Yankee Shopper by Hersam Acorn

Yankee

www.yankeeshopperonline.com

Shopper

We Don’t Sell Advertising… We Sell Results!

July 8, 2010

Guide to the Inside Crossword......................... Page 14 Business & Services ......... Page 10 Classiﬁeds ........................... Page 2 Real Estate ........................ Page 13

��

Auto ................................... Page 12 Help Wanted..................... Page 12

��

�

��

�

editorial email yankee@hersamacornma.com

��

advertising email art@hersamacornma.com

��

Editorial Deadline: 20th at noon the month before publication.

��

Classiﬁed Deadline: Tuesday, July 20, 2010

��

Display Deadline: Tuesday, July 20, 2010

��

Manager’s Memo

��

Happy July! Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer so far. I have learned two things to be true this last month, that when it rains it pours and you don’t have anything if you don’t have your health. I feel like once I hit 40 years old I have been falling apart at rapid speed. After months of testing I found out that I have Celiac Disease, which I had never heard of in my life. Come to find out it is very common, 1 in 133 people have CD. So I had to begin a 100% gluten free lifestyle immediately.

20 Cleveland Road Dalton, Massachusetts 01226 413.684.1373 Fax 413.684.0607 Classiﬁed 888.307.0839 editorial email yankee@hersamacornma.com advertising email art@hersamacornma.com ■

Renee Tassone, General Manager Linda Devlin, Circulation Manager Sarah Masiero, Advertising Sales Sheryl Gibson, Advertising Sales Carrie Devlin, Advertising Sales Melissa Miller, Art Director Mary A. Garcia, Artist Jen Hathaway, Artist Chris Sobolowski, Artist ■

Editorial Deadline*: 20th of Each Month Prior Classiﬁed Deadline*: 20th of Each Month Prior Display Deadline*: 20th of Each Month Prior

This has been a difficult and overwhelming transition, the hardest part is giving up my Miller Lite. I am still searching for a gluten free beer that I can tolerate but most are too heavy for me. I did find one that was not bad called New Grist but it is very hard Renee Tassone, to find around here. It has been tough because we like to eat out General Manager and get take-out often. Our children are older and in college so we have gotten used to a lifestyle of beer and take-out. I am working hard at changing all of that. I have been totally gluten free for two weeks and I already feel better. I have more energy than I have had in years, and I have lost a little weight already. Our daughter is actually being tested for CD because she has many symptoms as well and it is hereditary. I am not finding it easy to be gluten free. There is gluten in most products, especially carbohydrates, which I love. I am also finding that it is very expensive to be gluten free, $6.98 for a small loaf of bread! I am used to paying 89 cents. Wild Oats in Williamstown and Spice N’ Nice in Bennington I find have the best gluten free selection and it helps that I have found a lot of information on the internet. If any of our readers have Celiac or need to be on a gluten free diet, I would love to hear from you. continued on page 4

*Deadlines will change due to Holidays. See special deadline notices published before major holidays. ■

Submission Guidelines: Those wishing to submit event listings or editorial content may email yankee@hersamacornma.com. ■

Notice: The Yankee Shopper will not knowingly accept or publish advertising which is fraudulent or misleading in nature. The publisher reserves the sole right to edit, revise, or reject any and all advertising, with or without cause being assigned, which in the publisher’s judgement is contrary to the interests of this publication. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. ©2008, Hersam Acorn Newspapers. All contents of the Yankee Shopper are copyrighted, and any reproduction without permission is prohibited.

Martin Hersam, Chief Operating Ofﬁcer Thomas B. Nash, Publisher

Yankee Shopper

July 8, 2010

��

�� July 8, 2010

Yankee Shopper

...Manager’s Memo...

POLISH PICNIC 2010 at St. Joseph Church, Pittsﬁeld, MA

continued from page 2 I mentioned when it rains it pours because last month my husband was going to work and his whole right side became numb and tingly. He spent the night in CCU and they were convinced he had a mini stroke (TIA). Since then he has been to numerous doctors and has undergone tons of tests. All tests were coming up fine until last week when he had an EEG and it showed a small area on the left side of his brain that is susceptible to seizures, so now they diagnosed him as having epilepsy. I am convinced it was an allergic reaction to quinine, but the doctors do not want to listen to that. We see an allergist later this week to see if there is any truth to my theory. In the mean time UPS will not allow him to go back to work until they figure out what happened that morning. If it was a seizure, he cannot drive for them anymore. Every day it seems we are off to see another doctor for an appointment or another test. I hope our summer gets better soon. We hope you enjoy this publication.As always we encourage your feedback. Feel free to send us your press releases to yankee@hersamacornvt. com or berkshire@hersamacornvt.com.

Renee Tassone, General Manager

The Polish Picnic will again be held this year at St. Joseph Church, Pittsfield, Massachusetts on Sunday, July 18 from 12 noon to 6 p.m. For many years the Polish Picnic has been a huge success with a large attendance. The plan for this year’s event is to maintain this success. Admission is free. Polish and American food and drinks may be purchased. Frozen Polish food can be purchased starting at 9:00 a.m. The hot meals will be available at 12:00 noon. The Polish foods include kielbasa, kapusta, golumpki and pierogi. Also for sale will be hotdogs, hamburgers, beer, wine, soda and various desserts. Various raffles will be made available along with a lottery ticket tree. Entertainment for listening and dancing will be provided during this event by “The Rymanowski Brothers” of Albany, New York. A Kiddy Land with Mr. Bouncy Bounce and games for prizes will be set up to entertain the younger members of your family. Bring your lawn chair for an afternoon of fun and enjoyment.

��

Yankee Shopper

July 8, 2010

Annual Kickball Tournament

Choco-holics Unite!

Great Barrington, MA - Community Health Programs (CHP) will hold its 1st Annual Kickball Tournament on Saturday, July 31 from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Olympian Meadows (Little League Fields)on Route 7 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Co-ed Teams will be comprised of 8 to 13 people. Cost is $100 per team to play, pre-registration by July 19 required. Maximum 16 teams, so register early. Also, there will be a barbecue and children’s activities. All proceeds will benefit Community Health Programs. Contact Kate at 413-528-9311 x.2130 for team registration, volunteer opportunities, or to sponsor a field and/or donate to the barbecue. CHP’s mission is to provide quality health care and wellness services to people of all ages in southern and central Berkshire County regardless of their insurance status, immigrant status, or ability to pay. CHP has served Berkshire County since 1975, when it was founded as Children’s Health Program, a pediatric health clinic. In 2000, the agency obtained federal designation for its health center, opening its doors to adults and elders as Community Health Programs. Today, CHP serves over 10,000 people of all ages via nine programs: two Federally Qualified Health Centers – in Great Barrington and in Pittsfield; CHP Family Support Services (comprised of CHP First Steps, our early intervention program; CHP Family Network, providing educational playgroups for children age 0-5 throughout our service area and parent education and social support; and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) providing healthy food and nutrition education to eligible families); CHP Dental Center, a comprehensive dental practice, opened in 2008; CHP Barrington OB/GYN, comprehensive women’s health care services; the South Berkshire Youth Coalition, working to reduce substance abuse among youth; and a federally funded Care Coordination Program offering preventive cancer screenings for women 40-64 yrs old.

Everyone is invited to a decadent Chocolate Circus on Saturday, June 19 from 6-9 p.m. at the First Congregational Church of Williamstown, Massachusetts. The $10 admission buys all the chocolate dippers (fruit, marshmallows, cookies, pretzels, etc.) you can eat and one surprise divine dessert. Music will be playing and two chocolate fountains – milk and dark – will be flowing. The tables will groan with chocolate candies and desserts, as well as non-chocolate goodies for sale. As you munch, browse and bid on the ticket raffle and silent auction of wonderful prizes donated by local merchants and artists. There is no guilt in enjoying this delicious buffet of chocolate treats because this event is a fundraiser for the Youth Group Mission Trip to the United Church of Christ Synod in July of 2011. The First Congregational Church is located at 906 Main Street (Rt. 2) in Williamstown. The church is fully handicap accessible and parking is available behind the building off Chapin Hall Drive. For more information call the church office 413-458-4273 or e-mail Christine Noble Drosehn at youth@firstchurchwilliamstown.org

��

July 8, 2010

Yankee Shopper

From my Corner

barely take out my wallet once I put it in the purse. No matter the size, the bag/purse I carry becomes “the garage” within a week.

...my purse, a.k.a. the garage...

It’s like the front seat of my car. Another problem that I have. Right now there are three coffee cups sitting on the passenger seat. I’m going to remember to bring them in tonight. I promise myself that!

— by Susan J. Coons

We had a two-car garage attached to our house when we lived in Pasadena, California. We could get both cars in the garage when we first moved in. Very soon half of the garage was taken up with a lawn mower, yard tools, a refrigerator and a workbench. But our Chevy could still fit if it was driven right down the middle. That’s where all the space was. Over the years that space shrank down to an aisle for walking. We didn’t have an attic or basement for the kinds of things one puts away and doesn’t look at for years or decades, so it ended up in the garage. Yup, it was a dark mess! (Much like our attic and basement are now.) Let me fast forward to last week. My daughter asked me if I had any eyedrops. I said “Sure. They’re in my purse!” What I should have said was “Sure, they’re in the garage!” My purse is a mess. It doesn’t matter if I use a bag big enough to carry a small dog, or something so little I can

I so admire women who are organized, calm, sophisticated, wear gold jewelry, and not a hair out of place...that is so not me. I thought I would have myself together by the time I was 30. It still hasn’t happened! I attended the Opening Day of Croquet at Park-McCullough House in North Bennington last week. I was the first person to help themselves at the hors d’oeuvres table. While balancing a drink on a plate in my left hand and my purse dangling on my arm, I reached across the table for the mustard jar. I knocked over the toothpicks in the process, which didn’t go unnoticed. A tall, well-dressed woman (wearing gold jewelry) announced that “The toothpicks have already been knocked over.” With left arm held up at eye level, balancing plate, drink, sandwich, and purse dangling, I managed to pick up the toothpicks and put them back into the little jar. I stayed away from the hors d’oeuvres after that incident and stuck close to the continued on page 7

★★

Yankee Shopper

★★

July 8, 2010

...my purse, a.k.a. the garage... continued from page 6 bar and fruit tray. Several years ago I had a really nice brown leather bag. It held everything including my lunch. I carried drawing pencils, kneaded erasers, little jars of ink, Crow Quill pens, and drawing pads as well as all the other things one carries including my wallet, hairbrush, lipstick, glasses, receipts, a book, hand mirror, keys, and two pounds of loose change. The bag wore very well until I set it too close to a candle that I had lighted on my desk. Right now I’m carrying a Liz Claiborne bag. It’s only about 10 inches up and down and sideways. I cleaned it out Saturday and it’s fast approaching the state of “mess.” In my purse today are: right side; drawing pencil, pen, glass repair kit (which Chris Sobolowski uses to repair computer things); middle section; 85 cents in change, one battered dollar, eye drops, lipstick, nail clippers, keys, an inahler, two pens, my wallet, two receipts, a shopping list, cell phone and second pair of glasses; left side; several discount cards that will allow me to make a killing at Lane Bryant, one sheet of postage stamps (shelter pets), two more pens, three additional receipts, two wrinkled up dollar bills and my keys.

...by the way... Try to participate in some of the “Season of Mystery” events around Bennington when you have a chance. There are some wonderful things planned, mostly free, such as outdoor movies at the Bennington Museum, Sherlock Holmes Radio Theater on WBTN, scavenger hunts, events at the Bennington Free Library, a wide selection of mystery books are available at the Bennington Bookshop, enjoy mystery martinis at Kevin’s Sports Pub in North Bennington, and come out to the Park-McCullough House for Sherlock Holmes mystery plays being read on the veranda, and a real evening of mystery in August. For a complete schedule of events, go to www.bennington.com/mystery. Season of Mystery pint glasses and coffee mugs are available at the TriState Pennysaver News, 109 South Street, Bennington, Vermont.

��

July 8, 2010

Yankee Shopper

Riding the Social Media Wave: A User’s Guide to Web-Based Communication (ARA) - Who is using social media? What is it exactly? When and where do people tweet, post and blog? Why do people engage in social media?

of Web Design and Interactive Media at The Illinois Institute of Art - Schaumburg. He recommends pointers from www.kodak.com as a guide to social media beginners. Some favorites follow.

Social media is everywhere. It encompasses blogs, social networks (such as Twitter, Facebook and MySpace), professional networking avenues such as LinkedIn, and creative sites like Flickr, a photography-sharing web site. People such as the teenager next door, grandma and celebrities are using social media outlets. Remember when Conan O’Brien made news by first breaking his recent public silence on Twitter? Did you know that there are more than 300 million active Facebook users who post nearly 1 billion photos monthly to their accounts? Additionally, it would take 7,000 years for all the photos on Flickr to be developed at a one-hour photo!

* Know what you are talking about. If you are going to work with

People use social media for a variety of reasons. What role does social media play in your life? What role should it play?

social media, be involved in social media. Start your own Twitter account, Facebook page, read blogs and get engaged. That is the best way to understand the culture, tone, best practices, and protocol.

“The savvy social media user will know how to maximize social media use for their benefit,” explains Ted Long, academic director

Yankee Shopper

continued on page 9

July 8, 2010

Riding the Social Media Wave: A User’s Guide to Web-Based Communication Jackson advises:

continued from page 8 * Always be transparent. When you are communicating in social media say who you are and who you work for. Don’t try to be sneaky and plant comments, don’t hire people to go out and say nice things about you and stay away from ghost writing. Be genuine and be real.

* You can lock your profile, but remember that a lot of information can be derived simply by looking at your profile picture. * Keep one clean profile per social media site. Don’t bother having two profiles, one for friends and one professional.

* Post frequently. It’s a lot of work, but don’t post to your blog then leave it for two weeks. Readers won’t have a reason to follow you on Twitter or check your blog if they can’t expect new content regularly.

* LinkedIn is for professional networking and shouldn’t be used in the same manner that you use Facebook or MySpace, unless all of your social media profiles are business appropriate.

* Add value. Share tips, tricks and insights. People’s time is precious and they need to get something out of the time they spend with you. Make listening to you worth their time.

* Employers (and potential employers) really do check your social networking sites. Spell correctly, use proper grammar and don’t be vulgar or degrading to others.

* Respond. Answer questions, thank people even if it’s just a few words. Make it a two-way conversation.

Social media has revolutionized the way we communicate, leaving many who don’t use it feeling out of touch. To begin, start slow, learn as you go, and remember to represent yourself in a way that is appropriate for the world to see. Then you too can experience the benefits of being more connected than ever before.

* Have fun. If you don’t like what you are doing, others will notice it and won’t enjoy interacting with you. Vanessa Jackson, assistant director of career services at The Illinois Institute of Art - Schaumburg, reminds users that social media should always be appropriate for a professional setting.“Social networking sites are like the invention of fire for the 21st century. There is great power, possibility and functionality, but use it improperly and you can burn yourself,” cautions Jackson.

To learn more about The Art Institutes schools, visit www.artinstitutes.edu/nz. Courtesy of ARAcontent

��

�� July 8, 2010

Yankee Shopper

Creating Great Food Memories (ARA) - Your memory of real, flavorful, fresh food is a key tool for losing weight. At least that’s one of the intriguing claims in Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough’s new book, “Real Food Has Curves: How to Get off Processed Food, Lose Weight, and Love What You Eat.” We find pleasure in what we eat because we stock up those good memories of past real food. “You don’t get a lot of flavor depth in the processed stuff,” Scarbrough says. “And so you don’t develop many pleasure memories from it.” In fact, real food is the key to eating less, the authors say. For one thing, you’re satisfied more quickly with its big flavors. And more flavor means more good memories. And good memories lead us back to real food - a loop of health and nutrition. Scarbrough’s mom’s mac-and-cheese is still in his recipe repertoire, all these years later. “She never made the processed stuff; she only made the real thing,” he says. “And so I crave it, want it - and feel wonderfully satisfied when I eat it.”

food with delicious California dairy products. Plus, this recipe is a simple, healthful way to start your journey to better eating - with good memories in every bite. Skillet Macaroni and Cheese This isn’t a baked casserole, but a skillet supper, quick and easy. It’s got lots of flavors and textures, all enhanced by real California dairy products. Makes 4 servings 6 ounces grated California Cheddar 2 ounces finely grated California dry jack 1 tablespoon unsalted California butter 1 small yellow onion, chopped

It doesn’t get much more real than dairy from California, a state with a rich heritage of producing and providing high-quality agricultural products for the whole country. What’s more, 99 percent of California dairy farms are family-owned, many for generations. “That’s so important to me, a child of family farmers,” Scarbrough says.

6 ounces cremini or white button mushrooms, sliced

If you’re looking to make some real memories in your house, try this souped-up version of mac-and-cheese from Weinstein and Scarbrough’s new book. You’ll know you’re celebrating America’s rich heritage of real

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour 3 cups low-fat or fat-free California milk

1 tablespoon minced tarragon leaves or 2 teaspoons dried tarragon

Yankee Shopper

July 8, 2010

Directions 1. Mix the Cheddar and dry jack in a medium bowl. Set aside. 2. Melt the butter in a large, high-sided, oven-safe skillet. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about three minutes. 3. Add the mushrooms and cook until they release their liquid, it comes to a simmer, and then reduces by about 2/3, about five minutes. 4. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables in the skillet. Stir well to coat. 5. Whisk in the milk in a steady, thin stream until creamy. Then whisk in the mustard, tarragon, salt and pepper. Continue whisking until the mixture starts to bubble and the liquid thickens, about three minutes. 6. Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in 3/4 of the mixed cheeses until smooth. Then stir in the cooked pasta and broccoli.

1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 8 ounces dried, whole wheat pasta shells (not the large ones for s tuffing), cooked and drained according to the package instructions 4 cups broccoli florets and stems

7. Preheat the broiler after setting the rack 4 to 6 inches from the heat source. Meanwhile, sprinkle the remaining cheese over the ingredients in the skillet. Set the skillet on the rack and broil until light browned and bubbling, about five minutes. (If your skillet has a plastic or wooden handle, make sure it sticks outside the oven, out from under the broiler, so the handle doesn’t melt.) Cool five to 10 minutes before dishing up. Courtesy of ARAcontent ��

��

�� July 8, 2010

Yankee Shopper

��

Yankee Shopper

July 8, 2010

��

PAYMENT INFORMATION

�� ❑ ��❑ ��❑ ��

��

July 8, 2010

Yankee Shopper

��

Yankee Shopper

��

�� July 8, 2010

��

�� July 8, 2010

Yankee Shopper

��

Yankee Shopper

July 8, 2010