The Plainville
Cit itiz ize en Plainville’s Only Weekly Newspaper
Volume 9, Number 22
Honoring fallen heroes
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Plainville Fire Company: 125 years serving people, the town By Robin Lee Michel The Plainville Citizen Since the Plainville Fire Company was started on Jan. 12, 1885, from a meeting of concerned citizens, its mission has never changed: to protect the lives and property of the citizens of Plainville. Although technology has changed during the past 125 years from horse-drawn fire wagons and buckets of water to aerial platform trucks flowing 2,000 gallons of water per minute, the dedication and love for community remains the same.
The fire company has been planning celebrations and events for this significant milestone for the past seven
months. Lt. Jeff Romano, is chairman of the 125th anniversary committee. He and Chief Raymond Swanson, Capt. Thomas Moschini and Alyn Kall, company secretary, spoke recently to The Plainville Citizen about the history and the celebration plans. The all-volunteer company started with 30 members — 12 of whom quit the first year — and has grown to a full roster of 70 firefighters. It is one of the few companies in the area which has a waiting list. Only 10 chief of-
See Service, page 35
Guernsey and Plainville: these two communities hold much in common By Dan Brechlin Special To The Citizen Though the plot of people living in Guernsey during World War II, holding literary discussions was fiction, the Friends Book Discussion Group really did gather at the Plainville Library Tuesday to discuss the book ‘The Guernsey Literary and Pota-
Citizen photos by Robin Lee Michel
Top, Memorial Day parade grand marshals and Plainville Police Department officers Shane Phillips, left, and Roman Blajerski, right, wave to the crowds during the event on May 31. Hundreds of people also attended the ceremony held to honor those who died in military service to the country. Wreaths were placed at each station at Veterans Memorial Park and five students read their winning essays about Memorial Day. See more photos on our Web site www.plainvillecitizen.com; click on photo gallery tab.
to Peel Society’ and what life was like then and learn from those who experienced it. Clive LeMasurier, a Plainville resident, lived in Jersey, a small island which sits adjacent to Guernsey off the Northwest French coast. LeMasurier lived there until age 9, while his wife Margaret, who also works in the library, was able to tell sto-
ries of Clive’s mother, Eileen LeSueuer. “(Life) was very fearful,” Clive said after the discussion. “Walking to school, my sister was always in fear of the Germans doing something to her and her friends.” Fear was what the natives lived in, in both Guernsey
See Common, page 32
Relay For Life to step out for cancer By Jessica Plaskett Special to The Citizen For its victims, survivors and caregivers, the battle against cancer is never ending. That reality will motivate Relay For Life participants as they take turns walking the “never-ending” path at Norton Park for 24 hours beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 5.
Fo u n d ed by a physician in Washington state 25 years ago, Relay For Life has become the American Cancer Society’s premier fundraising event, raising money for cancer research and programs.
It will be the biggest Relay For Life event in Plainville since its inception six years ago, said Donna McCarty, who is one of the chairwoman; the other two chairwomen are Tammy Wyman and Jenn Shorette. As of Tuesday, there were 500 participants set to gather at Norton Park this Saturday
See RFL page 34