Worcester Magazine August 16 - 22, 2018

AUGUST 16 - 22, 2018 WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

NEWS • ARTS • DINING • NIGHTLIFE

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STRESSING the Point Worcester Fire Department embraces mindfulness

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A U G U S T 16 - 22, 2018

The edge on college admissions: Private vs. public high schools: When it comes to your child gaining acceptance to the college of their choice, where they went to high school may not be as important as how they performed while they were there. 12

in this issue A U G U S T 16 - 22, 2018 • V O L U M E 43 I S S U E 51

the cover

Stressing the Point: Worcester Fire Department embraces mindfulness Firefighters from left, Ben Dio, Drew Allain and Matt Petty get in a workout at the Park Ave Fire Station.

Story on page 16 Photo by Elizabeth Brooks, Design by Kimberly Vasseur

Art museum’s new artist-in-residency program will bring ‘healing’: At first blush, the new Southeast Asia Artist-in-Residency program at Worcester Art Museum is an opportunity for two visiting artists to learn and teach. It really is much more than that, according to one of the program collaborators. 24

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news

145 Front ‘excited’ to be part of Worcester’s growth BILL SHANER

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A U G U S T 16 - 22, 2018

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t’s not like anything available in the Worcester market. That was the line as officials from Roseland Development gave tours of the new luxury 145 Front at City Square apartment complex.

With a pool, grills, golf simulation room, full gym offering virtuallyguided workouts, reservable conference rooms and other amenities, the package is impressive and, likely, a step above any other apartment complex in Worcester.

But there’s another way it’s not like anything else in the Worcester market: the cost. At the low end, a studio apartment rents for about $1,450; at the high end, a two-three bedroom, two-bath unit, rents for $2,500. By comparison, the neighboring Grid apartment complex rents one-bedroom units at about $1,050 to $1,350, and a three-bedroom starts at $2,350.

Though the grand opening ceremony was held this week, Roseland has been leasing some of the apartments for several months.

With only one of the two buildings in the complex opened, they’ve signed leases for about half of the 237 rooms currently available. The second building, which will open in the coming months, boasts an additional 128 units, for a total of 365 rooms.

Dawn Curto, Roseland’s senior vice principal of operations, said leasing was slow at first, but it’s starting to catch on.

“We’re very happy,” said Curto.

“At the very beginning it went a little bit slower. I think people were shocked, they had sticker shock at the very beginning. Then they got here and they realized how beautiful it is. You get a lot when you live

here, you really do.”

Along with the pool, the bocce court and the game room, there are other, less flashy amenities that create the package. Curto said rent includes concierge service, cable and internet and parking.

“People are not used to seeing this in Worcester, you know” she said. “But then you come see it and you fall in love.”

The 145 Front St. project is often touted as one of the marquee pieces in the downtown development renaissance often cited by city officials. It is part of the wider CitySquare initiative, which seeks to transform the blocks around Front, Church and Franklin Street.

Also part of that initiative is the AC Marriott hotel, which opened earlier this year, and the parcel on which the soon-to-be-demolished Notre Dame church stands. The CitySquare project has been in the works in various forms since the early 2000s, and was sparked by a $65-million investment from the city and a $25-million investment from the state using District Improvement Financing tax incentives.

While 145 Front St. is open, the 10,000 square feet of street-facing retail space has yet to come online.

The company has landed some tenants, including Fidelity Bank, which will occupy the corner piece, and some storefronts are still listed for lease. As officials seek to build a neighborhood in the area, on the site of the old Worcester Galleria, the retail and restaurant piece is crucial, and it was referenced by city officials at the ribbon cutting Tuesday.

From left, City Manager Ed Augustus Jr., Roseland Development Senior VP of City Manager Ed Augustus Jr. Operations Dawn Curto and Mayor Joe Petty cut the ribbon officially opening the and Mayor Joe Petty were on hand 145 Front St. apartments.

C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 7

ELIZABETH BROOKS

news

Flurry of meetings set for retail marijuana stores in Worcester BILL SHANER

need host community agreements from the city to get final approval ith the Aug. 24 deadline from the state. And Worcester has pledged to give out only 15, per looming to file a prozoning rules passed by the City posal with Worcester Council. officials to open a pot Thus, the race is on. shop, the city has been flooded On the city’s online municipal – this week, last week and next – calendar, there were 10 commuwith community meetings where nity meetings throughout the city hopeful entrepreneurs introduce themselves and their business plan scheduled for this month.

Jake Sanders, a staffer in the city to the neighborhood. manager’s office who is overseeThey technically need to do so, per state law, and the city is requir- ing the roll-out of pot shops in Worcester, is at almost every one. ing these community meetings The community meetings, he said, to happen before Aug. 24 to be help city officials decide which considered for the first round of city approval. Potential businesses projects best fit the neighbor-

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hoods. Aspects like pushback from neighbors and the quality of the presentation will weigh in the city’s decision, he said.

“Most importantly,” Sanders said, “it’s how you’re going to be a good neighbor, address public safety concerns and make sure folks understand what this industry is, give them a clear directive as to the impact on the neighborhood and try to mitigate concerns.”

Some of the meetings have already happened, but others are scheduled for later this week and next.

At 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Trichome Health Corporation will review

plans for a store at 580 Park Ave. The meeting will take place at the Hilton Garden Inn at 35 Major Taylor Blvd.

Also on Thursday, at 6 p.m., RC Retail will review plans for a store at 124 West Boylston St. That meeting also takes place at the Hilton Garden Inn. At noon Saturday, Green Era will review a proposal for 199 Chandler St. That meeting will take place at Cornerstone Bank, 230 Park Ave. At 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 20, Sun Mass II will review a proposal for 56 Millbrook St. The meeting will take place at the Hilton Garden

Inn. And there are likely more in the works. According to a running list kept in the city manager’s office, 27 companies have tentatively applied with the city.

Of those, only six have submitted full applications. The city is using a request for proposals process to vet applicants for the 15 available pot shops. So far, the office has only received six full applications, but Sanders said he anticipates more coming in before the Aug. 24 deadline.

Last week, Worcester Magazine wrote about the Community C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 6

A U G U S T 16 - 22, 2018 WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

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news MARIJUANA

C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 5

Growers proposal for a Jackson Street store, in the Main South area, an initiative launched by neighborhood figure Ike McBride, who worked with the Boys and Girls Club, and other longtime residents of Worcester. At the

After City Hall receives the applications, they will review the businesses based on business model, plan for community investment, and neighborhood outreach, among other factors. There’s no word yet on when they might issue the agreements.

Sanders cautioned this is just

1,001 words ELIZABETH BROOKS

Jake Sanders and Ike McBride shake hands after a community meeting for a retail marijuana shop proposal.

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ELIZABETH BROOKS

meeting, there was little to no pushback, and the organizers talked at length about how they intend to use revenue to continue the human service work they’ve been doing in the area. Other meetings have been more contentious. A proposal for the intersection of Chandler and June streets brought out many critics to the community meeting.

the first step in what might be a long process.

“There’s still a long way to go for everyone,” he said, and to those concerned about having a pot shop next door, he offered that no proposal is set in stone.

“Just because someone is hosting a community meeting,” Sanders said, “does not mean they’re getting a license to operate a marijuana facility.”

bareback

news 145 F R O N T

ter and maybe a few more projects down the road,” said Augustus. at the ceremony. Both praised the Curto, taking the project as one that will inject added mic after Augustus, vibrancy to downtown. said Roseland is “Luxury apartments in downproud to be part of town, that’s exactly what we’re Worcester’s master looking for,” said Petty, adding the project will bring foot traffic, retail plan revitalization. As a company, and help make downtown feel like Roseland seeks out a neighborhood active 18 hours a transit-oriented day. locations, she said.

Augustus said the facility is an impressive one, and part of an over- With Union Station across the street, all plan to transform downtown company leadership Worcester.

“It’s been a long time coming and feels 145 Front Street is in line with that goal. as each building comes on line, as “We’re incredibly excited to be each project happens, we’re looking forward to the retail coming in and part of Worcester’s rapid transformation,” she said. adding to the foot traffic and the The development, which is vibrancy,” said Augustus.

Each development complements 365 rooms total, comes alongside a larger investment in Massaeach other, Augustus said, menchusetts. The company has an tioning the Grid specifically, and adds to residential density and foot additional 2,000 units, closer to the Boston market, Curto said. traffic to downtown.

“We look forward to (Roseland’s) continued success here in WorcesC O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 4

ELIZABETH BROOKS

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Interior photos of 145 Front at City Square

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news

worcesteria

WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN: So when the city tore down the Worcide

skatepark, I sent a records request in to the city for emails about it and what I got back was mostly in line with the city’s public stance, that the park was a hazard that needed to be destroyed (jury’s still out, I think).

But I did find one interesting email. About three weeks before the demolition, one of the Worcide organizers emailed the city manager, asking to meet and talk about the future of the skatepark. The park had become overrun by vagrants and drug users, he said, and the skaters couldn’t keep up with cleaning the place. He proposed putting a tall gate and concrete walls to lock the park shut at night. He offered the city a key for access. The email did not get a response. Three weeks later, the park was demolished without a word prior.

GREBIAN’S LAST STAND: Oh, how sad it must be to be Pawtucket.

In case you haven’t noticed, the whole of the Worcester political hivemind has basically concluded the PawSox are coming to Worcester and that there will be an announcement soon, possibly this week. So in enters Pawtucket Mayor Don Grebien, embattled by years of Rhode Island political in-fighting over the new PawSox ballpark. It’s a development he thinks could really help his city, and he’s holding on to it by a thread. Per the Providence Journal, Grebien met with PawSox Chairman Larry Lucchino recently in what was likely his last stand – a marathon four-hour meeting which, according to ProJo, brought the odds back to 50/50 the PawSox will stay, at least according to Grebien. In Worcester, those odds feel a lot different, don’t they?

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THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS RACIST, THOUGH: I mean, can’t

we admit that basic fact? I was very surprised to see the local backlash to Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s comment on the subject. Local police chiefs, led by Dudley Chief Steven Wojnar, condemned the statement as an attack on law enforcement officers. I’d like to offer a different perspective: No, it wasn’t. It was truth. To look at the American criminal justice system on the whole, both historically and in the present day, and conclude that it is not a racist institution, is flatly absurd. We have the highest incarceration rate in the world, and of that people of color are grossly overrepresented. Add immigration detention centers (the majority of which are privately run, for profit), and the disproportion sky rockets. I challenge you to come up with a reason why higher percentages of black and brown people are in jail – besides the racism of the institution – that isn’t categorically racist. I really wish the police chiefs so angry with Warren could admit the system needs work, and maybe talk about what they’re trying to do to change it. Because they are, to varying degrees. That’s kind of the tacit point of community policing policy, which Worcester Police Chief Steven Sargent and others have championed. But you have to acknowledge the system is racist before you can really make it equitable. So let’s not be so touchy. And no, calling the system racist isn’t calling all cops racist. I mean, come on. You can work in a racist system and not be racist. Look at me, I work in the American news media.

LONG LIVE LOIS LANE: Late last week, the iconic Lois Lane street sign

(an actual sign for an actual legal city street) was returned to That’s Entertainment, the comic book mecca on Park Ave. Several weeks ago, the sign was stolen after a city Department of Public Works crew took it down for sidewalk repairs. Then someone stole the whole sign, pole and all, which is actually pretty funny. So, according to That’s E staff, some guy who didn’t even know what it was found it in a heap of garbage in Webster Square and, for some reason, decided to investigate further, calling a family member who knew. And thus, the sign was returned. Gotta love a happy ending, am I right?

Bill Shaner, reporter wshaner@worcestermag.com Twitter: @Bill_Shaner

news

the beat

The woman found in the trunk of a car in Maine, after the driver killed himself during a traffic stop, has been identified as 28-year-old Maddilyn Burgess. Police believe the man, Gyrth Rutan of Sturbridge, murdered the woman before killing himself. A medical examiner in Maine determined Burgess died of blunt force injuries, and Worcester District Attorney Joe Early Jr. said evidence of a crime scene was found at Burgess’ Sturbridge apartment.

Disappointing ends for two of Worcester’s sports teams this week.

The Bravehearts had to settle for co-champions after the series-ender with the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks was rained out. Meanwhile, the Massachusetts Pirates, based out of the DCU Center, lost in the first round of the playoffs after an 11-5 inaugural season.

An audit of the Worcester Regional Transit Authority didn’t exactly come back clean. The state auditor’s office found that the authority did not properly record vehicle trips or submit financial information to the state. The authority, according to a Telegram article, is correcting both problems.

Chris Robarge, local field coordinator of the ACLU, called on the

Worcester Police Department to implement a body camera program in an op-ed submitted to MassLive, saying that Boston is investing $2 million in a full-scale program. Worcester, on the other hand, has made little progress toward implementing a program. Police Chief Steven Sargent called the initiative a “work in progress,” but Robarge argued the program could help police as well, as cameras could shed more light on incidents filmed with cell phones that are unflattering to police.

Defense lawyer John Madaio, a man known and respected in the

Worcester Central Court House, was the victim of a fatal crash Monday morning in Spencer. Police there are investigating the accident; They believe a crowbar flew through Madaio’s windshield as he drove east on Route 9. Madaio’s SUV went off the road and crashed into an apartment building nearby.

Umass Medical School researchers have made

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CORRECTION: In last week’s Beat, we inaccurately reported organizers behind a potential arts-centered innovation school in Worcester were pursuing the idea as a charter school.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

a link between medical cannabis and inflammatory bowel disease, saying the drug could control and prevent the disease.

In the study, set to appear in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, researchers make the case that the body’s reaction to cannabis can help bowel diseases. Though they’ve only tested on mice, they hope the study will lead to further study and to the development of drugs.

A U G U S T 16 - 22, 2018

Uxbridge has a new police chief, coming all the way from Manchester, Connecticut to take the role. Marc Montminy will take on the role after a selectman appointment this week. He served in Manchester for 30 years. The graduate of Milford High School will fetch a salary of $110,000 annually.

opinion editorial

A place for both teams

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f, as many expect, the city of Worcester becomes the new home to Minor League Baseball’s Pawtucket Red Sox in 2021, baseball fans will have a couple choices, assuming the landscape doesn’t change between now and then.

At the moment, the Worcester Bravehearts play summertime, college-level baseball at Holy Cross’s Fitton Field in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League. Their players are, in some cases, still in high school, with most playing in college. The brand of ball, as you might expect, isn’t without its mistakes. Errors plagued the Bravehearts in the first half of this past season, which concluded in the most anticlimactic of fashions Monday night when they were crowned co-champions with the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks. The teams were playing the deciding third game of a championship series that was knotted at 1-1. The game was delayed in the bottom of the first inning, and ultimately canceled, because of rain.

That they got to the championship tells you the Bravehearts worked out the kinks and, as they had done in each of their previous four years in the league, found themselves in a position to be crowned champions. They had won the title outright their first two seasons. To be sure, the product on the field — and the final score on the scoreboard — is important to the Bravehearts and their owners, the Creedon family.

But from the outset, the team has made no bones about what comes first: its fans. The fan experience is, as General Manager Dave Peterson has said, as important — perhaps even more so — as the on-field product. And, boy, has the organization delivered. From kids running across the outfield in between innings, to bouncy houses and a minigolf course under the stands, to parachuters landing on the field, to kids brushing off the bases with an oversized toothbrush the Bravehearts have made a trip to the ballpark known as the HIP

(Hanover Insurance Park) a minivacation of sorts. From the moment fans enter, right up to when they’re walking back through the gates to go home, fans are treated not like customers, but like family.

That is something the PawSox would do well to make note of should they, in fact, leave Pawtucket, R.I. and move to Worcester.

But does their arrival spell the end of the Bravehearts? On a financial level, at least, it may be difficult for two baseball teams

— albeit playing at different skill levels — to play at the same time during the year. But the PawSox are one step away from Major League Baseball. Fans will go to see a future major leaguer, or the occasional big league player on a rehab assignment. They go to the Bravehearts for the environment.

They go for the laughs, the conversation with friends and family, the joy of seeing their child watch their first baseball game or hug Jake the Lion.

In other words, the two teams play the same sport, but are vastly different in their approaches. The PawSox, who certainly do their own catering to fans, nonetheless exist as a feeder team to their parent club.

The PawSox would be a jewel for Worcester, but make no mistake, the Bravehearts are a gem in their own right. The city is a better place with them, and having both teams play here, well, that’s what you could call a win-win.

Media Coordinator Madison Friend

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opinion She’s a grand old flag. Or not.

JANICE HARVEY

O

ne year after the tragedy of Charlottesville, white supremacists have been emboldened by a president whose vile rhetoric frees them to proudly parade their hatred.

Abe Lincoln must be spinning in his grave.

Donald Trump has managed to tangle the country in the fabric of two flags: the Stars and Stripes — the Pledge of Allegiance to which he’s forgotten the words, along with the national anthem — and the Confederate rag symbolizing secession and treason.

This time around, the clashes aren’t between the North and South. The battle is now between sensible people with even a shred of education regarding history vs. angry bigots raised to embrace some vague notion that they were robbed of their rights. So far as

letters To the Editor:

do when displayed to celebrate hatred.

Recently, a friend expressed his outrage over the sale of Confederate flag stickers at a Park Ave. gas station owned by Yatco Energy. Never one to shy away from confronting discrimination or bigotry, Michael Lyons was late for our lunch date because he was busy asking why the offending stickers were for sale. The clerk wasn’t forthcoming with the owner’s name, according to Lyons, but one posting on Facebook gave him all the information he sought.

“I was taken aback by the manager’s unwillingness to speak to me about the issue. He was dismissive of the concerns I wanted to raise,” said Lyons.

With Facebook on the case, another friend visited the gas station after an entire thread of negative comments appeared.

“No offensive stickers on our watch,” she posted.

has more power to do it.

I worked 38 years in a lowerpaid position in three different state facilities and saw what life was like for those not “liked by the bosses.” I was privileged to get assistance many times from our AFSCME union and to work as a board member, treasurer and secretary at different times with one of the strongest women I ever knew. This was the late Therese J. Murphy. She was fearless and always on the side of the “little guy.”

Kudos to Janice Harvey for

hanging in as a union rep and bringing the issue to the public.

Irish women have been historically some of the most prominent union activists.

It would seem the stickers had been removed, since she reports that an empty hook that held stickers was all she spotted while sleuthing.

“I’m sure the distributor of the kiosk stocks it,” said Lyons. “I don’t think that the owners would pick each one.”

Lyons added that many of the stickers displayed were in poor taste, but “the Confederate flag as over the top.”

A call to Yatco Energy was welcomed by one of the three Yatim brothers who co-own Yatco Energy. Hassan Yatim was unaware of the stickers and said he was grateful to be notified of their placement in his stores.

With gas stations and convenience stores in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut, Yatco Energy is a bustling business. Yatim sounded distressed to think offensive merchandise was sold in his stores and would work to rectify the problem.

American Gallery, we were perplexed by the addition of signage highlighting any connection early American personages may have had to slavery.

Early records of slavery, some dating back to the Code of HamPhilip Brewer murabi in Babylon, for example, Rutland can be traced to almost every civilization including those of To the Editor: Rome, Greece, China, India, Africa My husband and I, longtime mem- and the Muslim world. Yet, when bers of the Worcester Art Museum, we went to the corresponding galleries of these cultures, we saw have been frequent visitors since no placards pointing out their 1967. On our recent visit to the

His brother Tarek was also concerned when reached by Lyons, who was pleased to find that, despite apparent disinterest on the part of the manager, the owners were responsive, and the offensive stickers have disappeared from the Park Ave. location. It’s a lesson in the power of resistance.

Lyons posted #TheWooIsNoPlaceForHate on his FB page, and one can only hope the message resonates with vendors and customers alike, because saying nothing gets us nowhere in the struggle against bigotry and ignorance.

Janice Harvey contributing writer centuries of widespread slavery.

We wonder what motives are behind singling out such a small group of people from a brief time period. This intellectual dishonesty is disconcerting as it conveys the appearance that slavery only happened during the early years of our country, when indeed, it even still exists in some parts of the 21stcentury world.

Jane and William Milligan Whitinsville

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Where is Worcester Magazine? Everywhere!

A U G U S T 16 - 22, 2018

I had the pleasure of reading Janice Harvey’s piece on the Supreme Court’s decision on public employee unions and agency fees (“Look for the Union Label,” Worcester Magazine, July 19). The arch-right has wanted to gut one of the last strong union segments, and now

I can tell, the Trump supporters who are decked out in Confederate flags at his ego-stroking rallies don’t look like plantation owners worried about their crops going unharvested without slaves to pick them. They just look angry. And I’m not even sure they know why.

The strength behind symbols is clear. When we see a swastika, we think “Nazi” without needing to ask what it stands for. When we see a peace sign on a T-shirt, we know the person wearing it probably doesn’t want to engage in war. When we see an American flag, we would normally assume the person displaying it loves America - all of America, all of its people. Normally. That belief has been shaken by Trump supporters who display both the American flag and the symbol of the Confederacy on truck windows and apparel. They seem to believe that both symbols denote patriotism, when clearly neither

education The edge on college admissions: Private vs. public high schools W CAROLINE LABOVITZ

hen it comes to your child gaining acceptance to the college of their choice, where they went to high school may not be as important as how they performed while they were there.

With the competitiveness of collegiate applicant pools raising its game year-after-year, it’s common to wonder about the sure-fire ways of increasing your child’s chances of securing a spot at their top-choice school. To do so, parents and students often embark on a search of

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ADVERTORIAL

seamlessly blended extracurriculars, GPAs, community-service and work experience to ensure what lands on the admissions table is too good to pass up.

But does whether or not you choose to send your child to a private or public school carry just as much weight as the other components, if not more?

“For us,” said Worcester State University’s Carl Herrin, “one of the single best indicators of whether you will succeed in our institution and graduate on time is your GPA, and the correlation is roughly direct. The higher your GPA, the more likely you

ADVERTORIAL

“I think it’s fair to say that from an institution of our type, a public institution, at least in Massachusetts … there is no discernable, on the surface, advantage/ disadvantage to being a graduate of a private school or a public institution because the rules we use, that we apply to an applicant in the admissions process basically treat everybody neutrally.”

— Carl Herrin, Worcester State University’s assistant to the president for international, community and governmental affairs

education done exceptionally well here,’ and so that sort of lays some groundwork for future students that want to come from that school. But [I can] say it can happen for a public school as well.”

There are arguments to be made for both a private and public school

education when it comes to college readiness and acceptance.

According to collegetransitions. com, there are “undeniable admissions-related advantages to attending a private school.” For one, counselors in public high schools report spending just 22 percent of their

time on college-related counseling, while those in private schools pend 55 percent. Additionally, according to the website, roughly 95 percent of non-parochial private high school graduates go on to fouryear postsecondary institutions, compared to 49 percent of public

high school grads. And while just 10 percent of U.S. children attend private schools, according to the website, they make up a “disproportionately-high percentage of students accepted to elite colleges.

On the other hand, collegetranC O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 15

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are to succeed in completion.”

As to whether there is an advantage for students who attend a private high school when applying to college, Herrin, who serves as WSU’s assistant to the president for international, community and governmental affairs, said: “I think it’s fair to say that from an institution of our type, a public institution, at least in Massachusetts … there is no discernable, on the surface, advantage/disadvantage to being a graduate of a private school or a public institution because the rules we use, that we apply to an applicant in the admissions process basically treat everybody neutrally.”

Do private institutions carry the same philosophy?

While not directly giving a nod to private schools, William Boffi, vice president for enrollment management at Nichols College in Dudley, said learning environment directly impacts student engagement. Class size and other factors, he said, are important.

“At Nichols College, we fully believe that learning environment has a direct impact on student engagement,” Boffi said. “We believe small classes and relationshipbased education have tremendous value. Relationships - with faculty, with other students in class, and with the course content - are really what inspire students to work harder and become more intellectually curious.”

Could this mean a high-schooler applying from a well-regarded private school, where class sizes may be smaller and interaction between student and teacher more intimate, has an edge with admissions teams at colleges?

“I know, from first-hand experience,” said John Irvine, assistant director of admissions at Worcester’s Bancroft School, “that counselors will tend to, perhaps not in an official way, but sort of just in an intuitive way, know certain private schools and think that those students are probably better prepared, as a whole … But some folks from the college admissions world get to know, when they’re in that business world, certain private schools and they look and say, ‘Hey, you know, we’ve taken students from that school before and they’ve

education

Resources available to help pay for college SAMANTHA BRATKON

ing a private university is more than double the cost of attending a state school. he biggest roadblock to Families and students don’t have higher education in America is no longer your GPA or to go it alone, however.

Massachusetts Educational FiSAT score. For many gradunancial Authority is a free program ating high school seniors looking that offers guidance to students to continue their education, they and families starting college. In adhave to sacrifice attending the school of their choice for the one in dition to the educational programs and seminars presented around their price range. the state, they also give out loans.

According to the Institute for MEFA serves any student with ties College Access and Success the to Massachusetts, meaning they average student loan debt for students in Massachusetts in 2014 are either a resident of the state or are attending a college located was $29,391. For Worcester State University that same year, the aver- here.

The first step for any student age debt was $25,654. Generally, the cost of attendance for a private looking for college aid is applying university is much higher than that for FAFSA or Free Application for of a state university. Often, attend- Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA in-

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formation is specific to the school the student will be attending.

The financial aid will include any grants or need-based scholarships available through the university.

If there are still gaps to be filled for funding — and for most students there are — loans can be applied for through multiple outlets.

“What we advise is that everyone apply for financial aid when they apply for college,” said Julie Shields-Rutyna, director of college Planning at MEFA. Banks in Worcester County that have student loan options include Leominster Credit Union, UniBank and Digital Federal Credit Union.

The financial aid package students receive after applying though FAFSA is comprised of multiple elements. For those eligible, the school may provide a grant, which is funding that does not need to be paid back. Federal Student Aid is available to those who apply without the need of a co-signer.

Federal aid comes in two forms: subsidized and unsubsidized loans.

For subsidized loans, the federal government pays the interest rate for the duration of the student’s enrollment. For unsubsidized loans, interest begins accruing immedi-

ately after the loan is taken.

Both Federal Student Aid and MEFA offer fixed interests rates, meaning the loan taker gets locked in at the rate that is applicable for the academic year they take their first loan for.

MEFA also offers family loans, with both the student and parents’ names on it.

One program that comes highly recommended by MEFA is the Mass-Transfer Program, which allows students to complete an associate’s degree at a community college, finishing their general education requirements. After completing the program, the student is eligible to transfer to any state school in Massachusetts to earn their bachelor’s degree.

The program is beneficial to those who cannot afford tuition at a state or private institution.

Because education costs are much lower at community college, students are able to receive a diploma from a four-year institution, but at a much lower rate. On their diploma is only the name of the school from which they graduated.

Because federal loans don’t require a credit check, they are automatically given to anyone who

education P R I VAT E V S P U B L I C

grounds have the ability to enhance one’s learning experience, the debate over whether a private school sitions.com notes, the higher pereducation or public school educacentage of private school graduates tion proves to yield more success going to college has more to do with in the admissions process is not a who attends private school than “one-size-fits-all” situation. Different what that school is doing for the students learn better in different child’s college prospects. Additionalways; being immersed in a private ly, according to the website, studies school environment, then, does not show attending a school surrounded directly correlate with readily gainby other “academic superstars” neging acceptance into top-colleges. atively affects a student’s chances of Although a specific learning being accepted to an elite college. A background may signify aligning student with a 1300 SAT score at a principles between a prospecpublic high school where the avertive student and college - let’s say age score is 1000, for example, has a recent graduate from a private, an admissions edge over an equal denominational high-school applies student at a private school where to a private college with the same 1300 is the average SAT score, acdenomination - it’s safe to say a stucording to the website. dent’s value is not solely determined “What I have seen,” Irvine said, “is by a singular ingredient. A GPA, that good college admissions prostandardized test scores and the cesses will look at the whole student person behind the application/esas an applicant. So, you know, not say can prove to do just as much, if just an SAT score, not just grades. not more, than the high school they While they will probably take into apply from, to enhance the flavor of account the school that they’re their own personal, unique blend. coming from, it depends on just on how well the student does there.”

While different learning backC O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 12

applies for financial aid through FAFSA. When applying for outside student loans, families begin to hit roadblocks. Most often, anyone who applies for private student loans with a cosigner will be accepted, but not everyone is accepted at the same rate.

“We do see some families

who either aren’t able to get a private loan due to credit, or at a higher interest rate,” said ShieldsRutyna.

Payments begin six months after the student has left the university. Monthly payments and the timeline for paying back differ, depending on the amount of the loan.

MEFA encourages families to start saving for college at a very early age.

“Every dollar they save is a dollar they don’t need to borrow on the other end,” said ShieldsRutyna.

For more information visit www. mefa.org as well as fafsa.ed.gov.

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feature Drew Allain, a firefighter at the Park Ave. fire station in Worcester, practices yoga.

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ELIZABETH BROOKS

Stressing the Point Worcester Fire Department embraces mindfulness BILL SHANER SHANER BILL

feature

A U G U S T 16 - 22, 2018

exciting initiatives to improve the health and safety of its crew.

In such a high-stress, dangerous and physically-strenuous job, a focus on mental health is as invaluable as it is overlooked. At least that’s how Chief Mike Lavoie sees it.

“The end goal is to keep our firefighters as physically and mentally fit as we can, so they survive their career and then they have a happy healthy retirement. That’s the end goal,” he said.

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f all the words one might expect to hear in a sit-down interview with the top brass of a city fire department, “namaste” wouldn’t chart too highly.

But in Worcester, they’re all about it.

Mindfulness – a focus on mental health employing breathing, stretching and meditation techniques not unlike yoga – is one of the Worcester Fire Department’s newest and, to them, most

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feature The tradition of mindfulness and meditation is thousands of years old, but for fire departments, both here and around the country, embracing it is a new and growing trend over the past several years.

Worcester has been especially receptive to the idea under Lavoie’s leadership, and it’s a continuation of decades of investment in wellness programs sparked by the Cold Storage Fire in 1999.

“The mindfulness, I think it’s starting to catch on. The fire service worldwide now is starting to realize that stress is huge. Suicide rates are ridiculous. So health and wellness are one of the number one things that the fire service is concentrating on now,” said Lavoie.

A FULL BODY SCAN

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ut on by UMass Medical School, the Worcester Fire Department’s mindfulness program started in March, and the department administration plans to hold seminars at least annually. The course took place over four weeks, an hour a week with homework. Instructors started the firefighters with a simple, five-minute exercise called a body scan. Starting at their toes, participants were told to focus only on specific parts of their body, tuning out all other thoughts, or at least trying to. They were told to slowly raise their focus, from toes to top of head. Through the month-long course, the scans became longer and longer, until they performed a scan lasting a half hour at the end.

“What it does is it shows you how stressed you really are once you start to relax,” Lavoie said.

“And that’s where the mindfulness part comes in. Because you have to be mindful of how stressed you are.

That’s how you destress.

“Unfortunately, stress is one of those insidious things that sneak up on you and you dont know its coming, you don’t know when it’s there, and you don’t know how to deal with it.”

Firefighters that took the course raved about its effects.

Matt Petty, a lieutenant stationed at the Park Ave. fire station, said he now uses the technique for a few seconds in the truck, while

Firefighter Matt Petty inside the Park Ave. firehouse.

ELIZABETH BROOKS

responding to a call, or at the start of shift, when he’s going through routine checks. When his crew gets the call to respond to a fire, Petty said the atmosphere in the station is hectic and high-stress.

There are hundreds of things to immediately consider: where the fire is, what type of building, what type of neighborhood, what the truck needs, what other trucks are coming from where, etc.

“So what I do now, with the mindfulness, is run to the truck, get all your gear on, and the first five seconds I’m sitting on the truck, I do a quick breathing exercise,” said Petty. “It’s only 10 seconds, but it settles you for a second. It’s crazy. Your mind clears for a moment.”

The mindfulness practices are aimed at the immediate stresses of a first responders, but also target the long-term effects of high-stress work.

“It’s a circle too, it all comes

right back,” said Deputy Chief Martin Dyer. “You have a bad night at work, a bad call or whatever, you go home and that goes home with you. It’s hard to just leave that there.”

If firefighters employ the mindfulness techniques in daily life, they may be able to shed some of the stresses that add up to a constant weight.

Deputy Chief Andrew White used the analogy of a heavy backpack.

“We want to have them deal with the issues that come up, and bring that home with them,” said White. “It’s like taking a rock and putting it in a backpack, every time something goes on. Pretty soon that backpack gets too heavy to carry, and you have to download some of those rocks.”

‘TIRED OF BEING STRESSED’

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n a department 400-members strong, a new initiative like mindfulness may not be the easiest sell, especially to those who might not immediately see the value in investing in mental health. Administrators and firefighters alike recounted stories of crew members that were hesitant but, after taking the course came around. Petty said he knows a firefighter who, after the first class, complained loudly that mindfulness was a waste of time. But after completing the course, he came around, and Petty said he now uses the techniques every day.

Ben Dio, another firefighter at the Park Ave. station, said he

expected more resistance among the ranks, but actually found the opposite. Guys he thought would never give it a try were doing yoga poses and body scans.

“I gotta be honest, I think the timing and the culture is right for this kind of movement into this,” he said. “People are open to it.

People are tired of being stressed.”

Firefighter consistently ranks as one of the most stressful jobs one can have in America. Between the long shifts, the sometimes gruesome calls, and the high-stakes situations firefighters can be put into with little warning, the job takes its toll. One of the primary initiatives of Lavoie’s tenure is to mitigate that toll.

“You come in here and you see things and do things that people just don’t see and do, and it adds to the stress,” he said. You build those rocks in the backpack a lot quicker than the general population and you just have to deal with it.”

feature Baril, program support administrator at the Center for Mindfulness, firefighters were introduced to techniques such as awareness of breath and formal and informal mindfulness practices.

Taught by Patricia Holland, a certified instructor in mindfulnessbased stress reduction who has since left UMass, the program introduced participants to mindfulness techniques they could then practice at home in between sessions.

The goal, Baril said, was to help firefighters become more present he roughly 45 firefighters in their everyday lives, whether on who took part in the first the job or at home. training last March steeped “We asked them to bring awarethemselves in a tradition of ness to everyday activities,” Baril practical mindfulness cultivated at said. “Whether at home, interactUMass Medical School since the ing with families, children or a late 1970s. spouse, or when they return from The program, Maximizing a job … whether it’s washing a Resiliency: Mindfulness in Action, firetruck or doing house chores, centered around mindfulnesscooking a more, we just asked based stress reduction, consisted of them to bring awareness into their From left, Fire Lt. Matt Petty, Capt. John Dawidzcyk, Chief Mike Lavoie and Deputy a one-hour session held each week activities.”

Chief Martin Dyer discuss the Worcester Fire Department’s new wellness program. for four weeks. According to Jean “Image they’re at home and BILL SHANER “A lot of us deal with it at Quinn’s,” he added, getting a laugh from others at the table, referencing the popular bar on West Boylston Street. “But we need to find healthy ways.” “But we need to find the healthy ways.”

WHAT EXACTLY IS MINDFULNESS

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feature they’re throwing the ball to their kids,” she continued, “but they’re not present thinking about the time they’re spending throwing the ball to their kids. They’re thinking about a call they went on. Maybe they could have reacted differently or responded differently. Or they’re on the job and maybe thinking about something that went on at home. They’re thinking about other things when they should be focused on what they’re doing at the present moment.”

In addition to practicing various relaxation and stress-reduction techniques, firefighters also were able to talk about how those practices impacted their lives.

“We would introduce a [technique] to them and they would talk about how they incorporated it during their week, or how they expected to incorporate it during their week,” she said. “There were discussions about reaction versus response, and dialogue around that.”

The participants, Baril said, reacted positively to the program.

“I can say I was present at these meetings each week, and the firefighters would come into the room. These are firefighters,” she repeated. “They could have just been on a call. When they entered the room and entered the classroom, they really settled right in … and really tried to drink in what it was we were offering them.”

Mindfulness in Action marked the first time UMass had offered such a program to first responders. It was tailored specifically for Worcester firefighters and, according to Baril, was the result of interest shown by Fire Lt. Pat Chviruk.

“He had attended a training that sort of introduced mindfulness techniques,” Baril said. “He wanted to reach out to us and learn more. There was no incident or anything that led him to us.

Being from Worcester, and having always wanted to offer something to firefighters, we put together this four-week program so they could learn techniques to apply to their everyday lives as well as when they’re on the job.”

Jon Kabat-Zinn founded the Center for Mindfulness in 1979 with a stress reduction program aimed at improving people’s everyday lives. Baril said the eight-week MBSR program is offered in person or online, during which time participants are taught meditation

techniques, awareness of breath exercises, body scan and gentle yoga.

A community program is free to the public, according to Baril, and includes two community sits - one on Monday nights, another on Wednesday mornings. Mindfulness Movie Night, she said, is held the last Friday of each month.

“We show a movie and then there’s an opportunity to discuss how mindfulness was involved in the movie,” she said.

It is, Baril said, important to incorporate stress reduction into everyday life, because stressors can significantly impact people on many levels.

“I think it probably isn’t being done enough,” she said, “but mindfulness is now more well-known throughout the world. Studies show those that applying these techniques to everyday life has positive outcomes.

“Imagine the health benefits of somebody who is actually using these techniques, especially in terms of first responders. They get a call, the bell goes off, their adrenaline goes up. We know this affects our brain our health … it definitely does take a toll on us, if we’re constantly under pressure.”

“If,” Baril continued, “we’re not applying some techniques to reduce that stress, of course there’s a bad side effect of that in terms of our health.

THE ACADEMIC APPROACH

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2011 study published by the American Psychological Association is one of the first to examine the benefits of mindfulness for firefighters. The study is titled “Mindfulness is Associated with Fewer PTSD Symptoms, Depressive Symptoms, Physical Symptoms, and Alcohol Problems In Urban Firefighters.” One hundred and twenty four firefighters in Albuquerque, N.M. were tested via surveys, and researchers found those who exhibited an awareness of mindfulness tested lower for symptoms of PTSD, depression, health problems and signs of alcoholism.

Mindfulness, the researchers argued, improves cognitive flexibility

feature Matt Petty, left, and Nathan Chajnon, both firefighters at the Park Ave. fire station, talk about mindfulness practices they use while on the job.

ELIZABETH BROOKS

ably went there for that reason, but nobody had to know. You know, this is a fitness course,” he said.

In fact, one of the early participants in the O2X program became a sort of mindfulness ambassador, and he ended up initiating the partnership with Umass Medical School.

Chviruk, a lieutenant in the fire prevention division, said the O2X trainers brought it up in the program, and that he and his wife’s use of mindfulness strategies as a public school teacher got him thinking it could be good for the crew. He said he reached out to UMass, they showed interest, and it made its way up the chain of command.

Now, he said, he uses the practice every day, both personally and professionally. He uses meditation and breathing exercises to fall

THE PRECURSOR: O2X

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today, called O2X. The department started offering the intensive, four-full-day work out program several years ago. Run by veterans of special operations units, the program offers a total package of physical and mental health. The motto is “eat, sweat, thrive,” and concepts of self-centering and mindfulness are almost snuck in next to intense workouts and workshops on healthy eating.

Capt. John Dawidczyk, who helps run the department’s wellness program, said the first group to come back from the O2X training served as ambassadors to the whole department. They used words like “life-changing” to describe the experience, and he said it has sort of changed the whole department’s outlook on wellness.

“It’s taken a long time, in my career, to see the willingness,” he said.

Lavoie said the O2X package is much more impactful than any seminar on PTSD or mindfulness.

“Bringing in O2X, basically it’s he Worcester Fire Departa fitness course, mind and body, ment didn’t really need work out every day, eat sweat and the academic argument to drive. Guys went in there saying, embrace the mindfulness ‘Oh this is basically a workout,’ but approach. They had already gotten then they sneak in the stress stuff, a small taste of it through an earlier the PTSD, and I think guys probprogram, still offered to firefighters

A U G U S T 16 - 22, 2018

and emotional response, reduces the tendency to dissociate during traumatic events, and facilitates healthier ways of processing trauma.

“Both mindful acceptance of the present moment and the sense that one can master and control external circumstances may be important for firefighters,” the researchers wrote.

But, they said, the area needs more study. The sample size was small and the data tested for other things, such as optimism and self control. The researchers called for a closer study of the role of attention and awareness in dealing with stress.

feature

ELIZABETH BROOKS

asleep at night or in moments of high stress.

“Doing it once or twice a day, it provides a sense of calm,” he said.

MINDFULNESS IN PRACTICE

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epartment administrators said the first time they really saw the effects of mindfulness was during an air consumption drill shortly after the class. In the drill, firefighters had to perform a series of tasks on a fixed oxygen tank, much like they’d have to do in a real fire, and focus on drawing down as little air as possible. The tasks included pulling lengths of hose, climbing stairs with a heavy bag, dragging dummies and lowering ladders.

The point, said White, was to get the crew breathing heavy to show how much air they drew down.

At first, Petty said, he approached the drill going as hard as he could. He did the first obstacle as fast as he could, but he started to breathe heavily, but then he brought in mindfulness and took

“I gotta be honest, I think the timing and the culture is right for this kind of movement into this. People are open to it.

People are tired of being stressed.”

- Worcester firefighter Ben Dio (above), on the need to practice mindfulness. the next nine drills more slowly, at a measured, manageable pace.

Dio seconded the benefit of mindfulness within the air consumption drill.

“It was definitely a nice package between the mindfulness and the air consumption drill, because the mindfulness is designed to help you combat all the natural things your body has to protect you,” said Dio. “You have to combat panicking, losing your air, because your body is telling you these are survival techniques. Mindfulness allows you to take over those and say ‘No, no, we’re okay. We’re going to get through this.’”

Some crew members took it even further. After the drill, a crew

that had gone through the mindfulness training loaded up fresh air tanks and challenged themselves to see just how long they could go on a 45-minute air tank.

“After the course,” White said, “they sat down, went into this meditation state. I thought they were barely breathing, but they were in the zone. They got an insane amount of time out of what is supposed to be a 45-minute bottle.”

Editor Walter Bird, Jr. contributed to this story.

Bill Shaner can be reached at 508-749-3166 x324 or at wshaner@ worcestermag.com. Follow him on Twitter @Bill_Shaner.

culture The 28th Latin American Festival happens this Saturday, Aug. 18, 12-9 p.m. at the Worcester Common Oval, City Hall Plaza PHOTO COURTESY OF CENTRO

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culture

Art museum’s new artist-in-residency program will bring ‘healing’ WALTER BIRD JR.

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t first blush, the new Southeast Asia Artist-in-Residency program at Worcester Art Museum is an opportunity for two visiting artists to learn and teach. It really is much more than that, according to one of the program collaborators.

“While it is important for Southeast Asians here in Worcester to assimilate into American mainstream society, it is vital to also stay connected with our cultural roots,” said Anh Vu Sawyer, executive director of the Southeast Asian Coalition of Central Massachusetts. “Engaging with the visiting artists — sharing ideas, experiences, and perspectives — will bridge the new and old worlds and bring healing to many in

research, give talks, participate in workshops and attend other local art events. The public is invited to meet the artists in weekly, drop-in open studios.

Nguyễn Thế Sơn studied photography in Beijing and is a professor of fine arts in Hanoi. He does much of his work outdoors, feeding a fascination with life on the streets. He is visiting the U.S. for the first time.

Nguyễn Kim Tố Lan, meanwhile, is a multidisciplinary artist in Ho Chi Minh City who helped found the independent art collective Sao La Collective in the southern region of Vietnam.

As part of the residency, both artists will take part in StART on the Street, an annual festival that fills the north end of Park Ave. with artists, vendors, musicians and more. It

Nguyễn Kim Tố Lan COURTESY OF WORCESTER ART MUSEUM

Nguyễn Thế Sơn

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COURTESY OF WORCESTER ART MUSEUM

our community.”

The Coalition is partnering with the Indochina Arts Partnership and Worcester Art Museum on the residency, which will feature Nguyễn Thế Sơn of Hanoi, in Northern Vietnam, and Nguyễn Kim Tố Lan of Ho Chi Minh City, in Southern Vietnam. The two will take part in the program from Aug. 20 through Sept. 21, working in studio space provided by the museum and living with host families in Worcester. They will do

takes place Sept. 16.

Sawyer, noting the post-Vietnam War migration of Vietnamese to Worcester in the ’80s, said she views the residency as much more than an arts program.

“Being able to engage with visiting artists and sharing ideas and perspectives will bring healing to many in our community. I think the healing part is very important,” she said, adding, “Everyone of us here is the result of the war, and I’m very proud of the

Worcester Art Museum and the city of Worcester as well, because the museum and the Southeast Asian Coalition, we are acting like a peace ambassador. We bring two corners of the world together for the goal of peace making, of healing and sharing our culture.

“We used to be enemies. North Vietnam is a communist country now. Many Vietnamese were killed, many Americans killed. Being able to bring this here, in my opinion we are truly ambassadors of peace. We can bring a message that healing can

take place.”

The museum is “very much looking forward” to the residency program, said Vivian Li, associate curator of Asian art and global contemporary art. She is also the residency program coordinator.

“I feel like the whole city, or arts community, is very much looking forward to it, too,” Li said. “The amount of interest of people just wanting to be involved as they find out about it has been tremendous.”

She cited as an example the Sprinkler Factory at 38 Harlow St., which will host a farewell party for the two artists on their last day with the program.

Li said the residency program is also a way to help expand a contemporary art scene in Vietnam that has not always flourished. That is starting to change. “[Contemporary art] hasn’t been so recognized,” Li said. “Also, the infrastructure in Southeast Asia for the arts hasn’t been as substantial as, say, Japan, for instance, or Korea, or also China later on. Now it’s kind of getting to that point where it’s having a stronger market.”

Artists in Vietnam, she said, are often censored, and contemporary art, in particular, is not easily accessed .

“For young artists who want to learn contemporary art practices, and what’s going on, and keeping up with that, they lack the resources that we, in many ways, take for

granted,” Li said.

For her part, Sawyer is thrilled to see the residency program come together - and not just because of any artwork that may be produced.

“Art is such a wonderful glue to bind us all together,” she said. “I really, really believe with all my heart that everything we do, if there is a commitment, that if I try, if everybody tries, it will benefit others. I really think this art thing is not really about the Southeast Asian Coalition or the Worcester Art Museum, but really about a much bigger picture.

“Sometimes, I am surprised by the outcomes of this kind of action, this kind of collaboration. It truly brings forth something so good beyond my imagination.”

The following events will be held during the Southeast Asia Artist-inResidency. They are free and open to the public”.

Open Studio: Sunday, Sept. 2; Tuesday, Sept. 11; Saturday, Sept. 15, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 12 p.m.; Thursday, Sept. 20, 5-7 p.m.

Writers of the Cambodian Diaspora: Panel Discussion: Thursday, Sept. 20, 6 p.m. Three Cambodian-born writers - Tararith Kho, Bunkong Tuon and Chath pierSath - will read from their works and participate in a discussion.

Farewell Party: Friday, Sept. 21, 5-10 p.m. The Sprinkler Factory, 38 Harlow St., Worcester.

culture Latin American Festival gathers for a cause PHOTOS COURTESY OF CENTRO

SAMANTHA BRATKON

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WHAT: 28th Latin American Festival WHEN: Saturday, Aug. 18, 12-9 p.m.

WHERE: Worcester Common Oval, City Hall Plaza

To register for the dance lesson, call (508) 798-1900, ext. 571 (Delio Fernandez) or ext. 249 (Stephanie Puente).

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and then second would be Mexican, South American and Dominican.

This year the festival has expanded on what they offer for youth.

There will be two tents dedicated to children’s activities as well as a free, 20-minute dance lesson open to participants of all ages. The lesson will be done to bachata, which is Dominican music.

“We have a stage for 50 people that are going to be given free Tshirts and free goodies for participat-

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came out to participate in the festival. This year, Centro expects to see record numbers between 13-17,000.

Performing this year will be the Puerto Rican singer Ismael Miranda, as well as the Dominican singer Bonny Cepeda.

“We try not to repeat other performers from the past. We pick them according to the demographic and the amount of people that we serve,” Fernandez said. “The biggest population in Worcester is Puerto Rican

ing in performing,” Fernandez said.

The dance lesson starts at noon.

“This is an event that Centro runs for the city to say thank you to all the cultures,” Fernandez said. “It is not only for the Spanish cultures, it is for ever culture out there whether it is Asian, whether it is European, whether iit is Caucasian,” said Fernandez. “We welcome everyone to come and have fun for one day, to try our food and to try our culture, and to cross over and unify all different counties in the city of Worcester.”

A U G U S T 16 - 22, 2018

xpect to see colors in the wind this weekend as festival goers in Worcester celebrate their heritage by waving the flags of Latin American countries.

The 28th Latin American Festival, held Saturday, Aug. 18, 12-9 p.m. at the Worcester Common Oval, will serve as a tribute to Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.

The event, which is hosted by Centro Inc., is free to the public. Monetary donations will go toward aid for Puerto Rico. In addition, organizers are asking for shoe donation for Venezuela.

The festival’s focus goes far beyond gathering donations, as Centro’s event aims to bring all the members of the city of Worcester together.

“It’s kind of like a big family from different countries,” said Stephanie Puente, marketing coordinator for Centro. “Everybody enjoys the same music and everybody enjoys the same food. So it’s kind of giving hope to the people of Worcester that we are thinking of them and the problems and issues.

Everyone forgets those things for the moment that they are in the Latin Festival.”

While at the festival, visitors will have the chance to celebrate their own heritage while learning about the diverse cultures of the community they live in.

“I think the favorite memory from past events is seeing so many different flags from different countries coming together at the Latin Festival,” Centro Outreach Coordinator Delio Fernandez said. “Especially in 2016 when we had a big, huge participation from the people from the Dominican Republic and Venezuela.”

This year even more flags are expected to wave. For the last two years, between 10,000-15,000 people

sports p Bravehearts GM Peterson: Team more prepared than Martha’s Vineyard Sharks for championship WALTER BIRD JR.

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he day after his team was crowned co-champions of the summer Futures Collegiate Baseball League with one of their fiercest rivals, Worcester Bravehearts General Manager Dave Peterson was not holding back on how he felt about the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks.

Not that he didn’t view his team as a champion - he does, and told them as much. But Peterson had a big problem with how the Sharks handled their field, where the deciding game of a three-game series was to be held Monday night, Aug. 13. A rain delay stopped the game in the bottom of the first inning, with the Sharks at bat and the game tied, 1-1.

With most players on both teams having already made plans to return home or head back to college, and with some having already postponed those plans to play an extra night they had not counted on, the league ultimately canceled the game and ended the series. At that point, both teams had won one game. Both were crowned champions, the first time in league history that has happened.

And while the weather was the ultimate culprit, Peterson doesn’t believe the Sharks upped their game when it was needed most.

“They’ve got a lot of things to fix on Martha’s Vineyard … but they’re not going to unless they’re aware of it, and I have no problem saying the Worcester Bravehearts were far more prepared in this series than the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks,” Peterson said Tuesday.

He relayed a story about the team bus breaking down before it even left the Bravehearts’ home field at Holy Cross for Martha’s Vineyard on Monday. A photo on social media shows Peterson trying to jump start it with his own vehicle. That didn’t work, but the team had a backup bus at the ready, and made it to the ferry and the Vineyard in time for the game.

Peterson also heaped praise on the staff of part-timers who showed up Sunday morning to prepare Fitton Field for Game 2 that night, after it had been postponed Saturday. The

They’ve got bathrooms, lights, a backdrop and everything else.”

As for the final outcome, Bravehearts owner John Creedon Jr. said it was disappointing for players and the organization, but he also looked at the bigger picture.

“Everybody was sort of left searching for how to feel,” he said of the post-game reaction. “I think there was a lot of disappointment. Myself, I was sort of feeling a little disappointed, a little upset. At the same time, kind of taking a step back and accepting the facts for what they were as they existed at the time. I tried to zoom back out and appreciate the Worcester Bravehearts had another very successful summer season, despite the unpoetic ending.”

Dave Peterson FILE PHOTO

The Score field was already soaked and had hosted an American Legion tournament that week.

“That field was under water, but we have a tarp,” Peterson said.

The Sharks, on the other hand, did not have a tarp to cover their infield.

“We invest thousands of dollars in materials that will help us get the field ready,” he said, noting efforts to clear the field of water on Sunday.

“We got everything prepared, took the tarp off the field 20 minutes before game time and it was pristine.

We had the opposing team, the general manager and manager, inspecting it for puddles. They didn’t find a puddle.

“The field was ready in Worcester. Martha’s Vineyard, that was a lot different. They didn’t have any product to put on the field. Their actual players were out there with rakes trying to prepare a field having no prior experience with it. That’s unfortunate.”

“The difference between the Bravehearts and a team like the Sharks is that we will outwork them,” Peterson continued. “Every single moment, we do what we can to make the summer the most special time

for the people who live in Worcester and the surrounding towns, and support the team.

“If you were to ask me about the debacle that happened [Monday night], it is a problem with the way the Sharks approach managing that team and managing that ballpark.”

Peterson pointed to a game that had been scheduled on the Vineyard a week earlier, during the regular season. The weather was poor then, too, but the team traveled down and took the ferry over to play. Then the game was canceled.

“Quite honestly,” Peterson said, “now you’re looking at two days in [the span of a week] that the Bravehearts spent thousands of dollars on buses and boats, bought tickets and food, and haven’t even played more than half an inning on Martha’s Vineyard.”

League Commissioner Chris Hall acknowledged a single champion would have been preferred. But, he said, the decision had been made before the final game that, no matter what, the series would end that night. The idea of co-champions, he said, had been floated before the game, in the event it could not be

completed.

“It’s common sense,” Hall said.

“These are student-athletes first.

There was no chance, especially with the weather we were getting [the next day] of extending another day or two.”

“It’s summer collegiate baseball,” Hall continued. “The spirit of it, of course we want one champion. This is not professional baseball. This is summer collegiate ball. We have to take care of our players.”

Hall did not place blame on the Sharks.

“Overall,” he said, “over the [previous] week, with the rain they got down on the Vineyard, the field was saturated. The first rain that hit [during the] game came down hard. They didn’t have a tarp. They haven’t had one down there in eight years.”

Hall said other teams don’t have tarps either, for various reasons. He also credited the Sharks for improvements they have made at their field.

“That team has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars sprucing that place up,” Hall said. “They started with no lights, no stands, no netting.

There were no bathrooms. They built that place to what it looks like today.

Worcester Bravehearts Aug. 8 The Bravehearts dropped the Bristol Blues, 11-5, on the road to advance to the championship.

Aug. 10 In Game 1 of the title series, the Bravehearts thumped the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks in the Shark Tank, 10-6, for a 1-0 series lead.

Aug. 12 After rained postponed the Saturday contest, the Sharks evened up the series and sent it back to the Vineyard for a decisive Game 3, winning, 4-2.

Aug. 13 In a first for the Futures Collegiate Baseball League, the pivotal third game was called in the first inning, with the game tied, 1-1, and the Bravehearts and Sharks were crowned co-champions.

Massachusetts Pirates Aug. 11 The Pirates’ first ever playoff run ended quickly, as they lost their first matchup at home to the Columbus Lions, 50-36.

Round-Up Pirates quarterback Sean Brackett (ankle) did not play in the playoff loss to Columbus. In his place, Darron Thomas threw four touchdowns, but he was roughed up before the first half ended, injuring his ankle, and played with a noticeable limp in the second half.

Lions QB Jeremy Johnson rushed for four TDs.

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culture Lyford Files JOSHUA LYFORD

HEEERE’S JOSHY: Back with those terrible subheads. If you sent

me an email last week, you would know that I was on an actual, real deal vacation. I’ve had some time off here and there, but this was the first honest-to-dog vacation I’ve had in several years. I doubt very highly you care about the specifics, but I demand satisfaction and you must indulge me for a bit here. I spent the first weekend with my family in northern Vermont, which was wonderful. From there, I whipped on over to Monhegan in Maine, an island 11 miles off the mainland. If you aren’t familiar (I wasn’t,) the island has a tiny village and is otherwise untouched. No cell service, no internet, no television, no nothing. It was perfect. I spent five magical days reading, writing, hiking and swimming with baby seals. From there it was off to the White Mountains in New Hampshire to knock a few more of the 48 4,000 footers off my list with my trusty hound dog Brisco (an illustrated version of him is at the bottom of the page). Now, I have returned, swimming through a sea of unread emails. If you reached out while I was gone, double down and email me again, just in case. I am, after all, a bit of an air head. Either way, it’s nice to see you again, Worcester.

A BRAVE DECISION?: Alright, this subhead isn’t really fair

as the decision wasn’t in the Worcester Bravehearts’ hands, but if you missed the memo, the Futures Collegiate Baseball League’s tie-breaking championship game, which would have named one team the league champions, was cancelled due to rainfall. So what did the league do?

Named the Bravehearts and the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks co-champs.

After a long season and a hard-fought playoff run this decision has to be a disappointment for all involved. Now, to be fair, by nature of the league, many of the players had scheduled flights to make, but still, you have to imagine no one is completely satisfied with the outcome.

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GENTLE ENOUGH FOR DAILY USE: Oh man, do I

love when an event title is so good I don’t have to use my brain. It should come as no surprise, then, that the aforementioned fantastic event title is the brainchild of three of my favorite local artists: Don Hartmann, Luis Fraire and Robb Sandagata (well, he’s in Lowell these days, but he gets a pass). Besides having some of the best promotional artwork I’ve ever seen (Luis, Robb and Don as babies looking on at another baby Don, this time as a tattooed devil in a bathtub), the three are fantastic talents and bandmates (Fabulous). What a trio. The exhibition opened Thursday, Aug. 9 and will run through Sept. 8 at the Worcester Center for Crafts. I think the blurb the trio crafted themselves speaks to the event quite well: “Gentle Enough for Daily Use” is a branding term in the modern American marketplace for products that typically can be associated with having certain abrasive qualities, like dish soap for example. Fortunately, scientists have discovered new and improved products that produce the same powerful advertised results without the unpleasant after effects. For this reason Hartmann, Sandagata and Fraire bring you this gentle, but deeply cleansing collection of new and improved works of art. Seeing is believing!” Enjoy.

WHAT’S THE MATTER JOSH? WO MAG GOT YOU PUSHING TOO MANY PENCILS?: That’s right,

I saved the best subhead for last. I mention the Cinemageddon events relatively often within this ol’ column of mine and for (I think) good reason: they’re cool as hell. Ralph’s Diner plays host to Sunday movie nights projected on the wall outside, which means enjoying the cool evening air over a dozen or so Genesee cans while soaking in some entertainment. On Aug. 19, they will be playing one of my personal favorites: “Predator” (as well as a movie I have, for whatever reason, never actually finished, “Predator 2”). It generally kicks off once the sun goes down, or around 9 p.m., but I’d suggest you get there early to secure several drinks and a well-placed seat. Heckling and doing your best Mystery Science Theater 3000 impression is fine, but loudly conversing outside over the film’s dialogue is frowned upon. Just remember, if it bleeds, we can kill it.

Joshua Lyford Culture editor @Joshachusetts

culture Lifestyle SARAH CONNELL

The Cocktails are Coming

Eight local restaurants are taking part in this year’s “Shaking it Up for POW! WOW!” cocktail competition. Bartenders will design a cocktail inspired by a past POW! WOW! Worcester artist. Cocktails will be available from Aug. 26 Sept. 9. This year, establishments are competing for the most Instagram posts featuring the hashtag #shakeitpww. All participants are donating $1 from each cocktail sold to help make POW! WOW! Worcester possible. The competition is being generously supported by MS Walker Imports. Deadhorse hill gave us an early look at their #shakeitpwww cocktail entry “Con Safos,” which translates to “with respect.” Creator Derek Grimm was inspired

by Pow!Wow! Worcester muralist Eamon Gillen who is also Grimm’s trusted tattoo artist. The name “Con Safos” is a nod to an iconic sign-off used by Mexican-American graffiti artists during the ’60s and ’70s in Los Angeles. The cocktail includes Peloton de la Muerte Mezcal, Aperol and a housemade clementine-honey shrub (in honor of Gillen’s daughter, Clementine.) Grimm finishes the drink with splashes of saline, lemon juice and soda water, with a garnish of fresh mint. Guests will find one of Gillen’s original designs clothes-pinned to each glass. (Grimm vows to get tattooed with the design once he has been crowned champion.)

Stay tuned for entries from other participating restaurants: Armsby Abbey, Birchtree Bread Co., The Boynton, Lock 50, simjang, Valentinos and VIA.

The Return of the Burger Club

This year, The Fix Burger Bar is selling two levels of their famous membership: A One Burger a Week Card for $229 and a One Burger A Day Card for $429. Your burger fate rests on the results of an in-store lottery that will take place between Saturday, Aug. 11 and Thursday, Aug. 16. Burger hopefuls can only enter one lottery per day. Winners will be notified on the Fix Burger Bar App by Tuesday, Aug. 21.

Patio Play

Slam Dunk Sunday

Pints on the Plaza

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Greater Good Imperial Brewing Company began their series on City Hall Plaza last week, which will continue on Fridays, 4 - 8 p.m. through October. Food trucks, games and a rotating roster of performers will sweeten up the start of the weekend for downtown’s ever-expanding workforce.

Sarah Connell contributing writer

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Summer at ’72 marks the 1st Annual Block Party in the lot at 72 Shrewsbury St. The inaugural all-day bash will kick off on Sunday, Aug. 26 at noon.

The event will feature a live performance by The Blue Light Bandits as well as entertainment courtesy of DJ Chuck Chillin. Entry is free with a la carte pricing for food and drink. Throughout the day, 30 teams will go head to head in a double-elimination style cornhole competition in hopes of winning $500 worth of prizes. Simjang will be serving up fried chicken and bibimbap and sister restaurant deadhorse hill will be on hand with grilled mexican street corn and tacos. Volturno will be hawking porchetta and sausage sandwiches. Island Creek Oysters plans to curate a killer raw bar.

And a rosé wine bar will supply rosés from around the world, frozé slushies and rosé sorbet floats. Wormtown Brewery’s keg van is set to offer three brews on tap including a POW! WOW! special release. (I’m so excited that I agreed to take a shift in the dunk tank.)

A U G U S T 16 - 22, 2018

Nick’s summer music series is the perfect opportunity to check out the new benches and large umbrellas on their legendary patio at 124 Millbury St. Bob Moon from Comanchero will play on Aug. 18, Chris Houston on Aug. 25 and The Hip Swayers on Sept. 15. The show starts at 3 p.m. each week. Remember to tip your musicians.

culture

Mediterranean Dishes Shine at Livia’s Dish 1394 Main St., Worcester • 508-926-8861 • liviasdish.com SANDRA RAIN

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L

ivia’s Dish offers a certain sentimentality that can be difficult to pin down in a city itching for corporate restaurant development. Drop in for brunch on a Saturday morning and you’ll find nurses coming off the lateBanana and nuts panshift, an entire baseball team out for a pre-game feast, teenage couples cakes, bacon and the smoked salmon crepe. (as awkward as they are charming) muddling their way through first dates, and even a solo diner or two content to spend the morning alone with a newspaper and a cup of coffee. Livia’s Dish exudes loose-fitting comfort. At 1394 Main St., you’re never far from home.

Livia’s Dish is known for their crepes, both sweet and savory. Crepes have no rising agent, rendering them paper-thin vehicles for an eclectic group of fixings on the menu. Try strawberry, banana, Nutella ($9.99) or sweet ricotta, fig jam and honey ($9.99) for a toothsome start to your day. I prefer a savory crepe like the smoked salmon ($10.99) rolled up tight with yogurt sauce, capers, slivers of cucumber and onion, and then drizzled with a zig zag of spicy chipotle aioli.

The pancakes take a cue from crepe-culture too, always “stuffed,” with embellishments rather than mixing auxiliary ingredients straight into the buttermilk batter. The banana and nuts pancakes ($9.99) act like a spongy accordion, unfolding to reveal layers of marscapone, sticky bananas and crisped pecans. Another similar version embeds tiers of caramelized apples ($9.99.) Livia’s Dish is built for volume, though they do their best to make use of fresh, local organic produce “when possible.”

Owners Oriola Koci and Enton Mehillaj’s Mediterranean roots shine brightest on the menu. Dishes like the Mediterranean omelet ($9.99) and the feta burger ($9.99) feel particularly personal. For the latter, Chef Mehillaj uses a hand-formed, 8-ounce patty served with briny olive tapenade, a bright tzatziki sauce, grilled tomato and of course – a generous dose of feta.

Livia’s Dish also offers a humble beverage program including enough mimosa options to turn the scariest of Sundays into fun days. Single mimosas ($7) come in flavors of orange, peach, pomegranate or mango. Pitchers will run you $26. And a “bucket of bubbles” is available for $32, including a bottle of champagne and three juices to mix with.

This frenzy of mimosas shouldn’t deter family dining. Livia’s bar program is not a defining feature of the restaurant. In fact, they even host “kids’ cooking parties” on a regular basis, welcoming children for two hour sessions on Saturday afternoons to learn about making pizza, Mexican cuisine and Livia’s specialty – brunch.

Periwinkle walls and window valances will have you believing you’ve gone over to your great aunt’s house for Easter. An assortment of massproduced artwork should feel equally familiar. Carpets never move me in a dining room, though Livia’s Dish is clean. There’s a lot more room than most breakfast and lunch joints. I was surprised at first to find that there isn’t any background music, but the tinkle of silverware and the hum of conversation prevents any emptiness from entering one’s consciousness nonetheless.

Guests appreciate Livia’s Dish for all of its simplicity and for the real local people who are calling the shots behind the scenes. The staff is bound to make you feel welcome. The service is formulaic and efficient. The prices are reasonable. These are the elements that make Livia’s Dish a “unique dining experience” among an onslaught of megacorporations who are vying to serve you breakfast and lunch.

On my last date at Livia’s Dish, our bill came to $38.18.

Explanation of Stars: Ratings are from zero to five. Zero is not recommended.

One is poor. Two is fair. Three is satisfactory. Four is good. Five is excellent.

Food: HHH1/2 Ambience: HHH Service: HHH Value: HHH1/2

Spike Lee KO’s the KKK

culture

JIM KEOGH

I

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n the early 1970s, the Colorado Springs Police Department launched an undercover investigation of the local Ku Klux Klan chapter, whose activities had intensified from scaremongering to outright terrorism. An AfricanAmerican police officer named Ron Stallworth sought and secured Klan membership through phone calls with KKK officials, convincing them he was a white guy consumed by an unwavering devotion to their cause.

Since Stallworth clearly couldn’t attend Klan events in person, a white detective was recruited to infiltrate the group under his name and work with him to gather the intelligence needed to arrest the ringleaders.

Stallworth’s memoir has been adapted into “BlacKkKlansman,” Spike Lee’s trenchant assessment of the state of race relations, particularly the meting out of harsh justice to African-Americans. This is a blunt and urgent film, with Lee typically pulling no punches in connecting saucer-sized dots between ugly epochs in U.S. history marked by D.W. Griffith’s depiction of blacks as criminals and buffoons in “Birth of a Nation,” turn-of-the century lynchings, and tiki torch-wielding white supremacists marching on Charlottesville.

The events in Colorado Springs are a lesser known moment on this continuum. Stallworth, played with supreme confidence and crisp wit by John David Washington (Denzel’s son), is a man weighing his duties as a police officer with his allegiance to the growing black power movement. His first undercover assignment is to monitor a rally staged by civil rights activist Kwame Ture, better known by his earlier incarnation of Stokely Carmichael (Corey Hawkins). There, he becomes smitten with Patrice (Laura Harrier), the head of the Black Student Union and a firebrand for the cause. The two own conflicting philosophies of how to disrupt the system: Ron believes exerting influence from the inside is a more productive path toward change; Patrice insists on wrestling the status quo to the ground until it screams “Uncle!”

The infiltration of the local KKK is a masterful bit of manipulation by Ron and his partner, Flip (Adam Driver, playing it cool and controlled under lifethreatening stresses), who poses as a new recruit. Flip enters the Klan with the right skin color, but, unbeknownst to them, the wrong religious affiliation. He’s Jewish, and is forced to play along when the anti-Semitic rhetoric rages as fast and furiously as the racist bile. At one point, a suspicious Klansman insists on seeing Flip’s penis to prove it’s been “circumstanced.” (Lee goes to great pains to mock the crew’s intelligence, though it’s the smart ones who are scariest.)

When you leave “BlacKkKlansman,” it’s a near certainty Topher Grace’s fine performance as Grand Wizard David Duke will be the one that resonates. His Duke epitomizes, in the words writer Hannah Arendt used to describe WWII-era Nazis, “the banality of evil.” If you shut your eyes, you could swear you’re listening to nerdy Ned Flanders from “The Simpsons” — he actually says “Yer darn tootin’ — rather than the leader of a group preaching the elevation of the white race as the American ideal.

Lee’s masterwork on race is, and maybe always will be, “Do the Right Thing,” but “BlacKkKlansman” functions as a movie for its day. Two of the “stars” include Donald Trump, shown delivering his “fine people on both sides” post-Charlottesville press conference, and Alec Baldwin, who has famously lampooned Trump on TV. That they appear in the same film during this surreal time is somehow Jim Keogh perfect. contributing writer

calendar Thursday, Aug. 16 Out to Lunch Series: Bolivia Canta

Worcester Common Oval, 455 Main St. The downtown summer series continues with food trucks, a farmers market, local vendors and musical acts performing. This time around Bolivia Canta performs Bolivian music as well as Peruvian, Ecuadorian, Cumbia, Rumba and American classics.

Friday, Aug. 17 “El Gallo” makes his comeback

Worcester Palladium, 261 Main St. Presented by Granite Chin & Rivera Promotions, three time World Champion boxer, Jose Antonio Rivera, returns to the ring for the first time since 2011.

Friday, Aug. 17 Grey Whisker Pickers

Douglas Orchard & Farm, 36 Locust St., Douglas Presented by the Douglas Cultural Council, the acoustic honky-tonk act, Grey Whisker Pickers performs at the Douglas Orchard & Farm.

Saturday, Aug. 18 28th Latin American Festival

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City Hall Common, 455 Main St. Centro Inc. presents the 28th Latin American Festival behind City Hall, with music, food and entertainment, featuring Grammy-nominated singer Ismael Miranda from Puerto Rico and Grammy nominated Dominican singer Bonny Cepeda.

Friday, Aug. 17 Second Chance Animal Shelter Pet Adoptions

Klem’s, 117 W. Main St., Spencer The Second Chance Animal Shelter Mobile Adoption Unit heads to Klem’s. Find your new best friend.

calendar Sunday, Aug. 19 The Charlie Daniels Band

Indian Ranch, 200 Gore Road, Webster The Charlie Daniels Band returns to Indian Ranch for the 27th time, performing classics like “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” “Long Haired Country Boy” and more.

Thursday, Aug. 23 City Field Day

Worcester Common Oval, 455 Main St. Family-friendly afternoon fun featuring a rock wall, bungee trampoline, roller rink, wiffle ball, food trucks, DJ, facepainting and more. Also featuring Movies on the Common with A League of their Own.

Sunday, Aug. 19 Popcorn Sermon: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Museum of Russian Icons, 203 Union St., Clinton The Museum of Russian Icons presents Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, directed by Frank Capra, the classic story of a naive man headed to the capital and clashing with political corruption.

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culture

Adoption option Welcome to Adoption Option, a partnership with the Worcester Animal Rescue League, highlighting their adoptable pets. Check this space often to meet all of the great pets at WARL in need of homes.WARL is open seven days a week, noon-4 p.m., 139 Holden St. Check them out online at Worcesterarl.org, or call at 508-853-0030.

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EAST DOUGLAS PHOTOGRAPHY

Meet Katrina. A woman had to surrender Katrina and another cat when she lost her home. The two cats were companions, but not so devoted that they had to be adopted together. Katrina enjoys watching television with you. She likes sunny spots and high places, like the top of a bookcase. Most likely, Katrina has FLUTD - feline lower urinary tract disease. It’s a fancy name for a queasy stomach and bowel. We find that canned food only calms her G.I. tract. Stress makes FLUTD worse, so Katrina is looking for a quiet home without rambunctious kids and pets.

She is 7 years old, spayed and current with her vaccines and parasite prevention.

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last call Chris and Josh Fuller

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WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

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I

n the 1900s, Willis Fuller’s work repairing horse-drawn buggies evolved into a passion for automobile ignition wiring. The Fuller Automotive Companies of Auburn, overseen by Chris and Josh Fuller, now operate at 505 Washington St. on Route 20 in Auburn. The ever-growing compound includes Fuller Automotive and Tire Center, Fuller Auto Body and Collision Center, Fuller Towing and SpeeDee Oil Change and Tune-Up. Altogether, according to Business Development and Marketing Manager Kerri Cunningham, the five entities maintain 56 full-time employees in 40,000 square feet of space spread between four separate buildings on 6 acres of land. The Fuller family has effectively built a “one-stop shop” for all of your automotive needs. Each year, the Fuller Companies of Auburn sponsor a number of youth sports teams, in addition to contributing to local schools, groups and organizations. According to Cunningham, the Fuller family’s persistent involvement in the community is of the utmost importance to their continued success. Their efforts have not gone unnoticed. Fuller Automotive Companies of Auburn was awarded the Northeastern University Massachusetts Business of the Year Award in 2014, based also on pivotal contributions to their community and their proactiveness in hiring and training vocational school students.

What is your history with Central Mass?

JF: I was born and raised in Auburn, went to high school in Worcester and now reside in Grafton.

CF: I was also born, raised and educated (Holy Name ’93 and Assumption ’97) in Central Mass.

Now I am living life with my wife Michele and our sons Adam, who is 15, and Trevor, who is 13.

Can you describe your career trajectory?

JF: I graduated Bentley University in 2001, then I worked at Liberty

automotive experts

The brother’s of Fuller Automotive, Chris, left, and Josh.

ELIZABETH BROOKS

Mutual in finance and accounting.

In 2003, I joined the family business at the collision repair shop.

CF: I was free to pursue an education and career, but there was an allure to coming into the family business. It provided me the best opportunity to live life on my terms. I would have never made it to my first lunch break in a cubicle.

How has the business evolved from the days of horse and buggy repairs?

CF: By the time we answer, we’d have to start over. The automobile has become so entwined with our daily lives, it’s a house on wheels.

The latest and greatest of every facet in our lives gets replicated in the vehicles. Internal vehicle communication for vehicle adaptation is in place already, now it’s about removing all those heavy wires.

We are just scratching the surface in personal transportation.

JF: Fuller Automotive was started

in 1914 and is currently being operated by the fourth generation of the founding Fuller Family. Forward thinking has led to expansion of the business over the years; however, the commitment to always be striving to offer the best to our customers and community keeps the business’s roots strong and solid. This is the foundation of the company that it was built upon over 100 years ago.

What makes family-run businesses so unique in the automotive industry?

JF: Cars have a lot of moving parts, as does the family dynamic.

Therefore, it’s a good fit because there are always multiple areas needing repair.

CF: We are driven by pride first and people before profit. I’m not great at math, but that equation has outlasted every business fad for 104 years. Owning and operating is a trade in itself, handed down. Our education for this came

from being around it and being close to those involved.

How important are family traditions to the Fuller team?

JF: We strive to handle our customers in the same manner as our grandfather and father. Chris has a lot of these little stories.

CF: We spend a lot of time together, we just celebrated another FULLERFEST. Our employees are all pretty involved with each other as well. We have several relatives working together here too.

Can you share an anecdote that illustrates your excellent customer relations?

JF: We provide exceptional customer service to the people that have allowed us to continue to grow our brand.

CF: Ask our Courtesy Tech Adam, “What does Papa say?” I’ll bet the shops that he answers, “Work hard and be good to people!”

What is your favorite place to frequent as a family when you aren’t working on Washington Street?

JF: Cape Cod. CF: It has made a generational transition from Lake Winnipesaukee to the Cape.

Is there anything else our readers should know about Fuller?

CF: When coming to visit us on Route 20, it is safer using the South Street traffic light than entering and exiting our lot just behind Major League Roast Beef.

JF: A sister is the solution of two brothers having ADHD. Your sister, Kerri Cunningham, did indeed do an excellent job wrangling the two of you to provide thoughtful answers.

Thank you again for your time and all of the Fuller family’s hard work.

— Sarah Connell

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