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THE CHRONICLE OF STURBRIDGE COUNTRY LIVINGSTURBRIDGETIMES

THE

MAGAZINE

SEPTEMBER 2010

2 THE CHRONICLE OF STURBRIDGE COUNTRY LIVINGTHE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINE

STURBRIDGETIMESMAGAZINE

THE

PUBLISHER & EDITORMANAGING EDITOR

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

CONTRIBUTORS

PAUL CARRJOHN SMALL

KAREN ROTHWEILER

JEFF CANNONTHOMAS CHAMBERLANDJEFFREY DAVENPORTROBERT GEORGE, ESQ.RICHARD MCGRATHRICHARD MURPHYSTEPHANIE RICHARDSSUSAN SHALHOUB

THE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINE is published 11 times a year, with a combined January-February issue, in Sturbridge, Massachusetts byCarr, Quinn & Small, Inc. We accept photos, opinions, short articles, stories, poems and drawings from the general public, but assume no responsibil-ity for failure to publish a submission or for typographic errors published or incorrect placement. The contents of this magazine consist of copy-rightable material and cannot be reproduced without the expressed written permission of the author and the publishers of The Sturbridge TimesMagazine. We reserve the right to refuse any advertising for any reason. We reserve the right to require editing to any advertising that is accepted forpublication.

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SEPTEMBER 2010STURBRIDGECOUNTRYLIVING

3THE CHRONICLE OF STURBRIDGE COUNTRY LIVING THE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINE


HEALTH

Brenda Cobb’s cancerled her to a whole new way of living

On February 13, 1999, my life changed forever. I wentto the doctor for a check-up and was shocked to find thatI had a large cervical tumor and a lump in my breast aboutthe size of a quarter. My mother and aunts had cervicaland breast cancers. They chose the mainstream medicalroute that included surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.My doctor recommended immediate surgery and that I goto another doctor for a second opinion, hospital tests, andblood work.

The first thing I did when I left the doctor’s office wasgo to the health food store and ask for books and informa-tion on curing cancer without surgery and drugs. They rec-ommended How I Cured Cancer Naturally by Edie Mae.That little book confirmed that surgery and drugs were notfor me. When I read Edie Mae’s story of healing herselfthrough the use of living foods, I knew immediately thatthis was the way I wanted to go.

Then came time for my next doctor’s appointment. Ispent two entire days at the hospital and the doctor’soffice. After getting all the tests back their consensus wasthat I definitely must have surgery. They set up a time formy surgery and talked with me about signing the consentforms. By this time my head was spinning. The doctorsmade me think I had no time to think it over, that I hadto act fast. They were alarmed at what they saw, especiallyconsidering my family history, and they did their best toalarm me too.

I decided not to have the surgery, but rather to heal my

body the natural way with a healthy lifestyle. The doctorswere not supportive of my choice and put pressure on meto go through with the surgery, but I had made up mymind and I stuck to my decision. I began drinking wheat-grass and lots of fresh juices every day. I ate a lot of organ-

ic raw vegetables. From the middle of February until themiddle of May I lost twenty pounds, my energy increased,my bleeding stopped, and my breast tumor began toshrink.

Through reading, I learned that in addition to eatingthe right foods, it was also important to clean out mycolon of toxic waste by receiving professional colonics. Ibooked an appointment for my first colonic. I wasuncomfortable just thinking about it because I didn’tknow what to expect, but the whole experience was verydignified, and I was amazed at all of the old impactedfecal waste that came out of my body.

Detoxing was rough! Every toxin and poison in mybody began to release and I had the "headache from hell"for two full days. I also experienced nausea, exhaustion,sleeplessness, depression, anxiety, aches, pains, facialbreakouts, dry, itchy red patches all over my thighs, hipsand butt, and I felt like I had the flu. It was probably themost miserable I had ever been.

Besides feeling awful, I had all these emotions surfac-ing to deal with. I was angry for allowing myself to get inthis bad shape. I didn’t like the living foods and I won-dered how I would be able to do without Thai food,French fries, pizza, chocolate, potato chips, and all thoseother foods I had become so attached to. How would Iever go to a family holiday gathering again and be able toeat anything there since everything would be cooked? Iresented that all this had happened to me.

BRENDA COBB

DIRECTOR, LIVING FOODS INSTITUTE


I was completely overwhelmed at the thought of hav-ing to learn to prepare foods without cooking. Therewere so many new things to learn and do. I struggledwith making the recipes. I craved cooked food and Icheated by going to a Thai restaurant. I felt real sorry formyself and then I kicked myself in the butt and got withthe program. I began releasing old feelings that I hadsuppressed for years. I was changing inside and out. Intwo weeks I had lost 23 additional pounds. I was feelingbetter than I had felt in years because I had released somany of the toxins, but I knew I still had a long way togo.

Then something miraculous occurred. As my bodybecame cleaner, free of all the toxic waste that had builtup over 50 years, and as I became less deficient by eat-ing enzyme rich, living foods, my tastes began to change.Foods that I once loathed were tasting good. I evenbegan to crave it! I lost all my desire for sugar — no morechocolate bars, cakes, pies, or cookies. I didn’t even likethe smell of sweets anymore. I noticed that tofu, whichI had once loved as my favorite meat substitute, mademe tired and bloated and gave me gas. Eating livingfoods made me feel lighter, more energetic, focused, andcalm. Things that had once bothered me now just rolled

off my back. I had been lifted up mentally and spiritual-ly by this wonderful new lifestyle.

It isn’t easy to give up the foods that we have becomeaddicted to. But, I believe that without these changesmany of us will continue to get sicker and live less thana full and happy life because of health problems thathave been brought on by a diet of mostly cooked, deadfood. The good news is that we can change that by chang-ing the way we think, what we do, and what we eat.

Nature intended that we get 100% of our nourish-ment from whole, live fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, andgrains. This is not a new age diet. This is the original dietthat we were intended to thrive on. Now is the time toget back to our roots, to embrace a way of living that pro-motes total and perfect health. As we heal ourselves, oneperson at a time, we will then heal our planet. I have awhole life ahead of me, a life that I will spend teachingothers about this wonderful, natural, healing lifestyle.

Brenda Cobb is the director of the Living Foods Institutein Atlanta, Georgia. She is a keynote speaker at 12pm onSeptember 25 at the Natural Living Expo in Sturbridge (seepage 2). Contact www.naturalexpo.org for complete expoand ticket details or contact Brenda directly atwww.livingfoodsinstitute.com.

“As my body became

cleaner, free of all the toxic

waste that had built up

over 50 years ... my tastes

began to change. Foods

that I once loathed were

tasting good.”

BRENDA COBB

(assuming the plan permits this change). Ifyou already made this annual change andyou want to change your investments again,you can direct future contributions to dif-ferent investments if you open a separateaccount for the same beneficiary (subject tothe plan’s lifetime contribution limits).

You can also change your investments ifyou change your account beneficiary.

Another way to change investments is toroll over your plan assets to another collegesavings plan for the benefit of the samebeneficiary. You can make this rollover freefrom federal income taxes and penalties as

long as you limit transfers to one within any12-month period. Before you make thismove, however, check into any state tax con-sequences.

This article is intended for educational pur-poses only, not to provide specific tax or legaladvice. For answers to tax questions, pleasesee your tax professional. For legal questions,consult an attorney.

and expenses can make a big difference inthe value of your investment over time.

How college savings plans workCollege savings plans provide variable

rates of return based on the types of invest-ments you choose from the available options.Therefore, your account value may increaseor decrease based on the performance ofyour selected investments.

Investments, which vary from plan toplan and by law are restricted to include onlya limited number of broad-based investmentstrategies, are managed by outside invest-ment companies. Investments generallyinclude stock, bond, and money marketmutual fund options, as well as age-basedportfolios of mutual funds.

These investments provide no returnguarantees and account values may be moreor less than the amount you contribute; planstock and bond mutual funds gain and losemoney just like other mutual funds.Investments are not insured or guaranteed bythe state, any investment company, or anygovernment agency.

Some plans also provide investmentoptions designed to preserve your principaland provide a fixed minimum rate of return.

The investment rulesYou can only change investment options

within the same plan once in a calendar year

College savings plans are a type of 529 col-lege savings program. These plans allow youto save tax free for a student’s qualified high-er education expenses at any eligible educa-tional institution.

The general rulesQualified higher education expenses

include tuition and fees, books and supplies,and room and board for students enrolled atleast half time.

Eligible educational institutions aredefined as any college, university, vocationalschool, or other accredited postsecondaryinstitution eligible to participate in a studentaid program administered by theDepartment of Education. According to theIRS, this includes virtually all U.S. accreditedpublic, nonprofit, and privately owned profitpostsecondary institutions.

The amount you can contribute to a col-lege savings plan varies by state. Each statesets its own lifetime contribution limit perbeneficiary, with limits generally rangingfrom about $180,000 to $300,000.

Fees vary greatly among college savingsplans, as well as within each plan. That’s whythe FINRA, the self-regulatory organizationfor the U.S. securities industry, advisesinvestors to take fees and expenses intoaccount when choosing a plan. The FINRAemphasizes that even small differences in fees

INSIDE BANKINGBy JEFFREY DAVENPORTPRESIDENT & CEO, SOUTHBRIDGE CREDIT UNION

P R O F E S S I O N A L A D V I C E

F R O M A L O C A L B A N K E R

F O R R E A D E R S O F

T H E S T U R B R I D G E T I M E S

M A G A Z I N E

College savings plans


Buy it in Sturbridge!

THE WHOLE STORY


By Stephanie Richards

Fenway Park and Broadway. The twomight not seem to mix, but for 17 year old JoeConceison, the combination has created asweet sounding melody to a promising careerin music and theater.

Music has been a part of the Sturbridgeresident’s life since age eight. But on July 3,recognition of his talent was elevated as hesang the National Anthem in front of 38,106Red Sox fans. It all started when he per-formed the Anthem at Tantasqua games,which were covered on the radio by CarlBeane, the PA announcer for the Red Sox.Beane lives in Holland and encouraged Joe tomake a CD and send it to the team lastMarch. “The Monday before the game, wewere driving and got a message (email) via thephone. It was from a Red Sox representativewho said Joe had been selected to sing at theJuly 3 game. I was driving and had to pullover,” said Lynne Conceison, Joe’s mom.

It was Central Massachusetts’ night at thegame, so having Joe sing was a win for every-one. He arrived to do a sound check at 2 p.m.“It was just 15 minutes, but I was less nervousafter we finished. For the actual performancethat evening, I ended up being right behindhome plate, which was less intimidating. Theecho was distracting, but I could still hearwhat I was doing” Joe said. “You still thinkabout what could happen, such as screwingup the words and then seeing it on YouTubelater. It was odd to see the crowd interrupt inawkward places as I was singing--that wasn’texpected. It was just me, the microphone andno background music...it was a different expe-

rience for me.”Joe’s dad, John, and grandfather were

able to join him on the field. It was a bigthrill for them too, as there has been a hugefamily tradition of sitting in the Red Soxbleachers to root on their team.

His initial interest in music began bypicking up the guitar and then learning toplay the piano (his instrument of choice)when he broke his wrist, eventually takinglessons so he could accompany himself.Performing took hold in third grade, whenhe began impersonating the King of Rock nRoll, Elvis. Then he started singing, takinglessons beginning in sixth grade (to pres-ent) from Daniel Pettit, former musicaldirector at Sturbridge Federated Church,focusing on classical opera training. Headded performing in Show Choir in Jr.High and then began playing various rolesin community theater. “Junior high was aturning point for me as I began liking thewhole theater package,” he said.

Joe has played a number of characterson stage at Tantasqua High School,Stageloft (Sturbridge) and Hanover Theater

(Worcester). Nathan Detroit in Guys andDolls. Joseph in Joseph and the AmazingTechnicolor Dreamcoat. Linville in DamnYankees. Doody in Grease. This fall, he’lltake on the character Billy Flynn inChicago for his final show as a senior atTantasqua. Yet musicals are just one partof his busy performing schedule. He’s alsoinvolved in vocal groups including ShowChoir, Choraleers and Vocal Jazz.

Although he has raw talent and a pas-sion for investing time and effort into per-fecting it, Joe credits much of his trainingto the Tantasqua Fine Arts program,under the direction of Christine Costello.“A lot of my training has been throughTantasqua, and specifically ChristineCostello. In musical theater, sometimesthe performers are not the greatest interms of reading music. Mrs. Costello hastrained us so well that we can look at apiece of music and are able to perform itbecause we can read it. The training I gothas definitely prepared me for all this,” hesaid.

That is exactly the goal for Costello and

her staff. “It is not just to have decent per-formances but a desire to develop knowl-edgeable consumers to make music. If youdedicate time to developing a student’smusicianship, you are going to have greatperformances,” she said.

The Tantasqua Fine Arts musical andchoral groups have received numerousrecognition over the years. Individually,Joe has accumulated several honorsincluding a state recommendation for the2011 MENC All-Eastern Honors Chorus;Massachusetts All-State High School andAll-Central District Choruses every yearsince 2008; Maestro Award for Best Vocals2010 at the Orlando Heritage Festival, anda judges’ award at the 2010 Mill City ShowChoir Festival (Lowell, MA). Now, thissummer, he is added not only his perform-ance at Fenway to his resume but partici-pation in a Broadway Artists AllianceSummer intensive session in New YorkCity.

He auditioned for the Broadway ArtistsAlliance session in January, reading a

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Tantasqua’s Joe Conceison hits a high note at Fenway

Continued on page 9

Through a succession of errors, mostly mine, theSturbridge Times story on our talented neighbor,Joe Conceison, jumped from the page it was on lastmonth all the way to this issue. My apologies to all,especially to you, Joe. Paul Carr, Publisher.

and two and one half hours

for a double,” he said.

“Lots of shoes

today are glued

and not hand

sewn. There’s

built in obsolescence in everything

that is made.”

Moccasins are $140 for single sole, and

$200 for double with an extra $15 for

anything over size 12. In addition to cus-

tom made moccasins, The Moccasin

Shop carries brands like Sperry (can order

up to size 18), Sven and Minnetonka.

Over the years, Pelkey has crafted a

range of other custom items out of

leather, including holsters, cases for

swords, belts with snakeskin inlays and

even a pink leather dog harness with

matching collar. “I also made a leather

flap for a mini-replica of the Spencer and

Worcester stagecoach. The leather flap

was used to protect the luggage from dust

and the weather elements.”

To do some of his work, Pelkey uses an

antique, Singer sewing machine. He says

it is the most “versatile” piece of equip-

ment and not as limiting as a flat

machine where everything has to be sewn

flat.

The one mistake customers make is

not taking care of leather, Pelkey said.

Good leather items should be condi-

tioned four times as much as one single

cleaning to keep oils in the material and

help prevent cracking. It is also important

to know what type of thread the piece is

THE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINE THE CHRONICLE OF STURBRIDGE COUNTRY LIVING8

THE SHOPPING NEWS

HERB PELKEY MADE A LIVING

doing “piece work” in shoe factories in

New England for 16 years. He wanted to

see if he could make a go on his own as

a cobbler, so he tested the waters at craft

shows to see if his moccasins would sell.

They did and he took a risk and opened

his own business in Sturbridge

Marketplace.

That was 29 years ago. Today, The

Moccasin Shop is a staple business in

Sturbridge Marketplace. “I opened with

just 72 pairs of moccasins and bare

walls. Little by little I added things,”

said Pelkey, who moved to the area from

Maine in 1963.

Pelky’s shop has an expanded list of

items available for purchase including

small leather goods, like keychains, wal-

lets, and rawhide leather laces, as well as

belts and buckles, deer skin slippers, and

handbags. Items range from $5 to $200.

In addition to custom items, Pelkey car-

ries brand names in handbags and travel

pieces including Travelogue, Baggs and

AmeriBag Healthy Back Bags. “L.L.

Bean bought the rights to carry the

Healthy Back Bags. I carry them in nylon

and microfiber in the store and can

order leather. Microfiber bags are $60,

which is more affordable than other

places,” Pelkey said. “These are quality

bags; the inside lining is the same no

matter what kind of bag you buy.”

The foundation of the business is

still hand sewn moccasins, made by

Pelkey himself. Four different styles are

available, including two above the ankle

and two below. “I make my own pat-

terns, trace them on leather and cut

them out by hand. I start with the heel

first and stretch the leather over a last (a

form used to make shoes), then punch

holes to feed the laces through. It takes

about an hour to make a single soul

THE MOCASSIN SHOPSTURBRIDGE MARKETPLACE

559 MAIN STREETFISKDALEWED. THROUGH MON. 10 TO 5508.347.2353

BY STEPHANIE RICHARDS

HERB PELKEY

made with—nylon,

cotton or linen.

Some cleaners are

acid based and

will eat through

the thread. “I had a cus-

tomer who purchased a $400

leather handbag in Italy for his wife. It

was made with linen thread, which we

stopped using years ago. The cleaner ate

through the thread.”

Pelkey has seen a lot of changes as a

small business owner for almost three

decades in Fiskdale. Most customers are

still from central and western

Massachusetts, Connecticut and New

York City. “I do have regular customers

who come in for things like the

Brimfield Antique Market. Tourists are

still here, just not as many as often as

they used to be. I remember when there

were 43 different stores at the

Marketplace; they use to have policemen

direct traffic on weekends. We are going

through a tough time now,” he said.

“For me, my busy time is July through

just after Christmas. The rest of the

time, I make the rent. I am finding cus-

tomers are asking me to fix things more

than ever before; it’s related to the econ-

omy.”

Although he is a business owner,

Pelkey’s says his success lies in his per-

spective. “To me, this is a job and I’m a

worker. I have a niche,” he said. “I must

be doing something right.”

“To me,

this is a job

and I’m a

worker.

I have a niche.”

HERB PELKEYPROPRIETOR,

THE MOCCASIN SHOP

Herb Pelkey’s Moccasin Shop,serving Sturbridge for 29 years

© 2010 STURBRIDGE TIMES PHOTO BY STEPHANIE RICHARDS

THE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINETHE CHRONICLE OF STURBRIDGE COUNTRY LIVING 9

monologue and performing choreography.He was selected to participate in the twoweek session, but chose to do a single weekin July since it was his first experience.

As a vocal major (acting or dance werethe two other choices), Joe attended class-es from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Ripley-GrierStudios, a rehearsal facility in New YorkCity, with students ages 15 to 21 years old.Morning classes focused on areas outsidehis major and the afternoon was for vocalpracticums. “The first day, I got to interactwith kids and find out what colleges theywere looking at; many were the sameschools I’m interested in. We got to shareour experiences about college visits,” hesaid. “We also talked about our highschool productions and we (Tantasqua)were up there with schools fromCalifornia and Florida in terms of ourselections.”

Classes were taught by industry profes-sionals, from casting directors to jazz com-posers. On the final day, participants per-formed in front of a panel that included amix of casting agents and directors frombroadway and television. The panel gavefeedback on his performance and adviceon college auditions. “I got great feedbackand they commented that my voice wastrained well. Earlier in the week I workedon how I acted when singing in a songinterpretation class. It was intense and Ilearned more about staging when I sing--becoming more showy when I’m on stage.I also got positive feedback that I knewwhat I was singing about and madeprogress from the beginning of the week,”he said.

The group also attended a performanceof “Promises, Promises,” featuring KristinChenoweth and Sean Hayes (Will andGrace fame). A meet and greet event washosted after for participants and they gotto ask Hayes questions and he gave adviceabout a career in the theater. They alsomet another Tony Award winner, BebeNeuwirt (Cheers, now appearing inAddams Family the Musical. “It is an expe-rience that will really impact my future--from what colleges I look at to my outlookon what I need to do. I also got to feel outthe competition with kids my age. Mostimportant, I learned that you take what

you’re given and never stop rehearsing tomake a better production.”

Although he is undecided about whatcollege he will attend a year from now, heknows musical theater will be his major.“I’ve been looking at New York University.There are other colleges that offer musicaltheater but they are outside a major city.The question is, do I really want to be out-side a major city?” he said. “I’ve toyedaround with the idea of directing too, butthese are life decisions I don’t have tomake right now.”

In the interim, he is busy as a musicalintern at Tantasqua, which may be an assetin the future as he is thinking of minoringin education. Last year, he assisted theTantasqua Jr. High Show Choir, accompa-nying the seventh graders when they per-formed an arranged piece for the eighthgraders. His senior year is a full schedule,filled with choral group rehearsals and per-formances, musical theater and academics--oh and activities related to the NationalHonor Society and the Tri-M MusicHonor Society too. His schedule will alsoinclude traveling to France next April toperform with the Choraleers.

This is just the start for a young manwho lives for music and theater. “Joe hasalways been outstanding. While some stu-dents are phenomenal performers andothers are musicians or leaders, Joe is thecomplete package--he’s strong in all areas.He is a bright, creative, polished per-former who gets better each day becausemusic is his passion. In all the years I havebeen teaching, I have never had a studentmore passionate about it than him,”Costello said.

“He is a bright,

creative, polished

performer who

gets better each

day...”

CHRISTINE COSTELLO

FACULTY MEMBER,TANTASQUA REGIONAL H.S.

Joe Conceison’sstar is rising

Continued from page 7In Sturbridge, this year’s local

National Public Lands Day effort willwork on completing the 3 universallyaccessible trails on the Heins FarmConservation lands. Volunteers areasked to meet at the trail head park-ing lot, 197a Leadmine Rd, about1000’ after the Douty Rd intersectionon the left. A pizza lunch will be pro-vided at noon. The Sturbridge trailcommittee has a special need forsmall utility bucket type tractors toassist in the fine gravel work.

In Southbridge/Sturbridge volun-teers are asked to meet in theWestville lake Park at Shelter Twojoining the Grand Trunk trailblazers,Corp park rangers along withSouthbridge trail committee mem-bers who will be working on trail

tread improvements to sections of theWest Street School trail and theGrand Trunk Trail. A ribbon cuttingceremony of the recently completed1.2 mile section of the Grand TrunkTrail will take place at 11 AM. Apizza lunch will be served in the parkat noon. Volunteers are asked tobring work gloves, water bottle, andwear appropriate shoes and clothesfor the work and weather.

For more information on NPLDvisit their web site athttp://www.publiclandsday.org/.Local registration for any of the aboveprojects can be done by contactingPark Ranger Tom Chamberland [email protected] or calling 508-347-3386

This is a rain-or-shine event.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Area residents to head for the trails onNational Public Lands Day, 9/25


Meet the manchosen to lead

TantasquaRegional High

Mike Lucastalks abouthis new job

MIKE LUCAS, NEW PRINCIPALTANTASQUA REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL


By Stephanie RichardsWhen the 1,250 members of the student body flood

the halls of Tantasqua Regional High School August 31,Michael Lucas’ first official year as principal will be in fullswing. You could say the ball is now in his court.

Lucas, a history teacher at Tantasqua Jr. High and HighSchool, served as interim principal last year. Although itmay be unusual to have a faculty member go right fromthe classroom to the senior level of administration, he pos-sessed the right combination of leadership experience,knowledge and people skills to be offered the permanentposition. “Michael is level headed and a quick study. Plus,if he doesn’t know something, he asks questions,”Superintendent Daniel Durgin said. “He has beeninvolved in leadership roles, including running theSummer Sports Camp, working with the community anda staff of 50 to 60 people. He also headed an energy con-servation committee. He has a great way about him andhit the ground running as interim principal--he did a


tremendous job.”From playing to coaching, tennis has been

a major part of Lucas’ life. So, it’s not sur-prising that his love for tennis brought to theforefront another love--working withteenagers. It was while he was in college atFordham University, where he played tennisand taught at camps, that he decided hewanted to teach and work with teens. Heearned a bachelor’s degree in history fromFordham and did student teaching in NorthBrookfield. He came to Tantasqua in 1992,teaching history at the junior high for 10years and then moving across the road to dothe same at the high school. He also earned aMaster’s Degree in teaching from BostonCollege during that time. Currently, he is twoclasses shy of a second Master’s Degree inEducational Leadership at Worcester State.

In addition to working with the local com-munity through the Summer Sports Campand coaching various sports, Lucas lead themen’s and women’s tennis teams at Collegeof the Holy Cross for a decade. Two yearsago, the energy conservation committee hespearheaded at Tantasqua provided a wealthof knowledge and experience that preparedhim for his new role. “We worked with a con-sultant company, and looked for ways to con-serve energy and cut costs. I learned a greatdeal about the structure of the building andunderstanding the budget. (Unknowingly)That prepared me for my new role as princi-pal,” said Lucas, who grew up in Worcester.

Transitioning from the classroom toadministration was eye-opening in severalways for Lucas. “In the classroom, your focusis on teaching students. You help them to bethe best in themselves and come to admireand appreciate history and how far we havecome as a country. The goal is to createactive, involved citizens,” he said. “As princi-pal, my focus is the entire building and howevery department fits together--I have to takea step back and get the huge picture of theschool. I also didn’t realize how much moreconnected I would be with the community.Responding to everyone is important to meand I find that I do my catching up commu-nicating with people between 2 and 5 p.m.”

Perhaps the biggest surprise, one he is gladabout, is the amount of interaction with stu-dents. “I interact with students much morethan I thought. Concerts, games, activities,lunch duty, walking the halls---I still have acounseling role with them,” he said. “I alsoget to watch teachers actually teach. In theclassroom, you work with peers but don’t getto see them in the classroom. Tantasqua is avery special place--teachers and administra-tors put in a lot of extra effort with the kids.”

Being at the helm means longer days,with night committee and council meet-ings and student events, but that’s just partof the job Lucas said. “When I was teach-ing and coaching/running camps, my timewas more spread out over the week andweekends. Now, I have longer daysMonday through Fridays.”

In tight economic times, keeping trackof expenses is essential and another dailytask. “The budget is always a concern. It’snot just a one week process of compiling it;I check something new every day,” saysLucas. “It is a challenge to provide the bestprograms possible within the budget.Department heads have needs and wants,and you have to negotiate--it’s a give andtake.”

Durgin said Lucas has a unique abilityto connect with people while also being

firm on decisions. “The principal is theface of the community. Michael is a peopleperson but he is also consistent in his deci-sions ... he’s strict about what needs to bedone,” he said. “Kids gravitate to him. Heis a positive, energetic and dynamic personwho is always thinking about the kids.”

You could say Lucas has a special inter-est in the success of Tantasqua students astwo of his five children are at the school. “Ihave a sophomore and junior this year atthe high school--they are very good stu-dents. We had a family meeting when I wasoffered the position as principal, and decid-ed it was a good move for everyone,” hesaid.

Given the environment at Tantasqua,Lucas said achieving excellence in every-thing is possible. “I don’t see why we can’tbe good at everything--from academics tosports. There are so many good thingsgoing on here right now and my job is toshow those things in the community. It isthe community support that allows us tohave a wide-range of incredible pro-grams...without fees,” he said. “If you sethigh goals, excellence will happen alongthe way. Tantasqua is a place where everystudent can find their own pathway, reach-ing their goals whatever they decide to do(in life).

To impact student success, several newinitiatives are being implemented this fall.

Students will see changes in math andEnglish, where writing assessments andassignments are incorporated to improveskills. A student writing center is alsobeing established, where senior internsassist other students. A mentor programwill begin that pairs upper class volunteerswith freshmen. A series of topical presen-tations are scheduled for students onthings like cell phone use and texting.Finally, A Warriors Above Drug andAlcohol (WADA) program will begin thatprovides clean outlets for students to havefun locally. “Every kid needs to feel con-nected,” Lucas said. “Research shows thatacademic performance is impacted in pos-itive way when kids are involved in extracurricular activities. Another huge influ-ence is a mentor. There are thingsteenagers might not tell their parents butwill tell a mentor.”

Lucas is quick to point out that it is theteam effort by the entire staff that makesstudent success even possible. “Success isin the journey--you try to strive for excel-lence and feel good if your best effort isput into it. We have a saying at Tantasqua,‘what’s best for the kids.’ The faculty,administration and support staff work as ateam and have been successful in that andwe will continue to build upon it in thefuture. Tantasqua if a very special placeand I am fortunate to be here.”

“He is a positive,energetic and dynamicperson who is always

thinking about the kids.”

DANIEL DURGIN

SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT


By Richard MurphyMichelle and Wally Connors have a lesson for you. If

you do not wish to have your eyes opened to a circum-stance that will evoke compassion, keep them closed.Avert your gaze. Better yet stay at home. For if you travel,and it is not to antiseptic tourist venues, what you see, youmay never escape.

Of course, Wally and Michelle did not avert their eyes.What they saw caused a change in their lives and evenchanged things in the Brookfields. Strange, as the eventtook place two continents away.

Should one have expected it? Outwardly, the Connors

are run-of-the-mill citizens. Then again, most of us havethat veneer. Michelle grew up in a triple decker inWorcester’s Main South. Wally is originally from Paxton.

Wally and Michelle showed some uncommon Yankee

shrewdness in building their home. They choseBrookfield because it was about the last town around thatyou could live in a mobile home on your lot while youbuilt your house. They built what they could and Wally

NEIGHBORS

SOCKS FORSIBERIABrookfield couple step into make a difference

for children suffering in Russia

WALLY AND MICHELLE CONNORS OF BROOKFIELD



traded his stone fence skills for work from his colleagues.The result is a pleasant rustic home on Long Hill Road.

Michelle worked for years as a home care provider forkids with special needs. She now works as an occupation-al therapist in the Leicester Public Schools and theMeadows Rehabilitation Hospital. She emphasizes shehelps people “gain the skills they need to perform theirdaily occupations, not jobs.” For example, they may havesensory problems or lack upper body strength.

Wally had a long career at the Valley View School inNorth Brookfield. He began as a counselor and was quick-ly promoted to Program Coordinator. Valley View schoolis for boys who do not function well in a traditional set-ting, and need to be taught to deal with everyday issues.

A schedule of evenings and Saturdays is not the easiestto deal with. About two years ago, Wally knew he neededa day job. He is now employed at the State Police Academyin New Braintree. His job is part of building and groundsmaintenance and he loves it.

A regular couple, both employed, kids near grown.What could happen?

A Valley View field trip started it all off. Now in most ofour experiences, a field trip meant getting on a bus andheading out to a nature preserve or, say a museum or anoth-er venue of cultural enrichment. For Wally, it meant goingto Saint Petersburg, Moscow and Siberia in March of 1989.

In November of 1989, two of the young people he metin Siberia came to Brookfield to visit. One, SergeiGlukhov, son of the tour guide, stayed in touch andbecame close friends of Wally and Michelle. In 1995Sergei returned to pursue a masters at the University ofMassachusetts in Boston. Our young student organizedhis classes such that he only had to be in Boston two days,staying over with a friend. Thus, Sergei was able to livewith the Connors.

By the time he completed his masters in teachingEnglish as a Second Language, he was considered a son bythe Connors. Actually, he was not “considered” their son.They are adamant, he is their son. Alas, as much as heloved it here, it was back to his Siberian hometown ofAbakan.

It would not be all that long before Wally and Michellefollowed. The Glukhov family invited them over andreturned the hospitality by showing them around thecountry for three weeks. They would return, for Sergeihad proposed to his Tatiana and what would a wedding bewithout his second set of parents. It was a joyous event,but destiny awaited.

During the trip they walked by a place with badlydressed children hitting rocks with stones. Michelle askedwhat the place was. It was the yard of a Dyetski Dom orchildren’s home. It was an orphanage, the Yoletchka

Children’s Home. It was more than Dickensian and theConnors were touched by what they saw.

The residents were either the children of deceased par-ents or “Social Orphans,” that is children whose parentscould not care for them. It was 1998 and the ongoingRussian financial crisis was such that the governmentcould only provide the barest of essentials.

Wally and Michelle looked at each other and knew theyhad to do something. When they got on the plane,Michelle cried all the way home. Not the least becausethey were on a baby flight with adoptees leaving with par-ents. One of the little orphans to exile made eye contact.She looked ten months but was actually 18.

They got started first thing. That Christmas of 1999churches and girl scouts made Christmas Stockings andpacked them. Next year, there was more filling of thestockings, including scarfs and hats for stuffing.

So it went with Sergei and Tatiana returning and bynow bringing their baby Maxim. More boxes, more stock-ings, more growth, ad hoc. Finally, it became time to dosomething more..... One hates to use words like organ-ized, because that was probably not the case though itmight seem so. The better word is organizational.

So you’re going to incorporate? What do you call theentity? Say, “Aren’t you the people who collect Socks for

Continued on page 30


BY SUSAN SHALHOUBSouthbridge has a growing arts

community that needs a cheerleaderand a central clearinghouse. “Thereis a real want for this,” Dale R.Gonyea of Sturbridge said. As thepresident of The ProdigiumFoundation of Southbridge, hehopes the new group can fulfill bothroles: helping promote and supportthe arts while educating the commu-nity about the hidden literary, visual,and performing talent that exists inthe community. The foundationhopes to provide needed financialsupport as well. “School budgets arein danger of losing the arts at somepoint and we don’t want that,”Gonyea said.

The Prodigium Foundation, withGonyea at the helm, Michael Garceauof Southbridge as secretary andBarbara Day of Southbridge as treasur-er, know no masterpiece is created ina day. The trio is systematically takingsteps toward non-profit status with a501c3 application filed, their firstsponsored arts event on the calendarand logo and website design under-way. A vice president is still needed.

Gonyea said the foundation is apart-time endeavor for the group inthis start-up phase: He is employedat Central One Federal CreditUnion in Auburn; Garceau works atBrookfield Motors; and Day runs herown daycare. But all three are tappedinto the arts community. Gonyea is apianist, organist, and former memberof Music Makers, a now-disbanded

Southbridge cabaret group where hemet Garceau. Gonyea is also involvedwith the Gateway Players, where hemet Day, who serves as the theatregroup’s treasurer. Garceau is anorganist and vocalist who regularlyperforms at local churches.

Part of the goal, Gonyea said, is torevitalize an existing arts communitywhich has been ravaged by state budgetcuts’ effect on Local Cultural Councilgroups and in turn, the SouthbridgeCultural Council. Getting 501c3 statuswould position the group to apply forand award grants, raise money, andplan for additional funding. “We hopeto supplement Local Cultural Councilfunds and give these groups a much-needed boost,” Gonyea said. KateAngilly of West Brookfield is lendingher grant-writing talents to the effort,and helping foundation members seethat there are millions of dollars thatcould be funneled toward art endeav-ors. Scholarships for college-bound stu-dents who plan to major in film-mak-ing or other areas of the arts and after-school art programs are also in theworks.

Fundamental things, such as cen-tral online listings for all culture-relat-ed events in Southbridge are alsoneeded, Gonyea said, so people knowwhat is offered and can plan toattend. A lack of collaborationbetween groups means some activi-ties are planned on the same nights.It is these local, smaller-venue artsevents that can really bond a commu-nity together, he noted.

The Prodigium Foundation hosts itsown event on Thursday, September 16at 6:30 p.m., at the Jacob Edwardslibrary in Southbridge, along withFriends of the library. Southbridge poetRobert Mahan will read from his just-published book, “Inspirational Seasons”and answer questions from the audi-ence. “It’s a nice night out, just to havea cup of coffee and a donut and see thatpublishing is something that’s happen-ing in our community,” Gonyea said.Eventually organizers hope the founda-tion will have its own space to holdexhibits, lectures, and workshops.

Gonyea said reaction to the newfoundation has been positive, withmany people coming forward to help.Others, he said, are adopting a “wait-and-see” attitude. Gonyea said the groupunderstands it needs to gain legitimacyin the eyes of the public and the artscommunity. The foundation is trying toget a feel for the pulse of the communi-ty – promoting itself at arts events likethe Festival of Trees – to gradually buildmomentum. “We know we are the newkids on the block,” Gonyea laughed.

Next up: The foundation sets aboutforming a board of advisers. Gonyeasaid they hope to start with six people,two from each arts category: performingarts, literary arts and visual arts, andbuild from there. “Everyone is too iso-lated now,” Gonyea said. “We want tohelp people and revitalize arts in thecommunity and multiply the strength ofother arts coalitions. Art brings out thepotential in young people and brings acommunity together.”

New artsfoundationtaking shapein Southbridge

‘THE PRODIGIUM

FOUNDATION OF

SOUTHBRIDGE’DALE R. GONYEA

PRESIDENT, THE PRODIGIUM FOUNDATION OF SOUTBHRIDGE

© 2010 STURBRIDGE TIMES PHOTO BY SUSAN SHALHOUB


THE COUNTRY LIFE

Ridge Shinnhelps save breedsworldwide fromextinctionBY RICHARDMURPHY

Ridge Shinn has already saved a good partof the world once. His problem, or virtue, isthat he can’t stop doing it. Actually, when hisfirst mission came upon him, it was not interms of a crusade. Well, it probably is neverthat. It is just a man who wants to accomplishsomething. Yet, when you talk to him, you

can’t help but be affected by his enthusiasm.His passion is not loud and brassy, rather quietand reasoned. For that it is probably moreconvincing.

It all started at Old Sturbridge Village.Ridge says he learned to farm there in the1800s. That was really in the 1970’s, but youget what hemeans. It was the beginning of the“Living History” movement. They would use

centuries old tax records to replicate what theold farms were like as to the number and typeof animals. Then they worked on replicatingthe animals.

The mixed cattle of the late 18th and early19th Centuries had to come from somewhere.Did any of them still exist? Ridge embarked onwhat he calls his “Nancy Drew Tour” of NewEngland fairs and farms in 1977. What hefound was ten bull lines and 50 cows of Devonbreed, the ancient red cow brought over by thecolonists. The problem was the owners didnot know each other. Survival would behelped by communication.

To that end, Ridge and colleague TinaBielenberg got the owners together and startedthe Devon Society in Tunbridge, Vermont. Inworking at OSV and with the Devon ownershe saw the value of what are now called “her-itage breeds.”

With Tina and another colleague, DaveWarden, Ridge found what has become theAmerican Livestock Breeds Conservancy. Atfirst it was on a volunteer basis, with leadershipbeing shifted around. In 1982 Ridge took it

over and his kitchen table became GHQ.One thing Mr. Shinn is good at is raisingmoney and he set to work.

Ridge hired Libby Hanson from a Britishheritage breeds organization to inventoryAmerican animals. His efforts culminatedin an important article in SmithsonianMagazine chronicling what had been done.If you go to a living history museum and seethe beautiful Randall Lineback Cow,


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Fine Linesamongst other breeds, Ridge is one of thepeople you have to thank that it still exists.

So Ridge had bought the ALBC to atleast adolescence. He was also starting abusiness, Hardwick Post and Beam. One ofhis buildings is EB Flatts Restaurant in EastBrookfield. Time for the non profit had togive way. Some people he met in Pittsboro,NC evinced an interest in taking on theorganization. It is there to this day andRidge sits on the board.

Still, he had that desire to be a farmer.Fortunately, his remote place up by theQuabbin, Out of the Woods Farm, is theplace to do it. He bought some gilts andboars to go into raising pork. As he wasaccomplishing that, he realized that he, andother stock raisers had a problem. They didnot know how to market the product.

His organizational juices started flowingand Ridge started the New EnglandLivestock Alliance. The idea was to organizelivestock farmers to produce a consistentproduct. In figuring this out, Ridge stum-bled onto the concept of Grassfed Beef and

Continued on next page

RIDGE SHINN WITH HIS COWS IN HOLLAND


the writings of Jo Robinson.Grassfed has been a subject that has been studied at

length. Grain fed beef is deficient in Essential Fatty Acids.That is why supplements such as fish oil are all the rage.Grass fed cattle provide what is missing. Ridge is of theopinion that early man took to hunting aurochs, primitivecows, not for protein, but for those fats.

We all want to be healthy, but NELA was about market-ing. So Ridge and a friend raised six head. The results werepositively all over the place, from tender to tough andchewy.

He hooked up with Gerald Fry who would test animals

with linear measurement and ultrasound. This wouldwork, but it would take forever to build up the breedingstock. It was necessary to find the genetic prescription.

In his search for the perfect 100% grassfed bovine hestumbled on excellent Devon cows. Now the problem was,where are the bulls? Using Gerald Fry’s measurement tech-niques, they could find none in this country.

Gerald was sent on a trip to New Zealand and Australia.He was to go anywhere and everywhere and leave no stoneunturned. At Rotokawa inNZ he called and told a shockedRidge he was all done. He had found the exact Devon herdthey were looking for right out of the box.

They started importing the semen. Then they got a

chance to bring a small herd over. From that they couldexpand by implanting embryos from the cows. Soon, therewere herds inWyoming, New Hampshire, North Carolina,Texas and New York.

If you notice, Massachusetts is not on the list, nor ismuch of the region. Yet a lot of cattle is raised here andgrabbed at rock bottom prices by the cattle dealers. Most ofthe beef raised in this country is from farms with 20 to 30head. That’s a New England size farm.

There is a crisis in our region. Dairying is moribund.Sales of milk rarely cover costs. If you give up milking,what’s left? Some farmers cut and sell hay. Making hay isa mining operation. The manure that has accumulatedover the years of dairy farming is being depleted. The hayis sold to the horsey set in the Boston area and the manureends up in the dumpster. The rural land is in decline if notdying.

Ridge’s plan offers a way out. People who want to farmand know cattle can stay with it. Farms can regenerate soilrather than send the nutrients off. To that end, Ridge start-ed Hardwick Beef. The company is an aggregator, paying afair trade price to the farmer and getting the beef in themar-kets. It works with 50 farmers and sends 15 animals a weekwith more wanted. It’s an impressive list of markets thatcarry the brand. Park Slope Coop in Brooklyn, HanoverLebanonCoop nearDartmouth as well as Crosby’sMarketsaround Boston are only a few of the purveyors.

Locally, you can see how he has changed things on theland here. At Mandell Hill, part of the Quabbin LandTrust, Ridge was offered an amount of money for a herbi-cide to kill the bittersweet vines. He never used it. Thecows he put on the land took it down. Follow him up tothe land trust and he is happy to show you the cows placid-ly grazing, and controlled by one strand of polywire.

Ridge has helped save breeds from extinction. Can hiswork save part of New England farming?

Continued from previous page

Ridge Shinn


BY RICHARD MURPHY

In the Godfather II there is the famous scene atHyman Roth’s birthday party where Michael Coreleonetalks about Cuban rebels. Michael notes, “I saw an inter-esting thing happen today. A rebel was being arrested bythe military police, and rather than be taken alive, heexploded a grenade he had hidden in his jacket. He killedhimself, and took a captain of the command with him.”Michael further notes, “The soldiers are paid to fight --the rebels aren't.....They can win.” Hyman Roth dismiss-es the insurgents, “This country's had rebels for the lastfifty years -- it's in their blood, believe me, I know. I'vebeen coming here since the ’20s.”

We all know how that worked out, except that theGodfather II is fiction. The real story is much moreinteresting. It is the tale of hard calculating men whothought they had made a country their wholly ownedsubsidiary. Oh, the part about the rebels being willing todie, and thus potential winners, that was true.

BOOK REVIEWIn ‘Havana Nocturne,’ author examinesLansky, Luciano and the Cuban mob

Author: T.J. EnglishHarper,2008ISBN 978-0-06-171274-6330 pages$15.00 price

The story of the mob in Cuba is told by a man who isarguably this country’s best crime writer. T.J. English hasbeen around as a journalist for quite a while. His firstbook, The Westies, was about a particularly brutal gangout of Hell’s Kitchen in New York City. His next book,Born to Kill, was about an Asian gang that was, born tokill. Havana Nocturne is about a group of men whocould and did kill when necessary, but thought of them-selves as more businessmen than thugs.Havana Nocturne also has some resonance for

Massachusetts as we wait to see if a casino is approvedlocally. The men who operated in Cuba had thoughtthey had solved all their problems by leaving the US todominate the island to the south. There is no lack of sen-timent here that our troubles will be over once construc-tion commences on a gambling palace.

National organized crime had been given its start withthe passage of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution.Ratified in 1919, it prohibited the sale of alcohol in the

US. It is, of course, folly to believe men can be madeangels by law, but that’s never stopped the effort.

Almost before the law went into effect, it was beingbroken on an industrial scale. Networks quickly materi-alized to insure the citizenry had near as much access todemon rum as before. There were many participants inthe trade, but two of the most effective together wereMeyer Lansky and Charles “Lucky” Luciano.

They and their ilk were so successful, they caused thegovernment to play a dirty trick on them. Shockingly, thenation came to its senses and repealed prohibition. Amajor source of criminal revenue disappeared.

Lansky and Luciano were nothing if not shrewd. Theyinvested in Cuban strong man Fulgencio Batista. Thiswas essentially the same as investing in Cuba. For a guar-anteed stipend, they got to control gambling in Havana.This investment took place at the beginning of thedepression and would only payoff after the war. Boy,



Imagine gambling on a person’s death.The idea is reprehensible, yet it is the basis for a whole

new industry – the viatical and life settlement industry.Many of the parties involved in this industry are engaged inunethical and even fraudulent activities, but there has beenlittle regulation of the industry to date.

A viatical settlement involves the purchase of life insur-ance from insureds while they are still living, but have a ter-minal illness and limited life expectancy. A life settlement,

or senior settlement, is the purchase of life insurance fromseniors 65 and older who have a shortened life expectancy,but do not have a terminal illness.

The insured receives a lump-sum payment, while thecompany buying the insurance policy typically agrees tocontinue paying the premiums on the policy, then receivesthe entire benefit when the insured dies. The amount paidis based on the insured’s life expectancy and the cost of pay-ing premiums on the policy, but it is typically about 75 per-cent of the death benefit.

After buying the policy, companies typically sell invest-ments in the viatical and life settlements they purchase.

Impact ofViatical and Life SettlementsIn some cases, where the insured has no other resources

and has significant expenses, such as the cost of long-termcare, a viatical or life settlement may be justified. However,these arrangements take advantage of people in their lastdays, typically leave heirs without an inheritance and negatethe reason for having life insurance in the first place.

Worse still, the viatical and life settlement industry hasattracted many people whose ethics are questionable atbest. Most companies offering viatical settlements are notlicensed and, in Massachusetts and many other states, viat-ical investments are not regulated.

Viatical and life settlements may have a negative impacton both the insured and the investor.

Impact on the InsuredThe insured who receives a cash settlement – a “viator,” in

industry terms – may jeopardize eligibility for publicassistance from Medicaid or other sources. Receipt of acash settlement will also expose the individual to anycreditors, and it may have an impact on insurance ben-efits for other family members.

Impact on the InvestorViatical settlements are typically designed with the

expectation that the viator will live no longer than 24 to36 months. Companies selling these settlements asinvestments often “guarantee” a specific rate of return.However, if the viator lives longer than expected, therate of return drops – and quickly dives below the guar-anteed rate.

When the viator outlives the predicted life expectan-cy, the company that purchased the life insurance policysometimes stops paying premiums and makes them theresponsibility of the investor. If a term life insurancepolicy is purchased and the viator outlives the term ofthe policy, the investor may be responsible for the costof a new policy. The new policy will, of course, be moreexpensive, since the viator will be older than when theexpired policy was issued.

In addition, most policies have a contestabilityclause, which allows the insurance company to contestthe policy if a claim for benefits is made within two yearsafter the policy is issued. If the insurance company issuccessful, it can deny benefit payments.

The policy may also be contested by family members,which could delay payment and reduce the rate of

By Richard McGrath, CIC, LIAPRESIDENT & CEO, McGRATH INSURANCE GROUP

INSURANCEGUIDANCE Viatical settlements

raise moral issues


return. It is also important to keep in mind that viaticaland life settlements are illiquid investments; investors donot gain access to their funds until the viator dies. Ofcourse, the investor also assumes the risk the the insur-ance company that issued the life policy will go out ofbusiness before the benefit is paid out.

As mentioned earlier, fraud is also rampant in thisindustry. One practice, for example, is for an individualto buy several small policies on someone without reveal-ing that the person is terminally ill, then buying the poli-cies a short time later in a viatical settlement. If the pol-icy amount is below a certain threshold, insurers typical-ly will not conduct a medical exam.

Considering all of these risks, there are many othersafer investments available that are likely to pay higherreturns. There are also likely to be better options for theviator than giving up a life insurance policy shortly beforeit is likely to pay out a benefit.

If, in spite of these drawbacks, you want to sell yourlife insurance, or invest in a viatical or life settlement, becertain to discuss it with your insurance agent and yourattorney. Also be certain to work only with a reputablecompany that is licensed to transact viatical and seniorsettlements in your state.

If you think you have been a victim of fraud or uneth-ical treatment, contact the Massachusetts Division ofInsurance at www.mass.gov/doi or its Consumer Hotlineat 617-521-7794.

Richard A. McGrath, CIC, LIA is President and CEO

of McGrath Insurance Group, Inc. of Sturbridge, Mass.He can be reached at [email protected].

This article is written for informational purposes only andshould not be construed as providing legal advice.

TANTASQUA CLASSES OF 1990 & 1991PLANNING A 20TH REUNION!

CONNECT FOR MORE INFORMATION:

[email protected]


would it pay.Luciano would be convicted of prostitution related

crimes in 1936. He got a 30 to 50 year sentence. It washis luck that the US would get dragged into World WarII. Lansky set it up so that the mobsters who controlledthe docks would suppress sabotage. The price, Lucianofree.

And he was freed. In what he felt was a double cross,he was deported to Italy. Though he could not comeback to the States, there was still Cuba. With post warprosperity in full swing, Havana would be almost as goodas being in New York. In December 1946, Meyer andLucky would convene all their mobster confederates inHavana to decide who would get what in the capital ofthe Pearl of the Antilles.

It all looked rosy, and it would be for everyone butLuciano. He was too close to the US for our govern-ment’s liking. Pressure was put on the Cuban govern-ment that it could not resist, no matter how amplybribed. Luciano went back to Italy. The HavanaMobocracy raged on. The existing casinos did well andnew and more opulent establishments were being built.

The Batista Government, firm ally of the gangsters,was becoming more repressive and hated every day. Itsenemies, however, seemed pitifully inept. The big star ofrevolution, Fidel Castro, had been captured after anattack on a barracks in 1953.

Despite the tyranny, the regime looked secure. Thegangsters poured more money into building on a grandscale.

Out of jail in an amnesty, Castro started organizing.The new efforts did not seem impressive. His little armyset sail from Mexico in an unseaworthy ship. Landingwith 82 seasick men, he headed for the hills. Betrayed bya guide, Batista’s forces ambushed his little band. With

16 left it didn’t look good. The casino owners must havebeen thinking like Hyman Roth as he spoke to MichaelCoreleone.

Fidel and his sidekick, Ernesto “Che” Guevara, hadmade their last mistake. Batista had started making his.The revolutionaries would cultivate the population whilethe government would become more repressive. Therebels would grow in numbers while defections wouldplague state forces.

Until near the end, Batista would vow to keep up thefight. Then, on new tear’s morning, 1959, the dictatortook off without telling his mob allies. Talk about hold-ing the bag!

Time has shown Castro to have done many of thethings he complained about in the Cuban AncienRegime. He has political prisoners, news is censored andhe was until recently a dictator. Yet, he meant what hesaid about the casinos and closed them down when hecould. The mob was booted out, never to return. Thelosses sustained by the criminal element were staggering.So bad were they that Meyer Lansky who had investedvast wealth in Cuba would leave an estate of $57,000.

The Havana Mob were not the last to see Nirvana bythe roulette wheel. Why just down the street in Palmer,one would not be surprised if they were holding prayersessions to encourage the General Court to pass the billso work can start. Gambling is regarded as the road toprosperity.

What if it turns out to be the wrong answer? What ifthe overbuilding of casinos leads to a beggar thy neighborsituation where there is little profit for anyone? What ifthe economy continues to stagnate such that there is toolittle income for even the profligate to waste? The some-thing for nothing ethos of the mobsters is, at bottom, notfar removed from ours.

Continued from page 19

LUCKY LUCIANO

MEYER LANSKY

FULGENCIO BATISTA

CHE GUEVERA & FIDEL CASTRO

Courtesy Argentour

‘Havana Nocturne’ might offer lessons, even for us


SEPTEMBER POEM

When September ComesBy Jeff Cannon

I

In my youth the sound that announced SeptemberCracked the playful ground of my breathClosed my August beach, parked my bikeLassoed my play to the table of new clothsBooks, the sitting at attention no longer slouching into gigglesStickball in the streetSecret tree top conversations about girlsRants about choresQuestions about what to become or what will becomeOf the gray brother stuck between the shadowOf the first born and the light of the last

Even now, through this window, I see myself runningFrom flipping baseball cards against the front porch stepsWith my buddiesInto the house to speed read, The Red Badge of CourageThe Three MusketeersThe task I had all summer to complete and now must finishBefore that early September cookout

It always marked the end of my freedomThe opening my young eyes thought would extend foreverThe horizon my foot could never touchWhile pumping the swing to hurl higher into the air of possibilities

But now I cannot swing that highI am stuffed with miles, cluttered with coke bottlesOld 45s, a picture of my first car, first dateThe first tremor of love, those beautiful fingersThat pushed me into a stream of tearsWhere now along its caked banks I find preservedLockets of faces framed in golden palms of timeJewels of tiny stars sparkle in the night of memory

II

When September comes I recognize that frown of youthI know the disgruntled look that marks the turn from adventureBack to the routines only suspended, never erasedJust waiting for us to grow enough during summerTo look eye to eye into their eternal square demands

In that mirror I see myself dissolve into my room a puddleSipping the first lessons of endingsTaking the first gulp of beginningsThe teachings that always return, ever repeatForcing me to face the unavoidableAnd surrender to the command that comes from the sun

The clouds always descended to take my hand to walk beside themAt first I would collapse into a heap and play deadBut they just dragged me and the scraping hurtSo I curled up twirling around in that merry-go-round wayThe rubber-band child does swirling out into a circleUnzipping the air to land my body with feet rollingLike wheels along the ground

The clouds flattened by the cadence of their breathPaved by the beat of their fife and drumThat claimed me like the leaves—I was not exemptLike the grass—I was not privileged

Like the squirrels it was time to bury chestnuts and grow furLike the birds bench press wings into muscleShed like the weeping snake the garden of its skinIt like me had grown so used to, thought of as a best friendBut even friends move away, get lost in the sea of changing mindsOnly a loyal remnant remains marching together, holding each other upWith the old songs about “Peggy Sue”, “California Girls”

The“White Room”filled with“Days of Brave Ulysses”And with one or another of usStumbling over something for us all to “Experience”

III

Smiling I do not stay a marble in my roomI move out a van to pour out the charcoal brickets of my lifeInto the rusty yet reliable old grillSpray them with the holy oilFormed by the moisture of my heartMellowed now into a vintage liquid of graceTo light the sleep of those snoring bricksInto a sacred passionAnd cook up a meal for family, neighbors, the world and meTo chew and drink what celebrates the tasksHonors all the chores that hold our days together likeOur bones keep our bodies in tactKeep the familiar beach blanket while the windWith it’s breathe of shovels renovates the landscapeAnd the ocean’s hungry hands remove the family pianoAnd replace it with an iPod of iTunes

I no longer run from this September Feast but stay with itI wash the old in the glistening foam of new airTo animate its worthLet eyes blossom into hearts of strong flowersEmbrace all the colors of momentsAll the faces of days with the gratitude of rosesStill blooming like meStill permitted to offer their fragrant gift back to the worldSo their work, like the labor of my hands, my words, my touchMy thoughts and my look becomesA blessing for the life of this world


‘ShareTwo localhome-schooled boysshare a philsophyabout themusic they love

MICHAEL CAPRERA OF HUNTER FOOTE OF WALES


It’TEENAGED BOYS LOVE CONCERTS. But

generally that means going to rock concerts in thecity, not performing their own compositions a bitcloser to home. Violinist Hunter Foote of Walesand pianist Michael Caprera, also fromWales, both16, planned, promoted and performed two free con-certs last month where they played together and sep-arately. Caprera has a CD of his piano work for saleand Foote’s solo CD is underway.

Friends from Scouting and art class, both boysare homeschooled and have played in various localvenues such as churches, local fundraisers, and pri-vate parties. The Festival of Trees in Southbridge,Michael said, is where the two first combined theirtalents in 2008. “We had a duo, with me on pianoand him on violin when we volunteered to play onstage that year,” he said.

Hunter has been studying violin since age 5. Henow performs violin solos at weddings, funerals andat restaurants and is part of a traditional Irish musictrio, The Boys of the Town. Entering college at age13, Hunter just earned two associate’s degrees, atage 16, in liberal arts and music from HolyokeCommunity College and will commute to UMassAmherst this fall to pursue his bachelor’s degree in

business.Michael has been composing music for about

four years and is working on a four-movement fullyorchestrated piece. His interest lies in the world offilm, musical scores, specifically. “I love that type ofbackground music,” he said, citing the music of“Pirates of the Caribbean” and “Gladiator” as someof the more impressive musical scores. “I want towork in that field somehow.” Michael has playedsoccer for Wells Middle School, where his brotherPaul, a teacher there, was his coach.

Hunter and Michael shared love of music andthe common bond of homeschooling led to afriendship. Michael does a combination of individ-ual study, online classes, and a cooperative effortwith other homeschoolers in science, for example,where he gets together with other students at theirhomes. The students read up on the subject matterindividually, then get together to do experiments.Hunter’s education was self-directed. “We cherry-picked what he wanted to learn,” his father, DavidFoote said. “If he had an interest in it, they wouldpursue it,” with his mother, Dawna Foote, leadingthe way.

This past April, Michael’s mother Julie Caprerasuggested the boys put on free concerts together, tosee how the process works. “I saw it as another eventwhere the kids have a chance to assume moreresponsibility,” she said. “I said, ‘Look, this is animportant time while you are Boys in Braces’ --that’s what I called them – ‘this represents anopportunity.’ ” Michael and his parents, Ms.Caprera and Robert Caprera, held a meeting withthe Footes in June and came up with a checklist --deciding on a name, facilities, and a date. Ms.Caprera said the boys had been given some helpalong the way, but took on the responsibility.

“They’ve been given coaching with the timeline ofthe project, for instance, but the music is all theirs.”Even choosing publicity photographs and posterdesign, Ms. Caprera said, was all up to the boys.

Ms. Caprera said the information about “ShareIt: The First Concert” was sent to friends, family,and people the boys know through e-mail andFacebook. “People are inclined to support them asthey are teens,” she said. “They aren’t virtuosos butthey are comfortable playing in front of people. “Posters were put up in local libraries where Hunterhas performed for children and at Old SturbridgeVillage, where Michael is an intern. “A lot of peo-ple know the kids, which made it a perfect commu-nity concert,” Ms. Caprera said. The shows wereheld at the Methodist Church of Southbridge andat the Woodstock Covenant Church inConnecticut.

To purchase CDs, Michael Caprera can bereached at [email protected]. Hunter Foote,whose trio has a CD available, can be reached [email protected].

BY SUSAN SHALHOUB

r MUSINGS FROM LONG HILL s

BY RICHARD MURPHY

BANG FOR A BUCK

Your bank can take more than your house if you don’tpay themortgage. It can also take a lot of everything else youown.

When you bought your house you signed two docu-ments. The second of the two was a mortgage that said thebank can foreclose if you fall behind on your payments. It’sthe first that’s a problem after that.

The promissory note simply says that you promise torepay, with interest, the amount of money you are borrow-ing. After foreclosure the bank will sell your house. Often, itdoesn’t get back asmuchmoney as youowed.Thedifferenceis what’s called a deficiency, and the bank can take you tocourt to pay it back.

The same holds true for anytime you borrowmoney thatis attached to a particular piece of collateral. Default on yourcar payments, and the lender will not only repossess the car,but also sue for the difference between what you owed andthe incredibly discounted price they charged a wholesalerafter they took it from your driveway and sold it.

Massachusetts provides a list of items that creditors can’ttouch even if you owe themmoney, but it’s a pretty slim list.

Declaring bankruptcy is another option if you are beingchased for a deficiency. Because the bank has already takenyour house, or your car, or your computer, the money younow owe is unsecured, like a credit card, and gets dischargedonce you declare.

In fact, declaring bankruptcy will get rid of a deficiencyeven before you lose your home. Keep in mind, however,that as powerful as bankruptcy might be in getting rid of thedeficiency, it won’t keep the bank from foreclosing, just fromdragging you into court after it does.

LEGALBRIEF

DEFICIENCY

M O N T H L Y L E G A L A D V I C E

F O R R E A D E R S O F

T H E S T U R B R I D G E T I M E S M A G A Z I N E

STURBRIDGE ATTORNEY

ROBERT A. GEORGE, ESQ.

Not all the bargains for a buck are in the DollarStore. Oh sure, you don’t want to pass up the guiltypleasures at the 100 penny emporium. Admit it, yourkids drag you in. but you love it as well. The beachbuckets and shovels, the candy, the cheap jewelry, eventhe pork rinds. You can’t believe you’re there andshelling out real money for the stuff, but you do it any-way.

It’s all good, but one can do even better. TheAmerican icon, Newsweek was recently sold for a dol-lar, one simoleon. Yeah, I’m upset too. I might haveconsidered $1.25 if asked. That was my first reaction.On reflection, there must be some reason for the bar-gain basement pricing.

This is, after all, a publication with a circulation ofa million a half in the US alone. You would think thatas a base that would be worth at least a fiver. It wasfounded in 1933 and has had only one major rival allthose years. As a national weekly magazine, it waswhere I and my contemporaries were introduced to thegreater world.

In 1961, it was taken over by the Washington PostCompany. WaPo is one of the nation’s major newspa-pers and the most important news outlet in thenation’s capital. Whether there was a synergy that thetwo journals could build on is not possible to prove.Still, such a relationship could not have hurt.

Yet for all the history and prestige, it has been indecline. Ad revenue has been plummeting. The blamehas gone to the internet. There is that, undeniably so.Still, all print media has to deal with it and some evenprosper. What could be, in the words of the late Larry

Glick, “The story behind the story.”Up on Long Hill, we found that story. Well, we did-

n’t actually find it on Long Hill. It was in a waitingroom of a doctor’s office. Such venues are known forthe timeliness of the periodicals that patient’s can readbefore treatment. Why, last year I got the shock of mylife. From an issue dated late 1941, I was informed thatthe Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor. Who knew?But, I digress.

No it was a couple of weeks ago. I was in the ante-room of a physician. There on the table of periodicals,none more current than two months, wasNewsweek ofApril 19, 2010. The cover had the legend, America’sBack! The Remarkable Tale of Our EconomicTurnaround.

Journalist Daniel Gross wrote the cover story. Themoney quote, “America is coming back stronger, bet-ter, and faster than nearly anyone expected.” One ofhis proofs, “The Dow Jones industrial average, hover-ing near 11,000, is up 70 percent in the past 13months, and auto sales in the first quarter were up 16percent from 2009.”

Unfortunately for Mr. Gross, the Dow’s advancewas ephemeral. As I write, the Industrials are trendingdown and are no where near 11,000. Those auto saleswould be more impressive if there had not been gener-ous tax credits and government bailouts.

Mr. Gross also touts how “The economy added162,000 jobs in March, including 17,000 in manufac-turing.” That was of course the high water mark of hir-ing for the census. Those jobs have mostly gone away.




THINGS TO DOSept. 25, 26 SPIRIT OF CHANGE MAGA-ZINE’S NATURAL LIVING EXPOin Sturbridge, MA. New England’s largestholistic health event! 135 exhibits, 75 work-shops. $10/weekend, kids free. SturbridgeHost Hotel, 366 Main Street (Rt 20 West),Sturbridge, MA. Full schedule online:www.NaturalExpo.org or call 508-278-9640.

Sept. 25. SQUANTUM FESTIVAL. A NewEngland Style Seafood Festival to be held onthe Courtyard Grounds of Old SturbridgeVillage. Sample amazing Chowda, a raw barwith shrimp, oysters, littlenecks, and sword-fish, tuna, lobster, mussels and more fromThe Village Grill. Live music, local beer andwine, great desserts, kids activities and games,and an appearance by Maggie the Clown.Museum admission not required.Call for more info. 508-347-0363 or 508-347-0306 Courtyard Grounds at OSV1 Old Sturbridge Village Road SturbridgeMA 01566

Sept. 28. MICHAEL TOUGIAS TALKSABOUT KING PHILIP'S WAR.Noted author Michael Tougias will give a talkabout King Philip's War, in conjunction withthe 350th anniversary of the settling of theQuaboag Plantation in 1660.7:00 p.m. at the Brookfield ElementarySchool Cafeteria. Free.Brookfield Elementary School BrookfieldCommittee for the Quaboag Plantation 3537 Central Street Brookfield MAwww.quaboag350.comAdmission: FreeContact: [email protected]

Oct. 2. DINNER & DANCE – 2nd AnnualMemorial Scholarship Fundraiser to benefitTantasqua H.S. Seniors headed to WestfieldState University. Entertainment will include:Cocktail Hour: Tantasqua High School BrassBand & Choraleers.Master of Ceremony: WAAF’s Greg “Hill-

Man” Hill. Dance The Night Away With:Soul Sound Revue.lso Featuring: Raffle • 50/50 Silent Auction

• And More!Where: Sturbridge Host Hotel 366 MainStreet, Sturbridge, MA

Sept. 3 LIVE MUSIC NIGHT – 420 MAIN:JAMES KEYES. Churning and stripped downfolk from the hills of New England. From 7:00-11:00 p.m. on the patio! 420 Main StreetSturbridge MA 01566 www.420main.net

Sept. 3-6 THE WOODSTOCK FAIR.Connecticut’ss second oldest agricultural fairfeaturing crafts, food, livestock shows, pettingzoo, free stage shows, go-kart races. BetterLiving Center, vegetables, flowers, strollingentertainers and a lot more. All attractions(excluding midway rides) are included in theadmission prices. Visit The Woodstock Fairwebsite for more information!Woodstock Fair Grounds Routes 169 & 171South Woodstock CT www.woodstockfair.comGeneral Admission: $12. Children 10 andunder are admitted free.Contact: 860-928-3426

Sept. 13 PUBLICK HOUSE COOKS FORCOMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.Join us one evening per month for our familydinner series to raise funds for different localcommunity organizations. All you can eat buf-fet served from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.All dinners served with rolls, cupcakes, lemon-ade & soft drinks. Casual dining. No reserva-tions taken. Cash Donation. Chicken Dinner:HITCHCOCK ACADEMY. MENU: BakedChicken Ziti with Meat Sauce, MashedPotatoes, Tossed Salad. Admission: Adults:$13 Children: $5. PUBLICK HOUSE.

Sept. 18 AGRICULTURAL EXHIBITIONAT OSV. Experience an old-fashioned agricul-tural exhibition complete with demonstrationsof early New England farm equipment and dis-plays of Village-grown heirloom vegetables andother accomplishments. Plan now to join theexhibition of Visitor-grown heirloom vegeta-bles! Old Sturbridge Village1 Old Sturbridge Village Road Sturbridge MA01566 www.osv.orgContact: 800-SEE-1830

poisonings. Though these remedies are gen-erally harmless, I think they are of questionablevalue like many of the over the counter medi-cines, once exposed, nature as to run its course(although personally I can say I benefitted froma trip to the ocean and soaking in the saltwater!).

Poison ivy is very common in our area and isoften found hidden among other vegetation.Even if you know exactly what they look like, itis very hard to avoid coming in contact withthem. Although wearing long pants and longsleeves in warm weather may be uncomfortable,it is important to do so when you might be incontact with poison ivy, whether you are garden-ing in the backyard or hiking in the woods. So-called "barrier creams" may help a bit but likesun screen need to be re-applied often and arenot very effective. When working in your yard,especially weed whacking, or brush removalthose who may be allergic should make sure totuck sleeves into gloves at all times, since sleevestend to ride up the forearms and leave wristsand forearms exposed. Vinyl gloves do notabsorb urushiol well and are, therefore, moreeffective for prevention than fabric or leathergloves. However, be careful when “wiping yourbrow” when you wear gloves as you can transferthe oil to your skin. The most popular way tocontrol poison ivy is chemically. Glyphosate(Some of the brand names of Glyphosate areRounduptm andKleenuptm) should be appliedas labeled on the container to the foliage in lateAugust to October. Spray form is the quickest,however the mist would be “non selective” andkill not only the poison ivy plant but any otherleafy vegetation it lands on. It is not necessaryto get the whole plant. Leaves can also be selec-tively "painted" with the solution using a dispos-able brush or cotton rag. Read the herbicidelabel tomake sure that poison ivy is listed on thelabel. Do not use herbicides in windy condi-tions as the spray drift could blow onto land-scape plants or the applier. Use gloves approvedfor use with garden chemicals and avoid gettingherbicide on the skin and in eyes. Repeatedapplications may be necessary as poison ivy canre sprout from roots systems not fully killed dur-ing initial application.Tom Chamberland is the Tree Warden for the

Town of Sturbridge, and a Certified Arborist. Heenjoys caring for plants that grow in his yard andwelcomes reader suggestions for future articles.Email: [email protected]

In this article, I’ll discuss how poison ivycauses that rash; learn where it grows and howto spot it, how to get rid of it. Many peopleget it when they are hiking or working in theirgarden and ¬accidentally come into direct con-tact with the plant's leaves, roots, or stems. Thepoison ivy rash often looks like red lines, andit forms blisters.

The culprit behind the rash is a chemical inthe sap of poison ivy (Toxicodendron radican).plants called urushiol (oo-roo-shee-ohl). Itsname comes from the Japanese word "urushi,"meaning lacquer. Only a tiny amount of thischemical -- 1 billionth of a gram -- is enough tocause a rash in many people.

Signs and symptoms are related both to thesensitivity of the individual as well as the sever-ity of exposure. The poison ivy rash usuallystarts one or two days after exposure, thoughthe delay between contact and its onset can belonger, up to several days. This may lead toconfusion over where the exposure took place.The first signs of the rash are curved lines ofred, itchy bumps or blisters. These continue toappear for many days, even up to two to three

weeks due to a slow reaction to absorbedurushiols and depending on how much resintouched the skin at a given point. This makesit seem as though the rash is "spreading,"although the fluid in blisters is just part of theallergic reaction and contains no chemicals orbacteria. It also makes it appear that there maystill be poison ivy in clothes and/or on pets.Although this is theoretically possible, repeat-ed washing of these often produces noimprovement. Poison ivy is not contagious,neither from one person to someone else norfrom one part of the body to another.

Many times I hear folks say that animalscan carry the poison ivy resin. There's nodoubt this is true, but its practical significancemay be limited. The first sign of poison ivy,after all, is usually a curved line of rash on theskin. Unless your dog is shaped like a curvedline, your poison ivy is more likely to havecome from a stem or leaf which draggedagainst the skin, not from your pet.

The best approach to poison ivy preventionis recognition and avoidance, however as men-tioned above that may be difficult. If you have

any suspicion you have been in contact withpoison ivy, washing with soap and cold watercan help reduce the severity of the rash, it hasto be done immediately after exposure. (After10 minutes, only 50% of the resin is remov-able, and by 30 minutes only 10 %.) Once itbegins, the rash will usually clear on its own by14-21 days.

Treatment is directed at controlling theitching with oral antihistamines (Benadryl)that may help the itch somewhat, but oftenthey do no more than make people drowsy.Cortisone creams, either over the counter orby prescription, are only helpful if appliedright away, before blisters appear, or muchlater, when the blisters have dried up.Compresses with cool water with an Epsonsalt solution can help dry the ooze faster.When the rash is severe, such as when it affectsthe face or causes extensive blistering, oralsteroids can help produce rapid improvement.

Folklore, medical and otherwise, endorsesmany other agents, from aloe leaves, tea bags,meat tenderizer or visit to the ocean, as treat-ments for poison ivy and related plant poison-

YARDWORKSBy Tom Chamberland, ISA

Caring for what grows in your yard


Poison Ivy

THE CHRONICLE OF STURBRIDGE COUNTRY LIVING

Health effects of thunderstorms

THE HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL ADVISERBY THE FACULTY OF HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL

A REGULAR FEATURE IN THE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINE

Q: At a recent doctor's visit, I mentioned toher that I seem to have asthma attacks before andduring thunderstorms. To my surprise, she men-tioned that not only can thunderstorms affect asth-ma, but they can also present other health hazards.What can you tell me about these?

A: The summer thunderstorm is great the-ater -- bright flashes of lightning, the sharp crackof thunder, the wind whipping through, and, ofcourse, the rain. But even if you stay indoors,thunderstorms are associated with some adversehealth effects. Researchers have documentedthunderstorm-related outbreaks of asthma, andthere are hints that storms can also trigger med-ical problems ranging from sleep apnea tomigraine headaches -- to say nothing of anxietyattacks.

The most obvious threat of thunderstorms istheir flashiest feature: Lightning. One of themany misconceptions about getting hit by light-ning is that it's inevitably fatal. In fact, most peo-ple live to tell the tale. On average, about 60Americans die each year from lightning strikes,but four to five times as many survive, althoughthe injuries can be quite serious.

Another myth is that people burst intoflames or, at the very least, get severely burnedby lightning. In truth, there's a "flashover" effectthat keeps much of the current outside thebody. The flashover effect makes deep tissueburns from lightning a rarity. Cardiac arrest, notburns, is the most common cause of death fromlightning because the electricity scrambles theelectrical system of the heart.

Survivors of lightning-related injuries mayend up with an assortment of brain and eyeproblems. Many victims experience bad, unre-lenting headaches for several months. The con-cussive force of lightning can cause the kind ofblunt trauma that people experience when theyfall, get hit or are involved in a car accident.

Put prevention first. Check the forecastbefore you plan outdoor activities during stormseason, which runs from May throughSeptember in many parts of the country. Takeshelter indoors as soon as you hear thunder, but

stay away from windows and avoid contactwith the plumbing system. If you can't makeit indoors, take shelter in a car or bus, butnever in a metal shelter or shed. And evenif no shelter is available, you can still takeprecautions. Avoid high ground, tall treesand utility poles. Stay low by crouching, butnot lying, down. Don't touch metal objects,including umbrellas and golf clubs.

Lightning is the most striking hazard ofthunderstorms, but as you know first hand,asthma can be important, too. Almosteveryone who gets thunderstorm asthmaalso has seasonal allergies -- otherwiseknown as hay fever. This means they're

prone to having an allergic reaction topollen, fungal spores or both. And theepisodes of thunderstorm asthma havebeen associated with high pollen and sporecounts. So how might thunderstormsincrease pollen and spore counts?

Most of us have experienced that omi-nous drop in temperature and the gusts ofwind that signal the approach of a thunder-storm. According to one theory, those gustswhip pollen off of grass and trees. Another,more elaborate explanation is that pollen(and possibly spores also) first gets swept upinto the storm clouds where moisture rup-tures the pollen grains into smaller frag-

ments, which then get transported downto ground level by cool downdrafts andoutflows (see illustration).

The electrical activity associated withthunderstorms may also play a role inbreaking up the pollen into smallerpieces. This explanation assumes thatwhole pollen grains aren't likely to causeasthma because they are too large to getdown into the narrow airways of thelungs. It also explains why some peopleclaim that they can tell a thunderstorm iscoming by the worsening of their asthmasymptoms.

Another condition that can be wors-ened by thunderstorms and their accom-panying changes in barometric pressure issleep apnea. People with sleep apnearepeatedly stop breathing for short peri-ods while they're asleep. Over time, seri-ous cases put a strain on the cardiovascu-lar system and increase the risk of heartattack and stroke.

In 2010, researchers reported theresults of a study of 537 apnea patients.They checked apnea patterns of thepatients while they were in the overnightsleep clinic against barometer readingsduring those stays, and found that thenumber of obstructive sleep apnea"events" -- instances when breathing wasinterrupted -- increased on the nightswhen atmospheric pressure was lower.Thunderstorms weren't part of this study,but falling atmospheric pressure is a com-mon feature of most storms.

Obstructive sleep apnea is usuallycaused by soft tissue in the back of thethroat relaxing and blocking the normalflow of air. Atmospheric pressure mayhelp hold those tissues open a little bit,so when pressure falls, they relax andinterfere with breathing.Copyright 2010 the President and

Fellows of Harvard College.


©2010 Harvard University


Siberia?” Eh voilà. Now the fundraising could reach outon a different level.

In June of 2007 they held the first Spring FamilyFestival. It’s worked so well that this past spring theyheld the fourth fest at Highland Orchard.

Of course the normal work goes on. Wally andMichelle go back every other year, last in 2009. Therehave been changes. Yoletchka is closed with the childrenin foster homes or other orphanages. Socks for Siberiahas branched into other provinces. The day to day is bet-ter, but the prospects for the future are questionable.

Siberia?” Eh voilà. Now the fundraising could reachout on a different level.

In June of 2007 they held the first Spring FamilyFestival. It’s worked so well that this past spring theyheld the fourth fest at Highland Orchard.

Of course the normal work goes on. Wally andMichelle go back every other year, last in 2009. Therehave been changes. Yoletchka is closed with the childrenin foster homes or other orphanages. Socks for Siberiahas branched into other provinces. The day to day is bet-ter, but the prospects for the future are questionable.That is now the focus.

One bright spot was a soccer team for the boys. Socksprovided equipment and the lads swept all before themin the orphans’ league and that led to sponsorship by acell phone company.

Another success was the school for young leaders.About five kids from each home go to a camp with theusual activities , swimming, hiking in summer and skat-ing and sledding in winter. The staff also has a psychol-ogist, teachers and physical education instructors.

Keep in mind, all this takes place in a region with notone, but two cultures different from us. There are theRussians, but also the more aboriginal Khakassians.That weather is also something to consider, temps of 50below in December. After all, Siberia was for much ofRussian and Soviet history the penal colony where theconvicts survival was not a priority.

Wally and Michelle and all the good people who wereinspired by them have accomplished much. Only a littlehas been touched on here. If you would like to learnmore about them, the Socks for Siberia team will be atthe Apple Country Fair , Saturday, October 9 at theBrookfield Town Common. When you pass their table,do not avert your eyes.

You can learn more about Socks for Siberia at,http://www.socksforsiberia.org/.

The manufacturing jobs are hardly break even.The minutiae of the article itself are not the point.

You can prove anything you want with statistics. Nomatter what Daniel Gross writes or how celebratory theNewsweek cover is, no one was fooled. There was notthen and there is not now a palpable recovery. Don’tbelieve me? Go ask a random sample of Sturbridge arearesidents.

So why did Newsweek, already struggling, print sucha joke? The motive is obvious. The magazine is partisanto an extreme degree. They are cheerleaders for theadministration. There is nothing wrong with that. Thehistory of journalism in our republic is of passionateattachment to one party over another, The magazineswere always strident in their praise and condemnation.

When papers viciously attacked Andrew Jackson formarrying a bigamist, they at least had evidence on theirside. Touting the economy when your readership knowsit’s going nowhere might feel a bit patronizing.

One might observe that talk radio personalities areeven worse in the invective they inflict on the President.That is true, but irrelevant. Radio personalities areentertainers. It is their schtick that they are selling, notlogic. the printed word should at least keep up the pre-tense of reasoned argument.

It is said of Sam Harman that he overpaid forNewsweek. After all, he did have to take the tens of mil-lions of liabilities. Maybe he can make it work. He hasat least one thing going for him. The man whoapproved the depression is over story is gone.

Continued from page 13 Continued from page 26

Socks for Siberia Bang for the buck

Skip the Malls. Shop Here.

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