At 61, a Southborough man found singing — now he’s with the Boston Pops
Singer-songwriter Don White keeps audiences laughing
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People today can spend nearly half their lives over the age of 50. That’s a lot of living. So, it helps to have a wise friend and fierce defender like AARP in your corner and in your community so your money, health and happiness live as long as you do.
People today can spend nearly half their lives over the age of 50. That’s a lot of living. So, it helps to have a wise friend and fierce defender like AARP in your corner and in your community so your money, health and happiness live as long as you do.
AARP offers educational webinars, in-person events and resources to help you achieve your goals and stay connected.
Summer fun with AARP Massachusetts!
With the unofficial start to summer behind us, AARP Massachusetts is here to help you make the most of the season and connect with others. Social connections play a vital role in your quality of life, and we’ve got activities lined up to help you enjoy the lazy days of summer.
Fraud Busters and Brewmasters
Find us at aarp.org/ma
AARP offers educational webinars, in-person events and resources to help you achieve your goals and stay connected.
Find us at aarp.org/ma
/AARPMA @AARPMA
/AARPMA @AARPMA
Join us at Seven Saws Brewery in Holden, Tuesday, June 17, for a fun-filled evening of trivia, live music, and free giveaways! This private, fraud-themed event lets you RSVP for up to five guests. Each attendee gets two free drinks, and there’s a BBQ food truck on site for delicious bites.
At AARP Massachusetts, we understand that knowledge gives you power over scams. So, together we are going to test our fraud trivia, enjoy live music, and learn some facts, while having fun! So come be a fraud buster and brewmaster for an evening.
Shred It!
Stay one step ahead of scammers and discard your personal information safely. Join us at Worcester Technical High School on Saturday July 19. Bring your paperwork and watch as it gets safely shredded on-site, ensuring your confidential information stays out of the wrong hands. With older people a frequent target, here’s your chance to be proactive.
AARP Days at the New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill
Stop and smell the roses at the New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill! We have three dates in September where you and five friends can gain free admission. While the weather didn’t cooperate in May, hundreds of people did show up. Sign up before we hit capacity. Find dates, times, and registration links at aarp.org/garden.
90 Years of Social Security
This August marks 90 years since President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed Social Security into law. We’re planning a number of events to mark the occasion. Social Security is your money. You earned it. AARP is fighting to protect and save this critical program.
We have more events throughout the summer. If it rains, we have you covered. We have plenty of events planned online. Learn about the history of Concord or brush up on your digital skills with a tech webinar. There are even events hosted by AARP offices from across the country. Attend cooking webinars or take an online fitness class. Find links to register for all of our events at aarp.org/ma.
We hope you will join us at any of these events. It will be good for you. It’s a chance to meet new people. Social connections are important for older adults. Research shows that social isolation can lead to poor physical and mental health. Loneliness has been linked to many negative health consequences, including a higher risk of developing dementia, depression, even heart disease. It can have the same impact on your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, a report from the U.S. surgeon general says. And new research suggests that loneliness may cause the body to age faster.
Social isolation is more than feeling lonely. It’s the result of feeling disconnected from support groups of family, friends and community. This summer, join us, have fun and make some connections.
Jennifer Benson is the State Director for AARP Massachusetts. For more articles visit www.fiftyplusadvocate.com.
By Jennifer Benson AArP MAssAchusetts stAte Director
Jennifer Benson
By evAn WAlsh contriButing Writer
SHREWSBURY – The world has been mourning Pope Francis’ death since his passing on April 21. A Shrewsbury resident remembers him fondly.
Frank Masiello and his wife, Ann, met Pope Francis during a trip to the Vatican City in 2018. After coordinating with local religious leaders, the Masiellos celebrated Mass in the front row of St. Peter’s Basilica, with just a small railing between them and Pope Francis. As the pope greeted crowds after the Mass, he shook hands with Frank, took time to speak with him, and hugged Ann.
“As everybody else says, he was a ‘people pope.’ He was very nice,” said Frank.
Then, after some conversation and laughter — Pope Francis jokingly called Frank a “bad boy” — Ann handed the pope a small medallion. The Masiellos’ son, Daniel, had died in 2014, and the family had spent its trip to Italy visiting landmarks, placing medallions with Daniel’s name in different historic nooks and crannies. Ann placed one of those medallions in the outstretched palm of Pope Francis.
“For me?” he said, putting the medallion in his coat pocket.
It was reassuring, the couple later told the Catholic Free Press, to know their son was being watched over.
And it wasn’t the only moment from the trip to Vatican City the Masi-
ellos hold close to their hearts.
“Where we were sitting, the frontrow seats, there was a railing. I went back the next day and I looked all over, and I couldn’t find any letters on the ground. Right in front of my wife’s chair, we looked down on the ground.
There was old, yellow paint, and there were my wife’s initials — A.M.,” said Frank. “There was nothing else that had any initials on the ground, but there were our letters.”
Jorge Mario Bergoglio, or Pope Francis, was introduced on March 13, 2013, as the 266th pope. He was the first
As everybody else says, he was a ‘people pope’.
Frank Masiello
Latin American pontiff, and known for his large heart. He made his last public appearance on Easter Sunday — a day before his death — to bless thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square, drawing wild cheers and applause, according to the Associated Press.
On May 8, Cardinal Robert Prevost, a Chicago native who most recently served as Prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Bishops, was elected as Pope Francis’ successor. The first American pope in history, he will be known as Pope Leo XIV.
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Frank Masiello and his wife, Ann, of Shrewsbury met Pope Francis during a trip to the Vatican City in 2018. (Photo/Courtesy)
He’s from Lynn, what can he say?
Singer-songwriter Don White keeps audiences laughing
By nAnce eBert contriButing Writer
LYNN – Rarely has a musician gotten as much mileage out of poking fun at his hometown as singer-songwriter Don White, a Lynn native. His song “I’m From Lynn, What Can I Say?” has been cracking up audiences since the 1990s, whether they heard it at one of his frequent live performances, on one of his albums, or on a local radio station. And while White good-naturedly lampoons various aspects of Lynn, rhapsodizing about its plethora of sub shops and juvenile delinquents running amok, the more upscale North Shore towns of Nahant, Swampscott, and Marblehead don’t escape his razor wit either.
But White is much more than a one-hit folk singing wonder. Also known as a teacher, author, comedian, humorist, and storyteller, he has been winning over crowds far and wide for more than five decades.
Early interest in language
“Growing up in Lynn, Massachusetts, in a working-class city, the career path I chose was unlikely as far as my bloodline was concerned,” said White, whose father was a 30-year employee at the Lynn General Electric aircraft engine plant. “As a kid, I enjoyed being alone and liked to read and write. I didn’t really have a path to follow that I could see. I was very interested in language and later music, comedy and storytelling.”
One of his first gigs was in Lynn at a small coffeehouse in the mid-1970s where he was asked back several times. He soon got married and he and his wife hitchhiked over 60,000 miles in three years around North America, starting around 1975. They got hopelessly addicted to hitchhiking and traveled as far away as California, Alaska and Newfoundland. He emphasized how this trip was a true adventure that had a profound impact on him.
“We truly embraced the experience and the kindness of strangers.
When we returned after three years, we weren’t the same people we were when we left,” he noted. “During the COVID pandemic, I wrote a book titled, ‘The Hitchhiking Years and 4 Other Stories’ about our experience and how it shaped us into being something completely different.”
White began spending time in Cambridge, going to see music and comedy shows at Club Passim and other venues. He started developing a vast understanding of people who were creating interesting music. Some of them from the 1940s and 1950s were still alive and performing so he would go and see them when they passed through the Boston area.
“Some of the people that Woodie Guthrie hung around with were still touring, so I went everywhere to see them and learn. I started playing at the Old Vienna Kaffeehaus in Westborough and began to build a fan base,” he explained. “I first went to the open mics and Tim Mason, who ran the place, let me open for other performers. I built my audience from that.”
Transition to more comedy
More gigs followed and White found himself at the Catch a Rising Star nightclub in Cambridge doing more comedy. He played a host role and went from performing as a folk singer to comedy and transitioned seamlessly between the two. It was not uncommon to perform nine shows in five days. He would watch the headliner
Don White recently published a book that recounts his three-year odyssey of hitchhiking around North America during the 1970s. (Photos/Submitted)
do all nine shows and took away a new skill set and implemented it into his own folk music. He said he recognized then that he possessed comedic talent.
“Everyone that stands on a stage and is looking out to an audience suffers from the same disease and that is ‘I have something to say,’” said White. He also became interested in poets and was truly fascinated by how untethered they were. “These people weren’t funny and didn’t have music. With a comedian you must get laughs and with music you have to sing,” he
A trip to the National Storytelling Festival in 2015 in Tennessee was lifechanging for him, says Don White, in terms of determining his next career direction.
Don White built his audience and fan base as a singer-songwriter at the Old Vienna Kaffeehaus in Westborough.
explained.
“With poetry, you can sing if you want to, rhyme if you felt like it or you could run through the crowd,” White explained. “Each week, I would work my day job and then go into Cambridge and go to any show I wanted to at Catch a Rising Star for comedy or I would go to the Old Vienna Kaffeehaus in Westborough for music. I just learned and absorbed as much as I could from all three art forms.”
White created a show where he included equal parts of comedy, poetry and singing. This is when his career truly took off and he never looked back. The only negative thing he said is that he doesn’t know what to call it. The positive thing is that if the audience likes it, they have to come to him to see it done as he said he is one of the only local artists who does this.
Storytelling as an art form “I never realized there was a whole world with adult storytelling. I fell into it organically and I ended up trav-
eling down to Tennessee for The National Storytelling Festival in 2015,” he recalled. “My agent, David Tamulevich, who was also Peter Yarrow’s agent (from Peter, Paul and Mary) got me this gig. There were upwards of 20,000 people converging on this town to participate. I got eleven other festivals out of this one and, for me, this was life changing,” said White.
He says he didn’t pursue the business. He pursued the art form and generated a brand-new audience in his fifties. He credits Tim Mason, from the Old Vienna Kaffeehaus, to starting his career. He continues to teach and perform. In addition to his two published books, he has eleven CDs and three DVDs.
“What guy from Lynn, Massachusetts can say that they’ve had such a rich, interesting, weird and blessed life?” said White.
Listen to a live performance of Don White singing “I’m From Lynn, What Can I Say”: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=2D8_F-_2mmk.
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By shAron oliver contriButing Writer
BOSTON – Oftentimes, people say things without ever knowing why or how it all started. The slang term “wicked,” for example, as an intensifier, has been uttered from the tongues of Bostonians for at least nine decades. Origins of its regionalism range from Salem (witch trials) to a former Boston mayor and even the slang’s meaning seemed to once differ.
In 1927, an advertisement for Listerine claiming the product can treat a “wicked cold” was placed in The Boston Globe. In 1936, a Globe writer complained about a “wicked cold morning,” but two years earlier, a source jubilantly shared with another Boston Globe reporter that he had gotten a “wicked good price” for plots of land.
Multitude of uses
Over time, “wicked” became synonymous with the words “very” or “extreme.” One myth surrounding the word centers around former Boston Mayor James Michael Curley, who served four terms as mayor and spent time in prison for mail fraud during one of them. Curley ran for U.S. House
of Representatives in 1942 but his affair with “The Wizard of Oz” Wicked Witch of the West actress Margaret Hamilton stalled his campaign. After he broke off the affair, Cardinal William Henry O’Connell of the Boston archdiocese proclaimed: “Our wicked man has become wicked good!” Despite Curley’s indiscretions, he was a popular political figure.
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In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1920 debut novel “This Side of Paradise,” the prolific author writes, “You two order; Phoebe and I are going to shake a wicked calf.” From the 1960s onward, the word has shown up in various ways. In 1960, a reporter referred to a “wicked hot sauce.” In 1966 there was an ad calling the diet 7-Up drink “wicked cool” and the word steadily made its way into the business sector.
Everyone loves to watch the Super Bowl commercials and in 2020, Massachusetts natives Rachel Dratch, Chris Evans, John Krasinski and even Boston Red Sox David Ortiz introduced many to the slang in an ad for Hyundai. The spot opens with Dratch and Evans standing outside watching a man seeming to struggle with parking, only to see the driver of the new Sonata is Krasinski. What follows is their true thick accent.
“Look at these two troublemakahs,” the former “Office” star says.
“Wicked cah. Is that new?” Dratch says.
“Oh, you’re not fitting your cah in there,” Evans warns.
“Look who’s got Smaht Pahk,” Krasinski declares as he steps out of the car, while Dratch and Evans look
apartments
on as the vehicle eases into the spot on its own.
“Hey, he can’t pahk there!” he shouts, doing his best Boston accent.
“He’s got Smaht Pahk,” Dratch says.
“Wicked smaht,” Ortiz says.
Before being traded to the Memphis Grizzlies, former Celtics player Marcus Smart lent his name and unveiled his brand new cereal Wicked Smarts in front of a packed house at Boston Collegiate Charter School in Dorchester. A portion of the sales will benefit his foundation, The Young Game Changer Foundation.
Varied opinions Folks have shared for years their take, explanation, Boston dialect and all things Boston on social media platforms such as YouTube, including Illinois native “SNL” alum Seth Meyers giving his own hilarious interpretations.
TheAtl198 explained:
“We don’t say “wicked” in Boston as a whole description. It’s always “wicked funny,” “wicked cool” etc. They ALWAYS get this wrong. I was born here and have lived here all my
Friday,
One myth surrounding the origin of the slang term “wicked” centers around former Boston Mayor James Michael Curley.
By shAron oliver contriButing Writer
BOSTON – During the late 1950s, African American records had no real home on Boston radio. WCOP tried to answer the call to play R&B music, but the powers-that-be nixed the idea. That would soon change. Acting on a tip, Fred “Skippy White” LeBlanc approached WILD AM 1090 with a proposal, if he were allowed to DJ. The Waltham native took a big risk proposing something other than continuing to fill the airwaves with Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra melodies but his passion for R&B music was deep.
The legendary radio personality, concert promoter, record store owner and producer/manager of local artists would go on to say he got hooked on the genre after listening to “Crying in the Chapel” by the Orioles on the radio in 1953. From 1957 to 1960, White worked at the only Boston store that sold R&B records, Jack’s College Music Shop, where he began his record collection and started a side business as a distributor.
Influx of Southern migrants
Around this time, an influx of Southern African Americans had migrated
Wicked | from page 6
life. I would never call something just “wicked.’”
Bridgitcro added:
“I live in Newton and only my grandparents and older relatives said wicked, until I met my friend who said
to the Boston area, bringing with them an interest in a sound that had already caught White’s attention. The first station he reached out to opted to completely go off the air at night rather
a show was “wicked good” and I was astonished.”
“Wicked” apparently is too good to be limited to Boston nowadays. According to the website Wordtips, it’s now the second most popular slang term in the United States.
Skippy White, Boston’s famed R&B impresario, owned a chain of music stores for nearly 60 years, a record label, and began working as a DJ at radio station WILD AM 1090 in 1961.
(Photo/ Courtesy of Yep Roc Records)
in it all.
White paid close attention to finding breakout records to play on his show, avidly read music magazines like Billboard and Cash Box, sold tickets to shows for artists like Bobby Blue Bland, Little Johnny Taylor and Otis Redding, who he was instrumental in bringing to Boston for the first time. White’s reputation and record selection in his stores drew attention from locals and heavy hitters in the world of music. Bootsy Collins, B.B. King and Bobby Blue Bland would drop by. Van Morrison would hang out and listen to tracks. Local artists even came to play their own songs for White in the back of the store. If he liked it, the song would get recorded and released.
than give him a slot to highlight soul and gospel music. On the other hand, WILD was not faring so well with its “elevator music.” The owner, Nelson Noble, told White if he could find four sponsors he could have a two-hour show. White not only had no experience working as a disc jockey but he picked up three sponsors almost immediately and became his own (fourth) sponsor.
White rented a space to operate as his first record store, Skippy White’s Mass Records – The Home of the Blues, where he sold his collection of oldies that were purchased wholesale. Suddenly, a new era in radio was born in Boston as the demand for a different flavor in the ear increased with White and WILD 1090 playing a crucial part
The go-to-source Skippy White created his own record label imprints for specific genres — Bluestown for blues, Silver Cross for gospel, STOP for doo-wop and WILD for soul. If anyone wanted to know about upcoming concerts and community related information, WILD 1090 was the go-to source. The station gained popularity after embracing genres like R&B, soul, and funk which were neglected by other outlets. Their ability to bring R&B and soul acts like Luther Vandross and Parliament was unmatched and quite profitable for the city. Concert promoters would contact the station to get word out about an artist.
Boston Magazine voted WILD’s morning show “Best in Boston” in 1985. By 2000, WILD had become part of a corporate radio media conglomerate and lost its local ownership. Controlled by outside interests, it also lost its former identity, beloved personalities and the sense of community Skippy White helped to foster with its loyal listeners for decades.
Friendly’s has a long history of serving food and fun
By shAron oliver contriButing Writer
SPRINGFIELD – Established in 1935 by brothers Stewart “Prestley” and Curtis Blake, Friendly’s family restaurant and ice cream is one of those success stories whose roots sprouted during the Great Depression. At the time, Prestley, 20, and Curtis, 18, had difficulty finding jobs, so their mother suggested they read about this new freezer technology and go into business for themselves.
With $547 borrowed from their parents, the brothers sold double-dip ice cream cones for five cents each. This was half the cost their competition charged. The brothers earned $27.61 on opening day at their Springfield shop, the equivalent of $529.48 today. Not long afterwards, people were lining up to buy Friendly Ice Cream.
Demand increases
After demand for their ice cream increased, the Blake brothers opened a second location five years later with a menu that introduced their signature Friendly burger, served with bread instead of a roll. The following year,
they added a sundae dubbed the One Dandy Split. However, to assist in the World War II effort, Friendly’s closed operations in 1943 but with a promise to reopen. Placards which read “When we win the war” were posted in the buildings’ windows and the restau-
rant reopened in 1945 after the war ended. By 1951, there were 10 Friendly’s operating in Western Massachusetts and Connecticut.
As for how the family business got its name, Prestley Blake said it was his younger brother Curtis who came up
2
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During its heyday, the Friendly’s restaurant chain, launched in Springfield in 1935, had 850 restaurants across the country. (Photo/Wikimedia Commons)
with the name, stating in his autobiography, “We were two friendly guys and we wanted our little store to be a friendly place.” Unfortunately, going into business with family or friends can sometimes come at a price. The two siblings began fighting
Sponsored by Chief Joseph Robert J. Terkanian,
over the direction of the business. Curtis thought Prestley was too cautious about spending and stifling the company’s growth. Their dispute, in large part, was the reason for their decision to sell the company to Hershey’s in 1979 for $164 million and less than 10 years later, Hershey’s sold it for a great deal more.
Decline in 1990s
For decades, the chain was known as Friendly, but by the late 1980s, the name was changed to Friendly’s and the company began selling ice cream in supermarkets. By the late 1990s, the company began to flounder, motivating a saddened Prestley to buy up shares. In 2003, he filed a lawsuit against Friendly’s, claiming they misused company funds. The action caused another rift between the brothers with Curtis having said, “My brother forgot we sold the company.”
During its heyday, there were 850 Friendly’s restaurants in the U.S. Now, there are less than 150 remaining offering a full food menu in addition to its signature ice cream. Friendly’s also holds the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest ice cream party which was held during the restaurant’s 78th birthday in 2013. There were 794 guests in attendance including 98-year-old co-founder Prestley Blake. Although
Friendly’s also holds the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest ice cream party which was held during the restaurant’s 78th birthday in 2013. There were 794 guests in attendance including 98-year-old co-founder Prestley Blake.
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Friendly’s started out as an ice cream parlor, their best-selling menu item is its Honey BBQ Chicken Melt, according to People magazine. The menu has a touch of whimsy, with its signature frappe called the Fribble, which was previously known as the Awful Awful, for “awful big, awful good.” One suspects the marketing department decided the previous name probably wasn’t helping sales.
In 2011, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. According to Forbes, “The company cited general economic malaise, rents above current fair market rates, and the increased cost of commodities, specifically cream, as the primary reasons for this action.” In 2020, Friendly’s announced it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy again as a result of the “catastrophic impact of COVID-19.”
Legacy in education
Curtis Blake died in 2019 at the age of 102 and Prestley Blake passed away in 2021 at the age of 106. Prestley’s autobiography, published a decade earlier in 2011, was called “A Friendly Life.” The S. Prestley Blake Law Center of Western New England University’s School of Law is named after the Friendly’s co-founder, as is the Blake Student Center at Northfield Mount Hermon School.
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It’s not a Red Sox game without Fenway Franks
By shAron oliver contriButing Writer
BOSTON
– It is believed that the cu linary iconic Fenway Franks were first sold not long after Fenway Park opened in 1912 and they have been hitting home runs ever since. Hot dogs and baseball go together hand in glove, but Fenway Franks are pow er hitters, and the history of exactly when it became so popular is not en tirely clear.
Baseball fans across the country knows America’s oldest baseball sta dium, Fenway Park, is home to our legendary Boston Red Sox and where the popular franks are sold like tickets to a game. Hot dog factory Colonial Provision Company had long provided hot dogs to Boston Red Sox fans until the company closed in the 1980s.
Chelsea-based company
Since 2009, the snack has been supplied by Chelsea-based Kayem Foods where the dog’s recipe was revamped just a tad but in keeping with their old-world food philosophy. The family-owned and operated company ran a series of taste tests for 30 different ver-
sions, resulting in a curveball of bold flavor thanks to Kayem’s concoction of premium cuts of beef, pork and spices. At the time, most employees were not even aware of the project. In that
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same year, Fenway Park also received a facelift with modernized facilities and signage.
Almost three million baseball fans trek to Fenway Park each year but no visit is complete without gobbling down a famous Fenway Frank, be it meat or vegan version. Unlike other ballpark hot dogs, which are normally steamed or grilled, Fenway Franks are boiled then slightly grilled, a method which allows the frank to retain its beloved juiciness and be served piping hot.
Of course, what comes next is the New England-style split top hot dog roll, setting the treat apart from all others. As for toppings such as a squirt or two of mustard, a heap of onions or packed with chunky relish, that is up to the consumer.
National celebration
It should be noted that National Hot Dog Day is celebrated in July with the earliest known celebration taking place in Alfred, New York in 1972. The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council in the United States designated July as National Hot Dog Month and National Hot Dog Day on the third Wednesday of July. However, it may vary since it is based on when the North American Meat Institute hosts its annual Hot Dog Lunch on Capitol Hill. National Hot Dog Day this year is on Wednesday, July 16, so you’ve got some time to plan your own celebration of this perennial American favorite.
This particular culinary experiment continues to evolve especially when it comes to hot dog pairings like pickled red cabbage, being presented on a pretzel bun or garnished with bacon.
Toppings vary around the United States
Here is an interesting look at how some other cities like to dress their dogs:
• Atlanta Dogs
Top with chili dog and vinaigrette-style deli coleslaw
• California Dog
Top with barbecue sauce, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, crumbled feta cheese, and black pepper
• Chicago-style Dog
Brush buns with butter and sprinkle with poppy seeds, top with yellow mustard, white onions, dill pickle spear (julienned for the mini), tomato, and Chicago-style relish (a mix of hot sport peppers and a dash of celery salt
• Denver Dog
Top with red onion, green chili salsa sauce, sour cream, and sliced jalapenos
• Kansas City-style Dog
Brush buns with butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds, top with brown mustard, sauerkraut, and melted Swiss cheese
• Seattle Dog
Spread cream cheese on warmed bun, top with cooked sweet onions, brown mustard, and optionally sauerkraut
• Texas Dog
Top with salsa, Monterey Jack cheese, sliced jalapenos, and optionally chili
Whether attending a Red Sox game or chilling at home grilling, New Englanders love to sink their teeth into a juicy stadium-ready Fenway Frank nestled inside a golden-brown bun.
Fenway Franks are almost as old as Boston’s iconic baseball park itself.
By sheAlAgh sullivAn contriButing Writer
SOUTHBOROUGH – David Joyner didn’t always know he could sing.
Holding a tune was one thing, he said. But performing? That was another story.
It wasn’t until 2019 when he was caroling for a work event that a coworker said he should join a choir — the Boston Pops Gospel Choir, to be specific. Joyner was hesitant. He said he could think of plenty of reasons why he couldn’t be up on stage, never mind audition.
It wasn’t until after the COVID-19 pandemic that the same coworker pressed him again. This time — with some encouragement — Joyner auditioned in March 2023.
At 61 years old, he was accepted into the Pops, his first-ever choir.
Member of several choirs
Now, the Southborough resident is an active member of several choirs, including the Joyful Voices of Inspiration (JVOI) and the Millennium Gospel Choir. He’s performed at Symphony Hall, the Museum of Fine Arts, and historic churches in Portugal. He will travel to Peru to sing in July.
“It feels like home when I sing with these choirs and sing this music,” Joyner said.
He rehearses several times a week, on top of working full-time at Bank of America, and also practices with a vocal coach.
“I love it so much that it doesn’t seem like work. It
seems it’s just as soon as I walk into a rehearsal space, I’m at home with my fellow choir mates,” Joyner said.
Since Joyner can’t read music, he learns primarily through listening. Over and over he’ll listen to his vocal track and rehearse until he has it down. For him, singing is more than just hitting the right notes – it’s about communicating a message to the audience.
“When we perform, the reactions we get from audiences are amazing. You get this high from it. … I almost don’t notice how much time I spend doing it,
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because I love it so much,” he said.
When he first started singing, Joyner said he didn’t quite have the confidence to audition for solos. Now, he’s shared his voice with people around the world.
Community involvement
Prior to joining choirs, Joyner was part of several Southborough town committees, including the Youth Commission and the Community Preservation Committee. He’s still involved locally with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
He also recently joined a band in Southborough, thanks to his neighbor. While their name has yet to be determined, the group sings everything from rock and soul to pop.
While gospel music has been his niche, it wasn’t a genre he grew up with. Joyner was raised Catholic, and didn’t feel the same connection to the music in services as he does now.
“I think the music kind of speaks to you spiritually,” he said.
“I listen to what I’m singing and listen to what we sing as a choir, and then see how people react to it … and people just are on their feet, just experiencing it, you can see the music kind of going through them,” he added.
But for Joyner, it’s all about community. From his fellow choir members to his daughter, who is pursuing singing professionally, his journey with music hasn’t been one he’s made by himself.
“You don’t do this kind of stuff alone. You do it as part of a community,” Joyner said.
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David Joyner performs at the annual Millennium Gospel Choir concert at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. (Photo/Courtesy of David Joyner)
Nothing sweeter than the neighborhood penny candy store
By shAron oliver contriButing Writer
REGION – What was conceived by the F. W. Woolworth Company in 1879 grew into a sweet tooth delight that continues to exist today. The penny candy. Following Woolworth’s lead, small candy shops and general stores also began selling individually wrapped pieces of candy at ridiculously low prices. However, more people could probably recall their neighborhood mom and pop candy store with its barrels, cases and large glass or plastic containers stuffed with bright candies, or those large mouthwatering Jack’s cookies. Oftentimes, these treats did not survive long enough to be packed inside a child’s metal lunchbox for school the next day.
Woolworth’s theory as told to The Saturday Evening Post: “I don’t pretend to know much about the candy business, but, in my opinion, if you want to make a big success of candy, put it in brass trays and put it up near the door, so that people can be reminded of it as they are passing out and take some home to the children.”
Mom and pop candy stores
Entrepreneurs took note of the concept, and opened neighborhood mom and pop shops, which were often housed in some attachment to the home and started selling candy necklaces, Smarties, Bit-O-Honey, Pixie Stix, Bazooka bubble gum and other sweets. Unfortunately, most of
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these shops are long gone largely due to zoning laws. Kids today will never know the excitement of running home with brown paper bags filled with colorful, edible confections from the corner store.
Massachusetts has its fair share of stores that have tapped into the nostalgia. The 1856 General Store in Centerville is one example. Aside from a large selection of candies, the store also sells candles, jams and relishes, old-fashioned toys, along with Cape Shore soaps and home fragrances and other trinkets. Kandy Korner in Hyannis is known for their homemade taffies. The Penny Candy Store in Sharon has an impressive selection of old-fashioned candies.
Acton native and Hollywood star Steve Carell got in on the niche in 2008 when a longtime neighborhood general store in Marshfield went up for sale. Carell and his wife Nancy bought the Marshfield Hills General Store which is often frequented by Aerosmith’s Steve Tyler. In a 2020 interview with The Things, Carell said: “I grew up in Acton, and there was a general store in Sutton that we always went to. It went out of business, as many of them do, and I just wanted to keep this operating as a general store.”
Childhood memories
Surely a short trip down memory lane will stir up recollections of various neighborhood penny candy stores along with their friendly owners. These mom-and-pop shops were more than a place to
Bazooka bubble gum, with its tiny Bazooka Joe comic strip included inside the wrapper, was a staple item at most neighborhood candy stores. (Photo/Wikimedia Commons)
buy sweets. They were the center of a child’s universe where jars and bins were stocked to the brim with treasures. It was a thriving family-owned small business. Today, the cost of these candies is no longer a penny and can be purchased in bulk online.
Unlike some of the larger brick and mortar candy stores, which can seem overwhelming, the neighborhood candy shop represented a simpler time where kids could safely go to on their own and had a neighbor-like
relationship with the store’s proprietor. In a way, they were an economic lesson, teaching kids to set aside part of their allowance for a bag of goodies like wax bottles with colored sugar water and maybe a comic book as well. It sometimes served as a community space where adults would gather and hold a conversation with the owner.
Next to chasing down the ice truck, the corner candy store is a top favorite childhood memory for many people.
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Going far with friends
By MAriAnne lyons Delorey, Ph.D.
If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with a friend.
~ African Proverb
I have often found it easier to relate to people who were not my agemates. As a child, I often visited elderly neighbors (granted, they offered candy), and around the table at family events, I often sat with my aunts instead of playing with my cousins. I have always been social, but I remain somewhat hesitant with my peers and having friends who were either older or younger has offered me a bit of respite from my awkwardness.
There is little doubt about the health benefits of friendships. There is even some evidence now about how friendships affect the human body.
But why intergenerational friendship? What does that have to offer? Well, in addition to all the great benefits of a typical friendship, an intergenerational friendship offers:
1. Perspective – Perspective can come as a result of history or lived experiences. It is my experience that it is very easy to get caught up in the minutia of your life. Worrying about what to make for dinner or how to stand up to the office bully takes a lot of brain power. When we step outside our day-to-day lives, we can more easily see that some problems are just not that big. When you have an older friend who just beat cancer, or when your younger friend just got into college, the problems we believe are huge are softened.
2. Continuity and connection – having friends from other generations in my life has offered me the chance to see how I am connected to the past and the future. My high school social studies teacher became a friend after I graduated. Being her friend gave me a stronger connection to my high school, but also to teaching as a profession and the history of the town in which I grew up.
3. Playing the odds – In the same way that we are always advised not to put all your eggs in one basket, having friends of multiple generations offers us the chance to set ourselves up for success. I have heard many older people bemoan how difficult it is to lose all their friends. If they invest in some younger friends, it is less likely they will outlive them all.
After my father passed in 1999, I was always so impressed that his best friend, my godfather, continued to call and check in on my family. I was busy making my own life, but Uncle Luke stayed in my life, although mostly at the periphery. Over the past few years, not only has he been calling, but he has been asking me to come meet him for dinner. We meet once every other month or so.
An aunt recently commented that it was so kind of me to come halfway across the state to meet him, but really, the benefits far outweigh the inconvenience of traffic. Because of Uncle Luke, I have learned:
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• Perspective – I love hearing his stories bout growing up during and after WWII. Did you know that during WWII we had an internment camp in Boston?
• Connection – I learned from Luke what my father’s life was like growing up and how all the Roxbury friends came to be family.
• Better odds – It is easy to see that Luke has better odds with me as a friend as I am much less likely to die before him, but it is also true that I have better odds now. Being close to him gives me the chance to survive longer because of the psychological and physiological benefits of our friendship.
So my advice is to find yourself a new friend. I understand it is not that easy, but to get a friend, be a friend. Connect with someone who needs help and create a long lasting relationship that benefits you both. You will both go farther.
Marianne Lyons Delorey, Ph.D. is the executive director of Colony Retirement Homes. She can be reached at 508-755-0444 or mdelorey@colonyretirement.com and www.colonyretirementhomes.com
The library that saved my summer
By JAnice linDsAy contriButing Writer
You might think that a baby couldn’t cry throughout the whole car ride from Massachusetts to New Jersey, but that seemed to be baby Andrew’s intent as we set out on that warm summer morning.
We included my sister, 14, our three brothers under five, and me, 16, sandwiched into the back seat. Our parents sat in the front with Andrew, three months old and bawling.
We planned to stay in a small New Jersey town for three weeks while Dad attended a job-related program in Philadelphia. I don’t know if Dad had said, “I would like you all with me” or whether Mom had said, “You’re not leaving me alone for three weeks with six kids.” But away we went, aiming for a house they had rented, sight unseen.
We found that we could calm little Andrew only if we sang. You might think that two grown-ups and two teens couldn’t sing all the way to New Jersey, but sing we did except for the rare blissful minutes when the little one slept.
We arrived to find the house pleasant and mod-
ern, but dirty, dust everywhere, grime in the kitchen, with the overriding odor of rotten eggs. A previous tenant had left eggs boiling on the stove, but the water had boiled away before the eggs were cooked and the mess sat there, smelly, in a ruined pan. Mom said, “We’ll stay the night and go home tomorrow.”
But we didn’t. The next morning, we settled Andrew and Douglas, age 20 months, into the baby carriage, marched to the hardware store, bought cleaning supplies, and set about scrubbing.
Andrew made it clear that he was not going to break his crying record. He wanted only to be home, and we weren’t. Fortunately, we didn’t have to sing for three weeks because we discovered that he could be comforted if we put him in the baby carriage and jiggled the carriage, which had springs and could be rocked, in a fashion, back and forth. So we planned to jiggle him for three weeks, unless he was eating, being entertained, or asleep.
Here’s where the library came in.
On our trip to the hardware store, I discovered to my great joy that the very next house to ours was the town library. I’ve loved to read ever since I learned how. I had secured a library card as soon as I was old enough. Wherever I’ve lived, I’ve been a library patron. As a teen, I spent my summers reading.
I couldn’t pack many books to take to New Jersey. I was prepared for three book-deprived weeks.
I was a shy person. It took a great deal of courage, but when the cleaning was done, I forced myself to go the library. I threw myself on the mercy of the librarian, a kind, thin, gray-haired, book-loving lady who sympathized when I explained my situation. As a three-week resident, I wasn’t entitled to a library card. But she let me borrow books anyway.
There I was, happy with books. And there was baby Andrew, unhappy, who needed to be jiggled. Sometimes in universe, things click, like two Lego pieces fitting together.
I could stretch out on the couch, with one foot resting on the carriage, jiggling back and forth, back and forth, while I read one book after another.
That is how the library saved my summer. And Andrew’s.
At the end of the three weeks, we drove home, singing.
The very second that Mom placed Andrew in his own crib in his own room, he stopped crying. Home at last.
I went to the library.
Contact jlindsay@tidewater.net.
SUPER CROSSWORD PUZZLE
Witness protection program didn’t save Joseph ‘The Animal’ Barboza
By shAron oliver contriButing Writer
REGION – New England’s long and sordid history of organized crime is well documented and with its most notorious figure arguably being James Joseph “Whitey” Bulger Jr. of South Boston. Of course, he was not alone when it came to striking fear in the hearts of the innocent and not so innocent. Mafia hitman Joseph “The Animal” Barboza, with his bloody reign during the 1960s, was another such character.
Enforcer for Mafia
Born in New Bedford in 1932, Barboza was of Portuguese descent but longed to be part of the Italian-leaning La Costa Nostra crime family. Although he was never formally accepted, he proved his mettle for violence which was good enough to become an enforcer for Raymond Patriarca’s Providence, R.I. Mafia family around 1961. In 1970, Barboza admitted to stabbing men in the face, legs, arms and chest. No body part was safe from his wrath and his body count of 26 played a major role in the Patriarca crime family’s ability to dominate gambling and loan sharking during the 1960s mob wars.
After Barboza was arrested in 1966 on gun charges, the relationship between the hitman and Patriarca took a dramatic turn. The mob boss refused to post bail and dared to kill anyone who would do so. The FBI seized upon the chance to turn Barboza against his boss and offered him immunity and a new identity in Santa Rosa, California in exchange for information on Patriarca. Barboza’s testimony led to Patriarca being sentenced to 10 years in prison, along with the incarceration of six mobsters for murders. Even though the FBI soon learned Barboza lied about the six associates, the deal was sealed, and the former boxer and hitman even got a culinary job.
Witness protection program
In 1963, Joe Valachi sort of became the inspiration behind creating a program to protect witnesses after his participation in turning on Mafia criminals
in exchange for safety in prison. However, Barboza is widely considered to be the first person in American history to go into the witness protection program (WITSEC). Unfortunately for him, the mob was not willing to forgive or forget despite protective measures and Barboza’s old habits were hard to break.
In 1970, he met a small-time crook named Clayton Rickey Wilson who confided in Barboza about money and other valuables he had stolen during burglaries. According to Paulette Ramos, a 19-year-old friend of Wilson and his wife Dee, Barboza got into an argument with Wilson. He shot and killed Wilson, buried him in a shallow grave, covered it with a tree stump and frightened the two women into keeping their mouths shut.
Much to the dismay of the FBI, their favorite snitch was arrested again. Nevertheless, Barboza was pleased to be back in the spotlight and went so far as to make claims about having information about singer Frank Sinatra’s partnership with the mob at a Massachusetts racetrack. Although Barboza would admit before a congressional crime
Joseph “The Animal” Barboza went from being a Mafia hitman to the first person in the witness protection program, but his former associates eventually tracked him down and killed him.
committee it was just a rumor he had heard, the damage had already been done. Newspapers across the nation ran headlines like “Sinatra Linked to Mafia” and the livid singer demanded to speak to Congress. “I am not a second-class citizen. Let’s make that clear. How do you repair the damage that has been done to my reputation by a second-class punk?” Sinatra raged.
Killed in California
Luck ran out for Barboza in 1976 in San Francisco when two men in a white van fired four shots while he was walking to his car. The Animal was dead. Patriarca, who had been released from prison in 1974 once said his former henchman was, “A nut cake who would lie or say anything to stay out of prison and would even sell his own mother.”
Raymond Patriarca died of natural causes in 1984. Barboza was laid to rest in Dartmouth, not far from his hometown of New Bedford.
By shAron oliver contriButing Writer
REGION – Before adults started equipping their homes with game consoles to appease the high-tech video game appetite of kids young and old, arcades were once the place to be. Moreover, they still can be a place to visit for a family or friends outing while enjoying some healthy competition.
The golden age of arcade games really took off from that late 1970s into the 1980s, especially after the widespread critical and commercial success of the yellow dot-eating Pac-Man. Arcade games even influenced the movie industry during this time with films like 1983’s “War Games” and “Terminator 2: Judgement Day” where a young John Connor is seen at an arcade playing a video game.
Currently, Xbox may dominate the world of gaming with all its AI-generated images, but it does not compare to a darkish-like atmosphere in a room filled with vintage pinball machines, crank reels and vintage games.
From a bygone era
Salem Willows offers visitors such an experience, including a jukebox full of musical monkeys or to be drawn into an era of long ago with a mutoscope. Just crank the handle to watch a quick story like a film reel as photo cards flip over and over. A few people took time out to share their memories on Facebook.
Joanne Gerber wrote:
“My dad would pick me up and put me on his shoulders so I could see the monkey band. Fond memories.”
Michelle Muise added:
“I’ve been going to Salem Willows since I was a child and Pepe the Clown, and those monkeys were and still are my favorites.”
Other arcades within Massachusetts
Fortunately, there are several arcades scattered throughout the state designed to bring out one’s inner child. Salem is also home to Bit Bar which is located in the town’s former jail at 50 Saint Peter Street. Patrons not only have a selection of 35 arcade games to choose from, but they can also grab a bite to eat or drink before returning to a game
of Centipede, Mortal Kombat II or Donkey Kong.
Cambridge’s A4cade is a speakeasy style arcade bar located in Central Square with all types of games available including Skee-Ball. There is also a live DJ present and space to host private events. Xtreme Craze family entertainment center in Woburn offers real laser tag team gaming, numerous interactive video games and an inflatable air park for the younger generation
Gametime Lanes and Entertainment in Amesbury has a sports lounge featuring a 70-foot display, an entertainment center with over 50 games, axe throwing, and candlepin bowling. Joe’s Playland in Salisbury Beach has a great collection of classic and modern games with everything from Wizard of Oz to pinball and Skee-Ball. This New England arcade also has a seafood counter and a bar stand.
Game Underground is a popular arcade and entertainment center in Waltham where folks go to revive childhood memories thanks to their array of vintage video games. Free Play in downtown Worcester is the
Arcade | 19
The Donkey Kong electronic arcade game debuted in the early 1980s.
By shAron oliver contriButing Writer
MARTHA’S VINEYARD – Fifty years ago, Steven Spielberg introduced the world to a man-eating great white shark that terrorized vacationers and residents of the idyllic Amity Island. It was a watershed moment in motion picture history and the world would forever question if it was ever safe to go into the water again.
Filmed on the island
The summer blockbuster “Jaws,” which is based on the Peter Benchley novel, was filmed mostly on Martha’s Vineyard and opened in theaters on June 20, 1975. In recognition of the milestone, the island will be hosting several events from June 19 to June 23, 2025 to celebrate the movie’s legacy. Visitors can enjoy everything from exclusive screenings, immersive sharkthemed experiences to a big after-party. Unfortunately, the session with Deputy Hendricks (played by Emmy Award-winning actor Jeffrey Kramer in the film) sharing behind-the-scenes stories has already sold out.
One of the first things fans of the movie will always remember is the hauntingly iconic “dun, dun, dun, dun” theme score composed by John Williams, for which he won a Grammy Award and Academy Award. It did not take long before moviegoers realized
The 1975 summer blockbuster film
“Jaws” celebrates its 50th anniversary this month.
the reason behind such suspenseful music. Something terrifying was in the water. “Jaws” was such a big hit that even some of funniest sketches on “Saturday Night Live” played off the film with Chevy Chase providing the voice of a “land shark.”
Problems on movie set
The opening shot for the film took place at South Beach in Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard. Also seen in the movie is the American Legion Memorial Bridge, commonly referred to as the “Jaws Bridge.” The Chappy Ferry that is used to transport visitors from Edgartown to Chappaquiddick Island is the same ferry seen in the “Jaws” scene where Mayor Vaughn adamantly told Chief Brody there was no danger in the water. As for where all the action took place, that would be Joseph Sylvia State Beach where swimmers can still brave the waters — minus the warning music.
Filming “Jaws” did not come without headaches or incidents. There were three mechanical sharks used for imaginary attacks and bloodshed scenes. All three were named Bruce and all three malfunctioned frequently due to the effects of salt water. During an interview with Rachel Ray, “Jaws” star Richard Dreyfuss said, “You could follow the progress of the film by the amount of radio mics there were all over the island, even if you didn’t care.
The boat is sinking, the boat is sinking,’ and I was on that boat.”
Plus, add in heavy rain and winds damaging camera equipment along with script and budget woes, coupled with a clash of personalities. Feuding between method actor Dreyfuss who played young marine biologist Matt Hooper and classically trained thespian Robert Shaw, the seasoned shark hunter Quint were inescapable and is etched in Hollywood lore.
Roy Scheider played Amity Island police chief Martin Brody in the 1975 film “Jaws.”
And you heard, ‘the shark is not working, the shark is not working.’ And the shark never worked.”
The actor continued, “Unbeknownst to all of us, we were the first film ever to try to be made on the real ocean. No film had ever done that. So, one day you heard this ‘the shark is working. Repeat, the shark is working.
According The Daily Jaws, Shaw, a known alcoholic, drank heavily between takes and poked fun at Dreyfuss, adding that “some scenes were completely unusable due to Shaw’s slurred speech or forgetting his lines.”
Multiple awards
“Jaws” went on to win three Academy Awards: one for Best Film Editing, Best Sound and Best Original Dramatic Score. It was also nominated for Best Picture but lost to Milos Forman’s “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” In celebration of the 50th anniversary, “Jaws” returns to theaters nationwide from August 29 to September 4. For a full schedule of events for the 50th anniversary of “Jaws” go to jaws50th.com.
Family-friendly resorts on Cape Cod are ideal for multi-gen reunions
By sAnDi BArrett contriButing Writer
REGION – Summer on Cape Cod is a time-honored tradition of generational family gatherings. Lazy summer days spent building sand castles, wave chasing, and beach walks enhance personal wellness. Warm summer nights are fueled with BBQ delicacies, bonfires, and s’mores create wonderful family memories.
While giant old Cape summer homes are becoming more difficult to rent, Cape Cod resorts are embracing the multi-gen, family-focused vibe on our coastal playground. Private rooms and suites for individual families make for a quiet space for napping children and resting grandparents. And when the time comes to gather, there are wonderful spaces for enjoying being together.
Following are three popular Cape Cod resorts that offer lots of toes-inthe-sand family fun.
Red Jacket Beach Resort
South Yarmouth
Perched on the banks of the Parker River with an oceanfront beach overlooking Nantucket Sound, the Red Jacket Beach Resort is the perfect spot for enjoying extended family fun. Wide lawns with room to run, lead to a soft sand beach where you can bask in a sunny summer day all within steps of your accommodations.
The heated outdoor and indoor pools offer additional swimming options. Daily morning yoga on the beach, outdoor recreation including pickleball courts (coming soon) and a half basketball court will keep everyone active. The onsite spa is the per-
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fect spot to relax and unwind. The variety of accommodations will suit your family needs. There are classic king suites, newly renovated units with two sets of alcove style, full-size bunk beds. Your large family group will love bonding in the vaca-
Bigelow Village – Rutland
Congregational Retirement –Melrose
Brookhaven Assisted Care – West Brookfield
Heywood Wakefield Commons – Gardner
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Colony Retirement – Worcester
Green Hill Towers – Worcester
Sherwood Village – Natick
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tion cottages. Some can sleep up to 12 guests and are dog-friendly.
The onsite dining offers a variety of delicious options or you can enjoy a full kitchen when booking the vacation cottages.
Visit Red Jackets Resorts for more
The Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club in Brewster offers a tour of the nearby oyster beds. (Photo/courtesy of Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club)
With a focus on family, fun, and fitness, Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club offers activities for every member of your multi-gen getaway. The iconic mansion harkens back to the property’s luxurious history.
Wellness programs are a key
component to your stay. Aqua Fit classes and Tai Chi join workout staples like yoga and cardio. The newly constructed infrared studio offers hot yoga and hot Pilates. Explore planned retreat programs like the upcoming Tides of Change retreat where guests learn techniques to embrace life’s transitions.
The private beach has all the amenities you need. Located along the Brewster Flats, the largest tidal flats in North America, guests have a unique opportunity to tour the oyster beds.
Arcade | from page 16 facility on site.
most extensive arcade bar in New England and has over 100 video games under its roof. Boston’s Versus themed arcade and bar combines 80s pop culture murals with modern amenities and offers retro-modern arcade games like Jurassic Park, NBA Jam and PacMan. There is also a restaurant and bar
If you are in the mood for a little nostalgia and looking for something to do then some of these venues may be worth a trip. Besides, this is one way to get off the couch, have a good time away from the house and maybe introduce the kids or grandkids to how it was originally done.
The tour offers a glimpse into the unique local oyster ecology. End your beach day with a private beach fire. Your personal attendant will take care of everything, including chairs, the fire, and all the fixings for s’mores.
Nine tennis courts, six new pickleball courts, tour bikes for the Cape Cod Rail Trail and fat tire beach bikes, five pools and an 18-hole Troon Privé golf course will keep everyone happy and busy.
Accommodations range from luxurious mansion rooms and spacious villas that sleep up to eight guests. To find out more about their family reunion getaways go to: https://www.oceanedge.com/
Wequassett Resort & Golf Club
Harwich
This year, Wequassett Resort & Golf Club celebrates its 100th anniversary. To ring in the centennial mark, the resort’s guest rooms have undergone a beautiful renovation. Tennis and pickleball courts, pool, Dive-In Movie nights, and s’mores on the beach bring families together to celebrate and connect.
The Children’s Center offers days filled with fun and exploration for five- to 12-year-old guests. A pirate ship playground, splash park, ball pit, and an outdoor amphitheater will engage and entertain.
The 18-hole Cape Cod National Golf Club offers guests an opportunity to play this exceptional course. Hackers and duffers alike will love the verdant greens and fairways punctuated by beautiful views.
Accommodations from lavish suites and Cape Codstyles cottages that sleep up to six guests are your summer getaway stay. The iconic Mother Goose accommodations is a private home that sleeps up to six guests and is a fun way to enjoy a home away from home.
To book your luxurious Wequassett family summer vacation go to https://wequassett.com/.
The Red Jacket Beach Resort in South Yarmouth allows you to enjoy a sunny summer beach day all within steps of your accommodations. (Photo/Sandi Barrett)
Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club in Brewster has bikes to enjoy the nearby Cape Cod Rail Trail. (Photo/Sandi Barrett)
