Fifty Plus Advocate JUL 2021_CENTRAL

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Vol. 48 | No. 7 | July 2021

Mother and son to run 125th Boston Marathon page

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‘I still question authority’ Revere teacher turns her punk rock youth into life lessons

By Brett Peruzzi Associate Editor REVERE - Nancy Barile teaches English to some tough kids at Revere High School, but she’s not easily shocked or intimidated. The award-winning educator and Revere resident shed her Catholic school girl roots to become a punk rocker in her late teens. By her early twenties, she was also managing

a band called the Sadistic Exploits and organizing and promoting concerts by major hardcore punk bands like Black Flag and Minor Threat. With her spiky blonde hair and heavy eyeliner, black leather jacket adorned with the names of her favorite bands, torn jeans and tattered sneakers, she had come a long way from her cheerleading and Girl Scout days.

Revere teacher | 6

Nancy Barile today, left, and right, at the infamous New York City punk club CBGB in 1981.

PHOTO/JENNIFER CIMINO PHOTO COURTESY OF ALLISON SCHNACKENBERG

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New AARP analysis shows Massachusetts COVID cases and deaths continue to decline in nursing homes; chronic problems remain

By Mike Festa, State Director AARP Massachusetts

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he latest release of AARP’s Nursing Home COVID-19 Dashboard shows that both cases and deaths in Bay State nursing homes declined in the four weeks ending April 18, 2021. Although these rates are improving, chronic problems in nursing homes revealed during the COVID-19 pandemic continue.

A new dashboard measure on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) shows 1.1% of nursing homes in Massachusetts had an urgent need for PPE in the four-week period ending April 18. Well over a year into the pandemic, this is unacceptable.

Deaths of nursing home residents in Massachusetts continue to decrease from what they were in the previous period, dropping from a rate of .10 to .05 per 100 residents.

Mike Festa New infections among residents and staff also declined.

Resident case rates went from .34 to .2 per 100 residents, and new staff cases declined from 49 to 7 per 100 residents.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light the chronic, ongoing problems that have plagued nursing homes for decades, including staffing shortages, poor infection control, transparency, and accountability. Following the COVID-related deaths of more than 9000 nursing home residents and staff in Massachusetts, now is the time to address these challenges that jeopardize the health and safety of nursing home residents.

AARP continues to urge elected officials to act immediately, focusing this year on: • Enacting or making permanent the components of AARP’s five-point plan - Prioritizing regular and ongoing testing and adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) for residents and staff—as well as inspectors and any visitors.

- Improving transparency focused on daily public reporting of cases and deaths in facilities; communication with families about discharges and transfers; and accountability for state and federal funding that goes to facilities.

- Ensuring access to in-person visitation following federal and state guidelines for safety and requiring continued access to virtual visitation for all residents.

- Ensuring quality care for residents through adequate staffing, oversight, and access to in-person formal advocates, called long-term care Ombudsman.

- Rejecting immunity for long-term care facilities related to COVID-19.

• Establishing minimum nursing staffing standards • Ensuring progress is made so that in-person visitation can safely occur and facilitating virtual visitation • Creating a pathway for single occupancy rooms in nursing homes The AARP Nursing Home COVID-19 Dashboard analyzes federally reported data in four-week periods going back to June 1, 2020. Using this data, the AARP Public Policy Institute, in collaboration with the Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University in Ohio, created the dashboard to provide snapshots of the virus’ infiltration into nursing homes and impact on nursing home residents and staff, to identify specific areas of concern at the national and state levels in a timely manner.

The complete Nursing Home COVID-19 Dashboard is available at www. aarp.org/nursinghomedashboard. For more information on how COVID is impacting nursing homes and AARP’s advocacy on this issue, visit www.aarp.org/ nursinghomes.

Deaths of nursing home residents in Massachusetts continue to decrease from what they were in the previous period, dropping from a rate of .10 to .05 per 100 residents.

Mike Festa is the State Director for AARP Massachusetts. For more articles visit www.fiftyplusadvocate.com.

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Husband-wife dentist team keeps you smiling with cosmetic dentistry services

By Liz Nolan Contributing Writer NORTHBOROUGH - There’s a lot to smile about as the COVID-19 restrictions are finally lifted. The husband-wife dentist team of Dr. Nikhil Levana and Dr. Archana Karkhanis-Lavana own Family Dental Group. They have offices in Northborough, Paxton and Gardner, and want to help you get your teeth and smile back in shape for the upcoming summer.

Dr. Karkhanis-Lavana said many people have put dental care off over the last eighteen months. She encourages them to make an appointment before cavities and gum disease go too long without being treated.

The practice does offer specialty treatments, such as teeth whitening.

It’s a treatment that has grown in popularity as video meetings have become used more widely.

“Everybody likes whitening,” said Dr. Karkhanis-Lavana.

Initially, it’s an office procedure that will take approximately 90

We are proud to be able to offer Invisalign as part of our cosmetic dentistry services. We want everyone to have beautiful smiles.

— Dr. Archana Karkhanis-Lavana

Dr. Nikhil Levana

Dr. Archana Karkhanis-Lavana

minutes. The patient will be given a retainer to continue maintenance treatments at home.

Family Dental Group uses Zoom Whitening, which is the best in the market. The Northborough office is currently offering a $100 discount from the original cost of $499.

What a patient drinks, for example, coffee or wine, can make a difference in the whitening results.

Dr. Karkhanis-Lavana recommends having a whitening treatment at each cleaning while continuing

the at-home treatments to maintain the benefits.

Another specialty of the practice is orthodontics. Dr. Nikhil Lavana has been a preferred Invisalign provider for 15 years.

Free consultations are offered to define the patient’s key issues. A clear retainer is worn, which adjusts the position of the teeth. The patient has appointments every two weeks to receive a new retainer for the next adjustment. Retainers should be worn except for teeth brushing and eating for best results.

Dr. Karkharnis-Lavana said teenagers and adults both like the results without having to have the typical metal braces. Depending on the case, treatment is 6-18 months.

Using Invisalign to straighten teeth has become popular as many dental insurances cover orthodontic care.

“They are pretty easy to do and are painless,” she said. “We are proud to be able to offer Invisalign as part of our cosmetic dentistry services.

We want everyone to have beautiful smiles.”

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A family-run venture Woman and son to run 125th Boston Marathon for Flutie Foundation

By Debra Roberts Contributing Writer NORTHBOROUGH - Connie Cao of Northborough is a goal-setter.

Five years ago, she set the goal of running a marathon before she turned 50. Though she had no training, she met her goal, qualifying for and completing the Providence Marathon before her fiftieth birthday.

This year, at 55, she plans to run the Boston Marathon with her son Enchee Xu, a junior at Algonquin Regional High School to raise money for the Doug Flutie Junior Foundation for Autism.

Cao approaches these challenges even as she describes herself as a traditionally non-athletic person.

“In high school and college, I couldn’t even pass the basic running requirement in my athletics classes. I had to repeat the classes just to pass the test,” she said of her experience growing up in Shanghai, China.

Cao started running in her 40’s, though, participating in local 5K races. Her first was the 2013 North-

borough Applefest 5K. In 2014 she participated in the New England Center for Children 5K for Autism in Southborough, which was of interest to her because Enchee was diagnosed with autism at age three.

From hiking to running Motivated to get Enchee involved in recreational activities, Cao began taking him on hikes when he was around age 10. They went on various trips of increasing intensity and duration.

“He is such a good boy—he never complained, even when he had leg cramps,” she said. “Once he has a goal, he wants to keep going with it.”

Their first big trip was to Mount Madison in New Hampshire.

“Enchee was stubborn about wanting to reach the summit,” Cao said.

They have since taken many more hiking trips together, including a 10day European hiking tour of Mont Blanc. They also spent two summers climbing all 48 of the Appalachian Mountain Club’s 4000-footer sum-

adventurous energetic

Above: Connie Cao and son Enchee Xu cross the finish line of the 2020 Boston Marathon, which was a virtual race due to the pandemic.

Right: Connie Cao and son Enchee pose after reaching a Mount Washington summit on January 31, 2021.

mits in New Hampshire.

“Eventually, the hiking evolved into running,” she said and Enchee joined the Cross-Country team in high school.

Support from running group During this time Cao began training with a Chinese running group called the BEN Running Club.

The group encouraged her to run her first marathon.

“They told me, ‘Connie, once

you run the marathon you will never stop,’ and they were right,” she said, elaborating, “Just like the birth of the first child, when you see your baby crying, you are brave and want to do it again.”

Though she didn’t have another baby—Enchee is her only child— Cao did continue to run marathons.

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developmental impairments, including autism.

Connie Cao and son Enchee Xu stand (6th and 7th from left) with the BEN Running Club.

Runners | from page 4

qualified and competed in the 2020 Boston Marathon (also virtual but on the actual marathon course). Enchee joined her for the last six miles, keeping pace with Cao until the finish line.

Eventually, Enchee outpaced his mom. “He started out slower than me, but now he is faster—I make him run in a circle and come back to me because I don’t want him to get too far ahead,” she said.

Cao’s running group friends further encouraged Enchee.

“They all know Enchee has au-

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tism, but they treat him like everyone else,” Cao said. “He is so free when he runs. There is no one to tell him he’s not doing it right. My friends notice he is so happy when running.”

Help from Boston Athletic Association Cao had qualified and registered herself for the 125th Boston Marathon as an in-person runner. But she was only able to get Enchee registered as a virtual runner.

However, she reached out to the Boston Athletic Association (BAA), explaining that she and Enchee

wanted to run together to fundraise for an autism charity. The BAA responded a couple of days later with the suggestion that they support the Flutie Foundation. Shortly after, the Flutie Foundation took Enchee as a team member, enabling him the opportunity to run with his mother in the in-person marathon.

Cao’s request was well-timed, as the BAA had announced April 8 that the Flutie Foundation would be the presenting sponsor for the Boston Marathon’s Adaptive Program to make it a more inclusive race for participants with varying physical and

Encouraging others to reach for the stars Now that Cao has pushed herself beyond what she ever felt she was capable of, she wants to inspire others to do the same.

“If someone like me—a girl from Shanghai who couldn’t even pass her fitness test in gym class can run a marathon, anyone can...as long as you are willing to put in the effort and train for it,” she said.

Cao’s advice to others who may feel it’s too late to be an athlete: “It started with a dream and ended by an action plan—just do it!”

Additionally, Cao wants to inspire parents who are told that their children can’t achieve certain things.

“They can run, they can hike, they can be good at math and physics,” she said, speaking specifically about children with autism. “Don’t leave them out. They can do more!”

To help support Cao and her son Enchee raise money for the Flutie Foundation, visit https://www. givengain.com/ap/enchee-xu-raising-funds-for-doug-flutie-jr-foundation-for-autism.

For more information about the Flutie Foundation visit FlutieFoundation.org

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Award-winning Revere teacher turns her punk rock youth into life lessons for students Revere teacher | from page 1

PHOTO/LISA HAUN

From affluent suburbia to inner-city grittiness “I grew up in a mostly white, affluent area, and punk rock introduced me to a diverse and multicultural world,” said the 61-year-old, who was raised in East Norriton, Pennsylvania, a Philadelphia suburb. Now she’s shared her experiences from her adventurous younger days in a recently published book called I’m Not Holding Your Coat: My Bruises-And-All Memoir of Punk Rock Rebellion. Released by New York City publisher Bazillion Points, which specializes in punk and heavy metal-related books, it sold out of its first printing on pre-orders alone before the official publication date early this year.

Barile moved to downtown Philadelphia in the early eighties after getting a job there as a paralegal. The city had an aggressive, male-dominated punk music scene, but she held her own.

“Punk rock taught me the importance of taking a stand and working to make a positive difference in the world,” she explained. “Punk’s do-it-yourself work

Left: Nancy Barile with the Philadelphia punk band she managed, the Sadistic Exploits

Right: Cover of Nancy Barile’s book I’m Not Holding Your Coat: My Bruises-And-All Memoir of Punk Rock Rebellion

Revere teacher | 7

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ethic is something that affects every aspect of my life to this day.”

Life lessons for her students And it’s these lessons she believes that help her better understand and teach her students today. “Punk rock has helped me to connect with and reach the disenfranchised and marginalized teen — mainly because I was one and so were my friends,” she recalled.

“I do remember what it felt like to not feel ownership in my education or my school. I remember what it was like not being able to connect to my learning.

As a teacher, I try to keep that in mind every single day.”

Despite being able to relate better to her students than some teachers, Barile also acknowledges the greater challenges they have faced. “Many of the teenagers I work with have survived and overcome enormous adversity,” she noted. “They have escaped starvation, poverty, violent countries, wars, and tremendous obstacles. They are incredibly resilient and strong, but in many cases, they have experienced trauma. They have a much larger worldview than I ever did.”

A new beginning in Boston The punk music scene was also what ultimately brought Barile to the Boston area. It started when she

Nancy Barile today with an old friend from her punk days Ian MacKaye, of Minor Threat and Fugazi.

Punk’s do-it-yourself work ethic is something that affects every aspect of my life to this day.

— Nancy Barile

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reached out to Al Barile, the guitarist and leader of SS Decontrol, one of Boston’s hardcore punk bands, about booking them for a concert in Philadelphia. Through their shared love of the music, they started talking frequently on the phone and meeting up at shows in New York City and other locations on the East Coast. In 1982, Barile moved to Boston, and seven years later, they married.

Barile continued the college education in Boston she had begun in Pennsylvania, eventually earning a master’s degree in education and beginning her teaching career. In addition to teaching high school students for over 25 years, she has also been an adjunct professor for over a decade at Emmanuel College in Boston, training the next generation of educators. But the rebellious attitude that blossomed in the loud and chaotic punk clubs of Philadelphia and New York continues to simmer, despite her professional achievements. “I still question authority - a fact that, even at my age, gets me in trouble from time to time,” she joked. “Punk rock taught me not to be manipulated for the sake of someone else’s personal agenda. I refuse to blindly follow the directives of leaders who attempt to compromise my integrity or the integrity of my students.”

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Fifty Plus Advocate is published monthly, 12 times annually by Bagdon Advertising, 32 South Street, Westborough, MA 01581.

Fifty Plus Advocate accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or materials and does not return them to sender. Retractions for any inaccuracies will be printed when necessary.

Unsolicited letters to the editor become the property of this newspaper and can be reprinted in part or in whole unless otherwise stated. Fifty Plus Advocate columnists writing under a byline are expressing their personal opinions and not necessarily those of the newspaper.

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Discover World’s End Sandi Barrett Contributing Writer HINGHAM - Rambling dirt pathways lined with stately trees give way to rolling wildflower meadows, brilliant blue skies, lapping shorelines, and enchanting panoramic vistas of the Boston skyline. World’s End is a precious jewel in the heart of the South Shore, just waiting to share its natural beauty with curious visitors.

The History of World’s End John Brewer farmed a beautiful piece of land on a peninsula jutting into Hingham Harbor and the Weir River. In 1889, Brewer had grand plans to build an exclusive residential enclave with 163 homes, serviced by tree-lined carriage paths and offering panoramic water views.

He hired renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted to design the development. Olmsted’s work includes architect-in-chief for New York’s Central Park and Boston’s Emerald Necklace, The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC, and many more prestigious parks and estates.

The landscape design was completed, but the housing plan was

The gentle, tree-lined carriage paths are the perfect spot for an afternoon stroll.

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251 acres. Over four miles of carriage and footpaths wind through gently rolling hills. Panoramic views, past saltwater marshes where birds dart about with their daily chores, wide meadows shielding families of deer as they graze, and rocky shorelines that invite you to scramble over randomly positioned rocks and beach thickets provide endless entertainment.

The hike is rated easy to moderate. The carriage paths give the sense of an easy afternoon walk; however, there are a few hills to navigate along the way. The rewards, besides getting in some outdoor exercise, are the fabulous views of the Boston skyline.

In the winter, cross country skiing on a crisp, sunshiny day along the tree-lined walking paths is the perfect way to get your daily dose of fresh air.

Snowshoeing would also be an excellent option to explore World’s End during the winter months.

Trustees of Reservations Thankfully, after failed attempts to transform World’s End into a residential estate, the United Nations Headquarters (1940), and a nuclear power plant (1960), the Trustees of Reservations took control of the land in 1967. The Trustees have worked tirelessly to preserve and protect the land while maintaining Olmsted’s beautifully landscaped property.

Their dedicated team, along with proceeds from visitors and generous donors, provides for the ongoing care of World’s End, ensuring it will be enjoyed for generations.

Sunset Picnics A sunset picnic at nearby Weir River Farm is a fun way to cap off your Hingham visit.

This summer the Weir River Farm Sunset Picnics program offers live music, craft breweries, local food

truck cuisine, and sunset views on Thursday evenings through October 7. Grab a blanket and head out to enjoy a relaxing summer night with friends and family.

Tickets are available at thetrustees.org.

Dine and Stay Make your visit to World’s End part of a great staycation. Cap your adventure off with dinner and an overnight stay in Boston’s bustling Seaport District.

The Aloft Boston Seaport District, a Marriott hotel, is centrally located on D Street. Situated next to The Lawn on D where you can take a ride on their popular urban swing set, grab a bite from the concession stand, and enjoy an adult beverage. The Aloft’s chic and urban style is open and inviting after a day exploring the beauty of Mother Nature.

End your staycation day with a masterfully prepared Italian feast at Strega Italiano Seaport. If you prefer a classic American steakhouse, Ocean Prime is a fabulous option.

Visit World’s End is open year-round and offers a variety of programs. Fun classes like Moonlight Hikes and Sunset Yoga explore nature from a unique perspective.

A leisurely walk around the property takes about two hours to complete. However, to get the most from your visit to World’s End, consider packing a picnic lunch, a blanket, and your binoculars. Spend time getting lost along less traveled trails and immerse yourself in the quiet, peaceful beauty.

There is a nominal admission fee (free for Trustees members), parking is limited, and a pre-purchased ticket is required.

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Harvard homework assignment led to creation of first computerized spreadsheet

By Brett Peruzzi Associate Editor

T

he computerized spreadsheet is likely the business world’s most important invention that came out of a homework assignment.

From class assignment to commercial product Dan Bricklin was a young computer programmer attending Harvard Business School in Cambridge in 1978. He had an assignment for his advertising class that involved producing financial projections for various scenarios for a marketing budget.

He and Bob Frankston, a friend from his undergrad days at MIT, wrote a computer program to do the calculations. Bricklin scored high on the assignment, which astounded his professor and classmates. A year later, the program, called VisiCalc, was released commercially for the Apple II computer.

VisiCalc was the “killer app” of its time and one of the programs that propelled the personal computer to

Dan Bricklin and Bob Frankston, left, creators of VisiCalc, the first computerized spreadsheet, above.

become a critical tool in the business world. Before then, it was considered more of a hobby for computer fanatics. For the first year of its existence, VisiCalc was only available for the Apple II. Sales of that computer increased dramatically, many of them to small businesses who wanted to use VisiCalc. Even if they had other computer systems, people were will-

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ing to pay $2000 for an Apple II to run a program that cost $100.

Lack of patent made it harder to protect Two years later, the first IBM PC was released, and a version of VisiCalc for that platform soon followed and sold 300,000 copies. VisiCalc would go on to sell about one mil-

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lion copies in total during its history, its price eventually rising to $250.

One of the factors that reportedly led to VisiCalc’s demise was that it was not patented. “In 1979, when VisiCalc was shown to the public for the first time,” Bricklin explained on his personal website, www.bricklin. com, “patents for software inventions

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Mass Audubon receives half million-dollar bequest from noted Shrewsbury scientist

By Melanie Petrucci Contributing Writer WORCESTER – The Mass Audubon/Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary and Conservation Center located at 414 Massasoit Rd. in Worcester recently received a gift of roughly $.5 million from the estate of noted scientist Dr. John Aitkin McCracken of Shrewsbury who passed away at the age of 84 in January of 2019.

e!

ic serv

Brook and Mass Audubon going forward.

“He was a very jolly person and quite forthright and that’s why I really appreciated his advice and involvement because he told me what he thought,” Cary remarked.

When asked when they learned of the gift, her reply was that it was only a Mass Audubon | 11

Deborah Cary at Mass Audubon/Broadmeadow Brook in Worcester

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Lasting Legacy “It’s a pretty nice way to leave a legacy and John was a member of Mass Audubon since 1967 so that’s pretty special,” reflected Deborah Cary, community engagement and coordinator at Mass Audubon. The gift will go towards their $2.5 million endowment.

Cary said that McCracken was always interested in nature, wildlife and bird watching. In 2010 he lent his voice to a study conducted by the sanctuary called “Vision 2010” detailing what should be the focus for Broadmeadow

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• 11

will also benefit from the bequest.

“Our school programs are priced affordably so as to be available to all.

John’s gift helps make up the cost gap,” she said.

“We believe in mentoring high school and college youth who are exploring environmental careers…,” she continued.

Gach also shared that they’ve received social media accolades recently for accessibility and trail maintenance – “it can be hard to get external funding for routine maintenance, which is an important aspect of support that endowments such as John’s gift provides.”

The Sensory Trail at Broad Meadow Brook features a rope-and-post guide system and 14 stops with interpretive information. Broad Meadow Brook is one of several Mass Audubon wildlife sanctuaries that features a universally-accessible All Persons Trail.

Mass Audubon

| from page 10

few months ago.

“And I had no idea that John was leaving us such a generous gift,” she noted.

The 1960s “Brain Drain” Originally from the UK., McCracken received his Ph.D. in Veterinary Medicine in 1963. His dissertation described his discovery of progesterone in cow’s milk.

In 1963 he joined Professor Ian Bush at the Univ. of Birmingham to

continue his post-doctoral studies. In 1964 he was one of many key British scientists that immigrated to the U.S. looking for better research conditions in what was then known as the “Brain Drain.”

His team of 13 from the Univ. of Birmingham, led by Professor Bush, set up new research facilities at the Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology in Shrewsbury, Mass.

McCracken retired after 34 years in 1998 from the Worcester Foundation as Principal Scientist Emeritus.

Harvard homework assignment Harvard | from page 9

from Lotus Development Corporation called Lotus 1-2-3. Mitch Kapor, a former VisiCorp programmer, made 1-2-3 take better advantage of the IBM PC’s memory, display and performance capabilities. He also made it compatible with VisiCalc to allow users to easily switch to using 1-2-3 and use their existing spread-

were infrequently granted. Programs were thought to be mere mathematical algorithms, and mathematical algorithms, as laws of nature, were not patentable.”

But that doesn’t mean Bricklin and others at the company that sold VisiCalc commercially, Personal Software, later VisiCorp, didn’t try to protect its most valuable asset. They 21 years after Bricklin presented engaged a patent attorney to explore the option VisiCalc to his class, Harvard of patenting the program.

“The patent attorney exBusiness School renamed the plained to us the difficulty of obtaining a patent on room where it happened. software,” said Bricklin, “and estimated a 10% chance of success, even using various sheets. Sales of VisiCalc slowed, and techniques for hiding the fact that it by 1985, VisiCorp was bankrupt. was really software (such as proposLotus acquired VisiCalc and stopped ing it as a machine). Given such adselling it so 1-2-3 could continue its vice, and the costs involved, we decidrise unimpeded. ed not to pursue a patent. Copyright In 1999, 21 years after Bricklin and trademark protection were used presented VisiCalc to his class, Harand vigorously pursued.” vard Business School renamed the room where it happened. It is now A major competitor emerges known as the Dan Bricklin ClassThe likely fatal blow to VisiCalc room in his honor, with a plaque that came in 1983 with the introduction says, “Forever changed how people of a competing spreadsheet program use computers in business.”

McCracken’s Long-term Impact Dr. Martha Gach, Ph.D., education manager and conservation coordinator at Broadmeadow Brook shared some of the lasting impact that McCracken’s gift will have.

She said that public programs for all ages from preschool story hours, family nature programs, to bird walks for adults (which are her favorite) are quite popular during the “COVID age”.

Their school programs, e.g., Habitats, Exploring Pond Life and the Real Math Real Science series for 7th grade

Hope for Inspiration Cary is very grateful for McCracken’s gift and she hopes it will inspire others to consider making similar gifts to organizations that they care about because “a gift like this is such a boost to an organization.”

For more information about the Mass Audubon/Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary and Conservation Center, visit https://www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/wildlife-sanctuaries/broad-meadow-brook.

For information about any of the other Mass Audubon Wildlife Sanctuaries across the state, and to learn about what the organization has planned for its 125th anniversary this year visit: massaudubon.org.

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World War I artifacts discovered in American Legion attic

By Cindy Zomar Contributing Writer MARLBOROUGH - Nearly everyone can identify with the feeling of finding long-forgotten items stored in the attic. But, when the items are more than a century old, such a find becomes newsworthy.

Commander Mike Ferro of the Akroyd Houde Post 132 American Legion recalls that Marlborough resident Matty Sargent, a Navy reservist and ardent history buff, recently asked about taking a look in the attic to see if there were any interesting artifacts stored up there.

Ferro admits that he’d only been up there once himself and was completely shocked when Sargent unearthed two framed pictures that had been donated to Post 132 in 1920.

One is a compilation of vignettes of all the Marlborough WWI veterans, while the other details the births and deaths of those veterans, including where they were killed, for those who did not come home.

According to Ferro, the list appears to have been written in calligraphy drawn painstakingly by hand by aBranding womanConcepts named Mazie Kane Wells.

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Top: A photo of a recently found display of World War I veterans shows Ralph J. Lord, who died fighting abroad in 1918.

Bottom: Ralph J. Lord rests at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in Belleau, France.

but those who served, to keep photos, mementos, journals and the stories of these men and women alive.”

History buff reaches out to descendants Quite adept at researching veterans’ lives and tracing families through tools like Ancestry.com, Sargent has been finding connections to those pictured in the photo collage.

Many of the relatives have subsequently shared newspapers, copies of citations, or even pictures of medals their loved ones had received so that he can make appropriate tags to hang on the monuments.

In one such case, Sargent reached out to Bob Lord, a former Marlborough resident living in Westborough.

Sargent asked if Lord was related to the Ralph J. Lord who was killed in July of 1918. He found that not only was Lord related to the young man in the photo, it was his paternal uncle.

“My father was only two years old in 1917 when Ralph left for war and had no memories of that older brother at all,” explained Lord.

10-year-old’s curiosity sparks lesson on heritage As Lord remembers, he was about ten years old before he even knew he had had an uncle who died in World War I. “My parents sent me to the Elderkin Dance Studio on Main Street, and

I hated it!” he laughed.

Waiting to be picked up one night, Lord wandered across the street to see Marlborough’s famous Doughboy statue in front of the Walker Building. To his surprise, he saw the name “Ralph J. Lord” listed on the statue.

“I asked my father about it, and he admitted that it was his older brother, but that he never knew him because of the age difference,” Lord recalled.

Although curious at the time, a ten-year-old’s attention span soon took him in other directions.

Years later still, Lord saw a copy of a local paper from 1918.

“I was able to read about Ralph J. Lord,” he said.

He learned that Lord trained at Fort Devens with the National Guard and read that the “pluck” his uncle had shown on the baseball fields of Marlborough High had been evident on the fields of France.

Ralph Lord was killed on July 20, 1918, at the Battle of Chateau Thierry in Belgium, part of Company K of the 104th Infantry.

Between July 17 and July 23, five young Marlborough men were killed in that battle, with the other four being William Brigham, Jr., Benjamin Francis, Charles Bellows and Henry Laviolette.

Lord was initially buried by railroad tracks, probably near where he had fallen. But his body was exhumed, and World War I | 13

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The Cycle of Poverty

By Marianne Delorey, Ph.D. Executive Director, Colony Retirement Homes

T

here is a growing body of research that indicates that the stressors of poverty change the brain. The brain, then, is less capable of finding solutions to problems of poverty and so the person cannot easily change their situation. This research indicates there may well be a link between how poverty affects the brains of children in poverty, and thus the cycle continues. Poor families remain poor.

Interventions are not readily accessed or helpful.

Many people view affordable housing as a safety net – one way to help support families so they can work their way out of poverty. However, there are some people who spend their whole lives needing more and more supports. Not surprisingly, these people often end up needing affordable housing as they enter their later years.

The curious thing about people who are old and poor is that there is a shift in public opinion toward these people – they are no longer viewed as needing to support themselves and they are more viewed as those who we should support. This shift exists despite the growing recognition that as we live longer, we should be engaged longer in economic fulfillment.

I consider it positive that people are empathic toward others as they age, but every plus has a minus. This shift does feel like as a society we “give up” on our elders having meaningful employment and bettering their situation.

• 13

World War I artifacts World War I

| from page 12

moved to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in Belleau, France, where he still lies.

There is also a marker at the Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Marlborough. That was placed sometime around 1935, apparently at the request of a custodian at the Bigelow School, according to Lord.

Discovery puts a face to the name With all the research Lord had

done on his own, he had never been able to find a picture of his uncle until now.

“I want to thank another Marlborough history buff, Bill Tate, and of course Matty Sargent for all of their help with digging up facts about Ralph,” he said. “Now, thanks to Matty’s find, I can finally put a face to the name.”

At this time, Commander Ferro is not sure where exactly the rediscovered frames will go. He assured the Fifty Plus Advocate, though, that they will no longer be in the attic.

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I consider it positive that people are empathic toward others as they age, but every plus has a minus.

Take, for example, the Neighborhood Networks program started by HUD in 1995. In their wisdom, HUD wanted to use affordable housing sites as community centers to create an opportunity for those who lived in low income areas. HUD envisioned using the common areas of affordable housing sites to establish classes where people could use technology to brush up their resume, engage with job postings online, and otherwise learn new skills for a changing workforce.

Created in 1995, Neighborhood Networks was one of the first federal initiatives aimed at promoting self-sufficiency and providing technology access to residents living in HUD housing. By encouraging property owners and managers to open onsite, multiservice technology centers, HUD hoped the community-based initiative would have a profound effect on the lives of residents, and indeed, it has.

In senior housing, the focus of this program has been allowing seniors to become familiar with computers and use them to better their lives, whether through staying in touch with family and friends via e-mail or searching for healthcare benefits online.

With younger groups, the focus of the Neighborhood Networks has been on income security, especially employment opportunities. The number of people over the age of 55 who are participating in the workforce is down by 2 million compared to pre-pandemic levels. Perhaps it is time to consider senior employment a priority, especially now that remote work has become more of a standard.

Many older people still want (and some need) to be working. Our society benefits immensely from the experience and skills of our older workforce. It is time to reinvest in this group with programs like Neighborhood Networks and consider our older workers an asset.

Marianne 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.

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viewpoint

Thanks a lot, Bulova

By Janice Lindsay Contributing Writer

E

ighty years ago, in July of 1941, the few thousand Americans who owned TVs could witness a momentous event, though they probably didn’t realize it was momentous.

They could tune into NBC to watch the Brooklyn Dodgers play the Philadelphia Phillies and be treated to the first legal TV commercial. It was a ten-second ad for Bulova watches. It cost Bulova $9, or about $164 in today’s dollars.

TV had been broadcasting occasional ads, but they weren’t legal until the Federal Communications Commission made them so that month.

Since then, ads have provided the funds to support commercial TV. And today, advertisers pay thousands, even millions, for a few seconds of prime time TV, giving viewers an opportunity to

go to the kitchen for a snack.

TV itself was a momentous event that changed the world and us forever. Scientists and tinkerers had experimented for decades before World War II. After the war, the economy boomed, and so did TV. By 1949, 3.6 million households could boast a highly polished wooden box the size of a small cupboard, sporting a 10-inch round-cornered gray screen.

My sister and I were lucky kids.

Our parents’ friends across the street owned a TV. On Saturday afternoons, they invited our dad to watch wrestling matches, and we went, too. Not that we liked wrestling; it was boring when it wasn’t horrifying. We couldn’t see the wrestlers very well on that tiny,

grainy grey screen. But everyone agreed we were witnessing a miracle, watching faraway people in this very living room.

We didn’t want to miss it.

We became supremely lucky above all lucky when our dad tired of watching the neighbor’s TV and bought one for us. I don’t remember if it was an RCA Victor, a Motorola, a Philco, or a GE. But I well remember the grand day when our dad and grandfather lugged that clunky set into the living room, moved furniture aside to create a special TV corner, and Dad spent hours on the roof adjusting the antenna until Grandpa decided the picture and sound were the best they could be.

Now, we could finally sit all day if we wanted to, in front of our very own TV, and watch the test pattern because most of the time there weren’t any shows on. But when shows came on, they were wonderful: Howdy Doody; Kukla, Fran, and Ollie; the Lone Ranger; Hopalong Cassidy. Of course, there was the news. We didn’t care much about that, but we watched it anyway.

And there were commercials, worming their way into our brains so that we would remember them for the

rest of our lives. Timex watches, subjected to unimaginable tortures, took a licking and went on ticking. Dinah Shore sang that we could see the USA in our Chevrolet. Buster Brown lived in a shoe; you could look for his dog Tige in there, too. LSMFT: Lucky Strike Means Fine Tobacco.

Probably every generation remembers commercials from their early years.

TV, like so many momentous events, turned out to be a mixed blessing. It shows us the marvelous worlds beyond our own limited horizons, but maybe it allows us to substitute those often imaginary worlds for the real worlds we might discover for ourselves.

It introduces us to wonderful people we would never meet otherwise; also, to some people we might not wish to know.

And commercials, above all, invite us to believe, even if we struggle against this belief, that we would happier, healthier, more beautiful, smarter, and more popular if only we would buy what they’re selling.

Thanks a lot, Bulova.

Contact jlindsay@tidewater.net.

SUPER CROSSWORD PUZZLE

“COMMON ENDINGS” (answers on page 17)

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• 15

Hudson musician and published author is now creating artwork “Piers Park Boston” – acrylic on canvas, 12” x 14” “Cats and a Dog” – acrylic on canvas, 24” x 36”

IMAGES/STEPHEN BECCIA

Stephen Beccia plays bass with the pop-rock band One Eleven.

It’s a cool vibe to be part of an arts scene.

By Ed Karvoski Jr. Culture Editor

tain MusicFest and Showcase Live at Patriot Place in Foxborough.

HUDSON - Stephen Beccia of Hudson continues discovering ways to express himself creatively.

As a musician, he has performed with bands as a bassist and vocalist since his teens. As a writer, he authored books and short stories. Now, he’s exhibiting his work as a visual artist.

“Being creative gives me peace of mind,” he shared. “I enjoy creating and giving something to somebody that they can relate to, whether it’s a song, a book or a painting.”

Spinning tales Another chapter of Beccia’s creativity progressed in 2006 with the publication of his children’s book titled “The Treelanders,” followed by “The Hawk Squad” in 2013. In between, he published several short stories for adult readers. His books are available at online booksellers. He’s currently working on a graphic novel.

“I love spinning a tale,” he noted.

“Sometimes, you don’t even realize what you’re writing because there’s an invisible force – a muse – that takes over.”

Face the music Growing up in Milford, a 13-yearold Beccia became fascinated with performing music in the 1970s when he saw the heavy metal, glam rock band Kiss on the television show “Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert.”

“I loved the whole theatrics and energy of the act,” he said of Kiss’ spectacularly costumed antics. “They’re like cartoon characters.”

He and two buddies formed a musical trio. They performed at Milford venues, including an elementary school.

“My dad was a selectman in Milford at the time and saw opportunities for us to play,” he relayed. “After a few minutes of us playing for a function at the Milford Armory, a guy unplugged the power and said we were too loud.”

Subsequent bands that Beccia played with in the 1980s through 1990s opened for notable headliners such as Extreme, Fahrenheit, The Fools, Marshall Tucker, Grand Funk Railroad and Steppenwolf.

Beccia has performed in recent years with the pop-rock band One Eleven at venues including Boston’s Hard Rock Café, Wachusett Moun-

Stephen Beccia creates artwork.

Painting abstracts His creative juices flowed in yet another direction when he received a Michaels gift card for Christmas in 2017. He stocked up on art supplies, including acrylic paints, brushes and canvases.

“I’ve been painting nonstop since that day,” he relayed. “Now, I have a boatload of paintings. A lot of artists paint realism; I like to do abstracts.

Why paint what exists when you can paint what does not? Meaning, this crazy abstract doesn’t exist until I paint it.”

Beccia creates his artwork at Hudson Art Studios, located in the Odd Fellows Building at 14 Main St., Suite 4. His artwork gets exhibited at Vintage Café in Hudson and at the Loading Dock Gallery in Lowell, where he’s a member. He appreciates networking within Lowell’s thriving arts community.

“It’s a cool vibe to be part of an arts scene,” he noted. “Everybody interacts with one another and shares ideas.”

In 2019, he was selected to paint and exhibit his mural titled “Love

Peace and Harmony” for Fitchburg’s Activate Mill Street. His and other murals surround an outdoor stage in the city’s downtown.

“I feel honored to be part of anything that builds up a community,” Beccia said of his contribution toward Fitchburg’s initiative.

This was Beccia’s first attempt at creating a mural. He encourages others

PHOTO/JESSE POWER

to experiment.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s art, writing or baking bread for the first time; we should all jump out of our comfort zone once in a while,” he advised. “It’s trying something that you could excel at, but you’d never know if you don’t try.

It’s always good to try something new.”

Contact Stephen Beccia via Instagram or Facebook.

16 •

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Millbury real estate investor makes time to enjoy fun activities

By Ed Karvoski Jr. Culture Editor MILLBURY – Elaine Savoy of Millbury bought her first apartment building at age 26 and continues to work as a real estate investor. She also continues to make time for fun activities.

In her 40s, Savoy competed and won figure skating championships.

Now, she performs with singing and dancing groups.

“I’ve worked hard my whole life,” she noted. “I always had other jobs in addition to managing apartments while I was younger, so as I got older, I could do fun things – singing, dancing and ice skating.”

Investing creatively Initially considering an interior design career, Savoy attended Massachusetts College of Art and Design in the early-1960s. Soon afterward, she modified her career pursuit and studied at the Lee Institute School of Real Estate.

“I love taking a building that’s a little shabby, renovate it and then rent it out,” she explained. “I’ve designed a lot of total renovations.”

Elaine Savoy

Silver Moon Gypsies belly dancers: (l to r) Gypsy Phillips, Anna Connors, Elaine Savoy and Alida Krumin

She has no plans to retire.

“I’ll manage my apartments for as long as I’m alive,” she vowed.

“All my tenants are lovely.”

‘Show of Champions’ Savoy began ice skating at age 29. She developed ice dancing skills in her 40s.

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“I wanted to learn how to skate backward,” she relayed. “Before you knew it, I wanted to do jumps and spins.”

Representing the Skating Club of Boston, Savoy and her partner competed and achieved multiple championships.

They won the adult senior dance division at the New England Regional Championships in 1981, ’82 and ’83. Also in 1981, they secured the Eastern U.S. Sectional Figure Skating Championship.

Savoy recalled, “The first time we competed, I heard the music come on and it all came together – and we won.”

Throughout the early-1980s, Savoy also performed in “Ice Chips: the Show of Champions.” At the time, “Ice Chips” took place at Boston’s 3,806-seat Walter Brown Arena. She skated in “Ice Chips” alongside several Olympic champs including Scott Hamilton, Randy Gardner and Tai Babilonia.

The performances were a chance for Savoy to learn the showbiz axiom: “The show must go on.”

“One time, I was doing a spiral and caught my foot on the curtain,” she recounted. “When you fall, you have to get up as fast as you can and pretend that nothing happened.”

Dancing part-time Savoy started belly dancing a decade ago with the Silver Moon Gypsies at senior facilities, community events and fundraisers. The troupe’s dancers are now in their 60s to 80s.

As soon as pandemic restrictions were lifted, they returned to performing regularly throughout central and eastern Massachusetts.

“We get a lot of callbacks from places where we’ve performed be-

fore,” Savoy noted. “Now, it’s become a part-time job. We have a lot of fun entertaining and interacting with people.”

The troupe is also known for belly dancing in the annual Spirit of Shrewsbury parade. Savoy’s first time traveling along the parade route is particularly memorable.

“I danced and twirled the whole way and actually wore out the soles of my shoes,” she recalled.

Sing along Several years ago, Savoy expanded her performing experience to include singing. She joined the Post Road Chorus, a Worcester-based chapter of Sweet Adelines International.

“I had never sung in public before, but always wanted to,” she acknowledged. “I was a ‘car singer’ – singing along with the radio. It’s so much better singing in a group than by yourself.”

Among venues where she has appeared with the all-women’s four-part harmony chorus are the Hanover Theatre, Sturbridge Village and Worcester Art Museum.

In 2018, the Post Road Chorus accepted an invitation to sing at New York City’s acclaimed Carnegie Hall. There, they worked with Grammy Award-winning choral director Jerry Blackstone.

“It was absolutely phenomenal,” Savoy said of the NYC concert. “We had a blast!”

Stay active Whether at work or participating in fun activities, Savoy offers the same advice to her peers.

“You know what they say: ‘Move it or lose it,’” she advises.

“There are things that people always think they want to do someday. Well, that someday is coming.

Try to make time to do it.”

Learn more about the Silver Moon Gypsies at silvermoongypsies.weebly.com and Post Road Chorus at postroadchorus.org.

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• 17

COVID-19 memorial in Grafton going strong over a year later

By Morgan Hume Contributing writer

Memorial begins in early 2020 Labee began building the memorial in March of last year, just as the first wave of the pandemic began to crash on the region. What started out as only a handful of flags has now grown.

Labee said he has volunteered in the past to help people affected by natural disasters, like Hurricane Katrina.

A former first responder himself, he likes to be the one with his boots on the ground when tragedy strikes. But the pandemic was different because he had to keep his distance from others.

“Normally, I’m a hands-on person,” said Labee. “…But with coronavirus, you couldn’t be hands-on. So, my daughters and I as a family talked about it, ‘How can we pay it forward?’ And the best way was the flags.”

Display’s maintenance and expansion is a group effort Not only is Labee busy planting new flags, but he is also maintaining the older ones that have become weathered over time. Labee, his family, and coworkers put up to 30 hours of labor into the memorial every week.

Answers to Super Crossword (puzzle on page 14)

PHOTOS/DAKOTA ANTELMAN

GRAFTON - It has been over a year since the coronavirus pandemic began. Millions of people around the world have been battling COVID-19.

In Massachusetts alone, nearly 18,000 have died.

Throughout this, Mike Labee has been honoring those lost by setting up a memorial right in his front yard off Keith Hill Road. Each American flag represents one person who has died from COVID-19 in Massachusetts.

“One for every soul taken from us here in Massachusetts,” Labee said in a recent interview. “There’s no race, no religion, no nothing. It’s every soul taken from us; they get a flag out there out of respect.”

A sign notes the number of deaths due to COVID-19 in Massachusetts as marked by flags on the property of Grafton’s Mike Labee.

A large wall bears hundreds of flags memorializing the deaths of COVID-19 victims in Massachusetts.

One for every soul taken from us here in Massachusetts. It’s every soul taken from us; they get a flag out there out of respect.

— Mike Labee

And every day, Labee is adding more flags to the growing display.

He recently built a wall that is 120 feet long and about 10 and a half feet tall to hold 12,000 more flags. It starts on his property and stretches into his neighbor’s property.

“They were totally on board with helping and they’ve been totally understanding,” Labee said. “All my neighbors have been tremendous.”

Visitors welcome at memorial Visitors are welcome to stop by the memorial and take pictures.

It is meant to be a safe place for people to reflect and grieve. Labee says visitors experience a broad range of emotions when they come to the memorial, with some even opening up to him about what they are going through.

“The stories that we’ve listened to from victims and their families and their friends, I actually hugged some people, cried with some people, laughed with some people,” said Labee.

Memorial effort presses onward as COVID surge slows Labee said building the memorial has felt like a mission. Although he is looking forward to the days when the pandemic is behind us, as of now, he has no plans of slowing down the display.

“Every flag is a soul. Every flag has a thousand plus stories. And that’s motivating us to keep going on it. That’s just true motivation,” he said.

Only time will tell for certain

what our new normal will look like in the months and years to come. In the meantime, Labee is trying to stay optimistic about the future and is glad to see COVID-19 case numbers beginning to drop.

“We’re on a positive trend down, so it looks like we’re on the right track as far as getting back to some type of normalcy,” he said.

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Owner guides Milford’s MyFM 101.3 to win Station of the Year – again

By Ed Karvoski Jr. Culture Editor

Tom McAuliffe II

REGION - 2020 posed challenges for business owners. For Tom McAuliffe II, a Hudson native now residing in Marlborough, the year also proved to be rewarding. He owns and operates the Milford-based, multiaward winning MyFM Media with its MyFM 101.3 and WMRC-AM 1490 simulcast.

At a fall 2020 virtual ceremony, the Massachusetts Broadcasters Association presented its annual Sound Bites Awards to radio and television stations.

The coveted Station of the Year was awarded to MyFM, marking its 10th year to achieve the top honor.

McAuliffe noted, “We won Station of the Year during a pandemic when we turned crisis into kindness.

That’s when a good local radio station can shine.”

Above: Three generations – (l to r) Tommy McAuliffe III, Tom McAuliffe Sr. and Tom McAuliffe II – gather at Tom Sr.’s 85th birthday party in 2019.

Left: Tom McAuliffe II displays donations to MyFM’s “Tailgating for Toys” for children who otherwise might not get holiday gifts.

Local radio’s community involvement Growing up in Hudson, McAuliffe observed his father become a

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Marlborough community leader. Tom McAuliffe Sr. worked as vice president and general manager of the original Marlborough-based WSRO-AM from 1959 to 1989.

“My dad seemed to always emcee the Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club events that I attended with my family,” he recalled. “I knew the power that the radio station had and my dad was in the middle of it all.”

McAuliffe also vividly remembers WSRO’s broadcasts of Thanksgiving football games, pitting longtime high school sports rivals Hudson “Hawks” against Marlborough “Panthers.”

“The week before, WSRO had the coaches and captains on, talking about the game,” he relayed.

After graduating from Hudson High School in 1986, he received a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management from Assumption University in 1990.

Family makes it happen together Several months later, McAuliffe essentially began on-the-job-training in radio broadcasting while concurrently working in sales. He joined his father at the Milford-based WMRC-AM. “My father had just bought WMRC, which was on the verge of bankruptcy,” McAuliffe explained.

“He really framed what WMRC was going to be: If you live between

Boston, Worcester and Providence – where we’re the only radio station – there’s one place to go for news and information, classic hits, high school athletics, and the Red Sox, Bruins and Patriots.”

McAuliffe accepted general manager responsibilities in 1998 and bought WMRC in 2008. He gets support from his wife and business partner, Megan, and their three sons.

The WMRC-AM and MyFM simulcast launched in 2017.

“My dad’s motto was always ‘You have to make it happen.’” McAuliffe shared. “I learned how to do that from him.”

McAuliffe Sr. still resides in Hudson. He was inducted into the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2011.

‘Caring through COVID’ Another 2020 Sound Bites Award went to WMRC for excellence in digital media for its “Caring through COVID” initiative.

When the pandemic hit, MyFM Media’s station wagon equipped with speakers played upbeat music during its weekly drives through neighborhoods.

“People came out of their houses, gave us a thumbs up and danced in their front yards,” McAuliffe recounted. “We got hundreds of letters and emails from people asking us to go to

MyFM | 19

Nana Camp 2021

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Let Nana Camp 2021 begin!!!!

— Paula Cerulli

HOPEDALE - Many grandparents across the Commonwealth are reunited with their grandchildren again after a long time of social distancing due to the pandemic.

Paula Cerulli of Hopedale writes in a Facebook post: “Let Nana Camp 2021 begin!!!! Relaxing morning since it was rainy, craft project, snuggling, Sang the Nana Camp song we made up last year, said Pledge of Allegiance and read about the history of Flag Day! We made homemade mac ‘n cheese, played cars, played a board game, finished off the day with a visit to the library where they both chose great Paula Cerulli poses with grandkids library books. Thank you Stacey [Pau- Kailyn and Ryan Croeber for their la’s daughter] for the great tee shirts!!!! first day of “Nana Camp.”

Thank you Kailyn and Ryan for the Nana memories!”

Stacey Croeber of Milford shares her mother’s post and writes, “The kids started “Nana Camp” today!!!! We are so fortunate to have my mom live close by and be able to watch them for the first 2 weeks of summer (and another 2 weeks mid summer!)!!! Thank you, Paula Cerulli!”

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Owner guides Milford’s MyFM 101.3 to win Station of the Year – again MyFM | from page 18

their neighborhoods.”

Also during the stay-at-home advisory, MyFM Media organized a pen-pal program via emails between listeners and residents of assisted living facilities.

“It gave people who were lonely and couldn’t see their families something to look forward to,” McAuliffe noted. “Even if it was only a few sentences, they were able to respond to their pen pals. Everybody’s days were brightened.”

Earning multiple awards McAuliffe doesn’t take the multiple Station of the Year awards for granted.

“We’re tweaking what we do all the time,” he said. “What made us great last year might not again this year. Not only do we broadcast, we hear our listeners and keep moving forward.”

Learn more about MyFM Media at myfm1013.com and facebook.com/ myfm1013.

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