The South Coast Insider - February 2017

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February 2017 Vol. 21 / No. 2

Love & care Flower guide New you Take a hike

Sparkling Valentine’s

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CONTENTS

FEBRUARY 2017

In every issue

BUSINESS BUZZ

4

From the publisher

18

Play away winter blues

32

by Michael J. Vieira

Dateline: South Coast

26

Something in the wind

by Elizabeth Morse Read

COVER STORY

6

Make Valentine’s sparkle

by Jay Pateakos

10

Say it with flowers!

by Elizabeth Morse Read

28

Kindness and care

by Jay Pateakos

30

Old dog, new tricks

by Steve Smith

ON MY MIND

38

Not just an act

by Paul Kandarian

by Sherri Mahoney-Battles

YOUR HEALTH

14

Shape up for spring

by Greg Jones

THINGS TO DO

20

FEB. 28, 2017

22

Walking through winter

by Dan Logan

Our improv-ing jazz scene

by Sean McCarthy

ON THE COVER The staff at Catholic Memorial Home in Fall River cares for its residents by practicing the idea of “love made visible.” To learn what this really means, see our article on page 28 or visit dhfo.org.

Photo by Kelsey Garcia, kgarciaproductions.com

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February 2017 | The South Coast Insider

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FROM THE PUBLISHER February 2017 | Vol. 21 | No. 2 Published by Coastal Communications Corp.

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Ljiljana Vasiljevic Editor Sebastian Clarkin Online Editor Paul Letendre Contributors Greg Jones, Paul Kandarian, Dan Logan, Tom Lopes, Sherri Mahoney-Battles, Sean McCarthy, Jay Pateakos Elizabeth Morse Read, Michael J. Vieira The South Coast Insider is published monthly for visitors and residents of the South Coast area.

The Insider is distributed free of charge from Mount Hope Bay to Buzzards Bay. All contents copyright ©2017 Coastal Communications Corp.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, by any means, without written permission from the Publisher. All information contained herein is believed to be reliable. Coastal Communications Corp. does not assume any financial responsibility for typographical errors in advertisements, but will reprint that portion of an advertisement in which the typographical error occurs.

Deadline 20 days prior to publication.

Circulation 30,000 Subscriptions $39 per year

Open up your windows, because love is in the air!

To celebrate, we’re bringing you an issue all about love – for those closest to you, for yourself, and for those who need it the most.

Of course, February 14 marks that annual tradition, Valentine’s Day. Do you have your gifts ready for that special someone? Jewelry is always a good bet, but selections can be overwhelming. You’re going to want to talk to an expert. Jay Pateakos talks to a few starting on page 6.

Flowers are another popular selection, but they’re not just for your significant other.

Depending on the variety of flower, it can be an appropriate gift for just about anyone in your life. Consult Liz Reed’s flower guide on page 10 before you place your order.

How is your resolution coming? If you’re like most of us, you resolved to be more active in 2017. It’s a great way to become healthier, raise self-esteem, and to enjoy exceeding your expectations. No matter what drives you, consider hitting the gym. But what makes a good gym? What should you be doing when you get there? Greg Jones answers those questions and more starting on page 14.

Maybe the gym is too much of a commitment – that’s okay too! In that case, follow Dan Logan’s suggestions on page 20 and find some outdoor walking groups to join.

Sure, it may be cold out, but it’s not so bad once you get your blood pumping. Think of the stories you’ll be able to tell when you’re curled up by a fire that night!

Whatever you do, don’t be afraid to do something new. As Sherri Mahoney-Battles shows on page 30, even old dogs can learn new tricks. Winter gives us plenty of opportunities to live, grow, and most importantly, love. I hope you take advantage of it.

Mailing Address Coastal Communications Corp.

P.O. Box 349 Fall River, MA 02722 Phone (508) 677-3000 Website www.coastalmags.com E-mail editor@coastalmags.com Our advertisers make this publication possible— please support them.

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February 2017 | The South Coast Insider

Ljiljana Vasiljevic Publisher and Editor-in-Chief

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COVER STORY

Make your Valentine’s Day

sparkle

BY Jay Pateakos

When it comes to Valentine’s Day, the first thing that comes to mind, besides roses, are diamonds, diamonds, diamonds! But for local jewelers, with hundreds of years of combined experience under their belts, Valentine’s Day, means a little bit more.

Sure diamonds are still huge

and will likely always be huge, especially at a popular time to pop the question. But these jewelers say that while diamonds are still “a girl’s best friend,” people are exploring everything from handmade jewelry to watches, pendants, and more.

Always and forever

“We have a John Medeiros line, handmade jewelry made out of Providence,” said Sharon Vieira, owner of Fall River-based J&J Jewelers (jjjewelry.com) for the last 21 years. She has been in the trade for more than three decades. “They feature

The Lovebright Collection at J&J Jewelry boasts an elegant look and upscale styling.

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February 2017 | The South Coast Insider

bracelets, necklaces, and earrings, all guaranteed for life.”

According to Medeiros’ website, his items are all handmade in the United States with original designs and intricate hand-carved detailing on the front, sides, and back.

Vieira said the jewelry is very well made, with a “beautiful intensity” to them, but that people also love them for their great price points – anywhere from $75 to $300.

But diamonds are still key, said Vieira and if tradition isn’t enough of an incentive, J&J is doing 50 percent off all diamond jewelry from February 1 through Valentine’s Day. What is it about a diamond that just gets to people?

“It’s just the best of the best. It really keeps its value,” said Vieira. “It’s very traditional, in earrings, pendants, and rings.”

She said colored stone rings are also trending right now, especially for engagements. Vieira said that when people come in looking, especially for things like an engagement ring, they discuss price points so that people are not spending more than they can afford, explaining the quality and sizing of the diamond.

Continued ON PAGE 8

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Plante Jewelers has been promoting six different jewelry designers: two from Massachusetts (including Tom Kruskal from Somerville), two from Cranston and Providence, and the final two from Missouri and New Jersey.

“We have six sections with completely handmade jewelry,” said Nancy.

“Some are very edgy, and some are more traditional in style, made of titanium, beads, pearls, and hand-forged silver. All very affordable.”

The handmade lines feature bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and more.

“Some of the pieces are one-of-a-kind,” added Nancy, “and people like the fact that many of them are locally made. Kruskal has been making jewelry for more than 40 years and he’s got a number of artisans working with him, making the jewelry right here in Massachusetts. People like that and comment on it all the time.”

Nancy said more shoppers than you might think save their Valentine’s Day purchases for the last minute. How do you make a gift thoughtful when you forget to think about it?

“The handmade jewelry is something that can be more meaningful since it’s not mass-produced and there’s a vast difference between the six designers,” said Nancy. “They are all a little different from your typical jewelry and relatively inexpensive – a great Valentine’s gift.”

Continued FROM PAGE 6

“We do custom work too, where people print pictures of the ring they want and we create it off the picture,” said Vieira. “It’s a big part of our business these days.”

And business is doing well. Plus there’s no reason to think it will slow down anytime soon, especially with the big V day coming.

“We try to provide a good value as a family business,” said Vieira on her success. “It’s about customer service at a good price.

We deal with the big companies directly as much as possible to cut out the in-between and keep the prices reasonable.”

Like no other

Swansea-based Plante Jewelers (plantejewelers.com) is marking its 112th year of business in 2017 and its 36th year under the direction of Pierre and Nancy Plante. Nancy said that with jewelry stores getting more and more alike, she and her husband are always looking for ways to differentiate themselves.

Timeless love

Denis Tetrault is the fourth-generation owner of Patenaude Jewelers

Clockwise from top: Two of the designers featured at Plante Jewelers: hand-forged earrings and bracelet by Massachusetts artist Deborah Richardson; and the "Three Leaves" pendant by Susan Mahlstedt of Kansas City, Missouri.

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February 2017 | The South Coast Insider

Set of morganite and diamond ring and earrings set in 14K rose gold could be found at Patenaude Jewelers.

(patenaudejewelers.com) which has been in business since 1890 in the very same South Main Street Fall River location.

He said that typically a trend leading up to each Valentine’s Day, a hot necklace or pendant or other piece of jewelry, but that is not the case this year. Tetrault said the interest is high on many things this year like diamond rings, pendants, and necklaces, among others, but there is still no clear winner yet.

“Citizen Echo-Drive light-powered watches are in this year. It’s like an Apple Watch except you don’t have to charge it,” said Tetrault. “Together Forever rings are also popular, featuring two diamonds representing the love a couple has for each other – great gifts.”

With half-off jewelry in stock from January to February 14, including diamond stud earrings and up to 30 percent off watches, Patenaude has a little bit for every taste this Valentine’s Day. So what’s the secret making it through nearly 127 Valentine’s Days?

“Excellent, friendly service and expert repairs,” said Tetrault. “We do a lot of custom order work as well as repairs and remounts, something we’ve been doing since 1890, non-stop.”

You can take some of the above advice to guide your own Valentine’s Day shopping this year. Maybe think ahead of the curve and find something different that shows that you care? With many of the above items, you simply can’t go wrong – besides the smile you’ll be bringing to your loved one’s face, you’ll be shopping locally, helping not only the businesses but the community around you to feel the love.

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9

COVER STORY

Say it with flowers!

By Elizabeth Morse Read

Americans usually give flowers to someone on special occasions, birthdays, and holidays, whereas Europeans have them in their homes year-round as part of gracious living.

We shouldn’t wait until February 14 to tell family, friends, and loved ones how much we care about and appreciate them, but a Valentine’s Day floral gift can send special sentiments through thoughtfully-chosen flowers and colors.

So, instead of just grabbing a pre-made bouquet at the supermarket, spend some time at a florist shop to create a meaningful message for all the special people on your life!

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February 2017 | The South Coast Insider

The secret meaning of flowers

It may be the thought that counts, but giving someone a bouquet of flowers (instead of chocolates or wine, for instance) should express your true sentiments. In Victorian times, the symbolic language of flowers in bouquets and gardens was taken very seriously, and some of those subtle meanings still ring true today.

In general, red flowers signify love and passion, while pink stands for admiration

and appreciation. White flowers indicate pure intentions, nobility, and gracefulness, yellow speaks of friendship (or sometimes an apology), and purple blossoms mean enchantment. A mixed-color bouquet or all-pastel blossoms sends a gentle hint, while a single-color bouquet sends a strong message. Exotic, tropical flowers send a “hot” message, while homely, local blossoms are “warm.”

So choose your flowers carefully!

Alstroemeria – Also called “Peruvian lilies,” alstroemeria are lush, colorful, long-lasting and represent friendship and devotion.

Amaryllis – A boldly-colored single blossom (usually potted), amaryllis can mean timidity or pride.

Anthurium plant – A tropical plant often given to men, anthurium represents home and happiness, and lives shared.

Asters – A simple, gentle flower, asters mean “I share your feelings.”

Birds-of-Paradise – A dazzling exotic flower, bird-of-paradise symbolizes excitement and joy.

Carnations – Hardy and mildly scented, carnations stand for fascination and new love, but give solid colors only [see sidebar}.

Daffodils – Always given in multiples, whether potted or cut, daffodils represent chivalry, or “you’re the only one for me.”

Daisies – Often given to sisters or good friends, daisies symbolize understanding, innocence and purity. Colorful Gerbera daisies are especially cheerful and long-lasting.

Freesias – A symbol of trust.

Gardenias – Highly fragrant and usually sold as a single blossom, gardenias symbolize old-fashioned deep love and joy.

Geraniums – Usually potted or in baskets, geraniums stand for comfort.

Gloxinias – If you want to say it was “love at first sight,” gloxinias are the best choice.

Hyacinths – Blue hyacinths symbolize sincerity, while pink hyacinths symbolize playfulness.

Iris – Irises, especially purple ones, are a symbol of compliments and hopefulness.

They are often added to a mixed bouquet of red, white and yellow flowers.

Ivy – Whether potted or as a green, ivy symbolizes faithfulness.

Jonquils – Often mixed with daffodils, jonquils say “please return my affection.”

Lilacs – Lilacs stand for innocence, and are highly scented. [see sidebar] Lilies – White Oriental lilies are the definition of classy, refined beauty, and are highly scented.

Lily-of-the-valley – A small bouquet of lilyof-the-valley symbolizes simple happiness.

Orchid – An exotic flower, whether cut (for women) or potted (for men), orchids are long-lasting and symbolize love, luxury, and beauty. A bit more seductive floral message than giving someone red roses.

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Pansies – Send loving thoughts with pansies.

Peony – The floral symbol of China, peonies can mean good fortune and a happy marriage. In Victorian times, peonies symbolized bashfulness.

Poppies – Bold and colorful, poppies stand for pleasure and imagination.

Ranunculus – An unusual flower, ranunculus symbolizes charm and radiance, and sends a message that you’ve been “swept off your feet.”

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Roses – Red roses, the most popular Valentine’s Day flowers, symbolize love, passion, and beauty. Miniature/ Sweetheart roses are a perfect gift for a sweet little girl or granddaughter. Pink roses express admiration or gratitude to your mother, aunt, or grandmother. Yellow roses say “let’s be friends“ (and sometimes, “I’m sorry”), and white roses proclaim “I am worthy of your love.”

Sunflowers – They are bold and dramatic, symbolizing loyalty, happiness, and warmth.

Tulips – After roses, tulips are the most popular flowers given on Valentine’s Day, symbolizing comfort and warmth. Red tulips are appropriate for committed couples, pink tulips for a new couple, and yellow tulips for friends. Tulips are a good choice for people who aren’t crazy about roses.

Zinnias – When someone special lives far away, zinnias send the message “I miss you.”

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(508) 679 -1071 The South Coast Insider | February 2017

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But what about allergies?

Lees Has Meal Time Covered!

Our in-house chefs proudly offer an outstanding array of hot prepared foods that the whole family is sure to love.

Imagine bashfully presenting your beautiful bouquet to your Valentine, only to have them start sneezing and blowing their nose. Not the best first impression, so here are some tips to remember when buying flowers for anyone with allergies.

Loose-pollen/spore plants (and sometimes just a strong scent) are what trigger the allergic reaction, so avoid giving plants like chamomile, daisies, fern, lilacs, chrysanthemums, Oriental lilies, or sunflowers.

Good floral choices for allergy-sufferers, whether given in a bouquet or potted, are low-pollen flowers like Asiatic lilies, azaleas, begonias, bird-of-paradise, daffodils, freesias, geranium, gladiolas, hydrangea, hyacinths, irises, orchids, pansies, peonies, roses, tulips, and zinnias.

Keep those blossoms blooming!

No one wants to see their beautiful Valentine’s Day bouquet wilt on February 15, so here are a few tips on how to keep them blooming for as long as possible.

Stop by our hot foods bar for an ever-changing selection of delectable entrees like Chicken Mozambique, Baked Cod, Marinated Pork Tenderloin, and much more!

Certain flowers (like tulips and roses) lose their petals quickly once they open, while others (like alstroemeria and orchids) are much longer-lasting, so make sure your tu lips and roses are unopened buds when you select them. n

n Prepare the water in the vase before you unwrap the bouquet, then trim the individual stems on a diagonal – this will maximize the water intake. Remove all but the top pair of leaves on long-stem flowers. Too many leaves or greens will get mushy and cloud the water. n Don’t overcrowd a small vase with all the flowers, greenery, and baby’s breath.

Split up a lush bouquet into multiple vases.

Never put a vase of fresh cut flowers in direct sunlight, near drafts, or on a radiator.

n

n Change the water daily. If the bouquet didn’t come with a packet of floral preservative, add a pinch of sugar and a drop of bleach to the clean water.

Remove dead blossoms and wilted greens daily and rearrange the bouquet.

n

That’s not all!

We also offer great side dishes, scratch-made meatloaves, chicken pot pies and other hearty comfort food favorites to help power you through the winter.

Enjoy the quality and flavor of a homemade meal without the hours (or mess) in the kitchen.

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February 2017 | The South Coast Insider

Floral no-nos

Say “I do” to looking your best on your wedding day

Avoid giving white or yellow flowers to foreigners – in many countries, they are reminiscent of funerals, especially chrysanthemums or carnations. n

Never hand someone a bouquet upside-down (it reverses the message of the flowers in the bouquet), or give them wilted flowers – it represents rejected love. n

n Never give just a single daffodil – it predicts misfortune. Marigolds represent greed or selfishness; lavender means mistrust. Snapdragons stand for deception and sweet-peas mean “goodbye.” Petunias speak of anger, and striped carnations represent rejection.

Just for men

Show your appreciation and affection for your father, favorite brother-in-law, good buddy, even your boss! Floral gifts for men should be boldly-colored, not pastel, and the flowers should be exotic and set off with leafy greens, not baby’s breath. Potted plants (like anthurium, hydrangea, or philodendron), terrariums, and easy-care dish gardens (like cacti or succulents) are more appropriate for men than a bouquet of cut flowers. Choose an unusual container – like a beer stein or a ceramic football – that reflects his hobbies and lifestyle.

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Scott Fastino is the owner of General Fitness

YOUR HEALTH

Shape up for spring

By Greg Jones

It’s not too soon to think about spring. In fact, it might be the exact right time to think about spring.

The holidays are in the past, and, if you’re like nearly half the population, so are your New Year’s resolutions. Did you promise to lose weight? Get in shape? Eat better? Think of February as a second New Year. You can renew your resolutions and get back on the bandwagon.

Buddy up Whatever you decide to do, it’s easier if you have company. Whether you resume your quest for health and fitness with a regular walk, going for a run, or signing up with a gym, you’ll find that having a buddy to work with will help keep both of you on track.

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February 2017 | The South Coast Insider

Mike Mahoney, executive director of the New Bedford YMCA at 25 South Water Street, says that it’s never too late to start.

“Find someone who has similar goals,” said Mike. “They will hold you accountable, and you will hold them accountable.”

The best way to start is to agree on sensible goals. Put your exercise program on your calendar, make it part of your day, and it will become part of your life.

Scott Fastino is the owner of General Fitness, located in Fall River at 425 Pleasant Street. He says that he starts his day with exercise. “If it’s the first thing I do, then I get it done,” he said.

Exercise, coupled with a sensible healthy

diet, is so vital for your health that the Centers for Disease Control has gone to great lengths to lay out recommendations for physical activity. The amount and duration of exercise they recommend varies with one’s age, but you don’t necessarily have to spend 30 minutes to an hour on your morning run, or during your session at the gym.

The CDC urges us all to spend a total of 150 minutes a week engaging in moderate or vigorous exercise. The good news on that is you don’t have to do it all at once. If you can fit in a 10-minute “exercise break” 15 times a week (think of it as twice a day, with a 10-minute “bonus” period, you will

be well on your way to health and fitness.

The CDC recommendations above are a minimum, and you might find that, once your exercise program begins to make changes to your well-being, you’d like to pick things up a bit.

Learn from the best Besides having a partner to work out with, advice and inspiration from a trained professional can be helpful. Mike noted that at the YMCA, “we keep an eye on our people.

If they look like they are having trouble or need help using the equipment, we want to help them with their routine.”

Scott noted that an important part of health and fitness is one’s diet. Except that he doesn’t like the word.

“Diets always seem to fail,” said Scott, “but a lifestyle change will not fail. Never go on a diet – change your lifestyle.”

He stressed that, “everyone should eat well-balanced meals, with vegetables, lean meat, and complex carbs. Avoid saturated fats, processed foods, and sugar. I think that much of the health problems you see are from the things we eat.”

Both Scott and Mike agree that it’s never too late to start a fitness and health program.

“It’s about longevity,” said Scott. “As we get into our older years we want to stay mobile, and the only way to do that is with exercise and diet.”

Getting started with an exercise program can be as simple as putting on a pair of athletic shoes. They don’t have to be expensive, but fit is important. If you go to a store that sells athletic clothing, you will find the right shoes for your needs and budget.

After you have the right outfit, all you need is that exercise buddy we mentioned earlier.

If you decide to join a gym you will have access to the various exercise machines.

Running outside can be very pleasant if the weather cooperates. But it never rains in the gym.

At both the YMCA and General Fitness

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The South Coast Insider | February 2017

15

Continued FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

The new YMCA in Fall River provides brand new equipment for its members.

you will see treadmills, stationary bicycles, ellipticals, endless stair machines, rowing machines, and more. There is a wide variety of machines, and with a little instruction, you will be an expert.

TRAINING TIPS Scott recommends beginning with aerobic exercise, that is, exercise that gets your heart rate up and tones your cardiovascular system. “Get your heart rate up and keep it there for 20 minutes,” said Scott.

After the cardio workout, cool off a few minutes and let your heart rate slow down.

Now you’re ready for resistance training.

There are more machines, with adjustments that are easily made to enable you to dial in just the right amount of resistance, as well as free weights, like barbells and kettlebells. Scott suggests leaving the free weights to the more experienced people.

The resistance machines are easy to learn, easy to adjust, and you don’t have to worry about dropping them.

There is no “right” amount of resistance to use with your exercise program. Scott suggests starting out with whatever setting that will allow you to do three “sets” of

twelve to fifteen repetitions, with a short break to catch your breath between each set.

Talk with the instructors where you work out to put together a routine that will exercise specific parts of your body. Scott recommends exercising every other day, “three days a week is a good schedule,” he said. “Your muscles need to rebuild and recuperate from your exercise.”

On Day One, for example, work the chest

and triceps, concluded with working your abdominal muscle group.

Day Two (remember to take that one-day break), exercise the back and triceps, finishing with working your abdominals again.

Day Three, work your legs and shoulders,, topped off again with abdominals.

Note that the above routine is general advice. Talk with experts at your gym to put together a health and fitness routine that will work for you.

How much is “moderate?” e mentioned the goal of “moderate” or “vigorous” exercise. A few definitions might be in order. The answer is based on your heart rate while exercising, and that, in turn, is based on your age. A good estimate of your absolute, foot-to-the floor maximum heart rate is the number 220, minus your age. For example, if you’re 55, 220 – 55 = 165 beats per minute (bpm) is the maximum. But like the maximum speed on your car, you don’t want to run full throttle all the time.

Before you get any further with this, it would be advisable to have a quick chat with your physician before you undertake

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February 2017 | The South Coast Insider

an exercise regimen, especially if you’re a beginner.

The bpm for “moderate” exercise is between 50 and 70 percent of your maximum; thus, age 55 is 165 x .50 = 82.5; round that down to 82 bpm and that is your 50 per cent “bpm target” for a person age 55 engaging in moderate-intensity exercise.

The 70 per cent target for our 55-yearold is 165 x .70 = 115.5, rounded down to 115 bpm.

A moderate workout then, would keep our 55-year-old example above working to hold a heart rate between 82 and 115 bpm.

A vigorous workout is probably best considered after you’re comfortable with the

moderate program. The “vigorous” bpm is considered to be between 70 and 85 per cent of your calculated maximum bpm. For our 55-year-old, here are the numbers: 165 x .85 = 140.25, rounded down to 140 bpm.

So, the vigorous exercise bpm heart rate for our 55-year-old is between 115 and 140 bpm.

An easy rule of thumb method to figure whether an activity is “moderate” or “vigorous” is the “talk test.” A moderate workout will leave you with enough breath to talk (but not sing). A vigorous workout won’t let you say more than a few words without running out of breath.

“I want to make sure that people are working out in a safe and productive manner,” said Scott. “When you start, you get tailored assistance.”

Results won’t happen overnight, but, “you will feel a difference in a month,” said Scott.

“You will have a more productive, healthier life. You can’t promise someone that their life will be extended, but you will have a more productive, healthier life.”

Scott is a firm believer in the benefits of healthy living and exercise, but like anything worthwhile, it will require work.

“There is no result without effort,” he said, “but the payoff is priceless. Health is wealth.”

You will have a more productive, healthier life.

For more information and advice on starting your personal health and fitness program, contact the SouthCoast YMCA at ymcasouthcoast.org. There are YMCA facilities at various locations throughout the South Coast, some of them include swimming pools.

General Fitness in Fall River has been working with people’s health and fitness goals since 1985. Located at 425 Pleasant Street, this clean, welcoming facility occupies the entire second and third floor of the historic Durfee Union Mill. General Fitness is the largest co-ed fitness center in the area and the largest ladies-only center in the area.

For more information, go to generalfitness.org or call 508-677-4933.

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www.janesullivanlaw.com The South Coast Insider | February 2017

17

BUSINESS BUZZ

Play away

winter blues

By Michael J. Vieira

Call it “cabin fever” or just a lack of warm and sunny days, but sometimes it’s easy to settle into the rut in your couch during this time of year. Kids and adults both need to find ways to express themselves creatively and to engage with others. That’s especially true now. xperts stress that play is important for kids and that testing often forces young people to “get the answer right,” at the expense of creative thinking.

As Parenting.com points out: “Play aids the development of physical dexterity, teaches kids how to negotiate group dynamics, and, ultimately, helps them cultivate creative-thinking skills. The United Nations has gone so far as to declare free play a basic human right.”

For adults, it’s just important. Helpguide. org, a California non-profit, makes some good points on their website: “Somewhere between childhood and adulthood, we’ve stopped playing. When we carve out some leisure time, we’re more likely to zone out in front of the TV or computer than engage in fun, rejuvenating play like we did as children,” they note, adding:

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February 2017 | The South Coast Insider

Zac Keith, Ally Lynch, and Krysten Callina

“But just because we’re adults, that doesn’t mean we have to take ourselves so seriously and make life all about work. We all need to play.”

In the South Coast, there are lots of opportunities for both kids and adults to play – to meet and to be creative. From libraries to colleges, from non-profits to music stores, from backyards to malls, get off the comfy chair, log off the Internet, and do something fun.

Move at the Mall

The Swansea Mall may have lost a lot of its appeal in terms of shopping as more anchor stores drift off, but from WiggleKids to Fastpitch Performance, and from Jumpin’ Slide to Pirate Shark Mini Golf, there are opportunities to move and to meet others in the spaces that once were home to mannequins and money changers.

Michael J. Vieira

In what was once the DEB store, Mastermind Adventures is now dedicated to helping mostly young people to build community, engage in creative activity, and enjoy learning. There are board games in the front of the store, informal seating areas, artwork, and large spaces for group activities and parties. It’s a homebase for creative folk.

For Krysten Callina, who owns the business with her husband Jason, the venture began when she used Nerf to help her home-schooled son to not only get some exercise but also to engage with others.

When it was a success, she organized a “field trip” for other home-schoolers. About 100 kids attended.

That led to other events like a “demigod” camp inspired by the Percy Jackson books and Eaglesclaw events which sport a Harry Potter-esque theme. About 175

young people have showed up for these events which cloak traditional games and academic concepts with mythological or novel-inspired names.

From time to time, places like Camp Promising Acres and the First Unitarian Church, have been transformed into places where young people work together to figure out puzzles, use math to break codes, and to assemble new things. All under the cloak of make believe.

“Kids really respond to that fantasy level,” Krysten explained, adding, “We’ve had a huge success in getting a sense of play back into our lives.”

The Swansea site has been open since September. The large space contains several areas designed to encourage community and creativity starting with a board game lounge at the front of the space.

Ranging from Battleship and Connect 4 to Ticket to Ride and Dungeons and Dragons, there are about 250 games available. Kids can just play, or a staff member can teach or serve as Dungeon Master if needed. There’s also a chess club.

In a nearby lounge, kids discuss books ranging from contemporary young adult writers to the tales of Sherlock Holmes. It’s called the “Fan Club.” From music to anime, YouTube videos to Dr. Who, it’s a space for people to share their passions.

Hanging on the walls are works by local artists. Recently, pieces by Alex Dufresne, Caleb Fiero, and Emily Weigert were hanging above the comfortable seating area.

“We’re trying to make a space where people who are passionate can create and share what they’re good at,” explained Zac Keith, the “master of craft and game.”

Mastermind Adventures

Most of the folks at Mastermind Adventures who are regular members are between 10 and 17 years old – or early high school/late middle school age. They come from as far away as New Bedford and Attleboro.

Many kids are home-schooled, and most are looking for a more creative hangout than their living rooms. Parents bring in their kids and can sit in comfortable chairs while they wait. Many of the young people are not into traditional sports, but are happy to engage in Nerf Wars and

Troll Ball and other activities.

There are two areas set up for team activities and birthday parties. During a recent Nerf War event, camouflage banners were set up and about fourteen kids were divided into two teams to play a version of Capture the Flag.

At other times, the space becomes the place to engage in Troll Ball. Teams use foam swords and a ball that looks like a Troll head to play the game.

“It’s a game where the kids are constantly moving,” Krysten said.

They’re also creatively thinking, problem solving, and engaging with others. To make that happen, it also takes a team.

For more information and a schedule of activities including outdoor events, visit mastermindadventures.com.

“Kids really respond to that fantasy level... we’ve had a huge success in getting a sense of play back into our lives.”

Not just kids’ stuff

Krysten and Jason aren’t alone – they are aided by some other “head masterminds.”

Ally Lynch serves as “master of lore” and does a lot of the writing for the activities. As “master of craft and game,” Zac Keith helps create the games, the fantasy worlds, and the weapons. He also bridges both the youth-centered activities of the Mastermind mall space and the world of adult make-believe by participating in creative live action role-playing (LARP) events with groups in Massachusetts and elsewhere.

According to the New England Roleplaying Organization (NERO), LARP “is a hobby that has spread throughout the world in the last 20 years.” A participant takes on a persona or character and interacts with other people in a medieval fantasy world “where intrigue, action,

and strategy rule.”

Zac has synthesized his Portuguese culture into role-playing activities by creating a “Celtiberian” character. It’s based on the time in the final decades B.C. when there were Celtic speaking people on the Iberian Peninsula (modern Spain and Portugal).

By incorporating a little Portuguese flavor into the role-playing activities dominated by traditional Anglo characters, Zac adds a little local spice. He also created “Rugglewood,” a land not unlike Fall River, with a poison river on one side and fresh drinking water on the other.

“Adults need a chance to use their imaginations too,” he stressed.

There are places where people can roleplay. Instead of being drawn into a computer screen, some people “become” the characters. They assume a persona, dress the part, and engage in combat.

Zac teaches sword fighting and people can build foam weapons as needed. It’s a chance to be physically engaged in the physical and creative elements of the game rather than using the computer controls.

For more information, visit the NERO site at neromass.com, explore Attleboro’s Ravenholt site at www.larping.org/ ravenholt-attleboro-massachusetts or talk to Zac at Mastermind.

Just druid

If you’re not into role playing or don’t want to engage in Nerf warfare, there are still ways to kickstart your creativity. Helpguide. org suggests:

Joke and interact playfully with coworkers during breaks

n

Host a game night with your friends

n

Play with your pet or a friend’s pet

n

Establish regular play times with your children

n

Let your children take the lead and make the rules

n

Turn off your technology and go to the park

n

Just be sure to get off the couch from time to time, take a walk, and engage with a real person, even if that person is dressed and acting like a Celtiberian scribe. Who knows– you might be talking to me!

The South Coast Insider | February 2017

19

THINGS TO DO

Walking through winter

by Dan Logan

Organizations across the South Coast are making it easy to find deep winter exercise with a twist.

It does take an extra dose of willpower to maintain an outdoor exercise routine in winter when a cold wind is slapping you in the face, and the ground on your usual route is often either wet, snowy, or icy.

Still, for many of us, being outside in winter weather is preferable to a warm gym where people with colds are hacking and wheezing their way through their routines.

Not exactly scintillating options, the stuffy gym or the same old same old.

How about getting out there to participate in a group event and see some new territory and meet some new people? Here are some outside-the-box opportunities for exercise and entertainment during cold weather.

Stargazing stroll On Friday, February 3, the Buzzards Bay Coalition is offering a free Stargazing Stroll as part of its ever-expanding roster of

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February 2017 | The South Coast Insider

participatory events on the South Coast.

The walk will take place from 7 to 8 p.m. at the 300-acre Mattapoisett River Reserve at 138 Acushnet Road in Mattapoisett, where there’s wide-open sky well away from city lights. Dress warm and wear suitable footwear.

To register or for more information call (508) 999-6363, email bayadventures@ savebuzzardsbay.org or visit the website savebuzzardsbay.org.

The Super Bowl walk For more ambitious hikers capable of doing 6+ miles of fairly hilly terrain in winter conditions, the best game in town is the annual Super Bowl Walk. Now put on by the Westport Land Conservation Trust and Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust, two nonprofits dedicated to local land preservation, the event has been around for almost a decade, according to Brendan Buckless, Outreach and Stewardship

Coordinator for the Westport Land Conservation Trust. More than 150 hikers took part last year.

The hike will give participants access to protected properties from the Slocum’s River in Dartmouth to the Westport River in Westport. “One of the strategic goals shared by our organizations has been to create a contiguous block of conservation land between the Slocum River and Westport Rivers: the Slocum River to Westport Rivers Greenway,” Buckless says.

Gear up with good footwear (preferably waterproof) and anticipate mud, snow, and ice along the way. If six miles is beyond your usual range you might want to equip yourself with a backpack with water, snacks, a raincoat, and anything else you need to keep you comfy on a long walk.

The Super Bowl Walk begins at 11 a.m. on Super Bowl Sunday, February 5, starting at the Slocum’s River Reserve parking lot at 253 Horseneck Road in Dartmouth.

The route then works its way along the edge of some agricultural fields before entering a long stretch of upland forest dominated by oak, white pine, beech, and holly. After crossing Division Road, the hike enters an extensive stretch of forested wetland, Buckless says.

The hike slowly climbs out of the wetland and enters a long stretch of former agricultural lands that have grown into a dense shrubland behind Buzzards Bay Brewing. After crossing Horseneck Road in Westport, hikers pass through the Westport Rivers vineyard before the finish of the hike at the Westport Rivers Winery tasting room, where for $10 hikers can participate in a late-afternoon wine tasting.

The walk ends about 3 p.m.

Transportation will be provided back to the starting point.

The walk is free but a donation of $5 per

starts at 10 a.m. at the Easton’s Beach Rotunda in front of the Exploration Center & Aquarium. Participants must be at least eight years old.

The fee to take part in The Splash is $30 for adults, free for children 8-12, and $30 for Virtual Splashers who would like to contribute without actually having to get wet.

The first 125 registrants receive a medal.

Participants raising $200 or more will earn a long-sleeved rash guard with SPF 50+ sun protection and advanced moisture wicking. Those raising $50 or more earn a Save The Bay winter cap.

After the race, participants can warm up at the Exploration Center and Aquarium while taking in the aquarium’s forty-odd species of Narragansett Bay marine life.

For more information call 401-272-3540 or visit savebay.org/Splash.

can weasel out of this one if there’s no snow, fuggedaboutit. Replace the snowshoes with hiking boots and off you will go.

Oh deer!

The Buzzards Bay Coalition is offering a free, four-week series suitable for children five years old and younger in February called the Itty Bitty Bay Explorers series.

The outings in the series use games and hands-on activities to make children more aware of the animals, plants, and habitats bordering Buzzards Bay. On Wednesday, February 15 from 10 to 11 a.m., the Itty Bitty focus will be on deer.

Participants will visit LaPalme Farm on Blain Street in Acushnet to look for evidence that deer have been in the area.

To register call (508) 999-6363, email bayadventures@savebuzzardsbay.org, or visit the website at savebuzzardsbay.org.

“

One of the strategic goals shared by our organizations has been to create a contiguous block of conservation land between the Slocum River and Westport Rivers: the Slocum River to Westport Rivers Greenway.

car is suggested. Dogs must be on leash.

For more information, call 508 6369228 ext. 5023 or email brendan@ westportlandtrust.org.

Even with all that activity under your belt you’ll still have time for a quick snooze before kickoff at 6:30 p.m.

Save the Bay Splash

Short and sweet, but you’re unlikely to forget you participated in this one. The Save the Bay Splash, a fundraiser for Save the Bay, features a trip through a quarter-mile obstacle course followed by a plunge into Narragansett Bay at Easton’s Beach in Newport.

The course, featuring five obstacles created by Ryan McGowan of Laid Back Fitness of Warwick and a “mystery obstacle” from BoldrDash, will take an estimated 5-7 minutes to complete (equal to about two years in Winter Exercise time).

The Splash is scheduled for Saturday, February 11, from 11 to 11:30 a.m. Check-in

Snowshoeing the shoreline

Mindfulness walk

If diving into frigid waters isn’t quite what you had in mind for a creative exercise adventure, how about taking February 11 to go snowshoe the Beach Loop Trail at Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary in Westport?

Starting at the field station at 1280 Horseneck Road, the roughly two-mile route reaches the entrance channel to the pond. Trip leaders will be pointing out winter birds and wildlife as well as the tracks and other signs that wild creatures have been there.

The snowshoeing trip will run from 10 a.m. to noon. It’s intended for adults. The fee is $10 for Mass Audubon members, $12 for non-members, but non-members can join at check-in and pay the member rate.

Registration is required. Call 508-6362437 to register by phone, or visit massaudubon.org to register online. For more information call or email allenspond@ massaudubon.org.

It’s BYO snowshoes. And if you think you

”

If you’re worn out after all the intense February exercise, a mindfulness walk might be a good way to ease into March.

On Saturday, February 25 from 1 to 2 p.m., Jessica Webb, owner of Anchor Yoga & Meditation in Mattapoisett, will lead a free Buzzards Bay Coalition “guided mindfulness meditation” at the Great Neck Wildlife Sanctuary at Stockton Shortcut in Wareham.

The walk encourages experiencing nature with one’s senses fully alert “at a deliberately slow and mindful pace in social silence without digital devices.”

Participants of all fitness levels are welcome. Wear footwear suitable for a nature walk in winter.

To register or for more information call (508) 999-6363, email bayadventures@ savebuzzardsbay.org or visit savebuzzardsbay.org.

The South Coast Insider | February 2017

21

THINGS TO DO

Our improv-ing

azz scene

By SEAN McCARTHY

Encompassing passion, skill, diversity, and evolution, jazz music is a creative cornucopia — an art form that provides listeners with unique experiences in every performance.

W

ith a vast spectrum of subgenres, a jazz performance is limited only by the ability and imagination of the performers. Whether it’s being played by orchestras or solo performers, jazz can range stylistically from easy listening and pop to the avant-garde and experimental. It can be played in rooms ranging from museums and churches to nightclubs.

With jazz, the bottom line is creativity.

“I fell in love with jazz when I realized it doesn’t limit you,” says Marcus Monteiro, a 34-year-old saxophone player from Marion who has spent half his life playing publicly.

He is currently the leader of the jazz/funk quartet the Monteirobots.

“With jazz you are able to incorporate any other musical styles into your playing,” Monteiro says. “The challenges of jazz can come from the complexities of the music or the rhythms.”

Jazz’s hallmark feature is improvisation, which allows a performer to move from the structure of a song and spontaneously create music that is based entirely in the moment, also known as “the feel” of the musician. Consequently, each live jazz performance is an inimitable expression,

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February 2017 | The South Coast Insider

Whaling City Sound artist Greg Abate soaks in the appreciative crowd as headliner for the 5th Annual New Bedford JazzFest, held every June to benefit Your Theatre. Photo by Margaret Scott-Taylor.

a one-of-a-kind interpretation of a song.

“When you’re improvising it’s like telling a story that no one’s ever heard before,” says acoustic bass player Barry Gross from South Dartmouth, a member of the local jazz/funk outfit the Flying Dutchmen. “Your bandmates listen and support you as you tell that story.”

“Improv gives you freedom, it’s thrilling,” says Dori Rubbicco, a singer/songwriter and pianist from Dartmouth with a degree in Jazz Vocal.

“I love the adrenaline rush you get from improvising,” says percussionist Dan Schwartz of Dartmouth. The 70-year-old has performed actively for 45 years, including 20 with local jazz legend Bobby Greene in the band Coleus.

“Improvising is a spur-of-the-moment experience,” Schwartz says. “You never feel the same every day so you don’t play a song the same way.”

“You can spend your whole life studying improvisation,” Monteiro says. “It’s a never-ending quest for creativity.”

ALL THAT JAZZ Every month or two the opportunity for creativity seems to grow as more jazz is being played in the South Coast.

Six months ago, Cork Wine & Tapas in downtown New Bedford began hosting one jazz night per month. Based on the popularity of those evenings they have grown to one jazz show every Thursday, and sometimes more frequently than that.

Guitar professor Jim Robitaille, a New Bedford native, hosts the Performance Jam Session Series at UMass Dartmouth, a collection of free concerts that feature high-caliber performers from throughout the northeast along with an opportunity for UMass students to take to the stage and try their own skills. These concerts have been taking place for six years, with three-to-six shows per year.

Arias Lounge in Providence hosts a Jam Session every Wednesday night, and the Inn at Shipyard Park in Mattapoisett hosts a jazz brunch led by sax player Trevor Kellum on the first Sunday of every month.

Continued ON NEXT PAGE

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The Wamsutta Club in downtown New Bedford is an occasional sight for jazz shows.

The SouthCoast Jazz Orchestra plays once or twice a month on a Monday night at Gilda’s Stone Rooster in Marion, playing Big Band and swing music.

The region is treated to two jazz festivals in the summer – the New Bedford Jazz Festival and the Newport Jazz Fest. The New Bedford event takes place in June on the city’s waterfront, bringing a variety of jazz styles performed by national, regional, and local performers. They have a “something for everyone” approach to the music that began five years ago. In their first year, they had 200 visitors. Last year they drew more than 700.

“People come up to me after a show and say, ‘I never knew I liked jazz,’” Montiero says. “It’s not the same boring cocktail stuff that some people are used to hearing.”

“With jazz you have a vast range of songs that you can pick and choose from depending on the room you’re playing,” Rubbicco says. “There are also degrees of difficulty – some songs can be simplistic and some can be challenging.”

And while jazz can have a very free feeling, it’s usually not just musicians throwing random notes around.

“There’s a lot of education that goes into becoming a quality improvisor,” says John Harrison III, a piano professor at UMassDartmouth and a New Bedford native.

“Music is a unique language and there’s a lot of technique involved. Jazz is a challenging genre and you have to spend a lot of time studying your instrument.”

Just a little different For many jazz players one of their interests is to interpret a song in their own style.

“There can be a variety of interpretations for the same song,” says Dave Reis, a deejay at WUMD-FM, where he has hosted a jazz show for 25 years. “A song like ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’ has been interpreted numerous times. You never know how it will be done next. With most songs if you don’t like what you’re hearing, you may like

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February 2017 | The South Coast Insider

it being done by somebody else.”

And while recordings can preserve classic moments in jazz, and fans may stockpile their collections with an abundance of CDs and vinyl, students of the music truly prize the experiences of live performances.

“People look forward to jazz performances because they love the experience of seeing something new being created,” Rubbicco says. “You never know what could happen.”

Many times when a bandleader will be looking for musicians to play a show they will not be concerned with talent levels or specific genres, they will be more concerned with the musical personality of each musician, how that person will interpret the songs and interact creatively with the other musicians.

Most jazz performances bring a “listening audience.” People usually attend a concert for more than food and drink and conver-

throughout the nation and the world.

Harrison’s CD, “Roman Sun,” continues to be received well in Japan, while vocalist Shawnn Montiero and saxophonist Dino Govoni have found success in the press and on radio across America.

In recent years Whaling City Sound has been able to put out very successful recordings by some of the top jazz artists in the world – three CDs by The Gerry Gibbs Thrasher Dream Trio soared to Number One on the American jazz radio charts – albums that featured performances by contemporary giants Ron Carter on bass and Kenny Barron on piano.

Weiss has taken the opportunity to release albums by non-jazz acts from the South Coast, including the electronic band Grand Army, the rock of Shipyard Wreck, the blues of Mark T. Small, the spirited folk of Pumpkin Head Ted, the eclectic grooves of the Dancing Dogs, and the sea shanties

“There’s an enthusiasm for jazz in this area with a variety of performers and styles…” sation – their main focus is taking in the music. This approach is unique from most other genres of music – after a musician has finished a solo the audience will politely applaud to show their appreciation and respect for what the musician has just played.

With many jazz concerts, audience members will approach the musicians at intermission or after the show is finished to have a conversation about the music.

OUR SOUND In 1999 the state of jazz music in the region took a significant step forward when New Bedford businessman Neal Weiss started the record label Whaling City Sound.

To this day, Weiss’s influence on the local jazz community is unparalleled. From the outset he described the label’s mission as “giving a bit of our abundance of outstanding musicians the opportunity to be heard, seen, and enjoyed by a wider audience.”

Mission accomplished. In almost 18 years Weiss’s label has had regional artists heard

of the New Bedford Historical Sea Shanty Chorus.

Weiss maintains that the success of his artists shows that musicians from this region are comparable to musicians from around the nation – a sentiment shared by many in the area.

“New Bedford has a burgeoning music scene and jazz is a part of it,” Gross says.

“There’s a lot of players in this area who could be playing in major cities like New York or L.A.” “There’s an enthusiasm for jazz in this area with a variety of performers and styles,” Weiss says. “If you’re new to it you should start by going to live performances. Keep an open mind – there’s a large variety of styles, so don’t get disappointed if you don’t discover something you like right away.”

“Ultimately, jazz improvisors strive to do something new that people can enjoy,” Reis says. “I know people in their 70’s who are still discovering new jazz artists that they enjoy.”

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BUSINESS BUZZ

Something in the

By Steve Smith

Quietly but steadily, New Bedford has been moving to the leading edge of a new energy revolution in this country. It’s an exciting story, but not an entirely new one as we watch history repeat itself.

Deepwater Wind

In the nineteenth century, New Bedford was one of the wealthiest cities in the world.

This vaunted position was based on the city’s prowess in sailing the globe to hunt for whales.

The whaling industry has been romanticized in books, films, and other art, but in reality it was a brutal and dangerous business that made a few people (and a city) very rich.

At its core, whaling was an energy business, with massive creatures being harvested for their oil to light lamps across America. New Bedford became “the city that lit the world.”

The whaling industry went into a steep and rapid decline with the discovery of oil in Pennsylvania in 1859 and

26

the transition to fossil fuels to power homes and industry in North America. Whether with Appalachian coal or middle east oil, we have been powering our economy with fossil fuels ever since. (Ironically, it is Pennsylvania’s fracking that is causing today’s disruption in the energy sector.)

Energy has always been a volatile slice of our economy, and we may be on the verge of another major shift, led once again by New Bedford.

Energy of the future

Two hundred years ago, the abundant energy resource was whales. Today it is wind.

Like in whaling, the primary resource is harvested offshore, but requires onshore support.

February 2017 | The South Coast Insider

And like in the past, New Bedford is poised to be a prime beneficiary. The challenge is to capitalize on this opportunity.

This is where New Bedford’s planning is about to pay off.

Several factors are converging to make this New Bedford’s time, including the city’s seafaring heritage and location, federal and state initiatives, technology advances, and climate change.

The federal government took the first step by offering large areas off New England for lease by energy providers.

Following a process initiated in 2009, the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) awarded leases to three companies in the federal wind planning areas located

south of Martha’s Vineyard.

Meanwhile, state and city governments were doing their part. Their partnership led to the development of the $113 million New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal, tucked away on a 26 acre site in the city’s south end. The terminal will be the site to construct, assemble, deploy, and service the turbines that will be erected offshore.

In 2013, the city went one step further, establishing the Wind Energy Center within the New Bedford Economic Development Council to support the burgeoning industry and integrate its activity into the city’s economic framework.

The next domino toppled in September of 2016,

when Deepwater Wind (Rhode Island), DONG Energy (Denmark), and Vineyard Wind (formerly OffshoreMW, Denmark) signed a Letter of Intent to lease the Marine Commerce Terminal. All three have secured leasing rights to federal waters south of Massachusetts and Rhode Island and are planning to use the terminal as a staging and deployment location for their offshore wind projects. The Letter of Intent represents a commitment to a two-year lease at $5.7 million annually.

According to Wind Europe, offshore sources account for 11 GW of power out of a staggering total of 142 GW of wind generated capacity in the EU. The recent presidential election may have given some pause to the advocates of wind power. After all, we elected a climate change skeptic pledging to restore jobs in the coal industry. And there are significant federal subsidies for wind in play. This is likely to be contentious issue, especially given that the coastal states were blue in the election.

The future looks bright for New Bedford and the South Coast, with all those lights being illuminated by wind power.

What’s the impact?

Matt Morrissey of Deepwater Wind describes this area is the Saudi Arabia of wind – in other words, we have a lot. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates the potential for energy generation from the waters south of Martha’s Vineyard of up to 4 GW (gigawatts). A single GW (gigawatt) can power 700,000 homes, so this offshore capacity could power our entire Commonwealth’s housing stock.

But we can look to Europe to fully comprehend the potential impact of wind power on our region. Today there are well over 2,000 turbines operating offshore in about a dozen European countries, supporting an estimated 60,000 jobs.

Interestingly, when we look at where there is the largest number of operating turbines in the U.S., it is largely in red state territory. The top four states for wind power are Texas, Iowa, California, and Oklahoma, with a large presence in the Midwestern states, so there will be considerable congressional pressure to retain wind subsidies. In addition, Massachusetts policy is very friendly to wind power.

The future looks bright for New Bedford and the South Coast, with all those lights being illuminated by wind power.

Now all we need to complete the parallel with our whaling past is another great American novel about the subject. Moby Turbine?

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27

COVER STORY

“Love Made Visible”at Catholic Memorial Home

T

ucked amid the beautiful landscape along Highland Avenue in Fall River, Catholic Memorial Home is a skilled nursing facility founded in 1939 by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fall River, and is one of five skilled care centers operated by the Diocesan Health Facilities group.

With a mission to “deliver state-of-theart care with heart and soul,” Catholic Memorial Home serves 272 adult men and women through its many comprehensive health services. Administrator Tom Healy said their non-profit mission-based organization is “dedicated to helping adults of

28

February 2017 | The South Coast Insider

By Jay Pateakos

all ages maintain the highest quality of life possible by addressing their physical and emotional needs, while fostering spiritual well-being.”

“Our holistic approach embraces the signature beliefs that life is precious, that each individual deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, and that the professional care we provide be defined by its compassion and attention to a higher purpose,” said Healy.

Catholic Memorial Home’s rehabilitation services help individuals regain functionality following an illness, accident, hospitalization, or surgery and is the focus of the

goal-oriented rehabilitation services they provide. They offer a mix of short-term and extended care rehabilitation programs to help people get back to their best.

“Our dedicated team of rehab professionals will work with you or your loved one each step of the way along the road to recovery,” said Healy. “Whether the goal is to improve mobility, address the activities of daily living, or to improve communication skills, our physical, occupational, and speech therapists are ready to help.”

Care & compasssion

The patients, whether short-term or

Complete care

In addition to its many rehabilitation services, Catholic Memorial Home also offers specialized Alzheimer’s care, pain management, respite, palliative, and hospice care.

They focus on the unique challenges facing stricken individuals and their families.

Therapeutic apartment helps patients practice every day living skills before transitioning home.

Kelsey Garcia

long-term, are raving about the results they get from Catholic Memorial Home and their staff.

“In my role as Director of Consumer & Community Relations, I spend a lot of time meeting with people, welcoming and visiting them while they are here,” said Lisa A. Lebreux. “What you hear from them is the extent of care and compassion from our staff is what they love about this place the most.”

This is backed up by the patients.

According to Lebreux, “whether it’s shortor long-term rehabilitation, you have people who just don’t want to leave – the staff truly bonds with the patients here. In exit interviews, our patients say their care was ‘amazing.’”

Catholic Memorial Home also specializes in therapeutic rehabilitation care for those with respiratory disorders or pulmonary diseases. For those returning home following rehabilitation care, they work to make the process as streamlined and seamless as possible to ensure a successful transition, Healy said. They do this by conducting a home visit to assess and prepare the individual for independent living. Making connections to the appropriate community agencies provides a continuum of care.

The Catholic Memorial Home rehabilitation unit provides private and semi-private rooms, some with private bathroom and shower areas, with all the amenities of home: cable TV, telephone service, and free Wi-Fi, Healy added.

Healy said specially-trained staff, therapeutic living environments, and ongoing pastoral care combine to promote the best quality of life for its residents with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of memory loss and dementia.

Within its safe and secure setting, the staff at Catholic Memorial Home nurture patients by emphasizing individual strengths, providing programming to help preserve cognition skills, encouraging positive activities, and fostering emotional and spiritual well-being. In turn, this engenders a sense of value and purpose for the residents they serve and provides comfort to their families.

“We are one of the very few certified Alzheimer’s specialized care units in the state,” said Lebreux. “We have 90 beds in our Alzheimer’s unit and they are always full because there is such a need for Alzheimer’s care. we pride ourselves on the care that goes into the Alzheimer’s unit.”

Catholic Memorial Home’s other services include a pain management program for the elimination of acute or chronic pain for

all residents, regardless of age, illness, or mental health status, and also a Palliative Program offering terminally ill residents specialized treatment, including appropriate and aggressive pain management, and compassionate support.

Lebreux said that above all else, Catholic Memorial Home is a great place to be around, not just for the patients and their families but also for the staff and administration. She said the generosity that flows through the home is amazing, with volunteers giving of their time, families visiting with their loved ones, and their staff practicing the idea of “Love made Visible” each and every day.

“I am amazed on a daily basis by the care that each resident receives so that they truly feel loved and at home,” Lebreux said.

Catholic Memorial Home also offers pastoral service, including the celebration of Mass each day on-site. They will also be happy to provide tours of the facility at your convenience.

To arrange a tour or to pre-book your stay following your surgery, call Admissions at 508-679-0011. Learn more at dhfo.org.

Join our team If you are interested in joining the team at Catholic Memorial, they will be hosting a job fair on Wednesday, February 15, from 2 to 6 p.m. for RN’s, LPN’s, and CNA’s. There will be on-site interviews, tours, raffles, giveaways, and refreshments. RSVP to Tracy at tracyt@dhfo.org.

The South Coast Insider | February 2017

29

COVER STORY

Teaching my old dog new tricks

L

illy came to us a little over nine years ago from a breeder in upstate New York. She’s a black-andwhite border collie with a little snippet of brown, and she spent her first day at home laying on my feet in the kitchen while I cut and sliced strawberries for jam.

Within a few weeks, amid trips to the vet for her first round of shots, we discovered that Lil did not travel in the car

30

February 2017 | The South Coast Insider

By Sherri Mahoney-Battles

well. Almost every car ride ended up with her drooling, shaking, and vomiting. Not a fun mess to clean up. Still, we tried to include her on trips to the cabin in New Hampshire and other adventures.

On one such trip I developed a plan. I decided that if we skipped her morning food her stomach would be empty for the truck ride to New Hampshire. Lilly, we discovered, had other plans. As we rode to New Hampshire, Lilly reclined on my lap, a plastic bag ready to aim her head into just

in case she lost her stomach. When she did lose her stomach, we were all gagging and holding our noses. Evidently, she had spent her day grazing on manure from the horse stalls, one of her favorite snacks. I don’t think any of us were prepared for the foul smell of warm horse manure vomited by a dog in a hot truck.

We decided that Lilly wasn’t meant for travel, which suited her just fine. She loves life on the farm. She doesn’t have much in the way of herding skills, but she’s always

been great at protecting the animals that make their home on the farm. One morning I was upstairs doing yoga when I looked out the window and glimpsed Lil making a beeline for the house. Directly behind her in hot pursuit were three coyotes. I ran down the stairs and threw the front door open. Lilly ran through the door and straight up the stairs, obviously grateful for a way out of her predicament.

As a farm dog, Lilly patrols our property, our neighbor’s property, and our oldest daughter’s home. To her it’s all one big farm. It’s a lot of work for one small dog, keeping track of numerous people and animals. Occasionally she takes time out for some fun, and she’s been caught more than once swinging on the horse’s tails as my daughter tries to walk them to their pasture in the morning.

Kindred spirits Much of what I’ve learned over the years has come from the animals on our farm, and recently Lilly has shown us a few tricks of her own. Lilly and I are very close to the same age (for the record, she’s a few years older). Over the last year or so, she’s started to slow down a bit and I’ve noticed a few gray hairs in her coat. She no longer jumps as high as she used to or runs quite as fast, and I think she’s gotten a little more cautious in her coyote hunting. She’s also reduced the perimeter of her patrol area spending most of her time on our farm.

My husband and I spend most summer weekends on our old boat slowly motoring from port to port, and a few months ago while we packed the truck to leave, Lil jumped into the truck. She seemed intent to tag along. Remembering her horrible experiences with travel sickness, we were confident that the ride to the boatyard and a weekend on a rocking boat were not the places for a dog with a weak stomach. We removed her from the truck and told her we’d be back in a few days. We told each other that if she did it again we’d have to give her a chance on the boat. Sure

enough the following weekend Lil lodged herself into the back of the truck again.

A bit apprehensively, we packed some extra dog food and her leash and headed off. Remarkably, Lilly made it through the truck ride, the dinghy ride, and the entire weekend on the boat without once losing her stomach. Over the next month or so Lilly made many more trips on the boat. She has become a pro at riding on the bow of the dinghy enjoying the ocean air. She loves parading through Newport and other harbor towns soaking up attention from strangers who stop to pet her.

It seems that the boat is a place that Lilly, away from the responsibilities of her farm, can finally relax.

She loves parading through Newport and other harbor towns soaking up attention from strangers who stop to pet her.

There have been a few hiccups. At first, Lil wasn’t familiar with things like cars, traffic, pavement, or even walking on a leash. The first couple trips she couldn’t bring herself to do her business on the leash. So we looked for parks and grassy places that remind Lil of the grass on her farm.

NEW LIVES A few months ago I was contacted by a woman in her mid-seventies. Married for almost fifty years, she had always let her husband assume full responsibility for all of their finances and tax filings. It was time

for a change, she told me. Her husband was getting older and his eyesight was failing, and she wanted to lighten his load.

As a young woman, she had been fascinated by numbers and spent some time doing some bookkeeping. She asked me to show her how to collect the forms needed for their tax preparation. We talked about some online bill payment options and a basic bookkeeping system. She was excited to take over their finances, and we’ve met a few times since our initial meeting.

In the last few months she’s done a QuickBooks class, started paying all of their bills online, and found areas in their finances that she’s improved upon. She enjoys the challenge of managing their finances, and her husband is thrilled with the changes she’s made.

Many years ago a long-term client passed away after a brief bout with cancer. Both his wife and I were shocked to discover that although he had been filing his tax returns every year he had not made any payments towards the tax. As a result, his wife was left to struggle with a tax debt that exceeded several hundred thousand dollars. He had gone to great lengths hiding his tax debt from everyone, and I can only imagine the impact this must have had on his health. It’s never too late to take an interest in or start learning about your financial situation, and it’s never safe to assume that someone else is securing your financial future.

As for me, I started piano lessons three years ago, and as much as I love playing I know that I will probably never be a concert pianist. It was, however, something that always fascinated and intrigued me, and learning something new feels great.

And Lilly’s about to learn a few more tricks of her own too. Tonight we are heading off on a road trip to Florida, and she’s coming along for the ride. Hopefully, she can hold her stomach for the long trip, and there will be a host of new things for her to experience when we get there. She might be an old dog, but I think she’s still up to learning a few new tricks.

The South Coast Insider | February 2017

31

DATELINE: SOUTH COAST

News, views and trends... from Mount Hope Bay to Buzzards Bay

by Elizabeth Morse Read

February may be the shortest month, but there’s no shortage of news or special events on the South Coast! Celebrate Valentine’s Day, Mardi Gras, and Black History Month, and take the family on an outing during school vacation week!

Across the Region UMass Dartmouth’s School of Law has earned full accreditation from the American Bar Association, a milestone for the state’s only public law school.

Effective January 1, the minimum wage in Massachusetts was raised to $11.00 per hour.

Taunton native David Simas will become the CEO of the nonprofit Obama Foundation. Starting in 2014, Simas served as President Barack Obama’s advisor on political strategy and outreach.

Massachusetts state legislators are considering changing the official celebration of Halloween from October 31 to the last Saturday in October, citing safety concerns. Stay tuned…

New Bedford has received the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s 2017 Creative Community Award, for “providing sustained leadership, funding, and infrastructure to the places where art and culture are presented, and where artists live and work, providing a model for cities everywhere.”

For their advocacy of the offshore wind industry, The Standard-Times chose Matthew Morrisey as the South Coast 2016 Man of the Year, and Patricia Haddad as the 2016 Woman of the Year.

UMass Dartmouth’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship has partnered with Canada’s new Centre for Ocean Ventures and Entrepreneurship in Nova Scotia to foster research and development in marine technologies.

Jacob Miller of Fairhaven has been chosen as the Southcoast 2016 Youth of the Year by The Standard-Times.

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February 2017 | The South Coast Insider

May the frost be with you! Don’t miss the Annual Newport Winter Festival February 17-26! Ten days of non-stop music, food, family fun, and festivities. Learn more at newportwinterfestival. com or call 401-253-0246.

Pet Food Aid, a non-profit organization, collects pet food donations and distributes them to food banks throughout Bristol County. Volunteers and donations gratefully accepted. For more info, visit petfoodaid.org or call 774-204-5227.

Start thinking about springtime! Visit the 2017 Rhode Island Spring Flower and Garden Show February 16-19 at the Rhode Island Convention Center! For details, go to flowershow.com or call 401-272-0980.

Fill your baskets with local produce, cheeses, jellies, wines, pies, and greenery. To find a farm, vineyard, or winter farmers market near you, visit semaponline.org, pickyourown.org, farmfresh. org, or localharvest.org.

The late George Heath of GNB Voc-Tech High School has been posthumously chosen as the Southcoast 2016 Teacher of the Year. Heath died while protecting a pregnant woman from a deranged attacker in Taunton’s Galleria Mall back in May.

Acushnet

Travel website Expedia.com has included New Bedford in its “Top 20 Places” in the U.S. to watch a sunset, right up there with Key West and the Grand Canyon.

If you’re 50 or older, check out the trips sponsored by the New Bedford Senior Travel Program.

There’s a trip to Twin Rivers Casino on February 7 and Foxwoods on February 22. Make your reservations now to see “The Lion King” on March 16 at the Providence Performing Arts Center, the Boston Flower Show on March 22, and The Sands Casino in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania on March 2628! For details, call 508-991-6171.

My Brother’s Keeper of Dartmouth and Easton is looking for volunteers and gently-used residential furniture for families in need. Free pick up. Call 774-305-4577 or visit mybrotherskeeper. org.

John Braun has been chosen as the StandardTime’s 2016 Acushnet Man of the Year. The Woman of the Year is Joanne Cioper.

Representatives of the Acushnet and Fairhaven School Committees are exploring shared school resources and possible regionalization of the two school departments.

Talk a stroll through the Acushnet Sawmills public park and herring weir! Canoe/ kayak launch, fishing, trails. For info, visit savebuzzardsbay.org.

Attleboro The Attleboro Community Theatre will be performing “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” on February 24-26, March 3-5, 10-12! For details, call 508-226-8100 or visit attleborocommunitytheatre.com.

Head for the year-round farmers market at Attleboro Farms on Sundays from 10 to 1. For info, call 508-695-7200.

Find out what’s happening at the Capron Park Zoo. Call 774-203-1840 or go to capronparkzoo. com. Or take the kids to Mass Audubon’s Oak Knoll Wildlife Sanctuary and Nature Center!

For more info, call 508-223-3060 or visit massaudubon.org.

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Check out the 18th-century Home and Hearth Workshops at the Coggeshall Farm Museum!

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Dartmouth The Standard-Times’ 2016 Dartmouth Man of the Year is Chris Michaud, and the 2016 Dartmouth Woman of the Year is Judy Viera.

Go, Spartans! Chloe Hughes of Bishop Stang High School has been chosen the 2016 Standard-Times Field Hockey Player of the Year. Jane Kuphal, also of Bishop Stang High School, has been chosen the 2016 Standard-Times Girls Soccer Player of the Year.

Plan ahead for the Tri-County Symphonic Band’s performance of Mozart, Mancini and Mussorgsky at the Dartmouth High School Auditorium on February 12, and “Celebrating Women Composers” on March 26 at Tabor Academy in Marion. For details, go to tricountysymphonicband.org.

Take a stroll through Paskamansett Woods, a nature reserve operated by the Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust. For more info, visit dnrt. org. Or go on nature walks at the Lloyd Center for the Environment! For details, call 508-990-0505 or visit lloydcenter.org.

Mark your calendar for the monthly Paskamansett Concert Series at the Dartmouth Grange Hall. For a schedule, call 401-241-3793, or visit paskamansettconcertseries.weebly.com.

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Continued FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Easton Check out the Children’s Museum in Easton! For info, call 508-230-3789 or visit childrensmuseumineaston.org.

Head for the year-round farmers market at Simpson Spring on Saturdays from 10 to 2. For info, call 508-238-4472. Or go to the farmers market at Oakes Ames Memorial Hall on Saturdays from 10 to 2 through May 20. For info, call 508-230-0631.

Fairhaven The first graduating class from the Northeast Maritime Institute’s new associate’s degree program in nautical sciences consisted of two students: Kevin Kiernan of Mattapoisett and Elijah Simmons of Bermuda.

Jacob Miller of Fairhaven has been chosen as the Southcoast 2016 Youth of the Year by The Standard-Times.

The Kmart store on Rt. 6 will close its doors in April.

Anne Murphy has been named the Fairhaven 2016 Woman of the Year by The Standard-Times and Randy Durrigan is the Man of the Year.

Take a walking tour and explore local history!

For details, go to fairhaventours.com or call 508-979-4085.

Browse through the Oxford Book Café on Saturdays from 9 to 1 at the Church of the Good Shepherd. Coffee and homemade snacks, used books on sale, WiFi. To learn more, call 508-9922281 or visit goodshepherdfairhaven.com.

If you’re interested in the history of JapanAmerica ties, visit the Whitfield-Manjiro Friendship House, where it all began. Go to wmfriendshiphouse.org or call 508-995-1219 for details.

a Medtronic Micra TPS, the world’s smallest pacemaker, which is 93% smaller than traditional pacemakers, was recently approved by the FDA.

Mother/daughter duo Margot Arms Stone and Robin Arms Shield are The Standard-Times’ 2016 Marion Women of the Year.

The Fall River Symphony Orchestra will perform selections by Brahms, Mozart, and Still on February 26 at Bristol Community College’s Jackson Art Center. For more info, call 508-6782241 or visit fallriversymphonyorchestra.org.

Plan ahead for the Tri-County Symphonic Band’s performance of Mozart, Mancini and Mussorgsky at the Dartmouth High School Auditorium on February 12, and “Celebrating Women Composers” on March 26 at Tabor Academy. For details, go to tricountysymphonicband.org.

Find out what’s playing at the Little Theatre! For info, call 508-675-1852 or visit littletheatre.net.

Take the family on a guided nature cruise/seal watch down the Taunton River into Mount Hope Bay! Tours leave from Borden Light Marina through April. For more info, call 401-324-6060 or visit savebay.org.

Get outside and enjoy the weather! Explore nature trails or historic landmarks, join a walking group – learn more at walkfallriver.org or call 508-324-2405.

The Narrows Center for the Arts has a fabulous line-up – there’s The Subdudes February 2, John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band February 8, Paula Cole February 11, Walter “Wolfman” Washington February 24, Jesse Colin Young March 4, the Pousette Dart Band March 11 – and more! For a complete schedule, visit narrowscenter.com or call 508-324-1926.

Visit Battleship Cove, home of USS Massachusetts. For more info call 508-678-1100 or go to battleshipcove.org. Open weekends January 1-March 31, 9-4pm; Fri-Sun.

Collin Fitzpatrick of Old Rochester Regional High School has been chosen the 2016 Standard-Times Boys Golfer of the Year.

Explore the trails, wildlife, and scenery of the Mattapoisett River Reserve – leashed dogs welcome. Hike, fish, bird-watch, cross-country ski. For more info, go to savebuzzardsbay.org.

Middleboro

Middletown

Find out what’s going on at the Children’s Museum of Greater Fall River. Reduced admission on the first Friday each month. For info, go to cmgfr.org or call 508-672-0033.

The Lakeville Lions Club has been chosen as The Standard-Times’2016 Lakeville People of the Year.

February 2017 | The South Coast Insider

Head for the winter farmers market at Old Rochester Regional on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month from 10 to 1 through May 13. For info, call 508-498-9900.

Check out the Children’s Aquarium and Exploration Center of Greater Fall River! Learn more at aquariumgfr.com or call 508-801-4743.

The city’s new motto is “Make It Here” – whether it’s manufacturing, creating a home life, or as a tourist destination.

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Avery Nugent of Old Rochester Regional High School has been chosen as the 2016 StandardTimes Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year.

Learn rug-hooking or quilting at the Soule Homestead! For details, call 508-947-6744 or go to soulehomestead.org.

Lakeville

Surgeons at Charlton Memorial Hospital were the first on the South Coast to implant

The Standard-Times has chosen John DeCosta as the 2016 Mattapoisett Man of the Year, and Jo Pannell as the 2016 Woman of the Year.

Sharpen your skates (or rent them) and head for the Driscoll Skating Rink! For more info, go to fmcicesports.com or call 508-679-3274.

Fall River

Laura L. Douglas of Iowa has been unanimously chosen as the new president of Bristol Community College by the BCC Board of Trustees.

Outgoing BCC president John Sbrega will retire in August.

Mattapoisett

Marion The VFW building has now been officially designated as the new home for the Council on Aging, renamed the Benjamin Cushing Senior and Community Center. All the members of the Cushing VFW Post have been chosen by The Standard-Times as the 2016 Marion Men of the Year.

Get in touch with nature at the Norman Bird Sanctuary! For details, call 401-846-2577 or go to normanbirdsanctuary.org.

New Bedford Joe Jesus, the man behind the annual “Fifties Night” downtown, is The Standard-Times’ 2016 New Bedford Man of the Year and Teri Bernert, executive director of WHALE (Waterfront Historic Area League), is the Woman of the Year.

Go see guitarist John Stein play a duet with acoustic bassist Dave Zinno on February 3 and 24 from 7 to 10 pm at Cork Wine and Tapas to celebrate the completion of their new album, due out in April. The shows are free, but it is recommended to make a reservation. Visit corkwineandtapas.com or call 508-994-9463.

The city has signed a Host Community Agreement with non-profit ARL Healthcare Inc. to open a medical marijuana growing and processing facility in the New Bedford Industrial Park. Pending approval by the state’s Department of Public Health, the facility could start operations this spring. Stay tuned…

Tell your healthcare provider you want Catholic Memorial Home.

Learn more about February Vacation Week activities (February 21-24) at the Whaling Museum! For more info, call 508-997-0046 or go to whalingmuseum.org.

The Whaling Museum is looking for volunteer guides (especially bilingual) able to take a ten-week training course next summer. For details, call 508-7176849 or email rrocha@ whalingmuseum.org.

A “must-see” exhibit, “Inner Light: The World of William Bradford,” is at the Whaling Museum through May 2017. For more info, call 508-9970046 or visit whalingmusuem.org.

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Don’t miss the special events and exhibits at the Rotch-Jones-Duff House! For more info, call 508997-1401 or go to rjdmuseum.org.

Enjoy FREE family fun and entertainment on AHA! Nights. Plan ahead for “History, Herstory, Ourstory” on February 9! The theme for March 9 will be “All Sewn Up.” For details, go to ahanewbedford.org or call 508-996-8253.

It’s all happening at the Z! Don’t miss Elvis Lives February 3, “Last of the Red Hot Lovers” February 10, MOMIX February 11, NBSO “Strings Attached” February 18, Spensers: Theatre of Illusion March 4, Ten Tenors March 11. Plan ahead for the St. Patrick’s Day Celtic Sojourn with Brian O’Donovan March 17. For info, call 508-994-2900 or go to zeiterion.org.

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Curtain time! Your Theatre will perform “The House of Blue Leaves” March 16-19, and 23-26. For details, call 508-993-0772 or go to yourtheatre. org.

Take a winter stroll through the Allen G. Haskell Public Gardens! For details, call 508-636-4693 or go to thetrustees.org.

Relive American military history at Fort TaberFort Rodman! For info, call 508-994-3938 or visit forttaber.org.

Find out what’s happening at the Buttonwood Park Zoo! Call 508-991-6178 or visit bpzoo.org.

Visit the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park! For more info, go to nps.gov/ nebe. And while you’re there, visit the Whaling Museum! For more info, visit whalingmuseum. org or call 508-997-0046.

Continued ON NEXT PAGE

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February 2017 | The South Coast Insider

Continued FROM PREVIOUS PAGE If you’re a fan of Americana and roots music, check out “Music in the Gallery” at the Wamsutta Club. For more info, go to brownpapertickets.com or wamsuttaconcerts.com.

Head for the winter farmers market at the Bristol Building on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month from 10 to 1 through May 20. For info, call 979-1500.

Newport Take the family on a guided nature cruise/seal watch in Newport Harbor! Tours leave from Bowen’s Ferry Landing through April. For more info, call 401-324-6060 or visit savebay.org.

Find out what’s on stage with the Performing Arts Series at Rhode Island College! The Muir String Quartet will perform on February 20 and April 3. For info and tickets, call 401-456-8144 or visit ric.edu/pfa.

Don’t miss the special exhibit of rarely-seen Impressionist works at the Rhode Island School of Design Museum through June 11. For more info, call 401-454-6500 or go to risdmuseum.org.

Find out what’s on stage at the Providence Performing Arts Center! Don’t miss “The Curious Case of the Dog in the Night-Time” February 7-12, The Naked Magicians February 25, Disney’s “The Lion King” February 28-March 19, A Night with Billy Crystal March 23, and more! For details, call 401-421-2787 or go to ppacri.org.

Get out the ice skates and head for the outdoor Newport Skating Center! For more info, visit skatenewport.com or call 401-846-3018.

Enjoy the new season of the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra at the VETS – don’t miss Beethoven’s “Eroica” on February 17-18! For details, call 401-248-7000 or go to riphil.org.

Enjoy a dinner-theatre night out at the Newport Playhouse! “Romantic Comedy” will be performed February 16 through March 26.

For more information, call 401-848-7529 or go to newportplayhouse.com.

Don’t miss Trinity Rep’s performance of “The Mountaintop” through February 12. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” will be performed February 9-March 24. For info, call 401-351-4242 or go to trinityrep.com.

Plymouth Find out who’s on stage at the Spire Center for the Performing Arts of Greater Plymouth!

There’s Mieka Pauley on February 4, Molly Venter & Goodnight Moonshine February 11, Delta Generators February 18, Greg Hopkins Sextet February 25, Love Dogs March 4 – and more!

For tickets and info, call 508-746-4488 or visit spirecenter.org.

Head for the winter farmers market at Plimouth Plantation on the second Thursday of the month from 2:30 to 6:30 through May 11.

Portsmouth Get back to your musical roots at Common Fence Music! For more info, call 401-683-5085 or visit commonfencemusic.org.

Providence Don’t miss “Romeo & Juliet” performed by Festival Ballet Providence on February 10-12 at PPAC. For info, go to festivalballetprovidence.org or call 401-421-2787.

The Wilbury Group will perform “Betrayal” through February 4. Mr. Burns, “a post-electric play” will be performed March 9-April 1. For info and tickets, call 401-400-7100 or visit thewilburygroup.org.

Check out the schedule at the Dunkin Donuts Center! There’s Miranda Lambert February 2, Luke Bryan March 4 – and lots of hockey games! For more info, call 401-331-6700 or visit dunkindonutscenter.com.

Explore the Children’s Museum in Providence!

Go to childrenmuseum.org or call 401-273-5437.

Then take the kids to the Roger Williams Park Zoo! For more info, go to rwpzoo.org or call 401-785-3510.

To find out what’s happening in the greater Providence area, visit providenceri.com, artsnowri.com or newportwaterfrontevents.com.

Rehoboth Listen to the Sarasa Ensemble on February 4 at Goff Memorial Hall, part of the “Arts in the Village” series. For details, visit carpentermuseum.org.

Rochester The Standard-Times has chosen Denise Bertrand and Paul Magee as the Rochester 2016 Woman and Man of the Year.

Swansea The Sears store at the Swansea Mall will close its doors in April.

Head for the year-round farmers market at Stony Creek Farm on Sundays 10-2. For info, call 401-465-4832.

Taunton Even though the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe broke ground on its $1 billion casino in April, they’re now having to appeal a court ruling which challenges its status as a federally-recognized tribe. Stay tuned…

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Tiverton Head for the Sandywoods Center for the Arts!

There’s Alex Johnson and Colorway February 11, Joanne Svendsen February 12, Fellswater February 23, Mike Casey Trio March 3. For a complete schedule, go to sandywoodsmusic.com or call 401-241-7349.

Wareham The Standard-Times has chosen Nora Bicki as the Wareham 2016 Woman of the Year, and Dan Minkle as the 2016 Man of the Year.

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Wareham’s Mary Preston received the 2016 President’s Award from Southcoast Health for her outstanding professional performance.

Warren Check out what’s playing at 2nd Story Theatre!

“Seascape” will be performed through February 5, “Murder at the Howard Johnson’s” will run February 10-March 12. Call 401-247-4200 or go to 2ndstorytheatre.com.

Westport The Standard-Times has chosen animal-advocacy groups “Protest Westport Tenant Farm,” “Join the Conversation,” and “Stop the Insanity” as the Westport 2016 Persons of the Year.

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The Claremont Trio will perform on February 26 at Concerts at The Point. Plan ahead for the Handel & Haydn Society March 26. For details, call 508-636-0698 or visit concertsatthepoint.org.

Head for the Westport Winter Market at the Town Hall Annex on Saturdays from 9 to 1. For info, call 508-636-1103.

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37

On MY Mind

Not just an act

By Paul Kandarian

The Zeiterion Performing Arts Center in New Bedford is the big daddy of theaters in the city and the South Coast.

O

ver the years, it’s brought some pretty incredible shows to its majestic space, diverse and varied, which this year includes Jay Leno, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” “TedX New Bedford,” and the 2017 Portuguese Music Awards.

But nothing may hit home as hard as what they’re putting on on February 9: “Drug Story Theater: The Price You Pay,” which starts at 7 p.m. It’s a powerful, unique, and innovative approach to prevention that integrates teens in recovery, their parents, and information about adolescent brain development to clarify the myths and realities of teen drug use.

“As a leader in New Bedford’s arts community, it is part of the Z’s mission to bring to light issues of concern for our city,” said Rosemary Gill, the Zeiterion’s executive director. “Our goal is for this honest look at teen drug use to continue the conversation and spark action in our community.

No family is immune.”

That includes my own family, which makes this performance special for me.

My son, Paul, is a recovering heroin addict, who is in a much better place now than he was a little over two years ago when we worried constantly over whether the disease of addiction would finally claim

38

February 2017 | The South Coast Insider

his life. That the Z is bringing this show to New Bedford is especially compelling: In 2015, there were 48 opioid overdose deaths in the city and another 38 in Fall River, according to a list compiled by state health officials. That list is tragic and telling. But a show like the one the Z is hosting is hopeful and honest.

Drug Story Theater is a powerful program that brings this devastating epidemic to real life.

The work the teens do with Drug Story Theater aids in their progress and encourages them to lead productive, healthy lives as young adults. Sharing their personal stories about the seduction and addiction to substances also helps them sow seeds of prevention, especially among peers.

“Substance use disorder is affecting our entire community and country,” said Dr. Michael Rocha, cardiologist, and director of the New Bedford Wellness Initiative

and co-founder of Physicians to Prevent Opioid Abuse. “Drug Story Theater is a powerful program that brings this devastating epidemic to real life. It will educate us on how to keep our kids from falling down the path but also how we can reach down and pick them up if they fall, without judgment.”

“They are addicts, recovering ones, taking their stories onstage in the hope others will shun the path they chose,” said Drug Story Theater founder Dr. Joseph Shrand. “We are taking teenagers in the early stages of recovery from drugs and alcohol and teaching them improvisational theater, and with that they’re creating their own shows about the seduction of, addiction to, and recovery from drugs and alcohol.”

To help digest and cope with the information that may arise from the performance, clinicians and resources will be on-hand for audience members. There will also be a community art component to engage participation outside the theatre. This support is aided in partnership with Behavioral Health Innovators, Inc. as well as local service organizations, schools, churches, and community leaders. The performance is possible in

part from a grant from the NEA and The Carney Foundation.

The show is part of the drama-therapy approach to treating addiction, and lifting the stigma from it that has, for the most part, kept the issue in the dark. People who are addicts, or related to them, often feel shame in admitting the problem and are hesitant to talk about it.

Plays like the one the Z is putting on bring the issue out in the open in truly dramatic fashion, getting at the heart of the disease, illuminating it, shining the necessary light of conversation on it, because if we don’t talk about a problem that affects us all in one way or another, it will not get solved.

“The performance has the ability to connect us together, and bring hope and compassion to all those suffering,” Rocha said.

Drug Story Theater’s mission as stated on its Facebook page is simple: “To remind each other of our value. A person who feels valued is less likely to use drugs and alcohol, is less likely to be angry, sad, or scared, and can have a better chance of unleashing their potential.”

And as a reminder that we, as a society of caring people, are all in this together, it also states: “The treatment of one becomes the prevention of many.”

What the Z is presenting February 9 is a radical departure from its usual offerings.

And one that is so necessary for all of us to see.

Tickets are $10 each, and can be purchased by calling 508-994-2900, online at zeiterion.org, or by visiting the box office at 684 Purchase Street.

Can you spend one morning or evening a week helping adult students learn to speak English or to improve basic reading, writing, or math skills?

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