STTHUE RBRIDGE TIMES HE CHRONICLE OF STURBRIDGE C … · magazine august,2012. 2 the sturbridge...

THE CHRONICLE OF STURBRIDGE COUNTRY LIVINGSTURBRIDGETIMES

THE

MAGAZINE

AUGUST, 2012

THE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINE THE CHRONICLE OF STURBRIDGE COUNTRY LIVING2

STURBRIDGETIMESMAGAZINE

THE

PUBLISHER & EDITORMANAGING EDITOR

STORY EDITORSENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

AD PRODUCTION & DESIGN

WRITERS

PAUL CARRJOHN SMALLSTEPHANIE RICHARDSKAREN ROTHWEILER

TERRI RACCA

JEFF CANNONTERRI COLOGNESITHOMAS CHAMBERLANDROBERT GEORGE, ESQ.ANDREA JOHNSONKATHY MENARDRICHARD MORCHOESTEPHANIE RICHARDS

THE STURBRIDGE TIMESMAGAZINE is published 11 times a year, with no January issue, in Sturbridge, Massachusetts by Carr, Quinn& Small,Inc.We accept photos, opinions, short articles, stories, poems and drawings from the general public, but assume no responsibility for failure to publish asubmission or for typographic errors published or incorrect placement. The contents of this magazine consist of copyrightable material and cannot be re-produced without the expressed written permission of the author and the publishers ofThe Sturbridge Times Magazine. We reserve the right to refuseany advertising for any reason.We reserve the right to require editing to any advertising that is accepted for publication. Opinion printed herein reportviews of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the magazine, its publisher or Carr, Quinn& Small, Inc.We invite vary-ing opinions and information from our writers and readers, wishing to provide a public forum for well-tempered, well-reasoned thoughts, ideas andopinion.ADVERTISINGDEADLINE: Camera ready: the 20th of each month prior to publication. The 17th of the month for Nov. and Dec.ADVERTISINGOFFICE: 508-347-7077 ext. 2 (Karen). If your business is inWorcester, 508-347-7077 ext. 3 (Jessica).EDITORIAL DEADLINE: The 21st of each month prior to publication.

DELIVERED INTO EVERY HOME AND BUSINESS AND POST OFFICE BOXES IN STURBRIDGE,AND TO SELECTED HOMES IN BRIMFIELD, BROOKFIELD, CHARLTON, EAST BROOKFIELD,HOLLAND, NORTH BROOKFIELD, WALES, WEST BROOKFIELD, SOUTHBRIDGE, SPENCER.ALSO MAILED TO INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES ELSEWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES.

AND TO MEN AND WOMEN OF THE U.S. ARMED FORCES WHO ARE SERVING OUR COUNTRYIN THE UNITED STATES AND ABROAD.

THE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINE | CARR, QUINN & SMALL, INC.P.O. BOX 418, STURBRIDGE, MA 01566 TEL. 508-347-7077 FAX 508-347-8150 STURBRIDGETIMES.COM CQSMEDIA.COM

© 2012 BY CARR, QUINN & SMALL, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

3

AUGUST 2012

STURBRIDGECOUNTRYLIVING

FOOD FROM THEMEDITERRANEAN

Enjoy dining in our outdoor patio area

97 STAFFORD ST.WORCESTER

508.796.5828www.Zorbastaverna.com

132 STURBRIDGE RD.CHARLTON

508.248.0433www.Zorbaspizzeriatavern.com

Lobstermania!Broiled, Twin, Baked, Stuffed

and Lobster Rolls

• Fresh Special Pizza Recipes • Pasta Dishes made with Fresh Ingredients • Greek Specialties• Succulent Seafood

THE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINETHE CHRONICLE OF STURBRIDGE COUNTRY LIVING 3

4 THE CHRONICLE OF STURBRIDGE COUNTRY LIVINGTHE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINE

Looking for a job is a stressful process.There’s the requisite networking, finding ajob opening, and crafting the right resume.Then if you are fortunate enough to land aninterview, what do you wear? If you‘ve beenunemployed for a while you may not havethe income to purchase a new outfit and youmay need some coaching on how to do yourbest during this crucial job interview.Enter Dress for Success Worcester, a non-

profit organization that promotes the eco-nomic independence of disadvantagedwomen by providing professional attire, asupport network, and the career develop-ment tools to help them thrive in work andin life.

When a woman finishes her job trainingand is working with a career center, govern-ment program, or shelter to transition toemployment, she is referred to Dress forSuccess Worcester to receive professional ap-parel and supporting services, according toVeronica Hachey, the organization’s direc-tor.A typical Dress for Success Worcester

client is a single woman with one or morechildren, and a high school diploma orGED. Clients are ethnically diverse repre-senting 40 percent Caucasian, 30 percentLatina, 14 percent African American, 3 per-cent Asian, and 13 percent other ethnicities.Coming from all over Central Massachu-

setts, the women all share the commonexperience of looking for gainful employ-ment and needing support and mentor-ing to reach their goals.Through the Suiting Program, Dress

for Success Worcester assists women withprofessional clothing for job interviews,internships, job fairs and employment.Clients are referred by partner agenciesand work directly with a volunteer per-sonal shopper who helps the woman as-semble a business appropriate outfit orwardrobe.“We set up a time for what is called a

suiting,” Hachey explains. “We outfit thewoman from head to toe and provide herwith two clothing options in case there isa second interview and another outfit isneeded.” The clothing boutique is lo-cated in the Denholm Building, 484Main Street, Suite 110 inWorcester and iswell-stocked with racks of stylish suits, sep-arates, accessories, and shoes for womenby referral only.If the woman lands the job, Hachey ex-

plains she is then provided with careerclothing, a wardrobe makeover really.“We create five outfits made up of sepa-rates suitable for her new job,” she says.“We give her the whole nine yards.”Working with Hachey to accomplish this

Worcester area not-for-profit helpswomen dress for successBy Cynthia Allegrezza

CAREERS

Continued on page 26

5THE CHRONICLE OF STURBRIDGE COUNTRY LIVING THE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINE

WINECONNOISEUR

How to dig yourself out of a wine rutBY PETER SAGANSKY,IMPORTER-EXPORTER,CHARLES RIVER WINE COMPANY

Many casual wine consumers find certainwines that they like and just stick with them.Some buy the same exact wine each time.Oth-ers always buy the same brand. Still others finda grape type that works for them and only buywines made from that variety.If your buying habits are described in the

above paragraph you are in a wine rut! Hereare some tips on how to break free and getmore enjoyment out of buying and drinkingwine.Regardless of which kind of wine rut you

are in you probably buywinemade from a par-ticular grape type each time; Chardonnay,Cabernet Sauvignon, etc. If you always buy thesame brand ofCabernet try examples fromdif-ferent producers. If yourCabernets are all fromNapaValley try someCabs fromdifferent wineregions.If Chardonnay is your usual choice you can

try drier or sweeter versions, oaked and un-oaked versions, wines with lower or higher al-cohol levels, and wines from various wineregions.To really break out of your wine rut I

strongly suggest changing up the grape types.The wine tasting experience involves a lot ofsensory evaluations in addition to the wine’sscents and flavors. Those scents and flavorscome primarily from the grape types. There arestylistic characteristics in wines that add totheir appeal. These include intensity, body, im-pact, depth of flavor, dryness, and length.Just as you prefer certain flavor profiles over

others you prefer certain style profiles. Thechallenge is to find new grape types that youwill like that match staylistically with your fa-vorites. Here are some suggestions to get youstarted…If you like Chardonnay try Pinot Blanc.

scents and flavors. Grüners are favorites ofsommelliers because they are particularly foodfriendly.For an exceptional value try theGroiss liter

bottle from the region of Wagram. Other topproducers areWeixelbaum fromKamptal andFelsner from Kremstal.I urge Riesling lovers to also experiment

with Alvarinho wines from Portugal and Al-bariño wines from Spain (same grape).Anselmo Mendes Contacto Alvarinho fromVerde in Portugal is a sterling example. NessaAlbarino from Rias Baixas in Spain is a veryfine value.If you like Sauvignon Blanc try the white

winesmade inRueda, Spain. Verdejo is an im-portant grape of that region that shares manytraits with Sauvignon Blanc. The acidity ofgood Verdejo wines is lively and suggestive of

Pinot Blanc grows especially well in the Alsaceregion of France and in parts of Austria. It’swines share the smooth body and texture, rel-ativelymild acidity, and overall balance that wefind in good Chardonnays. It has it’s ownrange of flavors and is more refreshing thanChardonnay. Pinot Blancs are good foodwines with shellfish, white fishes, chickensausages and chicken salads. Good producersare Jean-Marc Bernhard from Alsace andBiegler from Austria. Note: oaky, butteryChardonnay lovers should stick to Chardon-nay.If you like drier Rieslings try Grüner Velt-

liners from Austria. Grüner Veltliner (nick-namedGru-Vee orGroovy) is themost plantedgrape inAustria. It’s body and fruit profile willappeal to Riesling fans. Grüners tend to berounder in the fruit and less acidic thanmanyRieslings. They come in a range of distinctive Continued on page 8

lem solving can also be discovered, including carnivalmirrors, puzzles, dollhouses, easels and paint, and a tun-nel maze.This is Patti’s Place, a new, local creative play place for

kids that opened inApril inside SturbridgeMarketplace(formerWright’s space). It’s a great find for parents thatwork fromhome andwant their kids to be engagedwhile

they finish tasks. There is free Wi-Fi with comfortableseating in an adjoining room, complete with coffee. “I’mself-employed and knew there weren’t many local placesfor parents to go and get somework donewhile their chil-dren were playing. That’s how I got the idea to createPatti’s Place. Parents who need to get work done can takeadvantage of freeWi-Fi in the seated area while their chil-

THE SHOPPING NEWS

The spacious room is adorned with replicas of build-ing fronts from a child’s imaginative play-- a train station,medieval castle, building supply, library and café. Insideeach one, there are tools to keep kids in creative role-play-ing for hours – fromdress up clothes to train sets to build-ing blocks to a kitchen complete with play food. An arrayof other toys and tools to encourage creativity and prob-


BY STEPHANIE RICHARDS

PATTI’S PLACEINSIDE STURBRIDGE MARKETPLACE,559 MAIN STREET, STURBRIDGE(WHERE WRIGHT’S WAS)508.434.5351PATTIPLACE.COM (NO S ON PATTI)

Above left, 8-year-old Jameson MacConnell creates painting artwork at Patti’s Place, featured above.©2012 Photo by Stehanie Richards

Patti’s Place: where imaginationsand creativity are fostered in play

dren play. Others can come and socializeor join their kids for creative play,” saidowner Patti Affenito-MacConnell, aFiskdale resident who also owns Stur-bridge Country Inn with her husband.“The environment also provides a chancefor kids to have social interaction too. Itprovides another option for parents.”Anopen, 900 square foot space houses

an office, storage room and large openspacewith hardwood floors that is perfectfor parties. Next door, there are two 1,000square foot rooms. The first room isarranged with comfortable chairs and ta-bles where parents can work and enjoy acup of coffee. The adjoining space housesthe creative play area and includes a largeopening in the wall where parents canview their children. Affenito-MacConnelldid all the creative work herself, frompainting a white picket fence on a wall tousing chicken wire with paper mache(painted brown) to create makeshift treesaround support beams. “It’s been funbeing creative in the space. The idea wasto create an environment that encouragesimaginary play,” she said. “I developed abusiness plan three years ago and lookedat a couple of other places, but this deci-sion was all about timing...waiting for myson to get a bit older and finding the rightspace. I looked at other places before set-tling in at SturbridgeMarketplace, and re-designed the plan to fit the space. I’ve hada great response from people so far; theyhave been very supportive.”The playroom is geared toward chil-

dren ages three to six but Patti’s Placesponsors workshops for kids up to agenine. “My goal was to focus on kids agesthree to nine. We offer a variety of work-shops but also can host birthday parties,”saidAffenito-MacConnell, who has back-ground in finance and math and anMBA. “I taught secondary math in ateacher internship before pursuing anMBA.Math is all about figuring out howthings tie in…creating workshops is likeplanning a curriculum.”A variety of workshops for different

ages are scheduled and topics vary frommonth to month. Workshops range be-tween $5 and $10 (some are includedwith play room admission) and usually re-quire advance registration. Sample work-shops that have been offered includeMusic andMewithReneeCoro (birth to


A comfortable seating area has been created for parents of children who are engaged in activi-ties at Patti’s Place. The facility is equipped with WiFi so parents can work on laptops and com-municate via their tablets.

©2012 Photo by Stehanie Richards

12months), Pirate Adventure, Painting101 (ages 7 and up), and LEGO Time(ages 6 and up). A complete schedule isposted on the website at www.patti-place.com.Patti’s Place also hosts birthday par-

ties, offering play and themed partiesdepending on the age of the children.Themed parties for toddlers are avail-able including barnyard fun, princesstea, cowboy roundup, teddy bear clinicand fishing. For older children, samplethemes include a spa party, boot camp,or movie night. All parties include cus-tom invitations, thank you's and favorsand other items that can be added onincluding cake, pizza or party plattersand beverages. Party packages rangefrom $125 to $225.As an added convenience, Patti’s

Place also sells unique items from localartists, such as tooth fairy pillows, dia-per cakes, knit animals and animalhats. “Getting up and started always in-volves a lot and takes time. Since I ownanother business, I wasn’t surprisedhow much time I had to invest doingeverything myself. However, eventhough I have a business background,there’s still a learning curve,” said Af-fenito-MacConnell.Patti’s Place has summer hours

through the end of August from 9 a.m.to Noon and 6 to 8 p.m., Wednesdaysand Thursdays, and from 9 a.m. toNoon, Fridays and Saturdays. Hours willchange in September.Cost is $7 per childwith children under three years old free

with a paid admission. A multi-pass isavailable at 10 visits for $40. Formore in-formation, call 508.434.5351 or [email protected] informationis available online at or on Facebook(Patti’s Place Fiskdale)

Parents Seating Area


range as the big commercial ones. In price order fromaround $10.00 to $20.00 per bottle I recommendGouguenheim, Allamand, Benegas and Ricardo Santos.Calcu Malbec from Chile is also a worhty selection.If you likeMerlot try Zweigelt fromAustria andMon-

deuse from the FrenchAlps. These are off-the-beaten-pathsuggestions for those in a Merlot rut but you folks reallyneed to break free! Both are red varieties that thrive incolder northern climates. Mondeuse is an indiginousgrape variety of the Savoie region of France. Mondeusewines fall between Pinot Noir and Merlot in color andbody, and have lively fruit forward flavors. Jean Vullien isa notable producer.The relatively young Zweigelt grape is a cross of St. Lau-

rent and Blaufränkisch created by Fritz Zweigelt in 1922.Zweigelt has since become the most grown red grape ofAustria. Fine Zweigelts will be similar in body and weighttoMerlot but with zestier andmore forward fruit flavors.A tasty bargain ismade in Burgenland by the leading pro-ducer Salzl.If you like Pinot Noir try Tempranillo wines from

Spain. The color, body, mouth feel, power range, andoverall finesse may remind you of Pinot Noir. The twograpes are entirely different in their flavor profiles. Theymay both show show earthiness but while Pinot Noirslean more towards berry fruit scents and flavors Tem-pranillos tend more towards ripe cherries. Both are ver-satile food wines. Try Tempranillo with grilled sausages,stews, and brisket. The unoaked versions such as ZuazoGaston Vendimia Rioja are flavorful, easy drinking bar-gains. Bigger wood-aged wines such as Prima from Toro(where the grape is called Tinto de Toro) are complexworld-class wines.You should nowbe rut free! If for some reason this did

not work please take two glasses with food and call me inthe morning.

grapefruit and lime. The scents suggest the minerals ofthe soils in the vineyards. Though the flavors are differentthan Sauvignon Blancs the wines will work with similarfoods; especially with white fishes. A fine example to tryis Egeo Verdejo Rueda; a very fresh, appealing dry whiteat a modest price.If you like red Rhône wines try red wines from the

Dao region of Portugal. Southern Rhône reds are usuallyblends with Syrah and Grenache the two major compo-nents.Dao reds are blends as well but of native Portuguesegrapes. The impact, mouth feel, earthiness and spice ofboth types are often similar. Both types are well matchedwith grilled red meats, mushrooms and eggplant dishes.Boas Vinhas Dao Tinto is a bargain-priced gem.If you likeWhite Zinfandel try fruity Rieslings.White

Zins have a lot of residual sugar so youmay want to beginwith a relatively sweet Riesling. Better Rieslings from ripevintages show lots of fruitiness without asmuch sugar andare so delicious that you may not miss the sweetness. Agreat wine in that style is aMosel wine called VS RieslingDry (not bone dry.)White Zin fans will also find sweeter Moscatos wines

to suit their tastes. These deliver the sugar component butwith finer flavors and more freshness than most WhiteZins deliver. There are lots of poor commerical Moscatoson themarket so consult with a goodwinemerchant.Mycurrent favorite is Foral de PegoesMoscato from Setubal,Portugal. It nails the semi-sweet Moscato style in a finewine context.If you likeCabernet Sauvignon try ArgentineMalbec.

Malbec has become well know and popular for good rea-son. Malbecs feature deep color, full body, and have around, flavorful drinkability.Most are easier to drink thannew world Cabernets and they cost a lot less. There aremany smaller artisan brands available in the same price

Continued from page 5

Wine rut


Do you make predictions? If Dan Gardner isright, you may want to destroy all evidence of yourprognostications. Our species is not all that good atdivining the future. Dan Gardner is the author ofFuture Babble. Utilizing the research of psycholo-gist PhilipTetlock he has come to a conclusionabout the future. No, he does not have a list ofstocks to purchase. His prediction is that thespecies is not good at prediction.Disheartening, as it is to realize you cannot know

what will be, there is a population that is far worsethan Joe Average. Experts are horrible at the task.The more elite the specialist, the less reliable theforecast. The author provides example after exam-ple of savants who pontificate and are then provenwrong by history.Gardner, to make the point, highlights one of

the great scholars of the 20th Century. ArnoldToynbee was acclaimed by all who knew him for hisgenius. Attending Oxford in the first decade of thecentury, he won many awards and was appointed tothe faculty on graduation.Unfit for service in World War I, he worked in

political analysis for the British Government. Hisagile mind saw parallels in classical Greek history.Project that forward and one can see them in mod-ern affairs. If anyone could perceive the patternsand how they would play out in the future, it wouldbe Toynbee.In 12 volumes he studied it all, back to the Sume-

rians and Ancient Egyptians through Persians,Greeks and Romans. South Asia and East Asiawere surveyed. The Pre-Columbian Indian civiliza-tions were investigated. Religious traditions ofChristianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism andtheir influences were discussed. Gardner says ofToynbee, “He was Wikipedia made flesh. Whocould doubt him?”Well, of course other historian did. That would

be only natural. After all, most of them had theirown books to sell. That did not daunt Toynbee.He did not waver in his view of the future. How

was his track record?Not too good. He could be specific and little of

it has come to pass. For example, in a 1952 lec-

Future BabbleWhy expert predictions are worthlessand you can do better

BOOK REVIEW

FUTURE BABBLEBy Dan GardnerMetropolitan Books; Henry Holt Co.Dutton 2011265 pagesList Price $26.95Amazon $17.88e-Reader $9.99IISBN: 978-0-525-95205-3

By RICHARD MORCHOE

ture he opined on what the 2000 world would be like.His thoughts, “The whole face of the planet will havebeen unified politically through the concentration ofirresistible military power in some single set of hands.”So there you have it. Arguably the greatest histori-

cal scholar of the last century could not even comeclose to predicting future trends. Fortunately for him,his books made him rich. He’s not the only one forwhom being wrong did not impair fortune.Economists have been fairly successful as a class in

getting the future wrong. Future Babble has fun withthem. Of course, that’s like shooting fish in theproverbial barrel. Gardner brings up a video that wasand probably still is a hit on youtube. Several well-re-garded economic experts pooh-poohed another fellowwho predicted a meltdown in the housing market andattendant disaster.Peter Schiff was a relatively down-market commen-

tator when he took on the heavy hitters. They were ar-rogant in proclaiming his prognostication drivel, andhe courageously stood his ground.

Continues on page 9

Author Dan Gardner


Before you start saving– list what quali-fies as an emergency in your household andstick to the list (unexpected home repairs,unexpected car repairs, loss of job, etc.).Handle the rest of your smaller emergenciesthrough normal venues.Some people also make use of Lines of

Credit, Home Equity Loans and 401Kloans to handle short term debt. Some ofthese ideas are sensible and some can be notso sensible. Always ask if you can do a pay-ment plan. A number of businesses wouldrather see a regular flow of cash than wait-ing and waiting to be paid a lump sum.

debt when unexpected expenses arise.”Laura Fisher, executive director of the

ABA Education Foundation, which runs fi-nancial literacy and savings programs, isn’tsurprised by the findings. They are in line,she says, with findings by the Consumer Fed-eration of America and other organizations.She believes that many families find the con-cept of accumulating a six-month cushionagainst adversity daunting and a six-monthfund can be very difficult to amass in theface of current expenses and the economy.As a counter-recommendation, Fisher

says, ABA’s foundation suggests beginning afamily or personal savings program with atarget of $1,000 to $1,500. “Savings of$1,000 for emergencies is a steppingstone,”says Fisher. That amount covers many of thekinds of unexpected expenses that a familymust face.And how do you do that? As Nike says

“Just do it”. Direct deposit a small amountfrom every paycheck- even $10 - $20 dollars.No amount of money is too small to save.Even saving change and depositing that on aregular basis keeps the purse and pocketslighter. You would be surprised how quicklyit adds up! Just make sure to put this moneyaside and use it strictly for EMERGENCIESONLY.

We all have the same stories –floodedbasement, exploding water heater, dead fur-nace, crunched vehicle or the unexpected lay-off. At one time or another life’s unexpectedchallenges affect us all. What is the commondenominator in all of these challenges? Theyusually disrupt or even stop our cash flow.Nearly half of the country—49%--doesn’t

have sufficient money tucked away to coverthree months of household expenses, ac-cording to Bankrate.com’s survey. This is upfrom 46% last year.Even worse, 28% of the country lacks any

emergency savings at all, up from 24% ofAmericans surveyed on this last year.Bankrate.com, known for its rate boards,

personal finance coverage and more also re-ported in late June that only one out of fourAmericans has put away enough savings tocover six months of expenses, which is thesafety factor recommended by many con-sumer financial advisors as protection againstunemployment, major medical disasters orother financial problems.However, in a statement, Greg McBride,

Senior Financial Analyst for the websitestates: “While we’ve seen some improvement,the bottom line is that much more progress isneeded. Having sufficient emergency savingsis critical to avoiding high-cost credit card

Many find piggy bank emptywhen they needmoneymost

Starting to save money is never easy, butbecomes easier once you start. It is never toolate to start saving and you are never tooyoung or too old. Knowing that you have anest egg for those unexpected emergencieshelps to alleviate the stress of those situa-tions. You must plan for life’s surprises!

Ms. Colognesi took a Bachelor’s degree inPsychology from Westfield State Universityand a Masters in Industrial Psychology fromSpringfield College. She is vice-president ofhuman resources at Savers Bank with morethan 25 years service to the bank. She is the re-sourceful mother of three college graduates.

INSIDE BANKING

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

B A N K I N G E X E C U T I V EF 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 SM A G A Z I N E

By TERRI COLOGNESIVICE-PRESIDENT, HUMAN RESOURCES, SAVERS BANK

Theater Production classes for chil-dren ages 7 to fifteen will begin on Au-gust 6 at Hitchcock Free Academy. Theprogram is designed to foster eachchild’s self esteem and self-discipline, aswell as creative thinking, arts apprecia-tion, and teamwork. Students willlearn theater basics and the art of stagemovement. There are 10 classes heldMonday – Friday, August 1 - 17, 9:30am

– 12:30pm; class on August 17 is from5 - 8pm, with a performance at 7pm.The instructors are Erin Greene andAbbie Gregory, and fee is $200 forBrimfield, Holland, Sturbridge, andWales residents; all others please add$5. Call (413) 245-9977 or visitwww.hitchcockacademy.org for moreinformation.

Hitchcock Free Academy to begintheater classes for children August 6


SupportSturbridge-AreaBusinesses

First!

Book Review | Future Babble

Schiff turned out to be right on the money. Themen who sneered at him looked ridiculous. The onewho looked least stupid was Arthur Laffer, who cameup with the Laffer Curve. He offered to bet only apenny against Peter.In the pre-youtube world, the mistaken pronounce-

ments would have been forgotten in a nanosecond.Today, people who make fools of themselves arerecorded for eternity and are cast out from pundit-hood. Well, no. They are still on TV and speakingwith as much confidence, and one would guess, suc-cess, as before.Schiff? He has done well and is on TV with more

respect. Gardner, however, brings up his long termtrack record. It is spotty just as much as the people hesparred with in the famous video. Like the others, hedoes not suffer from a confidence deficit.

Confidence explains a lot. We like the confidentbrash guy. He or she is believed over the humble,nuanced fellow who is more often right. The au-thor divides the class of experts in two. There arethe hedgehogs who, according to the Greeks, knowone big thing. These are the elite experts. Thefoxes know a lot of little things. The foxes do bet-ter, and get less respect.Dan Gardner gets into the brain science and psy-

chology as to why people are hostage to their biases.He does it in a non-technical and informative man-ner. It is a fun read.I do not know if I am a hedgehog or a fox, but I

shall make a prediction and stand by it with ab-solute confidence. As long as there is television,there will be no lack of experts forecasting the fu-ture, and getting it wrong.The future lies ahead!


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

INSURANCEGUIDANCE

IF FAILURE TO PURCHASE SOMETHING that thegovernment requires you to have results in a requiredpayment to the government, is that payment a penaltyor a tax?It may sound like a penalty, but in the case of health

insurance, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that it’sa tax. Supporters of the Patient Protection and Af-fordable Care Act (ACA), otherwise known as Oba-macare, had insisted that it’s not a tax, yet if it werecalled a penalty instead of a tax, the mandate wouldhave been ruled unconstitutional.In upholding the ACA’s mandate that all Ameri-

cans be required to have health insurance, theSupreme Court has ensured that the law will remainintact, unless Congress and the President vote to over-turn it. The law has widespread support in the Dem-ocratic Party, so the law will be overturned only ifRepublicans hold a majority in both houses of Con-gress and the White House after the November elec-tion.WhatTo ExpectThe ACA runs over 2,800 pages and interpreting

the legislation has produced more than 12,000 pages inThe Federal Register. The law produces 150 new reg-ulatory boards and a variety of new taxes.Given the complexity of the law, even those who

voted for it don’t know its full implications. However,

many of the key changes it creates are clear:The Mandate. Beginning in 2014, Americans will

be required to carry health insurance or pay a “tax.”The amount will start at $95 a year or up to 1% of aperson’s income, whichever is greater. It increases to$325 or 2% of income in 2015 and $695 or 2.5% of in-come in 2016, after which it is indexed to inflation.Of course, given the cost of health insurance, many

will choose to pay the penalty rather than purchase in-surance.Employers with 50 or more employees will also be

required to offer health insurance or pay a “tax.” Ifany employee receives insurance subsidies, the em-ployer will be assessed $2,000 each for all employeesafter the first 30 employees.Some fear many employers will drop coverage and

pay the penalty instead. A survey of Fortune 100 com-panies, to which 71 responded, found that if top em-ployers stopped offering health insurance and insteadpaid the tax for not doing so, they could save $28.6 bil-lion in 2014 alone.

Coverage for all. Insurance companies will be re-quired to sell health insurance to everyone, regardlessof their medical history. “Community rating” re-quirements will limit how much premiums can varybased on age, which means premiums will increase be-

Ondecision by theSupremeCourtthatmandate isa tax


THE CHRONICLE OF STURBRIDGE COUNTRY LIVING12

139 Main Street Sturbridge, MA 01566

M-F 10-5:30p, Thurs 10-6p, Sat 10-3, Sun CL

GARIERIJEWELERS

Sterling silver charms from $25

GARIJEWEL

ENTERTAINMENT

Cinemagic movie theatres open with flare, rave reviewsGrand opening in Sturbridge

By Stephanie RichardsThe last time I stepped foot in the for-

mer Linens ‘n Things space at The Cen-ter at Hobbs Brooks, the atmosphere wasone of concrete walls, construction noisesand empty theaters without seats or moviescreens.Fast forward to the Grand Opening

Celebration of Cinemagic Movie TheaterJune 28 and it was like experiencing anepisode of “Extreme Makeover.” Themain lobby was transformed with a ticketand concession area, carpeted with décorof colorful oranges, yellows and greens.Glass cases were filled with candy, sodamachines were flowing and the smell ofpopcorn permeated everywhere. Lightsflashed from a separate room off the lobbythat housed arcade games. The debut ofSturbridge’s first movie theater – Cin-emagic – was ready and they rolled out the

red carpet.Renovation work on the 30,000 square

foot space began in March and was com-pleted by PM Construction Co., Inc. ofSaco, ME. The space was designed as a1,200-seat movie theater and features eightauditoriums with all digital projection,Dolby Digital sound and Dolby Digital3D capability. The Sturbridge location isCinemagic’s first theater built specificallyto house a totally digital operation – thereis no film involved, according to BobCollins, Cinemagic Marketing Director.The theater also features stadium-seatingauditoriums consisting of wide high backrocking seats with retractable cup and trayholders. Tickets can be purchased in per-son, at self-service ticketing kiosks, or inadvance online at www.cinemagic-movies.com.A family-owned company based in New

Hampshire, Cinemagic Stadium Theatersare owned and operated by Zyacorp Com-panies. The first theater was built in 1999in Salisbury, Massachusetts. With the ad-dition of the Sturbridge location, Cin-emagic now operates seven small and largemovie venues in Maine, New Hampshireand Massachusetts and has 300 plus em-ployees (majority part-time). IMAX the-aters have been added to the Saco, Maineand Hooksett, NH locations.The Grand Opening Celebration was

complete with an official ribbon cuttingthat included town and chamber officials,business representatives and the media.The festive atmosphere was complimentedby hors d'oeurves prepared by a localrestaurant, and music. Zydacorp CEOMark Adam took time to recognize every-one involved in the process of making thetheater a reality – from employees to con-struction crews to Sturbridge officials tobusiness representatives. He also ac-knowledged how God continues to blessthe company with growth. For the 200plus people in attendance, the atmospherewas one of excitement and anticipationthat culminated with the opportunity toexperience one of four movies that wouldbe shown on the big screen the followingday when it officially opened to the pub-lic.The Grand Opening Celebration was-

n’t the only event that kicked off Cin-emagic’s opening in Sturbridge. Theprevious day, WSRS Radio’s morning

team was on hand with 300 contest win-ners who got to see a free movie. Collinssaid employees of The Center at HobbsBrook as well as construction crew mem-bers and their families were also invited totour the theater and enjoy a free movieprior to the official opening. “We openedJune 29 with a matinee show at 11:45a.m.,” Collins said. “We were very pleasedwith the response of the community open-ing weekend.”Collins said no traffic concerns were

reported to Cinemagic and things seemedto flow smoothly over the first weekend.Cinemagic has hired Kayla Sorli as thegeneral manager to oversee operationsand already hosted one special event. OnJuly 10, Brookfield actress Jennifer Lafleurintroduced her film, “Do-Deca-Pentathlon” and did a Q & A after thescreening. “We are also working with theMass South Chamber to set up an eventin the future. In addition, we will be doinga blood drive for the American Red Crosssometime in the fall,” Collins said.In a recent interview prior to opening,

Adam said, “Every day in business is achallenge, especially in recent times. Youput forth your best efforts combined withfaith, and hopefully persevere. Our hopeis that the community is inspired to treatus as well as we treat them.” Cinemagic isoff to a good start writing the script to itsown success story in Sturbridge.


Visit us at: www.WeProvideInsurance.com

93 West Main Street, Dudley, Massachusetts 01571 508-943-4124508-347-9394 590 Main Street, Sturbridge, Massachusetts 01518

GROWING UP, Enrico Giovanello hasvivid memories of family get togethers onSundays and Holidays, spent gatheredaround the table with the food as the cen-terpiece. There was also the numeroushours cooking with his Grandmother GitaGiovanello, learning her time tested Ital-ian recipes. As he talks about his child-

hood, it is clear why he is so passionateabout recreating those dishes so others cansavor the flavors of incredible cuisine.Most people know him as Chef Rico,

whose first venture as a restaurant businessowner was Enrico’s Pizzeria in Sturbridge.Today, he is Executive Chef and does busi-ness development with Table 3 Restaurant

Group, which owns and operates CedarStreet Grille, The Duck and Avellino’s, allin Sturbridge. However, his pathway tobeing a chef and restaurant owner was any-thing but typical.At age 12, the Southbridge resident got

a job as a dishwasher at a local restaurant,the former Copper Penney Pub in South-

bridge. “I became friends with the owner’sson and did everything from washingdishes to peeling shrimp. I just loved to bearound the kitchen,” he said.But when Enrico graduated high

school, it wasn’t culinary arts that he stud-ied but the craftiness of political science.

Continued on next page

BY STEPHANIE RICHARDS

CHEFRICO

Meet themanwhomany Sturbridge foodies consider to be the area’s TopChef.ExecutiveChef ofCedar StreetGrill, TheDuck andAvellino —EnricoGiovanello.

THE CHRONICLE OF STURBRIDGE COUNTRY LIVING

It seemed interesting to study and back then, it wasn’tpopular to be a chef like it is now,” said Enrico, whograduated from the University of Rhode Island (URI).“I played baseball there too. But when I could, I cameback to work at the Copper Penney. I did everythingfrom the line cook to running the restaurant. In my freetime, I also loved to cook for friends.”After graduation, he pursued the natural route for a

political science major – a law degree from Thomas M.Cooley Law School in Michigan. He came back to thearea, got a job in the District Attorney’s office andstarted off on his career path…but something was miss-ing. “I was there for four months and was heavily in debtfrom college. I started reading business and financebooks and magazines and they changed my way of think-ing dramatically. It wasn’t about going to school, mak-ing the grades and getting the good job,” Enrico said. “Itbecame about working to build financial independ-ence…not relying on a paycheck. “He decided to enter the real estate market, buying a

two family unit in Southbridge on a shoestring budgetwhile he was still working in the D.A.’s office. “I was 25years old and dead set in this new way of thinking—every-one thought I was crazy. I had some friends who ownedThe Boardwalk Plaza and had space; they tried to con-vince me that this was my chance to open a restaurant,”Enrico said. “I said no at first, and then no again, but fi-nally changed my mind. I sold my real estate and usedthe money to renovate the space to open Enrico’s Pizze-ria. I was young and had nothing to lose.”While many of his family and friends couldn’t believe

he was leaving a career as a lawyer that he worked so hardfor, Enrico said his father Ronnie was very supportive.“He didn’t quite understand, but he still supported mydecision. It took me more time to convince my mom,but she came around too,” he said.

THE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINE14

So why did he start with pizza instead of Italian cui-sine. “I looked at the Bertucci’s chain…they had a win-ning business model. Plus, there is a lot of profit in pizza,so I knew it was the best chance for me to succeed,” En-rico said.The 2,000 square foot space was an empty shell with

block walls and a concrete floor. It took several contrac-tors and an entire year to build, with Enrico borrowingmoney to complete the work. “There were points when Iwished there was just some way to get out of it. At times,I felt like I was on a tree, hanging . But I had the supportof wonderful friends and family, like my dad and my sis-ter who did the bookkeeping,” Enrico said. “It was defi-nitely a growth time for me – I wouldn’t trade it.”With just a wait and bar staff, the restaurant opened

in 2004 and Enrico was in the kitchen as the head cook(he eventually hired another cook) and acted as the man-ager. “Everyone was telling me what to offer in terms ofthe menu. I knew that I needed just one or two thingsand to do them well. We offered pizza and salads,” hesaid. “I was working seven days a week and getting burntout. Two years into it, someone approached me aboutbuying the business and I sold it. I still have a close rela-tionship with the owner—the quality of the food is good.Plus, I accomplished my goal of getting out of debt.”While he was ready to take a year off, Enrico lasted

just three months. A friend wanted a chef to cook cuisineat a new Italian restaurant, VIA Italian Table in Worces-ter. Intrigued by another opportunity to create a restau-rant again, he accepted the offer and spent one year there.At the same time, he continued buying real estate.After taking a bit of time off again, his connections

led to a chance to open up his own place again in Stur-bridge. He opened Giovenllo’s Italian Market, creatingdishes, working with customers and doing catering.“Things moved at a slower pace (than Enrico’s Pizzeria)and I really enjoyed it. Ironically two years into the busi-

Enrico GiovanelloContinued from previous page


charltonfurniture.com Complimentary design service available.

Furnishing the American Dream Proud to provide you with quality, American-made furniture

& accessory pieces at a price you can afford!

timeless design | superior craftsmanship | modern elegance

ness, I was again approached by someone to buy it andsold it.”Although his intentions were always to take a break

from the business, the kitchen once again beckoned him

to come back. He was approached by another friendabout working part-time as a cook at Old Sturbridge Vil-lage. “I decided to take it and was happy as a clam. I wascontent not to be in charge and happy about cooking

again. It wasn’t about how much money I was making,”he said.His focus on building friendships and business rela-

tionships continued to pay off when another opportunityto get in on the ground floor of a new venture came hisway. He was approached by Dan Gonya of Table 3 Restau-rant Group about joining them as executive chef anddoing business development. “Dan was one of my firstcustomers and we became friends. I said no at first but hekept after me, asking me to be a part of what they weredoing. I finally made a one-year commitment tothem…which now has turned into over three years. Table3 Restaurant Group is comprised of smart business guysand they are the kind of people to do business with – theyare always above board. I was able to put culinary ideasto work and create a themed restaurant with Cedar StreetGrille,” he said.The concept for the restaurant’s menu was to take pop-

ular dishes and add interesting twists to them. “It really isabout preparing food a different way so people aren’tafraid to order it. For example, I might take ChickenParmesan and add Alfredo to it,” he said. “It is like hav-ing a culinary playground.”In 2009, the Table 3 Restaurant Group explored and

took over an existing restaurant – The Whistling Swanand Ugly Duck. “The Duck (as it is called now) was doingwell and had a good reputation, so we gave it a facelift.The Swan was broke. The fine dining concept wasn’t

Enrico and his grandmother, Gita Giovanello, at his first restaurant- Enrico's Brick Oven Pizzeria

Continued on next page

Courtesy The Giovanello Family Album


working. We discussed what to do with it for a year and thenmade a drastic, major change adding a bar and open kitchenand created a new Italian restaurant – Avellino.”Named after the town where his grandfather was from in

Italy, Avellino brings back the old school popular dishes thathave stood the test of time. “A lot of places are getting awayfrom the popular dishes. At Avellino, I use a lot of my grand-mother’s recipes…like her meatballs. They are basic and sim-ple but I focus on doing them well.”He also incorporated two ideas to involve patrons to ex-

perience making cuisine and gathering together in uniqueways. The Chef’s Table is available during the week Tuesdaysthrough Thursdays. Customers pay a set price and Chef En-rico feeds them multiple courses of dishes, usually familystyle. The table seats up to 10 people and calling ahead forreservations is encouraged.There is also the Cooking with Rico nights, where cus-

tomers learn how to prepare dishes, eat them and leave with

recipe cards. Offered monthly, space is available for 30-35people. “You get to have a great meal and know how it is pre-pared so you can recreate it at home. There is a different focuseach time from Tuscan to Sicilian cuisine or just how tomakehomemade pasta or mozzarella,” he said. “People think it’s tohard when it comes to cooking. It really starts with the shop-ping to get good ingredients. For example, we both mightmake crème brulee, but I might use vanilla bean versus youusing vanilla extract. It makes it more interesting. The sameis true with what kind of cheese you use – whether it is dryor sweet – or if you use fresh versus dry herbs. Then there isthe technique. There are really only five or six ways to cook,like sauté’, sear, boil or broil. Each technique has a purposeand you should know what they are and when to use each.”Enrico’s talents were recently recognized by Boston’s

Channel 7WHDHTV. The station visited Avellino in Aprilto tape their popular segment “The Dish.” Chef Rico pre-pared Insalata Tiepida di Asparagi (Warm Asparagus Salad)with Crimini Mushrooms.

But for Enrico, it’s also about getting involved and giv-ing back to the community. He gets involved in a varietyof projects, like the recently completed Sturbridge buildby Habitat for Humanity MetroWest/Greater Worcester.“I rarely say no. Charity is really about giving back and it’simportant. It is also about relationships because it providesopportunities to meet other businesspeople and developcustomers.”For such a successful entrepreneur, Enrico has a hum-

ble spirit. “To be successful, you need to be willing to workto learn; it’s not about money. Second, you need to buildrelationships,” he said. “For me, my Christian faith hashelped guide my decision making and helped me throughthe ‘storms’ of life. And I also wouldn’t have got here with-out the support of my family and friends. The philosophyof being an entrepreneur is really deceptive. To be suc-cessful in business, it is all about team support. You sur-round yourself with people who help you and you helpthem too. I have really been blessed.”

Executive Chef Enrico Giovanello, who is part of Table 3 Restaurant Group, takes a rare break at Avellino. The new Italian restaurant features recipes from his grandmother, a chef'stable, and open kitchen.

©2012 Photo by Stephanie Richards

Continued from previous page


FUNFOOD

A Sunday trek to Harold’s Drive-In

Continuedon page 25

By Richard MorchoeSummer in West Brookfield means

Howard’s Drive-In. It is possible thatthere is someone in town that hasnever participated in the seasonal ritualof al fresco dining, but it is hard toavoid. Not that one would want to.The true townie element, if they playedsports as kids, celebrated victory or con-soled defeat at Howard’s. Mom anddad tagged along and even if not na-tives, usually became hooked.Another aspect of Howard’s charm

is the time machine quality. There maynot be waitresses on roller skates as inthe fifties, but Howard’s appears tohave changed little. Since I’ve been aWest Brookfield resident, there hasbeen no major alteration. Oh, themenu has been tweaked and there is atent out back, but in front, if there has

been any perceptible difference, it hasescaped me. We all need a little con-stancy somewhere in life.Still, as magical as that Norman

Rockwell American nostalgia experi-ence is, it can’t be enough. What is onthe bill of fare must satisfy the innerman and woman. The quaintness can

only work its magic for so long.Fortunately, Howard’s does have

what it takes. Where it shines is Mas-sachusetts soul food, clams. Beingfrom near the coast of the Bay State, Ithought moving inland away from theland of the clam shack would leave medesolate. The fried clams at Howard’s

are as good as anywhere else. If you areon a budget, the fritters will do. If friedfood is not for you, steamers are avail-able.All the other seafood is worth it and

the servings are more than ample. TheCaptain, as the fisherman’s platter iscalled is large and will suffice for twopeople with moderate appetites. TheJunior version will satisfy one. Every-thing on the Captain can be orderedon it’s own. Lobster is on order as aplate or roll.The menu is not limited to what the

ocean yields. Steak, burgers chickenand even a veggie burger are on tap.There is a generous selection of appe-tizers from potato skins to deep friedmushrooms. Granted, a menu withsuch a variety will not be in the Miche-


This monthly feature focuses on our trails and open space and relatedactivities in the region, with an emphasis on enjoying the outdoors safely.

AppalachianTrail celebrates 75 years of existence thismonthByTomChamberland,Park Ranger andAssociate Member of SturbridgeTrails Committee

Usually I write about trails in and aroundSturbridge, but I could not let the 75th an-niversary of the grand daddy of all trails passwithout a few words to mark this milestone sofrom the press release of the Appalachian TrailConservancy some history on, and a celebra-tion of the Appalachian Trail.This year marks the 75th anniversary of the

completion of the Appalachian Trail, thelongest hiking-only footpath in theworld,meas-uring roughly 2,180miles in length fromGeor-gia to Maine. The anniversary will occur onTuesday, August 14, 2012.The original Trail took more than 15 years

to build andwas completed onAugust 14, 1937.Construction involved the cooperation of hun-

dreds of volunteers, state and federal partners,local Trail-maintaining clubs, theCivilianCon-servation Corps and the Appalachian TrailConservancy (ATC).TheAppalachianTrail travels through four-

teen states along the crests and valleys of theAppalachian mountain range from its south-ern terminus at Springer Mountain, Georgia,to its northern terminus at Katahdin, Maine.Over 250,000 acres of contiguous Trail landsare protected andmanaged along the footpath.An estimated two to three million people

visit the Appalachian Trail every year. Hikersfrom across the globe are drawn to the Trail fora variety of reasons: to reconnectwithnature, toescape the stress of city life, to meet new peo-

ple, strengthen old friendships or to experi-ence a simpler life. About 2,000 people at-tempt to "thru-hike" the estimated2,180milesof the Trail each year, with only one out offour completing the entire journey.The conception of the Appalachian Trail

came from theOctober 1921 article "AnAp-palachian Trail: A Project in Regional Plan-ning" in the Journal of theAmerican Instituteof Architects. Written by Benton MacKaye,he proposed the idea as an escape from dailylife in an increasingly industrial nation.MacKaye originally called for a series ofwork,study and farming camps along the Ap-palachian Mountains, but building a trail toconnect them soon became his primary ob-jective. The Appalachian Trail Conference(now called the Appalachian Trail Conser-vancy) was founded four years later in 1925.Since theA.Twas first completed in 1937,

it has undergone a remarkable transforma-tion. Almost 99% has been relocated or re-built.Hundreds ofmiles of the original routewere along roads and passed through privatelands. Thanks to the determinationofMyronH.Avery and theATC, the passage of theNa-tional Trails System Act, and the work ofmany partners and volunteers, more than99%of the Appalachian Trail is now in pub-lic ownership. Not only is the footpath itselfprotected, but a corridor of land, averagingone thousand feet inwidth, is also protected.The Trail today is not only better pro-

tected but traverses more scenic landscapes thanthe original route. Many of the AppalachianTrail'smost cherishedhighlights were not part ofthe Appalachian Trail in 1937: RoanMountain,Tennessee; the Mt. Rogers High Country, in-cluding Grayson Highlands, Virginia; thePochuck Creek swamp, New Jersey; NuclearLake, New York; Thundering Falls, Vermont;and Saddleback Mountain, Maine, to name afew.The treadway itself each year becomes more

sustainable. Except for places where the CivilianConservation Corps provided additional sup-port (mostly in Shenandoah National Park, theGreat SmokyMountains, andMaine), the origi-nal Trail was often routed straight up and downmountains,making for roughhiking and a tread-way prone to severe erosion. The ATC's trailcrews and volunteer trail-maintaining clubs haverelocated or rehabilitated countlessmiles of Trailand each year continue to improve the treadway.As a unit of the National Park System, the

Trail ismanaged under a unique partnership be-tweenpublic andprivate sectors that includes theATC,National Park Service, USDAForest Serv-ice, 31 local Trail-maintaining clubs and an arrayof state agencies.To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the com-

pletion of the Appalachian Trail, the ATC willhost aweekend celebration onAugust 11 and12at its headquarters at 799 Washington St.,Harpers Ferry, WV. Highlights include guest


PETQ&AWITH KATHY MENARD

Playing with laser light is not good for dogs


Q. Do dogs yawn for a similar reason that humans door are they signaling something?

A.While dogs can yawn for a variety of reasons, very oftenit signifies stress/anxiety/nervousness and they are trying tocalm themselves. If the dog is relaxed on the floor with noth-ing going on around them, they may be tired. However, ifyou're in a training class and he starts yawning, he may bestressed over not understanding what you're working on, or be-cause another person or dog is too close for his comfort level.

Q. Are purebred dogs more susceptible to disease anddisability than mongrels?

A.While you will find mixed reviews on this topic, I be-lieve it is marginally slanted toward being true. That doesnot mean that all purebred dogs are unhealthy, while mon-grels are healthy. It is important to do your homeworkwhen choosing a breeder to ensure they do their best toscreen for the genetic issues found within their breed. It isequally possible for mixed breed dogs to have issues. I al-ways ask myself, “if I take the worst traits from each parentand combine them, is that a pup I would want to own”?

Q. Can I use a leash to stop aggression in my youngdog?

A. Well....if you are having aggression issues in yourdog, you need to seek out the help of an experiencedtrainer, sooner than later. A leash certainly can be utilizedto control your dog while you teach him more suitable be-haviors.

Q. My puppy is about 7.5 weeks old. His nose is not

cold or wet. Is this normal?A. Yes. It is an old wives tale that the nose needs to be

cold and wet.

Q. Sometimes my dog will drag his behind across thefloor. I don't like this for obvious reasons and wonder whatwould cause this?

A. This is a common sign that your dog's anal glandsneed to be emptied. This is more common in smaller dogs.Your veterinarian should be able to express them and de-termine the cause. Allergies or a diet low in fiber is oftenthe cause. Adding pumpkin should help if he just needsmore fiber.

Q. My dog loves to chase the laser light. I do this withhim every night and am careful not to let the beam shineinto his eyes. Is this form of play acceptable?

A. No. Please do not encourage this behavior. Thisoften turns into an obsessive compulsive disorder whichcan be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to cure.


r MUSINGS FROM LONG HILL s

BY RICHARD MORCHOE

VICTORY IN AFGHANISTAN ... FOR WHOM?

So you’re about to be a witness in court. Maybe you saw acrime, maybe you’ve been accused of a crime, maybe you’vebeen sued or you’re suing someone else. Regardless of why,you’re nervous.While that’s understandable, given that a lawyer is proba-

bly going to try tomake it look like you’re not telling the truth,there are several common sense rules to keep in mind.TELL THETRUTH. That’s the first and last rule to testi-

fying in court. Telling the truth is easy; there’s no lie you haveto keep track of tomake sure your story fits. It’s also the rightthing to do.People get into trouble when they are asked a question that

they know will hurt their case. The way around this is to gostraight through it. Give up hurtfulmaterial. Itmakes you be-lievable.The next best way to get into trouble on the stand is to an-

swer a question you don’t know the answer to. When askeda question, people tend towant to answer it, even if they aren’tsure what the answer is. That’s why the following answers, iftrue, are among the best you can give: “I don’t understandthe question”; I don’t know”; “I don’t remember.” Nobody’sgoing to give you a prize for answering all the questions.Likewise, you should listen very carefully to the question

and only answer the question asked. Don’t volunteer infor-mation.It also be helpful to look at the experience as you might a

job interview. Dress well, don’t slouch, speak loudly andclearly.Finally, never argue with the lawyer. That’s the reason

you’re probably nervous in the first place. Most likely, you’lllose.

LEGALBRIEF

WITNESS

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.

Up on Long Hill Road, we’ve noticed that there is rel-atively little discussion of one of the largest foreign policyissues of our nation in this century. The war inAfghanistan is only perfunctorily noticed when either atragedy or some other event occurs.When the Twin Towers went down, our reaction was

understandable. It is not necessary to recount the stepsthat led to the invasion. Has it been a success? The deathof Osama and change of regime have been accomplished.Not much else has. A corrupt government has been in-stalled at the cost of over two thousand American militarydeaths. If you include coalition troops, it has been morethan World Trade Center fatalities.If, after more than ten years of operations we can say we

are freer now than before, then one might have a case thatthe invasion was a success. After all, we were told weshould fight them over there rather than over here. Hasthat worked?On the battlefield, no progress is being made. That is

why there is a dearth of news. Our men patrol, some die,some enemy die. The Taliban seems to think they can waitus out. The Afghans have an excellent record of outlastingthe invader. Ask the Soviets and the Brits.If we are not winning, is anyone? For the answer as to

who is, we turn to our official think tank, The Long HillInstitute for the Study of Foreign and Military Policy(LHIftSoFaMP).If we are not winning, maybe the next-door neighbor,

Pakistan is. Pakistan has a lot at stake. Afghanistan is a na-tion of tribes that, to put it mildly, do not always get along.So is Pakistan. Instability in Afghanistan may be its natu-ral state. That bodes ill for the Paks. Right now, they arenot too happy with us after all the drone bombings andtaking out OBL. They have never been completely on

board no matter the official line, anyway. This is under-standable. How would we like them setting the agenda inour neighborhood? Suffice it to say, near term, there is lit-tle they can do. Long term may not work for them all thatwell either, but they will have greater scope to manage af-fairs if and when we leave.So who is ahead on points right now? That’s easy, Rus-

sia. Yup, the country formerly known as the Soviet Unionis scoring big time every day we stay in Afghanistan. Howso you ask? Probably you don’t. The blithe incuriosity ofthe press and citizenry is staggering. Despite the disinter-est, the LHIftSoFaMP will endeavor to enlighten.Last November, an air assault in Pakistani territory net-

ted no Taliban, but did kill 24 Pakistani soldiers. Shockingly,the Paks didn’t say, “no harm, no foul.” They closed supplyroutes. Negotiations failed to reopen the road to NATO re-supply. Seems the overly sensitive Pakistanis demanded anapology. We finally said sorry, but the route is not secure.There is another route. It is through territory con-

trolled by Russia. They are happy to let us use the route be-cause Russia and the US are brothers. I hope no onebelieves that. Nations are not brothers and most alliancesare tenuous at best. Our relationship with Russia is notfraternal. It’s not even like third cousins, twice removed.Since the end of the Soviet Union our policy has not

been all that friendly. First we promised when they tooktheir troops home, NATO would not be run up to the For-mer Soviet borders. That understanding was observed inthe breach.It is so bizarre that The US Coast Guard was sailing off

the shores of Georgia. Well why shouldn’t they be pa-trolling off Savannah Harbor one might ask? Unfortu-nately, it was not the American state, but the FormerSoviet Republic of Georgia on the Black Sea. Georgia had

THE CHRONICLE OF STURBRIDGE COUNTRY LIVING THE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINE 21

started an unprovoked war that embroiled Russia. Theygot their clock cleaned and we made “no fair” noises.Senator McCain said “We are all Georgians now.” Weweren’t. The Russian Government didn’t budge.Wisely, we backed off and did not admit Georgia toNATO.Bush or Obama, the post cold war policy has been

antagonistic. Last February, the Secretary of State calledRussian refusal to support Syrian sanctions “despicable.”Not a move out of the Dale Carnegie playbook.A Romney administration might be even more con-

frontational. He hasn’t been elected yet, but he has al-ready started his administration by declaring Russia “ournumber one geopolitical foe.”Why would the Russkies be okay with us traveling

through their neighborhood even if they don’t reallylove us? If your next-door neighbor blared the stereo at3:00 a.m. would you be likely to let him use the pool?To help our understanding, the LHIftSoFaMP has

sought expert guidance. Our consultant has been deadnear a decade shy of two centuries and ultimately un-successful, but Napoleon Bonaparte didn’t have a badrun. His words, "Never interrupt your enemy when heis making a mistake," won him many a battle.Even if someone could prove* that we have a true na-

tional security interest in Afghanistan, we are still beingbled as long as we stay. Speaking of blood, everyday weare there is a victory for Les Russes and they need notfire a shot. Why would they interrupt our mistake?All this is not to suggest that the Russians are inno-

cent lambs. They are shrewd geopolitical players. Putinis not in the running for the Thomas Jefferson award.His demographic problems are immense, and the econ-omy is extractive and at the mercy of commodity prices.Be that as it may, he is doing what he can to serve hiscountry’s interests. Currently, he is having some rathergood innings at our expense.*I beg anyone who reads this, please, if you have

proof that there is any sane reason for continuing thisadventure, please share it with me. I’ll pass it on toState. Goodness knows they need one.

cause healthy people will be subsidizing unhealthy peo-ple.Medicaid expansion. As written, the law would pro-

vide health insurance coverage for more people throughMedicaid by expanding eligibility to 133 percent of thepoverty level or about $28,300 for a family of four.However, the Supreme Court ruled that states can opt

out without jeopardizing federal healthcare subsidies.While 26 states have opted out, arguing that the lawplaces an unfair economic burden on them, Massachu-setts is not among them.The federal government will pick up the cost of ex-

pansion for the first three years, after which states willpick up 10 percent of the cost. That’s still a substantialcost for cash-strapped state governments.Many low and moderate earners will also be eligible

for tax credits to help pay for insurance. A family of fourearning up to $88,000 will be eligible for credits.The Urban Institute estimates that 18.2 million

Americans will purchase insurance through the ACAand that 10.9 million will receive government assistanceto pay for it and that four million will pay the “tax” in-stead of buying insurance.Healthcare exchanges. Consumers will be able to

comparison shop for health insurance through new ex-changes, which will be run by individual states or, incases where states opt out, the federal government.The stated purpose is to foster competition, but it will

also result in a government insurance option competingfor business. Some believe the exchanges will lead to gov-ernment-controlled healthcare.The exchanges will provide insurance for both indi-

viduals and small businesses. By pooling small busi-nesses, as some associations and Chambers ofCommerce do, premiums can be lowered, because risksare more predictable, but the pools will also be open tothose with pre-existing conditions, which will cause pre-

miums to rise.Taxes. In addition to the tax on those who don’t

buy their mandated health insurance, the ACA in-cludes a variety of additional taxes. Individuals earningat least $200,000 and married couples earning at least$250,000 will face both a 0.9 percent hike in payrolltaxes that subsidize Medicare and a 3.8 percent tax oninvestment income.A new fee on drug companies took effect last year

and another on health insurers will take effect in a cou-ple of years. In addition, a 2.3 percent tax on medicaldevice manufacturers is scheduled to begin next year.We previously wrote about a new tax on “Cadillac”health plans, which exempts unions but applies toeveryone else who has high-quality coverage.In addition to reducing American competitiveness,

these new taxes will be passed on to consumers in theform of higher costs. They could also result in less in-novation and fewer medical breakthroughs, particu-larly in the medical device industry, where capital isalready difficult to come by.Overall ImpactThe new law may be called the Affordable Care Act,

but its overall impact will likely be to increase the costof health insurance.MIT economist Jonathan Gruber, who, when the

ACA was being considered by Congress, was widelyquoted for saying it would reduce the cost of non-grouphealth insurance, is now saying that it will increasecosts. Among the states that have hired him as a con-sultant, he estimated increases of 19 to 30 percent. Ananalysis by PriceWaterhouseCoopers projected thatnon-group premiums would increase by an average of41 percent to 59 percent by 2016.As insurance costs increase – most likely at a far

faster rate than the penalty for not being insured –more people will be exempt from coverage. In addi-tion, more people, especially those who are healthy,

RichardMcGrath on SCOTUS decision



YARDWORKSBy Tom Chamberland, ISA

Caring for what grows in your yard

WateringUsing Rain Barrels

The Dog days of summer are here as we enter themonth of August. July was a hot humid, rainfall deficientmonth. For the plants in your yard and garden one ofthe most important things you can do for then is keepthem well watered. Watering should be done once aweek, slow and deeply, the equivalent to 1” rainfall aweek. This will saturate the ground and encourages theroots of your plants to grow down deep into the soil; bet-ter capturing nutrients and helping your plants surviveextended dry periods that are so common during thistime of year. A quick way to monitor if you are applying1” of rain is to set out a “tuna” can, which is 1” high.When it is full, you have watered 1”!

To assist in watering and to reduce the cost of wateringyou should consider installing a rain barrel (or several)and a drip irrigation system.

By collecting rain water in a barrel you will:• Direct rainwater away from foundations• Reduce erosion, stormwater pollution and im-

prove water quality• Reduce household watering needs by saving rain• Lower your water bills, and reduce your personal

energy consumption by using less treated water. A full 55gallon water barrel has almost 14 cubic feet of water.• Be able to water your gardens during town im-

posed watering bans• Water your garden naturally with untreated

water• Recharge the local ground water

How it works: For every ½” of rain that falls on a 500

square foot roof, 300 gallons of water will run off. (Thisis about ½ of a building 28’ x 36’) Rain Barrel kits anddown spout diverters are commercially available, or if one

is handy with plumbing, you can make your own. Whenyou set up a rain barrel remember that a 55 gallon barrelwill weight over 400 lbs when full so set them up on a firmsurface. Elevate it a foot or two to have a greater flow pres-sure. Connect several barrels together or make sure you haveprovided an overflow pipe for overfilling, and divert thatwater away from your foundation. Natural rainwater will im-prove the health of your gardens – it does not contain min-erals, salts, chlorine, fluoride and other chemicals you mayfind in public water or wells. Most companies that sell rainbarrels also sell simple to install drip irrigation systems.

For more information onHomemade rain barrels visit:http://www.irrigation.learnabout.info/articles/38home-maderainbarrels.htm

Local Rain Barrel companies:Aaron’s Rain Barrels, Leominster MA,New England Rain Barrel Co. - Peabody MA,Sky Juice New England – York ME.

On the Web:http://www.northreadingma.gov/Pages/NReadingMA_Water/Rainbarrel

http://www.epa.gov/ORD/NRMRL/Pubs/625R03003/32Sands.pdfhttp://www.skyjuice.us/html/programs.html

Tom Chamberland is the Tree Warden for the Town ofSturbridge and a Certified Arborist. He enjoys caring for plantsthat grow in his yard and welcomes reader suggestions for fu-ture articles. Email him at: [email protected]



Alzheimers Disease

THE HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL ADVISERBY THE FACULTY OF HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL

A REGULAR FEATURE IN THE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINE

Q. Both my mother and my father-in-law suffer from Alzheimer's disease. We'retold that they both seem to be at about thesame point in the physical progression of thedisease in their brains. But my father-in-law has remained fairly lucid, while mymother is more confused and forgetful.What could account for this?

A. The tremendous number of nervecells and connections between cells in ahealthy brain provides a seemingly infi-nite capacity for processing information.It also provides a margin of safety in casesome cells are damaged. In Alzheimer'sdisease, however, the wholesale destruc-tion of nerve cells eliminates this safetynet, especially in the brain areas involvedin memory and cognition.But as you've noted, the disease

doesn't always affect people in the sameway or with similar severity. Considertwo older people with the same amountof Alzheimer's disease�related plaquesand tangles in their brains. One personhas some memory miscues now andthen, but continues to lead a relativelynormal life. The other has the severeloss of memory and other cognitiveWhy the difference? One explana-

tion is that they had differing amountsof cognitive reserve. Cognitive reservecan protect you from the effects ofAlzheimer's and other diseases that af-fect the brain.Cognitive reserve can be thought of

as having two parts, hardware and soft-ware. The hardware consists of braincells, or neurons, and connections be-tween those brain cells, which are calledsynapses. The theory is that people withmore brain cells and synapses at theirdisposal are better able to maintain cog-nitive functions even after importantbrain cells are damaged.The software is the brain's capacity

for finding alternative circuits and neu-ral networks if disease or injury is block-ing the usual ones. People's cognitiveabilities can stay roughly the same if

shown that they have larger-than-normalposterior hippocampi, an area of the braininvolved in spatial memory.Formal educational achievement is an

important factor, but virtually any men-tally challenging or engaging activity seemsto have a positive effect on cognitive re-serve.Some research has found that cross-

word puzzles, Sudoku and other "brain ex-ercise" activities have a narrow effect: Thatis, if you do Sudoku puzzles, you becomebetter at doing Sudoku puzzles and littleelse.But a study showed that Sudoku and

other puzzles also made older people moreopen to trying new things, so there's stillmuch more to be learned in this area.Physical activity may be just as impor-

tant as mental activity for brain healthand building up cognitive reserve. Dozensof studies have shown it to have a pro-nounced effect, and aerobic exercise thatgets your heart rate up may be especiallyimportant.

Exercise seems to affect the brain di-rectly, increasing the number of synapsesand enhancing the action of neurotrans-mitters, the chemicals that make braincell�to�brain cell communication possible.It also increases the production of brain-de-rived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a "brainjuice" protein that promotes the produc-tion of new brain cells and the survival ofexisting ones.Physical activity also has indirect effects.

If your heart and lungs are strong andhealthy, more oxygen-rich blood will circu-late to the brain. And exercise controls andreduces the risk of conditions like diabetesand high blood pressure that can put braincells in harm's way.For the brain and the rest of the body,

the wisdom of Hippocrates may be as truetoday as it was 2,400 years ago: That whichis used develops, that which is not usedwastes away.

© 2012. The President and Fellows ofHarvard College.

their brains are adept at theseworkarounds.Brain reserve capacity -- the term

sometimes used for the hardware -- is, inlarge part, genetically determined. Butthe human brain is capable of generat-ing new synapses and neurons through-out life, and the input of stimulatingexperiences has been shown to alterbrain structure.There is plenty of research to back

up this idea. Brain scans of peoplelearning to juggle show increases in thesize of brain structures linked with thevisual processing of movement. MRIs ofthe brains of London taxi drivers have


How to stay healthy throughoutthe entire summer

“Our bodiesutilize sunlight

to produceVitaminD.This fat-soluble vitaminaids in calciumabsorptionand is an immune systemregulator. Studies showthatVitaminD is linkedtomaintaining a healthybodyweight and thatpeoplewith adequate

levels ofVitaminDhave asignificantly lower risk ofdevelopingCancer.”

HEALTH&FITNESS

By Andrea Johnsonof Everybody’s Fitness, Auburn and Sturbridge

The dog days of summer are here. Somepeople (like me) love the summer, others can'tstand the heat and humidity. Summertimeprovides a new set of challenges when tryingto begin or maintain a healthy lifestyle. Butthere are things that everyone can do to havea healthy and fun summer. Here are some ofthe biggest obstacles my clients face when try-ing to be fit in the summer, and some ideasthat will help you stay on track during thehottest month of the year.

Vacations – A lot of people fall off theworkout wagon in the summer. After all, weare New Englanders and we have to endurelong winters and wet springs while waiting forsummer to arrive. We have cookouts to go to,yardwork to do, kids that are off from school,vacations planned, and day trips to take. Allthese summer activities can eat up our sparetime and keep us away from our regularlyscheduled workouts.Making an appointment with yourself to

be active can help you stay consistent whenthe loosey goosey schedule of summer comescreeping in. Find a time that works for youand make it an appointment you keep. Takeadvantage of these longer days and get up alittle earlier than normal to either hit thegym, or go for an outdoor walk or run. If youhave kids at home and can't get away, incor-porate your kids into the fun! Play an afterdinner game of catch, soccer, tag, or take awalk through a park or around the neighbor-hood. Have a pool? Play marco polo! Kidslove to play games, and most kids games canbe quite a good workout for adults too if youplay hard enough.

Heat - Another factor is the heat. Exer-cising in the heat is not exactly a pleasurableprocess. You have to be careful not to get over-heated or dehydrated. And the heat can makeyou feel lethargic, which is no way to feel be-fore a workout.In order to avoid the heat, try exercising

in the early morning or early evening. Thehottest part of the day is from 10-3, so anearly morning jog or an after dinner stroll canhelp you to stay active all summer without

succumbing to the heat. If you must exercisethe daytime heat, consider doing it indoors.Most gyms are air conditioned and are wellworth visiting on those uncomfortably hotdays. If outdoors is a must, wear light col-ored clothing that is loose fitting. And rec-ognize that it's not a time to try to break anypersonal records. Slow your pace and takefrequent breaks to rest and hydrate.

Hydrate – When you lose body fluidsthrough sweating, you need to replace thosefluids or you risk becoming dehydrated. De-hydration occurs when the amount of bodyfluids lost is greater than the amount of flu-ids consumed. You can easily avoid dehy-dration by sipping water throughout the day,not just before you exercise. If you are plan-ning to exercise in the heat you should drink16 ounces of water about 20 minutes priorto working out, and then make sure you sipwater at least every 10-15 minutes whileworking out. Afterwards drink another 16ounces of water. An electrolyte beverage likegatorade is a good choice if you are feelingvery weak or overly tired afterward.

Eat lightly – Hot days can make cook-ing a challenge. I refuse to heat up my ovenwhen it's hot outside. Heat can also do anumber on your appetite. But if you skipmeals because it's hot, you may end up feel-ing ravenous when it cools off. And feelingravenous can set you up for poor foodchoices later. (Ice cream for dinner, anyone?)My suggestion for relentlessly hot days is toeat lightly during the day and embrace coldfoods. For breakfast have a bowl of cerealwith some sliced strawberries. A cold cu-cumber and tomato salad can be lunch. Wa-termelon can serve as a light snack that coolsyou down in the afternoon. And for dinnertry a beefed up salad made with fresh veg-etables and topped with a grilled chickenbreast or some steak tips. Don't have a grill?Then heat that oven up once, cook a hugebatch of marinated chicken or steak, and useit throughout the week. Also check out thelocal farmers markets and try some new veg-etables that are locally grown. It's a great way

to experiment with new dishes and sup-port local agriculture. Produce tastesbest when it is fresh and locally grown,so take advantage of this once a year op-portunity.

Soak up the sun, Safely – Thosesummer rays can be harmful, but the say-ing soak up the sun isn't totally wrongeither. Our bodies utilize sunlight to pro-duce Vitamin D. This fat soluble vita-min aids in calcium absorption and is animmune system regulator. Studies havealso shown that Vitamin D is linked tomaintaining a healthy body weight, andthat people with adequate levels of Vita-min D have a significantly lower risk ofdeveloping cancer. From April-Octoberthe sun is strong enough here in thenortheast for your body to use it to makesome Vitamin D. Experts recommendtwo 15 minute sun sessions per day with-out sunscreen. If getting outside to baskin the sun isn't going to work for you, Vi-tamin D supplements (look for D3) canprovide what you need.According to the United States Insti-

tute of Medicine, the recommended di-etary allowances of Vitamin D are:• 1–70 years of age: 600 IU/day• 71+ years of age: 800 IU/day• Pregnant/lactating: 600 IU/dayOne important note: don't overdo

sunbathing in the name of making Vi-tamin D. Sunscreen is proven to preventskin cancer, and should be used regu-larly. If you are very fair and burn easilyor are at a higher than normal risk forskin cancers you should stick to VitaminD supplements, and use a broad spec-trum sunscreen to protect yourself fromthe adverse risks of sun exposure.Summertime is a great time to have

fun and be healthy. Take advantage ofthe extra daylight and use the tips pro-vided here to stay healthy and safe dur-ing this last hot month of summer.

Andrea Johnson of Everybody’s Fitness


will likely pay the penalty rather than buy expensive healthinsurance.At the same time, those with pre-existing conditions will

increasingly buy insurance, since they need it and it will beavailable to everyone. In fact, some may allow their healthinsurance to lapse and purchase it only when they trulyneed it. That would boost insurance costs across the board,which would likely result in more Americans dropping cov-erage and opting to pay the tax instead.As more healthy people opt out and prices increases,

causing even more people to opt out, it could cause whatPriceWaterhouseCoopers calls an “adverse selection deathspiral,” as the impact over time could cause the system tocollapse.The ACA also fails to address some of the root causes of

high premiums. For example, today many people use theemergency room for routine care, because they have no fi-nancial disincentive not to use it. Using the emergencyroom is far more expensive than scheduling a doctor’s visit,but the patient does not bear the added cost.Medicare and Medicaid are already major contributors

to the country’s debt, accounting for trillions of dollars inunfunded liabilities. Putting the federal government in con-trol of the remainder of our healthcare system and addingmore than 2,800 pages of new regulations will only add toour financial liabilities and make healthcare even more in-efficient.No illness has ever been cured by red tape.

Richard A. McGrath, CIC, LIA is President and CEO ofMcGrath Insurance Group, Inc. of Sturbridge, Mass. He canbe reached at [email protected].

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

lin guide, but one can leave full and happy.Then there is dessert, specifically ice cream. There

are lots of flavors. To moi that is irrelevant as mychoice is monster cookie dough. My daughter woulddie for peanut butter Iditarod, but she is not full grown.Hard and soft ice cream as well as frappes, sundaes andflurries are all there.It all seems to run smoothly, and customers get to

see little of what it takes to keep Howard’s on track.The man behind that is Mark Adams. Mark is WestBrookfield born and bred, and has lived in town hiswhole life.So why is Mark running Howard’s and not Howard?

Howard and his brother opened their drive-in in earlypost-war1947. They would be ancient if they were stillat the helm. Mark purchased it from local entrepre-neur, Melvin Dorman in 1980. As venerable asHoward’s looks, it was demolished and rebuilt in 1985.The building may not be original, but it is hard to

think the business operation has changed appreciably.Mark said that now and again he’ll add or drop some-thing. Why change a winning formula?Mark is at Howard’s most every day during the sea-

son at 7:00 a.m. When you meet him at that time ofday, he is attending to details before the 11:00 a.m.opening. It is a long and busy season. He agrees, hemust like it well enough or he would not keep at it. Itis many hours, but when it closes in autumn, no hours.So, it averages out to the same as year round work.For us denizens of West Brookfield, season’s end al-

ways comes too soon, and opening day, never soonenough.

RichardMcGrath onSCOTUS decision

Harold’sDrive-In

Continued from page21 Continued from page 17

SupportSturbridge-AreaBusinesses

First!


NATIONALTREASURE

speakers, workshops, activities, food,music andgames.Trail-maintaining Clubs across the East

Coast are also preparing events to celebrate theanniversary. The Piedmont Appalachian TrailHikers inCeres, Virginia, are hosting a hike onJune 14 to 18, and volunteers from the MountRogers Appalachian Trail Club in Damascus,Virginia, have planned a day hike onAugust 18.Members from the Maine Appalachian TrailClub in Carrabassett Valley, Maine, also havecelebratory activities planned on August 18.For more information about the 75th an-

niversary of the completion of theAppalachianTrail, including ways to give back and local cel-ebrations, visit www.appalachiantrail.org/75

About theAppalachianTrailConservancyThe Appalachian Trail Conservancy's mis-

sion is to preserve andmanage theAppalachianTrail - ensuring that its vast natural beauty andpriceless cultural heritage can be shared and en-joyed today, tomorrow, and for centuries tocome. For more information visit www.ap-palachiantrail.org Contact: Javier Folgar Mar-keting and Communications ManagerAppalachian Trail Conservancy Tel: (304) 535-2200 ext. 117Fax: 304.535.2667Email: [email protected] Web:

www.appalachiantrail.org

Appalachian Trail turns 75 this month

Dress for SuccessWorcester: giving women the skills, tools and

Shelter On Appalachian Trail In Vermont Near Bourne Pond .©2012 Dan Barnard


impressive task is Juola Stefani, the boutique coordina-tor.Dress for Success Worcester has been in operation

since May 2009 and has served 1,200 women. Hachey,who was recently named director for the organization,began working for the group in August 2011 as the pro-gram coordinator. She has been responsible for oversee-ing two key Dress for Success Worcester programs: theGoing Places Network and the Professional Women’sGroup.The Going Places Network, funded by monies from

a $2 million grant from The Walmart Foundation toDress for Success Worcester Worldwide, provides a se-ries of invaluable and practical workshops “for ourclients to gain career skills, learn how to utilize job searchresources, and build confidence while addressing topicssuch as change management, transferable job skills, andhow to sell yourself,” says Hachey. This intimate work-shop setting provides expert and peer support to womenseeking employment and reinforces important interview,resume, and networking skills, she adds. Participants

Continued from page 4 must be qualified to attend the program.The Professional Women's Group offers monthly

meetings to working women that address topics thatthey encounter as they enter the workplace, such as fi-nancial literacy, written and unwritten rules of theworkplace, and balancing work and life. “This groupfeatures expert guest speakers from the community, thisprogram gives our clients the ongoing support theyneed to retain their jobs, identify career opportunities,and make decisions regarding their careers,” she says.However, there is not a sponsor for this group so Dressfor Success Worcester must rely on donations to facili-tate it.“We rely heavily on volunteers to fulfill our mission

of helping women take charge of their lives, along withfinancial contributions and in-kind donations,” shesays.If you are interested in learning more about Dress

for Success Worcester and how you can help, she in-vites you to attend the volunteer information sessions“Dress for Success 101,” held on the second and fourthWednesday of every month at noon. There are nu-

merous volunteer opportunities for individuals frombeing a personal shopper to handling administrativetasks, group or company opportunities through pro-gram sponsorship, and organizing a clothing drive.“Clothing and accessory drives are a great way to get

involved with Dress for Success Worcester. From theworkplace to women's organizations to groups offriends, we rely on the generosity of individuals to stockour boutique with the high-quality, like-new businessattire and accessories that we provide our clients,”Hachey says. “We strongly encourage you to contact theboutique prior to planning a drive so that you can befamiliar with the kinds of items that we need most.”Founded in New York City in 1997, Dress for Suc-

cess Worcester is an international not-for-profit organ-ization offering services designed to help its clients findjobs and remain employed. Since then Dress for Suc-cess Worcester has served more than 600,000 womenaround the world. Each year, more than 50,000 womenare assisted in the United States, Australia, Canada,the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, theNetherlands, Mexico, Poland, and the West Indies.


image that will help them succeed in the business worldWhile the organization is best known for

providing suits to women, its employ-ment retention programs are the cor-nerstone of the organization. Soonafter Dress for Success Worcester wasfounded, the group recognized thatfinding work is only one step in awoman's journey towards economicindependence; remaining employedand building a rewarding careerare essential for her to becomeself-sufficient.Mentoring is also an impor-

tant component of Dress forSuccess Worcester, says Hachey.“Many women we have helpedcome back and share their heart-wrenching stories about how theorganization helped them to turntheir lives around and becomesuccessful businesswomen.They are so grateful and returnto be part of our program,”she adds. One of the most in-spiring giving-back gesturesshe has seen are the womenwho have donations to Dressfor Success Worcester taken di-rectly out of their paychecks.How you can help Dress for

Success WorcesterFor more information on Dress for

Success Worcester, please call 508-796-5660, email [email protected] or visit http://www.dressforsuc-cess.org/ and follow the promptsto access the Worcester affiliate on

the website. You may make financial donations online ormake checks payable to Dress for Success Worcester and mailto Dress for Success Worcester, P.O. Box 16115, Worcester,MA 01601. The clothing boutique is open by appointmentonly, Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Clothing drop-off dates and locations are also included on the Dress forSuccess Worcester website.There are other ways to help, too, suggests Hachey. “At-

tend an event such as our ‘End-of-the Summer Sale’ in Au-gust. Please watch for details on our website. Volunteer yourexpertise, sponsor our programs, write a note of encourage-ment to a client letting her know she can achieve her dreams,and if you believe in our mission, become an ambassador forus. Join our email list and share our news with your net-

works. The more people that hear about the work we aredoing, the more women we will be able to help.“Remember your support can change the life of a

woman,” Hachey concludes.

STTHUE RBRIDGE TIMES HE CHRONICLE OF STURBRIDGE C … · magazine august,2012. 2 the sturbridge...

Documents

Transcript of STTHUE RBRIDGE TIMES HE CHRONICLE OF STURBRIDGE C … · magazine august,2012. 2 the sturbridge...