Irresponsible dog owners ruin a once enjoyable & safe spot

Dear Editor,

We are very fortunate to have such a beautiful resource in our town. I have been an Uxbridge resident for over thirty years. I have been visiting the West Hill Dam multiple times per week for all of these years. Always loved the trails, the scenery, the wildlife that is available to us.

Unfortunately I have had to stop going in the Dam. The Dam has grown tremendously over the years. Many more people now visit on a regular basis. I had to stop going in as, almost, every time I enter the Dam there are unleashed dogs. There are numerous posted signs throughout the park that state " All dogs must be leashed at all times."

I often mention this to the dog owners and their responses are usually not very kind. I have no desire to have a conflict. I think it is a shame that the responsible dog walkers, and they are a majority, can't enjoy the Dam as they should be able to. Same for the hikers, bikers and walkers that just want to enjoy all the Dam has to offer. I now have to work out on the roads and deal with all the automobile traffic and potholes...just disappointed that so few ruin the experience for so many?

- Disappointed Uxbridge resident

Submitted by: Bill DiCillo Uxbridge

Early supports safe events for H.S. Seniors

Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. is helping fund a safe post-graduation event in both northbridge and Uxbridge this year thanks to his annual grant program, now in its fifth year. “These events should be times of celebration for our students and their families, but these celebrations can turn into tragedies as we know that life can and often does change in the blink of an eye when alcohol and drugs are involved,” Mr. Early said. “We will continue to offer these funds to help provide students with these fun and safe events. Our goal is prevention of tragedies before they happen.”

This year, the District Attorney’s office awarded a total of $25,000 in grants to 18 different schools across Worcester County to fund events, organized and overseen by dedicated adults, that offer safe drug- and alcoholfree environments where students can celebrate after celebratory events like prom and graduation. District Attorney Early felt it was vital to continue supporting these programs and is utilizing his Drug Forfeiture reinvestment Program this year to provide these funds. Funding to support these grants was previously provided by the Massachusetts Office of Victim Assistance Drunk Driving Trust Fund.

Donations needed for Library Auction

Coming once again this October, the Friends of the Simon Fairfield Public Library in Douglas will hold our fourth annual online sale!

now is the time to donate your items! Thanks to you, every year we’ve had a wonderful selection of beautiful items and services, including household items, handcrafted wares, and antiques, vacation packages, and useful services. Time to get creative, sort through your attics and garages, see what you might find! And new this year, we welcome sponsorships for those wanting to donate more.

The auction will run online Monday October 9th through Monday October 23rd. Items accepted now through September 15, sooner is better!!

To donate please email your descriptions and images to: friendssimonfairfieldlibrary@hotmail.com.

More information about the auction and sponsorship on the library website’s Friends page at mysfpl.org. Send