TASTINGS! IN STORE

OCT 8 @ 7 PM Greenvale Farm & Vineyards

Here’s a great way to start our favorite season with wines from New England!! Come meet Winemaker, Billy Wilson, from Greenvale Vineyards of Rhode Island. The tasting is live, but you can also follow along on Facebook Live!

DON’T MISS OUR AD ON PAGE 7

To the Northborough/ Southborough School Committee, ARHS Mascot Renaming Committee and ARHS Community: pathy, and I am supportive. I appreciate this statement from the mascot study group:

Letters To The Editor

With 2 sons at the high school, I have followed the mascot issue fairly closely. I feel strongly that this mascot change is an exercise in em-

“The Group is confident that the process of choosing a new mascot will serve to unify Algonquin students and families...”

I became concerned when an email from Keith Lavoie dated August 18th disclosed that Heard Strategies, an outside marketing firm previously not mentioned, was brought in to give an opinion on the results of the mascot survey. Remarkably, Heard Strategies only approved 8 of the top 20 responses, none of the top three, with no explanation given to the community. When were they given a seat on the committee? Who made that decision? Even if their opinion is not binding, I feel that giving Heard a seat on the committee as a mascot expert compromises the integrity of the committee’s decision.

We in favor of mascot change should recognize that this has been a closed decision process. A plurality of survey responses supported keeping the tomahawk. Notably, the survey was sent after the decision was made to retire the tomahawk. A grieving process will accompany this change. As the committee so aptly quoted Maulian Dana from her 2019 Ted Talk, “If we tell you something hurts, you don’t get to decide it doesn’t.”

The committee has frequently used this quote by Zaretta Hammond, “Culturally responsive teaching means reflecting and being willing to listen and change in order to respond positively and constructively.” Are you willing to listen to the community response and change accordingly? If unity is the goal, open up the renaming conversation to the community. Provide us your research materials on each option before they are voted on, and allow for another community vote. Slow down! Let’s compromise like the school district in Washington that retired their mascot, “Chinook” replacing it with a chinook salmon. The actions you take, or do not take, at this point will determine whether this mascot will unify this community.

Respectfully, Elisa

Beckman

SHREWSBURY - A presentation on the life of one of the most significant figures in American history will take place during the Friends of Shrewsbury Public Library annual fall meeting and program.

Actor Kathryn Woods will portray abolitionist and women’s rights activist Sojourner Truth as she was at the end of her life.

The program will be held virtually on Wednesday, Oct. 6. The board is scheduled to hold their meeting at 6:30, with the performance beginning at 7 p.m.

Woods, as Truth, will recall her early days as a slave as well as her relationship with God. She will share stories from Truth’s long life.

Woods has performed with TheatreWorks, People’s Theatre, the Wheelock Family Theatre and the Underground Railway Theatre. The performance is open to all. To register, visit: https://tinyurl. com/5zm3nmt2 or call the library at 508-841-8609 ext. 3.

WESTBOROUGH - The Town of Westborough has honored Cela Dorr as its August 2021 Employee of the Month.

Dorr is the Confidential Administrative Assistant in the Town Manager and Select Board offices.

She is also a Contributing Writer for the Community Advocate.

Dorr “hit the ground running” as a full-time employee during a period of upheaval, helping in some areas that were outside of her job, according to a press release.

“She personifies a ‘can-do’ willingness to jump in and lend a hand — regardless of how difficult a situation may be,” that press release continued.

The press release noted that Dorr’s background in education has been an asset during her departments’ interactions with the school department.

“Beneath the jovial personality, Cela is a serious, hard worker — kind and considerate and consistently embodies a sympathetic respect for the feelings of others,” the press release said.