sturbridge the timesquinn & small, inc. we accept photos, opinions, short articles, stories,...

STURBRIDGETIMESMAGAZINE

FIFTH ANNUAL

STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINEREADERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

OFFICIAL BALLOTIN THIS ISSUE

OCTOBER, 2014THE

THE CHRONICLE OF STURBRIDGE AREA LIVING

2 THE CHRONICLE OF STURBRIDGE COUNTRY LIVINGTHE STURBRIDGE TIMESMAGAZINE

Apple Days at Old Sturbridge Village to be observed October 4 and 5

With its “living collec-tion” of heirloom

apple trees, Old Sturbridge

Village is one of the bestplaces in the country tolearn about rare varieties of

antique apples. During themuseum’s annual AppleDays festival, Saturday and

Sunday Oct. 4-5, visitorscan taste heirloom applevarieties, see the ox-pow-

ered Cider Mill in opera-tion, tour the apple or-chards, and take homeapple seeds to plant. TheVillage blacksmiths willmake a vintage-styleapple peeling machine;the coopers will craft anapple barrel; the “tin-ners” will make an old-fashioned apple picker,and in the Village’shouseholds, historianswill demonstrate how ap-ples were used and storedin root cellars. For timesand details: call 800-SEE-1830 or visit www.osv.orgIn early New England,

apples were an importantfood source all year longand were used fresh,dried, or pressed intocider. Some varieties, likeBaldwins and RoxburyRussets, were excellent“keepers” – lasting formonths. Children hadthe important job ofchecking the applesstored in barrels in theroot cellar, making surethat "one bad apple" didnot "spoil the bunch."Although most super-

markets are limited to afew varieties, there wereonce thousands of applevarieties recognized inNorth America, with dis-tinctive tastes and colorfulnames. Thomas Jefferson fa-

vored a dessert applecalled “Esopus Spitzen-burg,” which was discov-ered in Esopus, NewYork. Most supermarketvarieties today are fa-vored because they shipand store well, or are eas-ier to harvest by machine.

3THE CHRONICLE OF STURBRIDGE COUNTRY LIVING THE STURBRIDGE TIMESMAGAZINE

STURBRIDGETIMESMAGAZINE

THE

THE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINE is published 11 times a year, with no January issue, in Sturbridge, Massachusetts by Carr,Quinn & Small, Inc. We accept photos, opinions, short articles, stories, poems and drawings from the general public, but assume no re-sponsibility for failure to publish a submission or for typographic errors published or incorrect placement. The contents of this magazineconsist of copyrightable material and cannot be reproduced without the expressed written permission of the author and the publishers ofThe Sturbridge Times Magazine. We reserve the right to refuse any advertising for any reason. We reserve the right to require editing to anyadvertising that is accepted for publication. Opinion printed herein report views of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the viewsand opinions of the magazine, its publisher, or Carr, Quinn & Small, Inc. We invite varying opinions and information from our writers andreaders, wishing to provide a public forum for well-tempered, well-reasoned thoughts, ideas and opinion.

ADVERTISING DEADLINE: Camera ready: the 20th of each month prior to publication. The 17th of the month for Nov. and Dec.

ADVERTISING OFFICE: 508-347-7077 ext. 2 (Karen Rothweiler, Ad Director).

DELIVERED INTO EVERY HOME AND BUSINESS AND POST OFFICE BOXES INSTURBRIDGE, AND TO SELECTED HOMES IN BRIMFIELD, BROOKFIELD, CHARLTON, EASTBROOKFIELD, HOLLAND, NORTH BROOKFIELD, WALES, WEST BROOKFIELD, SOUTHBRIDGE,SPENCER. ALSO MAILED TO INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES ELSEWHERE IN THE UNITED

THE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINE | CARR, QUINN & SMALL, INC.P.O. BOX 418, STURBRIDGE, MA 01566 TEL. 508-347-7077 FAX 508-347-8150 STURBRIDGETIMES.COM

CQSMEDIA.COM

3

OCTOBER 2014STURBRIDGEAREALIVING

PUBLISHER & EDITOR.....................PAUL CARRMANAGING EDITOR ........................JOHN SMALLSTORY EDITOR ...............................STEPHANIE RICHARDS

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR ................KAREN ROTHWEILERADVERTISING PRODUCTION............TERRI RACCA

WRITERS........................................LISA BOULEY, MS......................................................THOMAS CHAMBERLAND......................................................AMANDA COLLINS......................................................BARBARA GALE......................................................ROBERT GEORGE, ESQ......................................................RICHARD MCGRATH......................................................KATHY MENARD......................................................RICHARD MORCHOE......................................................MICHAEL NEELY......................................................STEPHANIE RICHARDS......................................................PETER SAGANSKY......................................................G.E. SHUMAN

Annual Subscription RateIf you live outside Sturbridge and Sturbridge TimesMagazine is not mailed to your home, you may sub-scribe at our annual rate of $29.00. Checks must indi-cate “Annual Subscription” on the detail and be madepayable to Carr, Quinn & Small, Inc. and forwardedto: Sturbridge Times, P.O. Box 418, Sturbridge, MA


Since 2001 our country has beeninvolved in a struggle with a

huge chunk of the world. DespiteGeorge W. Bush’s 2003 banner de-claring, Mission Accomplished, fewwould admit things are getting bet-ter for us on the world stage. We are probably going back into

Iraq. The Taliban is alive and kick-ing. We facilitated the overthrow ofthe Libyan dictator and that hasgone foul. Our mindless support ofthe Muslim Brotherhood in Egypthas also come a cropper. A vanish-ingly tiny coterie of “moderate”rebels had our largesse againstAssad in Syria. It turns out we musttacitly ally with that government we

sought to destroy. The agitationagainst Putin in The Ukraine is nota success and courts war against anuclear state.Maybe it is time for a national

reality check? Former Boston Uni-versity Professor Angelo Codevillaset himself to the task. With hisbook, To Make and Keep Peace AmongOurselves and with All Nations, he hasprovided a historical primer onAmerican foreign policy as well asaddressing how our the countrycan find a genuine peace.Codevilla taught International

Relations at Boston University, andis known as a conservative scholar.He is associated with the Clare-

mont Institute and the Hoover In-stitution. Claremont has a neoconreputation. If Professor Codevillawas a neocon, it appears he is nowoff the reservation. No argumentwith that.While his name is not a house-

hold word, Codevilla garneredsome notice a few years back for hisarticle in The American Spectator, ti-tled: America’s Ruling Class-and the Per-ils of Revolution. The piece wouldbe extended into a book, (warning:foreward by Rush Limbaugh), titledThe Ruling Class — How They Cor-rupted America and What We Can DoAbout It (Beaufort Books, 2010).The basic idea is that there is an

overparty ruling the rest of us. Ev-idence for this was that everyonebut the people at large supportedbailing out the banks. As a manwith ties to elite institutions, thisseems heresy.His current book is no less blas-

phemous. With all the leadershipfrom left to right clamoring for in-tervention against ISIS, calling fora rethink is radical apostasy. Then again, maybe asking if we

can afford to be the world police-man forever might be sweet rea-son. According to the author, oureternal war for eternal peace leadsto conflict abroad and no peace at

BOOKREVIEW

To Make and Keep Peace Among Ourselves and with All NationsBy Angelo M. CodevillaHoover Institution Press, 2014Paperback, 248 pagesList: $19.95 Amazon: $16.03

Continued on page 6

All he is saying is give peace a chance

E X P E R I E N C E F R E E D O M F R O M W O R R YWITH THE RIGHT INSURANCE

d oeriu toe yrA

s orae5 yr 7evh otiWr cug onidivorn po

uot yuobg aniyrrof wd o

rusne ihn te icneirpexf es oy cehge tarevoh ctis wtneilr c

E X P E R I E N C EWITH

egarevoe ccnarusnr iu

ue odire p, wyy, wrtsudne icnarne icned�nol clue f uvan hay c

F R E E D O ME X P E R I E N C E IN RIGHT T INSURANCE THEHH THE

?e

sevselru,n

W O R R Y F R O M INSURANCE

W O R R Y

r cug onidivorn pomie tht ty alliacpese

� watd ssenecir luOoe chd tno �k trow

n qau cow yok hsA

y cehge tarevoh ctis wtneilr c.mialf a ce om

r uuoy yffy yitnedo ip tell hli� wpemot a cd aeeu noge yarevo

m Poddoeer Frur ooy f foffy fiiflliaun q

turbridge, MA 01566eet Strain S258 M

ne icned�nol clue f uvan hay c

h, tsdeee ncnarusne iuqinr u.ecire plbadro��o, aevititpe

!yaayoddan talla P Pl

turbridge, MA 01566 . est MWWest M130

WWWW

,n

neh

, MA 01562pencereet Strain Sest M

CM.WWW

800.342.3859

MOC.ECNARUSNIHTAATRGC

800.342.3859

By Richard Morchoe


PUBLISHER’SCOLUMN

By Paul Carr, Publisher

I came upon it last Tuesday when we had just come off the MassPike and were heading down the ramp onto Route 20. I thoughtit must have been something else, it was too early for this — therewere still so many green leaves — how could it be? But it was whatI thought: the musky aroma of a seasonal page turning; I wasdriving into the first scent of fall in Sturbridge.In my mind, a memory that had long been

abandoned abruptly stood up, wiggled, dusted itself off and jumped into my 2014 consciousness. Itlooked like this:

Seventh grade, after school, swingingfrom a five-inch thick vine in the

woods behind my buddy Ricky How-land’s house. The vivid memory took me by sur-prise, then teased: was there ever a better day inyour life? Well, yes, I thought, but I know what youmean. The world was fresh, I was fresh, andthose woods were something else. Themain attraction were the towering oaks,choked by the Climbing Bittersweet Vineswhich gave us our play. Our cautiousmothers had frowned upon this activitybut never pronounced it forbidden. Wewere able to avoid that verdict by having never pushedthe point; kids have that knack and sensitivity for steeringconversations. We lose it just as we succumb to the wiles ofromantic infatuation, when our senses sharpen on the adultishside and go wobbly on the childish one. When our feet don’t fit any-more and we sound like our voices need to be oiled. But this was be-fore all that happened to Ricky and me.We were careful to avoid any parental conversations where

vine swinging would be discussed. My mother neverwent past the raised eyebrow, hint of a sneer stageon the subject, which was exactly where Iwanted her. Ricky’s mom, a CubScout den mother, always more liti-giously sensitive, (the vines were be-hind their house) was quick to put her foot down on anythingthat could end up requiring bandages. But at that age, whatdoesn’t? Had she enough time between running her large family andglancing out upon the back woods glee of her swinging third son, itis possible she would have drawn that line, but it never happened.Still, I felt a queasy blend of fear and guilt when swinging on thosevines, always aware of the hulking Guardian Angel on my shoulderwho was busy feeding messages into the bank of monitors mymother was watching at home.

Methodist Ricky was considerably more care-free.As often as we could, Ricky

and I swung across those woodson the broad sweeps those vines

gave us. On reflection,it is an experience I

would hope for all children,especially now in this heavily-scheduled, highly-wired afterschool world. As I drove along last Tuesday, I

smiled in knowing I had lived outsome mini Tarzan episodes on falldays behind Ricky Howland’shouse in Westwood. In a child-hood that didn’t have manyHuckleberry Finn moments, thequality of those rare days shouldhave never been forgotten but it was, until last Tuesday. I drove quietly up New Boston Road wondering what other memo-

ries this scent of fall had to offer. They didn’t flood to mind, so I as-sumed we must be allowed just one single glorious memory per whiff,just one such go-back moment. And then a silent cascade of autumn vi-sions came through, each related to the scent of decaying leaves.

• Ruddy-faced, slap-happy exhaustion after pick-up football• Warm cider from a Thermos under the bleachers at a Saturday varsity game

• Pulling Snickers bars out of my Halloween pillowcase• Autumn dances; especially the things we did outside those dances• Dunking for apples; Red Rover; Giant Step

• Riding in a convertible on an Indian Summer day• An after-school job that put me on the first tractor I ever rode

Tom Chamberland, who works on thismagazine as our tree and yard expert,will have my head if he reads this. So

for the record: I am not pro-moting the use of Climbing

Bittersweet Vines for any reasonat all; I know it kills trees and should never be used for

childhood glee, merriment or especially joy, and being one who hasnever pressed the point in these matters, I have just one thing to say:Mom’s the word. n

Paul Carr started this magazine seven years ago and has worked in the marketingcommunciations field for over three decades. He will begin the practice of real estatesales in Sturbridge this fall.

THE SCENT OF AUTUMNS PAST


home.Codevilla’s survey is full of detail despite its

size. Most relevant to us, however is where ourtroubles really start. As the author would haveit, it is in the first decade of the Twentieth Cen-tury, near mid-point in the book.At that time, progressives, most notably

Woodrow Wilson, not only wanted to upliftAmerica, but bring peace to the world. Theythought about establishing mechanisms ofpeace, so mankind’s natural desire for it wouldblossom on all continents.Though it was the thought of the most

learned men of the era, after two world wars

and numerous dead end international involve-ments, it should seem naïve in retrospect. AsCodevilla notes on Page 96, “By the time theGreat War struck, America’s public discoursewas dominated by a concept of peace impossibleto realize, the corruption of which yet pollutesAmerican statecraft in our time.”The failed nation building of our adventures

in Iraq and Afghanistan would seem to prove hispoint. Maybe Grenada worked out well.According to Professor Codevilla, the war

abroad harms peace at home, thus the “AmongOurselves” part of the title. This would be es-pecially true in wars that are part of our coun-try’s desire to improve the world.

Though it is not a new phenomenon, it hasreached its reductio ad absurdum in the War on Ter-ror, or whatever it is being called this week. OnPage 154, the author notes that after 911 Presi-dent Bush “personally declared war: sort of butnot really, on no one in particular.” What this has led to domestically is a policy

that sees anyone and everyone in the country asa possible terrorist. No one should think anyonemore likely to be a malefactor than anyone else.We all have to go through the scanner or begroped at the airport.Political correctness demands, however, we

show special favor to certain classes. Thus noone really investigated Major Nidal Hassan andhe was approved in all his security clearances.This in spite of a business card that read, “Sol-dier of Allah.” A card that Codevilla writes was“an advertisement rather than a secret.” Theresult of such foolishness was 13 fellow soldierswhom he killed.So what is to be done to get us out of our for-

ever sort of war? Well the author does writemany sensible things, such as “America needs anew generation of statesmen, who regard mind-ing America’s business – acting as the Americanpeople’s fiduciary agents, minding America’s peaceand winning America’s wars – not as a demotion butas a calling that absorbs the highest human tal-ent and confers the highest honors.” (Page 189)Lovely stuff, and we should all be nice to eachother, but little chance of it happening at thispoint.His thoughts on a policy that matches ends

Book review: To Make and Keep PeaceContinued from page 4

Continued on page 8


Not to sound trite, but it seemsI have recently become more

aware, and much more apprecia-tive. of all the life that is aroundme. Perhaps this has something todo with my age; I'm not sure, andI’m not sure if I care. At an earlier time, I managed a

fairly large retail business for about25 years. This required that I spentmost of my weeks, months, andyears inside a building. I saw thesun on Sundays, until stores beganopening on Sundays. I saw mygrowing family at about the sameintervals.I think my eyes began to open

more to the life that is around meafter I left those buildings and that60-hour work week. It dawned onme that, looking down the road, Ihad many fewer days ahead thanappeared in the rear view mirror,so I set out discover more about mylife and surroundings and found anew perspective on the worldaround me. Last month my wife and I drove

our youngest daughter, Emily, toher first year in college, in the deepsouth. The trip to Georgia wasfine, and, although we had traveledOld Route 95 many times in yearspast, both the vastness of our coun-try, and the abundant life it holds,struck me more on this trip thanperhaps during any other. In the American south, one will

find the beautiful but sometimesunwelcomed Spanish Moss lacingthe trees; an example of life build-ing and literally living on top ofand because of other life. The woods, the towns and even

the cities of the south are teemingwith every form of vegetationimaginable: insects, animals andhumans all dwell, and thrive,within it all.

Since childhood I have held aninterest in our country’s space pro-gram, and, in fact, have been fol-lowing more recently NASA’s MarsRovers, as they trek across the sur-face of the Red Planet. Thoserovers and the scientists who sentthem amaze me, as I consider howthose machines struggle on thatlonely world, while the scientists towhich they are tethered study thedata they collect, all in an effort tofind life, or any small sign that lifemay have existed there. I have often wondered at what

effect a significant finding by one ofthose machines from earth wouldhave on the inhabitants of ourworld. Just catching a glimpse of atiny shoot of a plant, much lesssome mouse-like creature scurryingacross the video screens at NASA,would be the event of the century,or of several centuries, for our en-tire world. If a giraffe happened towalk in front of the camera, justthink what would happen. Ofcourse, no Martian giraffes haveshown themselves thus far, but howmany have you seen up close?

Giraffes are not common inmost places on our world, yet we

are not amazed by them becausewe know they are here somewhereamong us; yet, if I were to find onecross my path, right here on Earth,I would be most amazed. Our planet has been blessed

with all kinds of abundance. Infact, as much as I would love to be-lieve that the rest of the universeis just as blessed with life, so farthere is not one bit of evidencesaying it is. Our world may be as common

as a blade of grass in a field of bil-lions, or as rare as a blade of grasson Mars. So far, mankind has noidea which is true. In any case, Isuggest that you take a lookaround, and see, and appreciatewhat is here. It is life, and it is trulyamazing. n

Coming to recognize my own planet


and means is also a good idea. It will happenmaybe when we get serious about balancingbudgets. Don’t hold your breath.Codevilla knows we have to stop what we are

doing, but he wants to do it gradually, “Whetherit is possible or not for twenty-first-century totranscend accumulated resentments, returningAmerica to international relations based onarms-length reciprocal respect would requirestatesman to be mindful of Pericles warning towar weary Athenians against dreaming that theycould just turn their backs on the foreign policythat they had followed for a generation.” (Page189)That did not work out well for the Athens;

one might doubt it will for us.Actually, we had the best peace we have had

in recent memory when we cut and ran fromViet Nam. The gradualism he proposes wouldbe a good idea if we could trust our betters tokeep to the plan. Unfortunately, in governmentand politics, one second is not connected to thenext. Some event occurs overseas and fromHillary to Bomber McCain there will go the callfor air strikes or “boots on the ground.”Codevilla’s book is important and in less than

200 pages of text, plus notes, he packs morethought than almost all that you will read on for-eign policy. His prescriptions are thoughtful andwould work in a perfect world.Unfortunately, we are not there. As Irish

statesman Connor Cruise O’Brien noted, “Con-flicts don’t have solutions, they have outcomes.”We shall not give up our course until there is anundeniable and complete defeat, or we go com-pletely broke. Both are simultaneously possible. n

Continued from page 6

Book review: To Make and Keep Peace

A few upcoming events at Hitchcock AcademyOCTOBER 1 — QVCDC Computer Classes atHitchcock Free Academy. “Computer Basics forBeginners” will be held on Wednesdayevenings, 6:30 – 8:30pm, October 1, 8, and15 at Hitchcock. For course details, pricing,and to register, call (413) 967-3001, [email protected], or visit www.qvcdc.com.

OCTOBER 3 — QVCDC Computer Classes atHitchcock Free Academy. “Excel Spreadsheets”will be held on Fridays, 6:30 – 8:30pm, Octo-ber 3, 10, and 17 at Hitchcock. For coursedetails, pricing, and to register, call (413) 967-3001, email [email protected], or visitwww.qvcdc.com.

OCTOBER 4 — Brimfield Antique Auto Show.Hundreds of vehicles, ranging from antiquecars to classic trucks, muscle cars, street rods,custom cruisers and classic imports. Specialguest Steve Magnante of Fox Sports will chatwith visitors and serve as Special Guest Judge.


When Jim Chew and hisdaughter, Allie Vilandre, sat

down to discuss marketing effortsearlier this year for their family-owned business, they wanted tothink out of the box. They knewhow much they appreciated cus-tomers who were striving to shop intheir community and support theirbusiness, C & R Tire, and wanted toheighten awareness to “Keep ItLocal.”The Chew family has owned the

business (Worcester location) for al-most 40 years and opened the Stur-bridge shop in 1999. “We wanted todo something different with ourmarketing this year. There were a lotof different ways to go, but in Stur-bridge, people really identify withlocal businesses,” said Vilandre, whois C & R Tire’s Executive Assistantto the President and lives in Wales.“I come from an independently-owned, family business and knowhow much we appreciate local sup-port. I try to shop locally and go torestaurants in the area.”Since C & R Tire does business

with a number of other area busi-ness owners, a “Keep It Local” cam-paign seemed to be a natural fit.They hired Joyce Pierce as C & R

Tire Director of Marketing andPromotions to help with the leg-work. “Joyce helped us get the dis-play rack with signage. She takesthe program out and explains it tolocal businesses. There is no costto participate,” Vilandre said.Implemented in March, the

“Keep It Local” campaign in-cludes a two and one-half byfour-foot display rack with 45pockets to hold brochures ormenus. Businesses can includetheir information on the rack,which is located in the waitingareas at both the Sturbridge andWorcester locations. There is alsoa smaller display for businesscards for companies who don’thave brochures. “The businesseshave been very receptive to it.The rack is completely filled,”Pierce said. “’Keeping It Local’ isa benefit to everyone and this isanother way to encourage sup-port of small business.”Businesses can also be in-

cluded in an optional part of theprogram, where they donate giftcards or other items for a weeklydrawing. Two lucky winners arechosen each week from a raffle jarand there is no purchase neces-

sary to participate. “As a bonus, wefeature the businesses who donateon our website and Facebook page.So it is a bit of a trade off,” Pierce

said. A variety of businesses have do-

nated to the campaign, including

LOCALBUSINESS

C&R Tire campaign keeps the focus localBy Stephanie Richards

C & R Tire has implemented a "Keep It Local" campaign to promote area businesses. Above, Stur-bridge Store Manager Dave Proulx and Executive Assistant Allie Vilandre stand next to the rack full ofrestaurant menus and business brochures.

©2014 Sturbridge Times photo by Stephanie Richards

Continued on page 32


As we head into the cooler months, it’s time tostart thinking about your home heating sys-

tem. Homeowners will begin to start making surethat their furnace, pellet stove, or other heating sys-tem is cleaned and working efficiently. It might alsobe time to start thinking about those expensive re-pairs that you put off earlier in the year. Repairingan old furnace might not be the best decision whenit comes to saving on energy bills.For those who have an older heating system, it

may actually end up being more cost effective to re-place your heating system rather than repairing it.Not only could you save yourself on heating costsin the long run, but using a more natural heat sys-tem will also benefit the environment. Compare the costs of running your older fur-

nace versus what you will save in the long run ifyou were to purchase a more energy-efficient sys-tem. When calculating the rising costs of heatingyour home, it may suddenly become a no-brainerto make the move to a more effective (and environ-mentally friendly) method of heating your home.While there will most definitely be high upfrontcosts when installing a more efficient HVAC sys-tem, it is also important to take a look at what youwill save in the long run. It is typically a more finan-cially sound decision to do what will benefit you

over the long term, rather than what is cheapesttoday. Similarly to deciding whether to keep andrepair an older vehicle versus purchasing a newone, the same goes for expensive larger appli-ances. Fortunately, there are a number of financing

options for upgrading your furnace. (And thegovernment wants to help cut costs!) Chancesare that you don’t have the money lying aroundto install a brand new geothermal or solar heat-ing system. Most homeowners find that whenthey make the switch from oil to a more energy-efficient system, they will need to acquire somesort of financing.The least expensive method of funding this

purchase is by using your savings, if this is possi-ble, because it does not include interest. If youcannot pay for these upgrades out of pocket buthave equity in your home, a home equity loan isa great way to finance your project. These loanscould be the best choice when looking to financehome improvement projects because the interestpaid on the home equity loan may be tax-de-ductible. (Check with your tax advisor on de-ductibility of interest). Home equity loanstypically have a fixed interest rate and no pre-payment penalty. However, take note that

How to finance a home energy upgrade

homeowners insurance of the property is gener-ally required in order to take out a home equityloan, and the bank must approve your loan first.There are two different types of equity loans: oneis a line of credit and the other a fixed rate loanoption. There are advantages to both programs,depending on your situation.If you don’t qualify for a home equity loan,

you could instead take out a personal unsecuredloan. However, the interest rate on the personalloan is going to be higher than that on a homeequity loan, because you aren’t offering collateralto back up your money, so it is seen as a higherrisk for the bank. However, it is important to factor in tax credits

when looking at the amount of money you’llneed to finance this project. There are many taxadvantages to making your home more energy-efficient. Tax credits are provided on a number ofhome energy changes, so it is important to calcu-late how much you will end up saving in taxeswhen looking at the overall cost. 30% of qualifiedexpenses for certain energy upgrades are eligiblefor a tax refund. Visit energy.gov for more details. At certain income levels, the home equity loan

can also give additional tax credits. This combi-nation of tax credits and a home equity loan isusually the best option if it is available to you.It is important to take a look at all of the op-

tions available before making a decision onwhether or not to upgrade your home’s heatingsystem. Speaking with a bank representative willhelp you better understand which of the above fi-nancing options you are qualified for. Always besure to look into future costs when consideringyour home improvement budget. n

INSIDE BANKING

P R O F E S S I O N A L A D V I C EF R O M A L O C A L

B A N K I N G E X E C U T I V EF O R R E A D E R S O F

T H E S T U R B R I D G E T I M E SM A G A Z I N E

By BARBARA GALEVICE-PRESIDENT, SALES & SERVICESAVERS BANK

11THE STURBRIDGE TIMESMAGAZINE

We can avoid being at the mercy of disease

HEALTH&NUTRITION

By Lisa Bouley, MSSturbridge Times Magazine Staff Nutritionist

As October begins, we are surrounded bythe sights and sounds of autumn. The

leaves are changing color, and the air is crispand increasingly cooler, day by day. The daysbegin to get shorter and we once again hearthe familiar sneezes and coughs that remind usthat cold and flu season has arrived. Althoughdisease is not limited to the colder months,there is a rise in illness at this time of year. Many of us feel at the mercy of disease. It

seems to “attack” when we don’t expect it, atthe least opportune times, and often when wealready feel that we are behind on our to dolist and overwhelmed at work. The last thingwe need is a cold, yet as we shiver and shake,grabbing a tissue for a runny nose, we realizethat our workload may be a part of the prob-lem. Most of us realize that a body that is “run

down” is more likely to get sick. This makes

sense, as when we are overtired, our de-fenses are not at their peak. Perhaps this isdue to the fact that sleep is restorative andgives our bodies the needed time to repairdamage and build heathy cells. When weare tired and stressed, the food choices wemake may not be optimal. Grabbing foodthat is quick and easy may provide us moretime to do other things, but it comes at aprice. In order to stay well, throughout the year,

there are a few important facts that you canmemorize. When temptation hits, take thetime to “talk yourself down,” remindingyourself of why some food should be left onthe grocery store shelf. Eating vitamin C rich foods daily is one

crucial step that can be taken to heightenour bodies' abilities to prevent and fight in-

Continued on the next page


.

Member FDIC Member SIF Equal Housing Lendersaversbank.com 800.649.3036

Simply Better Checking. Straightforward, no gimmicks – just a refreshingly simple checking account.

Open yours today.

rocket science?

When did checkingaccounts become

fection. Vitamin C heightens our natural “killercell activity,” which is a crucial part of our im-mune system's fighting power. Most of us havememorized that oranges contain vitamin C.However, less of us are aware that there are com-mon foods that provide nearly as much or morevitamin C than oranges. While a medium-sizedorange provides about 2/3 of the average adultdaily requirement for vitamin C, a 1/2 cup of

sweet red pepper, 1 cup of sliced strawberries, ortwo kiwis exceed the average daily requirementof 90 milligrams. One cup of cooked broccoli orbrussel sprouts will also meet the average person’sdaily requirement for vitamin C. Many fruitsand vegetables provide some vitamin C, so eatinga large variety of fresh produce is an importantaspect of maintaining our health and a strongimmune system.Allowing good bacteria to thrive in our intestines

is another crucial part of health main-tenance. A healthy intestinal tract ispopulated by a variety of good bacte-ria. Although there are many vari-eties of beneficial bacteria, they allfall into the general category of “pro-biotics” which literally means “pro-life.” These strains are life supportingand help our bodies to defend againstless ideal bacteria, fungi, and viruses.


Staying healthy to avoid diseases: you can choose health instead

Sugar is known to weaken our ability

to fight off infection. During cold

and flu season, or when around

someone who is “under the

weather” it is best

to eliminate or drastically

reduce your sugar(sweetener)

consumption.


There are many companies thatproduce supplemental probiotics,but since probiotics are presentin naturally fermented foods thathave not been pasteurized or heated,it is wise to try to incorporate natu-rally fermented foods into yourdiet. Examples of naturally fer-mented foods are pickles andsauerkraut produced the “old-fashioned” way, without the addition of vine-gar, such as “Bubbie’s” brand, kim chi, miso,raw apple cider vinegar, umeboshi vinegar,Ohsawa brand nama shoyu (one brand of soysauce which is produced through natural fer-mentation), and kombucha “tea,” as well asyogurt (dairy and non-dairy varieties) or kefirwhich claim to contain “live cultures.” Incor-porating some of these probiotic sources dailyis a second step to maintaining a strong bodyand immune system. If you do get sick this season, there is no

need to despair. Nature offers us several op-tions for shortening the duration of illness, as

well as assistance in fightingoff the invading virus orbacteria. Raw garlic hasanti-bacterial, anti-fungal,and anti-viral effects.Crushing or chopping up afew cloves of garlic into yourmeal or meals can help toprovide a natural anti-bi-otic, to assist your defenses

in fighting off the invader. Although what you eat is crucial, equally

important is what you leave out of your diet.Sugar is known to weaken our ability to fightoff infection. During cold and flu season, orwhen around someone who is “under theweather” it is best to eliminate or drasticallyreduce your sugar (sweetener) consumption.Enjoy the sweetness of fresh and dried fruit asan alternative to candy or sweet baked goods. Two food groups that seem to increase our

mucus production are dairy and flour. Whensuffering from a “runny,” nose or excessmucus, consider eliminating dairy and bread,

at least temporarily, from your diet. Noticeif your mucus production decreases. The “take-home” message for October is

that you have power over your health andbody. The ability to strengthen your im-mune system and stay well this season is inthe palm of your hand, or the center ofyour plate. Make choices that supporthealth and you will likely be rewarded by aproductive fall, winter, and spring, with lessillness and more work productivity.

Hertan’s Holiday Arts & CraftsFestival

The First Annual


By Stephanie RichardsThe fall landscape with a cool, pleasant breeze will

be the scene for a new showcase in Brimfield, but it hasnothing to do with antiques. Rather, it will have every-thing to do with fine arts and crafts.Hertan’s Antique Shows Owner David Lamberto

has seen growth and success in the Brimfield Antique& Collectibles Shows held in May, July and Septemberevery year. That gave him an idea to pursue a differentkind of event, one that would showcase fine arts andcrafts amidst the backdrop of the beautiful Brimfieldlandscape.In 2008, he approached the Brimfield Board of Se-

lectman with the idea, but at the time the town’s bylawswere written in such a way that the event could not hap-pen. So, Lamberto worked to develop a revision thatwould allow a limited number of additional events eachyear. The bylaw changes were approved at the May

2013 Town Meeting, becoming the first step inmaking the idea a reality. “We took a year to do the

planning and due diligence,” he said. “Theproperty is amenable to an event like this be-cause of its park like setting with shaded trees.I feel the beginning of October is a beautifultime in our area and it will give people some-thing to do outside and enjoy the fall colors.Plus, it is a way to contribute to the arts com-munity.”The Hertan’s Holiday Arts & Crafts Festival

will take place October 4 and 5 (rain dates Oc-tober 11 and 12) at Hertan’s Antique Show-ground in Brimfield. Lamberto coordinatedthe date with another successful event, theBrimfield Classic Auto Show, which benefitsHitchcock Academy. The show, now in it’ssixth year, will be held on Saturday, October 4(rain date October 11) at the Heart-o-the-Martgrounds. “People can come to the Arts &Crafts show and then to the Classic Auto Showor vice versa,” he said. The festival will include a mix of crafters

and fine artists with a goal to grow the event to200 vendors. This year, Lamberto expects 50vendors showcasing a diverse range of itemsincluding floral designs, children’s clothing,fabrics, holiday ornaments, decorative lighting,jewelry, metal and wood works, soaps andherbals, and specialty foods. For fine artists, Lamberto has been working

A new Holiday Arts & Crafts Festival is being planned for October 4 and 5 at Hertan's Antique Showgrounds in Brimfield.Organizing the event are David Lamberto, Hertan's Antique Shows, and Anna Ozolins, a popular Brimfield artist.

© 2014 Sturbridge Times photo by Stephanie Richards

SEASONALARTS


with the local Brimfield Arts Community,specifically with Anna Ozolins. “I did an artshowcase once a month at 12 Crane inSouthbridge. The owners were very good tous,” said Ozolins, who moved to Brimfieldin 2001 and has a studio in her home.“Then, I started the Artists Open StudioTrail where people could visit fine artistsfrom area towns, including Monson, Brim-field, Wales, Holland and Palmer. It was atwo-day event and included a mix of mediasuch as pottery, pencil work, glass and paint-ing.”Due to a personal tragedy, Ozolins said

she had to step back from the event. “I havealways been an advocate for artists when Ican,” she said. “This new Arts and CraftsFestival is a way to advocate the arts in NewEngland and provides a segway into the hol-idays. I almost have a feeling this could re-place the Artists Open Studio Trail event.Brimfield is a quiet, sleepy town that gets ahuge population during the antique shows.It will be good to have another event to bringpeople here.”Ozolins said she has shared her ideas for

the event with Lamberto. “There is a lot ofwork when you start an event like this. I’mso glad it is happening and think it will goover well. To have a beautiful open field withart displayed will be wonderful,” saidOzolins, who does painting, prints, note-cards and commissioned work (locally atHarrington Hospital).Fine arts items will include paintings,

photography, stained glass, and pottery.Artists from the Brimfield area participating

include Ozolins, watercolor and oil;Emma Johnson, pottery; KathyJohnson, one-of-a-kind tapestrybags, and Loretta Mederios, water-color. Brimfield artists can showcasetheir art for free.In addition, entertainment will

be included in the event on Sunday,with music and other activities (in-cluding a possible ice sculpture

demonstration). Local MusicianNoah Lis is scheduled to performfrom 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.A keyboard and vocal artist withtalents on several instruments, thePalmer native most recently com-peted in NBC’s “The Voice.”The Hertan’s Holiday Arts &Crafts Festival will be held Saturday,October 4, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.,

and Sunday, October 5, from 10a.m. to 4 p.m. JB Catering will pro-vide snacks, beverages and lunchitems for purchase. For the inaugu-ral year, the $5 admission charge isbeing waved, so the event is free. Formore information, call Lamberto at413.626.0927 or go to: hertansbrimfield.com n


Continued on next page

Captain Luis Montalvan and hislife-saving golden retriever, Tuesday,to appear atBay PathOctober 7By Stephanie RichardsThe emotional and mental scars of

war may be less visible than the phys-ical ones in a soldier, but they piercethe mind and body with wounds thatcan be just as deep and all consuming.Returning from overseas and trying totransition back to what was once nor-mal life can be a never-ending chal-lenge as traumatic events of the pastcome back to life, revisited again, as ifnew for the first time.

But when a golden, furryfriend enters into your life, every-thing changes. His sweet facemakes you just want to smile. Hebecomes not just a companion,

Capt. Montalvan with his service dog, golden retriever, Tuesday.


Our FAVORITE

RING!

Sterling silver rings from $25.

BUY TWO PANDORA RINGS ANDWE WILL TREAT YOU TO A THIRD*

Available October 1-31

*Purchase any two PANDORA rings and get one free (of equal or lesser value of least expensive ring). This offer may not be combined

with any other PANDORA promotion. See store for details.

GARIERI JEWELERS

End of Summer Clearance Event

Shop our three galleries now and discover the savings!Large selection. Unbeatable value.

Sofas starting at $799!

107 Dresser Hill Rd, (Rte 31), Charlton, MA 01507 · 508·248·5566

Complimentary design service available.

Monday - Friday: 10am - 6pm

Saturday: 10am - 5pm

Sunday: 12pm - 5pm

charltonfurniture.com

past” (“Until Tuesday,” page87). But Tuesday, through histraining as a service dog, intel-lect and loving nature, hashelped Montalvan cope withthe disorder. The thought of being a

writer never entered Montal-van’s mind. His dream was be-coming a soldier, which heachieved at the age of 17 yearsold with parental consent. Thejoke at his high school seniorbanquet was that he was mostlikely to be in camouflage in 20years. “As it turns out, the affects

Department Chair. “One of ourfaculty members, Barbara Cote,found out about ‘Until Tuesday’and brought it to us. It has greatlessons about what Post-trau-matic Stress Disorder (PTSD) isand ways to deal with it and theprocess of training a service dog.Faculty in the department agreedand we took it from there. Thefeedback from students has beengreat. They found it very interest-ing how Tuesday was trainedwith Puppies Behind Bars andsaid they had a better grasp onwhat PTSD is from reading thebook.”PTSD is a “mental health

problem that can occur after atraumatic event like war, assault,or disaster,” according to the U.S.Department of Veterans Affairs(www.ptsd.va.gov). Montalvansays that “PTSD is a dwellingdisorder; it makes a person psy-chologically incapable of movingbeyond the trauma of his or her

summer reading program at BayPath Regional Vocational Tech-nical High School in Charlton.As an extension of reading thebook, Montalvan and Tuesdaywill appear in person at Bay Pathat 7 p.m., Tuesday, October 7 ina free event open to the public.After speaking, followed by aquestion and answer time, Mon-talvan and Tuesday will be avail-able to meet attendees, signbooks (books will be available forpurchase) and take photographs.A few years ago, Bay Path

adopted One Book, One Schoolfor their summer reading pro-gram. The concept is for the en-tire student body to read thesame book in contrast to differentgrade levels having their own setof suggested reading. “Summerreading was always either hit ormiss and the idea of everyonereading the same book was ap-pealing,” said Marc Anderson,Bay Path’s High School English

but also a soul mate, who sensesyour distress and gently springsinto action to calm you, love you.He saves you from the terror inyour mind and puts your restless-ness at ease once again, until thenext time.“Until Tuesday,” a New York

Times Best-Seller, by formerCaptain Luis Carlos Montalvanwith Bret Witter, is about the re-alities of his life as a woundedwarrior and the golden retrieverservice dog, Tuesday, who he sayssaved him. Montalvan, a 17-yearveteran and former captain inthe U.S. Army, is now an author,speaker and advocate for issuesrelated to veterans and their fam-ilies as well as Americans withdisabilities. He served two toursin Iraq, which earned him twoBronze Stars, the Purple Heart,the Army Commendation Medalfor Valor, and the Combat ActionBadge.The book was selected for the Continued on following page


oYYouAre OUYYOUR

sedrasrba Emoupe?cads LanOUR

y bsedpe?

nd Rsign D3D

OUYYOUR

mae t ourtontacC

nh e andionnovaterk witorwll i wewl, hau

be pr

in

pe?cads LanOUR

wws housco dis today tm

teplmo a cnt oremancenh you a lando giveyou th k wit

n agaiowall your o c toudbe pr

pe?

you a givean ce w

-rey ovtper proetll iyou wape sc you a land

n!n agai

ende Rsigne D3DgsintlanP

neural StoatN Stageac SpdoortOu

wlkkw Waios &atPalls &g WinainteR

pleirFs &tpieirFaviliongolas and PreP

gsinre

negin Stag

ayswsp Stealls &

seacplsavilion

aviliongolas and PreP

nannteain MLawallationsth InculMnanetaind MBe

on My LawkleWe

savilion

ecnanallation

ecnanginwo

nBoeeGr.www

| .comspeandscaLsynBo

049.20.23477

of war evoked a lot of emotionsand passions. I started writing ar-ticles for different publications andit became an outlet for me to helpothers. It allowed me to speaktruth to power and also use energyproductively. It became an impor-tant means to help convey largelyignored truths,” said Montalvan,who holds a Bachelor of Sciencedegree in Sociology from the Uni-versity of Maryland (CollegePark), and a Master of Science de-gree in Journalism from ColumbiaUniversity (New York City). “Writ-ing the book was the hardest thingI have done in my life – evenharder than war. I had to relive myexperiences again and again,which was far more difficult thanI imagined. During the course ofit, I was sick with PTSD and suf-fered migraines and writingevoked emotions and nightmares.One thing that helped me waswriting the chapters related toTuesday. They acted as a havenfrom other chapters as I passed themental baton to furrier ground.”The book is crafted to inform

and inspire –not in classical sense–but to evoke action, Montalvansaid. “My hope was that it wouldinstill in people that help isneeded. And, after strong, con-certed thinking, they would com-mit or recommit to do somethingabout it. Some have called it aBook-to-Action,” he said. “I’vespoke on the book at libraries, uni-versities and at non-profits. After-word, many people decide to dosomething (impactful) in theircommunity. Some have got in-volved with animal rescue, train-ing therapy or service dogs. It isdynamic and tremendously heart-warming to see it happen.”Reading the book has definitely

had that effect on Bay Path stu-dents and staff. The school’s his-tory honors students and those in

the social contemporary issues classare working with the administrationto plan a road race on May 2 thatwill directly impact veterans in thelocal area. “We thought about aWounded Warrior race. CaptainMontalavan and his agent, Angel,said that it was a great cause but en-couraged us to also look into a localcharity. Shortly after, our Superin-tendent John Lafleche met Terryand Pam Parker of Nick’s House.”After experiencing the tragic loss

of Terry’s 24-year-old son, Nick, theParkers decided to focus on helpingothers. They bought the formerGrace House (a family homelessshelter run by Family Promise ofSouthern Worcester County) inSouthbridge and created the NickPerry Memorial Foundation, appro-priately naming the home Nick’sHouse. It is a warm, inviting placefor veterans who need transitionalhousing (May 2014 issue of TheSturbridge Times Magazine). “There ishuge support for veterans and allthe proceeds will benefit Nick’sHouse,” said Jamie Ribaudo, BayPath’s Curriculum Coordinator.“We are talking about a one, fiveand maybe 10-mile run with a one-mile walk that may include peoplewalking their dogs. The details ofthe race, including the route, are stillbeing discussed,” Montalvan also released a chil-

dren’s book in May, “Tuesday TucksMe In: The Loyal Bond between a Soldierand His Service Dog.”The story is toldas narrated by Tuesday, who takeschildren (and adults) through hisdaily routine that begins with wak-ing Luis. “It’s a simple, but beautifulbook that presents the topic in alight way–it only scratches the sur-face to discuss disability. But it doesopen discussions about it betweenchildren, moms and dads, andteachers, showing how dogs, likeTuesday, help people overcomechallenges to have happy lives,”Montalvan said. “At the same time,

Until TuesdayContinued from previous page


it also makes you laugh and delight inTuesday’s adorable nature and remindsyou of the beauty of the human and ca-nine bond that millions of Americans loveand enjoy.”A major motion picture based on

“Until Tuesday” is currently in develop-ment by Waterman Entertainment. Mon-talvan and Tuesday will also be featured inan upcoming documentary film, “BuriedAbove Ground.” The film will interweavetheir story with ones of a Hurricane Kat-rina evacuee and a woman who survivedchild abuse and domestic violence to re-veal their struggles to deal with PTSD(www.buriedaboveground.tv). “The docu-mentary film is very educational aboutPTSD and will capture the ups and downsof dealing with traumas –although differ-ent–which are very much alike. There isgrief, pain, dependency, sadness, angerand then, some light of progress to copeand move forward,” Montalvan said.“‘Buried Above Ground’ will be ground-breaking.”Recent wars are also bringing the

PTSD and mental health discussion outinto the open, Montalvan said. “One ofthe silver linings of the contemporary warsis that they have elevated discussion onthings like PTSD. The affects of tours inthe lives of the vast majority of soldiers arenow more psychological. Because of that,it has emboldened people to talk aboutmental health – not just PTSD –but de-pression, bipolar disorder, etc. It has al-lowed us to revisit treatment and look atnon-conventional methods like yoga, art,and canine or equine-assisted therapies.”Montalvan said he provides his personal

contact information to connect with peo-ple or provide information after he speaks.“I am happy to communicate with peopleor direct them to resources. I am on a mis-sion of advocacy but simultaneously it isan honor to meet people who care,” hesaid. “No one escapes life without experi-encing trauma…whether it is cancer, a caraccident, war, the passing of a loved oneor domestic violence. We all share a com-mon denominator.”For more information, go online to

www.until-tuesday.comSTAY SAFE!


THEBROOKFIELDSNEWS FROM

BROOKFIELD t EAST BROOKFIELD t NORTH BROOKFIELD t WEST BROOKFIELD

One can safely argue there’s no better timeto live in small town New England than

October. Fall offers the chance to celebrate the har-

vest, whether it’s by plucking fresh apples fromorchard trees or picking plump pumpkins rightfrom the vine. It’s the season to jump on ahayride or take a drive down back woodedroads under a canopy of copper and scarlet-colored leaves. It’s the time for hot apple cider,spiced pumpkin pie, and to explore the manyfairs and festivals around the region before thecold winter weather sends everyone inside.In Brookfield, all the best the season has to

offer comes together every Columbus Dayweekend on the Town Common at the annualApple Country Fair. Featuring crafters andquilters, pies and dumplings, kids games and acommunity quilt, the event captures the quaintmagic of Autumn in a small rural town in onequintessentially New England day. Each year,

the classic old-fashioned fair draws nearly 2,000people to town for the community celebrationof the season.

The Apple Country Fair started more thanthree decades ago as a fundraiser for the Brook-field Community Club, a local charitable groupthat works to enrich the town by funding vari-ous community-focused grants. Proceeds fromthe fair earmarked to helping Brookfield Ele-mentary School’s sixth grade class attend anenvironmental camp on Cape Cod, accordingto the Club’s president, Lois O’Leary. Thirty-six years later, the Apple Country

Fair has become the club’s most successfulfundraiser – generating grant money for every-thing from community service projects such asa monthly town newsletter, to annual holidayprograms for Brookfield's senior citizens. Thefair brings in anywhere from $6,000 to$12,000, depending on the turnout, all ofwhich is directed back into the community. Over the years, the Apple Country Fair has

become a fall favorite in the area. “It's turnedinto our town tradition,” says O'Leary. A big part of that tradition is a patchwork

quilt that’s been part of the fair since the verybeginning. Quilters in the community gather tocreate a new design each year, and work formonths on end to hand-stitch its patches to-gether (with a little machine work, here andthere). The quilt is hung in the tent in the cen-ter of the common each year during the AppleCountry Fair, acting a centerpiece for theevent. It’s one of dozens of items featured everyyear in the event’s fundraising raffle, or “Rap-ple” as organizers call it. Rapple entrants canwin things like local merchant gift cards orflowers or furniture, but each year the commu-nity-stitched quilt is the most coveted first-placeprize. Another tradition is the pie contest – after

all, what would an Apple Country Fair be with-out a heap of homemade apple pies? Everyonefrom children to senior citizens brings fresh pies

THE APPLE COUNTRY FAIRin BROOKFIELD

BY AMANDA COLLINS


to the firehouse the morning of the fair,which are sampled by a group of luckyjudges who declare first, second and thirdplace winners. Non-judges get their fill oftreats too – there’s always plenty ofdumplings, candied apples and home-style applesauce at the event – not tomention homemade fudge, chewybrownies and crunchy home-baked cook-ies. The guild of Masons in North Brook-field cook up concessions throughout theday. More than 70 local craft vendors will

be on hand at this year's Apple CountryFair. They'll set up in booths where fair-goers can peruse things like hand-knitsweaters and mittens, hand-carvedwooden décor, and specialty soaps. Localbeekeepers will sell honey and area jew-elry makers will showcase one-of-a-kindbeaded bracelets, necklaces and earrings.Children can delight in playing classicfair games, creating arts and crafts proj-ects and having their faces painted. Livemusic will be performed on the commonthroughout the event. “There is truly something for every-

one, which I think what has made it asuccess over the years,” said O'Leary.“The fair was the Community Club'svery first fundraiser, and though we'vehad others over the years, it's the onlyone that is still going. There are even peo-ple who come from other states, and theylove it so much, they return every year.It's just a really good day.” The Apple Country Fair will take

place on the Brookfield Town Commonfrom 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Oct.11, rain or shine. n

BROOKFIELD APPLE COUNTRY FAIR • OCTOBER 11BROOKFIELD TOWN COMMONalso 25TH ANNUAL HARVEST FESTIVAL • OCTOBER 18 & 19

STURBRIDGE TOWN COMMON & THE PUBLICK HOUSE

— OCTOBER 11—

“SOMETHINGFOR

EVERYONE ! ”


Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).That was a little over four years agoand a lot has changed.His then toddler boys have

grown–D’mitri is now eight andWilliam is six. Two years ago, hewalked his now 22-year old daugh-

By Stephanie RichardsThe last time I spoke with Bob

Chernisky Jr. it was just days beforehe was headed to Dana Farber Insti-tute to undergo a bone marrowtransplant to combat the disease thatstruck him at just 42 years old –

ter, Tori, down the aisle. He recentlycelebrated 23 years of marriage to hiswife, Johanna. In the midst of allthese joy-filled occasions, the familyhas been on an emotional roller-coaster filled with an ever-present,changing physical illness and thesymptoms and treatments that comewith it.Kidney failure. Congestive heart

disease. Skin rashes. Ulcers. Everymajor organ in Bob’s body has beenaffected except his colon. All havebeen by-products of a new immunesystem foreign to his body. He spendsthree days a week on dialysis and theother two doing physical and occupa-tional therapy sessions. His lungs arenow at infant size capacity, workingjust 40 percent and he is on oxygenabout 18 hours a day to breathe. Hecan also expect to battle pneumoniaevery two or three months. “Thebone marrow transplant saved mylife. The doctor has since told me theleukemia won’t come back – I’vemade it past the three-year markwhere most patients don’t. Whilethat’s awesome news, my new im-mune system is attacking me throughgraft versus host, which is very com-mon. There are many stages of it–itis my assassin,” the Southbridge resi-dent said. “There is really no way toexplain what it feels like; I can talkabout the symptomatic hardship butnot put into words everything else.But I really think it is not the patientthat suffers, but the direct caregiver.Johanna takes care of me while I amsick and sometimes has to sit thereand watch me suffer, knowing there isnothing she can do about it.”Yet as he talks about his journey,

there is a smile on his face. There is asweetness in his voice as he reflects onthe role of his family, faith and com-munity in the daily grind of helpinghim with the physical and emotionalchallenges of moving forward witheach new day he is given. There is aheart of gratitude for his employer,Expert Laser Services of South-

bridge, for continuing to allow him towork part-time. And he still says con-fidently that his leukemia is a gift. “Ashorrific as this experience has been forall of us, I do see leukemia as a giftfrom God. After the bone marrowtransplant, Johanna and I celebratedour anniversary with a quiet dinner. Irealized that she was leading me. Asmuch as I thought I was doing fine asa father and husband, I was not,” hesaid “Leukemia saved my marriage,and rebuilt my relationship with mydaughter. My life was about to fallapart and without the leukemia, itwould have. As much as I haven’t en-joyed it, I can say my life is truly betteroverall and I thank God for that.”

Advice for others in a battleRiding the constantly changing

physical and emotional issues of anyillness is difficult. “I think the only wayyou can do that is to trust God andthat he has a plan. It takes the bite outof the ups and downs. If Johanna saysgoodbye to me and I come back, sherejoices. When I don’t, she still rejoicesbecause she knows I will be inheaven,” Bob said. “Honestly, somemornings I think to myself, ‘Great,another day of this?’ But it is my hopein Christ and the support of my fam-ily and friends that encourages me tokeep going. When I am in the hospi-tal, I always think the people in otherrooms who don’t have those things todraw on…how do they fight? Every-thing starts with a relationship withGod.”Chernisky says it is important to

have people around who can “buckyou up under pressure. You can’t doit alone; you’ll never make it. I havemy wife who is my encourager andcomforter. When I am down, I wanther around. My mom is the ‘fix it’person. If I have a need or desire shefills it, even when it’s strawberry short-cake late at night. My dad is the wor-rywart who makes sure I am notdoing too much. And my brotherRon is my kick butt guy who tells me

Chernisky’s journey through leukemia gives new perspective on life


if I am being lazy. You don’t necessarily need fourpeople, but there are times when you need some-one who has these personality traits. The trick is tobe humble enough to ask for help.”For Bob, it has made a difference, especially

when it comes to his mobility. For example, whenthe family realized he could no longer climb thestairs to get to the bedroom in their two-storyhome, Bob’s mom, Cathy Chernisky, sprang intoaction. She did research, created a gofundme.com(fundraising website) account to cover the cost ofthe chair lift and rails, and lined up her other sonto install it. Within two days, their goal was met andBob returned home from a hospital stay in July tofind a chair lift installed.It is also essential to have someone who can go

to doctor’s appointments or understands medicalterms and conditions. “Even if I understand whatthe doctor is saying, an hour later I don’t rememberwhat was said about things like medication. It is im-portant to have someone with you,” Bob said.“When a person is diagnosed with an illness, it isnot a lonely disease. There has to be a team thatcarries you through; mine happens to be a mon-strous one.”Utilizing the services of the hospital social

worker is also key. “They know the ins and outs ofpaperwork and the resources available, like finan-cial assistance to pay the bills,” Bob’s mom said.“You can talk to other people, but there is no sensewasting time when they know what to do andwhere to go. They are very good at what they do.”The bonds that are established with medical

professionals also become part of the team. “It addsanother level to caring and involves everyone from thedoctors to nurses to receptionists,” Johanna said.“When Bob was back in the hospital at Dana Farber,he saw one of the nurses who cared for him when hehad the bone marrow transplant four years ago. Sheremembered him, calling him by name, and asked howthe boys were doing. They really become part of yourextended family.”In terms of every day life, Johanna said you learn

to live by a pencil calendar. “We now pencil things inand live day to day. If we can get to an outing or activ-ity, we do. We are disappointed if we can’t, but moveon. This is our normal now,” she said. “We were ableto go to Florida last year and we try to schedule visitsto museums and parks when we can.”Bob’s illness hasn’t stopped him from being person-

ally involved in outside things. He attends a weeklyBible Study and shows up when he can at Relay forLife (Southbridge) board meetings. “I was involved inthe Relay for Life effort before my diagnosis because itwas the right thing to do. I started when I worked atWalmart and was involved as a team captain or insome other capacity for 14 years,” he said. “Now theytreat me like a celebrity when I’m in the room.”Understanding that people have different comfort

levels with illness is important too. “Everyone deals withphysical suffering differently. Some can’t deal with it atall and stay away – you have to understand that. Oth-

ers see you and ask how you are doing, but that isit – they are afraid to say the wrong thing,” Bobsaid. “What is important for me is relationship…I want to know how they are doing. You cansometimes feel isolated from life with a physicalillness. I think it has given me greater compassionfor people.”

Laughter and hope for the futureThrough the journey, Bob said he has

learned a lot about himself. “Previously, my per-spective on life was that everything needs to befixed. While there may be a level of truth to thatin some cases, it is not about me fixing everything.I was running myself into the ground emotionallyand physically. Getting sick has given me a changein that perspective. When I am frustrated now, Isee if there is something I actually can do or let itgo. It has helped me immensely to deal with myown emotions and family,” he said. It has also opened his eyes to what should be

the priority. “I really see impending death as a gift.It causes me to see just how precious life is andmake the best of every moment. You live inten-tionally as if today is it; that there might not be atomorrow. You try not to get caught up in thedaily grind of life,” Bob said. “Yet I admit I can.When I first got sick, I knew I didn’t want to cheat

Bob Chernisky with his sons William and D’Mitri.



r MUSINGS FROM LONG HILL s

BY RICHARD MORCHOE

TANKS A LOT

Latin is a dead language. It will never againchange and grow as living languages do.

No one speaks it. No one writes it. No one usesit. Except, perhaps, lawyers. It may seem thatlawyers just like to use words no one else un-derstands, but se defendo, it’s really not us.Lawyers didn’t know a quid quo pro from a

quantum meriut before they went to lawschool. They learned it because it’s been passeddown from the middle ages when Latin was thelanguage of choice among the learned profes-sions.Latin, of course, came from the Romans,

founders of one of the first great written legalcodes in history. Ratio scripta or Roman lawwas the rule of the day in the days of plague.Nowadays, Latin comes in handy as a kind

of shorthand when writing legal briefs or opin-ion. Nunc pro tunc, for instance, is all you need tosay when you want a judgment to refer back intime. Or a judge might use sua sponte when hewants to do something nobody asked him to doand probably nobody wants him to do. (Judgesaren’t supposed to help either side, but some-times they do).A lawyer’s favorite: Pro bono, though it is

rarely used.There are also nisi’s, per stirpes’ and the oc-

casional in flagrante delicto, which can be veryexciting when it happens.In truth, however, even lawyers have to run

to their legal dictionaries to figure out Latinterms that pop up in their reading material,which is why, before too long, it is likely the cor-pus juris may just be called the law. n

LEGALBRIEF

LATIN IN LAW

M O N T H L Y L E G A L A D V I C E

F O R R E A D E R S O F

T H E S T U R B R I D G E T I M E S M A G A Z I N E

STURBRIDGE ATTORNEY

ROBERT A. GEORGE, ESQ.

Ashocking revelation has been exposed by thevenerable scandal sheet, The New York Times.

You know, the publication referred to as the GreyLady. It is also called the “Paper of Record.”Never mind that it had to be rescued by the Mex-ican oligarch and billionaire, Chuck Thin. *Chuck invested hundreds of millions in the

paper so that it could stay afloat. I hope none ofthe readers of this column think it was in any wayan attempt to gain influence in the Americanmedia.But, this is all a digression, back to the shock-

ing revelation. American think tanks receive oo-dles of cash from foreign governments. TheTimes’ issue of September 6 told how the seriousinstitutions within the Washington, D.C. Beltwayget moolah to pursue the important research ourgovernment relies on to advance civilization. Youhave noticed it advancing, haven’t you?As virtuous citizens, we all want to believe

everything in our homeland is on the up and up.That is why the first case the Times presentedwas so shocking. The agreement signed last year by Norway’s

Ministry of Foreign Affairs was explicit: For $5million, Norway’s partner in Washington wouldpush top officials at the White House, at theTreasury Department and in Congress to doublespending on a United States foreign aid program.But the recipient of the cash was not one of

the many Beltway lobbying firms that work every

year on behalf of foreign governments.It was the Center for Global Development,

a nonprofit research organization, or thinktank, one of many such groups in Washingtonthat lawmakers, government officials and thenews media have long relied on to provide in-dependent policy analysis and scholarship.”In truth, no one should need a pacemaker

upon reading this. It may be a somewhat newdeparture, but money sloshes around our na-tion’s capital in vast waves. Five million is a pal-try sum. Norway is hardly an economic basket case

with all that North Sea oil. Why is she buyinginfluence to get American aid?We turned the question over to our official

think tank, the Long Hill Institute for ForeignAid Studies. They were insulted as the answerwas so obvious, because it’s there.It was foolish to even pose the question, but

one is impressed with the alacrity of TeamLong Hill. The Institute is an invaluable re-source not only for the Sturbridge region, butnationally. Why is this so?Again, we sought out the services of an-

other one of the many sub-divisions of theLong Hill Institute, The Long Hill Institute forStudy of Think Tanks.The conclusion, The Long Hill Institute is

the only think that is not in the tank.Continued on page 29


More physical activity for the busy person

HEALTH&FITNESSBy Mike NeelySTAFF TRAINEREverybodys Fitness, Sturbridge

My time is very limited and is oftenconsumed by family, work and sleep.How can I maximize my time and in-troduce more physical activity?

There is no doubt that peopleare stressed by their sched-

ules and are not paying attentionto their physical needs; if this de-scribes you, you’re not alone. Ac-cording to the CDC (Center forDisease Control), approximately48% of all adults meet the 2008Physical Activity Guidelines. Notonly does this lack of activity af-fect the body by increasing yourchances of having chronic dis-eases such as coronary heart dis-ease , stroke, and type-2 diabetes.The CDC has also found that“less than three in 10 high schoolstudents get at least 60 minutes ofphysical activity every day.” Thisposes a major problem becausewe (as adults and parents) areleading by example to our future. Although we can’t change the

fact that we spend most of ourday either sitting behind a desk atwork, or behind the wheel of acar, we can make small changesthroughout the day to introducemore physical activity. Here are

a couple of examples. You can start by parking your car

farther away. Parking your car on theother side of the parking lot at workor at the grocery store will startburning extra calories and based onyour fitness level, it might make youbreath a little harder by the time youget the building. Parking your carfurther away, also ensures your car’ssafety by others not banging into itwith their doors, and finding a spotis easier. Spend the extra time driv-ing through the front rows lookingfor a spot, and just park in the backand apply it to the physical part ofwalking back.Count your steps and it will make

a difference. You be amazed on howstep counting will induce more physi-cal activity. In fact, Polar, Samsung,and Apple have created devices specif-ically for counting and convertingyour steps to calories not to mentionall the apps that are found on the in-ternet that you can put on yourphone.Add incentives or contest to help

spread the word. Many companiesnow ( Fed Ex, Goodyear, and Ups toname a few) have found that theiremployees actually work more effi-

ciently, are more relaxedthroughout the day by justadding stretching and light calis-thenics before the shift starts.Some companies are affiliatedwith rewards programs whereyou accumulate points for anend-of-month bonus or prize. At home you can focus on sev-

eral things to help put exerciseback into your “normal” routine.If you are cooking dinner, whydon’t you do a wall squat upagainst a wall or door while themicrowave is running. Howabout counting the number ofdirty dishes you are cleaning orputting in the dishwasher andturn that into the amount of time

you do planks, bridges, or pushups. How about using the num-ber of loads of laundry in a weekas the number of reps you go upand down the stairs. These are a few examples that

can help you increase your activ-ity level throughout your day.This will burn extra calories, givethe cardiovascular system a littlemore “play” time and dependingon what your company has theoffer, you might be able to get alittle office competition going tomake it fun. Plus, you are nolonger part of the CDC’s statisticand setting an example for yourkids or the next generation. n


Fall is in the air, and even the calendar agrees,as we are now in the month of October.

Winter will soon be upon us so now is a goodtime to walk around the yard and take an assess-ment what needs to be done for fall chores in ouryards. Here are several fall topics to think about.The first frostOne of the first things that will send garden-

ers running fast is a weather forecast of the firstFROST. Cool dry air, clear skies and light orcalm winds are necessary for frost to occur. Coolair permits the temperatures to drop low enoughto freeze moisture in the air which would other-wise form dew. When skies are clear, heat fromthe soil is able to rise, allowing the cool air to set-tle close to the ground and chilling the plants asthey lose heat. Calm winds allow the cool air tosettle without mixing it with warm air. Frost (the sparkling ice crystals that form on

all surfaces) can occur without severely damag-ing plants. The critical feature is the internaltemperature within plant tissues. If temperatureswithin these tissues are cold enough to break cellwalls or disrupt cell constituents beyond repair,damage, wilting, and dying will occur in thosetissues affected. This usually occurs when tem-peratures drop to 30 degrees or colder for at least2 hours.

Many of our annual plants cannot survive afrost. Some plants are more tolerant of frostthan others. Woody plants, like trees and shrubsare less affected than succulent plants. Fruits andflowers may be more sensitive than leaves. Sud-den and prolonged freezing will be more dam-aging than gradual cooling of short duration.Plants already exposed to cool temperatures willbe more resistant. Within our own properties wecan find variations on different sides of thehouse, under trees, on south or north facingslopes, or low lying areas. Cool air settles at thebottom of slopes because it is heavier than warmair. Frost pockets will then form in valleys wherecool air becomes trapped. Hilltops are also sus-ceptible to cool temperatures but often remainfrost free until a more severe, often referred to asa “killing” frost occurs, when temperatures dropwell into the 20’s How can we protect plants from that first cold

snap? The two most common methods are cov-ering to keep the plants warm or to warm theplants by sprinkling with water. Covering is themost effective for most people. Covering plantsthe night before with a sheet, blanket, or tarp willtrap the warmth from the soil over the plantsthus preventing freezing. This type of coveringwill usually protect plants when temperatures

drop into the upper 20's. Plastic used as a cover-ing usually doesn't work as well as the other cov-erings mentioned. Sprinkling the plants withwater is often used as a "morning after" solution.When water cools and crystallizes into ice, heatis released which may prevent internal damagebefore freezing occurs within plant cells. Thetime when the internal plant temperature is cold-est is in the morning. If the drop in temperatureis not too great (more than a few degrees), wa-tering plants in the early morning may protecttender plants that were left uncovered. You oftenhear of this method used in fruit orchards in thesouth. Of course it never hurts to wish for cloudcover and a good breeze on those first cool nightsof autumn to help prevent damage. If you are unable to cover your plants, or the

temperatures do not drop low enough, try to pickas many of your fruits and vegetables as possiblebefore the frost. If they are not fully ripe you canalways give them a few weeks to ripen indoors.Time to check the mulchIf you have added any new plants to your gar-

den earlier this year, now is a good time to sur-round them with a fresh layer of mulch. A layerof mulch can protect your garden from harsh el-ements. Think of it as their winter coat, to pre-vent colder temperatures from harming yourplants.While mulch does not necessarily warm your

plants, it protects them from early cold weather.You should lay your mulch now, before theground has become cold, below 40 degrees, atthis temperature roots will settle into dormancy(a plant’s way of hibernating). Mulching nowwill help keep keep the ground temperaturewarmer which will extend the growing season for

October chores and first frost

Piano Instruction Ages 8-18 House Calls A Song-Based, Logical Music Theory Method

Building Cognitive Function And Transferable Skills

(413) 695-8999


YARDWORKSBy Tom Chamberland, ISATom Chamberland is the Tree Warden for the Town of Sturbridge and a Certified Arborist

Caring for what grows in your yard


PETS Q&AWITH KATHY MENARD

GMOs in dog foods, teaching the retrievers

Q. I am into nutrition for myself and have recentlybeen investigating what is in dog foods. Do theymake dog foods that are not loaded with GMO's?

A. Yes they do. Your local pet supply store shouldbe able to assist you in finding and choosing one ap-propriate for your dog. You may also want to lookinto defoliants. Many commercial crops, such as po-tatoes, sweet potatoes, peas, chic peas, and lentils aredefoliated to make it easier to harvest the crop. Butthese defoliants end up in the products we, and ourpets, eat.

Q. My breeder put in our contract that I cannot spayour pup until she is at least one year old. She is nowgoing into heat - what should I expect and how longwill it last?

A. Her heat will probably last 21 days. Sometimesa pup's first heat will be shorter, but plan on the 21days. Males will start being attracted to her aroundday 9 through day 21. The time she would mostlikely be receptive to breeding is day 9 through16,though each female is different and this may fluctu-ate a little. Be sure to keep her away from all intactmales, and I would suggest not walking her down

the street as this will lead a trail right back to yourhouse for the males to follow. Also if you have afenced yard, I would not put her out unsuper-vised. Many dogs can jump or climb the fence.

Q. I need to teach my dog to retrieve for compe-

tition, but she has no interest in chasing orretrieving anything. Can she be taught?

A. Absolutely! I have a way that I teach theretrieve that breaks it down into minute stepsfor which the dog earns a reward after eachstep. I teach the dog to sniff a dowel, toucha dowel, take the offered dowel, hold thedowel, reach for the dowel, etc and I keepprogressing until the dog will go get thedowel no matter where I place it. Once theyunderstand to get it and hold it, I add incoming to front (the sit in front of you). Iuse the clicker to teach it so the dog is clearon what is being rewarded. Incidentally,some folks panic if the dog drops thedowel/dumbell after you click - don't worryabout this - it's a series of progressive steps.Contact a trainer that knows how to useclicker training for this. Do not get talkedinto doing a forced retrieve!!!

Kathy Menard has been a dog trainer for over 35years and is certified through the Certification Coun-cil for Professional Dog Trainers. She Kathy is theowner of Compatible Canine in Fiskdale. MA.


By Richard McGrath, CIC, LIAPRESIDENT & CEO, McGRATH INSURANCE GROUP

INSURANCEGUIDANCE Long-term care coverage can

protect your home in Mass.

Now Massachusetts residents have an extraincentive for purchasing long-term care

(LTC) insurance.Under new state regulations, residents that

purchase an approved form of LTC coveragecan protect their home from being sold to coverlong-term care costs. To qualify forMassHealth, while maintaining exemptionfrom attempts to recover the cost of care, yourLTC insurance must:Cover nursing home care for at least 730

days,Pay at least $125 per day for nursing home

care,Not require a waiting period of more than

365 days before paying benefits or, in lieu of awaiting period, a deductible of more than$54,750.New carriers have entered the market and

offer LTC with this minimum required level ofcoverage for a competitive price. However,even individuals with insurance currently meet-ing these criteria could end up owing a fairamount of money to the Massachusetts Divi-sion of Medical Assistance for nursing homecare.In Massachusetts, the average cost of nurs-

ing home care is $126,290 a year, so if a policy

has a one-year waiting period, the policyholdercould have a six-figure bill from the Division ofMedical Assistance before insurance coveragebegins.Until now, the Massachusetts Division of

Medical Assistance could require residents re-ceiving assistance through MassHealth to selltheir home or it could place a lien on a houseto recover what it paid out for the homeowner’slong-term care. The lien would prevent thetransfer or conveyance of the residence withoutfirst reimbursing the Division of Medical Assis-tance for the money it paid toward the resi-dent’s care.The Division of Medical Assistance could

also make a claim against the probated estateof the deceased applicant for reimbursementfor the amount of Medicaid benefits paid, al-though it could not file a claim if there was asurviving spouse, an unmarried child youngerthan 21, or a blind or totally disabled personliving in the home.

Using a Life EstateTo keep from having to sell their home,

many homeowners have deeded it to familymembers, while retaining a life estate for them-selves, giving them the right to continue livingin the home for the rest of their life. Upon their

death, the home would pass automatically toheirs and they would not have to pay a capitalgains tax when they sold the home.However, the life estate is subject to a five-

year look-back period. If the homeowner dieswithin five years of setting up the life estate,MassHealth could sell or put a lien on the prop-erty.Now, though, MassHealth will not require

you to sell your home if you own LTCinsurance that meets the minimum eligibilityrequirements or are in any of the followingsituations:You notify MassHealth that you intend to

return home.A spouse, child under age 21, or child who

is blind or permanently disabled is living inyour home.A sibling with an ownership interest in the

home has lived there for at least a year beforeyour admission into a medical institution.A child of the owner has lived in the home

for at least two years to provide care for theowner.If you are exempt from recovery of nursing

home and other long-term care expenses, youwill still be required to repay the costs of otherMassHealth services, such as hospital care,


Morchoe

physician visits and prescriptionsprovided outside of your long-term care.

Other regulatory changes

Separate from the changes toMassHealth, the state Division ofInsurance in July proposed newregulations covering LTC insur-ance. The draft regulations pro-pose changes that would providemore oversight to the industry andallegedly help control costs.The rules would include greater

and more regular disclosures by in-surance companies about the fi-nancial performance of their LTCpolicies, including the amount

paid in claims, and stricter over-sight of companies offering LTCcoverage. They would also requirespecial training and licensing ofagents that sell long-term insur-ance, which would increase costs.Some consumer groups want to

place caps on annual rate in-creases, but Massachusetts Insur-ance Commissioner JosephMurphy said his agency doesn’thave the authority to limit rates.He also said that capping rates

would remove the flexibility regu-lators need, such as preventingthem from approving rate increasesnecessary to keep a company sol-vent and able to provide coverage.

According to Murphy, the in-creased oversight for these newregulations ensures that regulatorscan better monitor insurance com-panies, so they can identify finan-cial problems before insurers needlarge rate increases to addressthem.Increasing healthcare costs and

the increasing demand caused byretiring baby boomers are likely tocontinue increasing the cost of

long-term care. Those who haveLTC insurance will be better pre-pared to deal with the increasingcosts. n

Richard A. McGrath, CIC, LIA isPresident and CEO of McGrath Insur-ance Group, Inc. of Sturbridge, Mass.He can be reached at [email protected]. This article is writ-ten for informational purposes only andshould not be construed as providing legaladvice.

So how do we stay independent?Simple, we refuse every monetaryconsideration. It’s been easier thanyou think because no one has everproffered even a red cent.Now you’re saying, how can we

take this seriously, the LHI has nobudget to do research. True enough,but LHI has an advantage over thebig boys, and more and more, the biggirls. We don’t have to footnote any-thing because we are not doing theheavy lifting of obfuscation requiredto earn the largesse of foreign states,big business or big government.Understandably, our methodol-

ogy is suspect. All we know is whatwe read in the papers. If it was goodenough for a sage such as WillRogers, it’s good enough for us. It’s alot harder these days, as there arefewer and fewer that are actually pa-pers. Okay, we do consult more con-temporary media as well. What others may look upon as a

lack of professionalism, we prefer toconsider as taking dilettantism to itshighest level.For all that, we are dead serious.

Much of American think tank scholar-ship is bought and paid for hucksterism. Citing again the Times, The

Qatari government is the “singlebiggest foreign donor to Brookings.”

The Brookings Institution is as goldplated as it gets in the think tankgame. Mr. Saleem Ali, who served asone the first visiting scholars at theBrookings’ Doha Center was quotedin the article, “There was a no-gozone when it came to criticizing theQatari government,” said Mr. Ali,who is now a professor at the Univer-sity of Queensland in Australia. “Itwas unsettling for the academicsthere. But it was the price we had topay.”Harking back to traditional wis-

dom we agree, He who pays thepiper, calls the tune.The governments and associated

entities cited by the Times wantsomething from the US, all too oftenat taxpayer expense. They knowwhere to get some juice among thewell-funded non-profits. Only hereon Long Hill are we free of the easycash that corrupts.Of course, if there is someone out

there who would like to become aPlatinum Level Sustainer of the mis-sion of the Long Hill Institute, pleasedo not hesitate to contact us care ofthis magazine. Minimum donationis $15 million. We shall send instruc-tions as to where to make the drop. n

*A loose translation of the Spanish forhis name, Carlos Slim.



BY PETER SAGANSKY, IMPORTER-EXPORTER, CHARLES RIVER WINE COMPANY

WINECONNOISEUR

Finding value where you least expect it

We all perceive value in our own waysand a good value wine is not necessarilylow priced. Our goal is to find wines thatare simply worth more than they costs attheir prices. Here are some reliable pro-ducers to look for when you are seekingout values from the Napa Valley...The Hendry family have been farm-

ing their 114 acres of vineyards in thehills north west of the town of Napa since1939. George Hendry is arguably themost meticulous grape grower in theNapa Valley. He grows ten grape varietieson 47 designated blocks in the HendryRanch. Their large selection of grapetypes is rare in Napa Valley because mostwineries budded their vines over toCabernet Sauvignon; the “cash cow”grape of the region. Hendry’s grapeshave long been in high demand fromother great Napa wineries. Hendry supplied grapes to others for

many years. They have been producingtheir own wines entirely from their EstateGrown grapes for 20 years now. TheHendry wines show finesse, balance, va-rietal purity and a real sense of place.After years of selling off their declas-

sified barrels the Hendrys launched theirown second label called “HRW” com-prised of three wines; Cabernet Sauvi-gnon, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel. Theyare blends from single block barrels thatdo not quite rise to the level required forthe top wines. Often they are fromyounger vines and some batches includepress wines from the finest barrels. Theyare usually oak aged in 10% new oak andin 2nd and 3rd year barrels. WhileHendry’s regular selections of wines fromthese grapes range from $40. To $60. perbottle the HRW selections sell for around$20. http://www.hendrywines.com/The Waterstone label developed a

strong following by producing a string ofterrific Napa Valley Cabernets rumoredto be made up of declassified wines fromextremely expensive producers. Partners

If you want to confuse wine merchants ask themfor a good value in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvi-gnon. If you really want to trip them up ask themfor a bottle of fine Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignonunder $30.00. My mission over the past few months has been to

try to find more wines that will allow me to use thewords “good value” and “Napa Valley” in the samesentence. We often find our good values when excel-lent winemakers that we work with go outside oftheir famous home regions to make wines from lowerpriced grapes. No matter their talent level thosewines taste of the places where they are made andthose places are not in the Napa Valley. There is no getting around the fact that “Place”

matters a great deal when it comes to producing finerwines. Grapes grown in the right “Place” give thewinemakers their best chances of producing finewine but it does not guarantee high quality. Anyonewho watches “Chopped” knows that having thesame ingredients does not always result in the samequality of finished product. A prestigious wine origin alone is not a guarantee

high quality but it almost always carries a high pricetag. My advice to wine consumers is to shop withwine merchants who are driven by quality and toseek out dependable wineries who make reliably

good wines even in less good vintages.“Second wines” and “Declassified Wines” of

the best producers are a good place for us to startour search for good values from the Napa Valley. The best grapes are grown on the best sites by

the best vineyardists. At a top tier Estate Winerytheir younger vines may produce fine fruit that isnot quite up to the grade required for their ex-pensive wines. Their young vine fruit may be tastyand even lush but their wines will lack the abilityto develop the complexity and depth of the winesmade from their lower yielding mature vines. Tra-ditionally such wineries would sell off thosegrapes or barrels of wines made from thosegrapes. As the market tightened up in late 2008 with

the economic downturn some wineries bottledless of their top cuvées in order to try to retainhigh prices. This made a lot of above averagewines available for other uses. Winemakers makebarrel selections and sell off their less good bar-rels. In many cases the “declassified” wines inthese barrels were very fine indeed. Such winesfrom the best producers and vineyards may pro-vide the quality backbone to another wine as partof a master blend or they may be bottled on theirown as a “Second Wine.”


Around the Yard

Phillip Zorn and Brent Shortridgecombine their winemaking abilityand business savvy to produce de-pendable Napa Valley wines eachyear that deserve the “value” desig-nation. Phil Zorn’s European train-ing is reflected in the style of hiswines. They taste like their grapetypes and have a bit of an OldWorld balance of fruit, strengthand just the right oak components(when oak is used.) Most of Water-stone’s wines sell for around $20.with the Cabernet Sauvignon ataround $27. http://www.anders-

lane.com/This Summer’s best pick up for

my wholesale company is a rela-tively young Napa Valley producernamed “Cultivar”. Cultivar wasstarted in 2010 by Jody Harris whoowns a 300 cases Rutherford basedwinery called Casper Wine Estates.Jody worked with a top Sommelierin Napa to create wines specificallyto be poured at high end restau-rants. Cultivar wines are meant toshow the distinctions of their vine-yard areas at relatively affordableprice points. Good winemaking

and fine grape sourcing results inwines that are expressive, elegantand over-deliver at their pricepoints. While this winery’s uppertier wines sell between $75. And$150. per bottle The CultivarSauvignon Blanc is around $18.And the Cab around $25.http://www.cultivarwine.com/You may check out the websites

of the dozens of the producers inour portfolio at my company’s linkspage at http://www.charlesriver-wine.com/ nSturbridge-based Importer and Distrib-

utor Peter Sagansky runs Charles RiverWine Company. His wines are featured atThe Winebuyer’s Outlet and at finer storesand restaurants throughout Massachusetts.

your newly installed plants, helpingthem get a better start in the spring.A great time to plantAutumn is also the perfect time

to relocate or remove plants youare not satisfied with in their cur-rent location. Fall is also a greattime to plant spring bulbs, trees andmums. Take advantage of late-sea-son bulb sales and nursery yardclearance sales. Be sure to plantmums at least six weeks before aheavy frost so that their roots havetime to develop. If you miss the color in your

winter garden, take a trip to a localnursery and pick up some late-flowering plants that bloom in thefall. Some you may even be able toplant now rather than wait forspring, although they may not

bloom until this time next year. Compost that yard wasteIf you don’t already have a com-

post pile, they are an excellent wayto recycle your plant refuse so thatit can be added to your soil nextyear. But be sure not to accidentallythrow in weeds or cuttings that mayhave diseases, as these will onlycause more problems for you nextyear. Try not to leave your compostpile exposed to cold weather either.Spread a thick layer of dry leaveson the top to provide insulation.As we approach November it

will finally be time to rake up all ofthose beautiful leaves you havespent all autumn admiring. Rakeyour yard and plant beds as well sothey still are able to receive sun-light. Failing to rake up large piles




restaurants, ice cream shops, and enter-tainment venues. A sample of businessesand organizations joining in the effortincludes Village Pizza, Soup to Nuts,B.T.s Smokehouse, Vienna Restaurantand Historic Inn, Simple IndulgenceSpa, Publick House, Old Sturbridge Vil-lage, Worcester Bravehearts (baseball),Hanover Theater, and Bogey Lanes(bowling).“So far, about 22 area businesses have

supplied gift cards and we have an addi-tional 10 to 15 more included in thebusiness card and brochure racks,” Vi-landre said. “I see more people visit the‘Keep It Local’ rack than the informa-tion display about tires. Quite a few peo-ple who come to town have commentedhow great it is to have local menus avail-able.” The “Keep It Local” campaign is

going so well that they may purchase an-other display rack. “It is a feel good cam-paign no matter how you look at it. C &R Tire is very well known and has doneextremely good in the marketplace. It isa way to give back to the community,”Pierce said.Vilandre agrees. “Although itdoesn’t directly benefit us, it does en-courage local business owners to comesee us and it gets our name out there andstarts some buzz,” she said. “We arehappy to help other businesses in thearea, encouraging people to shop lo-cally.” For more information or to partici-

pate, call 508.347.2124 or on Facebookgo to “C & R Tire” n


C&R Tire:It’s about keepingit local

Bob Cherniskyversa. I am a rare case and not nor-mal. That’s why I am donating mybody to science. I can’t donate my or-gans any longer, but they can studymy body. Who knows, it might savesomeone else’s suffering.”For now, he says he will continue

to take each day as it comes and find

him his lungs and heart problemscan’t be fixed. Now, he will just dealwith symptoms as they come. “Iknow I am on my way out, but whoknows how long it will last…there isno timeline,” he said. “My oncologisttells me I am a case study. If it looksgood on paper, I feel lousy or vice

my boys out of time with their dad;I wanted to make time for them. Irealized recently that I haven’tchecked my progress or if I havemissed opportunities. You can’t letlife pull you in every direction.”Bob said the doctors have told

time to laugh. “Recently, Johanna madea great meal of meatloaf, potatoes, gravyand peas. My hands shook so much, Icouldn’t get the fork with the peas in mymouth and they ended up on the floor.She burst out laughing, then the boys andthen me. One of the boys even joked I


Continued on next page —>


Around the Yardalso helps make the leaves less visi-ble when you reuse them next year.Make sure you mix the leaves inwith the soil rather than leavingthem on top, or the soil might gettoo cold. This will make your com-post material easier to work with inthe spring. n

of leaves will result in bare patchesthroughout your yard. The leaves you collect can be

added to your compost pile. Thesmaller the pieces, the easier theyare to break down, so many gar-deners choose to shred them. This

had ‘pea’d’ on the ground. I just saidget me a spoon,” Bob said. “I thinkyou have to find time to laugh. Ifyou don’t, you’ll be miserable andcry yourself into the grave.”If you’d like to get an update on

Bob or talk with him, go to Facebookand search “Robert Chernisky” n

Tom Chamberland is the Tree Warden forthe Town of Sturbridge and a Certified Ar-borist. He enjoys caring for plants that growin his yard and welcomes reader suggestions forfuture articles. Email him at:[email protected]



Sturbridge Times Readers’ Choice Best of Greater Sturbridge AwardsOFFICIAL BALLOT

FOOD AND DRINKS

General Excellence ______________ in ______________

New Restaurant ______________ in ______________

Breakfast ______________ in ______________

American Style ______________ in ______________

Comfort Food ______________ in ______________

Fast Food (local owner) ______________ in ______________

Italian Food ______________ in ______________

Asian ______________ in ______________

Vegetarian Choices ______________ in ______________

Vegan Choices ______________ in ______________

Steak ______________ in ______________

Budget Restaurant ______________ in ______________

Gourmet ______________ in ______________

Bakery ______________ in ______________

Seafood Restaurant ______________ in ______________

Fish Market ______________ in ______________

Wine & Cheese ______________ in ______________

Bar Menu ______________ in ______________

Small/Quick Market ______________ in ______________

Pizza ______________ in ______________

Cocktail ______________ in ______________

Appetizers/Tapas ______________ in ______________

Cup of Coffee ______________ in ______________

Healthy Food ______________ in ______________

Soup ______________ in ______________

Farmers’ Market ______________ in ______________

Delicatessen ______________ in ______________

Ice Cream ______________ in ______________

Dessert ______________ in ______________

ENTERTAINMENT

Family Entertainment ______________ in ______________

Late-Night Dining ______________ in ______________

Live Theatre ______________ in ______________

Neighborhood Bar ______________ in ______________

Gathering Place ______________ in ______________

SHOPPING

Clothing, Women’s ______________ in ______________

Clothing, Children’s ______________ in ______________

Clothing, Consignment ______________ in ______________

Clothing, Work Clothes ______________ in ______________

Antiques/Collectibles ______________ in ______________

Primitives Shop ______________ in ______________

Place to Buy Art ______________ in ______________

Sporting Goods ______________ in ______________

Gifts ______________ in ______________

Jewelry ______________ in ______________

Artisan Jewelry ______________ in ______________

Furniture ______________ in ______________

Greenhouse ______________ in ______________

Lawn & Garden ______________ in ______________

Recreational Equipment ______________ in ______________

SERVICES

Aesthetic spa ______________ in ______________

Dental Office ______________ in ______________

Personal Trainer ______________ in ______________

Gym ______________ in ______________

Yoga ______________ in ______________

Pet Trainer ______________ in ______________

Pet Store ______________ in ______________

Pet Groomer ______________ in ______________

Pet Boarding ______________ in ______________

Hair Salon / Barber ______________ in ______________

Manicure/Pedicure ______________ in ______________

Boat/Marine Service ______________ in ______________

Financial Advisor ______________ in ______________

Bank/Credit Union ______________ in ______________

Insurance Agency ______________ in ______________

Criteria: We are looking for the best service, quality, consistent reliability inevery category within the following communities: Sturbridge, Fiskdale,Auburn, Brimfield, Brookfield, Charlton, Dudley, East Brookfield, Holland,Leicester, North Brookfield, Oxford, Palmer, Southbridge, Spencer, WestBrookfield, Wales, Warren. Businesses outside these communities are not eligible. List name of business/person and location you are selecting. One vote allowed per person/family. Xeroxes are accepted this year.BALLOTS MUST BE POSTMARKED BY DECEMBER 31, 2014.Mail your ballot to:Sturbridge Times Readers’ ChoiceP.O. Box 418, Sturbridge, MA 01566

Winners of the75 categories

will be announcedin our February

issue


Travel Agency ______________ in ______________

Law Office ______________ in ______________

Accountant ______________ in ______________

Interior Designer ______________ in ______________

Auto Mechanic ______________ in ______________

Landscapers ______________ in ______________

Fine Carpentry ______________ in ______________

Fix-It Person ______________ in ______________

Plumber ______________ in ______________

Electrician ______________ in ______________

Veterinarian ______________ in ______________

YOUR INFORMATION

Name__________________________________________________

Address____________________________Town_________________

Phone_______________________Email________________________

The

FetvesHarlaunnAh25tThe fniotdiratnuily f fumis a fa

obOctTown CogeridrbutSehtnol ivastFeracl aclossletnuocg rinutaeffe

& 19 18 bernurod gnanommTown Co

y foltiacesps, nisartars, etfftra

oitffitopr

HistseuHoklicbuPehtfodsnshreffrerm d fanrs adond veoy fo

netig behtins niotaiznrgao

nInricoHists. stervahsh

!tn

danuSOn

10

moCehtfos ffs ehCey, Thda

drutaS10 (ClasPs f Pi1p

tigber thveoeky taitnumm

yadc)s M 70s &0c 6 (Clas

- oitffitoprieltair speciehtg rineffefffotne

C11a:

netig behtins niotaiznrgaostatlebatcedelreomd nas ie

yadnuSson LanBler Juggomedi C

!tnlaffaehtfos est sl !nsoae

son Lan

10 Ma:1p

2p-5

nwoT

ma01yadrutaS - mp5

a10 - (ClaseeacPor s ftera Pi:1pn FlynnraFh ti wwhoowc Sgi Ma

2p- agg Mnllitro S:p4mpten (Coreionfla Bqui Te:p5

buPehT&nommoCn

ma11yadnuS.m - .mp4

c)sius M 70s &0c 6si (Clasreainxtraordi EanciiagM, n

n Flynnrac by Fiagck) Ro&trynuCoorary mp

gdirbrutS,esuoHkcilb

&noissimdAeerF

re

ck)

C11a:The "

12p-3:30

66510AMeg

oniaR.gnikraP&

son LanryBler Juggc omedi Cho SnommCoe h torCure fThe

ayswstaCad nIslae Th:p3:30)0Top 4/Rockl caTropi(

.enihSro

g son Lan"who

d n Baays

Anh 25theT

s ial vitesFt esv HaralnuAn

idgbrrut Syy S bedoronsSps

on.ciatiAssoist rouTToue idg

ENJOY AUTUMN IN GREATER STURBRIDGE!

sturbridge the timesquinn & small, inc. we accept photos, opinions, short articles, stories,...

Documents