other outdoor recreation spots along the South Coast at thetrustees.org and massaudubon.org, asri.org, riparks.com, or stateparks.com/rhode_island.

Classical acts

Enjoy “Gluzman Performs Beethoven” at the Zeiterion on March 25 with the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra (nbsymphony.org)!

Head for the Grace Episcopal Church in Providence on March 11 & 12 to hear the Providence Singers with the Aurea Ensemble perform “Finding the Light” (providencesingers.org)!

Mark your calendar for the Plymouth Philharmonic’s concert “The Winning

Afghan Art!

The Afghan Women’s Art Project, showcasing traditional and modern Afghan handicrafts made by six recent Afghan immigrants to the South Coast, will be on display at the New Bedford Free Public Library at 613 Pleasant Street from February 9 through March 23 as part of the city’s AHA! Nights programming.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

Offering Physical, Occupational, Speech and Respiratory therapy. Respite and Long-term care services also available.

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March 2023 | The South Coast Insider

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Score: Sports in Music” on March 5 or the opera “Cold Mountain” on March 25 at Memorial Hall in Plymouth (plymouthphil.org)!

Relax and listen to the Tri-County Symphonic Band’s performance of “Celebrating Andrew Lloyd Webber” March 19 at Tabor Academy in Marion (tricountysymphonicband.org).

Celebrate the return of Arts in the Village, Rehoboth’s chamber music series at Goff Memorial Hall! Don’t miss the Haven String Quartet on March 18 (rehobothantiquarian.org).

Listen to the Newport String Project perform “String Octets” at Ochre Court in Newport on March 12 (newportstringproject.org).

Enjoy a performance by the Frisson Ensemble on March 26 at Westport’s Concerts at the Point (concertsatthepoint.org).

Watch the Festival Ballet Providence’s performance of “Beauty Awakened” March 17-19 at the Moses Brown School (festivalballetprovidence.org)!

Listen to “West Side Story” performed

7

Everthing old is new again!

The Rotch-Jones-Duff House & Garden Museum (RJD) will hold an Open House on March 18, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors are invited to drop by the historic estate at 396 County Street in New Bedford for brief guided tours of the 1834 whaling mansion, which will include the newly installed Home Is Where the Hearth Isexhibition about kitchens in the Victorian era. Visitors can also enjoy refreshments, enter a drawing to win a Museum membership, and take home a goody-bag.

Admission to Open House at the RJD is free, and no registration is required.

For more information about the Museum, visit the website, rjdmuseum.org.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

Celebrate your Irish roots

Don’t miss the spectacular Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 11 in Newport, rain or shine (newportirish.com)!

Mark your calendar for the special benefit concert for the Plymouth Philharmonic on March 11 – Irish fiddler Eileen Ivers will perform at Memorial Hall in Plymouth (plymouthphil.org)!

Head for the Zeiterion in downtown New Bedford to enjoy the multi-faceted show “Ireland with Michael Londra” on March 12 (zeiterion.org).

Don’t miss the ”The Irish in America” concert March 4 at the Newport Public Library (newportpubliclibraryri.org)!

by the Rhode Island Philharmonic on March 17-18 at The VETS in Providence (riphil.org).

Fun for the whole family!

Enjoy movie night with the family at “Enter the Dragon” at New Bedford’s Zeiterion on March 19 (zeiterion.org)!

Don’t miss “Jurassic Park Live” March 23-26 at the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence (dunkindonutscenter.com)!

Enjoy free family fun and entertainment on the second Thursday of every month at New Bedford’s AHA Nights – “Women’s Work” is the March 10 theme (ahanewbedford.org)!

Buy your tickets online for the indoor planetarium shows on weekends yearround, and daily during school vacations at the Museum of Natural History and Planetarium in Roger Williams Park in Providence (providenceri.gov/museum)!

Learn something new!

Plan ahead for the home and garden

8

March 2023 | The South Coast Insider

exhibits at the 73rd Annual RI Home Show, including the RI Flower and Garden Show and Energy Expo, on March 30 to April 2 at the RI Convention Center in Providence (ribahomeshow.com).

Check out the classes and workshops for all ages at the New Bedford Art Museum/Artworks (newbedfordart.org)!

Learn how to line dance at New Bedford’s Kilburn Mills (facebook.com/ aandmdanceacademy.com).!

Check out the Friday afternoon movies at the Newport Public Library (newportpubliclibraryri.org)!

Try your hand at pickleball at Fairhaven’s indoor Southcoast Pickleball arena (southcoastpickleball.com).

Quench your thirst for learning at the free monthly New Bedford Science Café lectures and discussions at The Last Round Bar & Grille (nbsciencecafe.com)!

Listen to the music!

Head for the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River to hear Sierra Hull March 9, Sol y Canto March 11, Masters of the Telecaster March 18, James McMurtry March 24, Ryan Montbleau Band March 23 (narrowscenter.org).

the region’s coastal charms.

Their new McGovern’s Family Restaurant the Ballet farm, perproperty was aFestival former tomato 310Watch Shove Street, Fall River Providence’s performance fect for supporting the couple’sof new hob508-679-5010 “Beauty Awakened” March 17-19 by: raising chickens. mcgovernsonthewater.com at the Moses Brown School Fortunately for them, they had knack This well-known restaurant anda ban(festivalballetprovidence.org)! for it.

Before too long, the Bishops had quet facility overlooking Laurel Lake more eggs than theyinknew what buffet to do usually packs them for a large with.

They beganDay. selling the surplus, and on Thanksgiving The menu typicallearning about how to turkey expanddinner the farm ly includes traditional within aPaul’s healthy and sustainable way. butternut squash, prime Toham, give and a sense of more. how successful this rib, much The restaurant expansion has been, the farm’s chicken has been offering dine-in and takeout, including itshas locally famous corned beef population ballooned from the origiand20 cabbage, 50 years. Here’s a pronal to over for 3000. tip: if you can’t wait until While her husband hasThanksgiving kept his IT job,for a roast turkey don’therself have toto – Ester has beendinner, able toyou commit it’s on thefull-time. regular menu. the farm She prides herself on providing her animals with joyful, stressfree lives. on “People should know where Merrills the Waterfront their food comes from – Bedford you can really 36 Homers Wharf, New taste the difference,” said Bishop.

508-997-7010 merrillswaterfront.com

Green acres This favorite restaurant and function

Bishop’s commitment to “beyond orfacility sits on the waterfront overlooking ganic” farming extends beyond cuddles port. But if isn’t your the busy and words of affirmation to her livestock. thing on traditional turkey day, be sure She ensures allfor thetheir animals areofferings. provided to keep watch holiday with healthy, organic meals, and thatand their Last year, Merrill’s served up turkey waste is repurposed as manure. prime rib, all the sides like apple sage “You can see how green thepolenta grass is and sweet corn and Don’t miss L’il Durk March 3 at the raviwhere the turkeys have been,” Bishop oli, plus pies galore.

Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence says. “That’s because they fertilize the (dunkindonutscenter.com)! soil with their manure. Manure is the Head for the Zeiterion in downtown The Pasta House basis of organic fertilizers. There are no New Bedford to hear Rodney Marsalis 100 Alden Road, chemicals added,Fairhaven or needed, when the Philadelphia Big Brass March 3, Pink 508-993-9913 animals do their job.”

Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon March 4, thepastahouse.net Speaking of animals doing their jobs, The Moth March 11, Ireland with Michael If theirhas Pumpkin Patch Old-Fashioned Bishop conscripted her goats and Londra March 12, Black Boy March 13, (nowinto on the bar menu) getunderyou pigs clearing away doesn’t swaths of She Said/She Says March 15, psychic inside, nothing will.

Luckily, you can brush on the property – the “gnarly vines” medium Matt Fraser March Crys a recipe the sidebar for this15-16, drink and that givein the farm its name. serve it with your Thanksgiving dinner Matthews March 30 (zeiterion.org).

Gnarly Vines coordinates with neightakeout Don’t farms miss The Simonits & Garfunkel boring to provide customers The Pasta served up a spread Story MarchHouse 11 the Providence with a variety of at sustainable and organic last year thatArts included turkey dinner, ham Performing Center! products.

Angus beef, for (ppacri.org). instance, will dinner, mignon, braised short rib, Head The VETS in as Providence to sell outfor almost as soon it comes into and more.

Currently, pickup and delivery hear Brian Culbertson on March 22 stock. is available from the regular menu, includ(vmari.com)!

But the farm is not bound by terrestrial ing their cider sangria go.District We’ll Find outapple who’s on stage at to The limitations: the Bishops have partnered just have to wait and see what they dream Center for theFinest Arts in Taunton!

There’s with Captain’s and Sakonnet up for Thanksgiving.

A Night to of bring Zepplin March 3, Who Made Lobster fresh seafood to market.

Who March 4, Duppy Conquerors Bishop is particularly proud of a new iniMarch 10,the Divas with a Twist March 11 The Wharf Tavern tiative at farm: food security commu215 Water Street, Warren (thedistrictcenterforarts.com)! nity supported agriculture (CSA) plans.

401-289-2524 Head popular for Running Brook Vineyards CSAs, among farms nationthewharftavernri.com in Dartmouth for free live music every wide, allow customers to pre-purchase weekend year-round While stuffed quahogs nibbled by the “shares” of the farm’s produce, which are water may not be a Thanksgiving tradi(runningbrookwine.com)! tion, Tavern, established in Findthe outWharf who’s on stage at the Spire CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

1955 on the historic wharf that dates all about summer. toThe the AARP 1700s,® isn’t Massachusetts Auto Insurance Program from Plymouth Rock Assurance.

Last year they served up a feast of turkey, roast prime rib, sausage and more. The restaurant currently offers dine-in and takeout, including some oven-ready dishes like seafood casserole Stafford & Company Insurance and stuffed lobster.

The AARP Massachusetts Auto Insurance Program from Plymouth Rock offers AARP members in Massachusetts special White’s of Westport savings in addition to the everyday benefits that set Plymouth 66 State Road, Westport Rock apart from its competition. With Plymouth Rock, lower 508-675-7185 rates are just the beginning. shop.lafrancehospitality.com

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Paul Le takeout and curbside meals pickup for E S T. 1 9 0 0 months, so when Turkey Day comes Contrib around, it’s a good bet they’ll have a hanSebast dle (or drumstick) Steven Callrather todayafor a free, on that too.

Pork • Meat • Chourico • Chicken Currently, the restaurant is offering meal Elizabe no obligation Buffalo Chicken • Chili • Salmon packages and platters like its “Taste of insurance Also try Stuffed Quahogs and Desserts Newauto England” thatquote: comes with chowder, quahogs and clam cakes or its Italian The Sou HOURS: Mon-Fri 7am-5pm, Sat 7am-3pm 508-673-5893 package of salad, lasagna, meatballs andMain St. visitors 1000 North is distri breadsticks. Both meals serveFall six.River, AlsoMA 02720 1729 South Main St. Fall River, MA to Buzz available are dinner-for-two meal packs 508-673-5893 like and chips, lobster rolls, bourbon All cont beef kid-sized pasta andis required for Program eligibility. Applicants are individually underwritten and some may not qualify Actual tips, coverage isand subject toeven the language of the policy as issued.

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All right years in the hospitality industry, White’s be repr is accustomed to cooking for a crowd. permiss Center for the Performing Arts of contain Delicious Custom Cakes, Cupcakes and Dessert Greater Plymouth! There’s Tim Ray Trio Commu March 2, The Suitcase Junket March 3, financia Shemekia Copeland March 4, Trinity advertis March 11, Honest Mechanik March 16, advertis QualityAlchemy Resale for the Whole Family occurs.

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Remove the Don’t miss “The Crucible” March 3-5, 624 Brayton Avenue •Walnut Fall River, MA cinnamon stick and discard or use it to 270 Huttleston Ave. (Rt. 6) 265 Plain Road 10-12 at Your Theatre in New Bedford Subscr Rochester, MA 508-679-0535 garnish the cocktail you like. The syrFairhaven, MA •if 508-991-2229 (yourtheatre.org)! $39 pe NMLS# 410816 Federally

by NCUA up will out last forFacebook three weeks in at the fridge. www.janesullivanlaw.com — Call or insured visit for weekly hours — Check what’s happening the 508-763-4905 artisanbakeshop.com Mailing a shakTo make the cocktail, Marion Art Center!

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Combine ¼ cup performances of Oscar Wilde’s “The P.O. Box pumpkin puree with three ounces Importance of Being Earnest” March Fall Rive bourbon, two ounces maple syrup, ¼ 10-12, 17-19, 24-25 (marionartcenter.org)! ounce cinnamon syrup, one ounce orPhone Find out what’s on stage at the Little (508) 6 ange liqueur, and two Theatre in Fall River! Don’t miss “Guys and dashes orange bitWebsit Dolls” March 23-26 (littletheatre.net)! ters. Shake well. coastal Mark your calendar for the Fill two old fashperformances of “The Inferior Sex” 154 Huttleston Ave., Rt. 6 E-mail ioned glasses with We buy used vehicles March 16-April 16 at Trinity Rep in Fairhaven , MA editor@ ice, pour in the all makes and models Providence (trinityrep.com). strained cocktail Monday - closed • Tue-Thu 11:30am-9pm Our adv Don’t miss “Hadestown” March 21-26 643 Brayton Ave., Fall River, MA Fri-Sat 11:30am-9:45pm • Sun 12-9pm whatafindfairhaven.com and garnish with a please s at the Providence Performing Arts 508-675-1303 twist of orange peel 177 Columbia St. • Fall River, MA Hours:(ppacri.org)!

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TAKEOUT

November 2020 | The The South Coast Insider November 2020 March 2023 | The South Coast Insider South Coast Insider || November 2020

19 13 9

COVER STORY

women

Wonderful

by Michael J. DeCicco

This Women's History Month, the South Coast celebrates women with numerous events, and by recognizing the accomplishments of women throughout the region.

G

o to the Rotch Duff Jones House on March 15 for a discussion of prominent early women's advocate (and New Bedford native) Dr. Marie Equi, starting at 5:30. It's a hybrid talk by Aneshia Savino, a New Bedford High School graduate who earned her B.A. in Anthropology/Archaeology at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, and who curates the Marie Equi Zine Library.

According to the museum website, “Before Dr. Marie Equi became known for her labor and anti-war activism, and a life spent with and loving women, she grew up in New Bedford. This talk explores the city during a time when whaling fleets were shrinking and textile mills were on the rise.

It will also reveal the radical roots of Equi’s fighting spirit.”

There is a suggested donation of $10.

This talk will be held in person at the museum, and also on Zoom.

On April 20, you’ll find a belated Women’s History Month celebration at the Whaling Museum with "Reading American Landscapes: Women and the American Scene.” New Bedford Whaling Museum’s Chief Curator Naomi Slipp will discuss the

10

museum’s current exhibition, "Re/Framing the View: Nineteenth-Century American Landscapes" that evening from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. (for the reception); 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. (for the lecture). Tickets are $10 for members and $15 for non-members.

According to the museum website, Slipp “will discuss how women of the nineteenth century were faced with limited opportunities presented during their lifetimes, but how some carved out successful careers as professional artists painting landscapes and still lifes... Most of them also balanced the demands of motherhood, caregiving, or domestic labor.”

Investing in women

For a contemporary context to what the March celebration means, note what women today are doing in the name of their growing empowerment.

Women's Fund South Coast, Inc. (WFSC) in New Bedford has been financially supporting women around the South Coast for the past 22 years.

Its Women’s History Month event will be an “International Women’s Day” program on March 8, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the

March 2023 | The South Coast Insider

First Unitarian Church in New Bedford “to celebrate 50 years of the local Women’s Movement.”

The Fund began in 2000 when a donor established a permanent fund at the Community Foundation South Coast to provide philanthropic dollars to programs and organizations supporting women and girls in the region, said Assistant Director for Development Makenzie Lennington.

That donor, retired Judge Bettina Borders, had long been involved with the education, finances, and safety of women and girls, Lennington noted. “She was aware of the need for thoughtful philanthropy earmarked for women and girls, as less than 1.9 percent of all philanthropic dollars were for such initiatives.”

The Fund incorporated in 2020. Since then, the WFSC has continued to deepen its philanthropic reach, Lennington said.

“We partner with regional non-profit organizations to fund life-changing grants so that women and girls can achieve greater access and opportunity.

Our shared experiences as mothers, daughters, friends, and partners allow us to state resoundingly that every woman

is entitled to a life with dignity, respect, and opportunities to thrive. Through the generosity of donors and local corporate supporters who believe in supporting its mission to make the SouthCoast a true place of equity for women and girls, we have been able to grow and continue this much-needed work.”

As a result, over $150,000 in funding has been awarded to at least 15 different entities since the Fund was incorporated.

Its biggest success stories have included The LifeWork project, a five-year visionary program conceived by the WFSC to assist low-income women “to achieve a better life for themselves and their children. It's now an integral part of the Bristol Community College Women's Center,” Lennington boasts.

“Initially,” Lennington said, “20 women participated in the project, and all attained improved outcomes for themselves and their children. The Bristol Community College Women's Center has since adopted the LifeWork project and re-imagined it as the Parenting Advancement Pathways Program.”

Community Economic Development Center leader Mujeres Victoriosas said the fund has helped immigrant women and mothers from Central America. A grant provides a lead facilitator and community outreach coordinators to address barriers immigrant women face, such as language, lack of formal education, and legal immigration status.

“Girls on the Run,” also funded by WFSC, is an after-school program that challenges young girls to embrace their inner strength, gain confidence, and foster care and compassion for others through the physical challenge of running.

The “Sacred Birthing Project” is a volunteer effort to encourage better birth outcomes by providing practical support to women during pregnancy and up to one year after their child’s birth. It helps women find the emotional freedom necessary to identify and use the resources to care for themselves and their families.

“The successful ‘her-story’ of grantmaking by the WFSC is a testament to the need for this philanthropy,” Lennington said. “The Fund is still small but poised to continue to grow to enhance the lives of women and girls in our region.”

Sharing stories

Working on a larger scale to empower women around the state in 2023 is the statehouse itself, State Representative Carole Fiola said. She is proud to note that today, all but one of the state's elected Constitutional Officers are women: Governor Healy, Lt. Governor Driscoll, Attorney General Campbell, Treasurer Goldberg and Auditor Dizoglio (Bill Galvin continues to serve as Secretary of State).

“I was the 183rd woman elected to the state legislature in 2013,” she said.

"Today, there have been 233 women

"Today, there have been 233 women legislators who have served versus over 20,000 men. We represent half of the state's population. So why wouldn't we be in half of all leadership roles?" legislators who have served versus over 20,000 men. We represent half of the state's population. So why wouldn't we be in half of all leadership roles? What's happening across the state is a positive sign and we will keep working on growing our numbers… but we still have a little way to catch up."

That's where someone like Ashley Benediksen comes in to address women empowerment on a personal level. The motivational speaker and New Bedford native knows what women seeking empowerment should do. And she’s done it, successfully, in her personal life and her business across the country for 15 years.

The bulk of her speaking presentations, she said, are to young people, giving them what she wishes she would have known when she was young on the topic of empowering yourself by avoiding abusive relationships.

At just 14, she experienced dating violence and sexual abuse by her very first boyfriend, which began a cycle of abusive relationships and trauma that led her to struggle with her self-worth, choose

severely unhealthy coping habits, and struggle academically. “Unfortunately, I didn't know the warning signs of abuse,” she says on her website page. “I lacked a voice and even my own identity. Soon, I was in another abusive relationship.

This one was so damaging that I became homeless, penniless, and was forced to drop out of college by my abuser. I only finally escaped after I was severely physically attacked.”

She was a volunteer at the local women's center when she was first asked to give a presentation on her experiences. She was terrified to give that first talk on what she’d been through. Then she realized that sharing her story made her feel less alone, and it became her calling in life.

Now she makes 75 to 100 presentations per year at schools, organizations, and conferences all across the United States, from Massachusetts to California.

Benediksen is heartened by the immediate impact she can have on others’ lives. “A middle school student disclosed to me that she had been sexually abused by an older male,” she said. “Later, she came to me and said she had reported him and was bringing him to justice. She said I gave her the inspiration and strength to do that. Every time I make a speech, someone will either disclose their own experience or say they told people about their abuse after hearing my story.”

Benedkisen said that what she provides is a mix of education and her own personal experience. “I offer the red flags, what to look out for. How to build a sense of personal agency. Some people feel trapped. But there are resources out there to help everyone.

You're the first priority in your life.

Putting others first is at the cost of ourselves. I help them understand how to begin to shift from providing for and pleasing everyone else before providing for yourself.”

She elaborated, “Women carry a lot of limiting beliefs. We also tend to minimize our own needs. Introspection and self-awareness are step one, and from there we can see our bad patterns and see how we can change them. After that, every little change we see in our lives is empowering. You see a little change in everything you try.”

March 2023 | The South Coast Insider

11

BUSINESS BUZZ

Small businesses Charlie's Bows

by Shauna Ferry

BIG DREAMS

This Women's History Month, let 's take a close look at some of the big ideas local women have had for their small businesses.

S

ome small businesses come to fruition after years of planning and investing, but others, like Charlie’s Bows, materialize from just an idea and a little practice.

Karissa Majndle owns and operates Charlie’s Bows out of Westport. She runs her small business mostly online, occasionally selling at craft fairs and consigning at different small shops. The idea for Charlie’s Bows came as a happy accident.

“I started my business in 2018,” Majndle explains. “I just had my daughter, Charlotte, and the prices of everything were so high. I wanted to buy Charlotte

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bows, but I just couldn’t budget it, so I started making my own for her, and it just grew from there. My mom and my husband, Chris, pushed me to make them and sell them and that’s what I did.

I started with other moms who couldn’t afford the expensive bows, just as I couldn’t, and it took off.”

Having just completed her Bachelor's degree in early childhood education, the idea of stepping away from a consistent paycheck to pursue Charlie’s Bows was daunting, but Majndle did just that and walked into the unknown with nothing but confidence, focusing on the positive aspects of owning her own business. “I choose my own hours, I choose which products I want to release, I choose how hard and how many hours I want to work each day. I get to be home with my girls and I love the flexibility of it. I do miss socializing, and I miss the work parties and talking to other adults. It’s really the only damper of it all.”

Charlie’s bows started with just two styles of bows, both of which Majndle taught herself how to do. “Bows weren’t as popular when I started as they are now. There weren’t really any tutorials online. I just practiced until I got them to be what I wanted.”

March 2023 | The South Coast Insider

Majndle started with the traditional headwrap – her favorite and most popular seller – as well as the matching head clips. She now has a variety of ten different styles of head bows, all ranging in sizes and prices. In addition to bows, she offers different types of clothing, knitted patch hats, and baby accessories.

Majndle attributes her rapid success to social media. She grown her following to just over 6,000 followers and diligently posts several times a day with pictures, new items, seasonal products, and more.

“I take some time each night to schedule my posts for the next day. I take pictures of my products to really show how cute they can be and what to pair them with.

Having children and mamas model my products really makes a difference in people being able to visualize how they’ll look.” With the bow market becoming increasingly saturated over the past several years, Majndle has kept people intrigued with her attractive and thoughtout posts.

Majndle foresees even more growth in her future, potentially expanding into a storefront in addition to her website, adding a more extensive clothing line for kids.

She offers advise to other women thinking of starting their own small

Nadeau-Cantin has brought a unique niche to the area and has had a great response. business: “Do it. Don’t hold back, just do it. Don’t have any doubts. If it’s something you feel you want to do and it’ll make you happy, then just do it. I push myself to be better with my business, increase products, and avidly network. It’s not easy, but if you have the love for it and the drive, you can accomplish what you seek out to do.”

Like so many other businesses, Charlie’s Bows started with an idea and grew into a full-time venture. Majndle’s success speaks to how hard she works and her dedication to her business, “Nothing comes easy in life, but anything can be accomplished if you put your mind to it.”

Charlie’s Bows has a Facebook page as well as a website: CharliesBowCompany.com.

Cut from different cloth

Hard work, passion, and commitment.

These are three words that only scratch the surface of what Amy Nadeau-Cantin from Amy’s Fabric Treasures in Westport believes it takes to own and operate a small business. As a woman who began her entrepreneur endeavors at just 18 years of age and who has been sewing custom pieces for homes for 22 years, she knows exactly how dedicated you need to be to help a business thrive.

“I always wanted to own a fabric shop.

I knew I couldn’t do it in the traditional

way, so I came up with the idea of consignment, and within a month of having the idea, I had the keys in my hand to my shop.” Reaching out to every seamstress and crafter she knew, Nadeau-Cantin received an abundance of support and affirmations. This cemented her confidence that her idea, the first fabric consignment shop in the country, would be successful.

“I’m driven by my passion for sewing.

Fabric stores were closing all over the area and I just thought there had to be an alternative to just the chain fabric stores.

I knew that this was the area for fabric because of how expansive the textile industry was, so I went ahead and within a very short period of time I had tons of people showing up to my store with rolls and rolls of fabric to consign.”

Nadeau-Cantin not only consigns fabric, craft supplies, and yarn, but sewing machines as well. She also offers a scissor sharpening service, sewing machine repair service, and sewing classes. “I teach general sewing and I have a three-page-long waiting list for people waiting for availability. There is an enormous need and I wish there were other people offering classes.”

Nadeau-Cantin also has another woman collaborating with her each Saturday to teach knitting, crocheting, embroidery,

and rug hooking. Nadeau-Cantin’s prices are a huge draw for her customers, from your seasoned sewer to UMASS Dartmouth students just beginning in their fashion classes. Nadeau-Cantin also has an influx of customers who buy fabric for various charity and donatable causes. “I donate a lot to groups that do charitable sewing. I give when and where I can, and there are so many people out there who are doing so many great things, but just can’t afford to get what they need.”

Nadeau-Cantin has brought a unique niche to the area and has had a great response. “I love the people. I’m surrounded by phenomenal, creative people – very generous giving people.”

Nadeau-Cantin’s customers are the reason she’s able to overcome the difficulties that come along with owning your own business. “The hardest part of my job is that it’s never done. I go home with work – I work from home every night. There’s always something for me to do. I never sit with my hands idle. This literally runs my life. My husband and son will joke with me sometimes and say, ‘Do we know you? We haven’t seen you in like a week!’”

It’s clear in talking to Nadeau-Cantin that her heart is in her business; she loves what she does, and she wants to share her passion for sewing with anyone who comes into her shop. She has great advice for other women looking to start their own businesses: “You have to go into it with the right attitude. You can’t expect everything you touch to turn into gold. A lot of women become frustrated because they’ve tried other ventures and it hasn’t always panned out. Ask yourself: ‘Do I love it?’ If it’s something you don’t have a passion for or you don’t really love, you’re heart isn’t going to be in it.”

Nadeau-Cantin refers to most womendriven businesses as “passion projects,” because women are caretakers, which is inspirational and relatable. She sets the example that with a little heart, soul, and drive, you can accomplish whichever goals you set out for yourself.

Amy’s Fabric Treasures is located at 1032 American Legion Highway in Westport. Check out Amy’s Fabric Treasures on Facebook for more information.

March 2023 | The South Coast Insider

13

COVER STORY

FULL plate

Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail

Dinner Salad

by Sean McCarthy

For Jesse DeSouza, being a contributor to the South Coast community goes beyond serving and preparing great food.

S

ince opening Cove Surf & Turf in New Bedford’s South End in the spring of 2014, DeSouza has expanded his footprint by building on a diverse menu of high-quality food with an outreach that includes contributions to local charities and financial incentives to area entrepreneurs, while shipping his food to customers anywhere in the 50 states.

Whether he is acting locally or nationally, DeSouza is a talented chef and a wise businessman.

“Eating healthier has become more popular, so we want to meet that need without cutting back on the size and taste of our dishes,” he says. “People are happy to discover that we offer a lot more than fried foods.”

A visit to the website CoveNB.com

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DeSouza puts a priority on offering large portions of food that are as healthy as they are delicious offers a tantalizing array of selections from an expansive menu, featuring many seafood dishes that come directly from the ports of New Bedford, the largest fishing port in America. DeSouza puts a priority on offering large portions of food that are as healthy as they are delicious – an opportunity for guests to

March 2023 | The South Coast Insider

go beyond the traditional fried options they may be familiar with.

With the arrival of Lent, orders for fish grow exponentially. During the warmer months he cooks hundreds of pounds of haddock and scallops each week.

Among Cove’s healthier food options are lean tenderloin steak tips, grilled salmon, blackened swordfish with mango salsa, steamed lobster, shrimp cocktail, steamers, softshell Maine clams, salads with optional meat toppings, and wraps with meat and seafood options. They also offer freshsqueezed fruit drinks such as lemonade and Lime Rickeys, and even 100% agave margaritas made from fresh-squeezed limes. There are multiple Gluten-free options including BBQ Ribs, baked haddock with lemon pepper, seasoned

Blackened Sword broiled scallops without breadcrumbs, salads, and a variety of steaks such as NY sirloin, steak tips, and grilled ribeye.

Cove uses clear soybean frying oil made with 100% soybean oil with 0 grams of trans-fat, a great option for improving the nutritional profile of their food. And the benefits of eating seafood go beyond the taste.

“Fish is packed with protein, vitamins, and nutrients that can lower blood pressure and help reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke,” DeSouza says.

“Lobster may be beneficial for weight loss and may help reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.”

Flying fish

Located at 1500 Cove Road just off of Route 18, Cove offers a variety of ways to enjoy their food. With indoor and heated outdoor dining, customers can reserve tables with a phone call or an online booking at CoveNB.com.

There are delivery and take-out options as well as catering opportunities that include popular family and party trays, especially during holidays.

Giving back to the community is a major priority for DeSouza. His charitable

Plain Broiled Salmon

With indoor and heated outdoor dining, customers can reserve tables with a phone call or an online booking at CoveNB.com efforts include offering gift cards to local non-profits to use for fundraising, along with annually donating catered trays for fundraising events to organizations such as the Neediest Families Fund. He recently donated 130 lobster rolls in addition to ample amounts of chowder and stuffed quahogs to the First Congregational Church in Fairhaven for a neighborhood-wide fundraising event.

He has also done exclusive catering at significant discounts, including the New Bedford Fire Department’s Autism Awareness fundraiser to be held this April (tickets and more info at covesurfandturf.com/autism).

In addition to his charitable

contributions, he offers local businesses the opportunity to become a part of his popular affiliate program. People can share a link from the Cove website that they can distribute in print or digital media, and when people order from the link, the business receives a percentage of the money made from that sale.

DeSouza offers a $25 starting bonus for any nonprofits that sign up for the program.

“It’s important for me to be an active and visible member of the community,” he says. “I’d be happy to do more if I had more time.”

But DeSouza’s culinary reach covers the entire United States. For more than two years he has shipped food orders around the United States, a benefit for people who aren’t located near a seaport or want to enjoy food native to this area. In one to three days, anyone in the country can receive items from Cove’s menu by accessing their website.

“We’re seeing more and more business every year,” he says. “We’re constantly investing in the city of New Bedford by improving our dining atmosphere and our product and service offerings.”

March 2023 | The South Coast Insider

15

BUSINESS BUZZ

Art about

by Sean McCarthy

Changes are taking place in the art world, and so too with the New Bedford Art Museum/Art Works!

W

hile expanding the public’s understanding of what art can be, executive director Suzanne de Vegh aims to take this downtown New Bedford location on a trajectory of greater recognition by building on its sense of community.

Since taking the helm last September, de Vegh’s lifetime of experience in the art world has folks in the greater New Bedford area eagerly anticipating what she will bring to the establishment.

“I feel like everything I’ve done has

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brought me to this moment,” de Vegh says. “Coming to lead a museum like this is absolutely a dream come true. It’s what I’ve wanted to do my whole adult life.”

With an abundance of experience in the New York art industry and with extensive academic achievement, de Vegh has the support of her regional peers.

“Central to my curatorial vision for the Museum is to celebrate artists who push technical boundaries and utilize media in innovative ways. The Museum will focus on artists who deploy media such as glass, sound, fragrance, and floral materials to new conceptual and expressive ends.” she says. “We will concentrate on areas within the art world that are really coming into their own, are being re-evaluated, and are ascending into the category of fine art.

The kinds of artworks and exhibitions that we plan to display will make us a

March 2023 | The South Coast Insider

destination not just in our community, but will bring visitors from far and wide.”

Upcoming exhibitions in 2023 include social practice, sound art, and street art. The museum will be collaborating with multiple area entities to help grow its cultural reach, including UMassDartmouth, DATMA, The New Bedford Free Public Library, and New Bedford Light.

According to de Vegh, this is a time of evolution for the contemporary art world, and an opportunity for the museum to provide new offerings.

“The old model for museums was object-driven and curator-driven – museums as temples to culture. I'm interested in a lively, responsive, and nimble institutional model,” de Vegh says. “Over the last 25 years or so the conversation has shifted. Now museums care much more about the audience and their experiences. It’s about making exhibitions welcoming, inclusive, and

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Central to my curatorial vision for the Museum is to celebrate artists who push technical boundaries and utilize media in innovative ways. The Museum will focus on artists who deploy media such as glass, sound, fragrance, and floral materials to new conceptual and expressive ends. relevant to visitors – creating exhibitions that invite your voice and participation.

“My goal is for the museum to be a forum; a place where we can have public conversations about things that matter to our community and engage with the issues and ideas of our time. Museums are primarily educational, and if we do things properly, we can encourage dialogue and awaken all five senses within our viewers.”

Rich opportunity

“Suzanne is absolutely communitybased,” says Lawrence Jenkens, Dean of the UMass-Dartmouth’s College of Visual and Performing Arts and the Chair of the museum’s Board of Directors. “In the three months that she has been here, she’s had many, many conversations with partners and collaborators around the South Coast.

She understands the need here to marry the broader contemporary art world to New Bedford, to bring exhibitions to New Bedford that have a relevance for the community, to collaborate with other arts and culture institutions, to continue to serve the community, but at the same time expand our horizons in general.”

De Vegh’s interest in art goes back to her early childhood in Tinton Falls, NJ, where her father owned a cultural center known as The Old Mill. The facility hosted a theatre, a dance studio, a gallery, and studios. It was open all hours

Now accepting applications

of the day for those who wanted to draw, paint, sculpt, rehearse, and more.

“It was fertile ground for so many people and a launching pad for their careers, but more than that it was a center for our community,” de Vegh says. “As I was listening about the museum during my interview process, it was clear to me that New Bedford is a 23 The South Coast Insider about | November 2020home?

Thinking selling your community where local artists thrive.”

De Vegh says that there is a “richness” Join our waiting list today! to New Bedford. “New Bedford has such cultural and artistic diversity, it’s a great banquet,” she says. “What I love about it is that any night of the week I can have an incredible aesthetic experience. I can go to any number of places – there is history, culture, art, and music. The thing that really strikes me is how open and Adult communities for 55+ friendly the people are here, how willing and able my partners are in the arts and Join our extended family! culture community. I have so many great Safe, worry-free living with fun activities partnerships in the works already.” and friendly on-site management In addition to its exhibitions, the Oakwood museum’s offerings include public – Swansea – programs, classes, and workshops.

508-324-1279 OakwoodSeniorEstates.com Classes and workshops offer learning and insights into what is on view in the museum’s gallery. Public programs are held once a week in the evening. Recent public programs have included dance performances, poetry readings, and live music.

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March 2023 | The South Coast Insider

17

THINGS TO DO

Love

OF THE LAND

by Lori Bradley

At this time healthiest expressions and embodiments of community of the year, connections and love for the Behind our wealth of many people land. public parks are hundreds begin to leave of hardworking people who share their love for their caves in community by preserving, and maintaining anticipation of building, outdoor recreational spaces. winter is one of the best the warming Late times to get out into them outdoors and to reawaken the body, mind, and heart! excitement of air in the coming Fresh the city spring One of the most fascinating

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any people in the South Coast meet up in our varied and wonderful parks and public spaces. Our public parks can be viewed as one of the

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parks in the South Coast is the New Bedford National Whaling Historic Park (NBNHP) which covers over 13 blocks in downtown New Bedford. The park challenges preconceptions

March 2023 | The South Coast Insider

of parks as collections of rural pathways. The NBNHP is inclusive and accessible to people of all ages in this urban community, interweaving local residents, small creative businesses and restaurants, university students and personnel, tourists, and park employees.

The venerable New Bedford Whaling Museum gives a comprehensive history and interpretation of the whaling industry that built the city and is now a leading advocate for ocean conservation. The recently renovated Custom House Square offers a calming green space for people to rest while visiting shops and historical sites.

The tight cluster of

historical sites, visitors center, and museums became an official national park in 1996 and is administered through a partnership of the National Park Service, the City of New Bedford, and private business owners. Decades of visionary planning and development made it possible. The park is so beautiful, and seemingly self-reliant, it’s easy to overlook the many volunteers, city and state officials, and community members who loved this area passionately enough to create it.

Current park superintendent Jennifer White Smith was an early seasonal park employee and has since spent over twenty years of

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The venerable New Bedford Whaling Museum gives a comprehensive history and interpretation of the whaling industry that built the city and is now a leading advocate for ocean conservation her life dedicated to building the NBNHP. For her, the park is truly a labor of love, “There is so much love woven through the story of the NBNHP. The love from the grassroots folks who had the crazy idea that New Bedford deserved a national park. The love our staff and volunteers have for the mission of the National Park Service, the city, and our community partners.”

Smith continues, “There is the love a family feels when they engage with our park’s meaningful and relevant

stories. And love from the locals who have such pride that their community is part of a network of very special places set aside for the enjoyment of all and future generations. We at the park just could not be more in love with New Bedford.”

Learn more by visiting nps. gov/nebe.

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Massasoit State Park

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 with a more traditionally rural setting. Like the NBNHP, it took a community of concerned people who loved the land enough to work to preserve and build it into the beautiful gem it is today.

It is one of a few, precious freshwater fishing and recreation areas in the greater South Coast. It offers public access to several lakes and ponds, a camping area, beach, playground, and plentiful miles of hiking and biking trails.

A decade ago, the park was under threat of suburban sprawl development. An underground electric mishap resulting in the closing of the campground and the park quickly fell into disrepair.

Public restrooms were closed and covered in graffiti.

Illegal campfires were set throughout the park and threatened the forest and surrounding neighborhoods with wildfire. Once welcoming

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Like the NBNHP, it took a community of concerned people who loved the land enough to work to preserve and build it into the beautiful gem it is today and safe, the park began to feel like a dangerous place that wasn’t of benefit to the community.

Fortunately, a group of volunteers who loved public parks and rural lands came to the rescue. The Massachusetts Park Friends Network, groups of volunteer advocates who adopt specific parks for care, discovered the neglect and degradation at the once-beautiful park.

A Massasoit State Park Friends page began on Facebook (facebook.com/ MiddleboroTauntonMA) and brought the park long-needed attention. Residents united to save the park and began writing to the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) voicing

March 2023 | The South Coast Insider

their support. The Boy Scouts undertook renovation projects on some of the park bridges.

In 2014, Keiko Orrall, State Representative for the 12th District in Bristol County, began advocating for the renovation of the park and gained full DCR support. In 2015, the state committed its financial support, and the official renovation began. Today, Massasoit State Park has new, accessible campgrounds, a new swimming beach and restrooms, and an expansive, accessible playground. The roads were repaved and smoothed for walkers of varying abilities, along with wilder paths branching off for those who love traditional

hiking and mountain biking through rough forest paths.

The most remarkable aspect of the renovation was the dedication to making the park accessible to the widest possible community of visitors. The State and National Park Services are paying increasing attention to making life-enhancing outdoor experiences available to everyone. In 2012, the NPS formed an Accessibility Task Force to improve approaches to ensuring that national parks can be enjoyed by individuals with disabilities and this act of love is certainly apparent at the state level at Massasoit. Enjoying a recent, unusually warm winter day at the park were groups of hikers, horseback riders, and dog walkers, along with people strolling with canes and walkers or pushing wheelchairs and strollers down smoothly paved paths through the forest.

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Next door to New Bedford, the Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust (DNRT) is one of the most effective and popular land trusts in Massachusetts. Residents share their love for the region by donating their land to the public and to future generations. The DNRT has been working to protect thousands of acres of land in Dartmouth since their founding in 1971. By combining efforts with other conservation organizations, the DNRT maintains many trails through fifty of the most beautiful open spaces in Massachusetts, in addition to their DNRT Center offices which are housed in a historical antique farmhouse undergoing continuing restoration.

The Center rests on farmland that houses the Helfand Community Gardens, in which South Coast citizens without access to open space can rent garden plots for the year.

Behind the DNRT is Greer’s Garden created in 2020 by Massachusetts TerraCorps service member Bruce Traban. The public can visit the peaceful garden that is planted with native grasses,

flowers, shrubs, and trees that are all pollinator friendly, sharing knowledge and love of the land back full circle with the birds and bees in their own gardens.

People and their pets can experience the health-giving peace and beauty of the outdoors by walking the dozens of well-maintained DNRT trails. Or people can share their love of nature by volunteering. As stated on the DNRT website, “The DNRT could not accomplish all that we do without our terrific volunteers! They help keep our Reserves looking great, our events hugely successful, and our office running smoothly. Moreover, they enjoy wonderful camaraderie and feel good about what they are doing.”

Learn more by visiting dnrt.org.

However a person chooses to experience the wealth of open spaces and parks in Massachusetts, they can be assured that while they may hike alone, they are never alone. Instead, they are wrapped in the loving presence of the community of people who work hard to make these precious spaces accessible to all of us.

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21

ON MY MIND

My Mikey

by Paul Kandarian

him up and asked, “Where New Year’s was a few to, buddy?” and he said, about the Jamestown months ago, and one thing “How Playground?”

In my lines of work over I’ve noticed when the the years, mostly writing and acting, I’ve spent a fair of my time driving calendar flips is that it gets portion to and from jobs. I don’t mind that much. My dad harder to pinpoint which was always on the road, loved driving, he was never of our x-number of years happier than when he was behind the wheel. I guess I have been exceptional. inherited that from him.

B

ut for me, it's a no-brainer: it all started on January 28, 2015, when a little starbust of joy – my

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grandson, Mikey – exploded into my life.

New Year’s Day this year was a typical outing for us.

I drove to his house, picked

March 2023 | The South Coast Insider

But as I get older, much as I hate to admit it, driving can be tiring, especially combined with being around someone with boundless energy. So

when Mikey asked to go to Jamestown and one of our favorite playgrounds, I quickly calculated the math: an exhausting afternoon of driving from my home in Marion to his in Taunton and then to Jamestown, then who knows where, then back to his house to drop him off and then back to mine, roughly three and a half hours behind the wheel, covering 150 miles and then some, mixed in and around running through the playground with him, grabbing lunch nearby, and then some hiking up and down pretty rocky terrain.

"You got it," I said. And we were off.

It was, as always, glorious and tiring fun with my best friend and untiring life force full of the wide-eyed wonder he always is, playing easily with other kids, chatting up adults in the cafe we went to, waving at people hundreds of yards across a watery divide as we stood on one cliff of Fort Wetherell looking over to another, him shouting gleefully to them “It's a beautiful day!” not realizing nor it mattering that they couldn't hear him.

It’s harder to keep up with him these days, but he’s ever-helpful. When he notices me limping and gimping along sometimes, he’ll race back to me, take my hand and say, “I gotcha Grandpa,” and guide me along. He owns me at that point, and really, has since the day he was born.

The biggest thing I love about kids in general, and Mikey in particular, is their unrelenting joy for the new.

There is no slice of this amazing gift we call life he is not fascinated by, enamored with, curious about, and most importantly, grateful for. He devours every sight and sound and scent and appreciates the moments we share.

Maybe because I am an actor and writer and know how to use words to express emotion I perhaps passed some of that down to him, because boy, does he knows how to push my tear-duct buttons, which that day included: 1) him giving me the Best Gift Ever: a framed photo of us on one of our adventures (he remembered exactly where we took it and what we were doing); 2) asking as

we drove around, “Grandpa, I love our time together.

Do you love it as much as I do?”; and 3) Making me close my eyes on the beach, then having me turn around to see where he’d scratched “I Love You” in the sand with an arrow pointing to me.

Cue the waterworks kiddo, I don't mind.

I’ve also instilled in him, I think, the delight of discovery – how to not fear the unknown in the simplest way possible: embracing spontaneity.

“Which way, Mikey my boy?” I said as we sat at a four-way intersection in Jamestown after leaving the playground.

“Uh… how about that way?” he said, pointing right.

“I was thinking the same thing,” I laughed, taking the turn.

We drove over to Fort Wetherell, where we’d been before, and scrambled over rocks and sand. Okay, he scrambled, I mostly stumbled. He checked to make sure I was okay all along the way. It was a gloriously bright and chilly day, all blue skies and brilliant sunshine, which pretty much reflects my little guy’s personality.

We hiked here and there, me just following him wherever he wanted to go.

The sun was setting, and we emerged onto a rocky precipice to drink in the moment, the 4.5-billionyear-old center of our solar system shining its waning light on the 8-year-old center of mine.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” he gushed with breathless wonder, and absolutely meaning it.

It was. He is. And my life always will be, with him in it.

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We offer a wide variety of products such as hay, shavings, several types of feed, as well as landscaping materials. In addition to our organic lawn care line we also offer 9 types of 100% bark mulch and several different options for stone, to spruce up your home landscape. We also have loam, compost and a 50/50 mix that is just right for reparing or starting a new lawn or garden.

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Clifton

REHABILITATIVE NURSING CENTER

Certified Post Acute Care  Short-Term Rehab  Post Acute Care  Transitional Care  Long-Term Care

Clifton is the first facility in Bristol County to earn this Post Acute Care Certification by the Joint Commission, and one of only a few organizations statewide.

The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval® is a national symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to providing safe and effective patient and resident care. The Joint Commission is an independent, not-for-profit organization for the accreditation of health care organizations.

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500 WILBUR AVENUE, SOMERSET, MA  508-675-7589