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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
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FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 2016
VOL. 85 NO. 90
“Come at once,
Help ‘lift’ vets with this 5K Run/Walk
Leveling was an important last step to the conduit where netting will hang in the weeks ahead.
Raised garden beds to flourish this spring By LORI SZEPELAK Correspondent WESTFIELD — A $250 Farm to School grant is expanding the importance of nutrition this spring to students in Claire Adam’s third grade class at Munger Hill Elementary School. The grant, awarded by the Massachusetts Teachers Association, was secured by David Dion, an instructor in the Horticulture Technology Program at Westfield Technical Academy. Dion has been visiting Adams’ class for several weeks on Thursday afternoons on his own time, discussing seed planting, sun exposure, shade, water sources and the importance of good soil to cultivate a healthy crop. The focus of the grant program is to address the importance of nutrition to child health as well as to learn what is being done at the federal level and in Massachusetts to improve school food, connect food service programs with local growers and producers, and help students learn about nutrition and healthy eating habits. On the afternoon of April 14, Dion drove up to the north side of the school and children lined up to help him unload all of the materials that would be needed to construct raised garden beds that will shelter the seedlings students will plant once they return
Carolyn Duval, a senior at Westfield State University, works with students on the grid construction.
Claire Adams hands out materials to students before construction of the raised garden beds begins.
from their school break. Materials ranged from boards, screws and pipe to pipe connectors, carriage bolts with washers and nuts and garden netting. Tools that were unloaded included a power screw driver with safety glasses, tape measure, combination wrench, flat head screw driver, rubber mallet, shovels and a level. “This is the day we have been waiting for all these weeks,” said Adams to her enthusiastic group of students. Student’s eyes lit up as soon as Dion corralled the group of students together to get their attention and to keep them focused on the project at hand. “This looks like fun,” said Kirsten, while Angel exclaimed “this is awesome.” Once all of the materials were neatly placed in groups of three sections, students followed simple instructions to construct their garden bed. Dion demonstrated how each instruction needed to be followed, and then led by Adams and Carolyn Duval, a student teacher who is graduating from Westfield State University this spring, within an hour the three garden beds had been pieced together with a smile of accomplishment from all of the participants. “This project is important because it See Farm to School, Page 3
By LORI SZEPELAK Correspondent WESTFIELD – Lee Clink is on a mission – to secure as many gym memberships as possible for veterans. Clink is organizing a 5K Run/Walk on June 25 with proceeds to benefit the nonprofit organization Lift For The 22. “On average, 22 veterans commit suicide every day due to a flawed transitional system when they return to civilian life,” said Clink. “The main idea of this organization is that giving these free gym memberships to veterans gives them a positive outlet, a way to meet other veterans, and to work through their problems in a positive way.” Clink noted that Lift For The 22 hopes this new positive outlet “will help keep these veterans from ever thinking about suicide.” “We are working with local gyms as sponsors, already collecting free one-year memberships,” said Clink. Ultimately, Clink would like to see a local chapter of the organization based in Westfield. “A lot of my friends have deployed, and there is always the chance that one of their friends might See Veterans, Page 3
A Westfield 5K Run/Walk to benefit Lift For The 22 is slated June 25. Lee Clink, center, is spearheading the endeavor and is supported by, left to right, State Rep. John Velis, Mike Puza, representing the Westfield Elks, Brian Boldini, Exalted Ruler, Westfield Elks, and Mayor Brian Sullivan.
Pilgrim Virgin Statue to visit Westfield Once in a lifetime opportunity for the faithful
Alicia Belanger of Saint Peter & Saint Casimir Church in Westfield encourages area residents to visit the church on April 25 when the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima stops on its U.S. tour of peace.
By LORI SZEPELAK Correspondent WESTFIELD-An epic journey is underway for the World Apostolate of Fatima’s United States Tour of Peace with a stop at Saint Peter & Saint Casimir Church on State Street on April 25. The historic tour, marking the 100th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima, Portugal, will feature the worldfamous International Pilgrim Virgin Statue. The tour is titled “Fatima Centennial U.S. Tour for Peace: 100 Years – 100 Dioceses.” Alicia Belanger, a parish council member, discovered only a month ago that there were still two openings in Massachusetts to host the statue. “I heard about the tour and with two dates still open, we locked one in immediately,” said Belanger. “It was meant for her to come here.” Belanger added that this event is part of Saint Peter’s 100th anniversary celebration, as
well as one of its Year of Mercy programs. Saint Casimir Church will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2018. The tour includes 50 states and will be an extraordinary occasion of healing, hope, and grace, noted Belanger. The journey across the country is to allow Our Lady of Fatima, the Queen of Peace, to claim her dominion over the United States and to bring the message of Fatima to a world in need, according to event organizers. The tour began March 21, the 100th anniversary of the start of the first apparition of the Angel of Peace at Fatima, Portugal, and continues through December 2017, the centenary of the apparitions of Our Lady at Fatima. The tour is dedicated to the three shepherd children, Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta, visited at Fatima by Our Lady, on the 13th day of the months of May through October, 1917. Her message, imparted through specific requests, has become known as the Peace Plan from
Walk, Run, or Roll with us
Heaven. It is noted the Lord told Sister Lucia that he had placed the peace of the world in the Immaculate Heart. The Pilgrim Virgin Statue has visited more than 100 countries, bringing Mary’s powerful and timeless message of salvation and hope to millions. The purpose of the tour s is to bring Our Lady’s message of hope, peace and salvation to those many millions of people who may never have an opportunity to make a pilgrimage to Fatima itself. Countless favors and graces have been reported wherever the Virgin Statue has traveled. The world famous statue was sculpted in 1947 by sculptor Jose Thedim. The image reflects the precise instructions of Sister Lucia. Her desire was that the pilgrim image represent Our Lady’s position when she revealed herself as the Immaculate Heart to the shepherds in 1917. In the presence of hundreds of thousands of pilgrims at Fatima, the statue was blessed by the Bishop of Fatima on Oct. 13, 1947. It was the second “twin” statue commissioned as the Pilgrim Virgin that would carry the blessings of Fatima to the West, while the first statue, commissioned on See Pilgrim Virgin Statue, Page 5
Saturday, April 30, 2016 Stanley Park, Westfield
• 7:30 a.m. Registration – 9:00 a.m. Start Time • Register now at: BaystateNoble.org/5K • For questions please call Stephanie Johnson at 413-794-7853 or email Stephanie.Johnson@BaystateHealth.org
Pre-registration is recommended • Teams, Families, Schools, and Groups welcome too! CS1610847
BaystateNoble.org/5K