INK MAGAZINE - FEBRUARY 2024 by Ink Publications

A Guide to Finer Living in Connecticut & Abroad FEBRUARY 2024

Vol 19 Issue 217 inkct.com

FEBRUARY 2024 Vol. 19 Issue 217

Feature Stories

Departments

More than a Ray of hope

A Story of Loss & Redemption

What’s Greg Drinking? - DOURO 2020 Artist

Marvin Epsy

Concrete & Countenance

“The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.” — Michelangelo When we go out each month with the latest copies of INK, we hear the nicest things from our readers. “Can I take two because I have a friend who loves the magazine?” When I tell people that I am the publisher they thank me for continuing to bring our stories and content to the people who live here. The most common reaction is “I love that magazine and have a huge stack at home because they are to nice to throw away.” I have had people smell them when I hand them a copy. I have had people give the magazine a hug and have even had people give them a little peck on the cover. It think it is because with great purpose, we shine light on the good. This is issue is no exception.

Groton

A New World for Workers Who Want to Weld

Print is not dead, nor do we have to kill it off for the sake of progress. Having been online since 1995 I have watched the internet mutate in dramatic ways. Some are good, others not so much. As a society we really need to slow down a bit. Print is great for that. Having access to everything, all the time, all at once, provides great promise but also provides and sense of hyper-reality. Digital is temporary. My hope is that folks don’t abandon everything that was strong and vibrant for something that by its nature is brittle and temporary. Hang on to the past, that way we have one! Jeffery Lilly founder / publisher

Contributors

Susan Cornell’s

Laurencia Ciprus - editorial

Carolina Marquez-Sterling - design

Susan Cornell- editorial

Gregory Post - editorial

A Trip Planned over a Lifetime

Sara Drought-Nebel - editorial

John Tolmie - editorial

Rona Mann - editorial

Jan Tormay - editorial

Epic adVANture part 2

Advertising

Jeffery Lilly - Publisher 860.581.0026 Bob Houde - Eastern Connecticut bob@inkct.com 860.303.6690

Rona Mann - Greater Connecticut six07co@att.net - 401-539-7762 Richard Malinsky - Shoreline richard@inkct.com - 215.704.9273

On the Cover: Robert Meyer, No.14 Steel, Aluminum

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Fallll in Lov Fa ovee with the perfec t vve enue

Make your next gathering truly magical at the e stunning Mashantuck ket Pequot Museum and Research Center. Ta Take k in the breathtaking views of the cedar forest surrounding the Museum while your g guests enjoy our spacious venue, perfect for we eddings, receptions and other events. Reserve your date to oday! Contact Shantal Lapid at facilityrental@pequo otmuseum.org. 110 PEQUOT TRAIL MASHANTUCKET, CT 860-396-6891 PEQUOTMUSEUM.ORG

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Feature byy Rona Mann Photos Courtesy off Danielle Olivier-Zimmerman

Ray at Washington National game while in Washington DC

But this wasn’t a problem like always that could easily be figured out, this was addiction, and the solution was bigger than anything Team Danielle and Ray had faced before. Along with Danielle’s full support and a large outlay of cash, Ray went into rehab, and happily, it seemed to work because Ray wanted it to work and put in the effort required. After weeks at the rehab, he came home clean and went back to work at Domino’s. But eventually came another party and a friend gave Ray just one Percoset. Just one. One couldn’t hurt, right? On November 21, 2022, Danielle was working her banking job from home and Ray was studying upstairs in his room, but something was wrong. It was too quiet. Going up to investigate, she found her only child unresponsive and quickly gave him a dose of Narcan while waiting for the ambulance. But the Narcan didn’t revive Ray. Nor did the first responders. Ray was just 26. The autopsy showed that what was sold as Percocet was not Percocet at all, but a pill containing two kinds of fentanyl, a deadly combination. Ray never had a chance. Four months went by. Four months filled with grief, anger, and the shutting out of her family, her friends, and everything and everyone in her world. Danielle had previously remarried, and her anger and grief spilled over, even taking a toll on her marriage. One night she got in her car and drove to the house of the young man who had given Ray that “one pill that couldn’t hurt.” She was going to confront him, her anger at the boiling point. She sat in the car for a long, long time before making a decision. It was time to act out, not out of anger, but out of making something good out of something bad. She wanted to end the stigma and shame of addiction by doing something constructive in Ray’s name. She realized that Ray wouldn’t want retaliation, he’d want something good to

come out of it all. So, in May 2023, less than six months after the fentanyl had sealed Ray’s fate and hers, Danielle started a foundation called Ray of Hope. Danielle knew she could never get over her grief and loss, but she could honor her son in this new, positive way and offer knowledge and services to others by providing what hadn’t been available to Ray. To begin, Danielle crafted a mission statement with a strong emphasis on ending the stigma and shame of addiction by talking openly about it, not lying to people or saying Ray had a car accident or an aneurysm. And she wanted people to know that the old image of addiction, of someone in a back alley shooting up, was no longer the case. That 46.3 million people in the US have been affected in epidemic proportions; good people who made bad choices or who, like Ray, were given something other than what they thought. Ray of Hope above all extends support to both the individual suffering from drug addiction and they and their family need to be provided with awareness that this is a disease. Secondly, is partnership with other organizations to create a strong support network for the individuals and families. Danielle is actively working with the police, the Chamber of Commerce, the new mental health center, local town councilors, and state reps and senators. She is a quiet woman who could stay quiet no longer and now speaks to any group that will have her, takes the microphone at town council meetings, speaks at chamber events. She is actively working with the school resource officer in the local middle school and high school and has raised money to provide installations of Narcan at the edge of the town park and outside the mental health center, free and available 24/7.

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February 2 to March 2, 2024 Reception: Friday, Feb 2, 5-8 pm

Laura Westlake, Who’s Outwitting Hoo Oil, 11 x 11.5”

Jeanne Rosier Smith, Mid-Winter Melt Pastel, 12 x 12”

Ann McGrory, Little Tufted Oil & gold leaf, 16 x 8”

Jim Laurino Spaulding Brook Side of the Mill, Oil, 9 x 9”

SUSAN POWELL FINE ART 679 Boston Post Road Madison, CT 203 318 0616 David Dunlop, Marsh to Forever, Oil on aluminum, 24 x 24

Kathy Anderson, Roses for Stephanie, Oil, 10 x 12”

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The rightt look for an ny destination n. 7 MAIN STREET ESSEX, CT T H E R I V E R L A N E .C O M @THERIVERLANE

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There’s something for your Valentine every night at The Nest.

Don’t forget the 14th ... and come celebrate Mardi Gras week with us! (February -1 )

Receive weekly specials, news and coupons by joining our email list at www.cuckoosnest.biz

1712 Boston Post Road • Old Saybrook, CT (Exit 66 off I-95) • 860 399 9060

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VA L E N T I N E H . Z A H N C O M M U N I T Y

G A L L E R Y

T H E GA L L E RY AT M I D D L ES E X H E A LT H S H O R E L I N E M E D I C A L C E N T E R

Gallery

Exhibit

February 5 - May 3 Reception • Wednesday, February 7 • 5 - 6:30 p.m.

Diane Wright, I’m Not From Here, A Story of a Colorful Life (detail)

Visit the gallery at the Shoreline Medical Center The It’s All About Color exhibit features work from the innovative textile artists of Sisters In Cloth. Many of these women, who represent the Connecticut Shoreline, from West Haven to Westbrook, have worked and exhibited together since 2000. For more information, visit MiddlesexHealth.org/Sisters

250 Flat Rock Place, Westbrook, CT 06498 860-358-6200 + info@midhosp.org + MiddlesexHealth.org

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22 rtist Marvin Espy meets us outside his studio at 308 State Street in New London. He is clad in his work apron which is splattered with the rich colors of deep haunting blues, wounded crimsons, ghostly grays and whispery vague violets, signature colors for Espy’s constant exploration of the human condition. As we meander through the gallery, Espy’s journey is revealed through his portraits of cities and people, through the asphalt and rain, through the tears and scars. Born and raised in Cincinnati, Espy grew up fascinated with the skyscrapers and lights of his hometown. He tells the story of being in the car as a child and coming to the intersection where the left turn showered his face with dazzling lights. “It was on those evenings in the Fall, when the sun set earlier, that I found my fascination with cities. To me it looked like a glittery wonderland.” Those dark skies, tall buildings, and the mystery of what happened in those buildings would be contemplative fodder for 6-year-old Espy. He would begin to create the worlds and imagine the people who lived there. Eventually, it would be those treasured cityscapes that Espy would use when he introduced his art to the rest of the world. Marvin’s early years in school are vague memories. “I was a daydreamer,” he reports, “but doodling helped me to concentrate, and my mother used to buy me sketch books at the pharmacy, but I would go through them too fast. I was always searching for something to draw on and I realized that the mail came with white envelopes that she would end up throwing away. So, I drew on the back of envelopes, and I drew in the margins of the Sunday paper.” It was in 8th grade art class that Marvin would discover his love for painting and learn of the art teacher at the high school who would be instrumental in shaping the artist he is today. “My art teacher Frank Shands, referred to himself as the great, black Godfather, and that’s exactly who he was, a renaissance man. He was the best portrait artist I’ve ever met, and he taught art the way he coached track, which essentially meant, do it again. I’d be sketching and he’d look at it and say, ‘yeah that’s OK, do it again, and then do it again, and then go home and do fifty more this weekend’. I did whatever he told me.” Espy goes on to explain that because of Shands he entered college head and shoulders above the rest when it came to figurative work.

Marvin Epsy in his Gallery/Studio

Espy moved to Pittsburgh to attend the Art Institute of Pittsburgh where he would meet celebrated artist, Henry Koerner. “Koerner was one of my biggest influencers. His work crossed multiple disciplines. He was frequently commissioned to illustrate for Time Magazine, which included portraits of Queen Elizabeth and Harry Belafonte.” Espy goes on to explain that Koerner’s influence on him was monumental. Recalling his experience with Koerner, Espy explains why it took him twenty years to appreciate what Koerner had taught him. “I was frustrated by Koerner because of the way he seemed to berate me in Italian. He would haphazardly make corrections to my work and in the moment, I didn’t always understand, but 20 years later a college classmate explained that they were jealous of me because I had Koerner’s attention.” After graduation, Espy returned to Cincinnati where he gained freelance work with a publishing company and a couple of large retailers as a fashion illustrator and shortly after, Espy tells us, “I met the love of my life and we got married.” The Espys would eventually move to Syracuse. “My wife’s path was clear, and we moved to pursue her doctorate.” That path would eventually lead them to Charlotte, N.C. and it was there that circumstances would present the opportunity for Espy to bring his passion for painting back to the forefront of his life. “My wife came home with a business card of a gallerist to whom she had shown my sketches. These were ballpoint sketches that I had done on copier paper. Not unlike the way I had sketched as a kid in Cincinnati. The gallerist saw enough in the doodles to ask me for paintings.”

24 That encounter would be the impetus for Espy’s launch into the Charlotte NC art scene. The gallerist asked for paintings she could hang, and Espy obliged, spending three months diving into the work, and showing up with twelve pieces for his first solo exhibition. Prior to the exhibition, Espy went to see a man who had been his business mentor, Anthony Lindsey. For Espy this encounter was a tough lesson, but one that he would hold on to. I went to show him photos of the pieces I was going to use for my first solo exhibition and Lindsey is flipping through my cell phone of the pictures that I had just spent three months pouring my heart into and he says, ‘yeah these are good but you’re not showing me anything I can’t already see with my own eyes. Where is your $10K painting?’ Marvin was confused by the response, but he realized that it was an insightful statement and one he would use as inspiration and motivation. “I was taken aback but also determined. I went straight to the local art supply store, and bought the biggest canvas I could afford, and I painted for two days straight and then brought that painting back to him.” Espy recalls how the response was quite different, he said to me, ‘now this is a $10,000 painting’.” Marvin chuckles and explains that the painting did eventually sell “not for 10 grand but close.” Espy’s first solo show led him to the inner sanctum of the Charlotte art scene and the contests that would afford him an even larger audience. “I was disappointed that the painting that my colleague referred to as ‘my 10k painting’ did not sell at my first showing, however it allowed me to enter it into a city-wide contest and don’t you know, that painting, which I titled Ascend, took Best of Show and it was my first contest since 2nd grade.” Marvin leans back and smiles as he relays that he was amongst 60 other artists who entered that contest and explains the significance of taking the top prize. “These were considered the top artists in Charlotte at that time, and I was brand new.” Espy eventually found his space at the C3 Lab Co-Working Space. “I took up shop and I was surrounded by artists; talented people and this experience was transformative. It was in this space that I could really roll up my sleeves and go full on in creating art.” Between 2018 and 2019 Espy’s work was making some serious noise. “It seemed that everything I applied for I was awarded. I was met with a great deal of success.” Espy decided to enter the ArtPop Street Gallery contest where over 150 artists apply for 20

25 spots. “If you are one of those twenty you got a billboard for a year.” And Marvin Espy would have that billboard, and it would be prodigious, landing him in the arena, amongst the best of the best.

I had done in three months. So, the next day I did another and after about 60 days I had done over 70 watercolors. Espy recalls that perhaps he was remembering Frank Shands instruction to “do it again.”

“My phone started ringing more and all of a sudden I was, Marvin Espy famous artist,” Espy smiles and laughs at himself.

With a renewed and inspired view, Espy decided to embrace his new city. He fell in love with the people and the streets and armed with photos of these experiences, he was painting again and able to reconnect to the world through art. After two months of a concentration in watercolors, Espy took his IPad and stepped into the Thames River Gallery.

On the heels of all the accolades and momentum, Espy and his family moved to New London, Connecticut, “It was 2021 and my wife was offered the position of President of Mitchell College.” Landing in his new city during the continued pandemic, Espy found himself struggling with feelings of isolation. “My wife had her new job; my daughter was starting graduate school, but I had no studio, and all of my supplies were in storage.” Espy spent three months in a somewhat depressive state, unable to engage with the world through art. He languished through most of that first winter until he decided to do something different. “I just went out and bought some watercolors and did a painting, and with masking tape I hung it above the TV and in that moment, I realized that it was the most productive thing

“I introduced myself and told them I was looking to do a show and their response was,well, it would be great if we had someone who was a portrait artist.” Espy knew he could fulfill that need and showed his work, “right there on the spot they offered me a show.” That exhibition would be Espy’s initial introduction to the thriving art scene that is downtown New London. “It was their largest turnout in the history of the gallery and that felt good. I think that New London embraced me, not just as an artist but as an artist who painted New London.

Gallery Ribbon Cutting, Mayor Michael E. Passero, Marvin and his Wife and Representative Anthony Nolan (39th) New London CT.

Artist Marvin Epsy Chillin on Gallery/Studio couch.

There were already sailboat paintings everywhere, so I painted the streets, the corner store and the church on the hill. I painted the people; I painted what I saw as the real New London.” Espy continued to do what he knew, explore, experience, excite and paint. He was awarded a mural at Fulton Park on Water Street and for him this was the biggest outdoor installation he had ever done. Espy was heating up in his new city and the solo

exhibition at the Hygienic Art Gallery in September of 2023, was again highly attended and Espy was lauded for his unique view of the city on the Thames. On November 17th, the Marvin Espy Gallery opened. At the ribbon cutting ceremony it was obvious that he has embraced his new city. The city that saw him through a pandemic, and a stagnant period. And in response, the city of New London has embraced the artist who has made their

cityscape, their streets, their people and the heartbeat of the town, worthy of being called home. Since our interview, Marvin was inducted into the Princeton High School Hall of Fame, as one of 5 Distinguished Alumni for 2023. Contact information: https://www.artbyespy.com Email: info@artbyespy.com Marvin Espy Gallery is located at 308 State Street, New London, Ct.

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There can never be a return to popular culture the way it was before The Beatles were introduced to the world. So it is with love. Once you have encountered it in a real and authentic way, you are a different person as a result. Love does not manifest itself the same way across the board. Love is subjective, both to the person experiencing the feelings as well as the object toward which these emotions are directed. One loves their parents differently than their siblings. The relationship between a parent and a child is different from the pet-to-owner dynamic. Love between partners doesn’t even stay the same, shifting with age and life experience as often as necessary and often without realizing it at the moment. You love your favorite sports team with a different portion of your soul than what is reserved for the smell of your grandmother’s cooking. So for February, I would like to offer you a red wine that you will love as much during your ﬁrst sip as the last: Quinta Nova Pomares Douro 2020, from Portugal. Stonington, Connecticut has a particularly strong relationship with Portugal. Between the ﬁshing community and the resulting festivities and social clubs, our town exists as one of many New England towns that were shaped by hard-working families from ‘across the pond.’ The owners of one of the better wine and spirits shops, Keith and Annette Bienkowski of Cove Ledge in Stonington Borough are an asset to those from our small town who are looking to uncork something of high quality outside of France and California. To that effect, the intrepid beverage enthusiasts travel to Portugal pretty regularly. This gives them a real sense of the best bottles coming across the Atlantic and what to offer to best represent the Portuguese wine scene. Having coached me towards the right summer white offering from the Westernmost European nation, it was only natural that I seek them out for something that will help make the wait for spring less daunting. Speaking of love, red blends are high on my list of favorite things. Quinta Nova is one of the more serious and established estates in Portugal, and this is a combination of three varietals that prior to being handed the bottle I could have easily mistaken as polit-

ical parties in the Assembly of the Republic. Douro 2020 is a balanced coalition between Touriga Nacional (25%), Touriga Franca (30%), and Tinta Roriz (45%). The Amorim family that owns and operates the vineyard has been on a hot streak with the Douro Valley offerings, which is easy to understand within seconds of opening the bottle. A whiff of the cork gives you all of the dark berry goodness you could ever ask for, big cherry and courant notes that act like fishing nets cast out into the sea of your senses with the hopes of pulling you in. I had been advised to let the wine sit a little, but the Irish in me had to try it straight away. My first impression was decidedly woodsy, sips that encouraged me to start a fire in the woodstove later on. As I began to write this article I made myself put the glass aside to revisit once it had had a little time to breathe. As is sometimes the case with love, absence can increase fondness, and this was indeed the case here. A second go at the pride of Vila Real unleashed a world of blackberry and spice. The brilliant plum purple when the glass is half full eases to a ruby red when the glass is half empty, in that the wine seems to relax with you. The tannins are not extreme in this offering, acting more like a beloved herding dog rounding up the flock of flavors that are being called in from the pasture. You can enjoy playing matchmaker at the grocery store when you are looking for pairings because this is a wine that will put the comfort into comfort foods: beef on the grill to hearty pasta, this wine will help get you to smile even on the tenth straight cloudy day in Connecticut. Real love, the type that has been written about by everyone from King Solomon to Mary J. Blige, is not something you can force into existence. You have to experience it for yourself, letting it be what it is and choosing to adapt to it. Maybe it comes down to a series of gestures that add up to the ultimate expression. So when you are grabbing that card and bouquet of flowers, do not forget to include something that will make Valentine's Day a little more vibrant - a bottle of Pomares Douro. Raise your glass to whatever raises your spirit this winter. Your head and heart will thank you.

—Marie Forleo

is universally believed that coincidences often occur in trios like the Three Rivers segmenting Connecticut and the state-sponsored institution that bears the name. Three Rivers Community College is part of an industrial trifecta alongside Ella T. Grasso Technical High School and Navy Nuclear Submarine builder, Electric Boat. There is a threefold need as well. One, a huge demand for trained welders in Connecticut’s industrial market; two, a pool of Connecticut residents who want to work as welders; the third piece being a cost-effective training program to satisfy both workers and industry. To meet this need, in 2017 a state-of-the-art welding training facility was constructed at Grasso Tech in Groton where both individual lives and industry alike are growing in a positive direction. According to a 2022 report from the Connecticut Office of Fiscal Analysis and Office of Legislative Research, over half a million Connecticut residents have student loan debt with an average of thirty-six thousand each. Recognizing this, The Governor initiated the Pledge to Advance Connecticut or PACT in 2023, a community program for degree-seeking, in-state students who enroll full-time, and make satisfactory academic progress will pay zero dollars out of pocket while enrolled. Thus far, more than ten thousand students have taken advantage of Connecticut’s debt-free community college options. However, even with this new program, college life isn’t for everyone. Today, more and more adults find they are more adept at working with their hands. However, the trades usually require schooling and an apprenticeship program that takes years for a new apprentice to start making a viable income.

The answer for a few hungry individuals is the welding program offered at Grasso Tech that fast-tracks adult students through an aggressive evening and summer training program meeting the need for personal income and Connecticut-based companies looking for ready-to-go welding professionals. The entire country is facing a shortage of welders, however here in Connecticut the proactive approach of this program will ensure a new generation of welders will be ready to answer the call anywhere in the state. Locally, Electric Boat has more than tripled its construction of Navy Nuclear Submarines in the past five years, requiring a collection of highly capable welders. The new program translates Electric Boats welding requirements directly to the curriculum of the adult program at Grasso Tech, thus creating a consistent hiring pool of skilled tradespeople. Because Electric Boat would be the company to benefit the most, their engineers had a hand in the design process for the Grasso welding lab. Before 2017, there had been a fifteen-year gap in welding training at Grasso. Now the high school students as well as the adults training at night, benefit from the program in the school’s cutting-edge welding facility. Adult students from various backgrounds and cultures mingle at 3 pm sharp Monday through Friday to meet the expectations of the curriculum and the experienced instructor-welders hired to guide the students through the process. One such student is Mia from Cheshire Connecticut. When asked why she chose welding as her new profession Mia responds, “That’s a good question. I went to college on a softball scholarship, and it wasn’t for me, so I decided I was going to go into the trades

and welding seemed very interesting.” Mia’s time as an athlete yielded her nearly six-foot frame with lean muscle, an attribute that will serve her well as her goal after the training is to join the ranks of welders at Electric Boat where heavy gear is used while working at awkward angles in cramped spaces. “EB already extended me an official offer to work as a welder. I was planning on going to trade school anyway, but then I found this program. Amazingly, I didn’t have to pay for my schooling, and I got a great job right after!” When asked if she planned on welding being a lifelong career Mia responds with a chuff, “I hope so! I know it’s hard work. Let’s see how long I can put up with it!”

Not one to dilly-dally, Mia lifts her steel project and heads to a welding booth. As Mia begins to weld her test plate, a middle-aged man enters the booth next door to set up a fillet weld. Thomas is all smiles when telling his story. “I come from El Salvador and the U.S. welcomed me with open arms. I had lived in New York City with my family until September 11th.” Thomas recalls with a nod of sorrow that tells of his experience. “So… I came to Connecticut. And now I have this opportunity to serve my country and do something positive. Electric Boat has agreed to take me on. I really can’t believe my fortune. This has been an amazing opportunity! Now if you’ll excuse me.” Thomas grins wide as he lowers his hood and strikes an arc that blooms with the intensity of a tiny sun. Across the hazard yellow marked aisle, Jazz from Madison Connecticut is setting up her test project. “Well, I’ve been waiting for weld training for over five years, so I think I’m in the right place.” She says with a confident smile, “I was never much the classroom type person. What got me interested was when I took an automotive class in High school, and we learned welding. I just fell in love with it and told my mom ‘That’s what I’m going to do.’” Jazz has a step-by-step strategy for her future. “I hope to go to Electric Boat and structurally weld there for a year and then move on to pipe welding for maybe five years and then start my own business.” The shop is a-buzz with a drone of electric current, metal clanging, and steel grinding. Yet the vibe in the atmosphere is one of hope and determination. These folks have an opportunity for a financially secure and purposeful life. Another student, a young man with frosted curly hair covered in overalls and a heavy metal t-shirt shares his journey. “I worked at a factory when I was younger and learned a bit of welding there,’ Gabe recalls, “I didn’t grow up with a handson kind of dad, so mechanical things were foreign to me. I had expectations of working with machinery that wasn’t exactly true, but once I was shown how things worked it opened a whole new world.” Gabe is a professional guitar player and parallels welding to musicianship. “It’s playing guitar. You shut your brain off, and you react in real-time to the weld puddle just like the sound you’re making on an instrument.” Gabe has

instructor. Mike is a Navy Veteran who served twenty years as a Naval Nuclear Pipe welder and welding instructor. “Yeah, I was one of four who could teach pipe welding in the Navy, so I’m pretty good at what I do,” Mike says, his mouth producing a slight grin at its corners. “I didn’t think I’d like to teach, but sharing the wealth of knowledge is rewarding when you see somebody’s face lighting up when they get it. I love the trades. I like putting things together. I like to tinker. I like fabricating things. So, being a welder kind of just opens the door for everything. And getting that knowledge into other people’s heads and hands? What’s better than that?”

set his sights on working for himself and contracting out to other welding businesses, “Welding as an art form is something I want to pursue but I know that I’ll have to pay the bills. I love union culture and believe in worker solidarity, so I’ll probably join a union when I’m done here.” The school also employs welding instructors who are the crème of the crop such as Mike Ramerez the shop manager and lead welding

Mike and the other instructors are hand-picked by the school director and force behind the new direction of the facility, Bret Jacobson. Bret is a retired Coast Guard Master Chief and chose a career in academia after his service. He was instrumental in resurrecting the defunct weld program at Grasso while implementing new training pipelines of adult education that are ever-expanding. Bret shares how the ball got rolling. ‘There was a retired captain up at Three Rivers Community College who just got a Department of Labor grant to start this whole pipeline training thing. Three Rivers was essentially going to be the primary trainer for that grant. So, the Captain said he had a retired Master Chief who could build this thing. Namely yours truly.” The retired Master Chief chuckles, “I didn’t want to do it because it was second shift, but I agreed and built the curriculum at night on my home computer. After building the one class Electric Boat approaches with more training requests. All EB’s training was done after the hiring process. But with the aging workforce issue that they’re always fighting, they quickly realized they couldn’t just keep hiring untrained workers off the street. They had to provide them with some base knowledge… and so with that idea in mind we began to work closely with their requirements.” Today the school offers free training for adults not only in welding but also inside machining, outside machining, ship fitting, planning, and design engineering all thanks to Bret’s determination, hard work, and sacrifice. His career is winding down now. Bret hopes to retire out west where he plans to build a log cabin far from the hum of responsibility. However, the voices of those he helped find a path to lifelong careers will echo in his heart and mind when he finally decides to enjoy his time of well-earned retirement.

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ver 33 days, my husband and I traveled through 21 states, and camped in seven national parks, seven state parks, and various campgrounds and sites. We drove roughly 8,000 miles, added nearly a half-million steps to the health Tracker, and kayaked roughly 30 miles. The January issue of INK featured the nuts and bolts of planning an RV adventure; this issue covers two final preparation topics and then gets into the fun – the trip. Expecting numerous learning curves on this amazing adventure, we opted to make life a bit simpler in the dining department. Why spend time cooking when you can be hiking, kayaking, and sightseeing? Then, there’s the whole how to wash the dishes conundrum. Some campsites have an area to rinse dishes, and we did have a sink in the RV, but we also needed to conserve water for the occasional shower. We picked up four dozen or so ready to eat meals (RMEs) from three different companies and actually liked every single one! We probably would not choose to eat these at home as they’re not that delicious, but the breakfasts, lunches and dinners were great for what they were. You simply add boiling water, stir, wait 10-20 minutes, stir again, and dine right out of the bag. There is no clean up except throwing the utensil and bag away! Here are a few examples: Bison chili; Salmon chowder; Breakfast Skillet with eggs, peppers, potatoes and onions; Pad Thai; Beef Stroganoff; Thai Curry; and Morning Glory

Oatmeal with pineapple, carrots, dates and whole milk. These are expensive but pretty healthy, easy, convenient, and beat the options in the national parks which are either non-existent or even more expensive ($15 for a hot dog in Yellowstone, seriously?). I’m not exaggerating when I say there may be no options other than BYO. At one point, with a bit of cell service, I Googled “Pizza near me”. The result was one hour, forty-five minutes away. One last tip – document the plan in whatever way works best. You’ll likely run into stretches (hours or even days) without internet so put everything on paper. We used an Excel spreadsheet which showed the distance to travel each day, campsite, and reservation numbers, whether the site had water/electric/sewer, where we could hike with the dog and kayak, and the all-important laundry. A regular old Word document would work as well – just print out a hard copy. Also, document driving directions; we took screenshots and had a road atlas handy as well. Our first destination was Punxsutawney, PA, famous the world over for its quirky Groundhog Day celebration. Tens of thousands visit Gobbler’s Knob on February 2 each year to see Punxsutawney Phil but we were the only ones there on an August morning, making for hilarious photos of our Puggle posing as the prognosticator. We are led to believe that Phil lives at Gobbler’s Knob but, actually, he lives with his wife in town, two miles away, at the Punxsutawney Memorial Library. There are groundhog statues all over (much like the Cow Parade public art event), and groundhog souvenirs galore. We ended up with a flag, socks, two pairs of earrings, and six different bottles of wine with groundhog labels to prepare for our own version of the celebration at the Essex Groundhog Day Parade.

43 Our first night was spent at a Harvest Host, the Groundhog Winery, of course. Our next destination was another Harvest Host, the Peacock Road Family Farm in rural Lainsgburg, MI. This pristine, 180-acre venue in the boondocks has everything: goats, sheep, pigs, donkeys, flowers, produce, a silo, church, train, Christmas trees, pumpkins, even weddings … and with the most outgoing and entertaining host, Farmer Ed. Being a host is just one of Ed’s side hustles, all of which were done to perfection. The farm was followed by crossing the Mackinac Bridge to our next destination, Bay Furnace Campground in Munising, MI. Also known as the “Big Mac” or the “Mighty Mac”, the bridge stretches 8,614 feet making it the fourth longest suspension bridge in the world. Our site at Bay Furnace was literally on the shore of Lake Superior, so we were able to kayak right out the back of the RV. To see the sunrise over this lake (and from our new home sweet home) was quite a sight. The sunset was just as “superior.” We were too exhausted, however, to catch the northern lights display. Next, on to Black River Harbor in Michigan’s Porcupine Mountains, highly recommended for hiking particularly if you’re a waterfall fanatic. The drive the following day included a stop in Fargo, ND, which we had no idea was so vibrant and cultural.

Sturgis is another “largest” as the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is the world’s largest motorcycle rally, attracting upward of 700,000 people each year. During the event, the entire town is overrun with motorcycles, bike shows, parties, and live concerts. We missed the rally by a few days but there were clearly still a few stragglers. Next up was peace and quiet, incredible scenery and wildlife. Theodore Roosevelt National Park was one of the best experiences of the entire trip. There are countless wild horses, bison, deer, and prairie dogs. We loved the grasslands, the rolling hills, and the absence of people. The Maah Daah Hey Trail was one of the best ever for many reasons, one of which is walking through a prairie dog town. You need at least two days to explore, we could have stayed a week. We headed south, to South Dakota, to Crazy Horse Memorial, a mountain monument under construction on privately held land in the Black Hills, in Custer County. When complete, it will depict the Oglala Lakota warrior Crazy Horse, riding a horse and pointing to his tribal land.

The 4e Winery in Mapleton, ND was our next overnight stop. Wine probably does not come to mind when you think of North Dakota, but it was not only really good but the winery also served surprisingly delicious vegan/vegetarian food overlooking the plains. To top the stay off, there was both a perfect sunset and sunrise. We stopped at quiet Bismarck, the capital, to see the Sakakawea statue, followed by stops for the “World’s Largest Buffalo Monument,” a sculpture of an American Bison located in Jamestown, and then Salem Sue, a giant fiberglass Holstein cow in New Salem. And there were more in the “largest” category, such as the “World’s Largest Motorcycle with a Chainsaw” as we approached Sturgis, SD.

Sylvan Lake in Custer State Park was next up – it has almost every amenity imaginable from rooms and fine-dining in the historic Sylvan Lake Lodge, to campsites, a general store, hiking trails and the perfect lake for kayaking. On to Horsethief Lake, SD, a campground in the Black Hills with easy access to Mount Rushmore. In fact, there are hiking trails which lead to the monument. Words cannot describe how incredible this hiking truly was, though always in the back of the mind was “Am I going to be eaten by an elk or bear?” Next stop: The Badlands. At around 100 degrees, we hiked less and drove more, but the area was still so cool to see. Early morning and evening treks worked well.

Roubaix Lake Campground was a convenient stop on the journey to Lakeview Bighorn National Forest in WY. En route to WY, we drove through Lead, Spearfish Canyon, and Deadwood (all in SD) and Devil’s Tower, WY. Montana far exceeded our expectations. The Beartooth Highway is a must-do. On a stint out West, news correspondent Charles Kuralt drove this 64-mile ribbon of pavement and called the Beartooth America’s most scenic drive. No equivocation. Hairpin turns, nail biters, dramatic mountains, gorgeous. Back up a bit, though. SD roads were dramatic. One such road is Iron Mountain Road, designed for a slow drive to showcase the Black Hills and Mount Rushmore. There are pigtail turns for no apparent reason, and tunnels through which the van barely fit. One framed Mount Rushmore perfectly. Limber Pine Campground in MT was great for hiking by a lake, then it was off to Yellowstone via the Beartooth Highway. This is the less-used entrance to Yellowstone which made it more beautiful. There was the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River, elk, more hiking, and overnighting at the Canyon Campground.

Enough has been written about Yellowstone but it is a must. There are geysers, more geysers, and more geysers (all unique), Old Faithful, and back to the Canyon Campground. We were fortunate to see Steamboat Geyser which we liked even more than Old Faithful. Steamboat erupts unpredictably and happened to start the night we arrived after a 77-day break. The recorded intervals between major eruptions range from three days to fifty years. By all means visit the Old Faithful Inn, described as rustically elegant arts and crafts.

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