South Coast Prime Times – July/August 2014

10th

July /A ugust 2014 · Volume 10 · Number 4

Splash into

summer

Packing the perFect picnic

Rockin’ art

Playing with WaterFire

reservations recommended

Keeping cool

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JULY/AUG 2014

contents 14

8 6 32

26 F e atures

Prime se ason

P rime living

G ood times

4

8

16 Backyard

6

14

From the publisher

Beach art that rocks

by Sean McCarthy

26 Metzler leads

by example

by Sean McCarthy

Local land treasures

by Joyce Rowley

12 What’s in your

picnic basket?

by Elizabeth Morse Read

32 The perfect scoop

by Sebastian Clarkin

28 Focused on

by Brian J. Lowney

Nothing says summer like a carefully laid out blanket and a basket filled with delicious food. It’s the perfect time to enjoy a picnic. Photo courtesy of Kelsey Garcia Productions S ou th C oast P r ime T imes

24 Cool clothing

by Dan Logan

34 Extra! Extra!

helping you

O n the cover:

2

20 Second-hand finds

Red-hot entertainment

at WaterFire

by Paul E. Kandarian

39 Arts and Artifacts in

beautification

by Jay Pateakos

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Local news and views

by Elizabeth Morse Read

Bloom at FRHS

40 Remembering Mom

and Dad

by Paul E. Kandarian

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From The Publisher July/August 2014 n Vol. 10 n No. 4 Published by

Coastal Communications Corp.

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief

Summer is officially in full swing. After months

Ljiljana Vasiljevic

of Mother Nature keeping us in a deep freeze,

Editor

it’s time to embrace the outdoors and enjoy the

Derek Vital

warmth.

Online editors

Paul Letendre

Is there a better way to savor the long days of

Contributors

bright sunshine than by hosting a picnic? The

Sebastian Clarkin, Paul E. Kandarian.

Dan Logan, Brian J. Lowney, Sean McCarthy, Elizabeth Morse Read, Jay Pateakos, and Joyce Rowley

dilemma comes in deciding what to include in

South Coast Prime Times is published bi-monthly.

your outdoor snack. Elizabeth Morse Read provides some helpful hints on page 12.

The picturesque Trustee reservations are excellent spots to enjoy what nature has to offer. Did I mention they are free and open to the public?

Copyright ©2014 Coastal Communications Corp.

Joyce Rowley explores the region’s reservations on page 8.

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.

Next issue

Visiting local beaches can help beat the heat. While there you may stumble across some beach art created by New Bedford resident Peter Wirzburger. Learn how he got started with this unique hobby in Sean McCarthy’s story on page 14.

Instead of sweltering in your living room, you can entertain guests in a modern outdoor space. Jay Pateakos explores the various improvement alternatives on page 16.

August 13, 2014

The 100th Feast of the Blessed Sacrament is right around the corner and

Circulation

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be coming home to New Bedford in late June. A host of events centered

Subscriptions

around these celebrations are on tap. I encourage you to participate in

$14.95 per year

the countless celebrations that take place in the summer.

M ailing address South Coast Prime Times P.O. Box 3493 Fall River, MA 02722

We thank our sponsors that allow us to provide a wealth of information to our readers.

Phone (508) 677-3000

Website

Ljiljana Vasiljevic

http://www.coastalmags.com

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief

E-mail editor@coastalmags.com

Our advertisers make this publication possible —please support them 4

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good times the artist Spogga performing at Water Fire photo by Jeffrey S tolzberg

The magic of WaterFire As a volunteer fire tender at WaterFire Providence, I know how Prometheus felt. And I didn’t have to steal anything to do it.

I am in a black boat named after the Paul K andarian mythological Greek god who first brought fire to mankind after he swiped an ember from Zeus, who apparently was big on keeping humanity in the dark without a source of inspiration or creativity.

The people loved Prometheus for it (ancient Athens honored him with a footrace of torchbearers) and right now, as we cruise slowly up the ink-black Providence River at sunset on a balmy spring night in the heart of the capital city, thousands of people on the banks are loving us as well. For we are they who will set fire to the more than 80 braziers of wood dotting the river center, a burning artistic tradition in Providence since 1994,

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the brainchild of conceptual artist Barnaby Evans.

In Prometheus, filled with wood and six volunteers, we cruise in a procession of six fire-lighting boats. We head under a bridge and there they are, thousands of people lining the river, waving, clapping and mainly smiling at the mere sight of us. They know that in moments, we will set fiery torch to dry wood, illuminating

the river and them in the burning glow of creativity. Lofty responsibility, that, and one volunteers don’t take lightly.

And it’s just plain fun, too.

“It’s really cool to see the people waiting and their reaction when the fires are lit,” Lucas Kolasa tells me this night, a volunteer who figures this was his 80th installation.

He once leaned too close to a burning brazier, singeing his hair. “They applaud and wave, and really seem to appreciate it.”

Volunteers vital to experience The event can draw tens of thousands of people a night in a season when 14 or more

We will set fiery torch to dry wood, illuminating the river and people in the burning glow of creativity

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installations are held, spring to fall. And it wouldn’t be possible without the help of upwards of 100 volunteers, many of them doing it since the event began, drawn by the sheer communal spirit of the evening.

In addition to being one of the blackclad fire tenders (wearing all black is mandatory, to blend in with the black boats, the inky river and the night), volunteers make sure each of the six volunteer-built, fire-lighting boats, all named for Greek mythological figures, are loaded with about one-and-a-half cords of scrap pine logs.

Volunteers also work at the myriad booths lining the streets above, set up reception areas and places for special performances by visual artists or just mingle with people who want to talk about WaterFire. Still more volunteers stick around cleaning up until the wee hours of the next morning.

The volunteer captain of my boat is Christine Maino, who enjoys a dubious claim to fame in that years ago, she stepped off the boat one night, slipped on the gunnel and into the water. Such things happen when moving about in the dark, and now, when someone falls in, it is dubbed a “full Maino.”

but have attended WaterFire far more frequently as a spectator, joining others crowding the scene to watch. Fire is primal, transformative, transfixing. So are the myriad of street artists that abound here performers, musicians, origami artists, you name it.

There is a group that comes to perform as living statuary, standing stock still until approached, then moving and giving themselves away to a laughing crowd eager to be photographed with the willing subjects.

One of the most beloved artists is Spogga, a shaven-headed muscular shirtless musician/artist, who performs with balls of fire on chains, spinning them to ethereal music filling the river, the ceremonial lead in setting flame to the braziers on the water.

Food is a huge part of the experience as well, and vendors pepper the area selling all manner of culinary fare, none of it terribly expensive, all of it fuel for the body’s fire to enjoy the fire on the water.

Until midnight, fire-tending volunteers cruise the river, restock the braziers, light them again, and make sure the event’s purpose, bathing those attending in the warm glow of fiery symbolism, continues

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‘Our intention is to build a civic ritual with spiritual resonance’ It might seem volunteers save the nonprofit WaterFire money. Not so, says Evans.

“I could hire people to do it but that’s not our intention,” he says. “Our intention is to build a civic ritual with spiritual resonance.”

Part of that resonance is the haunting music piped through the river channel, music chosen by Evans but suggested to him by those attending, another part of drawing the public to what he calls a transformative event.

“It’s a statement of transforming community,” Evans says. “The whole idea of volunteerism is it’s the most effective way to transform a city into a place that’s working.”

A rtists part of attraction I have volunteered a couple of times,

long into the night. Evans likens the volunteers to performers, their stage being the boats, the unlit river being a dark and struggling community.

“They step forward on stage and reenact the process of community engagement, as a process of transforming the city with this sea of fire,” Evans says. “They make a contribution to the night, the community, the city, as the sputtering fire bursts into flame and bringing with it joy and light.”

I’m not sure if that’s how Prometheus felt, but it sure sounds good to me. For information and schedules of WaterFire events, visit www.waterfire.org Paul Kandarian is a lifelong area resident and has been a professional writer since 1982, as columnist, contributor in national magazines, websites and other publications.

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prime season

Explore the scenic

South Coast

By Joyce Rowley

Wherever you are on the South Coast, there is a free public natural area open year round within a half hour drive, thanks to The Trustees of Reservations. This remarkable contribution has been made as South Coast landowners offered their special scenic, historic, and ecological areas to the Trustees to share with the public.

Each of the seven Trustees reservations between Buzzards Bay and Mount Hope Bay has its own way of showcasing our area’s natural and cultural history-from saltmarshes to farm fields, native forests, and spring fed freshwater streams and bogs.

Find a favorite, or visit all seven. Bring a picnic, the kids and grandkids, and plenty of memory cards for the camera.

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Lyman’s Reserve Acquired by gift in 2001, this 210-acre property in Bourne and Wareham exemplifies the interconnectedness between ocean and land. Red Brook is one of the last remaining freshwater brooks on the East Coast that carry native sea-run brown trout, an anadromous fish that spends most of its adult life in the ocean but returns to its home river to spawn. The brook

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runs to the coast; part of the property includes that shoreline habitat.

A mile-and-a-half walking trail brings you through pitch pine forests and over wooden bridges crossing Red Brook, down to the sandy beach at Buttermilk Bay and back through the upland forest. Fly fishing is allowed on the property, but there is a strict catch-and-release policy to ensure the rebuilding of the sea-run brown trout stock.

Lyman’s Reserve is next to the 428-acre Red Brook Wildlife Management Area administered by the Massachusetts Division of Fish and Wildlife. Both areas are contributing to restoration of the sea-run brown trout stock.

In July and August, the Trustees sponsor daily “Story Walks” for children. Between

Slocum’s River Reserve photos courtesy K. McM ahon

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July 10 and 31, “We are Going on a Bear Hunt” will be told to little hikers and their parents as they walk part of the trail. From August 1 to 21, the story walkers will read “Miss Maple Seed”.

E ast Over Reservation Getting to this place is half the fun! The back roads of Rochester lead you past a landscape of farms and woods to this bucolic property located between Clapp Road and County Road. Here, former farm fields are reverting to forests. Together with vernal pools, those spring hatching ponds for frogs and salamanders, the area forms a complete native habitat for rare amphibian species. About 40 acres are still kept in hay, providing habitat for myriad songbirds and

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Buttermilk Bay at Lyman Resrve photo courtesy T rustees of R eservations

cottontail bunnies, too. Historic buildings and double-wall stone walls on the reservation give a view back in time to 19th century South Coast living.

East Over also has a quest for the family hike. Starting at the parking area on County Road, a map and clues educate and inform hikers about the history of the reservation.

serve the property in 2009.

Follow old farm roads and footpaths through the pine and oak woods to the saltmarsh creek below. Still actively farmed, the property contains extensive native woodlands and saltmarsh at the head of the Little River. A boardwalk connecting to the DNRT Knowles Reserve on the other side of the saltmarsh is planned.

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Westport Town Farm

Although this park is not yet open to the public, it will be open one Monday per month for garden tours starting in July.

Located at 787 Shawmut Avenue, New Bedford, the park is the former home and greenhouses of Allen C. Haskell, a noted horticulturist. His vast diversity of plants was widely sought after, and the Trustees secured the property as an oasis park on the City of New Bedford’s west side.

In the works is an Outdoor Discovery Garden, a place where New Bedford children can grow plants, create art, and play.

The six acres of open space, landscaped gardens and the historic home will open to the public later in 2014.

Cows still graze at the Westport Town Farm on Drift Road in nearby Westport.

Like the Cornell Farm, the property is still in agricultural use. But its past is more storied: for over 100 years, it was the town’s poor farm providing housing and an infirmary to the town’s less fortunate.

While Cornell Farm is designed for passive recreation such as hiking and birdwatching, Westport Town Farm serves as a community garden, educational center, farmer’s market, kayak launch, art gallery and occasional outdoor summer concert venue. Since 2006 when it was first acquired, the Trustees have developed an engagement plan that encourages the community to participate in maintaining the properties’ cultural and historic role.

Cornell Farm Five generations of the Cornell family farmed this land along Smith Neck Road in Dartmouth. And after 150 years of stewardship, the Cornells entrusted 130 acres of their lands to the Trustees. The Trustees worked in partnership with the Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust (DNRT) to pre-

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Slocum’s River Reserve This South Dartmouth reserve is so inspiring that six local artists provided their sculptural interpretations of the landscape along the trail to give visitors a glimpse of how the creative mind views nature.

Spectacular views of Buzzards Bay, the Elizabeth Islands, and on a clear day, Martha’s Vineyard, await those who stroll to Angelica’s Overlook. The 47-acre parcel, acquired in 2000 with the DNRT, provides a short hike across farm fields to the salt water Slocum River estuary. The adjacent 60-acre Dartmoor Farm Wildlife Management Area offers a longer four-mile walk just above tidal lands. But it’s easy walking and a great place for a picnic.

Copicut Woods/Southeastern Massachusetts Bioreserve As part of the largest forested tract of land in southeastern Massachusetts, Copicut Woods gives the visitor the solace of a cool forest walk on a hot summer day. Miles of trails loop to Copicut Pond, past an abandoned farmstead and along a stone-wall lined cart path from the 19th century.

Copicut Woods’ 516 acres is also the gateway to the Southeastern Massachusetts Bioreserve, a 13,600-acre tract that includes the Freetown-Fall River State Forest, City of Fall River watershed for drinking water and lands held previously by the Acushnet Saw Mill Company.

If you go The Trustees have a great set of web pages for preparing your trip at www.thetrustees. org. Each reservation has a brief description of the site, property history, and a map you can print out at home. Also handy is the TripAdvisor showing nearby places to eat and stay for each reservation.

Use the reservation sidebar to find out what’s allowed and prohibited; for general information on park rules, check out “Enjoying Trustees Reservations.”

The reservations listed here are open sunrise to sunset. During Trustees-sponsored programs they may be open at night. Special events and programs are listed on the main Trustees’ webpage calendar, which you can sort by the category “Southeast” for the South Coast. Some, but not all, activities and programs are provided on a fee basis.

All of the South Coast Trustees reservations are carry-in, carry-out parks. So, take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints and have loads of fun exploring scenic South Coast this summer.

Joyce Rowley is a freelance writer and regular contributor to “The South Coast Insider” and “South Coast Prime Times.”

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prime season

The perfect picnic Farmers markets, roadside stands – so many vegetables, so little time. Here’s a way to beat the heat and forget about the grilled meat – plan an old-fashioned picnic!

Eliz abeth Morse Read

There’s nothing quite like packing a blanket and a picnic basket for all this summer’s fireworks, outdoor concerts, and bonfires on the beach. Who wants to lug around a portable grill and a bag of charcoal? Treat yourself to a classic picnic -- le dejeuner sur l’herbe.

But many summer picnic destinations require drive time, so our packed food needs to travel without spoiling. A lot of backyard cook-out foods would be potentially lethal after an hour out of the refrigerator.

Anything containing mayonnaise – potato salad, tuna sandwiches – can turn into salmonella pudding. Raw meats or fish, uncooked eggs, dairy products or deli cold cuts can “go bad” real fast in the trunk of your car. A picnic menu needs to be wellplanned.

A genuine picnic should be a spread of chilled foods that don’t need to be cooked (think: finger foods, antipasto, nibbles)

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that you prepared the day before, so that you can relax on that blanket and enjoy the event. And, if you plan thoughtfully, your picnic will be easy to carry and to clean up after, too!

Don’t leave home without it If you really want to be comfortable at your picnic, you’ll need one blanket for two people (folding chairs are optional), plus a beach towel for setting out the food and drinks. (Leave the pets and the boom-box at home.) You’ll need a soft cooler bag with freezer-packs for the foods, an ice-filled cooler for the beverages, and two plastic bags (one for food trash, one for recyclables) that you’ll be bringing home with you. Toothpicks or wooden skewers are better than forks for picnic eating.

Bring sunscreen if you’ll need it, but don’t forget insect-repellent spray or a few citronella candles, especially if the event is after dusk. Pack wet-wipes, a roll of paper towels (they don’t blow away like napkins do), and reusable dishes and utensils.

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Travel light Don’t pack more food than you can all eat at the event, because you can’t take it home to put in the fridge after it’s been sitting outdoors for hours. Bag up uneaten food separately to put in your trash can at home. You can feed the leftover bread to the birds, but you can’t just leave behind bags of uneaten food for the coyotes and raccoons, ok?

Bag up your empty bottles, cans and other recyclables to bring home, too. You can rinse off those reusable plates, cups and the Tupperware in the melted cooler ice. Once you empty the cooler, you can pack it up with whatever you’re taking home. The goal is to go home with as little as possible, so plan your picnic accordingly.

Keep it simple A picnic should be as stress-free and messfree as possible. You don’t want to pack anything that’s going to be soggy or nasty by the time you get there, so keep that in mind when you plan your picnic menu. Do the food prep work the day before.

Make sure everything is chilled overnight and not packed in the coolers until you’re ready to hit the road.

If you marinate anything overnight, drain it thoroughly before you put it in the

Tupperware.

Skip the usual side salads, whether macaroni or potato, unless they’re tossed with a non-creamy vinegar-and-oil dressing and they’re kept cooled, covered and out of direct sun.

Substitute zucchini spears for cucumber or pickle spears – cukes and pickles wilt and get slimy.

If you must have meat, buy a deli-rotisser-

Sample menu

Picnic food is basically a communal banquet of cold serve-yourself foods that require a minimum of preparation or clean-up. No sit-down time or reservations or hustle-and-bustle setting up the gas grill.

Just make sure everyone cleans their hands before they start nibbling.

Here are some suggestions…

Marinated asparagus, cherry tomatoes and black olives or

ie chicken and cut it up, instead of frying up your own. Why make work for yourself?

Don’t bring anything that’s going to be dripping everywhere when you unpack it, whether it’s barbeque sauce, butter, marinade, fruit salad or salsa. Spills happen.

Forget the watermelon – there are better (and easier-to-carry) fruits that can survive the trip without turning into sticky slush.

Do not bring Frisbees, drive-through

Three-bean salad

Not only is this a perfect picnic food, but it’s also a very traditional New England recipe, like succotash or piccalilli. Very easy to make the night before and to transport in a Tupperware container or a large Ziploc bag.

Choose either all small or all large cans of the veggies according to how many people will be nibbling. A half cup per person should be plenty – keep the rest at home.

Three-Bean Salad [see recipe]

1 can French-cut green beans

Peeled hard-boiled eggs (one per person)

1 can cut yellow string beans

Real string cheese (I like the Armenian cheese with the black sesame seeds)

1 can chick peas (garbanzo, ceci) or white kidney beans (cannellini)

Cut-up deli chicken (one chicken per four people)

Finely chopped red onion and celery (optional)

Pita bread (at least two per person)

Sprinkle of celery seed (optional)

Zucchini spears, trimmed scallions, quartered red peppers (good for scooping)

Vinegar-and-oil-based dressing, like Italian or Caesar (nothing creamy)

3-inch chunks of grilled/broiled

Drain and rinse canned beans. Toss all ingredients to coat thoroughly with dressing. Cover and refrigerate overnight, shake every few hours. Drain before packing.

sweet corn

Hummus, guacamole, salsa or coleslaw [see recipe] Strawberries, melon chunks, seedless grapes, peeled kiwi slices (squirt with some lemon juice to prevent browning)

beverages, bags of popcorn or electronic devices.

Elizabeth Morse Read is an award-winning writer, editor and artist who grew up on the South Coast. After 20 years of working in New York City and traveling the world, she came back home with her children and lives in Fairhaven.

How to make real coleslaw

Shredded cabbage salad doesn’t sound too exciting, but it’s a very tasty side dish at a picnic – as long as it’s made properly.

That slimy white goop in restaurants and supermarkets is not cole slaw. A real New England cole slaw is fast-pickled overnight in a vinegary dressing, not drowned in Miracle Whip or tartar sauce or bottled creamy Italian. Plus, it’ll last for a few weeks in your ‘fridge, becoming a pungent sauerkraut-like relish -- a tangy topping on burgers, salads and sandwiches.

You can use any kind of cabbage you want to make coleslaw (“cole” means “cabbage” in Dutch) – red, Chinese, green – or mix ‘em all. Strip the leaves from the thick spines, then stack and roll up a few leaves and slice them into uniformly-thin ribbons. (The thinner the ribbons, the faster the cole slaw will “pickle” and be ready to eat.)

If that sounds too boring for your palate, you can add chopped broccoli florets, ribbons of kale, shredded carrots or diced red pepper. You can throw in some seeds (e.g., dill, celery, caraway) or finely-chopped red onion, celery or scallion, if you want.

Toss all of the above while you pour on just enough dressing to coat (but not drench) all the pieces, then add a few extra splashes. Put it in a covered Tupperware, refrigerate and shake it up every few hours.

A well-made coleslaw should be colorful, tangy and slightly crunchy. It’s perfect for destination picnics because it doesn’t go limp and wilted like green salads do after a few hours. But a half cup serving per person is more than enough – too much cabbage at once can make you gassy.

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Peter Wirzburger wants to put a question in your mind: “How the heck did he do that?”

Keep on rockin’ Sean McC arthy

Where most anyone would dismiss beach rocks as shoreline clutter, Peter Wirzburger sees them as opportunities for artistry. Wirzburger is a rare form of artist who practices rock balancing. And for the 54-year old New Bedford resident, he’s evolved to the level where his goal is to amaze and marvel those who observe his finished works.

Unique hobby

What began in 2009 as a curious experiment in creativity now has its photographic images on gallery walls, greeting cards, and - of course - all over the Internet.

At least once a week, Wirzburger will ride his bike to a local shoreline and construct multiple balancings. Often times he chooses to build them at low tide so that when the water returns it washes them away and the only remnants of his creations are the images in his camera.

“When I leave for the beach I’m already thinking where the sun’s going to be and where the tide’s going to be,” said Wirzburger. “Since I know the location, I know the kind of rocks that are going to be exposed. If I go to Fort Taber in New Bedford I know the rocks are going to be more fractured, they’re like pieces. If I go to

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Gooseberry Island or East Beach in Westport the rocks are pounded by the surf so they’re going to be much more rounded.

“But I don’t know what I’m going to build until I get there. It’s an intuitive process. I let the stones find me.”

Wirzburger does balancings year round.

When the colder weather arrives he will drive rather than cycle. He estimates that in five years he’s created approximately 2,000 balancings.

“I was never much of a beach guy,” Wirzburger admits. “Now I feel like I’ve got to go there at least once a week for my soul.”

How he got started Wirzburger’s passion for balancing has its roots in 2008 when his brother-in-law John Ramos introduced him to cycling. Eventually, Wirzburger was getting workouts by taking rides from his North End home to area ocean fronts. In spring 2009, a cousin

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sent him some photos of shoreside rock balancings, done anonymously. He was inspired. The following day he began stacking field stones in his backyard. Not long after that, he began incorporating his journeys to the ocean fronts with his newfound interest in balancing, voyaging to West Island in Fairhaven for his first public attempt on Aug. 8 of that year.

“I went out on my bike by myself, early in the morning,” said Wirzburger. “I remember finishing the first piece and not wanting to leave it, like I was leaving my child behind. I’m glad I took pictures of it.

When I left the beach that day I was fired up and eager to do more balancings near the ocean. I stopped at the West Island causeway on the way home and did a couple more.

“Looking back I’m not so impressed with the balancings of the rocks, but I remember

feeling like ‘This is it. This is what I’m supposed to do for a while.’”

And while he doesn’t know of any similar artists in this area, thanks to the Internet he has discovered that he is part of an international brotherhood of balancers.

He has had contact with artists in Italy, the Philippines, Canada and South America.

On display And Wirzburger is getting local attention as well. Downtown New Bedford establishments such as The Green Bean, The Pour Farm, and Travessia Winery have displayed and sold photographs and greeting cards of his balancings. He has also had a table at last year’s Padanaram Sidewalk Sale where he sold a dozen items. Last April and May he had some of his work on display at Travessia and sold more than half a dozen photos in the first 10 days.

“Most people are shocked by the configurations that he’s producing,” says Jennifer Marcos-Tripoli, Manager and Art Curator for Travessia. “I love the amount of patience that must go into what he does. He’s not harming the environment, he’s making it more beautiful. His use of color is eyecatching. It shows off Mother Nature.”

“What’s really cool is that Peter’s sold pictures to people who were in the area on vacation,” says Donna Wirzburger, Peter’s wife. “He now has his work in homes all across the country.”

And sometimes Mother Nature lends Wirzburger a hand.

“Last January I went to Fort Taber on a Sunday and I did a double-arched piece. It being winter time with all the seaweed it looked ugly. It wasn’t very impressive. But the next Sunday it was sunny so I returned to the spot thinking I might be able to do something better. As I walked over I froze in my tracks – there was the piece from the previous week, but it was coated in snow from a storm we’d had a few days earlier.

It was completely untouched, without a footprint near it. It was beautiful, quite a different picture than the one from the week before.”

Inspirational art

Growing fanbase A few years ago, Wirzburger discovered that his balancings had some local fans.

“I was at Fort Taber one weekend on one of the jetties doing a piece,” he recalls.

“There was a family walking along the shore – a mother, father, and a boy and a girl about eight or 10. Suddenly the little girl was pointing at one of my pieces shouting, ‘He’s been here! He’s been here!’ And as they walked closer to me she noticed me working on a piece she began yelling, ‘It’s him! It’s him!’

“The little girl gave me a wave and a shy smile, and her mother said, ‘She always looks for your sculptures,’ and they moved on.”

And Wirzburger has experienced some serendipity.

“I was at Gooseberry Island once and I had balanced a heart-shaped stone on the peak of a base rock. Shortly after I’d balanced it a man came by. He came up to me and said, ‘I walk around this island once a day, sometimes twice. Today for some reason I brought my camera. Now I know why.’”

“When we saw the first piece we thought it was pretty cool,” says Donna Benes who lives across the street with her husband Kevin. “It’s interesting how they stay together. They’re very decorative and they add to the landscaping of his yard. There’s no complaints from anyone – it’s another way to beautify the neighborhood.”

“We look forward to seeing his new creations,” Kevin Benes says. “He puts some stones together that don’t seem possible.

He’s on the windy side of the street and they still stand so I’ve got to give him a hand for that.”

Wirzburger has yet to do a commissioned balancing.

Not long after he began balancing, he showed some photos to some friends.

Consequently, it helped Wirzburger see his creations from a different perspective.

“At first I only photographed the rocks, but a friend gave me a small piece of advice to keep the horizon level in my shots,” Wirburger says. “That inspired me to start thinking more about lighting, the sky, the foreground and background. Now I’m conscious of what the photograph will look like every time I take a picture. I now take them from different angles. I’ve realized that some people want to look at the balancings but others may want to enjoy the entire photograph.”

Wirzburger has a piece called “Marathon,” done in response to the terrorism of the 2013 Boston Marathon. He was two blocks from the explosions congratulating a friend who had just finished the race. The piece is comprised of two large base stones with 26 smaller stones arching in between them.

The combination of numbers is a reference to the Boston race – 26.2 miles.

Not just for the beach And Wirzburger doesn’t even have to leave home to exercise his creativity. His front and back yards have an ever-evolving collection of balancings, which rise and fall at his whim. He began doing pieces on his front lawn in April of 2011 and they have caught the eye of his neighbors.

“Part of the fun of this is challenging myself,” he says. “I want my pieces to look like they shouldn’t balance. I like balancing something that’s point-on-point. This is my art. Whether someone sees it live or in pictures I want to inspire a reaction.”

And he has.

Donna is a Speech Pathologist for children in the New Bedford School System.

Photos of Peter’s creations inspired a girl in one of her classes to actually bring rocks into class to build her own balancings – and she shared them with her classmates who also did balancings.

“Whether I show them to friends or colleagues everyone is moved for different reasons,” Donna says. “People come at it from different perspectives.”

But perhaps Wirzburger’s artistry is fate.

He grew up in Whitman living on-you guessed it-Rock Street.

Wirzburger can be reached at ramoburger@comcast.net or www.rockonrocksouthcoast.com Sean McCarthy has been a freelance journalist for 25 years.

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prime living

Jay Pateakos

There’s not many of us who weren’t dreaming of an outdoor project during the long, hard winter.

Whether it’s ideas about what to do with your garden, building a new patio or creating a completely new outdoor area, the time has finally come to act. But what to do first?

When it comes to creating a new outdoor space, what are some of the options a homeowner should consider?

Anthi Frangiadis, owner of the Anthi Frangiadis Associates, an architectural and planning firm based in Marion, said people must first decide if they want their new outdoor space to be a permanent, year round structure, or something more seasonal and temporary. She said there are many different options to choose from in deciding what fits best in their yard.

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“My favorite spaces straddle the outdoors and indoors,” said Frangiadis. “On waterfront sites I have enclosed decks with windows creating year round sunrooms. Wrap around porches is another good example of this. They should have a minimum depth of eight feet if you want to have a table and chairs for outdoor dining.

“My current favorite space is the renovated garden terrace at the Wequassett Resort.

This space is fully conditioned and has panoramic views of Pleasant Bay.”

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‘A popular outdoor project right now is putting up tented structures that allow for outdoor dining’

Frangiadis said the beauty in the creation of an outdoor space is that it could cost very little, especially if they are aimed at being temporary and seasonal. She said a popular outdoor project right now is tented structures that allow for outdoor dining.

Be prepared But when is the best time to start thinking about a project like this? And when should construction start?

Like many projects, Frangiadis said people looking to create significant outdoor space should start thinking about it at least nine months before the construction commences.

“They should think about it as having a baby,” said Frangiadis. “The design Pam McCaffrey of Bristol Patio enjoying her “maintenance-free” process is something that furniture goes through stages; once you have a concept and you begin to think about how wheelchair would fit under,” said Barthe space will be used and bara. “He was so happy to put his hands by whom, the design develops and can in the soil and help plant. One corner of take on a new dimension. the yard was turned into a quiet space “Lighting, protection from the bugs, solar orientation are all very important to any people who consider. If the project is made up of found or recycled objects it can take some time to live on the water collect those.”

‘M

G arden tips How about that garden work? Where to even start and when?

Barbara Frerich of Warren, R.I.-based Frerich’s Farm, said all plants work well in a garden, it’s just a matter of correct placement-sun or shade-and like us, they need water, nutrients and attention.

“The best advice I give first time gardeners is to start small. Grow what they like. And of course grow at least one vegetable even if it is in a container,” said Barbara, who grows annuals, perennials and vegetables throughout 11 greenhouses at her business, established in 1986.

Along with her husband David, Barbara recently overhauled a back yard for a young boy who was battling cancer.

“We gave him a raised bed that his

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A nthi Frangiadis A ssociates in M arion: “M y favorite spaces straddle the outdoors and indoors.”

Photo courtesy Susan A saro Photography

where his older sister and mom could spend time just sitting, reading or just hang out. We put pots everywhere on their deck so even when he could not go outside he would see flowers from the kitchen.”

Like with the child fighting cancer, Barbara said the ability to be outside and work in a garden has a tremendous effect on people’s demeanors.

“I think soil has some “magic”. When you put your hands in and start planting, you forget about your troubles and your body relaxes,” Barbara said. “Usually you are planting by yourself and you just get into a zone of relaxation even though you are really working. Some gardening can be hard but like all tough jobs it feels great when you are done.”

Durability a key When it comes to purchasing outdoor furniture to fit into that outdoor project or to allow the admiring of a new garden, make sure it’s something that can last. Bristol Patio of Warren, R.I., sells maintenance-free outdoor furniture made mostly of recycled plastic.

The key is the “maintenance-free” part. In the summer, we don’t want to be doing too much besides relaxing in the sun. Having furniture you don’t need to tend to or replace every year will help that cause.

“The majority of our customers are drawn to our furniture because it is just that, “maintenance free”,” said Pam McCaffrey, co-owner of Bristol Patio. “Many people who live on the water need a product that can withstand the elements such as the rain, wind and salt air and our furniture is

Westport-based Bristol County Precast helps your

home take its next steps

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built for that.”

As far as outdoor projects are concerned, McCaffrey said they’ve received a lot of interest in their pergolas and gazebos as well as garden sheds as people are looking to “spruce up” and “clean up” their outdoor spaces.

“We also have one of the first extension tables available from Malibu Outdoors in the maintenance free recycled plastic that is proving to be very popular with our customers as it extends from 76 to 100 inches to accommodate larger parties,” McCaffrey added.

And while gardening and spending time outside used to be the fancy of older, retired folks, McCaffrey said that’s no longer the case. In our own busy lifestyles, the younger generation is also learning the need to slow down, and, well, smell the flowers a little.

“Our customer base is also getting younger and they are attracted to the modern lines of Seaside Casual’s SYMS and Cambridge collections while still enjoying the maintenance free aspect of the furniture,” said McCaffrey.

R aising property values For those just focused on building homes or making part of your home more elaborate, Westport-based Bristol County Precast, established in 2002, can help your home take its next steps in providing stonefinished or brick-finished stairs.

“Both of these help to improve the appearance of your home over simple concrete stairs,” said Joan Mooney, Vice President of Bristol County Precast, who also installs septic systems, manholes and retaining walls. “This is something that can also help to improve the value of your home.”

So get outside and start working on that project. Sure, some of you may be planning more for next year than now if its more of a permanent project, but the key is in getting it done as soon as possible. We all need to slow down and appreciate the things around us more. Nothing helps that more than a beautiful outdoor space that you can enjoy with family and friends.

Jay Pateakos has been a freelance writer for more than 10 years including daily and weekly newspapers and monthly magazines. A native of New Bedford, he currently lives in Marion and has three children.

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prime living

Gently-used gems Whether you’re an empty nester who’s looking to downsize, or a bargain hunter looking for a new treasure, consignment shops offer a wealth of opportunities for sellers and buyers alike who appreciate unique and gently-used furniture, home décor, clothing and other items that deserve a second home.

Brian J. Lowney

Many retired baby boomers who are moving to new locales, elderly transitioning to assisted living, or folks simply changing the look of their homes, place items in good condition in consignment shops to earn a few extra dollars, while many shoppers who are perhaps just starting out or living on tight budgets, often find quality items at affordable prices that won’t break the bank.

‘Sewing is coming back; people find it therapeutic’

Sew-fisticated offerings

If you believe that all consignment shops are filled with junk, think again.

According to Amy Cantin, owner of Fabric Treasures in Somerset, many local residents have boxes and boxes of beautiful fabric left over from the region’s once thriving textile mills. She adds that workers often were told at the end of a shift to help themselves to remnants, which were stored by the garment workers for decades and often never used.

“I take great pride in knowing that I am saving the fabric from

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going into the dumpster,” says Cantin, who opened the unusual consignment store five years ago. She offers fabric, old sewing machines, trim, buttons, thread – anything that pertains to the fine art of sewing.

Many of her customers, including talented quilters from all over the region, have a great interest in vintage fabric.

“These aren’t reproductions,” she says, pointing to rolls of colorful cottons and other fabrics. “They are the real things. Sewing is coming back,” Cantin continues. “People find it therapeutic.”

The busy entrepreneur adds that as a result of the economy, more people are learning to sew so they can make clothing repairs or create new fashion items and accessories. Cantin also offers sewing classes and offers sewing machine repairs.

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One-of-a-kind Accessories At Annie’s Unique Boutique in Somerset, shoppers will find a wonderful assortment of gently-used women’s clothing from some

of the country’s most sought after labels, accessories, and delightful handmade one-of-a-kind polymer clay jewelry in hot fashion colors created by Annie Prescott, who co-owns the store with her husband Frank Prescott.

“With almost 300 consignors now, we have customers who come in almost every week because they understand the quality of our items,” Frank reveals, adding that there are new items on the racks every week, and that with such high sales volume and increased advertising, consignors can expect that their items will most likely be sold within 60 days.

A little of everything At Second Helpings in Bristol, R.I., shoppers will find an assortment of furniture, linens, lamps, old records, kitchen items and more.

“We have a little of everything,” says Corinne Tormey, daughter of store owner Mary Tabor. “We never know what’s going to walk through the door.”

Tormey adds that “people like the big stuff,” and look for dining room sets, couches, dressers and outdoor furniture. Many of the items come from folks who are downsizing or from estates.

Tormey adds that consignment stores are ideal venues for newlyweds, or folks who have purchased and need to furnish a larger home.

“They know that their money can go far when they shop secondhand,” Tormey reveals.

“We have a lot of practical kitchen items,” Tormey observes, listing blenders as a popular choice of many shoppers. “The older things were made so much better.”

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“We have everything you need for the home,” says Linda Johannessen, who owns the store with her husband Leif.

The Johannessens offer customers a variety of choice sofas, loveseats, occasional chairs, bedroom and kitchen furniture and home décor, including mirrors, paintings, prints and lamps.

Linda Johannessen discloses that much of their stock comes from people who are relocating.

‘People are always looking for something to brighten their homes’ “We require that everything be in very good to excellent condition,” she says, adding that the store does not accept upholstered items that have been exposed to pets or tobacco smoke.

“People are always looking for something to brighten their homes,” Johannessen says, agreeing with Tormey that consignment stores are great places to shop for couples who are just beginning their lives together.

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A my Cantin, Fabric Treasures

A nnie & Frank Prescott, A nnie’s Unique Boutique

Fashion finds While many shoppers browse consignment shops for dinnerware, antique cut glass or furniture, others look for gently-used quality clothing at bargain prices.

At Sak’s Consignments in Swansea, owner Ilaine Bednarik offers customers a colorful assortment of trendy women’s fashions, sterling, “fun” fashion jewelry, shoes and a large collection of designer handbags. The store is expanding and will soon offer highend men’s clothing.

“It’s doing really well,” Bednarik, adding that she has many repeat customers who stop by the store to see what’s available. She adds

Corinne Tormey, Second Helpings

that the merchandise is usually placed on consignment by women who have changed size or want to clean out their closets.

Sak’s offers a unique frequent shoppers program. For every $5 spent, shoppers get a hole punched in a rewards card. Once they spend $50, customers receive 30 percent off a full-priced item.

Bednarik emphasizes that her stock is driven by the season.

“Right now, I’m full blown summer,” she concludes.

BRIAN LOWNEY is a freelance writer based in Swansea. He is the author of the new book “Unconditional Love: Pet Tales to Warm the Heart”, which is available in local bookstores.

For more information, call or visit:

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Annie’s Unique Boutique

Sak’s Consignments

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prime season

Cool C

ncepts

Not all of us enjoy extended doses of summer heat and humidity. My nephew, who is a construction guy, loves the heat. While I tend to get crankier with every degree the temperature rises above 70, he happily hammers, saws and chops his way through a hot summer day’s work. Total nut job. But I digress.

Dan L ogan

People love air conditioning because it fends off the heat and humidity. It’s one of the big draws on our national power grid; people want to be cool when it’s hot out. Air conditioning is all well and good for cars and rooms and buildings, but try to stuff one into your suit coat pocket to cool you outdoors.

So, are the technology wizards making any advances on the personal cooling front, an obvious need if there ever was one? After all, you can only take off so many clothes to cool yourself. Even if you can shed all your clothes without getting arrested, you still

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may not feel as refreshed as you’d like to.

One solution is to wear clothes that have a cooling effect.

Yes, enterprising companies are attempting to develop clothing systems and fabrics that cool you off as you begin to heat up.

Technology is helping make the clothes you wear carry some of the cooling load.

Or enhance the body’s natural cooling systems.

A key sign that you’re beginning to overheat is that you begin to sweat.

Sweat is good. Sweat helps the body shed heat. Cooler air running over the skin evaporates the sweat, which has a cooling effect.

In fact, sweat is the key component of the advanced fabric cooling systems that are being developed. Sweat is used to activate the fabrics to perform their cooling mission. In general, this best suits sportswear and work or casual clothes.

Cotton clothing has always been a popular fabric for keeping cool. But a drawback to cotton is that once it gets soggy nterprising companies are with sweat, it tends attempting to develop clothing to stay that way for quite a while. The waterlogged cotton systems and fabrics that cool feels kinda yucky till you off as you begin to heat up it dries enough for evaporation to start the cooling process.

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So, companies began developing wicking materials, usually some version of polyester, that pulls sweat off the skin.

The item of clothing with better wicking capability dries more quickly than cotton.

The cooling effect has been something of an afterthought.

L atest technology Now, companies are taking the concept of wicking one step further. Columbia Sportswear has been refining the cooling clothes concept for several years. Its latest attempt is the Columbia Omni-Freeze Zero clothing line of stretchy polyester fabric featuring thousands of tiny blue rings designed to react to sweat. The sweat causes the rings to swell, pulling the warm moisture away from the body, which thereby cools the wearer.

Columbia calls this “Sweat-Activated Cooling,” which is a really fine marketing tag. What I really want is something to keep me cool so that I don’t start sweating, but this lies in the realm of a personal air conditioning system, and we’re nowhere near there yet.

The Omni-Freeze Zero clothing line includes short sleeve and long sleeve shirts, Polo shirts, t-shirts, neck gaiters, shorts, bandanas, hats and shoes for men, women and kids.

For high intensity sports, Columbia also offers the Omni-Freeze Zero Base Layer, which combines Omni-Freeze Zero technology with Omni-Wick technology to wick away sweat and cool the body by evaporation. There’s also “an anti-microbial treatment to prevent bacterial growth.”

ExOfficio, another well-known clothing manufacturer, launched its Sol Cool line in Spring 2014. The line includes shirts, hoodies, tank tops and dresses that are treated with xylitol; when sweat hits the xylitol the reaction produces a cooling effect on the skin.

For somewhat more exotic fare, TechNiche International’s (www.techniche-intl. com/catalogus/index.html) HyperKewl Cooling fabric is a multi-layer material that, once dunked in water, will provide cooling by evaporation for 5 to 10 hours.

A waterproof layer in the fabric keeps the user dry.

“Users can expect the evaporative cooling fabric to provide temperatures that are 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than the ambient temperature, depending on air-

flow,” says the TechNiche web site, while noting that high humidity will reduce the cooling effect.

In a simpler approach, apparel manufacturer Frogg Toggs (www.froggtoggsraingear.com) sells a Chilly Pad Cooling Towel.

The pad is “made from a hyper-evaporative material that retains water while remaining dry to the touch,” according to the Frogg Toggs website. Wet the pad, drape the towel around your neck, and stay cool. When the cooling effect diminishes, simply wet the towel again. The advantage over a wet face cloth is that the Chilly Pad Cooling Towel probably won’t drip on you.

The towel is 27 inches by 17 inches, comes in a variety of colors, and has its own storage container.

Frogg Toggs also offers bandanas, caps, wrist and headbands and neck shades to help you keep cool.

In Japan after the Fukushima power plant disaster in March 2011, limitations on power usage during the following summer left a lot of people feeling hot, hot, hot.

One company called Kuchofuku (seriously?) saw sales of its air-cooled jacket kick into high gear. Turn on the insulated jacket’s two built-in fans, and outside air is drawn into the jacket and circulated inside.

Kuchofuku offers fan-cooled pants, too.

(There’s a half-baked video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=nG-_sq96XeI; a live action version of this video with sound would probably be hysterically funny.)

Talk about nerd gear. But, if it worked, I wouldn’t mind sounding like a desktop PC as I strolled around cool and dry in my Kuchofuku jacket and pants.

As I’ve noted in previous articles, there’s often a serious gap between technology’s promise in addressing problems and the current reality when it comes to addressing those problems. Obviously, inventive companies haven’t reached the point where their products mean you can be cool and kewl at the same time, but if you’re looking for any cooling edge you can get on a hot summer day, there are new products that can help.

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Dan Logan is a freelance writer and photographer from Fairhaven, MA. He also teaches classes about Nikon cameras and software at the Learning Connection in Providence. E-mail him at dlogan@thegrid.net.

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M etzler leaves his mark When Michael Metzler steps down after 10 years as co-founder and five years as director of Leadership South Coast (LSC) his legacy will span the entire region, encompassing an array of organizations and industries. His impact is felt daily in multiple ways as he reaches people who will never meet him or know him.

Sean McC arthy

“I’m proud of the excitement I’ve created about the South Coast,” Metzler says. “People are beginning to get excited about what’s happening here and what the potential is. The whole purpose of LSC is to encourage community service while developing people’s personal leadership skills,” Metzler says.

LSC’s origin came in 2003 when a group of six local CEO’s saw a need – a need that they had the vision to meet. They realized that the community would require the development of future leaders – a void that had to be filled. Based on a study of national programs that taught leadership skills, LSC held its first sessions in 2004. The director for the first five years was Dr. Anthony Vieira, a former administrator in UMass Dartmouth’s Continuing Education Department.

Each edition of LSC consists of day-long classes held once a month for nine months at different locations in the area. During that time, the 25 participants will be exposed to a group of prominent community leaders and learn from their presentations. Some of the speakers have included leaders in government, business, law enforcement, education and more.

“Part of learning to be a leader is to hear from other leaders and have them explain what makes a leader and what’s their style.

That’s part of every presentation,” Metzler says. “We want to present people from a variety of different backgrounds and industries.”

Each year’s first class gets an overall introduction to the community. This includes a presentation from the UMass School of Public Policy and the Urban Initiative who provide data on the region such as demographics, industrial composition and socio-economics. The first meeting for every LSC class provides an overview of the South Coast before they approach specific topics.

Giving Back In the decade since its inception, 87 percent of LSC graduates

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are involved in some form of community service. Twenty-seven percent contribute in Human Services, 23 percent assist in Youth Services, 14 percent in education, and eight percent in Economic Development, as well as other fields.

“Community service is hugely important to a city or town,” Metzler points out. “There are things a city can’t afford to do. There are things that have to be done by volunteers.

“We really need to have a community leadership organization that produces a sustainable group of community leaders.”

A native of Buffalo, NY, Metzler was exposed to New England when he attended Boston College for his graduate studies. Upon graduation, he worked in labor relations for Stop & Shop,was Chief Operating Officer for St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Brighton and from 1998 to 2007 Metzler served as Chief Executive Officer of St. Anne’s Hospital in Fall River. He lives in South Dartmouth and is currently involved in a consulting business with his wife Judy.

During Metzler’s tenure, LSC produced 225 graduates. Metzler has been recognized for his leadership and contributions to the community. Last April, the Dream Out Loud organization in New Bedford awarded him with their annual Dream Maker Award.

“I get great satisfaction through hearing about my graduates getting rewards for community service,” Metzler says. “I read about it in the paper. I see them getting promoted within their own communities. I see young people in the program getting excited about the South Coast and wanting to develop their career here. We’re putting out a very positive message about the South Coast.”

It Takes A Village When graduates are asked about the greatest benefit of LSC, the answer is usually networking.

Jennifer Downing currently chairs the organization’s Board of Directors. She went through the LSC program in 2009. She works

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for the Garfield Foundation, managing its New Bedford Fund, a small grant portfolio supporting economic and community development projects in the city. LSC provided her with an opportunity to network and become more involved in the community, helping her gain a better understanding of the region’s assets, needs, and barriers to community revitalization.

“When you’re dealing with economic development it’s not something that one organization can do. You need to be able to collaborate and be able to partner with other groups,” Downing points out. “No matter what issue you’re trying to address, you need networking to be successful.

“LSC has given me tremendous networking opportunities and I got to meet other leaders in the community,” she says. “It’s also helped me strengthen my personal leadership development skills.”

Rev. David A. Lima is the Senior Pastor at New Seasons Worship Center in East Freetown. Lima was a graduate from the first LSC class, and was eventually a Chairman of the Board of Directors.

His perspective on his role in society was changed because of the program. He was no longer just a pastor of a church in Freetown.

“It took me out of my bubble and made me aware of the community at large and how it all works together and affects all of us,” Rev. Lima says. “Mike really helped me think outside my comfort zone.

He’s a great facilitator. By helping me he’s helped my church. I’m more confident and more active in the community.”

Jeffrey Pelletier credits the networking aspect of LSC with being able to land a job as an Economic Development Specialist with the New Bedford Development Council. The 26-year old North Dartmouth resident said his participation in the program has helped him gain a better understanding of the needs of the community.

“I understand the region in better detail,” Pelletier says. “LSC was a tremendous platform for me to better perceive the opportunities and challenges around the region. LSC is an example of what can happen when a lot of people who care about the region come together and make it better,” Pelletier says.

Some companies have seen the benefits of having an employee go through the program and have sent additional employees to gain the same skills and knowledge.

“South Coast has a lot of challenges right now,” Downing says.

“There’s a tremendous need for leadership from people who are going to stay here. We want LSC to bring programming responsive to the needs of the community. We want to open that door of connection between the community and LSC.”

A Driving Force Downing credits Metzler for having a large role in the program’s success. Metzler leaves the organization as it prepares for growth.

The group is looking to hire a full-time director and possibly additional staff members.

“The program has significantly raised its profile in the community, particularly among the private sector,” said Downing. “The program is growing because Mike sees the value in having emerging leaders with new perspectives and innovation join the board and contribute to the organization.”

As Metzler moves on from LSC he looks back with fondness on the community leaders who took time to address his classes and contribute to their futures.

“They always said ‘yes,’” he recalls. “Without their time and wisdom this program could not be a success.”

For more information about LSC, visit www.leadershipsouthcoast.org.

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A dvertisement

M ain Office

Focused on helping you The year was 1930; Fall River Municipal Credit Union was off to a very humble start. It all began with a Fall River firefighter, a state appointed finance board, and the impending threat of wholesale cuts in the pay of city employees.

FRMCU’s origins point to a Fall River firefighter who attempted, without success, to obtain a loan from a local institution.

As the father of nine children, his financial resources had been drained and he was in dire straits. It was at this point that two fellow firefighters told him about a credit union that had been established in Spring-

field, MA. The late Louis Shea, a son of a founder, recalled the beginning as related by his father. “They began by using an old cigar box as a cash drawer and a locker at the Pocasset Fire Station became the first vault,” Shea explained. This was the first “branch” of Fall River Municipal Credit Union.

Fast forward 84 years. The early heritage of service to its members characterizes Fall River Municipal Credit Union today as it continues to help find ways to help its members and the greater community.

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Commitment to community In the beginning, the men who ran the credit union knew their members and there was a high level of trust and commitment to them. Things at FRMCU are very much the same today.

With a community that is trying to overcome high unemployment and financial uncertainty, FRMCU has launched new products and services to help its members fulfill their hopes for financial success.

At FRMCU, the goal is to stay focused on its membership and the community.

“We have been busy creating new mortgage programs that will put families in the home of their dreams and help others remain in their homes more affordably” stated, Matthew Schondek, CEO and President of FRMCU. Mortgages with conventional fixed or adjustable rates, Construction to Permanent Loans, Land Loans, Government Mortgages with as little as three percent down, zero percent VA Mortgages and Rural Housing Mortgages are just some of the mortgage products available to FRMCU members.

In March 2014, a new first-time Homebuyers Program was created to help make homeownership attainable and affordable.

This program allows qualifying first-time home buyers the ability to get into their own home with as little as a three percent down payment. As with any first-time homebuyer program, some restrictions and qualifications apply.

Also, FRMCU, in conjunction with the Federal Home Loan Bank, has been approved for the Equity Builder program for first time homebuyers and low income borrowers. Qualifying members can use the money for closing costs or part of the down payment. Fall River Municipal Credit Union has been allocated up to $150 million and the money is available for a limited time or until fully funded.

To help existing homeowners, FRMCU created the FRMCU Relief Finance Program, which is like the Home Affordable Relief Program (H.A.R.P) for homeowners with underwater mortgages. With the FRMCU Relief Finance Mortgage Loan, qualifying homeowners can cut their monthly payments with a lower interest rate even if the value of their home has declined.

Making the A merican dream

a reality If you are looking to purchase your first home or to refinance, FRMCU’s staff is ready to help you make your dreams of

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With the FRMCU Relief Finance Mortgage Loan, qualifying homeowners can cut their monthly payments with a lower interest rate even if the value of their home has declined owning your own home or comfortably maintaining your current establishment a reality.

They also offer great rates on Home Equity Loans, Auto Loans, and Recreational Vehicle Loans and have a variety of savings products that will fit your needs.

To continue to enhance the member experience, the credit union recently converted to a new core processor that will allow FRMCU to expand its product offerings.

The upgrade will allow the credit union to more effectively deliver the products and services members need.

The credit union’s Member Link Plus online banking and Bill Payer have been enhanced and offer greater flexibility to members. As they continue to implement new products available through their new core processor, FRMCU will be introducing its Mobile Banking Application this summer.

If you are looking for a local financial institution that is dedicated to your financial

needs, FRMCU has everything you need.

Give them a call at 508-678.9028, stop by any one of their five convenient locations or check out their website at www.frmcu. com to see the many ways FRMCU can serve you.

Main Office 333 Milliken Blvd., Fall River Robeson Office 1110 Robeson St., Fall River Lakeville Office 290 Bedford St. (Rte. 18), Lakeville Assonet Office 58 South Main Street, Assonet Swansea Office 755 GAR Highway, Swansea 508-678-9028 | www.frmcu.com

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The gift “May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out.”

J.R.R. Tolkien

By Jill H. G arvey So, it was two weeks ago on a Saturday.

Firmly ensconced on the sofa, I was watching re-runs of Roseanne, enjoying a nice day of relaxation. ‘The Amazing Bailey’, my sweet puppy, was napping on my lap… time for a little People magazine. Yup, I am a multi--tasker.

Let’s see…Brad and Angelina are closer than ever…good. Next…a chicken and rosemary spiedini recipe… yum, next. The family of Glen Campbell, who has been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease for more than three years, has moved him to a memory care facility in Nashville…Oh. I was struck by a quote from his wife, Kim Woolen, “There were five of us taking care of him, and we were all completely exhausted.” Of the facility, she said, “He’s made friends there. Everybody loves him there. It’s a beautiful setting. It’s very secure.”

I think Mr. Campbell had given his family the ‘gift’.

Flashback to the year 2005.

It’s was a beautiful autumn day—also a Saturday. My mom and I were having a delightful time. Lunch, shopping, a ride through ‘the old neighborhood’ and of course, small chocolate and vanilla twist cones at Dairy Queen.

Lovely. Peaceful. A good karma day with the woman who, due to harsh life-events, had become more my ‘challenging/funny/ naughty BFF’ than a traditional ‘mom’.

Tums and tissues were always on my

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shopping list.

Out of nowhere, she said, “If I start to act like Grandma, you have my permission to put me in a nursing home.”

Now, we weren’t even discussing my grandmother, who had passed away from complications brought on by dementia in 1978. And, truthfully, my mom could be a bit of a hypochondriac. But, I did sense a solemn, resolute tone in her voice that gave me a chill.

Caught off guard, I did what any selfrespecting ostrich would do-- I rolled my eyes and said, “Ok Ma, good to know.” She just smiled a little.

In retrospect, this was truly the beginning of a most compelling, life-altering journey.

She had been functioning independently— cleverly compensating for her deficits quite well. I didn’t realize that the little changes I’d noticed in her were actually the first rumblings of Alzheimer’s. I thought it was age, she was about 72 at the time, or perhaps the persnickety complexities of her nature. Apparently she sensed danger on the horizon and felt the need to tell me something that, ultimately, became the greatest gift she ever gave.

Unfortunately, my mother slowly, yet profoundly, failed both physically and cognitively in almost every way. By 2011, even with near 24/7 home health care (she resented the intrusion and wasn’t shy about voicing it) and adult day health three days a week (she didn’t want to go…hello, Tums

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and tissues) we were worn out. The never ending vigil and worry drained us. We felt lost. It was a dark time. My brother and I became ill, my sister was running ragged and my wonderful husband was like a ping pong ball bouncing between work, hospital visits, monitoring my mother’s care and tending to other family matters.

My mother’s behaviors were, in fact, mirroring my grandmother’s.

Of course, I remembered her words from that lovely autumn day in 2005, as I had many times over the years. Through tears I thanked her—even though she didn’t understand.

The transition was upsetting—at this stage. Mom wasn’t happy or agreeable-and far from smooth (Tums, tissues). But, we knew in our hearts, that the move to a skilled nursing facility was the absolute best choice for our mother—because it was hers.

She had given us a most precious ‘gift’ while she could--her decision—which she then left in our care until the sad time came for it to be unwrapped.

Jill H. G arvey is the Director of Admissions and Marketing for The Home for Aged People in Fall River, a nonprofit organization which operates Adams House, the Freeman Borden Transitional Care Unit and Bay View. She can be contacted at 508.679.0144 orjgarvey@ thehomelcc.org

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asey Kasem has a form of dementia, which has made him incapable of handling all of his affairs. Recently his wife would not let his daughter from a prior marriage visit with Kasey and then took him out of state. In response the daughter has filed for a conservatorship of Kasey in order to gain control of him personally and financially. It’s a big mess. Here are some ideas for planning that may have made a difference.

1. Second marriages require special estate planning.

2. It’s all always about the money even if it isn’t.

3. Never underestimate the ability for things to get screwed up.

When doing planning for someone who is in a second marriage, it is important to be very specific about not only where your property goes when you die but also who is to care for you physically and financially while you are alive. You need to consider what type of care you want and do not want, who is allowed information about your care and your finances.

It is important to get all of this written down while you are healthy.

Communicating you plans with your family is also a good idea. Generally surprises cause misunderstandings and trouble.

At Surprenant & Beneski, P.C. we can assist you with estate planning so that if you become ill your family can smoothly, and efficiently take care of you without drama and fighting. We can also assist you put together an estate plan that passes your wealth to whom you when you want. If we can assist you please call our office at 508994-5200 to schedule a consultation.

This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific questions you should consult a qualified attorney.

Michelle D. Beneski is an Attorney at Surprenant & Beneski, P.C. For specific questions call her at 508-994-5200 or send an e-mail to mdb@nbelderlaw.com

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800-497-1727

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prime season

Kool Kones Photo by Phantom Gourmet

South Coast

scoops

by Sebastian Clarkin

Summertime has arrived, which means that we in the South Coast again engage in the hypocritical tradition of finding ourselves briefly enjoying the long-awaited warm weather, only to soon scramble for ways to “beat the heat.”

Indeed, it can be a hot mess of a season, even if you have the air conditioning on full blast. There’s a pressure to make the most of every weekend, to go traveling as often as possible, to prepare every dinner on the outdoor grill, to achieve and maintain that beach body (and then find the time to show it off), and to go to any length to keep the kids entertained and subdued until September. With schedules like that, it’s no wonder that the heat tends to beat us. So what’s the prescription?

Why, ice cream, of course.

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Sure, it’s no secret that the cool treat serves as an antidote to summer heat, but the simple pleasure of taking the time to sit down and enjoy a scoop or five might just be the best way to retreat from the constant frenzy of the season and still make some lasting memories. By all means, savor your scoops, but also remember to savor the experience of sharing that time with your family and loved ones.

Everyone has his or her favorite ice cream spot, so here are three of ours.

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Kool Kone

374 Marion Road, Wareham www.koolkone.com

For over 30 years, Kool Kone has been the summertime destination for family and friends in Wareham and the surrounding communities. Anyone there can tell you that there’s only two seasons: Winter, and when Kool Kone’s open.

“People come from almost an hour away,” says owner Tom Strom. “One thing about Kool Kone is that we get a range from all over. We get busy when school gets out, but older couples, families, couples on dates... It’s different every day. Sometimes a bus or two pulls up with a softball team and they’re like, ‘we just won the championship!’ and they come here to celebrate.

It’s tough to determine what’s going to happen any given day. It’s a great thing. A great thing.”

Yes, there’s delicious food like their signature lobster rolls, fried seafood platter, and onion rings, and yes, the prices are low enough that you won’t break the bank by bringing your entire family, no matter how large your brood may be. But most importantly, Kool Kone is an institution, each visit a kind of pilgrimage to discover something new on the menu. With over 50 flavors of ice cream, both traditional and soft serve, as well as specialty dishes like the fried(!) banana split, it’s easy to see why people keep coming back for more.

Quito’s

411 Thames Street, Bristol www.quitosrestaurant.com

Besides being one of the most popular seafood restaurants in a region that knows good seafood, Quito’s is one of the rare locations that serves up gelato, ice cream’s slightly softer, fancier-sounding cousin.

“It’s a perfect marriage,” says owner Al Quito. “We have this Italian-style seafood and this Italian dessert that no one else in the area has. People really enjoy that.” You

Simcock Farm

361 Marvel Street, Swansea www.simcockfarm.com

Although it’s farther off the beaten path than our two other entries, it only adds to the charm of Simcock Farm, the family destination Swanseans and Somersetians don’t want you to know about. Only a few minutes north of Route 6, Simcock Farm feels almost wholly detached from the busy streets and harsh lights of civilization just around the corner.

“A lot of people call us ‘the hidden jewel’ when they find us,” says owner Beverly Simcock. “You’re really in the country.”

Aside from sampling the myriad of flavors, you can take the time to introduce yourself to the myriad of barnyard animals roaming their pens. Superman the cow, the potbelly pigs Sprint and Daytona, the miniature horses Beethoven and Bach, Eyeore and Poncho the donkeys, the holy triumvirate of sheep, Ariel, Metatron, and Gabriel, and more all live right behind the ice cream stand. Toss a couple quarters into the feed dispenser, hold out your hand, and you’re sure to make friends very quickly (and yes, there’s a sink nearby so you can wash your hands before going

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‘People come from

almost an hour away’ don’t have to sit down at the raw bar to get a cup, either. Order your scoops to go and enjoy the real attraction: sunset over Bristol Harbor.

Undoubtedly one of the signature views in all of New England, any time spent peering out over the shining placidity of Bristol Harbor at the end of a long summer’s day is time well spent. Happily, Quito’s sits right next to Independence Park, the start of the Bristol Bike Path, and a new boardwalk that’s just long enough for you to finish your gelato while walking past the boats on their moorings. Whether you’re finishing your day or taking a quick pit stop before enjoying the rest of what Bristol has to offer, Quito’s can’t be missed.

back for more ice cream.)

But if you start to feel guilty for pigging out on ice cream (pun intended), you can get your fill of healthy foods, too. “We grow and sell our own non-gmo food here,” says Beverly. That includes tomatoes, plum potatoes, and hot Portuguese peppers. The stand opens in mid-July and runs until the late fall.” Stop by their website for an extensive list of recipes to try out!

Sebastian Clarkin is a recent graduate of UMass Amherst where he received his degree in English composition.

*with an entrée purchase and this ad Monday-Friday

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E xtra! E xtra!

In brief…

It’s time for the Fourth of July, BBQs, clambakes, outdoor concerts, and festivals!

Pack up the sunscreen and insect repellent and head for the beaches, farmers markets, and parks. Make sure to drive carefully -- school’s out and the summer folk are back.

Eliz abeth Morse Read

Regional Highlights…

Take the whole family for a once-in-alifetime Fourth of July parade in Bristol R.I., home of the oldest continuous Independence Day celebration in the US. Learn more at www.july4thbristolri.com.

Siemens USA has given $54 million worth of drafting and engineering computer software to Greater New Bedford Regional

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Vocational-Technical High School.

Arthur Lynch, who graduated from Dartmouth High School in 2009, was selected in the fifth round of the NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins.

Don’t miss the New Bedford Folk Festival on Pier 3 July 5 and 6 featuring Chris Smither, Poor Old Shine, RUNA, Bill Halsey. Crafts, food trucks, workshops – a great family weekend, along with the Cape

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Verdean Parade and the Homecoming of the Charles W Morgan. Visit www.newbedfordfolkfestival.com.

Tennis, anyone? Check out the Newport Tennis Hall of Fame Championship July 5 through 13. Call 401-849-6053 or visit www.halloffametennischampionship.com.

Get ready for the 22nd Annual Onset Blues Festival in Wareham on Aug. 2. For info, visit www.onsetbluesfestival.com.

Check out the free “Block-a-Palooza” concert featuring Buckwheat Zydeco and Girls, Guns & Glory across from the courthouse in downtown Fall River on July 17.

For more info, visit www.narrowscenter. com or call 508-324-1926.

Mark your calendars for the 100th Annual Feast of the Blessed Sacrament at Madeira Field in New Bedford July 31 through Aug. 3! Blood, Sweat and Tears will be one of the headliner bands. Go to www.portuguesefeast.com or call 508-992-6911.

If you’re 50 or older, check out the day trips sponsored by the New Bedford Senior Travel Program – there’s the Provincetown Portuguese Festival June 28, Foster’s Lobster Bake & York Village July 23, Fenway Park & Boston Duck Tour July 30. Plan ahead for the Adirondack Balloon Festival at Lake George NY Sept. 19 through 21.

Call 508-991-6171. Contact the Fairhaven Senior Center about the Gloucester Lobster Cruise & Salem trip on June 20 or the Niagara Falls and Toronto trip Sept. 15 through 19. Call 508-979-4029.

Bizz Buzz…

The International Marketplace renovation of Acushnet Avenue in New Bedford got a $1.19 million boost in MassWorks infrastructure grants.

Nemasket Kayak, formerly of Raynham, has moved its kayak, canoe and paddle board business to Makepeace Farm in Wareham. Go to www.nemasketkayak. com.

The recently-closed Shawmut Diner in New Bedford was disassembled, moved and then reconstructed at the Bristol County House of Corrections in Dartmouth, where it will be used for inmate training.

Opening just in time for summer – The Moose Café on South Main Street in Fall River serves sandwiches, seafood and 300 flavors of soft-serve and yogurt.

When one door closes, another one opens. The landmark Davy’s Locker restaurant in New Bedford has reopened as The Edge.

In preparation for the South Coast Rail, the Wamsutta Street Bridge in New Bedford will be replaced by the summer of 2015.

After almost seven decades in business, Figueiredo’s Greenhouses in Westport has closed.

The Fisherman’s Market in New Bedford’s South Terminal has closed and is looking to move to a more customer-accessible location soon.

The popular Wave Restaurant in Marion has reopened as the BrewFish Bar and Eatery.

According to the latest reports, New Bedford produces more megawatts of solar power than either Boston or Providence.

Fairhaven Town Meeting voted to create the position of town administrator.

White’s Family Fun and Sports Center in Acushnet has closed its doors for good.

The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center has granted $75,000 to the city of New Bedford to establish a regional incubation center for life science initiatives.

The new Brazilian Grill is scheduled to open in September on State Road in Dartmouth.

Fundraising has begun for the proposed New Bedford Fishing Heritage Museum.

The city has donated $100,000 towards the estimated $2 million cost of construction on Johnny Cake Hill.

South Coast Stars…

State Trooper Chris Dumont of Acushnet was named the top state police officer of 2013 by the American Association of State Troopers for his heroic actions during the shoot-out with the Boston Marathon bombing suspects in April 2013.

UMass Dartmouth music professor Dr. Jing Wang has been named a fellow of the prestigious MacDowell Colony. UMass Dartmouth music professor Mwalim DaPhunkee (Morgan J. Peters) won “best male jazz” at the 9th Annual New England Urban Music Awards in Boston.

Ben Knepper, who graduated from Bishop Stang High School in 2003, has co-founded Bureo Skateboards of Chile, which designs and manufactures skateboards from recycled fishing nets.

The town of Westport has approved $1 million to cover the medical expenses of firefighter Steve Lopes, who was seriously injured while on duty. He is well-known on the South Coast as the stand-up comedian “The Portuguese Fireman.”

The Dartmouth High School Indoor Percussion Ensemble took the gold medal

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Barenaked L adies

Crosby, Stills & N ash

Listen to the Music…

Enjoy free “Thursday Evenings in the Park Concerts” at the Whaling National Historical Park Garden in New Bedford through August 28. Call 508-996-4095 x 6105 or got to www.nps.gov/nebe.

Summer in Newport means music, music, music! There’s the Newport Music Festival July 11 through 27 (call 401-8491857 or visit www.newportmusic.org); the Newport Folk Festival July 25 through 27 (call 401-848-5055 or visit www.newportfolkfest.net); the Newport Jazz Festival at the Winter Guard International World Championship in Ohio.

Former Wareham Gatemen George Springer made his MLB debut with the Houston Astros in April.

The Buttonwood Park Zoo in New Bedford has been awarded accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

“My Brother’s Keeper” of Easton and Dartmouth now services the Fall River area, and is looking for volunteers and gently-used residential furniture for families in need. Free pick-up. Call 774-305-4577 or visit www.MyBrothersKeeper.org.

When the Kiddies Come to Visit…

Check out Zoo Nights at New Bedford’s Buttonwood Park Zoo on June 27, July 25 and Aug. 22. Register kids ages 5 through 10 for “Zoo Crew” summer programs, too.

Call 508-991-4566/6178 or visit www. bpzoo.org.

After almost two years of repair, the Marion Natural History Museum has reopened. Call 508-748-2098 or go to www. marionmuseum.org.

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Aug. 1 through 3 (call 401-848-5055); the Newport Waterfront Reggae Festival Aug. 9 (call 401-846-1600 or visit www.newportwterfrontevents.com) – and more!

Head for the free “Summer Sound Series” concerts on Fridays at New Bedford’s City Pier through Aug. 15. For a complete schedule, go to www.destinationnewbedford.org.

Floyd July 25; 33 Doors Down Acoustic August 1; Boz Scaggs August 6; Gregg Allman August 10; The Beach Boys August 16. For complete details, go to www.newportwaterfrontevents.com.

Get ready for the 22nd Annual Onset Blues Festival in Wareham on Aug. 2. For info, visit www.onsetbluesfestival.com.

Head for the Newport Yachting Center for the Waterfront Concert Series! Spend An Evening with Yes July 13; Barenaked Ladies July 18; The Machine Performs Pink

Crosby. Stills & Nash will perform at the Providence Performing Arts Center July 15.

Call 401-421-2787 or go to www.ppacri. org.

It’s the Food Truck Fest in June and then Summer Zoocademy at the Capron Park Zoo in Attleboro! Go to www.capronparkzoo.com or call 774-203-1840.

Museum. Register the kids now for Summer Mini Camps! Go to www.childrensmuseumineaston.org or call 508-230-3789.

Sign the kids up for Camp Quequechan in Fall River through the end of August.

Call 508-675-7841, 508-996-9622 or go to www.ymcasouthcoast.org.

Weekly sessions of Camp Sequoia for kids in grades K through 4 start June 30 at Blithewold Gardens in Bristol R.I. Go to www.blithewold.org or call 401-253-2707.

“Summer Camp Seahorse,” operated by the Mattapoisett Department of Recreation, will run for six weeks. Call 508-7584100 x 227.

Take the kids to the Soule Homestead in Middleboro when they’re home from school! Call 508-947-6744 or visit www. soulehomestead.org.

New Bedford’s Ocean Explorium is a great school vacation destination, with Saturday afternoon programs in Spanish and Portuguese. To learn more, call 508-9945400 or go to www.oceanexplorium.org.

Join in the fun at the Easton Children’s

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There’s always something to see and do at the Lloyd Center for the Environment in Dartmouth! Visit www.lloydcenter.org or call 508-990-0505.

A Sight to Behold…

The Newport to Bermuda Race starts on June 20.

Celebrate the Cape Cod Canal Centennial on Buzzards Bay from July 25 to Aug. 3. For a complete schedule of events, visit www.capecodcanalcentennial.org.

Don’t miss the free Newport Kite Festival July 12 and 13. For more info, go to www. newportkitefestival.com or call 401-2445264.

Stroll through the Newport Antiques Show July 25 through 27 at St. George’s School in Middletown. Call 401-846-2669 or visit www.newsportantiqueshow.com.

Watch the 31st Annual Buzzards Bay Regatta Aug. 1 through 3. For details, go to www.buzzardsbayregatta.com.

Shawn Colvin

Kick off the outdoor “Concerts Under the Elms” at the John Brown House in Providence with The American Band on June 26, Latin Jazz on July 10. For details, go to www.rihs.org.

Listen to the “Music of the African Diaspora” on July 17 at the Rotch-Jones-Duff House and Garden Museum, sponsored by the New Bedford Historical Society. Visit www.nbhistoricalsociety.org or call 508979-8828.

Step into the past at the Rotch-Jones Duff House and Garden Museum in New Bedford. Visit www.rjdmuseum.org or call 508-997-1401.

Stroll through the renovated Asian and Egyptian Galleries at the Rhode Island School of Design Museum in Providence.

Free admission on Sundays. For details, visit www.risdmuseum.org.

Cirque du Soleil’s “Varekal” will be at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence July 1-6. For information, visit www.dunkindonutscenter.com.

Celebrate the Fourth of July at India Point Park in Providence! For info, visit www.providenceri.com.

Carlos de Leon L atin Jazz Band

A ine Minogue

The Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River has a great line-up – there’ll be The London Souls June 26, Spirit Family Reunion June 28, Shawn Colvin July 11, Block-a-Palooza! (FREE!) downtown July 17, Leon Russell July 31, Dom Flemons Aug. 8. For a complete schedule, visit www. narrowscenter.com or call 508-324-1926.

The Sandywoods Center for the Arts in Tiverton will present The Gnomes June 28, The Little Compton Band July 5, Dick

in the program.

The Northeast Maritime Institute in Fairhaven will now offer a certificate program in aquaculture. To learn more, visit www.northeastmaritime.com or call 508-992-4025.

New Bedford’s Global Learning Charter School has been ranked 31st statewide and 96th nationwide among charter schools.

Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational-Technical High School took first place at the New England regional robotics competition.

Don’t miss the Newport Flower Show at Rosecliff Mansion June 27-29. For info, visit www.newportflowershow.org.

Bristol County Agricultural High School in Dighton has been recognized as a 2014 Horse Barn of Distinction by the Massachusetts Farm Bureau for its equine facilities and high-caliber animal science program.

Thanks to federal funding, all of New Bedford’s elementary and high school students will be eligible for free breakfasts and lunches starting in September. Five private and parochial schools will also participate

UMass Dartmouth and New Bedford’s Ocean Explorium have forged a new partnership that will promote STEM education programs for area students and the general public.

Lupino July 18, Session Americana July 26, Forever Young Aug. 1, Aine Minogue Aug. 2 – and a lot more! Go www.sandywoodsmusic.com or call 401-241-7349.

If you’re a fan of Americana and roots music, check out the monthly Salon Concerts at the Wamsutta Club in New Bedford, sponsored by Wepecket Island Records. For details, go to https://wepecket. ipower.com/tickets.

Food! Feasts! Festivals!

Spend June 28 at the Homecoming Day town festival in Fairhaven! And, if you’re looking for something different on the Fourth of July, head for the cannon salute at Fort Phoenix. Go to www.FairhavenTours.com or call 508-979-4085.

It’s time for the “Harbor Days” festival at Shipyard Park in Mattapoisett, sponsored by the Lions Club, starting with “Taste of the Town” on July 15. For a complete schedule of events, visit www.mattapoisettlionsclub.org or call 508-748-1282.

Celebrate our country’s ties with Japan at the Black Ships Festival in Newport July 17 through 20. Go to www.blackshipsfestival.com or call 401-847-7666.

Check out the “Summer Fair” at the First Congregational Church in Marion on July 26. Food, crafts, music and fun for everyone. For details, visit www.marionfirstchurch.org.

Take the family to the Newport BridgeFest July 28 through 31. Music, food, art

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Continued from previous page and fun! For complete details, visit www. newportbridgefest.com or call 401-6622174.

Enjoy a “Farm to Table Dinner” at the Dartmouth YMCA on July 26. Call 508993-3361 or visit www.ymcasouthcoast. org.

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Advanced Dialysis Care with Ultimate Comfort

Don’t miss the July 11 Clambake XXIX at Demarest Lloyd State Park in Dartmouth.

Visit www.lloydcenter.org or call 508-9900505.

The Whaling City Festival will be held July 11 through 13 at Buttonwood Park in New Bedford, with closing time extended to 9 p.m.

The 42nd Annual Cape Verdean Recognition Parade and Carnival starts at Buttonwood Park in New Bedford on July 5. For info, call 508-863-7463 or visit www. cvrcinc.org.

Dartmouth will celebrate its 350th birthday in 2014, and there’s a full schedule of activities and events. “Days of Yore” will be celebrated July 26 and 27. To learn more, go to www.dartmouth350.org, 350@town. dartmouth.ma.us, or call 508-984-1359.

Now Accepting Dialysis Patients 2991 Cranberry Highway Suite F1 East Wareham, MA

Head for the Lobster Roll Dinner at Our Lady’s Haven in Fairhaven on July 31. For info, call 508-999-4561.

Plan ahead for the festivities surrounding the Homecoming of the Charles W. Morgan in New Bedford June 28 through July 6. For info, go to www.whalingmuseum. org or call 508-997-0046.

Fun for the Whole Family…

There will be non-stop events in Wareham this summer – don’t miss the Blessing of the Fleet in Onset on July 5, the 18th-century church service at the First Congregational Church followed by the Incorporation Celebration Festivities on July 10, then the big Parade on July 12. Go to www.wareham2014.com.

Located in the Stop & Shop Plaza — Entrance in the rear —

Call for information or to schedule a tour

(508)-295-5290

Take the family the Westport Agricultural Fair at 200 Pine Hill Road July 16 through 20. For a complete schedule, go to www. westportfair.com.

Enjoy a free outdoor family movie at Livesey Park in North Fairhaven on July 26.

Free popcorn!

Take the kids to the Rochester Country Fair Aug. 14 through 17. For complete

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schedule, visit www.rochesterma.com Don’t miss the River Day Festival in Westport June 28, sponsored by the Westport River Watershed Alliance. Call 508-636-3016 or visit www.westportwatershed.org.

Head for the 9th Annual Freedom Festival July 2 at UMass Dartmouth. Rain date July 3. For info, visit www.umassd.edu.

Take the kids to the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence. Sign them up for Summer Zoo Camp, too! Call 401-941-4998 or visit www.rwpzoo.org.

Enjoy free family fun and entertainment at AHA! Night in New Bedford. The July 10 theme is “Kids Rule!” and the August 14 theme is “A Midsummer’s Night Eve.” Go to www.ahanewbedford.org or call 508996-8253.

All hands on deck at Battleship Cove in Fall River! Plan ahead and watch the fireworks on July 4! Learn more at www. battleshipcove.org or call 508-678-1100.

Check out the Fort Taber-Fort Rodman Military Museum on New Bedford’s waterfront. Free, open daily. www.forttaber.org.

Don’t miss the special summer events at the Whaling Museum, the waterfront and the historic/national park district in New Bedford! Enjoy free crafts and activities for children July 8 through Aug. 21. For info, go to www.whalingmuseum.org or call 508-997-0046.

All the World’s a Stage…

It’s all happenin’ at the Zeiterion in New Bedford! There’s “The Sound of Music” July 25 through Aug. 3 -- and more! Call 508994-2900 or visit www.zeiterion.org.

Playing now at the Newport Playhouse is “Weekend Comedy” through July 17. Go to www.newportplayhouse.com or call 401-848-7529.

Take your friends to Trinity Rep in Providence – “A Lie of the Mind” runs through June 29. Call 401-351-4243 or visit www. trinityrep.com.

Head for 2nd Story Theatre in Warren! “Freud’s Last Session” runs through June 29, then July 11 through Aug. 31.

“And Then There Were None” runs July 11 through Aug. 31. For details, call 401-2474200 or go to www.2ndstorytheatre.com.

Highland Society The Fall River Historical Society hosted the inaugural Arts and Artifacts in Bloom in early June. Art in Bloom events have been popular for 40 years at locations like the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, but this was the first of its kind in the greater Fall River area.

The event showcased arrangements by several prominent region floral designers. The

inspiration for their creations came from art, textiles, decorative arts, and other pieces from the historical society’s permanent collection, some of which have never been exhibited publicly.

The creations were displayed gallery style adjacent to the pieces that sponsored them.

The event was sponsored by BayCoast Bank.

1 5

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4

8

9 13

10 14

11 15

12 1. Dennis Binette and Michael Martins 2. Urban Medeiros, Monica Sousa 3. Joe Levesque 4. Lorraine Olson, Terry Cabral 5. Brigid and Nick Christ, and Meg Donovan 6. Margot Cottrell, Liz Waring 7. Maryann Goulart, Kathy Castro

8. Tiffany Peay and Karen Bartlett 9. Helen Medeiros 10. Holly Bronhard, Tony and Rosemary Melli 11. Barbara Jaryna, Penny Phillips 12. Tom Cottrell 13. Mea and Nick Christ 14. Paula and John Cummings 15. Connie Santarpia, Sandra Camara

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good times

Gone, but not forgotten We’re a people of firsts, important times in our lives, milestones reached. There are first birthdays, first baby steps, first kisses, first dates, first plane rides, Paul K andarian the list goes on. Firsts are to be relished, remembered, relived.

This year, my brother and I are experiencing our own firsts, as so many do: First Mother’s Day and Father’s Day without our parents. Such is life’s cycle of birth and death.

In our parents’ later years, those days weren’t all that much of a big deal. There would be cards, perhaps a dinner, a small gift, an acknowledgement of what they meant to us. Somehow in retrospect, whatever we did didn’t seem nearly enough.

A big part of the days set aside for our mothers and fathers are giving them gifts, material things mostly, the cheesy ties for dad when we were little, scrawled, handmade cards for mom, maybe some candy. Small tokens of thanks for giving us life. Too small, but to grateful parents receiving them, no gift money could buy could ever be greater.

We give our parents gifts on their days, but in reality it is they giving us gifts, every day, for all our lives, gifts of love, of support, of guidance, of making sense of a life that in growing up, often makes very little. They are our rocks, our teachers, our support system, the foundation of who we will become.

I was away for Mother’s Day this year, with people who called their moms to say they loved them, to wish them well this special day. I smiled listening to them, not all that sad, to be honest, maybe because I was just happy for people who still have their moms, thrilled they are able to make those connections while they can.

I so wanted to pick up the phone and wish my own mother a special day, and this month to do the same for my dad, maybe take them out to lunch or dinner with me threatening to pick up the tab but knowing they would.

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The gifts they gave me pale in comparison to any I ever gave them. I would think about them over the years, grateful for all, but for some reason, and I’m sure this is the same for many, those gifts didn’t come into glorious crystal clarity until they died, forcing my focus into realizing that whatever I am, I owe to them.

My mom was 100-percent Italian meaning cooking ran through her veins.

Some of the fondest memories of my life are of being in the kitchen with her, learning how to make spaghetti sauce, helping her make rice pies for Easter, stuffing rigatoni with her, using our little fingers to make sure each pasta piece was full, heaping them on a platter, laughing at the mistakes and broken shells.

I was just happy for people who still have their moms, thrilled they are able to make those connections while they can Today, one of my burning passions is cooking, I love nothing more than being at the stove, creating. Those eating what I make say I’m pretty good at it. I thank my mother’s touch for that.

My mom adored cats, just adored them, and would get teary eyed watching TV shows with lion or tiger cubs in them, leaning forward to reach for the screen to give them a mock hug. We had a string of great cats in our lives, and never was she happier than when she was holding them close, reveling in their warmth and contented purring.

I am a cat man, through and through, and have a 16-pound orange tabby now that is a carbon copy of one we had when I was growing up with my mom. Every hug and stroke and kiss I give him is done with my

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mother’s touch.

My dad, in his day before age and infirmity robbed him of his energy, was a life force to be reckoned with, a man who could not sit still, who always had somewhere to go, something to do. I am absolutely my father’s son in that regard, and a hard-core travel addict, always taking off somewhere to embrace whatever I find.

In his prime, my dad was quite the ham, reading us books in bed with over dramatic flair, and whenever there was a camera recording him, launching into bad impressions of John Wayne, Jimmy Cagney, Gary Cooper, his favorite stars.

My father always lamented that he should have been an actor. These days, I am an actor, and whenever I take the stage or stand before a camera, I do it with him at my side.

He was also a guy who had a way with words. Some of the poems and essays he wrote as a younger man were pretty damned good, expressive, concise, heartfelt. My father always lamented that he should have been a writer. These days, I make my living with words, and without a doubt, every single one I write bubbles from a creative wellspring that is his genetic gift to me.

There are other gifts, of course, some physical – I have my mom’s blue eyes and my dad’s bald head. And some subtle: I’m quick to anger at times, as was my dad, but equally quick to forgive, and for that I thank my mother.

Of all the firsts in my life, this could possibly be the saddest. But in this, my first Mother’s Day and Father’s Day without my parents, I’m far happier than sad, for every gift they gave which continue to live through me.

I wish they were here to thank, but with every meal I cook, with every new corner I round, with every cat I pet, with every word I write or utter on stage, they still are and forever will be. And for all that, I could never thank them enough.

Paul Kandarian is a lifelong area resident and has been a professional writer since 1982, as columnist, contributor in national magazines, websites and other publications.

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Summer Fun at the Funkiest Boutique on the South Coast Melissa couldn’t wait for summer fun to kick off around here so she popped into the boutique before heading off to Miami, Melissa knows bling.

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Our porch is so inviting a pleasant place to stay We visit there with friends on a warm sunny day

At times we all debate which views are the best The boats on the water some sailing, some at rest

But my favorite includes the flowers with countless colors to see It’s so relaxing in my rocker with a cool glass of iced tea

I’m convinced ours is “The Best Porch” absolutely perfect for your health It’s at the “Inn” at Clifton please come see for yourself ~COG

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Imagine, living in a beautiful New England country inn that overlooks scenic Mount Hope Bay. Discover a carefree senior lifestyle that provides a wonderful new feeling of comfort and security. Contrary to living alone in a large oversized house, especially when assistance is needed, the “Inn” at Clifton can be significantly less worrisome and less expensive. At the “Inn” we have no typical apartments—each one is different and prices do vary according to apartment size, location and specific features.

The Clifton Difference.......

When compared to other assisted living communities, the “Inn” offers so much more. Clifton’s almost all-inclusive rates consist of amenities that many other facilities charge extra for, including.......  Three delicious meals daily  Personal Care Services  Registered Nurses to monitor

your health and well-being  Medication Management  24-Hour CNA Staffing  Daily Activities

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Non-Denominational Chapel Fitness Area Library with Fireplace Whirl Pool Spa Scheduled Transportation Walk-In Closets And Much, Much More…

We encourage you to call Diane, make an appointment and learn more about the advantages of our unique Clifton Healthcare Campus.......and compare. 508-324-0200