EAST LONGMEADOW | LONGMEADOW | HAMPDEN | WILBRAHAM
DiFranco family retires from coaching baseball
By Peter Tuohy ptuohy@thereminder.com
EAST LONGMEADOW — A
20-year family baseball legacy at East Longmeadow High School has ended as head coach Craig DiFranco, his brother, Kyle DiFranco, and their father, Mark DiFranco, hang up the cleats and close out their time as Spartans baseball coaches.
The family’s connection to the program dates back to 2006, with Craig on the mound and Kyle catching behind the plate as the duo helped secure the Spartans’ first league championship in more than two decades. The team later won its first Western Massachusetts Division I title in 2007.
Craig graduated in 2007 as captain of the golf, hockey and baseball teams, earning him induction into the ELHS Athletic Hall of Fame. Kyle graduated in 2009, playing the same three sports and joining his brother with the same hall of fame title.
Craig returned to the Spartans as head coach in 2014, assembling his staff with Kyle teaching fundamentals, Andrew Bunger on pitching development and Western Massachusetts Baseball Hall of Fame member Rich Bedard as bench coach.
Mark, also a Western Massachusetts hall of famer, took over as bench coach after Bedard’s retirement. He called coaching alongside his sons one of the greatest blessings of his life.
“Baseball has always been important to our family, but sharing the dugout, practices, bus rides,
victories and even the difficult moments together created memories that go far beyond the game,”
Mark said. “I am so proud of Craig and Kyle.”
Kyle said coaching alongside his family was a blast and that he “wouldn’t coach any other team, I’m East Longmeadow through and through.”
“It was fun, just getting to be together every single day,” Kyle said. “I love the game. I love watching baseball, I love coaching baseball. I like working with the kids and seeing how they improve from day in and day out, especially year after year.”
He said the staff focused more on how the players grew up as people than how they played on the field, adding, “It’s all about how you act while you play and win, on and off the field.”
He added that stepping away from coaching doesn’t mean they’ll be far, and that they’d still attend games to root for the Spartans.
“Every coach has their own thing that they will do, and my thing was to always be there for the kids,” Kyle said. “Anything they needed, anything. If they had trouble in school, with a person, with anything, I’m a phone call away, if needed. I’d be there in a heartbeat for the kids … it was a great experience. I wouldn’t take one thing back from it, I enjoyed every single moment.”
Craig said that he loved being able to coach the same program he played for and that he “would never have wanted to be anywhere else.”
“The East Longmeadow baseball program has been such a big part of my life,” Craig said. “I played T-ball through sixth grade in East Longmeadow, moved on to four years in high school and was lucky enough to have 12 years as the high school coach. The fact that I got to do it surrounded by my family and friends has been a real blessing.”
He said successful coaches realize they don’t know everything and that it’s important to be surrounded by others that think differently.
“For me, that was easy since I surrounded myself with family and former coaches of mine,” Craig said. “Throughout my baseball life, I had so many wonderful coaches, teammates, friends and mentors. I picked up ideas and beliefs from all of them. Most importantly as a coach, decisions should never be made for your benefit. It is always about the
players on the roster and setting them up for success both on and off the field.”
Craig added he leaves the program knowing it’s in great shape, but that he will miss the camaraderie, the “agonizing preparation” in practice and seeing the hard work come together during the games.
“We have strong underclassmen and the returning team is one of the best I’ve had in my tenure; they will succeed on the diamond and off and I’m very proud of them,” Craig said. “Baseball is a great sport because no single person can win a game, and often it comes down to one or two plays that decide the result. That teamwork and the relationships built because of it is what I will never forget.”
He thanked the entire East Longmeadow baseball commu-
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IN THIS EDITION
EAST LONGMEADOW
Fourth of July parade returns East Longmeadow’s annual Fourth of July parade returned this year on a hot summer day.
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Nonprofit secures grant from Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism
Totally Adaptive will enhance programming and increase accessibility to its specialized fitness services for individuals with autism and other disabilities after receiving $6,500.
LONGMEADOW
Page 6
Free concerts return to Longmeadow throughout summer Longmeadow’s “Concerts on the Green” is back for the summer, bringing live music to residents with triple the bands performing across July and August nights.
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From right to left: Kyle DiFranco, Mark DiFranco, Craig DiFranco. Reminder Publishing submitted photo
East Longmeadow celebrates Fourth with annual parade
Top row, from left: Myles Bergeron, 10, of Springfield shows off his patriotism. Emerson, 4, and Teddy, 3, beat the heat with snowcones before the start of the parade. The Yankee Doodle Band leads the parade’s military unit. Middle row, from left: Meghan Maza, 8, of Springfield grabs some shade under an umbrella while waiting for the parade to begin. Emily Paseos, recipient of the Military Order of the Purple Heart’s National Scoutling Leadership Award, rides in style. Bottom row, from left: Children armed with squirt guns cool off runners on Mapleshade Avenue during the Freedom Four Miler road race that took place before the parade. Decendants of Joseph and Ruth Scully (on the poster to the left) celebrate the Fourth of July, continuing a tradition that has been ongoing since 1954. Ten direct descendents representing four generations were decked out in matching patriotic shirts. The East Longmeadow Police Department leads the parade down Mapleshade Avenue. SEE MORE PARADE PHOTOS PAGE 11.
Publishing
Reminder
photos by Chris Maza
TOWN EVENTS
15, 1-2:30 p.m.
Submit your community listings online at thereminder.com/ submit-an-event/ or by emailing dhackett@ thereminder.com. Events are subject to review and printed on a space available basis.
EAST LONGMEADOW
EAST LONGMEADOW PUBLIC LIBRARY
The following events are organized by the East Longmeadow Public Library, 60 Center Square. For more information or to register, head to eastlongmeadowlibrary.org or call 413-525-5420.
Adult programs: Technology Help Sessions — Tuesday, July 14, from 8-9 a.m. at Pleasant View Senior Center, from 2-3 p.m. at 81 Quarry Hill and from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the East Longmeadow Public Library. The town of East Longmeadow is offering digital technology help sessions Get help from a tech expert! Sign up for a 15 minute time slot to have your questions answered. Please bring your device and any passwords you may need to access your accounts.
Teen programs:
• Homemade Pasta! by Food Explorers — Wednesday, July 15, at 1 p.m. Food Explorers is coming to the library for a hands-on cooking class. Teens will be making fresh pasta from scratch while learning how to mix, knead, roll and cut dough into noodles. Participants will also make a quick no-cook tomato sauce. This recipe is nutfree, but contains eggs and gluten. Grades 6-12. Registration required.
Teen Summer Crafternoons — Thursdays at 2:30 p.m.
• Summer Teen Spot — Fridays in July from 2-4 p.m.
Children programs: Little Sprouts @ The Depot — Monday, July 13 at 9 a.m. For ages 3-6.
Create-A-Critter — Tuesday, July 14, at 2 p.m. For ages 6 and up.
• Art Explorers: Makine Butterfly Houses — Wednesday, July 15, at 11 a.m. for ages 5 and up. Science Heroes: “Digging It” — Wednesday, July 15, at 6 p.m. for ages 5 and up.
HAMPDEN
HAMPDEN SENIOR CENTER
The following events are organized by the Hampden Senior Center, 104 Allen St. For more information or to register for programs, call 413-5665588.
• Memory Café: Rhythm & Motion with Sara — Friday, July 17, at 10:15 a.m.
• Chair Massage with Mindy — Wednesday, July 15, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. $10 for a 10-minute appointment.
LONGMEADOW
RICHARD SALTER STORRS
LIBRARY
The following events take place at the Richard Salter Storrs Library, 593 Longmeadow St. For more information or to register for programs, call 413-565-4181, or head to longmeadowlibrary.org.
Youth programs: Youth Chess (kindergarten and up) — Monday, July 13, 3:154:15 p.m.
• Stories and Movement (ages 2 and up) — Tuesday, July 14, 9:30-10 a.m.
• Board Book Baby Time — Tuesday, July 14, 10:45-11:30 a.m. Patient Planters: Build-a-bouquet (ages 5-9yrs) — Tuesday, July 14, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
• Lil Bug Club — Wednesday, July 15, 9:30-10 a.m. Teen Crochet Together: Simple Stitches — Wednesday, July 15, 3:30-4:00 p.m.
• Bumblebee Storytime — Thursday, July 16, 9:30-10 a.m. Upcycled Art — Thursday, July 16, 3:30-4 p.m.
• Book Worms — Friday, July 17, 9:30-10 a.m. Camp Day — Friday, July 17, 2:30-4:15 p.m.
Adult programs:
• LHS Presents: Stroll America Series: Lives and Livelihoods in Colonial Longmeadow with Bob Abel — Monday, July 13, 6:307:30 p.m. The group will meet at 6:30 p.m. at the library for a short introduction, then walk to destinations where Bob Abel will discuss the evening’s topic further in depth. If you get left behind, just look for the guy in the tricorn hat.
• VIRTUAL Celebrating America’s 250th: The Two Nerdy History Girls Discuss Everyday Life in 1776 — Monday, July 13, 7-8 p.m.
• VIRTUAL: Play Along Ukulele from Home! — Monday, July 13, 7-8 p.m.
• Tech Tuesdays — Tuesday, July 14, 1:30-4:30 p.m.
• Felted Hummingbird Hoop w/ PopUp Art School — Tuesday, July 14, 6-7:30 p.m.
• Library Virtual Speakers: Small Towns and Big Secrets: In Conversation with Bestselling Author Karin Slaughter — Tuesday, July 14, 7-9 p.m.
• Music Appreciation with Rob Humberston: Ages of Music History: Middle Ages — 20th Century — Wednesday, July
Romance is for Everyone with Liz Alden — Wednesday, July 15, 6-7:30 p.m.
• Bocce on the Lawn — Thursday, July 16, 11 a.m. to noon. Styling with Vintage & Thrifted Fashion — Thursday, July 16, 1-2 p.m.
• Library Virtual Speakers: Migrant Heart: The Hidden Cost of the American Dream and Healing Through Storytelling with Reyna Grande — Thursday, July 16, 2-4 p.m. Storrs Stitchers (Drop-In) — Friday, July 17, 10-11:30 a.m.
LONGMEADOW ADULT CENTER
The following programs are organized by the Longmeadow Adult Center, located at 211 Maple Road. For more information or to sign up for programs, call 413-565-4160 option 1.
• The Minute Man: Examining Patriotism, Victory And Loss — July 16 at 6 p.m. Join Chesterwood Curatorial Researcher and Collections Coordinator Dana Pilson for a talk focusing on the special exhibition, “The Minute Man: Examining Patriotism, Victory, and Loss.”
WILBRAHAM
WILBRAHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY
The following programs take place at the Wilbraham Public Library, located at 25 Crane Park Drive. For more information or to sign up for programs, head to wilbrahamlibrary. org or call 413-596-6141.
• Saturday Toddler Time — Saturday, July 11, from 10-10:45 a.m. Parents and guardians and their toddlers (children 4 and under) are invited to join Ms. Erica for a Saturday morning storytime. K-3 Crafternoon — Monday, July 13, from 12:30-1:15 p.m.
• Mosaic Coaster Workshop for Teens & Adults — Teens: Monday, July 13, from 4-5:30 p.m.; Adults: Monday, July 13, from 6:30-8 p.m.
• VIRTUAL: America’s 250th: Everyday Life in 1776 — Monday, July 13, from 7-8 p.m. Teen Bingo for Books — Wednesday, July 15, from 1-2 p.m.
VIRTUAL: JOB SEARCH HELP: Why You’re Not Hearing Back — Wednesday, July 15, from 9:30-10:30 a.m.
• Lego Club — Wednesday, July 15, from 4-6 p.m.
STEAM Cardboard Creators — Thursday, July 16, from 1-3 p.m. Adult Crafternoon: Bee Bath Craft — Friday, July 17, from 2-3:30 p.m.
nity for its “unwavering support throughout the years.”
“To the parents and coaches, you have made the last 12 years very enjoyable and I couldn’t have asked for a better communi-
ty in which to share all the great times,” Craig said. “To my family, who are also my assistant coaches, I want to say I love you and I have had so much fun sharing the last decade with you on the diamond. Lastly, to the players both former and current, you have made it all worth it. The way you conduct yourself on the field and in your lives is what I am most proud of. It is important for the game that you are good ball players, but much more important that you are great people in life. Continue to remain classy, sportsmanlike and show everyone the respect that they deserve. Thank you East Longmeadow Baseball, I love you all.”
Hampden Parks & Rec team up with East Village
Tavern for free music fest
HAMPDEN — The Hampden Parks & Recreation Department
is teaming up with East Village Tavern to put on the second annual “Rock Into Summer” event, held at Hampden’s new Town Hall, 85 Wilbraham Road, on Saturday, July 11, from 6-10 p.m.. Parking lots open at 5 p.m.
This family-friendly event will feature live music from Acousticca, as well as local food trucks. Families are encouraged to bring their own picnic baskets, blankets and lawn chairs.
When asked about the importance of this event, Hampden Parks & Rec Director Dan Blanchard stated, “Outdoor
concerts bring people together and provide families with an opportunity to enjoy quality entertainment close to home. They help strengthen community connections by creating welcoming spaces where residents of all ages can gather, relax, and have fun.“
This event is supported with sponsorships from Charlie Arment Trucking, Deer Park Recycling, Affordable Waste Solutions, Scags Enterprise LLC, East Meadow Enterprises, McNamara Waste, Monson Savings Bank, Richard Green Insurance, Rent-a-Tent, SAFCO Foam Insulation and Cloud 9 Marketing Group.
WILBRAHAM VOTE-BY-MAIL BALLOTS
WILBRAHAM — The Wilbraham town clerk’s office would like to inform Wilbraham voters that per M.G.L. c. 54, § 25B paragraph (7) (i), the state secretary must send vote-by mail applications to every registered voter in Massachusetts prior to state primaries and state elections. Please expect to receive the application on or before July 18. If you have already applied for a vote-by-mail ballot for all elections this year, you will not receive another voteby-mail application. If you wish to apply for a vote-by-mail ballot online, you can do so here: sec.state.ma.us/MailInRequestWeb/ MailInBallot.aspx
Nonprofit secures grant from Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism
By Peter Tuohy ptuohy@thereminder.com
EAST LONGMEADOW — East
Longmeadow’s Totally Adaptive will enhance programming and increase accessibility to its specialized fitness services for individuals with autism and other disabilities after receiving $6,500 through the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism’s Community Impact Grant.
Totally Adaptive is a nonprofit that offers in-person and online fitness options to people of all abilities, such as yoga, light weight-lifting, meditation and rhythmic drumming cardio. It is located inside the Continuum Performance Center at 175 Benton Drive.
The organization aims to help people of all abilities reach their fitness goals while building confidence and community, according to its website.
Boston College Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL quarterback Doug Flutie created the Flutie Foundation in 1998 after his son was diagnosed with autism. It has provided over $20 million to schools and organizations that provide clinical therapies, recreational programs and social skills training for people with autism.
The grant supports “traditionally under-served, under-funded, culturally diverse communities reflected in the Flutie Foundation’s areas of impact,” a press release said.
According to the organization, clients are already showing increased confidence, self-esteem and improved strength and endurance.
Totally Adaptive Board member Maria Themistos said the organization strives for inclusion with a “your way is the right way” motto. She said there is no
“wrong way” at Totally Adaptive.
“The way you and I may do something in the exercise world may be completely different,” Themistos said. “That’s okay, because your way is the right way.”
Around 80% of Totally Adaptive’s clients are people with autism, and Themistos said the organization is in the community to support the needs of individuals and families with autism and other disabilities.
“We have exercise equipment that is really great for any individual to use,” Themistos said. “It’s fun, it’s safe, it gives our clients a way to improve their social connectedness. It helps improve focus and attention, it improves their self confidence, their mood. They’re really getting a lot out of the equipment.”
The $6,500 grant will help Totally Adaptive continue providing inclusive programming for children, teens and adults in Western Massachusetts.
She said that part of the grant will go toward new equipment and a storage shed, adding that more equipment will allow more people to benefit from Totally Adaptive’s services.
VETERANS MEMORIAL DONATION — Steve And Jean Graham, owners of Toner Plastics Group and The Depot At Graham Central Station in East Longmeadow, recently donated $2,500 towards the construction of the East Longmeadow Veterans Memorial, the committee spearheading the project announced recently.
The grant also helps cover professional development for instructors, such as CPR training, along with providing a new schol-
arship opportunity that covers one year of tuition for all classes. More information on Totally Adaptive, how to get involved and how to donate can be found at totallyadaptive.org.
LAROCK RECEIVES DEGREE FROM GEORGIA TECH ATLANTA, GEORGIA — Thomas LaRock of East Longmeadow has earned a Master of Science in Analytics from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. LaRock was among 7,129 undergraduate and graduate students to be presented Georgia Tech degrees during the Institute’s 270th Commencement exercises May 7-9 at McCamish Pavilion (Ph.D. and bachelor’s) and Bobby Dodd Stadium (master’s).
Photo credit: Leah Martin Photography
Sarno sounds off on courthouse decision
By Chris Maza cmaza@thereminder.com
SPRINGFIELD — Days before the Fourth of July, Mayor Domenic Sarno provided his own display of verbal fireworks, taking aim at state officials’ decision to place a new courthouse on Liberty Street.
On July 2, the state’s Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance announced the selection of the Liberty Junction Team to replace the aging Roderick J. Ireland Courthouse with a new regional justice center at 125 Liberty St.
The $600 million project calls for a six-story, L-shaped building located in close proximity to Union Station and Interstate 291. To accomplish this, the currently vacant Liberty Medical Arts Building will be demolished, and the new building will be erected across that property and a 2.2-acre piece of property on Frank B. Murray Street.
“After a thorough and competitive procurement process with several strong proposals, the Liberty Junction Team emerged as the best value proposal in the eyes of the Trial Court,” said DCAMM Commissioner Adam Baacke. “Their experience, an efficient layout that effectively meets functional and security requirements, a downtown location that can catalyze revitalization, and the project’s comparative cost savings make this an excellent outcome for the commonwealth and the Springfield community.”
At a press conference following the announcement, flanked by Chief Development Officer Tim Sheehan, Sarno blasted “Boston power brokers” for “going on the cheap” and failing to deliver what he believed could have been a transformative development for the city.
The mayor has been a vocal advocate for a North End riverfront project pitched by Peter Picknelly through his Opal development company in 2022 that would have included a courthouse, a mixed-use development with 120 to 180 oneand two-bedroom apartments and a first floor designated for retail and restaurants, and a 50-slip marina.
Repeatedly stating that his administration was led to believe by Baacke that DCAMM was look-
ing for a “game-changing” project, Sarno said the “one-dimensional” Liberty Street proposal was the opposite and a missed opportunity.
He also decried the state’s decision to partner with outside developers, pointing to the riverfront proposal and a separate bid for a Dwight Street development by Balise Auto Sales President Jeb Balise and Tom Dennis, president of the Dennis Engineering Group, as viable projects with established project labor agreements. Balise’s team has already been demolishing properties on Lyman Street to prepare the site.
Sarno and Sheehan said it was their belief that those two locally driven proposals were finalists out of an initial group of 11, along with Liberty Junction, whose development group includes Virginia-based FD Stonewater and Boston-based Suffolk Construction.
A representative from DCAMM told Reminder Publishing that the three projects discussed were finalists, along with Greatland Realty Partners’ bid to redevelop 1860 Main St., the current site of The Republican’s headquarters and 6 Brick’s cannabis dispensary.
“This is not the game-changing project. This is not the best project for the city of Springfield,” Sarno said. “Local developers were shunned. Once again, it’s Boston power brokers telling Springfield what to do.”
Sarno added that he “respect-
Mayor Domenic Sarno speaks at City Hall following the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance’s decision to develop a new courthouse on Liberty Street. Reminder Publishing photo by Chris Maza
Free concerts return to Longmeadow throughout summer
By Peter Tuohy ptuohy@thereminder.com
LONGMEADOW — Longmeadow’s “Concerts on the Green” is back for the summer, bringing live music to residents with triple the bands performing across July and August nights.
Oakland Stroke kicks off the concert series on July 9, with a July 16 rain date. Bad News Jazz & Blues Orchestra continues on Aug. 13, and the Oompa Meisters Brass Band closes out the summer on Aug. 20. Each event begins at 6 p.m., free of charge on the Town Green.
Oakland Stroke is a 1970s San Francisco Bay Area funk-styled tribute band, featuring vocalist Donna-Lee De Prille and the Bump City Horns. The 13-member group brings to town the repertoires of Tower of Power, Santana, Janis Joplin, Sly Stone and many more.
Bad News Jazz & Blues Orchestra is known as the “busiest swing band in Western Massa-
chusetts,” according to its website. The 19-piece performs contemporary music for the whole family, with Cindy Reed on vocals and musicians on saxophones, trumpets, trombones, guitar, bass guitar, drums, keyboard and clarinet.
The Oompa Meisters are a veteran-owned band that blends New Orleans and Bavarian sounds. The group performs as a four to eight piece brass band and “delivers high-energy performances for parades, Oktoberfests, festivals, weddings and corporate events through New England,” according to its website.
The concerts are a partnership between Longmeadow Parks and Recreation and the Longmeadow Cultural Council. The Cultural Council provides funding through grants and Parks and Recreation provides the venue.
Parks and Recreation Director Bari Jarvis said the department used to seek sponsorships from local banks and fully orchestrate
the concerts each year until noticing a shortage in attendance compared to other communities.
“We took a really long pause,” Jarvis said. “It was just after the [COVID-19 pandemic] that everyone remembered, kind of, the longing for the community. These individual bands began to seek out their own Longmeadow Cultural Council grants, and they would approach the department for us to sponsor them and house them.”
Jarvis said the concerts have grown in popularity over the past six years, and that the department is “very excited” to have three bands instead of one.
“It brings our community together,” Jarvis said. “People enjoy music and enjoy congregating. We have a beautiful green space that is a perfect showcase for these performances, which is really nice.”
She said that each band performs separate genres that appeal to all different audiences, families and individuals, adding that
she hopes Oakland Stroke plays some Journey.
“If you look at different towns and what they do, there’s a lot of rock, a lot of country,” Jarvis said. “The bands we seem to attract are different in nature. We
have a jazz band, a rock band and a Bavarian band concluding the series in late August.”
More information on each concert can be found at longmeadowma.myrec.com under the “programs” section.
Longmeadow Select Board sets date for fall Special Town Meeting
By Peter Tuohy ptuohy@thereminder.com
LONGMEADOW — With Longmeadow’s Annual Town Meeting and town elections complete, attention now turns to the Special Town Meeting.
Longmeadow Town Manager Lyn Simmons has announced the town’s key dates and submission deadlines for this year’s fall Special Town Meeting, taking place at Longmeadow High School on Nov. 17 at 7 p.m.
A June 29 press release detailed the guidelines and due dates for town departments, boards and committees looking to submit articles and residents looking to submit citizen petitions.
Town departments, boards
and committees must submit all proposed warrant articles to the Select Board’s office, 231 Maple Road, no later than noon on Sept. 25. Zoning and other bylaw proposals requiring drafting and review must be submitted earlier and may require a public hearing.
Citizen petitions are due at the Select Board’s office as well, but have a separate submission deadline of Oct. 2 at noon. Petitioners should also email their article as a Word document to the town manager by the deadline.
A petitioner must collect 100 names, signatures and addresses of registered town voters for a petition to be included in the warrant. All signatures must be certified by the town clerk before the submission deadline.
MIAMI UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT’S LIST
OXFORD, OHIO — Laura Griffiths from Longmeadow was
The town’s petition instruction form states, “proponents of a petition article are encouraged to secure more signatures than necessary, in the event the signatures are disqualified for any reason.” Things that can cause signature disqualification include a non-registered voter signature or an ineligible signature.
The town is also reminding residents that citizen petitions are printed in the warrant exactly as received, including spelling and punctuation. Petitioners are encouraged to consult with an attorney to ensure proper wording and to carefully review all forms and instructions before submission.
Articles that request an appropriation of funds will be subject to review by the Finance Committee. Likewise, the Planning Board will review zoning-related articles. The Select Board will review all other articles. Lead petitioners of an article will be notified of a hearing or deliberation date by the appropriate board.
If the appropriate board supports an article, the town will pre-
pare the motion for Town Meeting. However, lead petitioners are responsible for moving their own articles at Town Meeting.
The Select Board will review the draft warrant on Oct. 5 and finalize it on Oct. 19. The warrant will then go to town counsel for review and to the Finance Committee, which will vote on funding recommendations between Oct. 20-26. Other important dates include the Nov. 2 deadline to post the warrant and the Nov. 6 voter registration deadline, if residents aren’t already registered. More information and access to the required forms and instructions can be found at longmeadowma.gov/m/newsflash/Home/ Detail/1290.
A look at the previous Longmeadow Town
Old Meeting House Museum finishes up exterior restoration
By Peter Tuohy ptuohy@thereminder.com
WILBRAHAM — One of New England’s oldest Methodist meeting houses is in the final phases of restoration work as it prepares for one of its most anticipated family events of the year.
Wilbraham’s Old Meeting House opened in 1793 at 450 Main St. The building converted into a museum in 1963, showcasing a collection of town artifacts while organizing community events and programming from May to December each year.
Old Meeting House Museum Director of Marketing Lindsey Bourcier told Reminder Publishing in May that the museum serves as a “gathering place to connect with Wilbraham’s past while building
community in the present.”
The building underwent a complete exterior de-leading and paint restoration by New Generation Painting Inc. Window repairs, paint touch-ups and shutter restoration will complete the work in the coming months.
Voters approved $147,000 for the project through a Community Preservation Committee Grant at the Annual Town Meeting in May 2025.
The neighboring Hearse House also received restoration treatment. Originally located at Adams Cemetery on Tinkham Road and used as storage for the town’s horse-drawn hearse, the building is believed to have been constructed sometime in the 1800s.
A press release from the Old Meeting House Museum states
that the restoration is “essential to protecting both the buildings and the collections they hold, so that future generations can continue to learn from and appreciate our community’s rich history … we thank the residents of Wilbraham, who voted in favor of this important preservation effort. Your support is a reflection of the community’s shared commitment to honoring and protecting our local history.”
The museum also shouts out Wilbraham Facilities Director Sam Boyd, Keith Isham Landscaping, volunteer gardener Kate Beisky and the Museum Board of Trustees for their help in maintaining the property.
Restoration will finish just in time for the annual Ice Cream Social on July 12 from 2-4 p.m. in the Old Meeting House Museum
Garden. The event features free ice cream, music by the Valley String Band, hands-on kids’ crafts and live art demonstrations. Bourcier said the Ice Cream
Quilt project for nation’s 250th on display at Wilbraham Public Library
By Peter Tuohy ptuohy@thereminder.com
WILBRAHAM — A project depicting what quilters love about living in the United States and New England is officially on display in Wilbraham just in time for the nation’s 250th birthday.
The Semiquincentennial Quilt Project runs through July in the Brooks room at the Wilbraham Public Library, 25 Crane Park Drive.
The quilts are all handmade and will travel throughout Western Massachusetts, with stops planned so far at the Palmer Public Library and The Big E later this year.
Karen Gatchell and Valerie Morton came up with the project two years ago after seeing The Great Tapestry of Scotland in Galashiels, Scotland. The Great Tap-
estry is one of the world’s longest stitched tapestries that depicts 12,000 years of Scottish history through 160 panels, 469 feet and 300 miles of wool thread.
“We came back and we thought, ‘you know, we should do something for the semiquincentennial,’” Gatchell said. “The idea bubbled around for a while … We also found out that the city of Dundee, Scotland had its own exhibit of another 50 of these embroidered panels, so we went to see them. We met a couple of the people who embroidered them, and we were just so inspired to do something ourselves.”
Gatchell and Morton went around to quilting groups in the area, such as the Pioneer Valley Quilt Guild, and assembled artists to join in on creating the project’s gallery of quilts.
This Wilbraham event includes
10 wall-hanging quilts. Gatchell’s own quilt for the gallery depicts New England’s four distinct seasons and trees, inspired by living in Scotland and missing the New England flora.
Morton’s quilt is themed around East Longmeadow’s Fourth of July Parade.
“It’s all just very, very different,” Gatchell said. “We have one depicting a farm in Wilbraham. There’s one for Dr. Seuss. We have one that is [Ogunquit, Maine]. We have some very fascinating quilts to come and see.”
Gatchell said she likes that the “quilts are designed by the quilter,” and each pattern is completely original and made up as the artist works. She added that she had only done that once or twice.
“It was a real challenge for me,” Gatchell said. “I really thought hard about how I wanted
to depict what I loved about New England, especially the Hampden, Wilbraham area … It was really a lot of fun and I’m pretty proud of what I did because I’ve never really done that technique before, so it’s encouraging to know that I can actually do it.”
She added that the quilts have a showcase booked for July 2027, so the goal right now is to have one each month until then.
“It’s small but we feel excited about it as a semiquincentennial project,” Gatchell said. “I think we can achieve that pretty easily since the quilts are from different towns. I’m reaching out to each of the towns to see if they would like to display them, and Valerie and I are putting them up, taking them down and putting them up in the next place.”
A reception is also scheduled for July 14 from 6:30-8
p.m. for anyone who may have questions on the quilts or the techniques used to make them. More information can be found on the project’s Facebook page, @250thsemiquincentennialquiltproject.
Social is a summer highlight and a longtime tradition, with expanded offerings this year and the same
A featured quilt for the event created by Cindy Nickerson. Reminder Publishing submitted photo
The Old Meeting House Museum, located at 450 Main St. in Wilbraham. Reminder Publishing submitted photo
SPRINGFIELD
Worthy Brewfest draws crowds to sample beer, cider at The Landing
By Sarah Heinonen sheinonen@thereminder.com
SPRINGFIELD — Music, food, sun and beer — lots of it —
Courthouse
from page 7
fully didn’t mince any words” with state officials when he spoke with them.
Sarno reiterated his belief that the north riverfront proposal was ideal due to its viability as a “destination” mixed-use development spanning more than 14 undeveloped acres. Calling the Liberty Street plot “a postage stamp,” Sarno questioned issues such as parking at the site.
“I’m pissed off. I’m extremely disappointed. I just lost four devel-
brought hundreds of people out to The Landing on June 27 for the Worthy Brewfest.
Started in 2010 by Theodores’ Blues, Booze, and BBQ
opments in one,” he said.
When asked if the outcome would have been different for an eastern Massachusetts courthouse project, Sarno said with a chuckle, “Everything’s different in eastern Mass., right?”
Sheehan cut in and added, “I think the question would be is whether Boston would actually be taking a Springfield-based developer.”
Asked how he thought the Liberty Street area would be impacted by the new courthouse, Sarno huffed, “Not much. You’re going to have a high traffic area there. You’re going to have a quagmire of
and Smith’s Billiards, and named for its origins on Worthington Street, Worthy BrewFest has grown and now includes more than 60 sampling vendors.
high traffic area.”
When asked if he would be speaking with the developers, Sarno said, “They’re going to have to do business with my administration.”
When asked what he would be asking for, he replied, “The world.”
Others praise progress
While Sarno was disappointed, other area officials applauded the fact that the project had taken the next step forward.
“Today’s announcement is welcome news, but it must be followed by action,” Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi said. “For too long,
This year, the Springfield Business Improvement District incorporated Worth Brewfest into its Downtown Springfield calendar of events.
dedicated public servants have worked in a building plagued by serious environmental concerns, while respiratory illnesses and cancer have cast a shadow over the courthouse community. As we celebrate this milestone, we should also remember the many members of that community who never got to see this day, as well as those who continue to battle serious illnesses. The best way to honor them is to move this project forward as quickly as possible so future generations never have to question whether coming to work is putting their health at risk.” Springfield City Councilor
The festival was presented by Beacon Bank and included a homebrewer’s competition, four food trucks, a DJ and brewery-adjacent vendors.
Michael Fenton praised the decision. Fenton represents Ward 2, which abuts the area in which the new courthouse will be constructed, and is a candidate for Governor’s Council.
He said, “Finally, after a decade of waiting, Western Massachusetts will have a new courthouse in our largest city. A new courthouse will require a renewed focus on fully funding and staffing our court system in Western Mass. This once in a generation project will also necessitate working collaboratively with the Governor and her team on fully realizing the economic development potential of this investment.”
Top row, from left: Beer is poured from a can at the Two Weeks Notice Brewing Company tent. A couple wearing pretzel necklaces enjoys samples at Worthy Brewfest. William Walls of 4 Walls Brewing Company tilts a glass to dissipate the head on a sample of beer. People play cornhole between trying beer samples at the festival. Bottom row, from left: DJ Onyx plays music for the crowd. A festival goer tries the Peach Sour Patch Kids cider from Screaming Cider Company. A couple stands with their beer samples. A jar of hops and another filled with barley sit on the Tiber & Tide Brewing Company table.
Reminder Publishing photos by Sarah Heinonen
Top row, from left: Members of American Legion Post 293 greet the crowd. Members of the Military Order of the Purple Heart enjoy their ride down the parade route. Former East Longmeadow Town Councilor Marilyn Richards, left, gets a lift in a decorated golf cart. Richards recently retired after 40 years in East Longmeadow town government. Middle row, from left: Members of the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office’s motorcycle unit lead the way for the department. Left to right: State Rep. Angelo Puppolo, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno and Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi wave to those along the parade route. Musket in hand, a patriot makes his way down the parade route. Bottom row, from left: East Longmeadow Lions Distinguished Citizen of the Year Kelly Phillips gives a wave. The Cutler brothers, Bennett, 6, and Grant, 4, of Wilbraham share a chair during the parade. SEE MORE PHOTOS ON PAGE 12.
Reminder Publishing photos by Chris Maza
Top row, from left: Jaime Thayer Awoniyi and Aubriella, 3, await the parade. A young man gives a wave from a Springfield fire engine. The color guard leads the Civil Air Patrol. Parade participants weren’t shy about showing how much fun they were having. Middle row, from left: Two youngsters get a ride in the shade during what was a hot day for a parade. A parade participant keeps onlookers cool with her water gun. Allura, Christian and Delon, all of Springfield, enjoy the parade. Bottom row, from left: A truck is decked out with a stars and stripes paint job.
hauls
Meadow Enterprises brought
Reminder Publishing photos by Chris Maza
Panel discussion to follow autobiographical play about clergy abuse
By Sarah Heinonen sheinonen@thereminder.com
NORTHAMPTON — This July, Easthampton resident Jay Sefton will stage a production of his one-person show “Unreconciled” at the Academy of Music in Northampton.
The play, about the sexual abuse Sefton experienced as a child at the hands of a priest, will be followed by a panel discussion with renowned author, researcher and educator in the field of trauma treatment, Bessel van der Kolk.
“It was really born out of political things that happened in 2021,” Sefton explained. Several times before then, the state legislature in Pennsylvania — where Sefton is from — had considered a constitutional amendment creating a two-year lookback window in the statute of limitations for adults who had experienced child sexual
abuse. Sefton said that in 2021, the amendment was as close as it had ever been to being passed.
“I really thought it was going to happen this time,” Sefton said. “When it didn’t, I didn’t know what else to do. I was filled with rage.”
Sefton started writing about his experiences. It began almost as a thought experiment, akin to one writing a letter they never mean to send to someone who wronged them.
“I was in that mindset, ‘I don’t have to perform it.,” he said, explaining he told himself, “There’s a chance nothing will happen with this.”
When the opportunity arose to workshop the play at the Chester Theatre Company, Sefton said he experienced hesitation. It would not be the last time. At each level of the play’s production — when it was first staged, when he per-
formed it at a bar down the street from where the abuse happened in Philadelphia — he encountered another moment of hesitation.
“It’s rather hard to get people to come see a one-person show about clergy abuse, surprisingly,” Sefton said with a chuckle. “I thought no one would want to see it.” But he pushed forward. Unexpectedly, he said, “It started to not become mine.” At the discussion he holds after each performance, people began voicing their own experiences of abuse, some for the first time.
After a production he staged on Cape Cod, a psychologist who was friends with van der Kolk approached him. Van der Kolk is the author of the 2014 book, “The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma,” a popular book about how trauma reshapes the body and brain. The author lives in the Berkshires and after meeting
with Sefton, agreed to join him for the discussion panel after the July 25 show.
Sefton said he no longer feels hesitant about the play. “What was born in rage has become a joy,” he said. “I enjoy performing it ... The play doesn’t feel like I’m screaming into the void anymore. It feels more profound than anything else I’ve done on stage.”
Reflecting on what he wants people to take away from “Unreconciled,” Sefton said he wants them to have a full theatrical experience, filled with a wide array of emotions. “I would like survivors to feel heard and seen, if that’s possible,” he said. Sefton also wants people to be moved to urge their legislators to support legal mechanisms that provide an opportunity for adult survivors of child sex abuse to have their day in court.
In the Massachusetts House
of Representatives, bill H.1829 would eliminate the statute of limitation in civil child sexual abuse cases. Current law provides a limit of 35 years to bring a civil suit for child sexual abuse “or within 7 years of the time the victim discovered or reasonably should have discovered that an emotional or psychological injury or condition was cause.” Sefton said that in the case of clergy abuse, the Catholic church lobbies legislators to protect their institutions. Sefton said, “It’s not good for survivors. It’s not good for communities.”
Having performed the play at venues around Western Massachusetts, Sefton said the Academy of Music show will likely be the last time the play will run in the area. Sefton said he is going to perform in England and Ireland in the fall. After that, the play will run off Broadway.
Lomelda, Plume Girl, Home Baker celebrate new music at CitySpace
EASTHAMPTON — CitySpace welcomes Lomelda, joined by Plume Girl and Home Baker, for an evening of collaborative new music in the Blue Room at Old Town Hall on Friday, July 17. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and music begins at 8 p.m.
The concert celebrates the release of “Everyday I Weave on the Great Loom,” a new recording by Plume Girl and Home Baker. Designed in the spirit of the album itself, the performance will feature selections from its “Voice and Wind” sections, alongside
new music by Lomelda performed collaboratively by all three artists. Rooted in friendship, trust and years of creative exchange, the evening highlights the deep connections that have shaped each artist’s work.
Lomelda is the long-running songwriting project of Texas-born musician Hannah Read. Since its beginnings nearly two decades ago, Lomelda has earned acclaim for intimate, emotionally resonant songs that explore connection, vulnerability and human relation-
Friendly’s ice cream that “everyone knows and loves.”
“This year’s social is shaping up to be our most fun yet,” Bourcier said. “We’re so grateful to Friendly’s for their continued support.”
The event is free to attend with no registration required. More information on the Old Meeting House Museum and any upcoming events can be found at theomh.org.
ships. Read’s acclaimed releases include “Hannah” in 2020, “M for Empathy” in 2019, “Thx” two years earlier and and “4E” in 2016. A new album is expected in 2027. Plume Girl is the experimental music project of singer, dancer, and performer Sowmya Somanath. Drawing from Indian classical music and dance traditions alongside ambient folk, experimental pop, and musique concrète, her work explores sound, improvisation, and the emotional landscapes of love, mortality and spirituality.
Her recent releases include “In the End We Begin” in 2023 and 2025’s “Unnameable Glory.”
Home Baker is the project of Walter Nichols, whose music reflects the quiet rhythms of everyday life. Combining synthesizers, wind instruments and field record-
ings, Nichols creates contemplative soundscapes informed by his work operating a sourdough bakery and his fascination with the beauty of ordinary moments. Ticket prices are $20–$30 and are available at CitySpaceEasthampton.org.
Wilbraham’s Sean Tillberry (L) wins the ball as Ali Alzoubi of West Springfield closes in.
Goalie Andrew Mullen goes up for the save.
and
Wilbraham defender James Phelps (R) pokes the ball away from West Springfield’s Brendan Smuda.
Xavier Catellier heads the ball out of the Wilbraham end.
Jackson Shanley (R) from Wilbraham competes for the ball with West Side’s Vincenzo Andre.
‘Chaug’s Mason Axiotis (R)
West Side’s Helal Al Helal battle for the ball.
Volovski to Kelsey R. Hynds and Jose A. Cardona
3 Chestnut LLC, to Chestnut Residences LLC, and Chestnut Residences At 122
Michael A. Lopez to Damian Dunkelly and Zoyie Plunkett-Dunkelly, 59 Daviston St. $275,000
Michelle M. Grasso to Chan Dao and Lien Thi Cam Ngo, 23 Gilman St.
EAST LONGMEADOW - THURSDAY, HOOK DELIVERY
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57 Papers: Park Dr., Brittany Rd.,
