Making music together, while staying apart page
Shrewsbury’s ‘Scarecrows on the Common’ to honor essential workers
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Vol. 46 | No. 38 | September 18, 2020
‘You need to eat, and Artists inspire each other we need to cook!’ to pursue their passion Catering Options offers job opportunities for unemployed and underemployed individuals
By Serena Howlett, Contributing Writer WE S T B O R O U G H -
A
rtists Janet Schwartz and Dave Kaphammer paint in separate
By Nance Ebert Contributing Writer MARLBOROUGH – At Employment Options, Inc. (E.O.), individuals and families in mental health recovery are given the tools to help them succeed as a part of society. The agency operates under a “Clubhouse model,” which offers those in recovery (who are called “MemCatering Options Executive Chef bers”) opportunities for friendship, employRich Nowak ment, housing, and education. One of those opportunities is Catering Options, which as their website says, “provides professional training and work experience to unemployed and underemployed individuals with a passion for food.” Shannon Leary, EO’s Executive Director, noted that the organization first used its full-size industrial kitchen to provide Clubhouse members a hot breakfast and lunch each day. When E.O. was reviewing other funding options, they decided to offer catering services to the public. Executive Chef Rich Nowak trains the interns and works with them to master skills in the kitchen. They partnered with Quinsigamond Community College for a full course in which each participant will earn three certificates when completed. The first certificate is “Serve Safe” which they need to work in a restaurant or hospital kitchen. The second is their “FEAST” certificate, which shows that they have mastered the use of the oven, mixers, fryer and other commercial equipment and the third certificate is “Allergen” where they fully understand cross contamination and food allergies. “After this eight to nine-week certificate program, those that have mastered all of the necessary skills needed for job readiness are typically placed immediately in jobs. We have placed about 170 interns in the Catering | 18
studios but often show paintings in the same gallery. “We push each other’s development,” Schwartz said. “We learn from each other.” In 2013, Kaphammer and Schwartz met at an event for artists held at the Art & Frame Emporium in Westborough. As local artists mingled and viewed each other’s work, Kaphammer and Schwartz discovered each other. Janet Schwartz and Dave Kaphammer Kaphammer grew up in New Jersey; Schwartz in New York. As children, they both loved to draw and their families encouraged their talents. In college, Schwartz studied studio art and education; Kaphammer, electrical engineering. Artists | 12
Above: “Blue Ford” Dave Kaphammer Right: “Drifting Together” Janet Schwartz
inside this issue: viewpoint ...............2 news .....................4 schools ...................19 homes & more ........20
crossword .............21 police log ...............22 obituaries .............22 classifieds .............23
Algonquin senior aims to educate about Israel
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