The South Coast Insider - November 2022

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Giving thanks

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Shop small, shop local!

Why risk your health (and sanity) at crowded malls on Black Friday? Take advantage of incredible offerings in your own neighborhood on Small Business Saturday, November 28, throughout the South Coast. Check out sbsshopri. com for shop-and-stroll events in Rhode Island. For that special gift, support local craftsmen and artists by heading over to the Waterfire Arts Center in Providence to visit the safe outdoor pop-up markets (waterfire.org/art-mart). And on First Thursdays (November 5) you can “shop and dine local” in Barrington, Bristol, and Warren (discovernewport.org).

Kick-off the holiday season at Frerichs Farm in Warren with “Girls Night Out” on November 6, 7 and 8 – buy your holiday trees, greenery, and gifts there, too (frerichsfarm.com). Then mark your calendar for the Newport Block Party & Holiday Stroll at Bowen’s Wharf on November 27 – you can watch the Illuminated Boat Parade while you shop and enjoy Caribbean music (bowenswharf.com).

It’s the thoughtful gifts that count

And if you can’t find gifts for all the spe cial people in your life, consider buying gift cards to restaurants, shops, vine yards, special event venues, local farms, e-commerce websites, or grocery stores. Use mail-order services to deliver flow ers, sweets, and specialty foods yearround to someone you want to thank or to express your appreciation.

For those who are always hard to buy a gift for, consider signing them up for an annual subscription to a streaming service, app, podcast, premier sports/ movies/cultural channel, magazine, or newspaper. Or make a donation in their name to their favorite charity, education al institution, or cultural organization.

Consider how much it would be appreci ated if you upgraded an older relative’s digital capabilities with an easy-to-use smartphone, tablet, or notebook – and then helped to set up Zoom or Skype.

You can keep the holiday spirit alive this year, even though you may not all be to gether to celebrate Thanksgiving. It just takes some imagination and good cheer!

November 2022

Vol.

Published by Coastal Communications Corp.

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief

Ljiljana Vasiljevic

Editor Sebastian Clarkin

Online Editor Paul Letendre

Sales Manager

Mari Burns (508) 916-0374

Contributors

Michael J. DeCicco, Stacie Charbonneau Hess, Paul Kandarian, Tom Lopes, Sean McCarthy Elizabeth Morse Read, Rona Trachtenberg

Layout & Design

Janelle Medeiros

The South Coast Insider is published monthly for visitors and residents of the South Coast area and is distributed free of charge from Mount Hope Bay to Buzzards Bay.

All contents copyright ©2022 Coastal Communications Corp.

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CONTENTS

2022 COVER STORY

Gratitude in word and deed

By Stacie Charbonneau Hess

Eating fresh & local THINGS TO DO

Give thanks this November!

By Elizabeth Morse Read

to hoard

Rona Trachtenberg

BUSINESS BUZZ

Mobile ministries helping humanity

By Rona Trachtenberg

is more By Sean McCarthy

ON MY MIND

Pass the posts

By Paul Kandarian

ON THE COVER

than to shop at

market.

Market in Westport has been serving the South Coast for 73 years, and knows exactly what it takes to keep

full.

more about Lees’ history

turning to page 16, and be sure to

TO

Givethanks

THIS NOVEMBER!

After two years of cancellations and isolation, we can all be grateful forthe return of traditional holiday get-togethers and seasonal celebrations!

by Elizabeth Morse Read

as the holiday hoopla gears up, remember all those less fortunate and honor our military on Veterans Day November 11 – and don’t forget to change your clocks

November 6!

Fun for everyone!

Mark your calendars for the two-day CranFest November 11-12 at the Plimoth-Pawtuxet Museums in Plymouth, celebrating the cranberry’s role in our history, cuisine, and agriculture (plimoth.org).

Enjoy free family fun and entertainment on AHA! Nights in New Bedford! The November 10 theme is “Made in New Bedford” (ahanewbedford.org).

It’s time to sharpen the ice skates (or rent them) for indoor skating at Fall River’s Driscoll Arena (508-6793274), New Bedford’s Hetland Arena (508-999-9051), Taunton’s Aleixo Arena (508-824-4987), or Plymouth’s

Armstrong Arena (508-746-8825) (fmcicesports.com)!

There’s fun for all ages on the new indoor Southcoast Pickleball courts in Fairhaven, open daily. AC, changing rooms, refreshments, rentals, clinics, tournaments (southcoastpickleball.com)!

Get ready for a fun-filled day iceskating or riding ice bumper cars at The Providence Rink in downtown Providence (theprovidencerink.com)!

Bundle up and watch Waterfire in Providence on November 5 (waterfire.org)!

Bring a chair to watch the annual Veterans Day Parade on November 11 in Fairhaven (fairhaventours.com)!

When it’s raining outside, take the little ones to the Children’s Museum of Greater Fall River (cmgfr.org)!

Head for the Museum of Natural History & Planetarium in Providence’s Roger Williams Park to watch the planetarium shows (providence.gov/ museum)!

Food, drink, and shopping

Celebrate Thanksgiving in Plymouth, America’s Hometown, with festivities, parade, concert, beer garden, exhibits, and more on November 17-20 (usathanksgiving.com)!

Start your holiday shopping at the 3rd Annual Holiday Artisan Market on November 19 at Linden Place in Bristol (lindenplace.org)!

Check out the many restaurants in greater Newport during Newport Restaurant Week November 4-13 (discovernewport.org/newportrestaurant-week)!

For a taste of New Bedford’s rich culinary history, go on a guided Food Tour (nbfoodtours.com)!

Head for downtown New Bedford on November 30 for the annual Holiday Shop & Stroll – family fun, live music, food, shopping (downtownnb.org/ events)!

Go on a local Vineyard Voyage with

Fall River Bicentennial Park Waterfront

n e fet cal with ime urant ut, beef pro ing for to –on oking your re ings and e a ravi

the Providence Riverboat Company (providenceriverboat.com).

Take the family to the monthly Open Farm Days at Round the Bend Farm in Dartmouth! Grass-fed meats, botanicals, local veggies, honey and more (roundthebendfarm.org).

Eat Fresh, Eat Local! Fill your baskets with local produce, pies and jams, dairy products, and holiday decorations! To find a farm, vineyard, or indoor farmers market near you, visit semaponline.org, farmfreshri.org, or coastalfoodshed. org. To find food and wine events, go to farmcoast.com, coastalwinetrail.com, or ediblesouthshore.com.

All the world’s a stage

Mark your calendars for the special events and entertainment at the Providence Performing Arts Center and The VETS! For schedule of events visit ppacri.org.

Mark your calendars to catch a performance of “Church Basement Ladies” December 1-4,8-11 at the Little Theatre in Fall River (littletheatre.net).

Don’t miss the New Bedford Festival Theatre’s production of “White Christmas” November 26 to December 4 at the Zeiterion in New Bedford (zeiterion.org)!

Enjoy dinner and a performance of “A Christmas for Carol” November 1 through December 31 at the Newport Playhouse (newportplayhouse.com).

1955 on the historic wharf that dates to the 1700s, isn’t all about summer Last year they served up a feast of turkey, roast prime rib, sausage and more The restaurant currently of fers dine in and takeout, including some ov en ready dishes like seafood casserole and stuf fed lobster

Enjoy a performance of “Second Samuel” at Your Theatre in New Bedford on November 11-13, 18-20 (yourtheatre.org).

White’s of Westport 66 State Road, Westport 508 675 7185 shop lafrancehospitality com

Catch a production of “Church & State” at the Marion Art Center Theatre on November 4-6, 10-13 (marionartcenter.org).

Start your holiday season with a performance of “A Christmas Carol” at Trinity Rep in Providence November 3 to January 1 (trinityrep.com).

South Coast sounds

Treat yourself to tribute performances of Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash on November 5 at White’s of Westport (southcoastcomedy.com)!

White’s has been of fering family style takeout and curbside meals pickup for months, so when Turkey Day comes around, it ’s a good bet they’ll have a han dle (or rather a drumstick) on that too Currently, the restaurant is of fering meal packages and platters like its “ Taste of New England” that comes with chow der, quahogs and clam cakes or its Italian package of salad, lasagna, meatballs and breadsticks . Both meals serve six . Also available are dinner for two meal packs like and chips, lobster rolls, bourbon beef tips, and even kid-sized pasta and meatballs for two With more than 60 years in the hospitality industry, White’s is accustomed to cooking for a crowd

Beat the Christmas crowds!

Many of the traditional holiday extravaganzas along the South Coast open in November, so pack up the family this month and visit them early! Less chance of snow, then, too!

The Annual Festival of Lights at LaSalette Shrine in Attleboro begins November 24 through January 1 – more than 300,000 lights illuminating ten acres (lasaletteattleboroshrine.org)!

Bundle up and enjoy the lights and Christmas decorations indoors and out at Blithewold Mansion and Gardens in Bristol (blithewold.org).

Buy your tickets early for the Christmas Wonderland and Festival of Lights at Edaville Railroad in Carver from November 10 through January 1! Heated train rides illuminated by 17 million lights throughout the park and European-style Christmas Market (edaville.com)!

Stroll through the brilliantly illuminated Roger Williams Park Zoo for the Holiday Lights Spectacular from November 25 through January 1 (rwpzoo.org)!

Mark your calendars for the weeks-long annual Bristol

Christmas Festiva l, starting with the Christmas Snow Ball on November 11 (christmasbristolri.com)!

Be dazzled by the over-the-top splendor of the Gilded Age during “Holidays at the Newport Mansions” November 19 to January 1 (newportmansions.org)!

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

Head for Pilgrim Memorial Hall in Plymouth to hear the Righteous Brothers November 13 (memorialhall.com).

Find out who’s on stage at the District Center for the Arts in Taunton! Don’t miss Trapt November 4, Echoes of Floyd November 5, The Senders November 11, Ballz on Parade November 12, The Brothers Project November 18, Stairway to Halen November 23, The 60s Band November 26, Zappa Experience November 27 (thedistrictcenterforarts.com).

Head for Running Brook Vineyard in Dartmouth for free live music every Saturday and Sunday (runningbrookwine.com)!

Check out who’s on stage at the Spire Center for the Performing Arts of Greater Plymouth! For schedule of events visit spirecenter.org.

Check out the lineup of shows upcoming including New Bedford Festival Theatre “White Christmas” November 26 to December 4 at the Zeiterion in New Bedford (zeiterion.org)!

Enjoy wine tastings and live jazz on Saturdays at Greenvale Vineyards in Portsmouth (greenvale.com).

Head for The Narrows Center for

the Arts in Fall River for great music! (narrowscenter.com)!

Classical acts

Mark your calendars now to hear the New Bedford Symphony’s Chamber Music performance of “Benediction: A Thanksgiving Finale,” at St. Gabriel’s Church in Marion on November 26 and at St. Peter’s Church in South Dartmouth on November 27 (nbsymphony.org/ chamber-series).

Listen to the Jasper String Quartet on November 13 at Westport’s Concerts at the Point (concertsatthepoint.org)!

Head for Pilgrim Memorial Hall in Plymouth to hear the Plymouth Philharmonic’s special Thanksgiving Celebration concert November 18 (memorialhall.com).

The Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra will present Olga Kern playing Beethoven on November 11-12 at The VETS (riphil.org).

Expand your horizons

Check out what’s happening at the Lloyd Center for the Environment in Dartmouth. The trails are free and open to the public every day from dawn to dusk (lloydcenter.org).

Enjoy the fall scenery and weather on the 8th Annual Destruction Brook Woods Trail Race on November 5! (free post-race pizza and beer!) (dnrt.org).

Go on a free Bird Walk or Flower Walk at the Norman Bird Sanctuary in Middletown (normanbirdsanctuary.org).

Learn about the free virtual classes in meditation, laughter yoga, tai chi, yoga and smoking-cessation hypnosis, offered by New Bedford Wellness Initiative (facebook.com/ NewBedfordWellnessInitiative).

Take a stroll through the urban greenspace of the Allen G. Haskell Public Gardens in New Bedford (thetrustees.org).

Get Healthy! “Walk With a Doc” on Saturdays at Dartmouth Mall, part of the New Bedford Wellness Initiative (nbewell.com)!

“Discover Buzzards Bay” offers an online portal with information about 100+ public places to walk, bird-watch, kayak/canoe, fish, snowshoe, or crosscountry ski (savebuzzardsbay.org/ discover). You can find other outdoor recreation spots along the South Coast at thetrustees.org, exploreri.org, massaudubon.org, riwalks.org, asri. org, riparks.com, or stateparks.com/ rhode_island.

by Stacie Charbonneau Hess

Gratitude for NATIVE PEOPLES IN WORD AND DEED

When I discuss the story with my students, I challenge them to think about what that sentence means. They recognize that All Flourishing is Mutual is about interdependence. It’s about the idea that if one of us is oppressed, or silenced, or somehow compromised, we are all a little less because of it.

I came to social justice work many years ago when I learned—in my thirties—about the Indian Residential Schools, which existed for an entire century in North America. Learning this shifted something in me. The goal of the schools was Assimilation: to “Kill the Indian, Save the Man.” I met survivors of these schools, where Native languages were forbidden and where countless children suffered and died. There was no mention of these schools in the stories I read growing up, or the books given to

me in school. My education seemed a betrayal.

Yet before me, in college classes, were teachers such as Acoma poet Simon Ortiz, and Navajo Poet Luci Tapahonso, who spoke and sang in their Native tongues, testimony in itself of a strength most of us can’t even fathom. Strength that their ancestors had to muster to survive the schools, to embrace the language somewhere deep inside so it would not be forgotten.

I’ve been on a journey ever since my college days to learn the truth of my country from the source: Native peoples themselves. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want a white-washed history. As individuals and as a nation, not only can we handle the truth, without it we are living in a delusion. The shame and grief of a shared history of oppression of Native peoples is something we need

to experience as a community. Without this reconciling, we will always be fractured, and we will never flourish.

Another quote I love from Robin Wall Kimmerer is from her story “Mother’s Work,” about restoring a pond so her daughters can swim in it. In the story, she discovers that not until she is willing to step into the muck at the bottom of the pond and walk deeply into it, is she able to make any real progress. She puts it this way, “Transformation is not accomplished by tentative wading at the edge.” The Truth and Reconciliation process speaks to that difficult journey through the muck in order to clean it up: to achieve a clear, swimmable pond. While the United States has not officially engaged in this process, an Investigative Report from the Federal Boarding School Initiative was released in May 2022. Luckily, what we do locally

Livia Neubert, Stacie Hess, Marvin Martinez, Alexandria Dasheno, Carlos Almeida (top row), pose with Hannah Martinez, Nathaniel Martinez, and Autumn Martinez. The children are wearing traditional clothing from San Ildefonso Pueblo.

Robin Wall Kimmerer, the author of Braiding Sweetgrass, declares in her essay “Council of Pecans,” that “All Flourishing is Mutual.”

can have an impact on how future generations see our relationship with Native peoples.

This year Bristol Community College officially celebrated its first Indigenous Peoples’ Day, joining many other Institutions, towns, and ten states that have already adopted the holiday. Hawaii, South Dakota, and Berkeley, California began recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day in the 80s and 90s; there are decades of precedent and countless examples we had to draw from when shifting our attention away from Colonization and toward a much longer and accurate view of history—one that stretches back not hundreds of years—but thousands.

At Bristol, the Equity & Inclusion Council that I belong to spent many months researching, writing and drafting a Land Acknowledgement, which the College has adopted. Our Acknowledgement was written in consultation with the Wampanoag peoples, who are the original inhabitants of the land upon which the campus sits. In our research we discovered many neighboring tribes, and it is important to name them: The Nipmuc, The Narragansett, The Pequot, The Mohegan, and so on. As a group we agreed that while writing the Acknowledgement is important, it felt like a first step, the very beginning of the work that is required to begin to shift the narrative away from conquest and genocide and toward a truthful story of the United States.

To honor the change in name and focus, we invited Native artists to campus, from as far away as San Ildefonso, a Pueblo (reservation) in northern New Mexico. For three days, we had the opportunity to connect and learn. On Day One, our “Native Poets Speak”

event featured Lucille Lang Day and Ron Welburn. Lucille’s poem “I Always Knew It” talks about her childhood where relatives called her a “Wild Indian” but where she was not told about her Wampanoag grandmother until she was in her twenties. Ron (African American, Assateague, Gingaskin Cherokee, Lenape) read from his books of poetry and later gave a presentation on Native Americans and Jazz on the Attleboro campus.

If poetry is a way to connect with one’s heritage, traditional pottery is another. MarvinLee Martinez presented in both Fall River and New Bedford to several classes of students, faculty, and local artists. MarvinLee’s family is well-known in the pottery world: his great-great grandmother Maria Poveka Martinez’s pottery is housed in museums all over the world. MarvinLee learned to make pottery in the style of his ancestors, using only locally sourced earth, mixed with volcanic ash. The pots are made by hand, burnished by hand with river stones (passed down from his relatives), and fired not in a kiln but in the ground. He explained the process of how the pots become black: smoke from the fire (tamped down with cow patties and horse manure) is trapped in the firepit and attaches itself to the red iron oxide—turns the pottery black. The process was fascinating to watch, and Marvin’s fiancée and three children joined him in the campus gatherings. After Marvin’s demonstrations, the Sint Sink Singers elevated the vibration of the entire Fall River campus with a sampling of songs they sing at PowWows. Each song was preceded by a short explanation, and students and staff were invited to sit in the sacred circle around the drum and play for a song or two. The Sint Sink Singers appeared the next night in New Bedford for October’s AHA!

While each of these performances and demonstrations were wonderful, the point of the activities was to expose students to the very fact that Native peoples are here, living vibrantly and keeping their cultural traditions alive. Continuing programming and education centering Native peoples will ensure we all flourish, for the mutual benefit of generations to come.

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Strength that their ancestors had to muster to survive the schools, to embrace the language somewhere deep inside so it would not be forgotten.

MOBILE MINISTRIES

On a cool Saturday morning in October, 35 people experiencing homelessness lined up to receive a free sandwich, a warm beverage, and winter clothing at the food truck owned by Mobile Ministries and located at St. Paul's United Methodist Church in New Bedford.

Homelessness can strike anyone, anywhere, at anytime. Kerry, a 55 year old woman, shared her sad story. “In 2014, when the stock market crashed and we couldn’t pay off our mortgage,

HELPING HUMANITY

by Rona Trachtenberg

the bank repossessed my family’s third-generation Farmhouse Antiques business, in Cape Cod. Nine years later, I find myself homeless on the streets of New Bedford. I have been sleeping on people’s couches, motels, anywhere for the past 12 months. It means everything to me knowing that I can get one meal every day, from these kind people. It is the only way I can survive.”

Jim was one of the last recipients to reach the food truck before it packed up for the day. He explained that he had just lost his home due to the 8th Street fire that displaced him and nine other tenants. He was so relieved to be able to get a free meal and some clothing, as he lost everything last night. “I don’t know what I would have done if Mobile Ministries hadn’t come along today.”

“There but for the Grace of God,” explained George Bailey, who is a

Senior Lay Leader at St. Paul’s, and who helped organize this important local mission.

“In 1998, Mobile Loaves & Fishes (MLF) started in Texas as a ministry of St. John Neumann and in 2000, they became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit,” Bailey explained. “They utilized a catering truck to provide food, clothing, and dignity to its brothers and sisters in need. This program expanded into Austin, San Antonio, New Orleans, Nashville, and Providence.

“In 2009, our Pastor Ken went with a few of us to Rhode Island, where we learned about MLF,” Bailey said.

“We decided to bring it to our needy residents in the South Coast. In August 2010, the New Bedford food truck was planted at St. Paul’s United Methodist

Church and for six years we served 50,000+ meals per year.”

Bailey continued, “Regretfully, in 2016, MLF in Texas recalled its trucks and changed its mission. At that point, we bought out the food truck, registered as our own non-profit 501(c)(3), changed our program’s name to Mobile Ministries, and continued assisting New Bedford’s homeless. In 2021, we expanded into Fall River, where we found the need to be equally great. Now, we are blessed to have volunteers from 12 different churches and one synagogue that supervise eight truck runs, six days a week.”

My brother’s keeper

Renee Pothier, one of the Team Leaders, explained the five-station distribution process that takes place from 11 a.m. to noon. “First, the recipient gets a choice of a PB&J, ham, or baloney sandwich. Oftentimes, they are shy or embarrassed and just say, ‘Give me whichever.’ We encourage them to make their own decision, which implies, ‘Your opinion is valuable.’ Then, they get fruit, chips, bottled water. Next, they receive a slice of pizza, often donated by Dominos. The next station consists of hot dogs, coffee, hot chocolate. Then there are toiletries, and the final station is clothing.”

This gets repeated six days a week from 5 to 6 p.m.: twice in North New Bedford (at the PAACA building), twice in the South (at Reverence Church), and twice in the Central region (619 Purchase Street). On Saturdays, the truck goes out in the morning to Central New Bedford and in the afternoon to Fall River (at its Salvation Army).

Pothier first volunteered for Mobile Ministries seven years ago, with her Confirmation class from St. Anthony’s & St. Rita’s Parish in Mattapoisett. “The students were accruing community service hours. Once their obligations were met, several teens just continued volunteering, as did I, because our hearts were touched by this beautiful mission. It is a calling. No one wants to let these needy people down. We are their lifeline. They are so appreciative of us that none of the volunteers wants to miss showing up to help. I now have a dedicated crew of helpers who look forward to the second Saturday of each month when it is our turn with the food truck.”

Pothier continued, “In addition to delivery volunteers, there are a plethora of people behind the scenes preparing the sandwiches, boiling the eggs, washing the grapes, and arranging the clothes. A crew puts all the food together each day and organizes the non-perishable items. These unsung heroes deserve recognition.”

Pothier added, “George [Bailey] is a saint. He transitioned the entire program on his own. On some occasions, he singlehandedly made deliveries in a blizzard or two. It is easy to make this sacrifice because just think how the homeless feel living on the street everyday in that weather. In the winter, we need more donations of coats, hats, scarves, gloves, and especially shoes and boots to keep the homeless people’s feet dry when it snows.”

Least, last, lost community

Bailey humbly considers himself just the Coordinator. He gets his spiritual reward, “by knowing I’m doing what I believe God has called me to do. We give the hopeless, helpless, and homeless a hand up and not just a handout. Over the years, we have been gratified to see a few individuals get back on their feet and then ‘give back’ by joining in the ministry of helping others. But there are still approximately 150 people living on our local streets and this number has been increasing in recent months.”

When asked to explain this phenomenon, Bailey answered, “Each individual has their own story, with issues ranging from financial, physical, or mental health challenges to alcohol, gambling, and substance abuse. But,

"I believe God has blessed this ministry in so many ways, particularly with providing what I consider some of the most loving and caring individuals in the Greater New Bedford/Fall River area by volunteering to help those who are most truly in need."

speaking in general terms, I believe that one of the most underlying reasons is the break down of the basic family unit. Once an individual has burned their bridges with all their family and friends or has just lost contact with them by moving away, or any other trial in life, oftentimes they end up on the street.”

Bailey added, “I believe God has blessed this ministry in so many ways, particularly with providing what I consider some of the most loving and caring individuals in the Greater New Bedford/Fall River area by volunteering to help those who are most truly in need.”

Three ways to give thanks in November

First, you can visit the gofundme. com website, search for Mobile Ministries’ Winter Survival Fund 2022-2023. Every dollar goes directly to the Mobile Ministry and there is no processing fee. You can also snail mail a financial donation to: Go Fund Me at P.O. Box 70724, Faunce Corner Road, N. Dartmouth, MA 02747.

Second, you can volunteer for the Make Ready Team, which preps the food truck or the Delivery Team, which distributes the food, drinks, and in-kind goods that Mobile Ministries provides to those in need. They can also utilize people to assist with organizing, sorting, and prepping the donated clothes and canned goods.

Third, you can directly donate gently used and clean clothing or canned goods to St. Paul’s Methodist Church at 884 Kempton Street, on the corner of Rockdale Ave in New Bedford.

“God saves the world and we help Him to help others,” says Bailey. “We would be honored if you could assist us in any part of this mission, at any time of the year. We can be reached at (508) 991-9218 or you can visit mobile-ministries.org.”

Offering Physical, Occupational, Speech and Respiratory therapy. Respite and Long-term care services also available. 508.998.7807 • TheOaksMa.com 4525 Acushnet Ave. • New Bedford, MA 55604

Lees

IS MORE

by Sean McCarthy

If you need something on the go, want to take something home, do your grocery shopping, or just sit down and enjoy a bite to eat, Lees Market is unmatched for its service, quality, and variety.

With two kitchens, a café, a deli, a bakery, a smokehouse, a liquor store, and an abundance of shelved items, Lees is continuing a tradition of excellence and community involvement that began 73 years ago.

“As an independent store we are unique,” says Tracy Anthony, owner of Lees Market. “We carry a lot of products that you don’t find in other stores. There’s many reasons to shop here – you can find many different items.”

And providing foods from throughout the region is a hallmark of this store. “We’re hyper-local,” Anthony says. “We have a lot of natural organic products from farmers and vendors in

Dartmouth, Westport, Little Compton, and throughout New England.”

“We take a lot of pride in finding items that people are looking for,” Anthony says. “If we don’t have something in stock, we’ll get it. If someone asks for something today, we’ll likely have it for them tomorrow. Because we’re independent we can turn on a dime. We don’t have the red tape of larger stores. If we want to add a new sandwich to our café or a new salad to the deli we can do it today.”

Lees has a reputation for quality foods. If you’re interested in having breakfast or lunch, their Blue Lobster Café has a seating area. Their kitchens offer items such as rotisserie chickens and their ever popular pot pies. On weekends they prepare smoked ribs. If you’re interested in a full meal to take home, their variety of items includes things such as meatloaf, chicken salad, and Shrimp Mozambique with

potatoes, vegetables, and rice. Their bakery offers a bevy of items made from scratch, and they have a Popcorn Hut with a variety of flavors. There is an array of beverages, including a coffee lineup that features lattes and espressos.

“We have a lot of products that go well together,” Anthony says. “We have a lot of cheeses that go well with some of the fine wines that we carry. There’s a lot of opportunities for customers.”

Modern convenience

Lees’ commitment to customers includes online ordering with its’ “Groceries To Go” option. Four days a week the store will deliver groceries to your home, and seven days a week you can pre-order your items online and pick them up at the store. There are minimum amounts for pickups and deliveries.

Lees enjoys playing a charitable

a convenient one-stop opportunity for all of your culinary needs and edible interests.

role in the community. They sponsor educational field trips for fifth-grade students in the Westport school system, in addition to running the Community Partners Program, which is a fundraiser for local non-profit organizations such as churches, schools, and more.

And the Lees experience takes children into account – the store includes a giant fish tank that can occupy the attention of young people. They also offer an entertaining and engaging Lego display where children find a hidden character for a chance to win a prize.

“We want to be a pleasant, positive shopping experience,” Anthony says. “Customer service is first and foremost, and our staff is very attentive to our customers. We want to be helpful and give people what they need. Hopefully our customers are excited when they’re shopping here.”

Anthony purchased Lees Market in 2014 from Albert Lees III, who opened the store in 1949. It is located at 796 Main Road in Westport. Anthony also owns Clements Marketplace, with locations in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, and Plymouth. For more information, visit leesmarket.com.

“We have a lot of natural organic products from farmers and vendors in Dartmouth, Westport, Little Compton, and throughout New England.”

EATINGfresh & local

What’s so special about a dairy farm this time of year?

According to Shauna Ferry, co-owner of Westport Dairy, “Spring and Summer is so busy on the farm: we’re prepping the land, then planting, then cutting hay throughout the summer, all while maintaining the farm and milking the cows.

“Fall is also busy, but it’s the growing season coming to an end, the corn you planted in the spring comes to fruition and it's finally time to cut it and store it away for the winter. Harvest is an exciting time of year for many farmers because it’s the final hustle; it's almost time to breathe out and relax a little.”

Ferry and her husband, Andrew, own and operate Westport Dairy as well as Pine Hill Dairy (also in Westport). The two own a herd of 100 cows, milking 40 of them twice a day at their Pine Hill Dairy location.

Andrew Ferry is a fourthgeneration dairy farmer and

has been milking cows since he was 15.

“Andrew’s dad had a herd of 300-400 at one time – he would wholesale his milk to co-ops like Dairy Farmers of America (DFA). It was a lucrative business at that time, but the dairy industry changed, and milk prices started to decline slowly.

Andrew knew that in order to keep milking cows and maintain a dairy farm, he would have to grow and add value added products.”

In 2012, Andrew did just that, becoming certified to sell raw milk off the farm, the interest in raw milk grew over several years, and it is now a huge hit in and around the community.

“Our milk is tested frequently and for us to be able to sell raw milk, we need to meet rigid standards put in place by the state. Our bacteria counts must be minimal, so we have really good milk, which gave us the drive to open our dairy. We

wanted to be able to bottle more of our milk rather than send all that wasn’t used for raw milk to DFA.” Ferry said. Westport Dairy uses vat or batch pasteurization to pasteurize their milk. “It gently brings the milk up to 145 degrees where we hold it for 35 minutes. This type of pasteurization helps to maintain the nutrients and delicious taste of the milk.”

According to Ferry, vat pasteurization is much less common than other methods such as High-Temperature Short-Time (HTST) and Ultra High Temperature (UHT), but this gentler process gives the milk a smoother, creamier taste. In addition to milk, which comes in plain, chocolate, and coffee flavors, Westport Dairy also makes their own line of drinkable yogurts in a variety of flavors. “It’s a popular item, with a clean taste and minimal ingredients. My daughter is two and she loves it.”

Ferry is proud of how much the dairy has grown and the support they’ve received. “It’s a great feeling to milk our cows, then take that milk and make products with it that people really love and come back for each week, sometimes every few days! We dreamt of this for so long so to finally be living it is a great feeling.”

The Ferry family have several goals for the future, one of which is to bring the milking facility back to the home farm on Gifford Road, with an observation window to allow families the ability to watch the cows being milked. Regarding products, frozen yogurt and unique milk flavors could be on the horizon. “We’re excited to continue to learn and grow.”

The Westport Dairy store is located at 729 Gifford Road and is open MondaySaturday 8:30 to 5:30; closed on Sundays. For more information, visit their Facebook page.

Andrew, Shauna and Maia Ferry

Local fare

A lot of what South Coast area farms produce ends up in a place where locally grown ingredients are an important part of what's offered: Kate's Simple Eats , at 148 Front Street in Marion.

Owner Kate Ross said her cafe, which has been a fixture in Marion for eight years, uses local farm ingredients whenever possible in a menu that features homemade soups, artisan salads, and gourmet sandwiches. “What we focus on is serving healthy lunches," she said. “Organic pea shoots from Jonathan Sprouts in Rochester, locally grown tomatoes in the summer, and apples in the fall. I want to do lunch… and do it well.”

The result of this focus? "We've developed a great relationship with our customers," Ross said. "People know that they’re going to consistently get fresh, healthy food in a friendly environment. An ingredient that we take as seriously as the food is the atmosphere. You’ll always get a friendly smile, a few laughs, and an occasional song sung from the open kitchen. Kate’s is a happy place which is just as healthy as one of our delicious salads!”

Kate's most popular items are the turkey club made with thick-cut applewood smoked bacon, and their signature “superfood salad.” The latter includes all “superfood” ingredients: fresh baby spinach, red onions, tomatoes, avocado, sweet potato, black beans, quinoa, and toasted almonds with their homemade jalapeño lime dressing. “It’s healthy and filling, as it’s packed with fiber and protein.”

Ross said the cafe tries to play with the ingredients that are at its disposal to bring “flavorful palettes together to make up our menu. We go local with our ingredients whenever possible, especially with our specials."

For more information visit katessimpleeats.com.

We offer a wide variety of products such as hay, shavings, several types of feed, as well as landscaping materials. In addition to our organic lawn care line we also offer 9 types of 100% bark mulch and several different options for stone, to spruce up your home landscape. We also have loam, compost and a 50/50 mix that is just right for reparing or starting a new lawn or garden.

THINGS TO DO

PERMISSION TO hoard

by Rona Trachtenberg

As a professional organizer, I wince at even hearing or using the uncompassionate word “hoarding,” which the Merriam-Webster Dictionary delicately defines as, “To collect and often hide away a supply of something.”

I am hoping that you can identify with this situation. Every time I go into my bathroom, I get to “admire” my six-tierhigh tower of toilet paper packages, my 19 boxes of gloves, my sacred cache of 15 paper towel rolls and four tissue boxes that I continually replenish when the amounts get low.

Am I a hoarder or just a stockpiler of necessities? I need to know.

I never used to be like this. It all started March 2020 when the Covid-19 crisis hit the fan. Supply and demand shopping made us all hunt and fight for that very

last roll of toilet paper on the almost empty and very depressing store shelves.

My father was a World War II veteran, who lived through the Great Depression of 1929. He passed away in 2013, but had he been alive today I am sure he would be experiencing PTSD from those days when basic living essentials were also scarce. He once shared a poignant childhood story about fruit (apples, oranges, and peaches) that were wrapped in a type of protective parchment paper before being stacked in a bin at the grocery store.

My father explained that, “Those wrappers were an extremely valuable possession because we re-purposed them as toilet paper.” In those days, folks got creative and did what they had to do to survive.

So, that brings us to the second decade of the 21st century and how our generation is coping with our prolonged shopping challenges.

I am creating my own tales of woe and wisdom. I will never forget that fateful day I waited patiently in line, in the hot summer sun, for two hours, just for the privilege of entering my local Walmart. To my great

surprise and amazement, there, situated at the end of an aisle, was an entire pallet of my favorite brand of paper towels. I thought I had sun stroke and was seeing a mirage. I grabbed three packages like I had won the lottery and made a football linebacker dash to the nearest cashier before Walmart changed its mind and relieved me of my prized possessions. I was fully prepared to challenge any other customer to a duel if they even thought about touching my cart.

I have repeated this scenario several times with all paper products and especially boxes of gloves as I am also a Certified Nursing Assistant and go through a LOT of gloves protecting myself and my patients. Harbor Freight used to sell my gloves for $8 a box. Since Covid-19, that same box skyrocketed to an exorbitant $20, and that is when they had any in stock. Highway robbery, I say. I have every nearby Harbor Freight store in my phone’s GPS and I used to visit each one regularly in the hope that I arrived right after their truck delivery.

And don’t think that my passion for stockpiling is limited to just paper products. I am still having trouble finding my flavor of Cliff bars (oatmeal/raisin/

walnut) in any store. Organic Q-tips at Whole Foods are non-existent. And don't get me started on cat food. My finicky cat prefers only one flavor of one brand, which I have to order through Amazon and pay through the nose for because the shelves in Super Stop & Shop are relatively bare.

To date, whenever I am lucky enough to find the specific item I am looking for and need, I purchase multiples of that item in case that item goes extinct again and I have to wait months for a replacement. Have any of you experienced this same frustration and insecurity?

Some days I feel like I am just one can of peas away from becoming one of those doomsday apocalypse survivalists preparing to live in an underground bunker.

Stuff on stuff

Are these actions and thoughts normal? I needed to know, so I contacted two mental health professionals.

Nancy F. Brown, a Clinical Social Worker/Therapist, LICSW in New Bedford, offered this sage advice, “It sounds like the difficulties in production and delivery during the pandemic and since have heightened your awareness of scarcity. You are stockpiling. Many people were doing that at the beginning of the pandemic. Is this normal, you ask? These last two-plus years do not feel normal for many people. A definite departure from their pre-COVID life. However, stockpiling and mask wearing and staying home more is normal for many people now.”

While Brown explained that she isn’t an expert on hoarding, she was able to clarify that, “Hoarding behavior is when a person has difficulty discarding or parting with possessions because of a perceived need to save them. People that hoard experience distress at the thought of getting rid of items. It is not

based on the financial value of the item. You can imagine the excess that can accumulate. It can make a space unsafe, unsanitary, inhibit a person’s ability to take care of their activities of daily living (ADL), and can often create bad relationships

with family members or friends trying to help them get rid of stuff. Hoarders don’t see the stuff as a problem. It is a difficult diagnosis to treat.”

Okay, so at least I now know that I am not a hoarder. Great.

My second mental health opinion came from Bonnie Baker, LCSW, a crisis/ trauma therapist in Florida.

“Everyone experiences fear and anxiety to Covid in different ways.

People who have had preexisting mental health conditions might find that their symptoms have exacerbated. Overstimulation from the media/news can create more panic and fear, as well as the unstable economy, isolation, and uncertainty in the world. A lot of insurance companies have waived the co-pay for tele-health due to an increase in those suffering because those folks could benefit from a therapy consultation.”

Baker suggested that my 60 cans of cat food might be a tad excessive. I defensively countered with the photo of the semi-empty shelves in the supermarket. I admitted that I have fear and anxiety. Baker’s recommendation was, “Take a look at the root of my anxiety and explore ways to cope better with my symptoms, which could be therapy, meditation, spirituality, or even exercise.”

Looking at my six tier-high tower of toilet paper packages, my 19 boxes of gloves, my sacred cache of 15 paper towel rolls and four tissue boxes that I continually replenish, I now think it might be time for me to transition, let go, and just survive one day at a time.

applications

Coast

To date, whenever I am lucky enough to find the specific item I am looking for and need, I purchase multiples of that item in case that item goes extinct again and I have to wait months for a replacement.

Pass the posts

by Paul Kandarian

One of the very few good things about social media is coming across old posts you’ve made.

In early October, I came across one that made me sad at the time, but happy now and quite grateful in this, the mandated month of gratitude. I know because there’s a name for it, that of course being Thanksgiving. It was a post from 10 years ago. My son, Paul, was in the Army, infantry – boots-onthe-ground, kill-or-be-killed kinda job – and I’d just driven him back to Fort Drum in upstate New York after a few days home. I wrote that I missed him already, and hadn’t seen him in months, and how the instant we get together after time apart, we ease into that seamless way of fathers and sons of busting each other’s chops, making fun of one another while never losing sight of the face we mean the world to each other.

He was winding down his Army career. The year before, he’d gone to Afghanistan, and saw and did things no young human should ever have to. I’ve said it before: if the men and women who send our boys and girls to war had to go themselves, there’d be no damn wars.

Before he went, he fought his own war – addiction – and beat it down, only to return home with wounds you never see and fell down the rabbit hole again. I refuse to use the war as an excuse, but it is a reason. He came back, fell hard, got up again, and with the help of the muchmaligned but lifesaving Veterans’ Administration and mostly his own inner strength, he got sober and has been in long-term recovery ever since.

Now he's counseling young folks at a middle school in New Hampshire and is in a far better frame of mind than I've seen him in a long time – not surprising given his compassionate nature and a former addict’s desire to give back by helping. This is a weird time of year. It’s that holiday season with its fine line between happy and sad, with memories of joyous holidays of the past blended with the sadness of the loss of those who gave you those memories.

I tread that fine line every year. I’m not sure what the definition of an “empath” is, but I guess it’s those of us who feel greatly, good or bad, happy or sad. When we feel up, we’re explosively up, and when it grumbles down the other way, our sadness is exacerbated, be it real

or imagined, and even the sadness of others. I can’t watch sad news, especially that involving children. It hurts too much and the ache it leaves can be crippling, at least for a little while. Maybe it’s because I unwittingly put myself in the place of those families and their unimaginable pain.

I guess that could be called bipolar, I don’t know. I get the feeling we’ve all got a little bipolar in us, which tends to ramp up this time of year. But then the wisdom of aging, one of the few things good about getting older, makes one realize: hell, we’re all different, all 8 billion-plus of us, and we can feel however we want.

But in this month of giving thanks, I give thanks for my son being my son, and ditto for my daughter, the best mom on the planet, and of course thanks for the son she has, my grandson Mikey, in whom, now and forever, the sun rises and

sets in my loving eyes. She is raising him as a single mom and is doing a singularly incredible job; motherhood is unquestionably the most difficult and important job a human could have.

Sometimes I run across my old social media posts about Mikey. My words, a photo or 10, maybe a video clip, and I cry again as I did when originally posting. They say that whenever you feel down, think of something that brings you absolute joy. Mikey is that something. Never fails to boost my mood, no matter how lousy. I’m lucky because he’s at the tail end of being seven and while still in the blissful stage of adoring his grandpa, he is showing signs of independence that means he’ll always love me but may

not be as demonstrative about it with his hugs and kisses. That’s fine. That’s growing up.

Me, I’ll always be about the hugs and kisses even when they’re not cool and he pushes them away because soon enough, he’ll get old enough to realize it’s cool to welcome them back.

Gratitude is a funny thing. If you practice it (and I struggle sometimes to remember to do that), it elicits the happy part of your heart and soul, and come what may, you smile through. And this aging thing, as I go down the path of life that was wide open a long time ago and now seems to narrow like arteries as we get older, has given me the wisdom to realize how important that is.

Hawthorn Medical Welcomes New Physicians

Arrey,

Medicine

Aileen Souza, MD

Medicine

Wynter, MD

STEADFAST

Values Create Real Value

Imagine, living in a beautiful New England country inn that overlooks scenic Mount Hope Bay. Discover a carefree senior lifestyle that provides a wonderful new feeling of comfort and security. Contrary to living alone in a large oversized house, especially when assistance is needed, the “Inn” at Clifton can be significantly less worrisome and less expensive. At the “Inn” we have no typical apartments—each one is different and prices do vary according to apartment size, location and specific features.

Imagine, living ina beautiful New England countryinn that overlooks scenic Mount Hope Bay.Discover a carefree senior lifestyle that provides a wonderful new feeling of comfort and security. Contrary to living alone in a large oversizedhouse, especiallywhen assistanceis needed, the “Inn” at Clifton can be significantlyless worrisome and less expensive. At the “Inn” we have no typical apartments—eachone is different and prices do varyaccording to apartment size, locationand specific features.

When compared to other assisted living communities, the “Inn” offers so much more. Clifton’s almost all-inclusive rates consist of amenities that many other facilities charge extra for, including.......

When compared to other assisted living communities, the “Inn” offers so much more. Clifton’s almost all-inclusive rates consist of amenities that manyotherfacilities charge extra for, including.......