Westport
in Brief!
EverythingWestport.com
Friday,
August 30, 2013
photos/EverythingWestport.com except as noted
Quick
Article Index . . .
Two
Westport Firefighters graduate 200th Recruit State Firefighting Academy.
The
Greater Tiverton Community Chorus will begin rehearsals for the winter
semester.
Lafrance Hospitality Chosen as Wellness Champion Employer.
Vandals
add insult to injury to endangered piping plovers.
Magnolia
had them dancing in the aisles.
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Two
Westport Firefighters graduate 200th Recruit State Firefighting Academy. Westport Fire Chief Brian Legendre
announced that FF/Paramedic Robert Porawski and
FF/Paramedic Sean Connolly were among the 24 graduates. EverythingWestport.com Friday,
August 30, 2013 Photos courtesy of MFPA State Fire
Marshal Stephen D. Coan and Massachusetts
Firefighting Academy Deputy Director Joseph J. Klucznik
presented certificates of completion Coan and Klucznik
were pleased to announce the graduation of the 200th class of the
Massachusetts Firefighting Academy’s forty-five-day Career Recruit
Firefighting Program. Left: State Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan. “Since June 10,
1966, when we graduated our first class, the Massachusetts Firefighting
Academy has been training our newest firefighters to perform their inherently
dangerous jobs safely and effectively. Seeing our 200th class graduate today
reflects 47 years of providing high quality training in basic skills that
stays on top of new challenges and best practices,” Coan
said. Several members
of the first recruit class in 1966 were in attendance to mark the 200th class
graduation. The Massachusetts Firefighting Academy (MFA), a division of the
Department of Fire Services, offers this program, tuition-free. The ceremony took
place at the Department of Fire Services, 1 State Road, Stow, MA. Westport Fire
Chief Brian Legendre announced that FF/Paramedic Robert Porawski
and FF/Paramedic Sean Connolly were among the 24 graduates from 18 Fire
Departments. The 24 graduates,
22 men and two women, represent the 18 departments of Attleboro, Burlington,
Canton, Dudley, Easthampton, Haverhill, Holbrook, Lowell, Lynn, Maynard,
Milton, Norfolk, North Andover, Norwell, Randolph, Wakefield, Wellesley, and
Westport. Invited guests
included: guest speaker retired Marlborough FF Lee Lively, a member of Class
#1 that graduated in 1966; additional members of the first recruit class; and
members and department chiefs. The guest speaker
retired Marlborough Firefighter Lee Lively was a graduate of Recruit Class #1
in 1966. FF Lively had a lengthy career both at the Marlborough Fire
Department and as a part-time employee of the Massachusetts Firefighting
Academy and later the Department of Fire Services. He has witnessed
firsthand the benefit of consistent, statewide training of firefighters in a
facility that continues to evolve to remain state-of-the-art. Today’s Firefighters Do Far More than Fight
Fires. Today’s
firefighters do far more than fight fires. They are the first ones called to
respond to chemical and environmental emergencies ranging from the suspected
presence of carbon monoxide to a gas leak. They may be called to rescue a
child who has fallen through the ice or who has locked himself in a bathroom.
They rescue people from stalled elevators and those who are trapped in
vehicle crashes. They test and maintain their equipment, ranging from
self-contained breathing apparatus to hydrants to hoses, power tools, and
apparatus.
Above: 200th Career
Recruit Firefighter Training Class on August 30, 2013 At the
Massachusetts Firefighting Academy they learn all these skills and more from
certified fire instructors who are also experienced firefighters. Students
learn all the basic skills they need to respond to fires and to contain and
control them. They are also given training in public fire education,
hazardous material incident mitigation, flammable liquids, stress management,
confined space rescue techniques, and rappelling. The intensive, 9-week program for municipal firefighters involves classroom
instruction, physical fitness training, firefighter skills training and live
firefighting practice. Starting with
Class #200, the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy changed its training
format from 72 students in an 11-week program to a smaller class size of 24
students that starts every three weeks. There are still 72 students on campus
at any one time, but the smaller class size is expected to achieve time
efficiencies without compromising learning, and in fact improve education
with smaller student/instructor ratios. Basic Firefighter Skills. Students receive
classroom training in all basic firefighter skills. They practice first under
non-fire conditions and then during controlled fire conditions. To graduate,
students must demonstrate proficiency in life safety, search and rescue,
ladder operations, water supply, pump operation, and fire attack. Fire attack
operations range from mailbox fires to multiple-floor or multiple room
structural fires. Upon successful completion of the Recruit Program all
students have met national standards of National Fire Protection Association
1001 and are certified to the level of Firefighter I and II, and Hazardous
Materials First Responder Operational Level by the Massachusetts Fire
Training Council, which is accredited by the National Board on Fire Service
Professional Qualifications. The
Greater Tiverton Community Chorus will begin rehearsals for the winter
semester. All
are welcome to open rehearsals on September 5th, 12th and 19th. EverythingWestport.com Saturday, August
31, 2013 The Greater
Tiverton Community Chorus will begin rehearsals for the winter semester on
Thursday, September 5th at the Amicable Church, 3736 Main Road, Tiverton from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Rehearsals will
continue weekly through the year’s Christmas Concert performances to be held
December 13 to 15. The Greater
Tiverton Community Chorus is a non-auditioned choral group that welcomes
singers from communities throughout southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode
Island. The concerts in
December, entitled “Breath of Heaven,” will feature Schubert’s Mass in G
along with seasonal selections. All are welcome
to open rehearsals on Sept. 5, 12 and 19. Those who wish to join are
encouraged to come early for registration before the 7 p.m. start time. Semester dues are
$60, or $100 for annual membership. High school and
college students receive a 50 percent membership discount. For more
information, contact musical director Beth Armstrong at 401.253.7987 or
email: bestar@cox.net. Visit www.gtcchorus.org. 2012 Celtic Christmas magic at St. Johns. The
Greater Tiverton Community Chorus’s 2012 concert Celtic Christmas played to a Under the very capable
direction of Beth Armstrong and with great performances from Melissa Woolverton, Celtic fiddler Cathy Clasper-Torch, and Phil
Edmonds on the Penny Whistle, they really mixed it up with music from
Ireland, Wales, Scotland, and a little bit of England.
Click here for GTCC 2012 Celtic Christmas concert
introduction by Beth Armstrong. Click here for part 1 of 2 of the GTCC Celtic Christmas
concert. Click here for part 2 of 2 of the GTCC Celtic Christmas
concert. (Great rendition of “Danny Boy!” Biker babes and their rides, bands and their blues, knocking
back the brewskis, and the sweet
taste and sound of BBQ and bluegrass. EverythingWestport.com Saturday,
August 31, 2013 Biker
babes and their rides, bands and their blues, knocking back the brewskis, and the sweet taste and sound of BBQ and
bluegrass. It’s
all good, but it’s all about the cash. And
as the 20th Westport Rock, Rhythm and Blues Festival prepares to get
underway, hopefully it will deliver a lot of that cash to A Wish Come True Foundation. “We
granted over 50 wishes thanks to Frankie Ray,” Foundation founder Rosemary Bowers said. “It’s all about the
kids.” And
the generosity goes deep in this crowd. Long
time RRBF support Tony Mello, winner of the 2012 50/50 raffle, promptly gave
the $255 right back to A Wish Come True. It’s
all about the kids.
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Click here to see 19th Rock, Rhythm and Blues Festival video clip. Click here to see hi-definition
photo album of 2010 Westport Rock, Rhythm and Blues Festival.
20
annual Westport Rock Rhythm & Blues Festival schedule. September 6, 7, and 8, 2013 Holy Ghost Grounds, 171 Sodom Road, Westport, MA Donations: $10 covers both Saturday and Sunday. Kids 12 and under are
free. Friday Barbeque Tickets are $15 in advance. Main Gates open at 12:00 noon on Saturday and Sunday. For all
information including barbeque ticket sales please call 508.493.0915. Friday, September
6th Bluegrass Night and Chicken Barbeque from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. Featuring Maggie and the Gents. Saturday,
September 7th Motorcycle Run (rain date is Sunday, September 8th) Assemble at Dave’s Beach, off the end of Jefferson Street, Fall River, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.
Auction and raffle too! Saturday Bands: 1:00 p.m. - 100 Proof 2:30 p.m. - Wolf & the Jam Daddies 4:00 - Shot in the Dark 5:30 p.m. - Louie Leeman & Cheap
Sneakers Sunday Bands: 1:00 p.m. - Dolan Brothers 2:30 p.m. - Detroit Breakdown 4:00 p.m. - Wild Nights 5:30 p.m. - Bob’s Day Off
Lafrance
Hospitality Chosen as Wellness Champion Employer. LHC
was ecstatic to be chosen as a not only as a partnering employer but as a Wellness Champion
Employer in the Greater Fall River and Greater New Bedford area. EverythingWestport.com Sunday, September
01, 2013 In January 2013 Lafrance Hospitality Company (LHC) launched a brand new
health and wellness initiative for the company's 500 employees. LHC owns Christian's Catering and five
restaurant/banquet facilities: White's of Westport,
Ten Cousins Brick Oven, Rachel's Lakeside, Bittersweet Farm Restaurant and
Tavern and the Waypoint Event Center at the Fairfield Inn & Suites by
Marriott. It also owns the Hampton Inn
& Suites of Plymouth, MA, the Comfort Inn & Suites of Dover, New
Hampshire, and the Comfort Inn & Suites of Farmington/Wilton, Maine. The
company owns or operates two Hampton Inns, in Westport, MA, and Dover, New
Hampshire, as well as a Homewood Suites by Hilton, in Dover, New
Hampshire. Most recently, the company
built and opened a Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott, in New Bedford, MA
and has acquired a Holiday Inn Express in Milford, MA. "I strongly feel that as
our company grows and has the ability to employ more people from many
communities, our obligation to provide a companywide health and wellness
program is key to everyone's success.” Richard Lafrance,
CEO Lafrance Hospitality Company LHC was ecstatic
to be chosen as a not only as a partnering
employer, but as a Wellness Champion Employer in the Greater Fall
River and Greater New Bedford area,
with Southcoast Healthy Housing and
Workplace Initiative - a Community Transformation Grant through
Voices for a Healthy Southcoast (SCHHWI), hosted by
YMCA Southcoast.
We have benefited greatly from the hard working leadership team of the
initiative. The wellness program began
when the company joined forces with the Fall River Fitness Challenge, which
greatly benefited many of the South Coast area employees. LHC's Dover, NH properties created a
similar challenge that received a great response of participants and resulted
in most employees losing more than 10% of their body weight in just a few
short months. Employees supported
each other and encouraged one another to follow through and stick with the
healthy changes they were making. To keep the
momentum going following the challenge, LHC conducted an employee health and
wellness survey to discover the needs and desires of its hard working
employees. As a result, the company
has begun offering wellness program, coordinated by SCHHWI Wellness
Coordinator, Nicky D'Abrosca, such as kickboxing, women's self-defense,
stretch classes and more. This
fitness challenge is part of SCHHWI's HEAL (Healthy Living Active Living)
mission to support local employers in making a healthy environment for
all A monthly newsletter is
distributed to educate and inform all employees on the programs being offered
as well as sharing healthy tips and recipes.
The newsletter often highlights employees who have participated in a
local fitness event, either with other LHC employees or on their own. Lafrance
Hospitality is proud of their employees and happy that they are taking the
appropriate steps to achieving a healthier lifestyle. “Even bigger things are on
the way with a smoking cessation program and a "wellness challenge"
coming later in the fall.” Lafrance Hospitality
Company "I strongly
feel that as our company grows and has the ability to employ more people from
many communities, our obligation to provide a companywide health and wellness
program is key to everyone's success. As a true
hospitality company all team members that feel great about themselves convey
that same feeling to our many guest every day. We have been pleasantly
excited about our staff's participation in many of our initiatives" said
Richard Lafrance, CEO. "Through the grant, SCHHWI will tackle
some of the biggest health challenges in this region - heart and lung
disease, along with other smoking-related illnesses. SCHHWI will build
community leadership and work with housing authorities, landlords and
employers in the region to eliminate tobacco exposure in multi-unit housing -
especially public housing - and on the campuses of mental health and
addiction treatment facilities as well as other workplace campuses. We are
thrilled to have LHC as one of our many partners. They have truly invested in
the overall wellbeing of their employees and championed "said Alice Rebelo, Community Transformation Grant Project Manager. Even bigger
things are on the way with a smoking cessation program and a "wellness
challenge" coming later in the fall.
Vandals
add insult to injury to endangered piping plovers. Piping Plover chicks pressured by
predators and people’s pets, says Allens Pond
Sanctuary personnel. EverythingWestport.com Sunday, September
01, 2013 Piping Plover
chicks are being pressured by predators and people’s pets, say Allens Pond Sanctuary personnel. Now it appears
vandals are adding their destructive hand, threatening the endangered species
that are already under attack from crows, coyotes, foxes and occasionally,
seagulls.
Above: Allens Pond Sanctuary wildlife interns Nathan Frumkin (right) and Jeffrey Chan once again repair cut
fencing lines that are warning people away from a Cherry & Webb plover nesting site. Photo/Lauren Miller-Donnelly. Vandals repeated
struck a symbolic fence protecting a nesting pair of plovers from unaware
beach walkers at the west end of Cherry & Webb Beach. And those adorable,
fluffy plover chicks don’t need thoughtless and irresponsible individuals
adding to the toxic mix that threatens their very existence. Yet vandals have
cut the orange lines, broken the tomato stakes, and stolen the Restrictive
Area warning signs. Plovers prefer to
nest on open, unvegetated beach above the high tide
line where they can keep a watchful eye on predators, people, and yes, dogs. Man’s best friend
doesn’t prey on the chicks, they just stumble across plover nests, disturbing
and sometimes destroying the fragile nest and the chicks themselves. “Crows are the
worst,” Miller-Donnelly said. “They even follow the plover tracks in the sand
back to the nest for a quick meal.” The sanctuary
director, Gina Purtell, sees the problem as
vandalism, trespassing on private property, and harming an endangered
species. “The town must
adequately protect federal and state endangered species,” Purtell
said. “They jeopardize future permits
for beach use for passive recreation and as a depository for dredging
material like the sand deposited for beach nourishment on the west end of
Cherry & Webb Beach in the fall of 2007.” Purtell said the town doesn’t permit
dogs on the beach during the summer months, but that regulation is regularly
ignored. And some dog
walkers don’t even have their pets on a leash during those summer rambles on
the beach, a mandatory requirement throughout the town. Magnolia
had them dancing in the aisles. EverythingWestport.com Monday, September
02, 2013
Local politicians
and town residents joined Westport's seasoned citizens for a night of fast
food, even faster cars, and the chance to support the Westport Senior
Center’s signature fundraiser, all under the big tent on the COA's front
lawn. "I'm heading
over there for a hamburger," said former Westport Selectman Jim Coyne
after he won, in the raffle, an awesome painting donated by the senior
center’s watercolor art class. Selectman Richard
Spirlet won two of the raffle’s items, including a gift certificate to
Westport Lobster. William and Lisa
Cabral took first place in the guest voting for favorite car with their 1934
three-window Ford coupe. A really clean
1958 Ford Skyliner hardtop convertible took second,
and Raymond Phenix picked up third with his
wonderful 1938 Plymouth that looks like it just came off the assembly line.
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