March 2010 designed and illustrated by Tony Luongo

A TOWN OF DIVERSITYBillerica ShowS itS culture

A CHARITABLE HEARTreSidentS and BuSineSSeS reach out

SPORTS SPOTLIGHTMaking SportS availaBle For all

March/April 2010 Vol.2, No.3

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Billerica’s Premier monthly news magazine

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A TOWN OF DIVERSITYBillerica ShowS itS culture

A CHARITABLE HEARTreSidentS and BuSineSSeS reach out

SPORTS SPOTLIGHTMaking SportS availaBle For all

I have been involved in anti-violence curriculum and emotional learning for many years.

Before opening the karate school, I represented the Jefferson Center for Character Education as their Sports Division, VP. We adapted the Center’s STAR program to the marital arts.

In the almost ten years our karate school has been open in Billerica, I have heard numerous times from my students about incidents of bullying. Let me give you one example: one of our students, a girl, was grabbed around the throat by a boy on her bus. This was a life threatening situation.

At our school, we teach Stranger/Danger and as part of that, discuss how to handle a bully. Use your voice. Walk away. Defend yourself. I appreciate last month’s articles in The Billerica Green by Nora Fiore and Diana Lombardo. Here’s my bottom line:

Bullying prevention is an adult responsibility. It is the obligation of all adults—parents, teachers, administrators, bus drivers, staff—to make sure our children have a safe environment in which to learn. Children should not be asked to create this environment themselves.

The Billerica School District, in its Student Handbook under Harassment Policy, section B, defines bullying and sets out the procedure for investigating and punishing acts of bullying in all its forms. This section is comprehensive and effective—if implemented. It does no good to have resources if we, as adults, don’t use them to assert our children’s rights.

If a child is bullied at school, the first thing to do is report it to any staff member. That individual is then required to report the incident to an administrator. A Complaint Investigator is assigned who investigates the claim of bullying. Other steps follow. What happens here is that adults, not children, are working to create a safe atmosphere at school.

We, as parents, shouldn’t be reluctant to protect our children by requiring the schools to follow their own rules. In this age of standardized testing, it is in the schools’ self-interest to keep bullying to a minimum. In the U.S., over 160,000 kids skip school annually because they are afraid of bullying. Do you think that diminishes test scores? Grades? Graduation rates?

Yes, children need to stand up for themselves by using a command voice, blocking a punch, or having a snappy come-back. But the best lesson in this regard is to know the difference between tattling and telling a parent what happened so he or she can inform the school. A child who does this isn’t trying to get someone in trouble, just standing up for her right under Billerica’s Harassment Policy not to be bullied or battered on the school bus.

That’s my thoughts for this month. All my best, Alan Kessler

7 Marshall Street | Billerica, MA 01821978-667-7774

508 Groton Road | Westford, MA 01886978-692-0479

www.kesslerkarate.com

Bullying Prevention: An Adult Responsibility

ADVERTISEMENT

Upcoming Events at the Karate School:

Haiti Day– March 6, 4-6 PMFree pasta dinner! Free admission! Come and bid on Haitian Art, proceeds to aid Haitian relief efforts.

Murder Mystery Theatre – March 13, 6 PMOriental Cuisine, live musical performances, a fun, Who-Done-It, with a prize for the

winning detective! Adults $14.Children, $10, proceeds to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Call for reservations, 978-667-7774

Cake Auction for Pal – April 3, 2-3:30 PM Make a cake! Buy a cake for Easter! All proceeds to benefit the Billerica Police Athletic League.

A publication of The Billerica Green, LLC.©2010 The Billerica Green unless otherwise specified. All Rights Reserved

Editor-in-Chief + Owner + Staff Writer:Liana Measmer

For news or column submissions, e-mail us at [email protected] for submissions are the first week of the month.

Art Director + Illustrator: Tony Luongo

Staff Writer:Jenn GervaisShawn Hutcheon

Contributing Columnists:Diana LombardoColleen SgroiDr. Gina AguayoKay WarrenNora FioreKristene WhitehouseBrian PanareseAttorney Jennifer O’BrienDave GagliardiJohn and Sherry LivseyPat ZapertKathy LynchPaul AbregoJeff ParentiTodd Dellaporta

Contributing Writers:Billerica Cat Care CoalitionAlan KesslerFrank Hynes Sandra Brigham

Contributing Photographers:Gail LucozziGeorge Lucozzi

Advertising Sales:Liana MeasmerFor our ad rates or to place an ad, call us at 978-808-2361or e-mail us at [email protected] for advertising is the first day of the month.

Mar/Apr 2010; Vol. 2, No. 3 The Billerica Green, LLC.P.O. Box 492Billerica, MA 01821 www.thebillericagreen.com

Subscriptions for non-Billerica residents: One year (12 issues) $15

MaRch/apRil 2010Volume 2, Number 3

Contents

6 OurBeautifulBennett Onebuildingandonevisionbroughtonetowntogether foronecause

17 Kessler’sRalliesTown forHaitianRelief Readhowspaghettiandartmadeforasuccessfulevent •ByJennGervais,StaffWriter

20 TheBestofBothWorlds IndianfamilyvaluesandAmericancustomsbrought togetherbylove

26 TheChallengerLeague ThisLittleLeagueDivisionmakesbaseballavailabletoall •ByShawnHutcheon,SportsWriter

26 MeetYourCandidates Theirplatformsoutlineeverythingyouneedtoknow beforeyouhitthepolls.GetthecompletestoryONLINE!

6

in this edition:Teacher’s CornerVoice of The ArtistAsk DaveThe Flower LadyPet PeevesCaregiver’s CircleCourt’s In SessionSunny Side of The StreetWill Achieve

Traveling GourmetsOut on The TownBusiness to BusinessNotes From General SoundGreen HandymanThe PlaygroundNourishment for Optimal HealthBillerica Media Beat

18

20

26

�/thebillericagreen.com/March-April�010

InournewesteditionoftheBillericaGreen,wefoundalotofplaceswhereBillericawasshowingitsculturalside,bothlocallyandglobally.

Wehaveabeautifulrepresentationinthistownofdiversitythroughthefacesofthosewholivehere.WegotaglimpseinsidethelifeofalocalIndianfamilywhohasblendedtheirIndianvalueswithAmericancustoms.Toopenourmindsandheartstodiversity,BillericaCARESissponsoringadiversityweekthroughthepublicschoolsduringthelastweekofMarch.

Welookedattheartsandhowtheyenrichus.TheTILWheelchairDancersgraced thefloors of theCouncil onAging inFebruary and awardwinningIrishSetDancersputonashowattheIrishAmericanClubinMarch.TheMerrimackRepTheatreisalwaysagreatplacetocatchaplayandtwoartistsexhibitedtheir talentthismonthintown-TomDahill fromTheMiddlesexCanalAssociationandourownTonyLuongo (www.tonyluongo.com) fromTheBillericaGreen.

WewoveourAmericanculture into thepaper throughourpoliticsandbaseball.OurcandidatesforSelectmanandSchoolCommitteesentalongtheirplatformstogetusreadyforElectionDayonApril10.Somarkyourcalendaranddon’tforgettoVOTE!BesuretocheckoutShawnHutcheon’sstoryontheLittleLeague’sChallengerDivisiontoo.

WetookawalkbackintimeanddidacompletehistoricalfeatureonourbeautifulBennettLibrary,whichisstilltodayacentrallylocatedculturalcenterrighthereonBostonRoad.

Somefolks intownstretchedtheirhandacrosstheworldcharitablytohelpothers in need. Julie Kinscheck’s Night of Hope event raised money for HopeWorldwidewhilelocalbusinesseslikeKessler’sKarateStudiohostedreliefforHaiti.

NEWSFLASH!...With all our new growth, we now have a greatopportunitytogrowourwebsiteasacomplimenttoourpaper.Inadditiontoblogs,featuresandgivingbusinessesanotherterrificoptionforadvertising,wewillnowbepostingstoriesandcolumnsonlinetoo!WewantedtoexpandandgiveourreadersyetonemoreplacetoenjoyGreenstories.Lookforour‘teasers’thatwilldirectyoutoouronlinecontent.

RemembertofollowusonFacebook.Weplantoutilizeourpageforallourextraphotosthatwedidn’tprint.So,ifwetakeyourpicture,itmightjustgraceTheBillericaGreenFacebookPageinthefuture!

Share your feedback with us since we want to make TheBillerica Green the best it can be. If you want or need newsor event coverage, contact us at 978-808-�361 or at liana@thebillericagreen.com.Asalwayswearelookingforavarietyofwriterswithfreshideas.

Enjoy,BillericaandbehappybecauseSpringhasarrived!

[email protected]

A Letter from the editor

Hey Billerica...your culture is sHowing!

March-April�010\thebillericagreen.com\3

Send us your Letters to the Editor. All letters become property of The

Billerica Green, and those choosen for publication will be edited for

clarity and length.Submit to [email protected].

“Liana,I justwould like topassonanoteofgratitudeforallyouhavedoneformeandmynewbusiness.Yoursuggestionsand guidance have been a great sourceof learningformeasIbeginmysecondyearofoperation.TheTeenNightwasahugesuccessandIplan,withthehelpof“The Green”, to run another one soon.WhatIfindsetsyoufarapartfromotherpublicationsisthepersonaltouchyouhavewithyouradvertisingclients.Mostprintpublications end the relationship oncethead isplaced,youhavedemonstratedgenuine interest in my business andactuallymakeapersonal appearance,onseveraloccassionsImightadd,tomanyofmyeventsheldatPuttAround.Iplantocontinuemysuccessfulrelationshipwithyourpublicationinthefutureandagain,mysincerestthankstoyouandyourfirstclassorganizationforallyourhelp.”

– Sincerely, Steve Lynch, PuttAround Mini Golf

“DearEditor,IamwritingthisletterinsupportofPaulMarascoforSelectman.AsChairmanofthePlanningBoard,Paulhasdemonstratedsoundjudgmentoncriticaldevelopmentissuesintown,andfairnesstobothproponentsofdevelopmentandtotheresidentsofBillerica.Theresidentsarealwayshistopconcern.

Paul’s innate knowledge of how toresolve issues, solve problems and usecommon sense has gained respect forthePlanningBoard,which isoneof thebest-run boards in town. He is a trueleader, stays focused on the issues andworksinaprofessionalmanner.IbelievehewillbringtheseskillstotheBoardofSelectmen, where both sound judgmentandleadershipareneededinthesedifficulteconomictimes.

His motto is ‘Bringing BillericaTogether’andIbelievehecandoit!IurgeyoutocastoneofyourtwovotesforPaulMarascointheApril10thelection.”

– Thank you, Ellen Rawlings

“TotheEditor,IamwritingthisletterinsupportofBobCorrenti,candidateforre-electiontotheBoardofSelectmen.Asalife-longBillericaresidentandeducatorforthepast34years,IhaveseenBob’saccomplishmentsfromhiscommitmenttoourseniorcitizens,schools,andwelfareofourchildren.Onseveraloccasions,Bobcreatedaforumallowingmyvoicetobeheardontownandneighborhoodissues.WhenyoucallBob,helistens,responds,andgetsresults!ThisisthetypeofSelectmanIwantworkingforourtown!

IstronglyurgeyoucastoneofyourtwovotesonSaturday,April10,�010tore-electBobCorrentiasSelectman.WeneedtokeepBobworkingforus!”

– Paula M. Perry, Billerica, MA

“To the Editor, My name is SallyGould. I support and endorse MichaelRosa for re-election to the BillericaBoard of Selectmen. Michael is a goodperson and genuinely cares about thetownanditsresidents.Michaelisalwaysprofessionalandknowledgeable.Michaelstays on top of new developments andideastosavethetownmoneysuchastherecyclingprogramhewasinstrumentalinputtinginplace.

Michael is a qualified and successfulcandidate with a proven track record inmaking Billerica a better place to live.Thisisouropportunitytore-electaleaderwhowillcontinue theexcellentworkhehasdoneforus.”

– Sincerely, Sally Gould“DearEditor,Iwantedtothankyou

forthearticleyouwrotefortheJanuary/February edition of the Billerica Green.We are continuing to make progresstowardsourgoalofhavinganewSkateparkin Billerica. Your paper has helped usincreaseawarenessoftheeffortsunderwaybyourCommitteetoinstallaskateboardparkattheLampsonRecreationComplex.Wealsoatthistimewouldliketothankthe BATV program –Eye on Billericawhohelpedincreaseawarenessandbringcommunitymemberstogethertosupportourcause.Oneofthefundraiserswearecurrently planning is a Skate Festival atLampsonfieldonApril�3,�010.Thankyouagainforyoursupport,

– Brian Violette, Co-President, Billerica Skatepark Committee

Letters to the editior

4/thebillericagreen.com/March-April�010

Astheirfinalyearinpublicschooldrawstoaclose,Iworryaboutmy1�thgraders.Themajorityofmystudentswillgoontofour-yearcolleges–butforalotofthesekids,thisisn’tnecessarilytheappropriatenextstep.Iscollegeforeveryone?Shoulditbe?

As a teacher, I work to equip mygraduating seniors with the skills they willneedincollege,butoftenIworryabouttherelevance of what is being taught, even inmyownclassroom.Sure,beingabletoreadcriticallyandwriteeffectivelyareimportantskills regardless of whether one enrolls incollege or enters the workforce right outof high school. However, I am currentlyteaching Elizabethan poetry to a groupof rather reluctant 18-year olds, many ofwhom complain that Shakespeare et al hasabsolutelynorelevancetotheirteenagelives.TherearetimeswhenItendtoagree,despitemy love of literature and firm belief thatstudents benefit from exposure to complexand challenging material. Is understandingiambicpentameterthebestuseofmykids’timeduring thesedwindlingdaysof senioryear? Should we instead be focusing onmore practical “life skills” right now, suchashowtobalanceacheckbookordevelopahouseholdbudget?

After16yearsofteachingthisagegroup,I have come to see that college is not theright choice for every kid. Schools pridethemselves on the number of graduatingseniors enrolling in college; guidancecounselors urge students to apply to their“reach schools”; parents swell with pridewhenthoselettersofacceptanceturnupinthemailbox.Butsometimesitseemslikethechild’sdreamsandgoalsgetlostintheshuffle.

Somekidsdon’treallywanttogotocollege,atleastnotrightoutofhighschool,butareafraidorembarrassedtoadmitthis.Yearsago,whenIfirstbeganteaching,Ihadabulletinboard in my classroom labeled “CollegeAcceptances”;whenmy seniorswouldhearfromtheircolleges,theywouldproudlytacktheir names and accepted colleges up onthatboard.Yet,inevitably,therewouldbeahandfulofkidswho“nevergotaround” toit…andnow,IthinkIknowwhy.Withyourpeers,parents,andcommunityallexpectingyoutotakethatnextstep,whowouldn’tfeelawkwardandoutofplaceifcollegewasn’tinyourfuture?

Withtheaverageannualcostofafour-year private college approaching $40,000peryear,doesn’titmakesensetoensurethatthisistherightnextstepforourkids?Whosedream is it, really – the child’s, or ours?We push our kids to excel, to set goals, tochallengethemselves.MyowndaughterisinherfirstyearatUMass,andwhileIamproudthatshehascomethisfar,Iamrealisticalso.The timemaycomewhen shedecides thatcollege isn’t right forher, andIwilldomybesttorespectandsupportthatchoice.

SometimesIthinkaboutthosekidswhodidn’tputtheirnamesonmybulletinboard,and I wonder where they are now. I hopetheyarehappyandsuccessfulintheirchosenfields, regardless of whether or not collegewaspartofthatplan.

Diana Lombardo is a Billerica resident, mom of two and an English teacher with 15 years’ experience. Readers are invited to submit education related questions for future columns to Diana at [email protected].

CoLLege for ALL?

The Teacher’s Corner•By Diana Lombardo

This February, Sistacamphosted 40 girls for two daysat the Bennett Libraryover school vacation week.The girls played boardgames, sang, gave eachother pedicures, and helda talent show. OrganizerKarlaDiChiara isplanninganotherSistacampforAprilvacationnext.

Sometimes in theday today routineofcaregiving,Ibecomestressedandmombecomes lost. Icansee this in theothersIknowwhotakecareoftheirlovedones.We become desensitized to the needs oftheonemostdependentonus. It isonething to logically know what to expect,the“why”itishappening,butitisanothertomakethechangesnecessaryinmyownbehavior to counteractwhat Ideemas ashortcomingwithinmyself.

The tiring responsibilities of caregiving include considering the medicalneeds, chasing doctors’ needed follow-ups, keeping medications straight, orsomethingassimpleasacoldandcoughneeding current medications (especiallybloodpressuremeds.)crossreferencedforcontradictions. And, in the midst of allthis is apersonwhosimplywants to tellmeallaboutherday.

Rachelismom’sprimaryhomehealthaide.Shehasagraceinher,aquietnessinthecaringandevenloveasRachelbathesmomwithherbedbath.Ihearmomreciteherday’sevents.ShetellsRachel,“Iwona medal in the Olympics today. I got a

trophytoo.I’manOlympian.”AsIwritenow,thesmilecomesasdo

thetears.Iheardallaboutmom’sdaywhenshefirstarrivedhome.IaskedwhatshehadforlunchevenwhenIknewtheanswer.IlistenedtothewordsbutIdidnothear.

It isRachel’s gift tome, to teachmehow to caregive. Ihave learned tobe anoutsider in my own home. I stand justbeyond the doorway of mom’s bedroomandIlisten.

Thebillscanwait,dinnercanwait--theacknowledgmentsof“lookatme,lookatwhatI’veaccomplished”isinthehereandnow.Bytonightmuchofthedetailsofthedaywillbelost.Momwillnotrememberwhatgameitwashermedalwaswonin.And, youknowwhat? It isn’t important.The pride, that moment of glory, that iswhatisimportant.

AngelHomecareprovidesuswithRacheland they are contracted by Elder ServicesofMerrimackValley.AngelHomecarecanbe reached at 1-978-475-��44 or www.angelhomecare.com and Elder Services ofMerrimack Valley can be contacted at 1-800-89�-8090orwww.esmv.org.

the oLympiAn

Caregiver's Circle•By Kristene Whitehouse

MarshallMiddleSchoolstudentsraised$1,118.30 for the Billerica Food Pantry.The collection was made during a recentspirit week and a check was presented toKenBuffum,VeteransOfficeDirectorandOrganizerfortheFoodPantryatTheOldDitsonSchool.


+

Responsibility leads to wealth.

Dear Dave,Why is it that some people have enough

money for pizza, lottery tickets, cable television and cigarettes, but they don’t buy something as inexpensive as renter’s insurance, and then they expect someone else to bail them out when a fire destroys their home?– Keith

DearKeith,ThiskindofbehaviorfallsintotheStupid

Tax category. It’s an aggravating thing, butat the same time there’s something aboutfire that elicits sympathy from me. Even ifthere’sstupidityinvolvedinwhathappened,it’s such an emotionally devastating event.ButIthinkit’simportanttotalkaboutwhatyou’vebroughtup.

Let’sput it anotherway.Whyare therepeoplewho getmad at others for buildingwealth,orexpectotherpeopletobailthemout after they’ve behaved irresponsibly?Ninety percent of America’s millionairesare first-generation rich. They started withnothing, and instead of buying lotterytickets and smokes, they saved money andbought things like renter’s insurance. Theykept things like car insurance and healthinsurance in place, so that if they totaledtheir carorhad tohaveanoperation, theycouldpayforitinsteadoffilingbankruptcy!

In other words, they were responsible.They stayed out of debt because they weremature enough and responsible enough todelaypleasure,andthenafteryearsoflivingthisway,theylookedupanddiscoveredtheywere millionaires. That’s how it happens.Youdelaybitsandpiecesoffleetingpleasurefor a quality life in the future. Now, youdon’t trade away all momentary pleasures.Youdon’thavetocompletelygiveupfuntowin with money, but you trade impulsive,immature decisions and purchases for therewardofabetterlifelater.

Most poor people delay none of thepleasures.Theyliveonlyinthemoment,andthat’swhytheystaypoor.Iftheywantabetterwasheranddryer,they’llrent-to-owninsteadof saving up for a little while and buyinga decent, used combo in the classifieds.I understand that bad things sometimes

happentogoodpeople,andyoucanendupbrokethatway,too.ButIfirmlybelievethatin most cases, it’s not that they don’t havethe money, it’s more a case of they don’thaveavisionforthefuture.Theysurrenderagreatlifedowntheroadfor“ThankGodit’sFriday.OhGod,it’sMonday!”–Dave Buy or wait?

Dear Dave,I’m 18, and I have a job making $30,000

a year. I’ve also got about $40,000 in stocks and $10,000 in savings. I want to buy a house in the near future. Should I pay cash and buy it outright, or is a 15-year mortgage okay?– Sam

DearSam,Ilovetheideaofpayingcashforahouse,

butI’mevenmoreimpressedthatyou’vegot$50,000youcouldputtowardahouseandajobmaking$30,000ayearatage18.Man,you’rereallykickingit!

It’sagreattimetobuyahouse.Interestrates are low, and prices are great. But thethingthatkeepsstickinginmymindisthatyou’re still just 18 years old. Now, there’snothing wrong with being 18, but there’salsonothingwrongwithwaitingafewyearsand getting a little more life experienceunder your belt before you saddle up withamortgage.

Attimeslikethis,IthinkaboutwhatI’dtellmyown18-year-oldson.Andhonestly,I think I’d advise him to wait and let lifehappen for a while. I’m not putting youdownbecauseyou’re18.You’vedone someamazing things. But I think the best thingwouldbetokeeppilingupcash,thentakealookandseehowyoufeelandwhatyourlifeislikeintwoorthreeyears.

You’vegotlotsoftimeandahugeheadstart already.Plus, therewill still be plentyofpropertiesoutthere.Then,whenthetimeis right, either pay cash or do a 15-year,fixed-rate mortgage. And if you take out amortgage,makesurethemonthlypaymentsarenomore than�5percentof your take-homepay!

Greatjob,Sam!–Dave

*For more financial advice, plus special offers to our readers, please visit www.davesays.org.

responsibiLity LeAds to WeALth

Dave Says•By Dave Ramsey

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MarchisRedCrossBloodDriveMonth!Dustin Shea stopped by the ThomasTalbotMasonicLodgetodonateblood.TheMasonsrunblooddrives every eightweeks andBoyScout Troop 30 is always on hand to helpdonorsgetjuiceorrestaftergivingblood.


TheBennettPublicLibrary,Billerica’s first publiclibrary,sitsasitalwayshasingloriousandstatelyreposeatthenorthendofthetowncommonon3ConcordRoad.Thisarchitecturalgem isGothic in style,builtofPhiladelphiafacedbrick,trimmedwithNovaScotiafreestoneandtoppedbyaslatedroof.Itspointedspireis showcased by a surmounted prominent turret. Nolongerourlibrary,theBennetthasundergonenumerouspermutations,thrivingandfillinganimportantroleasBillerica’sculturalmeetingcenter.

As of September �009, there were an estimated1��,356 librariesof allkinds in theUnitedStates.Afewhundredyearsago,librarieswereararecommodityandpracticallynon-existent.However,oneprominentfamily had a vision and blazed a trail for years ofserviceandlearningforanyonecallingBillericahome.

Classics for AllEleanor Richardson, of Billerica, was born on

September11,1794.JoshuaBennett,whowasbornonNovember�7,179�,hadbeenateacherinDorchester,MAandlaterwasinbusinessinBostonatthefirmofBennettandFelton.Hewenton toaccumulate largeproperties likethefutureVilnaShul(Boston’sCenterfor JewishCulture) in1835and laterbuilt tenementblocksonBoston’sPhillipsStreetin1855.

Joshua met Eleanor and they were married onOctober 8, 1815. They resided with their daughters,RebeccaandEllen,inBennettHall,alargesprawlingestate situated at the corner of Boston Road andGood Street. Although in Billerica, the Bennett’smaintained their connection to Boston, sending thegirlstoschoolatMountBenedictinCharlestown,MAattheUrsulineConvent.

A cultured wealthy family, The Bennetts werefamiliar with books and libraries. Having been inBoston,itwasnodoubtacommontripforMrs.Bennetttogo to theBostonPublicLibrary,whichopened in1854 and was the first municipally supported publiclendinglibraryintheUnitedStates.

Librariesatthetimeconsistedofprivatecollectionshoused in churches or people’s estates. These sociallibrarieswerereservedforvisitorstothechurchministerorforthewealthywhoallowedthoseintheircircletoviewtheirbooks.ThefirstsociallibraryinBillericacametobe177�withthesecondoneincorporatedin1807.

Building a LegacyMrs. Bennett realized her life long dream of

establishing a local public lending library when, in1879, she learned thata fewcitizens, leadbyFredric

By Liana Measmer

“…Yesterday was a red letter day in the annals of the ancient town, Being marked by an event of no little importance as affecting the future welfare and progress in culture of its people. The completion and formal dedication of a public library and reading room, to share in the advantages of which all responsible inhabitants of the place are entitled, for a fee that is merely nominal…” –The Dedication of the Bennett Public Library. The Saturday Evening Mail.

Saturday, October 29, 1881. Billerica Centre.

OurBeautiful Bennett

One

Small

Building

Houses

One

Large

Vision


P.Hill, haddecided to forma library association sincenopublic one was available. She quickly became interested intheircause.Havinglostherhusbandin1865,anelderlyMrs.Bennett,age85,plannedtomakeadonationinhismemoryfortheplotoflandandthebuildinginthesumof$5,000butwouldseekmatchingappropriationsfromTownMeeting.

Upongoingbefore thebody,Mrs.Bennettwas turneddown.TownMeeting,whichconvenedonMay11,1880,“declinedwith thanksbyamajorityvote.”However, someoftheminority,whodidnotwanttolosetheopportunityofthisfreegift,expressedtheirdesiretojointheassociationtoallowfortheprojecttogoforward.ThustheBennettPublicLibraryAssociation,stillinexistencetoday,wasborn.

The land had originally been owned by the Bowerssisters,thedaughtersofWilliamBowerswhoweredescribedas“threemaidensofgreatworthbuteccentricity.”.Theyarebestknownfor foundingandmanaging theBowersFund,moneywhichhadbeenusedovertheyearstohelpresidentsinfinancialneed.TheBowers’soldthelandtotheOsbornfamily,whointurnsoldtheapproximate10,000squarefootplottotheAssociationforthewhoppingsumof$1.00.

Building of the Bennett commenced in the winter of1880andwasfinishedwithampletimebeforethededicationin October 1881. The bill for the Bennett, its furnishingsandtheinitialcollectionofbooksthroughmultipledonorscameto$9,500.

In1881,thebuildingitselfwasabout36feetby44feet.Therewasavestibule,an“amplehall”,a“director’sroom”,a reading room,andacloak room.Thereading roomhadawidemantledfireplacewithabustofHomer,andwasacontribution ofWilliamWarren, Esq, Mrs. Bennett’s son-in-law.Thelarge,beautifulandprominentstainedglassrosewindowatthefrontofthebuildingwasagiftfromJoshuaA.Holden,Mrs.Bennett’sgrandson.

By 189�, the library collection had grown to 1,700volumes.TheHistoricalSocietyneededmoreroomtohouseitscollectionandthelibrarytrustees,ensuringtheBennettremainedaccessibletoall,offeredalifetimemembershipof$5.00 per person. In 1894, to accommodate this growth,EllenandRebeccaenlargedthelibraryforabout$4,000byerectingmoreshelvesandaddingthebackroomnowcalled

theAdamsroom.

The Town Wakes UpOvertime,theBennetttookonmoreandmoreofthe

town’scollection.Before19�0,sumsof$40to$60peryearwereappropriatedtotheBennettfromthetownbudgetsforthepurchaseofbooks.Ittookuntil19�3beforetheTownbegansubsidizingtheBennett,initiallyforthesumof$500peryear.Tomakelibrariesavailabletootherareasoftown,twobranchesopened in themid1940’s and1950’s at theDitsonSchool inPinehurst and in theTalbotMill areaofNorthBillerica.

Inthe1960’s,because theywererunningoutof space,a loft above theAdams roomwasbuilt.Olderbookswereboxed and stored in the attic of the Pollard School onAndoverRoad.Eachtimeanewbookwaspurchased,anoldonecameofftheshelves.Afterachildren’sstoryhourstartedandlibrarytrafficincreased,abookmobilewaspurchasedtoopenupbuildingspaceandgetbookstoreaderslivingintheoutercornersoftown.

Theirannualreportsthroughoutthe1960’sdocumentedthis growing problem. The Association begged localgovernment to take this seriously, citing the library hadoutgrowntownneed�5yearspriorwithajumpinregisteredlibrary card holders from 5,000 to 10,000. In response,in1969,theTownLibraryBuildingCommitteewasformed.For the next 10 years, this dedicated group studied, fundraised,andreturnedtoTownMeetingnumeroustimesuntilthefirstmunicipallyfundedBillericaPublicLibraryopenedin1980atthesiteofthecurrentCouncilonAging.

On a warm day in April 1980, for about three hours,morethan300peoplestoodshouldertoshoulderformorethan1000yards tomove theBennett to thenewBillericaPublic Library. Groups participating included the GardenClub,theBoyScouts,theCampfireandRainbowGirls,andtheKnightsofColumbus.Theypassedcartonsbehindtheold townhall to thenew library.This saved the$3,800 itwouldhavecosttopayamover.

A New AgeNolongerneededasalibrary,theBennettbegananew

chapterbyopening its doors to educationalprograms andcultural events. These programs were well publicized andattendancebychildrenandadultsalikewaswidespread.Inanefforttocontinuetoservethecommunity,TheBennetthas welcomed such groups as The Boys and Girls Club,

The Billerica Museum, the Lions Club, and Atlantis Playmakers.

By the early 1990’s, a century of age and activity hadtakenitstollonthebuilding,andanaggressiverestorationcampaignbegan.Heating,electricalandwatersystemswerereplaced inside while outside the original slate roof andbuildingmasonrywasrepaired.

In 1999, with a grant from Welch Foods, Inc. and aportion of the Association’s trust, the building’s signaturesteeple was rebuilt. In �004, the interior was redecoratedinperiodcolor,addingwallcoveringsanddraperiesandin�005,adeckwasaddedtotherearofthebuildingformorefunctionalflexibility.

Ayearlater,turnofthecenturyreplicafixturesreplacedthevery inelegantfluorescent lightingwhichwasadded inthe1960’s.Inaddition,exquisiteorientalrugsandoriginalartwork from the library’s collection re-established theirplaces of honor in the main hall and the Homer readingroom. Today, the Bennett hosts numerous weddings,showers,birthdays,graduations,andbusinessmeetings.Thenextbigrestorativeprojectwillberenovatingthewindowsandpanes.

Anyoneinterestedinseeingrestorationsphotos,joiningtheAssociation,orreservingtheBennettforafunctioncanvisittheirwebsiteatwww.bennettpubliclibrary.org.

Thisarchitecturalgemwasasmuchagiftin1881asitistodayand,nothingbettersumsthisupthanthelastparagraphofMr.FredricP.Hill’spoem,readatthededicationoveracenturyago:

References1. Gertrude and Terry Trent, Bennett Public

Library Caretakers and Association Board Members

2. David D’Apice, Former Billerica Historical Society and Bennett Public Library Association Member

3. Ms. Ellen B. Hazzard, Descendent of Mrs. Eleanor Bennett and Bennett Public Library Association Board Member

4. Saturday Evening Mail. Dedication of the Bennett Public Library. October 24, 1881

5. Kathy Meagher, Billerica Public Library Historical Librarian

6. Annual Town Reports and Reports of The Bennett Public Library Association, 1920-1924 and 1967-1973

7. Billerica Magazine, Volumes 1-4, 1912-19168. History of Billerica Massachusetts, Reverend

Henry A. Hazen. Genealogical Register. 9. Http://bostonhistory.org/boston10. Boston Globe. April 20, 1980. “Human Chain

Moves a Library”. Douglas Crocket, Globe Staff.

11. Deed and Transfer of Bennett and Land in 1880. Recorded Nov. 13, 1884

12. Constitution of The Bennett Public Library Association. 1881.

13. Liz Bentz, Reference Librarian. Billerica Public Library.

But here we have a better deedTo mark a nobler woman’s fame;

God grant this building long may standTo prove our Eleanor’s good name.


By:FrankM.Hynes

Youknow itwillbehere soon, yet youhavenotmappedout a strategy toprovidea predictable and sustainable incomestream that you cannot outlive.Too manytimes, retirees are looking for that oneperfectinvestmenttosolveamorecomplexproblem.Unfortunately,noinvestmentwillbeperfectforeveryone.Inthepast,FinancialAdvisors,FinancialPlanners,andinvestmentprofessionals may not have exactly helpedyourdecision.Consolidationisabuzzwordoftensuggestedbysomeprofessionalasakeyinvestment strategy. If youhavemore than10yearsbeforeyouintendtoretire,Iagreethatthisapproachmaysimplifyyourlife.Ifyou are within 5 years of retiring however,thisadvicemayonlymakesenseifyouneedall of your retirement assets at exactly thesametime.

Think about it. If you are 60 years oldand wish to retire at age 65, conventionalwisdom generally says that you have a fiveyeartimehorizontogrowyourassets.Thatwouldbecorrectifyouplannedtospendallof your money at age 65. I would suggestthat you should think of your retirementinsteps.Bybreakingdownyourretirementinto several steps, you can achieve what Irefer to as RISE, (Retirement Income StepEnhancement). A RISE strategy modifiesthe way that you approach Retirement

distribution planning. It suggests thecreationofmultipleretirementaccountsthatcanhavedistinctriskcharacteristicsandgiveyouthepotentialtocontinuetogrowyourassets.EachRISE strategy isunique to theparticular individual, dependingonhis/hercurrentassets,goalsandobjectives.

An example would have you establishone account that may be conservative andprovideapredictablestreamofincomeforatleast5yearsstartingatyourtargetretirementage. A second account could assume morerisktoattempttooutpaceinflation.Asyouapproachthemidpointofdepletingyourfirstaccount,yoursecondaccountcanphaseintoa more conservative allocation to provideincomeafteryear5.Athirdaccountcanbepositionedforlongtermgrowthandfutureincomeneededin10+years.

Alwayskeepinmindthatanyretirementstrategyshouldnotbea“setitandforgetit”option, but one that provides opportunityandflexibility.Rememberwhatyourparentstold you, “don’t put all your eggs in onebasket”.Note: Neither MetLife nor any of its affiliates, employees or representatives provide specific tax or legal advice. Please consult your tax advisor or attorney for such guidance. Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MLIC), New York, NY 10166. Securities products and investment advisory services offered through MetLife Securities, Inc. (MSI)(member FINRA/SIPC), and a registered investment adviser. Branch Office: {330 Boston Rd u-6 North Billerica, MA 01862}. MLIC and MSI are MetLife companies. Frank M .Hynes & Associates are financial services representatives and financial advisers of MetLife. While the process of diversifying your assets across multiple asset classes can help to reduce overall risk, it does not eliminate market risk altogether. L0210091319[exp0610][MA,NH]

retirement: rise to the oCCAsion

Forsome,gettingmotivatedtoworkoutis a struggle. They mean well but don’tfollowthrough.Somepeoplecanexerciseat home while for others, the disciplineofgettingtothegymiswhatmakestheirworkouthappen.

Forsome,motivationcomesfromtheaccountability of a personal trainer. Forothers, the direction of a clearly definedpersonalizedroutineisenough.

Whathappensiftheexpenseofagymmembershiporatraineristoohigh?DaveInnis and Joe Cameron of Fit Resultsconsidered this too. Billerica natives andlongtimeproponentsofhealthandfitness,thetwofriendsdecidedtoopentheirowngymaftergraduatingfromUMassLowellwithbusinessdegrees.

FitResults,locatedat475BostonRoadinthebigredbarn,isasiteholdinggreatpromise.Thelowerlevelwillhouseallthenewest weight machines while the upperlevel will have cable TV at each cardiomachine. Fitness classes like Zumba andYogawillalsobeavailableaswell.

Thefacilitywillalsobea�4hourgymwith state of the art security systems toincludehardwiredpanicbuttons,centralcall stations for emergencies, a tailgate

system, and a handicap lift. However,InnisandCameron’sreasonfora�4hourgym was more than just giving someonetheoptiontoworkoutat�o’clockinthemorning.

“The�4hourconceptissopeoplecanschedulethegymaroundtheirlives,”saidInnis.

The shining gem in the Fit Resultscrown, though, is the Results Profile. It’sa computerized kiosk creating workoutsbasedonanindividual’sbodytype,fitnesslevel,andfitnessgoals.TheResultsProfileisavailabletoallandthereisnoadditionalcostoutsideoftheirmembership.

“It’s a computerizedpersonal trainer,”saidCameron.

Itworksatthefirstworkoutwhenthemember enters their basic informationlike age and height. The Results Profilekiosk prints out a sample workout withsixexercises.Sinceit’sintroductory,itwillgagethemember’sstrengthbasedontheireightrepetitionmaximum(or8repmax).

As the member does each exercise,theywritedowntheweightandrepstheycompleted.Thentheyreturntoentertheirdatawhichisstoredatthekiosk.

“If you follow the same routine,

after three months, you plateau,” saidCameron.

Each time themember comes in andgets a printed Results Profile routine, itwill be new workout, designed to hit allthemusclesinadifferentway.TheResultsProfilealsotakesintoconsiderationcaloricneedswhenitdesignsthenextworkoutandifthemembermissesadaytodooutsideexercise,thatdatacanalsobeincludedtothedesign.

“TheResultsProfile isaboutconstantprogression,”saidInnis.

Cameron and Innis know they offerthe three things that are critical for theirmembers to reach optimal fitness goals.Havingtherightattitude.Supplyinggreatequipment. Offering plenty of direction.For them, their satisfaction comes whenmembersaresuccessful.

The grand opening for Fit Results isplannedforApril.However,totakeatourorsignupforamembership,comeinorcall978-494-�467 or 508-4�3-5835. OpenhousesarescheduledforeachSaturdayinMarchon the13th, �0th, and�7th.Formoreinfo,visitFitResultsonthewebatwww.MyFitResults.com.

fit resuLts profiLe offers Computerized trAining


Come by for a personal visit anytime!

Brightview – where supportive care is wrapped in a lifestyle filled with potential.

Brightview intends to be certified as an Assisted Living Residence with the Executive Office of Elder Affairs pending completion of the certification process.

Assisted Living“I can enjoy the privacy of my own

apartment and also get the assistance I need with personal care and

managing medications.”

ALzheimer’s CAre“The Wellspring neighborhood

at Brightview can provide Dad with a higher quality of life than we ever

thought possible.”

Every Day Should Have Bright Spots. . . They Can at Brightview

978-262-1410199 Concord RoadBillerica, MA 01821

BrightviewConcordRiver.com

Hello again, would-be videographers.Ihopeeveryonegotthemselvesanice littletripod or camera stabilizer and have beendiligentlypracticingtheircameramovements.Nowlet’stalkaboutshotcomposition.

As an artist paints a canvas, they usecompositionandstructuretodrawtheviewer’sattention to the intended subject matter ofthepiece.Sotoo,thevideoartistcan“paint”acanvasofmovingimagestotellasstoryandevokeemotionsintheiraudience.

Videoshotcomposition,ortheconsciousefforttoputtogetheravideopiecebydesignis a powerful tool to illicit emotion withintheviewer.Mosttimes,thisisanunconsciousnod to the viewer. Eye pleasing shots arewhat most film and television pieces arecomposedof.

One thing that will always please theviewer’seyeisbyleavingadequateheadroom.Headroom means the amount of roombetween the topof someone’sheadand thetopoftheframeorthescreen. Mostbadlyframedshotshaveaproblemwithheadroom

andit’stheeasiestproblemtofix.Makesurethatifyouarefilmingaperson,don’tcutoffthetopoftheirheadorleavetoomuchspacebetweentheirheadandthetopoftheframe.

Similarly,noseroomandspacetakeintoaccounttheviewer’snaturaltendencytobedrawntopleasingshots.Noseroommeanstheamountofroomononesideoftheframetothesideofthesubject’sfaceornose.Whenasubjectisturnedawayfromthecameraandlookingor speaking to someone to the leftorright,thereshouldbespacebetweenthetwo. Not many people speak nose to nosebutwithoutpropernoseroomandspacing,two subjects would look like they were ontopofoneanother.Tocombat this, alwaysleavenoseroomonthesidethatthesubjectisfacing.Bytryingthesestraightforwardtricks(leavingadequateheadroom,noseroomandspacebetweensubjects),you’llnoticearealuptickintheprofessionalismofyourvideos.

Paul Abrego is Technical Coordinator at BATV and can be reached with questions or comments at [email protected]

Billerica Media Beat•By Paul Abregoshot Composition:

CreAtes CAnvAses of moving imAges

If you are looking for a perennial withalmost no work, the Hosta is perfect. Thisplant is not grown for its flowers but forits foliage.Hostaswerenamed in181� forAustrian botanist NicholasT. Host (1761-1834).HostashavealsobeencalledFunkiaafterGermanbotanistHeinrichFunckandPlantainLilyisanotherpopularnamefortheHostaplant.

The Hosta is the perfect perennial forsomeone who is looking for a plant thatrequires little care because it has a greattoleranceforshadeandcoldandresistsmanyinsects. The foliage comes in many colorcombinations of green, blue, some brightyellowandgreenandjustabouteveryshadeofgreen.

TheHostaplantrangesfroma3-4inchplant to some that are a giant �� incheslong.Thisplant is ideal,whether youhaveasmallorlargearea.WhenchoosinganareafortheHosta,mostprefershade.Twohoursofmorningsunisgoodsothatthecolorof

theleafisatitsbestshow.Hostasneedsomespace between each plant to mature andwaterduringdryspells.Yes,theycangoinallshadebutmaynotbeasshowy.Aslongasgrassgrowsinthechosenarea,sowilltheHostas. If this is a new addition for you,before planting, add some good loam andotherorganicmatter.

YoungHostasneedtwoseasonsormoreto mature and require regular wateringduring dry spells. In early spring beforegrowth appears, established plants need abalanced, slow-release fertilizer around thecrownoftheplant.Donotallowfertilizertotouchplanteyes(center).

Matureplantsareeasilydividedandtheycan be planted almost anytime. PlantingHostasissomethingyoucandowithafriendandyoumayhavefriendsthatwouldgladlysharetheirplants.WithSpringcoming,beonthelookoutforlocalplantsalesastheseareanotherwonderfulopportunitytopurchasethispopularplant.

hostAs A gArdener’s best friend

The Flower Lady•By Kay Warren

AhandfulofelementarystudentsenjoyedthefirstMiddlesexCanalMuseumschoolvacationenrichmentdayinFebruary.Amongnumerousactivities, they built boats and dressed inperiodclothingforskits.ParentswhostayedtoobservelikedthelocalconnectiontheMCMmakes and agreed that learning and havingfuncangohandinhand.


Q.Iwasapassengerinmyfriend’scarwhenshecausedanaccidentandIwasinjured.Idonotwant

tosuemyfriendbutIstillsufferfrompainand Ihave incurredbothmedicalbills andlostwages.IthinkIshouldbecompensatedbutIdon’twanttolosemyfriend.WhatwillhappentomyfriendifIdopursueaclaim?

A.Believe it or not, this situationis a common occurrence.Understandably, most people do

not want to sue their friends even if theirfriend is the one who caused their injury.However, once people understand what isreallyinvolvedinfilingaclaimforpersonalinjuries,theyoftenrealizeitisnotasbadasitfirstsounds.

Wheneversomeoneisresponsibleforanaccident, the insurance companies decidewhowas at fault. If your friendwas foundtobe at fault, she is going tobe assessed asurcharge regardless of whether or not youfileaclaimforpersonalinjuries.

If you do file a claim, you are filingnot directly against your friend, but ratheragainst her insurance company. Essentially,

you are asking her insurance company tocompensate you because it’s driver causedyoutobeinjured.Generallytheseclaimsgothroughanattorney’soffice,butyoucanalsorepresentyourselfanddealdirectlywithyourfriend’s insurance company. Usually afteryouaredonetreatingforyourinjuries,yourattorney will forward all of your medicalbills, medical records, proof of lost wages,and proof of any out of pocket expensesto the other person’s insurance company,along with a demand for compensation.Negotiations take place thereafter and youcan accept or reject any offer made. Mostcasessettleatthisstageandyourfriendisnoteveninvolved.

The only time you sue your friendpersonallyisifyouareunabletoworkoutasettlementwithher insurance companyandyouare forced tofileaComplaint incourt.Again, whether or not to file a Complaintis your choice thus if you are truly worriedaboutyour friendship,youcansimplysettlewith her insurance company before it getsthis far. If a Complaint is filed, your friendwill not have to hire her own attorney, butherinsurancecompanywillhireoneforher.

Thoughmostcasessettlepriortotrial,ifyoudogototrialandgetajudgmentagainsther,her insurance company will also pay thatjudgment.Theonlyexceptiontothisisifyourjudgmentexceedsherpolicylimits.Thenitisyourdecisionastowhetherornotyouwishtopursueherpersonallytocollectanymoniesawardedoverandaboveherpolicylimits.

Insurancecompaniesareinthebusinessofmakingmoneyandsometimesbenefitbythisexactsituationwheresomeoneislegitimatelyinjured but wont pursue a claim becauseshe feels bad. Considering all the insurancepremiumswe all pay to insure our vehicles,homes,andbusinesses, itsillynottocallonthesecompaniestopaywhenweneedthem.

Jennifer H. O’Brien is the owner of O’Brien Law Offices, a general practice located at 630 Boston Road, Billerica, MA 01821. She can be reached at (978) 262-9880 or at www.obrienlawoffices.org. This information should not be construed as legal advice nor is it intended as a substitute for obtaining legal advice from an attorney. No person should act or rely on any information in this article without seeking the advice of an attorney.

insurAnCe friendLy CLAims

Court's In Session•By Attorney Jennifer O'Brien

Weallhaveastorytotell.Itisourstoryandnooneelse’s.Nooneelse’stojudgeandnooneelse’stochange.Itjustis.

When facing others that are differentin their ideas, religions, races, or genders,many think of tolerance. Billerica CARES,anorganizationthathighlightsthediversitythat exists by raising awareness, increasingsensitivity, and enhancing the climate ofrespect in town, ischallenging thismannerof thought by hosting a Diversity Weekthroughout the elementary schools fromMarch��-�6,withthecapstoneoftheweekbeingaDiversityDayatBillericaMemorialHighSchool(BMHS)onFri.,Mar.�6.

“Inessence,wewanttocatchthemwhenthey are young before ideas settle in,” saidSandyLanteigne,CARESChairpersonandBMHSteacher.

The title for this week is “E PluribusUnum”whichinLatinmeans“OutofMany,One”.Oneverypenny,thisphrasesuggeststhatoutofmanypeople,races,religionandancestries emerged the single people andnation.Thegoalfortheweekistocelebratehowweallenricheachother.

Duringtheweek,theelementaryschoolcafeterias will serve foods from differentculturesandmusicclasseswilllookatdancethroughout the world. Art classes will join

in by focusing on styles and types of artfrom other cultures as well. At the highschoollevel,socialstudiesclasseswillexplorephilosophiesandtheologiesfromaroundtheglobe.

“We are all here and we all came fromdifferent places,” said Dr. Tony Serio,SuperintendentofSchools.

One focalpoint at thehigh schoolwillbethekeynotespeaker,Dr.DianaEckfromHarvardUniversity’sPluralismProject. ShewillspeakatanassemblyandthenwillhaveherPluralismstudentsonapaneltoanswerquestions.

CARES chose religion as the point ofpluralism on which to focus. However,the three main ones-Judaism, Christianity,and Muslim-are being discussed in termsof literature, culture and their impact ondifferentnationalities.

By reaching out to young people, anewwayofseeingourselvesandotherscanbe presented. Speaking to the senior classat BMHS takes into account that thesegraduates will soon be moving into andbeyondtheirBillericarootsandbeimmersedinthediversityofthelargercommunity.Formore informationonMar.�6ortheentireweek, visit the Billerica Public Schoolswebsitewww.billerica.k1�.ma.us.

out of mAny stories, We Are one: diversity dAy teAChes enriChment You are already saving money by

maintaining your house yourself.Why notdothesamewithyourcar?Todaywe’llcoversomeworkyoucandounderthehood.

Windshield wipers. Should you do it?Definitely.Tools required:none. It used tobe you could replace just the refill, whichis the rubber part that touches the glass,but those are hard to find now. So replacetheentirebladeaboutonceayear.Beverycareful which ones you buy – sometimeseven the right and left sides have differentpartnumbers.Havetheautopartsguyhelpyou. They snap right in so see the box forinstructions.

Lamps. Should you do it? Probably.Tools required:none.Whydrag the car allthewaytotheshopjustforalightbulb?Telltheautopartsbuyexactlywhathasburnedout– tail lamp,directional,headlamp, etc.Yourowner’smanual(whichisinyourglovecompartment– right?)will explainhow tomakethechange.Itisnotaseasyaschanginga lightbulb inyourhousebecauseyouareworking in a tight space. But most bulbfixturesjusttwistoutandbulbsjustpushin.Green Handyman tip: halogen headlampsburn very hot. Oil from your skin couldcause them to break. Handle them usinglatexgloves.

Airfilter.Shouldyoudoit?Maybe.Toolsrequired:none.These areharder to replaceonnewercarsbecausetheycanbesqueezed

intohard-to-reachplaces.Sotakea lookatyoursanddecideifyoucangettoit.Again,your owner’s manual will show you how.Usuallythecoverisheldonbyclips.Whileyouarefiltering,replacethecabinairfilter,which inmost cars is accessed through theglovecompartment.

Engineoil. Should youdo it?Probablynot. Tools required: Wheel ramps, wheelstops, oil catcher, ratchet, oilfilterwrench.Youcansaveatonofmoneychangingyourown oil. The trouble is, it’s messy and do-it-yourselfersworkingunderneathheavycarsmakemenervous.Ifyouarewillingtotakeiton,userealequipmentfromthepartsstore.Don’tusearockforawheelstop.Andnever,ever,everuseajackforthistypeofwork.Idon’tcarehowstableitfeels.

Ease the front of the car up on to theramps.Youwon’tbeabletoseethetiresfromthedriver’sseat,sohaveanassistantoutsidethe car look for you. Put the wheel stopsbehind the rear wheels. Use a giant pieceof cardboard to catch drips. Line up youroil catcher, remove the plug, and don’t getsplashed.(Tip:wearsafetygoggles.)Replacethe filter and don’t forget to put the plugbackin.Ortoaddnewoil.(Don’tlaugh!)

HangontothatusedoilandbringittoDPW,whichcollectsittwiceayear

Jeffrey R. Parenti, P.E. is a registered professional civil engineer living in Billerica.

hAndy under the hood

The Green Handyman•By Jeffrey R. Parenti, P.E.

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Onemayhearthetagline“FamilyOwnedandOperated”whenitcomestolocalbusiness.Woods Real Estate literally embraces thisconcept with more than 16 agents and staffwho’ve shown their commitment to makingthisrealestateofficeintothesuccessfulmulti-purpose agency and school that it is today.Woods winning recipe is make your ownagents familyandhelpyourcolleagueagentstogrow.

Keeping it in the FamilyIt was late 1977 and George Sr. and

Helen Woods were embarking on a newadventure. George Sr. was retired Air ForceandtheWoodsfamily,nowinBillericafromWatertown,alongwiththeirsixchildrenandweregoingintobusinessforthemselves.Helengotherrealestatelicenseandbeganworkingfor a local agency. Eventually George joinedher and together they were an unbeatablehusbandandwifeteam.Thecoupletookgreatprideinhelpingothersachievetheirownrealestatedreamsofowningahome.

“There is no substitute for service,” saidCarolWoods,co-ownerofWoodsRealEstate.

Eventually,overtheyears,theirkidsbegantojointheteam.Georgejr.andJohnWoodsbegantakingonmanagementresponsibilitiesand in 1999, George jr. and his wife CarolpurchasedWoodsRealEstatefromHelen.

GeorgeWoodsSr.wasapioneerintheartofprofessionalnetworkingandhediditwitha lot of spice. George’s spaghetti and meatballluncheswereverywellknownamongtheBillericaRealEstatecommunityandwereanenjoyable time for connections no one everwantedtomiss.

“Hewouldinvitethewholetownandtheywouldallcome,”saidCarol.

Asthebusinessgrew,sodidtheworkload.Carol,Georgejr.andJohnwereworkingveryhard and needed help. However, George Sr.had one hard and fast rule: only FAMILYworkshere.Thiswasachallenge for thetriowho had many talented friends who weresuccessfulagents.

OnesuchfriendwasScottwho,althoughGeorge Sr. liked him, was not allowed intotheinnercircle.However,oneday,GeorgeSr.plannedaspaghettiandmeatballnetworkinglunch and had George jr. and Carol bringScott.Whentheyarrived,theyweretheonlyonesthere.Withalumpinhisthroat,GeorgeSr. announced Scott as the newest memberof the Woods Family and that this was hisadoptionday.

Thispracticeofadopting theagents intothecompanytomaintaintheintegrityofthe‘FamilyOwnedBusiness’ stillgoeson today.Every November, new Woods agents aretreated to a spaghetti and meat ball dinnerandarepresentedwiththeirofficialadoptionpapers,makingthemabonafidememberofthefamily.Asfamily,theseagentstakeprideintheirworkandmaintainthehigheststandard

ofprofessionalismbecausetheyfeelasenseofbelonginginhavingsuchanimportantroleincarryingonthistradition.

“This is our way of maintaining familytraditions,”saidCarol.

Open Door PolicyWoods Real Estate is committed to

helping everyone achieve their real estatedreams and goals. Not only the buyers andsellers,butalso therealestateagentsallovertown.Georgejr.andCarolstartedtheWoodsRealEstateSchoolthreeyearsagowhichhasbroughtpeopletogetherwitheveryfacetoftherealestatecommunity.

“Thisisnotahobby,”saidCarol.“WeliveRealEstate.”

AsabranchofAAAStatewideCourses,theschoolofferspre-licensingclassesthatpreparethe salesperson or agent for their statewideexams.AlsoavailableareContinuingEducationCoursesforthebrokerswhoneedtomaintaintheirlicenses.Throughfacetofaceandvideosupported classes, up to �0 salespeople orbrokerscancometocompletetherequired�hourmodules.Havingtheschoolattractsnewtalentwhileofferingconvenience.

For the buyers and sellers, Woods RealEstateSchoolholdsRealEstateSeminarsoncepermonthwhichofferone-stop-shoppingbygiving the necessary information to anyonelooking to buy or sell their homes. Anattorney,ahomeinspector,amortgagebrokerand agents are onhand to give out packets,answerquestionsandifready,helpthebuyerandsellerfillouttheircontractsrightonsite.WoodsRealEstatewilloften inviteavarietyof companies to come so specific needs areaddressed. To better explain the tax credit,H&RBlockwas recentlyonhandtoguidepeople.Otherworkshops includedfinancingtips,staging,salepreparationandVAbenefits.

“Woods demonstrates the ability to getyoufromstarttofinish,”saidCarol.

Multi Service AgencyIn this day and age, to meet the needs

of the general population with the face ofreal estate changing, Woods Real Estate isLoss Mitigation Certified. This allows forthe handling of foreclosures and short sales,whichare complicatedprocesses tonavigate.Carol is alsoaSeniorsRealEstateSpecialist.Shehasexperiencewithreversemortgagesandhasanunderstandingofthecultureofseniorgeneration.Byoffering such services,WoodsRealEstatecontinuallystrivestostayontopof the current trends affecting the buyersandsellerswhoareachievingtheirrealestatedreamsandgoals.

For more information on Woods RealEstateandtheservicestheyoffer,stopbytheirmain office in Towne Plaza at 700 BostonRoad,call978-�6�-9665,orvisittheirwebsiteatwww.WoodsRealEstate.com.

Woods reAL estAte: groWing biLLeriCA through exCeLLenCe

1�/thebillericagreen.com/March-April�010

How many of you know someonethat gets on your nerves? I would imagineeveryone can name at least one person. IknowIcan!

Everyone will, at some point, need tomanage a difficult relationship. Difficultrelationshipscomeinallshapesandsizesandcan include family, friends, co-workers, orindividuals with whom you are interactingfor a service (e.g., the help desk person atComcast or the sales person at the mall).Learninghow to effectivelymaneuver yourwaythroughatoughinterpersonalsituationmaybetheonlywaytofindasilverliningtotheinteraction.

The first step to managing others ismanaging ourselves. We must begin tounderstand that the only person you trulycontrol is you. This does not mean thatparentsshouldtossinthetowelwhentheirkidspushbackagainsttherules.I’mreferringtotheideathatweareonlyincontrolofourown emotions and reactions to situations.Thus,noonecan“make”youfeelacertainway. Your emotional response may beautomatic,but it is your response,notonesomeoneforcedontoyou.

Forexample,youmaywantyoursontopickuphisroom.Youbeganthisinteractionbyaskinghim,perhapsonmultipleoccasions,tocleanhisroom.Whenhisroomremaineduntouched, you found yourself gettingfrustratedandirritatedbecauseyourrequesthadbeen ignored.Before approachinghimagain,takeaminutetotakeadeepbreathandregain control of your emotions.Emotionsare notorious for muddling up messages.Onceyouareabletospeakfromyourhead(cognitions) rather than your gut (feelings)

you are in a much better place to have amoreproductiveverbalexchange.Nooneisimmunetohurtfulwords;howwedealwiththese words is what makes the interactionworseorbetter.

Dealingwiththeinteractionisthenextstepinourquestforimprovedinterpersonalrelationships.Basically,wearetalkingaboutcommunication skills. Communicatingeffectively takes effort from all partiesinvolved in the interaction. Your job is toconveyyourmessageasconciselyaspossible,inamannerthatthereceiverwillunderstand,and avoid sending contradicting messagesthrough your body language. Continuingwith the example from above, asking yoursontocleanhisroomdidnotwork.Yournextattemptwillneed tobemore forceful thanthepreviousrequest.Yoursentencestructureshouldbeshortandtothepoint:I’maskingyou to clean your room by the end of theday. Ask for a response in order to assesshisunderstandingofyourrequest:Jack,doyouunderstandwhat I’maskingyou todoinyourroom?Finally,besuretokeepyourbodyposturestraightandfacinghimduringthisinteraction.Youdonotwanttogivetheimpressionof indecisivenessorwavering inyourrequestby lookingawayorslouching.Takingthetimetothinkbeforeyouspeak,being succinct, and asking for the otherpersontoparaphraseyourrequest,mayhelpyoutobeamoreeffectivecommunicator.

Gina M. Aguayo, Ph.D. is co-owner and Director of the Billerica Counseling Center and has been a practicing Psychologist for 10 years. If you have further questions please email her at [email protected].

effeCtive CommuniCAtion mAtters

Ask Dr. Gina•By Dr. Gina M. Aguayo, Ph. D.

DougTownsendandHeatherMarch

DougTownsendandAllisonHilldancing

Over one year a half ago, the wheelchairbound young adults of the TIL-TowardIndependentLiving--Programbegandancingintheirchairs.Today,thedance‘troupe’isontheroad twicepermonth visiting localChildren’shospitals and facilities, senior centers andnursinghomefacilities.ForTILDirector,DougTownsend,itisrewardingbuttheTILphilosophyteaches the dancers they are giving back while

enjoyinganactivityothers take forgranted.

“This givesmy individuals anincrediblesenseofpurpose,”saidTownsend.

ByShawnHutcheon,SportsWriter

Billerica is known for its variety ofyouth sports organizations. There isbaseball/softball in the spring, footballinthefall,andhockeyandswimminginthe winter.Yes, that's right. Swimminginthewinter.

TheBillericaBoys&GirlsClubhastwoteamsforyouthswimmersbetweenthe ages of five through eighteen thatemaphasize fun and development, allthewhileinawinningatmosphere.TheSeaWolvesandSeaDogsarecoachedbyCherylFarrell,AquaticsDirectorfortheBoys&GirlsClubforthelastnineyears.Farrellhasaloveofcoachingasshehasbeendoingitfornineteenyearsthusfar.

Farrellhasfiveassistantcoaches,whovolunteer their time along with twentyparents who assist with meet operationseachweek.

“Mystaffisawesomeandtheparentsaregreat.”Farrellsaid.

CarolWalshisanassistantcoachwiththe Sea Wolves. She swam collegiatelyat Salem State College and has twochildren,Kierra,ageeleven,andCorban,ageeight,ontheteam.

Walsh explained the coachingphilosophy revolves around teachingsuch life skills as seeking personalimprovement while supporting teammates.Thisisalldoneinafamilyfriendlyandfamilyorientedenvironment.

"If you get better every day, thenthat’sallthatmatters,"Walshexplained."Ithinkyoucouldsaywearethe'hiddengem'intown.”

Farrell noted the swimmers alsobenefitfrombuildinglastingrelationshipsinanenvironmentwithnopressure.

“We encourage improvement andputtheirnamesonalisteachweekthatshows how much they’ve improved,"said Farrell. "There’s no pressure on

themtowin.”This environment led to a group

of young swimmers on the Sea Wolveswhogavetheirmaximumeffortsateachandeverypracticeandmeet.Theywererewardedwithanundefeatedseason.

OnesuchswimmerisStephaniePerrier,

agetwelve,whoisactivein many ways. She plays flute and guitarbut swimming is her favorite activity. ShejustcompletedhersixthseasonwiththeSeaWolves.

"Myfavoriteevent isthe100metermedley.”Perriersaid,“Wegettoseeourfriendsandwesupporteachother."

Stephanie’s father, Jay Perrier,volunteers as a starter at themeets.Heexplained Stephanie has been involvedsince she was six years old and looksforward to every new season. Jay wasalso impressedwith the coaches,Farrellin particular, expressing his gratitudefor her dedication, strong work ethic,and passion. He applauded her teamof coaches as well, calling them a'tremendoussupportingcast'.

“Sheiswhytheentireprogramisassuccessfulas it is," saidJay."Shebringsthese kids up from infant and toddlerlessonsandonthroughtheswimteam.Herpassionforthesportandteamshowsinnearlyeverykidandalwaysputsothersbeforeherself.”

With the prevailing theme beingpersonalimprovementandfun,itiseasytoseehowthisenthusiasticgrouplovebeingtogetherbutyetwillwelcomenewcomers.

For youth who are interested inbecoming members of the Sea Wolves,Farrell runs swimming clinics in thespringandsummerwherethestrokesandrulesusedinmeetsaretaught.Formoreinfo, visit the Billerica Boys and Girlswebsiteatwww.billericaboysandgirlsclub.com.OrcallCherylFarrellattheClubat978-663-�193.

the seA WoLves: A sWimmer’s hidden gem


In the past I have written about the“Newsertainment” industry. For those ofyouwhoaren’tfamiliarwiththatterm,itishowIrefertotheCNN’sandFoxNews’ofthe world. The term could also be appliedto localnews.Whatwasoncea15minuteupdateoflocalnews,weatherandsportsbyJackChaseandDonKenthasnowbecomeanattempttofill90minuteswithanythingthatwillkeepourattention.

One thing they have used to fill those90 minutes is the “Medical Moment”reports.Afterwatchingthem,theyhavemeconvincedthatIshouldbedead.Iameithertooheavy,notgettingenoughsun,eatingthewrongthingsorbreathingthewrongair.Thatdoesn’tmeanthatIdon’ttrytolivewell.Forthe most part I watch what I eat, exercise,and don’t engage in “dangerous behavior”butitneverseemstobeenoughbecausetheykeepchangingthestandardsonme.

Atonetimethestandardforweightforsomeoneofmyheightwas165pounds.Nowtheysayitshouldbe155pounds.Ihaven’tweighedthatsincebirth.Howmanyofyouremember when the standard for bloodpressurewas100plusyourageover80?Nowtheywantyou toobearound1�0over70.Isn’tthatborderlinecomatose?Theysaythateveryone’scholesterollevelshouldbebelow�00.IambelowthatnowsoIsuspectthatthey will drop that number very soon too.Theywillneverletmegetawaywithhaving

anormalnumber.What bothers me most about the

“Medical Moment” is when Dr. Tim orDr. Malika tell us that what we are eatingor drinking is killing us. Then present aconflicting report a couple of nights later.Onenight it’s: “...TheAmerican JournalofMedicinesaysthatredwineisgoodforyou.”Thenextit’s:“...AHarvardSchoolofPublicHealth report says that red wine is killingyou.” White wine is good for you…. No,whitewineiskillingyou….No,whitewineis good for removing red wine stains fromcarpets.Itthinkit’smakingmebi-polar.

Another concern expressed by the“Medical Moment” doctors is that certainfisharehigherinmercurycontentthanothersandshouldbeavoidedbycertaingroupsofpeople. I was watching Modern Marvelsthe other night and they did a segmenton the tuna industry and mentioned howtuna retains mercury and we should limitour intake to 1� ounces a week. The nextsegment was about how the Japanese paybazillions of dollars for just the right tunato serve their population in sushi bars andtheyconsumemoretunathatanyoneelseintheworld.Yetnomentionwasmadeaboutanyoftheirpopulationdroppingdeadinthestreetsfrommercurypoisoning.Apparentlytheydon’thave“MedicalMoments”ontheirlocalnewstotellthemhowsicktheyreallyare.Aren’tweluckythatwedo?

A mediCAL moment

The Sunny Side of the Street•By Dave Gagliardi

BEER

BUD, Bud Light, Miller Lite, Coors Light 30 pk. cans $19.99 + dep.

Moosehead 12 pk. $9.99WINEForest Glen 750 ml. 2 for $9.99Foxhorn 1.5 L. $7.99Cavit 750 ml. $8.99LIQUORTres Rios 750 ml. $19.99Whalers Rum 750 ml. $9.99Blue Ice Vodka 1.75L. $19.99Absolute Vodka 750 ml. $20.9940 Varieties of Nips 50 ml.$.99 when

you buy 5 or more

10%off

3 or more bottles of liquor or any

case of wine!

Smirnoff Vodka 1.5 L. $22.99Woodbridge Wine 1.5 L. $10.99 or

2 for $20.99(Cabernet, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Grigio)

No additional discounts on advertised sale items.

Candy, Cans of Soda, Chips, & Ice!(Limit 2 per customer Exp. 3/31/10)

FREEWineTastings

Every Sat.11am-5pm

FREEBeer

TastingsEvery Fri.5pm-7pm

50%off

coupon

TREBLE COVE PLAZATreb

le C

ove

Road

Boston Road

Lincoln Liquors

VIPAUTO PARTS

CVS

DUNKIN’DONUTSSTARBUCKS

199 Boston Rd. (Rt.3A), Treble Cove Plaza, Billerica

(978) 667-4773(Across from Hess, VIP Auto Parts and CVS in the

Market Basket Plaza, behind Starbucks)

Lincoln Liquors

Iamsittinginachairflyingthroughtheskyat500milesperhour.Howamazing!

I justspentaweekinsunnyFt.Myers,Florida with my sweetheart Rob and hisfamily.AweekagoweleftBostoninasnowstorm.Aswesatwatchingthesnowcome down waiting for ourdeparture, there came a pointinwhichweneededtomakea decision whether to stayin Boston and fly out thefollowingdayorcontinueonandchanceitthatwemaynotmake our connecting flight inCharlotte.Ourswasthelastflightof the night. While other familymembersbegantochangetheirflights,RobaskedmewhatIwantedtodo.Isaid“Let’skeep going. Let’s go on an adventure!”WewerebothhappytoimaginerunningforourconnectingflightordiscoverwhatwecouldinCharlotte,NC.Allwaswell-wewereonvacation. I realize more with each passingday that Ihaveachoice inhowIcan lookatlife:Acreativeadventurewithjoyineachmoment or disappointment when things

don’tgoasplanned.Well, How do you choose a creative

adventureoverdisappointment?Ihavefoundthistobepossiblewithafewsimpleshiftsinmy thinking.Thefirst is to staypresent to

what Iwant to create.For example:I wanted to continue on in my

vacationsoIopenedmyselfto“vacation fun mentality” andsuddenly it was fun to stayinCharlotte,NCunplannedand on vacation. Next, Ihaveinthefoundationofmy

thinking, “EverythinghappensFORmenotTOme.”Thisone

simplethoughtispackedwithallthecreativepossibilitiesthatenablesmetohavejoyoverdisappointmentinanysituation.

Back home now and I am sitting ina chair (in my studio) imagining flyingthroughtheskyat500milesperhour.Nextstop?Hawaii!

Colleen is a teaching artist at Colleen Sgroi Gallery and Art Classes on 12 Andover Road, Billerica, MA www.ColleenSgroi.com (978) 667-1009 email [email protected]

Life, A CreAtive Adventure

The Voice of the Artist•By Colleen Sgroi

J


out on the toWnBillerica Recre-ation Departmentwww.town.billerica.ma.us

Mar. 28: 8:30 am

Breakfast With The Easter Bunny $5 per personShaw-sheen Valley High School Cafeteria, 100 Cook St.,

Billerica, Includes eggs and pancakes, music, face painting, crafts, hat parade and an egg hunt. Bring your camera to take a picture with the Easter Bunny. Tickets purchased at the door only.

Red Hat SocietyAttention ladies! Come join the Red hat Society! The Bodacious Ladies of Billerica would like to invite you and your friends to join our group. We enjoy each others company and we even donate to charities such as ALS, American Cancer, American Diabetes and the House of Hope. Call Queen Mother Virginia McGrath @ 978-667-7487 or contact her at [email protected].

Atlantis Playmakerswww.AtlantisPlaymakers.com

380 Cambridge St Burlington, 978-667-0550 Registration for Summer Theater Classes-Ongoing Mar.13-27: Th, Fri, Sat at 8pm Mar. 20 & 27 at 4pm, Miss Firecracker Contest by Beth Henley

Billerica Public Librarywww.billericalibrary.org

15 Concord Road, Billerica 978-671-0948 Mar. 11: 7:00 pm: Celtic Bells, Meeting Room Jerry and Nancy Bell are Parents Choice Award Winners who combine their twin loves of teaching and Celtic music to bring a high energy, multi-di-mensional learning experience to their programs. Mar.25: 7:00 pm: All the President’s Women, Meeting Room The Delvena Theatre Company will be presenting a live performance looking into the lives (sometimes behind closed doors!) of some of our United States presidents, their wives, mothers, etc. April 15: 7 PM: Rory Raven “The Mentalist”: Have you ever had that crazy feeling that something bad was going to happen? Are you psychic? Learn about parapsychology and the attempts to docu-ment ESP, witness SPOON BENDING, and decide if you can trust your own eyes! Grades 9 - adult ONLY!! PLEASE NOTE GRADES. Online registration required starting March 15.

April 29: 7 PM: Marie’s Home Improvement According to Do-It-Herself.com, 70 percent of women would like to know more basic household maintenance and repair. Ready to tackle projects on your household’s to-do list? Want to save money and build confidence through the process? Marie Leonard, owner of her own home improvement business, Marie’s Home Improvement, has been teaching home repair to women for years.

American Cancer Society

Relay for Lifewww.cancer.org www.relayforlife.org/billericama

June 12-13:Lampson Field Upcoming Meetings At The Boys and Girls Club 19 Campbell Road, Billerica Apr. 7: Team Captain’s Meeting: 7-7:30 pm Planning Team Meeting: 7:45-8:45 pm May 5: Team Captain’s Meeting: 7-7:30 pm Planning Team Meeting: 7:45-8:45 pm T-shirt order deadline May 26: Planning Team Meeting: 7-8 pm June 2: Team Captain’s Meeting: 7-8 pm Bank night and pick up T-shirts Planning Team Meeting: 8-9 pm June 9: Planning committee meeting: 7-8:30 pm

Merrimack Rep Theatrewww.merrimackrep.org

50 East Merrimack St. Lowell 978.654.4MRT

2010 Season Mar. 18-Apr.11: The Last Days of Mickey & Jean Apr. 22-May 16: The Blonde, The Brunette and The Vengeful Redhead Apr. 11: 1-4 pm: St. Theresa’s Women’s Club

Billerica Pop Warnerwww.billericapopwarner.org

New this season! Unlimited-weight, midget “a” team, patriot division. Now accepting registrations for our Unlimited-Weight Division. Ages 11-13 must weigh a minimum of 105 lbs while maximum weight is unlimited. Players age 14 must weigh between 105 lbs and 165 lbs.

For Info., call Rocco Magliozzi at 978-866-8852.

Billerica Junior High Football508-572-8224

Fall Season Player Registrations Every Sat. in March 12 noon–3pm Recreation Dept Bldg

Billerica Little Leaguewww.billericalittleleague.org

Apr. 24: Opening Day 330 Boston Rd, Billerica 978-670-1549 We are still accepting registrations for 2010 But our fees are $150 for a single player or $200 for two or more players. Players that will age 12, 14,15 & 16. Are subject to being placed on a Wait List. You can register on-line or download the registration form. In order to play Billerica Little League in 2010. A player MUST BE AT LEAST 6 years old by April 30. Players over the age of 16 on April 30 will be too old for this season.

Election Day

Apr. 10: Polls open 8 am- 8 pm

Boys and Girls Clubwww.billericabgc.com

19 Campbell Road, Billerica 978-667-2193 Child Care Update: Registrations for Childcare is still being accepted. Your child will be able to begin 2 business days after the paperwork is received. Boys and Girls Club Child Care Programs are licensed and administered under the auspices of the Office of Early Education and Care.

Early Bird Program: Our before school program operates at the Boys and Girls Club from 6:30am until school bus pick up (our club is a bus stop for all elementary schools).

Fun Club Program: Our after school program that runs from school dismissal until 6:00pm. This is held at each elementary school (grades k-5).

Kindergarten Program: Our program operates in coordination with the school department. The children are at the Boys and Girls Club when they are not in school. For example, if they are in the AM session, they will go to school and be bussed to the Club between 11:00 and 11:45. They are able to stay until 3:00pm. If you need care after 3:00pm, we transport the children back to their school for Fun Club. If they are in the PM session, they come to the club in the morning after 7:45am until the school bus picks them up between 11:00 and 11:45 to take them to their school. If additional care is needed after sc ool, the children can be enrolled in the Fun Club program until 6:00pm.

Swim Lessons update We are accepting registrations for our next session of swim lessons. For a complete list of fees, classes, schedules and availability visit the website.

Ye’ Olde Meeting House: Town Hall MeetingsMar. 15: 7pm: Selectmen, Conway Rm. Mar. 17: 7pm: Republican Town Com., Rm. 210 April 5: 7:30 pm: Board of Health, Rm. 210 April 10: Town Election Calendar: ELECTION DAY April 12: 7 pm: Selectmen, Conway Room

Real Estate Seminar978-262-9665 Woods Real Estate, 700 Boston Rd., Billerica Apr. 14: 6:30 pm

Friends of Fox Hill CemeteryWednesdays: 7:00 pm Would like to welcome new members In the beauti-fication process of Fox Hill Cemetery.

Meetings are held every month at the Billerica Town Hall 365 Boston Road, Billerica For further info, please call the Cemetery Dept. 978-671-0496

ARTCLASSES

Colleen Sgroi Gallery12 Andover Road

Billerica, MA 01821

Sign up now for our next 6 week sessionstarting April 12, 2010foradults&kids

50% offa Colleen Sgroi painting

or print with this ad

& Art Classes

ColleenSgroi.com 978-667-1009

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Council On Aging25 Concord Road Billerica

Respite Care Companion Program: The Respite Companion program helps families care for their loved ones with dementia, Alzheimer’s or other health conditions that require supervision, allowing elders to remain at home as long as possible. Companions will come to the home and prepare light meals, help with shopping lists, and can also provide transportation for errands and appointments for elders who do not drive or need help managing their bundles. Respite Companions are available to work anytime. Please call Lauren Gray at 978-671-0916 ext: 226

The COA Van Service: Trips will now be available on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Errands or medical appoint-ments in Billerica ONLY. A 2-day notice is preferred. $2.00 fee/round trip. Call Ruth at 978-0671-0916 ext. 229.

March-April: Income Tax Help: For Billerica residents 60 and older to complete uncomplicated Income Tax forms. Please call to make your ap-pointments.

Senator Ken Donnelly Office hours: First Wednes-day of each month from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.

Starting week of March 15: New Computer Classes: E-Mail, Monday @ 10:30 a.m., Internet, Monday @ 1:30 p.m., Beginner 1, Wednesday @ 10:30 a.m. $35 for 6 weeks. Please sign up at front desk.

COA Golf League: Swanson Meadow Golf Course will host this league; 60 years and older. Starting around April 15. Tee times- Mon. 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Senior rate for 9 holes with a golf cart is $22; with a pull cart is $15. There is limited membership. Register at the COA. The deadline for sign-up is March 15th. Contact Onorio Cerrato at [email protected] 978-362-3406, Tony Cucchi at [email protected] 978-663-8314, or Dick Tracey at [email protected] 978-667-4620.

March 16: 10 a.m.: Financial Check-up with Stoneham Bank March 18: SHINE Appointments Pool Tournaments: 1 pm: Women’s, March 19 and Men’s, March 24 Must be 60 years or older. Call Joe Towne at 978-663-2285 March 24: 6-8 pm: Wisdom Works: For job seek-ers age 55 or older. Human Resources profession-als will facilitate the four-session workshop held at

the Billerica Senior Center, 25 Concord Road. Registration fee $15. Call Marilyn Keating 978-671-0916, ext 223. March 25: 10 am: Pharmacy Clinic: Dr. Carlton Chin of Walgreen’s Pharmacy. Mar 25: 10 am.: Free History Lecture Paul Hog-man will tell us the history and lives of the Vikings. Mar 30: 12:30pm Book Club Mar 31: 10 am Estate Planning April 6: 6:30 pm: Senior Talent Show! Showcase whatever your special talent may be: perhaps you can sign, dance, play an instrument, read poetry, or have a comedy act. Prizes will be awarded and refreshments served. Please contact Linda Kiernan

at 978-617-0916 to sign up.

Billerica Public Schools and Billerica CAREShttp://billerica.k12.ma.us or 978-528-8500

Diversity Week and E Pluribus Unum Mar. 22-26: Cultural activities in Elementary Schools Mar. 26: Diversity Day at BMHS

Irish American Club616 Middlesex Turnpike 978-663-3900

Mar 17: 11am: St. Patrick’s Day Mar 27: 8PM-12 Midnight: Andy Healy Band, Tickets $10 Mar 29: 2-7PM: Red Cross Blood Drive Tuesday Nights: Rita O’Shea Irish Set Dancing, 781-665-3110 Thursday Nights: Line Dancing Grundy, [email protected] May 21:7:00pm Joey and Maria’s Family reunion comedy dinner show - a spring fundraiser to benefit the students of the Parker School

Billerica Homeschooling Associationwww.billericahomeschooling.com

Mar. 26, Apr. 30, May 21: 10 am-12 noon-Homeschooling Socials Billerica Public Library, Children’s Room Join us with some games or other quiet activities For more information, contact Jen Croce at [email protected] or

978-362-2188

My Moms’ [email protected]

Apr. 9: 10:15am: 3rd Annual Easter Egg Hunt Kohlrausch Park. N. Billerica Cost: $5 per child (includes egg hunt & pizza) RSVP: # of children at [email protected]

Kesslers Karate Studio7 Marshall Street 978-667-7774

Mar. 13: 6pm Murder Mystery Theatre, Oriental Cuisine, live musical performances, A fun, Who-Done-It, with a prize for the winning detective! Adults $14, Children, $10 Proceeds to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Call for reserva-tions, 978-667-7774 Apr 3: 2-3:30pm Cake Auction for PAL, Make a cake or buy a cake for Easter, Proceeds benefit the Billerica Police Athletic League

Annual Easter BrunchCourtyard By Marriott Billerica 270 Concord Rd. Billerica 978-670-7500

April 4: Annual Easter Brunch Sittings 10 am, 12 noon and 2 pm RESERVATIONS REQUIRED! Adults $29.95, Seniors $26.95 Children under 12 $12.95, Under 3 free. For reservations call 978-670-7500.

8th Annual Food Drivewww.curves.com

Curves 199 Boston Rd., Treble Cove Plaza 978-663-3450

Entire Month of March: 8th Annual Food Drive Donate a full bag of groceries and join for FREE! Seeking non-perishable food & household products for the Billerica Food Pantry.

Billerica Health FairBillerica Lodge of Elks 14 Webb Brook Road Apr. 10: 10am-2pm: Health and Wellness Information Exhibitors available. For Info, contact Annette Pres-seau at [email protected] or join the Facebook group “Billerica Health and Wellness Fair”

New England Pediatric Care78 Boston Rd. North Billerica

17th Annual Cool Kids 5K Road Race and Fun Walk

May 2: 10:30 am Runners Entry Fee: $25 Walkers Entry Fee: $20 For Info, call 978-667-5123 or email Laura Pico at [email protected] SEEKING SPONSORS!

Fit Resultswww.MyFitResults.com

475 Boston Road, 508-423-5835 OPEN HOUSES: Saturdays in March! Mar. 13, 20, 27 10am-2pm

Lenten luncheonsMar. 17: Community Congregational Church 803 Boston Rd. Billerica (978) 663-3750 www.cccbillerica.org

Mar 24: New Colony Baptist Church 30 River St., Billerica (978) 663-4773 www.newcolony.org

>>Continues on next page.

WellSkills.com

Nutrition Classes

3-6 Lifestyle3-13 Grocery Tour3-20 Desserts3-27 Greens

WellSkills.com has schedule of events and FREE recipes

The Recreation Department hosted itsfirstSummerCampExpoattheElksLodgeon Feb. �1 to bring in-town and out-of-town camp options to Billerica’s momsanddads.Morethan15exhibitorswereonhand with information. Some well knownfavoritesincludedtheSheriff’sOfficeYouthCampandFlipCityGymnastics.SomenewoptionsincludedThundercats,

…>> Continued on www.TheBillericaGreen.com


• USATF/RRTC Certified Course

• All Participants are encouraged to raise funds to support “Cool Kids” at NEPC

• Cool Kids T-Shirts (While Supplies Last)

• Free post-race cookout w/Entertainment and Raffles

AWARDS

For Overall Top Male and Female

Top Males and Females in theFollowing Categories:19 & Under, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49,50-59 and 60+

New England Pediatric Care (N.E.P.C.) is an 80 bed pediatric nursing home, offering comprehensive, post-hospitalization stays, short-term admits, long-term admits, and residential care for medically fragile children with severe and chronic disabilities and young adults who range in age from birth to 22 years. Affiliated with the Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts-Medical Center, New England Pediatric Care is committed to providing the highest quality nursing, rehabilitation and education services in a sensitive, compassionate environment. To learn more visit http://nepediatriccare.org.

For more information, contact Laura Pica978-667-5123 [email protected]

WHEN: Sunday, May 2, 2010

WHERE: New England Pediatric Care 78 Boston Road Billerica MA 01862

REgistRatioN: 10:30 am

staRt tiMEs: Walkers: 12:30 pm Runners: 1 pm

ENtRy FEEs: Runners: $25.00 Walkers: $20.00

WhenyoufirstseePearlwalkacrossthestage of the Merrimack Repertory Theatre(MRT), she is carryingherball and chain.Bytheendofherjourney,sheisdressedinafloralpleateddressandheels.Eventhroughher evolution frominmate to star, Pearlalwaysholdsontowhoshe is-genuine, directyet caring-since shedoesn’tknowanyotherwaytobe.

This story, “BlackPearlSings!”iscalledanupliftingmusicalquestfor personal freedom,and a journey to findthespotlight.Init,twovery different women-Susannah,anambitious“songcollector”fortheLibrary of Congress,and Pearl, a womanwith a soulful voice,a steely spirit andincredible history-findeachotherasSusannahcontinues her searchacross the country forlost African-Americanfolk music. In itsrecent run from Feb.11 through Mar. 7,this production oftenfilledthe308seatMRTLiberty Hall theater which is adjacent toLowellMemorialAuditoriumindowntownLowell.

Founded in 1979, The MerrimackRepertory Theatre’s mission has alwaysbeen to “advance the cause of humanunderstanding by creating theatricalproductions at the highest level of artisticexcellence and making them affordable tothebroadestpossiblecommunity.”

Merrimack Rep has served as a vitalcultural,educationalandeconomicresource

for the Merrimack Valley, Greater Bostonand Southern New Hampshire regions.With annual attendance of over 40,000,MerrimackRepproducesexceptionalworkswhileofferingavarietyofdiscountprograms

for under served and low-income communities,students and seniors. Overthelast30years,MerrimackRep’s education, outreach

and discount programs haveservedover�00,000studentsand

senior citizens and havebuilt working partnershipswith more than 50different community and

ethnically based serviceorganizations.

The next productionto hit the MRT stage willbe the “Last Days ofMickeyandJean”runningfrom Mar. 18 to Apr. 11.

Commissioned just forMerrimack RepertoryTheatre audiences, thisnew original comedy isa“retirementstorywithatwist”.Constantlyonthe run with his no-longeryounggirlfriend,an aging fugitivemobster is forcedinto early retirement,

taking him away fromtheonethinghetrulyloves–hiswork.Thisproduction will be directed by MerrimackRepArtisticDirectorCharlesTowers.ItwillfeaturethetalentsofJackWetherall,RaeC.Wright,andChristopherMcHale.

Tickets for “The Last Days of MickeyandJean”areonsalenowandcaneitherbeordered online at www.merrimackrep.orgor by calling978-654-4678.Groupsof sixor more save up to �5 percent and schoolgroupscansaveover50percent.

merrimACk repertory theAtre strives for ArtistiC exCeLLenCe

[email protected] Registration for April 19-21Now being accepted! Mon.- Wed.: 8am-3:30pm $100/week or $35/day $150/ week for 2 or more sisters Limited to first 35 first come, first served

Karyn Button Memorial Foundation Annual Fundraiserwww.karynbutton.com

Apr 17: 7pm-12am 617-905-8956 Billerica Elks 14 Webb Brook Rd, Billerica

Kindergarten Vision and Hearing ScreeningSponsored jointly by The Lions Club and Billerica Public Schools Mar 20: 8 am–12 noon BMHS Cafeteria. This is a FREE service. Registra-tion Forms Available from Cathy Jenkins. Billerica Public Schools. 978-528-8500

Putt-A-Round Indoor Mini Golf265 Boston Rd, Billerica 978-663-2422 Every friday night in March is Teen Night! 6-9 pm Costs $6 per person,Teens enjoy pizza, soda, unlimited golf. In a safe setting

Billerica Cat Care CoalitionMay 14: 7-9 pm: Cat Care Coalition 6th Annual “The Cat’s Meow Chocolate Tasting & Silent Auc-tion” Indian Ridge Country Club, Andover, MA Email the BCCC at [email protected]

Senior TeaAll senior citizens of Billerica coordially invited to attend! Parish Hall, 470 Rear Boston Rd, Billerica Peg 978-667-9733 Charlotte 978-663-2274

Greater Lowell Chamber of Commercewww.greaterlowellchamber.org

131 Merrimack St., Lowell 978-459-8154 Business Networking Events. For info, email [email protected]

Mar. 15: 5 pm: Evening Mixer Wyndham Hotel 123 Old River Rd., Andover $10-member; $20-non-member Mar. 16: 7:45-9am: Networking on the Threes Pozitively Young Salon and Spa, 9 Kendall Rd, Tyngsboro Free to Chamber Members


As the leading, independent business bank with deep roots in the community, and strong local ties throughout this region, Enterprise Bank continues to fuel the local economy, consistently reinvesting resources in the communities we serve.

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Billerica Green.indd 1 11/09/2009 5:20:34 PM

ByJennGervais,StaffWriter

On March 6, Alan Kessler’s KarateCenter on Marshall Street held a fund-raiser tobenefitHaiti.Opento thepublic,the Karate school offered a free pasta andmeatball dinner, and auctioned beautiful,traditionalHaitianartcreatedbychildrenofHaiti.Schoolsuppliesandbasic-needsitemswerealsocollected.

AlanKessler,whose centerhas a stronghistory of community outreach, describedthefund-raiserasawaytohelpchildreninneedtogrow.

“We purchased the art from the ArtCreationFoundationforChildren(ACFFC)whose mission is to help Haitian childrenbecome the next generation of traditionalHaitian artists,” said Kessler. “ Prior toenrolling inACFFC,thesechildrenneitherattended school nor ate on a regular basis.They do now, achieving self-sufficiencythroughthesaleoftheirart.”

The children involved in the ACFFCrange in age from six to eleven.ACFFC is

a50l(c)3 charitableorganization located inLakeWorth,Florida andallproceeds fromtheauctionwillbesenttoACFFCforuseinJacmel,Haiti

Theeventwasagreatsuccess,withover100people in attendance enjoying the freedinner, donating supplies, and bidding onthevariouspiecesofart.Overall$1500wasraised,allofwhichwillbesenttoACFFC.

Youcanstillmakeacontributiontothisvery worthwhile cause. Donations can besentdirectlytotheArtCreationFoundationfor Children, c/o Judy Hoffman--ProfileMarketingResearch#101,LakeWorth,Fl.33463.

In addition to monetary donations,thefoundationis inneedofartandschoolsupplies, canned food, medical supplies(Band-Aids, etc), water containers, water,t-shirts,sweatshirts,shoes,anddufflebags.Nocontribution is considered too small tohave a significant impact, considering that$60providesanaverageofa fullmonthofemergencyhealthcarefor60children.

kessLers rALLies toWn to send reLief to hAiti

Inadayandagewhenchildrenareexpected to know more much sooner,manylocalpreschoolsaresteppinguptomeetthischallenge.OnesuchcenterisTinyTikesEarlyChildhoodEducationCenter.TinyTikes has two convenientBillericalocationsat�58SalemRoador�5BridgeStreetwith small classes andexperiencedteachers.

TinyTikesfollowstheMassachusettsFramework Curriculum which isdeveloped with the local elementaryschools and requires children enteringKindergarten to be proficient withletters, numbers, shapes, colors andbeginningreadingskills.

“Wedothissowhentheygethere,they learn everything they need toknow,”saidOwnerDebbieKelley.

Kelleywillstartintroducingreadingskillsbytheageoffoursopreschoolerscan realize that letters have a soundand a name. For 30 minutes per day,Kindergarten preparation is done withstudents, both individually and as agroup. Activities are intended to befun;skillslikeletterrecognitionmaybeconnectedtoacraftortocooking.

“Whenwedidtheletter‘P’,wewentnextdoorandmadepizza,”saidKelley,referring to Silvio’s Restaurant in thesameplaza.

ForReneeSmith,choosingTinyTikeswas easy. All three of her children camehere, with her youngest, Jocelyn, age 4,currentlyenrolledasastudent.ReneehadheardmanypositivethingsabouttheschoolfromfriendsandshewasrelievedtoknowKelley’sstaffworkedsocloselyinpreparingthe children for Kindergarten. Reneefound the teaching staff tobe reassuringandveryattentivetothechildren’sneeds.Twice per week, Renee would help herchildrenwiththeirhomeworkwhichshefound only reinforced what was coveredthatdayorweek.

“The social aspect is important buttheypreparethemaheadoftimesotheyget thebasicsdown,” saidReneeabouttheKindergartenprepatTinyTikes.

Renee noted that Jocelyn loves herbooksandlovestoread.Shewillassociatethe story with the pictures sometimeswhileothertimes,sheisworkingonherletterrecognitionandsounds.

“She is looking forward toKindergarten,” said Renee. “She wantstodowell.”

For more information about TinyTikes, visit their website at www.TinyTikesPreschool.com or call one oftheirlocationsnearyou:SalemRoadat978-663-7797orBridgeStreetat978-667-4411.

kindergArten prep mAde eAsy At tiny tikes


Let’s Talk About It With JuliaMakingFriends

This month I’ll be talking about making

friends.Likemanyofyou,Ihavelotsoffriends.

Tomakethem,firstbefriendlybywalkingup

tothemnicelyandsaying‘hi’.Thentellthem

yourname.Askthemiftheywillbeyourfriend.

Tokeepthem,playwiththemandbeniceto

them.Havefunwithyournewfriends!

Jake’s Green CornerPlanting

BecauseSpringiscoming,itsagoodtimetoplanttreesandgardens.Plantingtreesisgoodfortheenvironmentbecauseitputsbacktreesthatpeoplecutdown.Italsokeepsouraircleanandourearthgrowing.

CAPTIONCONTEST

Jarred’s Video

Game TipsMarchReview:MarioandLuigi’sPartnersinTime

forNintendoDS

Getyourcharacterstoatleastlevel30before

youfacetheElderPrincessShrew.Ifyoudon’t

itwilltakealongtime.Bygettingtolevel30

youwillbeabletoinflictmoredamagebecause

yourpowerishigher.ThenthePrincessShrew

won’tbeabletoinflictasmuchdamagetoyou

becauseyourdefenseishigher.Tryit!

3 J’s Corner

Writeacaptionforthiscartoon.IfwelikeyoursthebestwewillprintitinthenexteditionofTheBillericaGreen.Submityour

captiononlineatwww.thebillericagreen.com/blog

LASTMONTH’SWINNER

CongratulationstoMark Rapoza.Thewinneroflastmonth’scaptioncontest.Thankyoutoeveryonethatparticipated.Readalloftheentriesatwww.thebillericagreen.com/blog

andsubmitacaptionforthismonth’scontest.

Just give ‘em back and we’ll pretend this never happened.


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Chosen at the Library First AnnualChocolate Tasting Contest

Ingredients:1stickofbutter(8tbs)salted�ouncesunsweetenedbakerschocolate1cupofsugar�xtralargeeggs1/�tspvanillaextract1/4cupflour1/4tspsalt3/4cupofmilkchocolatechips(believeustheunsweetenedanddarkchocarenotgoodinthis)MeltedBakerswhitechocolatesquares

Directions:Mixallingredientsexceptthewhitechocolateandputina8x8pan(aMUST!)Cookfor40min.at3�5°FWhenithascooledmeltthewhitechocolateanddrizzleitover.EAT!

Libby Girls’

Winning Brownie Recipe

�0/thebillericagreen.com/March-April�010

Ambika is a Kashmiri Hindu whogrew up in a traditional Indian familyin Billerica. Ambika’s parents, NeelamandAnupam,andhersisters,AnjaliandNisha,havehappilylivedtheircultureandtraditionswhileimmersedinAmericaformorethan�5years.ThefamilyrecentlycelebratedAmbika’selaborateweddinginOctober�009,apublicdisplayofmorethanbeautifulfabrics,meaningfulrituals,and heartfelt blessings. It was Ambika’sopportunitytoshowtheworldherstrongfamilyvaluesandhonorherparentswhilehavingthetimeofherlifewiththemanofherdreams.

AMERICAN BEGINNINGSThisclose-knitfamilywasestablished

longbeforechildrenwereborn.Neelamand Anupam are from India, but theircourtship began in the United States asstudents inMarylandandPennsylvania.Anupam was a research student while

Neelam was studying fine art. Whatworked best between them was theirinstant ability to communicate on theimportantissuesoflifeandtheirfuture.

“Hespokemylanguage,”saidNeelam,lookinglovinglyatherhusband.

ItwasamatchmadeinHeavensincethey were cultural equals. Raised in thesame regionof India, they ate the samefoods,spokethesamedialect,andsharedsimilarbeliefs.Thismadeiteasyforthemto get permission to marry from theirparents.

In India, arranged marriages arecommonplace.Whenyoungadultsreachtheir early�0s, theexpectation is togetmarried,andifnoarrangementhasbeenpreviouslymade,parentsworryfortheirchildren’s happiness. For the Walis, allthatconcernwasliftedoncetheirparentsmet each other. They were instantlyacceptedandthecouplewasmarriedinatraditionalceremonyinIndia.

ByLianaMeasmer

AmbikaWalilookedintotheeyesofherfiancée,ManishPatel,proposing toheronbendedknee,andknewshewasready.Thismomentmarkedtheculmination

of years of preparation by Ambika and her parents for thenextchapterofherlife.

Bestboth

worlds

THe of

March-April�010\thebillericagreen.com\�1

Following their wedding, the couple returned totheU.S.TheymovedfromMarylandtoWisconsintoMassachusetts,wheretheyfinallysettledinBillericatoraisetheirthreegirls.

CULTURAL VALUESGrowing up, Ambika, Anjali and Nisha were

exposedtothebestoftheirIndianculture.Themusicand dancing. The jewelry and the beautiful clothing.ThefoodandHindureligion.ButmorethanthatwasthevaluesNeelamandAnupaminstilledinthem,thegreatest being respect for themselves, each other, andtheirelders.

Neelam and Anupam demonstrate respect towardeach other always and thus taught their daughtersaboutproperself-discipline.Forexample,Neelamtoldherchildrenwhat shewanted themtohearand let itgo. No nagging or defensiveness resulted in the girlsobediently following through without struggles. TheWalisbelievechildrencanbetrustedtomaketherightdecisionwhentheyaregivenanunshakablefoundationofunconditionallove.

“They knew we were always there for them,” saidAnupam.

Paramount in Indian culture is respect for yourelders. This is bigger than just loving a grandparent.It isManishgivinguphis seat forhismother-in-law.OrAmbikafollowingfamilytraditionsinherweddingceremony.OrNeelam’sparentswelcomedtostayinthefamilyhome indefinitely.Thiswayofbeing is simplyexpected.

Gettingasolideducationisalsoexpected,soitwasneveranoption tonotearnacollegedegree.Neelamand Anupam taught their girls to live within theirmeansandabouttheneedforadegree,makingthemcompetitiveinthemarketplace.Inhighschool,thegirlswere active in DECA, the high school business club,whichtaughtthemaboutbusinessandfinance.Businessownersthemselves,NeelamandAnupammodeledfortheirdaughtershowtobesuccessful.

LOVE IN ACTIONAmbikaandManishmetatBentleyCollege.Ambika

was19yearsoldandManishwas�1.ManishhadbeenintheU.S.for10yearswhentheymet.HisparentshademigratedtoBrazilfromIndiaandManishhadgrownupthere.AmbikawasstudyingcorporatefinancewhileManishwasaneconomicsandfinancemajor.Theymetthroughpeoplewhoknewthemwell.

“Friends in common brought us together,” saidAmbika.

IntheWalifamily,educationcamefirst,soNeelamandAnupamsaidtheywantedtheirdaughterfocusedonherstudies.Plus,theywouldnotentertainanyboyfor her until she had gained maturity. Their culturetakesmarriageveryseriously.TheWalisheardstoriesofgirlsbringinghomeboyfriends,only tobreakupanddash their parents’ hopes. This was a disappointmenttheWaliswantedtoavoid.

Where a suitor comes from is an importantconsiderationinIndianculture.WhileAmbika’sfamilycamefromtheKashmirregion,Manish’sparentswere

Gujarati.Differentregionsin India held differentrituals and dialects.WhileAmbikaandManishdated,theydiscussedtheirfuture,getting married, havingchildren, and weavingIndian culture into thetapestry which was theirAmericanlife.

Overthenextsixyears,Neelam and Anupam gotglimpses of Manish. Theyheardaboutaboywhogaveher a rose on Valentine’sDay. During recitals, theysaw him when Ambikawould invite Manish toherdanceschool.ItwashardforManish,ashelongedto visit the Wali home and meet Ambika’s parents.However,NeelamandAnupamwerefirmintheirbeliefthatAmbikawasnotready.

The day finally came when the couple told theirparentstheywantedtomarry.Adinnerwasscheduledat theWali home and he was welcomed. The couplestayedupuntil�a.m., laughingandtalkingwith theentirefamily.Shortlyafter,Ambikaenjoyedawonderuldinner with Manish’s parents and the two familiesapproved. Manish then scheduled the proposal withAnupam for Nov. �0, �008. Ambika, having grownuphereandinfluencedbyherownAmericanfriends,verymuchwantedthetypicalwesternproposal.Itwasemotionalforher.

“It was awesome,” said Ambika. “ It was veryexciting.”

FAIRYTALE WEDDINGOncethecouplewasunofficiallyengaged,avenue

and entertainment was booked. The ceremony wasplannedattheWestfordRegencyandnotinaHindutemple. Indian weddings are generally very large andtemples are reserved for auspicious prayer. In India,manytimes,entirevillagescometoweddings,withthefamilyexpectedtofeedthemall.

AttheendofJanuary,Manish’sandAmbika’sfamiliestraveledtoIndiatoshopfortheweddingclothes.Theywere presented with yards of intricately embroideredfabricsinrichreds,creams,andgoldstochoosefrom.Ambikachoseagloriousred, the traditionalcolor foranIndianbridetowear.Herweddingdresswouldbeasariwithjustasintricateaveilinsheerredtomatch.ManishchosehisChervaniandlookedabsolutelyregalwitharedstoleandmatchingturban.

OnJune�7,�009,thecouplewasformallyengagedin Great Falls, Virginia at the Gandun, a ceremonywhere the couple exchange rings and receive blessingsfromtheirelders.Itwasalsoanopportunityforextendedfamily members from both sides to meet. For thewedding,becausemany relativeswere traveling a longdistance,ManishandAmbikachosetheColumbusDayweekend.Theweddingwouldspanoverthreedaysandeverymomentheldpreciousmeaningforbothfamilies.

AfterhoursofpreparationonOct.10,thetwo-hourceremonybegan.AfterManishwasreceivedbytheWalisandtakentothemandap(thealteradornedwithdrapesofredfabricandasmallholyfirereceptacle),Ambikawascarriedinbyfamilymemberslikeroyaltyonapalki.Thispalanquinisawheelesstransportsometimesseenonthebacksofelephants.

After the exchange of floral garlands, numerousprayers, rituals and blessings, the couple took theSevenSteps,orSapt-Padi.Thecouplewalksaroundtheholyfire,making vows for virtues of prosperity, love,happiness, children, joy, and friendship. More vowsandringswereexchangednext,withthecouplesharingtheir first meal and then departing in theVidaii, thefarewell of the couple. Ambika says good-bye to herparentsandsiblings.ThisisaveryemotionalmomentforIndianbridesastheysaygood-byetotheirparentsandformallystepintotheirnewlivesaswives.

ThecouplelaterenjoyedaveryAmericanreceptionat the Cyclorama in Boston, but gave it their ownspecialtwist.Typically,newlywedsdotheirfirstdanceto something slow and romantic. However, becauseManishwasraised inBrazilandAmbikarunsa smalldance school, theirfirstdancewas a spicyLatin salsawhich had the crowd on their feet. Although mostlyWestern, the reception still showcased all that wasIndianwhichmadeitacompletelygrandaffair.

Thereareapproximately100orsoHindufamiliesin Billerica who openly live out their beliefs. For theWalis,andnowthePatels,thisisabalancingactworthaccomplishingforitgiveseveryonetheymeetaglimpseinto this colorful culture,making life inour town somuchricher.

��/thebillericagreen.com/March-April�010

With The Executive Office of Laborand Workforce Development reportingin Jan. �010 the unemployment rate forMassachusetts is 9.4 percent, the localunemployedarestillseekingwaystofindjobsandmakeconnections.Inanattemptto take care of their own, ShawsheenValleyVocationalTechnical High SchoolAlumni Association has been holdingregularnetworkingeventstobringAlumnitogethertohelpeachother.

At an event in February at theNewtowne Grill restaurant, the alumniassociationsetupspeednetworkingwhereattendeeswouldgotabletotableanddoaoneminuteelevatorpitch.

“On an organizational level, we feelShawsheen has incredible networkingpotentialbutneverhadaninfrastructure,”said Frank Urro, Shawsheen AlumniAssociationmember.

Becauseofvariedtradeslikeelectrical,carpentry, culinary arts, cosmetologyand health professions, the networkscan be richer and more successful.For Lisa Proctor, 1979 graduate,she attended this networking eventto explore changing careers. ShegraduatedfromShawsheeninculinaryartsandnowsheisseekingtodomoreeventplanning.Forherhusband,RayProctor,thiseventishelpinghimfindajob.Heiscurrentlylookingforworkin the carpentry field. The couplefoundtheeventhelpful.

“We have people keeping an eye outforus,”saidRay.

Paul Glover from Tewksbury is asystems/networkadministratorwhoisnotanalumniatall.HavingbeenoutofworksinceJuly�009,hesurfstheinternetand

looksforlocalnetworkingeventstoattendbecauseitallowshimtomeetpeopleandmakeconnections.

“Iamlookingtobroadenmyhorizonswithpeople,”saidGlover.

Stephanie Mancini, an organizer formanyalumniassociationevents,isworkinghardtogetthewordoutaboutwhattheydo. Her goals around the networkingevents is tohavealumnipullingtogetherfor eachother.Currently, theShawsheenFacebookAlumnipagehas1,500peoplesignedonandtheShawsheenwebsitehasanother700.Mancinipointedouttheyarealso developing a business directory andgiving out scholarships. Anyone seekingadditional information should visit theShawsheenAlumniAssociationwebsiteatwww.shawsheenalumni.com.

“We need to pull together,” saidMancini.“We’rehereforeverybody.”

Nearly 6 years ago, our founder, whomovedfromanotherpartofthecountry,waslookingtohelpgivebacktothecommunity.During her research, she happened acrossBillericaAnimalControl.Throughvolunteerworkthere,shefoundnotonlyweredogsinneed,butcatsweremoreso.Themainissueswerefelinesbornasferals(wild),abandonedorpetsallowed to roamfreely.All thishadone thing in common–nonewere spayedorneutered.The resultwas anever endingcycleofoverpopulation,sickorhurtanimalswithnoonetocareforthem,hitbycarsandleftfordead.

The path to help change this situationbegan with a single meeting at BillericaPublic Library in �004. With a littleadvertising,��peoplecametoameetingtobegintheBillericaCatCareCoalition,ano-

killorganizationtohelpferalandabandonedcatsandkittens.Today,weare35volunteersstrong(continuingtoaddtoournumbers),wehavetrap/neutered/returnedhundredsofferal cats.We have also adopted out manyabandoned cats and kittens or ferals whobecame socialized. An additional arm toour programs now includes educationalresources, including contacts for low-costspays and neuters for dogs and cats andinformationonhowtocareforferalcats.

BCCCis100percentself-funded,thankstoourdonorsandfundraisingeventswhichare continuously on-going. (We averageover $�5K in veterinarian medical bills, aswell as other related costs to keep BCCCup and running, each year). We are 100percentvolunteer-based,whichmeansALLdonationsgodirectlytohelpcatsandkittens

inneed.SinceBCCCisafederallyauthorized501(C)(3)non-profitorganization,donationsaretax-deductible.

As we grow, wehit different needs.Currently,ourneed isforasmallcommercialfacility where we canhouse feral cats eachmonth, prior to andafter their spay orneuter surgeries. Thefacility does not haveto be big (can be thesize of a single garagebay), but, must includeproper ventilation, temperature control,easy access and security. If you happen toknow of a location for BCCC in Billerica,

wewouldbe interested to learnabout this.You can contact us by e-mail at: info@

billericacatcarecoalition.org orleaveamessageattheBillericaTownManager’soffice.

Tohelpdeferourcosts,weareholdingourSixthAnnual“The Cat’s Meow ChocolateTasting & Silent Auction”fund raiser on Friday, May14, from 7 – 9 p.m., at theIndianRidgeCountryClub,in their Grand Ballroom, inAndover, MA. This benefitevent includes an evening

of samples from chocolatiers,live music and a silent auction. For moreinformation,contactusbye-mailat:[email protected]

sAving CAts: hoW it ALL begAn

Are you interested in losing weight?Is weight loss difficult for you? Withoutincluding three psychological componentsto your plan, you will likely fail. Thesethree essential components for losingunwanted weight are: belief, motivation,and commitment. Let us look at thesecomponentsoneatatime.

MotivationWhydoyouwant to loseweight?Your

answer is very important. If you are half-heartedlyinterestedinlosingweight,youwillget half-hearted results. You need a stronginterestandastrongreasonforlosingweightto be successful. What is your motivation?Why do you want to lose weight? Is it forlooks,health,ormoreenergy?Iaskyoutomovealeveldeeperthanthat.Whydoyouwanttolookbetter?Whydoyouwantbetterhealth? Why do you want more energy?Think long and hard about the answer tothese questions. Write down your answersonasheetofpaperandkeepithandy.Youranswersarestrongmotivators.Ifyougetofftrack,re-readyouranswers.

BeliefYoumaybefamiliarwiththephrase,“if

you think you will fail, you will.” On theother hand, if you think you will succeed,youwill.Inorderforyoutoreachadifficultgoal in life, you have to believe you can.Thisbeliefhastocomefromdeepwithin.Itisnotan“IhopeIcanloseweight”butan“IknowIcanloseweight.”Stretchbeyondyour limiting beliefs. Come from a placeof confidence. Now, you might not knowhowtoloseweightyet,butyoucanfindout

howbylearningfromsomeonewhohaslostweight successfully. Think of someone youknowwhoishealthy,eatswell,andhaslotsofenergy.Askthatpersonhowtheydoitsoyoucanmodel it.Youneed tobelieve it ispossibleforyoutoloseweightandthenfindouthowtodoit.

CommitmentMotivation and belief are essential but

it is the implementation thatmakes thingshappen.Youhavetocommittogetfit.Youhavetocommittolearningwhatittakesforyoutoloseandmaintainweight.Iurgeyoutoloseweightinahealthyway,forthelongrun.Youdon’twanttoyo-yoorfast,binge,fast, binge, etc. You don’t want to exerciseuntil youdropdead.Youdon’twant to goon some fad diet, not based on healthfulprinciples.Youdon’twanttotakedietpillsorresorttolife-threateningsurgery.Youdowantto learn life-longhabits thatworkforyou.Youwant a dietaryplan that includesnutrient-densefoodsthatnourishyourentirebody and give you boundless energy. Youwant lifestyle choices that become second-natureandpromotebalanceandwell-being.

Find out what motivates you to loseweight.Believeyoucandoit.Then,committomakingithappen!

Kathy Lynch is founder of WellSkills.com and the WellSkillsTM System, a proven step-by-step program to help busy Moms and their families reach life-long health, energy, and weight. If you want to learn more about local cooking classes, events, and resources, visit www.WellSkills.com. © 2009 Kathy Lynch, WellSkills.

3 essentiAL Components for suCCessfuL Weight Loss

Nourishment for Optimal Health•By Kathy Lynch, CHHC

Attorney Jamie Hartounianpitches a one minute elevatorspeech with Lisa and Ray Proctorat aShawsheenAlumniAssociationnetworkingevent.

shAWsheen netWorking: AssoCiAtion reAChes out to unempLoyed ALumni


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Jennifer Chubb of Peace of MindPersonalized Pet Care Solutions has alwaysbeenananimallover.Asachild,shewastheneighborhood “PiedPiper”of sorts, alwaysbringinghomeanewpet.Asanadult, shehas always owned pets as well. However,working a demanding corporate financejoboftenkeptherawayfrom home and fromheranimals.Theeventsof the last few years,though, made roomfor Chubb to pursueher desire of spendingmoretimedoingwhatshe lovedmost:beingwith furry creatures,bigandsmall.

In �007, ChubbtookatriptoKanab,Utah and discoveredthe Best FriendsAnimal Sanctuary.Thisno-killsanctuarywashometoanimalsno one wanted.Chubb got thereand immediatelywas volunteeringwalking dogs, petting cats, feeding horsesand waking pigs, She especially like thesanctuary’s philosophies and felt right athome.

“EveryoneouttherethinkslikeIthink,”saidChubb.

As a result if her trip to Utah, Chubbadded members to her family. One wasSedona,aLab/Pitmix,whoarrivedinNov.�007. Chubb began volunteering with thelocalcatcoalitionandregionalfelinerescueorganizationswhich sparkedher interest instarting her own pet care business. Giventhe current economic times, Chubb foundherselfatacrossroadsinNov.�008followingherlayofffromhercorporatejob.

Chubb took some time to regroup and

made a decision. She realized that she wasseeking a simpler life of spending moretime with her animals, in her home, andwith her friends. After interviewing witha fewdogwalking andpet carebusinesses,Chubb decided to try it on her own. Bymaking her services available over longer

hours, offering overnights, andcharging competitiveprices, Chubb foundher endeavor to besuccessful.

“PeoplevaluewhatI do,” said Chubb.“They are comfortablewithmeandtrustme.”

Currently, ChubbworksmostlyinBillericaand Lowell, althoughshe does work in othersurrounding towns andhasclientsinChelmsfordand Wilmington. Herfrequency in seeing petsvariesfromafewdaystothe entire week but sheremains flexible always,especiallyaroundholidaysandweekdays.

“I do something thatmeansa lottomeandpeoplesee theiranimalsmeanalottometoo,”saidChubb.

Currently, Chubb is finishing DogTraining School and is also becomingan animal trainer. She already has hercertificationasatrainerfromPetSmart.Hergoalasatraineristohelptheownerbuildabondwiththeiranimalandthroughthis,sheiskeepinganimalsfrombeingeuthanized.

“This is a family event and I includechildren,” said Chubb. “It builds a bondbetweenfamilyandpets.”

For more information about Peace ofMindPersonalizedPetCareSolutions,visittheir website at www.peaceofmindpetcare.netorcall978-835-��69.

personAL pet CAre meAns peACe of mind


YoucanusuallyfindAnnZammutostandingalongsideherclientsatPro-Fitnessteaching lessonsonbalancing lifeandfitnesswhile she’spushing themtodomore.This isaphilosophyZammutohasliveditherself.

OwnerofAtoZPersonalTraining,Zammutohasdonethejugglingactofmotherhood,a career as a trainer, gettingher degree and maintainingherphysicalfitness.Shewantspeopletoknowitcanbedone.Zammutowill be an exhibitorat the upcoming townwideHealth Fair at the Lodge oftheElks,14WebbBrookRoadon Saturday, April 10. She shewill be discussing body fat andwill have materials available forattendees.

Zammuto had always beeninto fitness, starting young as adancer.Asanadult,shewasactiveandenjoyedsportslikeskiing.ZammutolivedinColoradoforawhile,wheresheandhehusbandstartedtheirfamily.Over the next �0 years, Zammuto gained experience as afitness instructor in a small gymandaDirectorofFitnessProgrammingatalargerecreationcenter.AfterreturningtoBillericaandworkingatbothPro-FitnessPlusasanaerobicsinstructorandCISCOsystemsasacertifiedpersonaltrainer,Zammuttoknewitwastimeformore.

ShepursuedherBachelorofScienceDegreeinExercise

Physiology. Zammuto felt a solid education in her fieldwouldgainhertheadditionalknowledgesheneededandaswellasmorecredibility.

“Iwasgettingmoreinvolvedinthefieldandwantedmorescienceinmycareer,”saidZammuto.

Zammuto took sevenyears to completeherdegreebecauseshehadthreeyoungchildrenandherfamilylifewas apriority. She graduatedwithherdegree inMay�009.

Duringheryearsatschool,Zammutoenlistedthehelpofherfamily.Herhusbandproofreadherreports.and was there caring for the children so she couldstudy.Whileatpracticesoractivitiesforherchildren,Zammutohadherflashcards inhand, studying.Attimes, her children would test her while she drovethem places. Sunday mornings, Zammuto wouldstudy for an hour in the library before the familywouldheadofftochurch.

“Itwasgoodformykidstoseemeworkinghardandcaringaboutmygrades,”saidZammuto.

Regardless of how busy she got, Zammutomadetimetoworkoutbecausemovingherbodyrelaxedher.Doingalittlewasbetterthandoingnothingsoshemightdoapartialworkoutversusawholeone.Orshemayworkoutforhalfanhourversusthewholehour.Zammutofoundherworkoutscenteredandfocusedher.

“It was a stress reliever,” said Zammuto. “It was reallyimportanttofititin.”

It is this same determination and understandingZammuto brings to the gym floor now. Zammuto startedherbusinessatPro-FitnessPlusonBostonRoadandisnow

a personal trainer. When meeting a client, she discussestheir lifeoutside thegymaswell as theirworkouts inside.Shetailorsaprogramforthemaimedattheirsuccess,takingintoaccountwhatwillworkforthemasindividuals.Shewillworkwith someonewho’sneverworkedout as intently asshemighttrainayoungathlete.Throughitall sheteachesbalance.

“Iwanteveryonetofeelcomfortablestartingatthelevelthey’reat,”Zammutosaid.“Iwanttohelppeoplefeeltheycandoit.”

ClientMiaGaska isapartofZammuto’sweekly ‘bootcamp’,whereagroupofwomenallworkouttogetherunderherdirectionandareencouragedtopushthemselves.Gaskausesweightsandintervalsofcardioduringafullhour.Gaskafeelsherworkouts arewell thoughtoutandaccommodateherstrengthandabilitylevel.

“Her great knowledge of nutrition creates balancebetween diet and exercise for maintainability and realisticresultsunderher[Zammuto’s]carefulwatch,”saidGaska.

Ryan Cassidy is a junior at Shawsheen VocationalTechnicalHighSchool.Heisanathletewhosemainsportiswrestling.ZammutoputCassidyonatrainingschedulethathasdevelopedhisstrengthandperformance.Cassidypraisesthe lifting routine and believes the food plan Zammutomonitorskeepshimsteadyinhisweightclass.

“Anntoldmewhattoeatandwhentoeatit,”saidCassidy.“Listeningtothatadvice,IalwaysfeltlikeIhadenergyandafullstomach.”

Formoreinformationonherservicesortheupcominghealthfair,youcancallherat978-7�[email protected].

fitting fitness in: trAiner mom prACtiCes WhAt she preAChes

With St Patrick’s Day right aroundthe corner, it was very fitting that we visitBillerica’s famous Irish Pub, the EmeraldRose. They were busy as it was a Saturdaynight,butourshortwaitwasenjoyedinthebar.Thedining room isveryopenand thedécor is comfortable, yet elegant. It didn’ttakelongformetoadjusttotheatmosphereof this lovely room and settle into aconversationwithmyhusband. Our server

was so friendlyandhelpful throughout themeal,wewereimpressedwithherattentiontodetailasshewassobusy.Shewasoneoftherarepeoplewhomakeyoufeellikeyouare visiting an old friend even though youjustmet.

John ordered an Island Creek OysterStout and I got the Pomegranate Martini.He kept saying that he does not typicallylike stout, so Ihad towonderwhatwouldpossess him to choose this beer. He said itwas because of how it was brewed withoystersandhehadtogiveitatry.Heloveditofcourseandthemartiniwasdelicious,justasIsuspecteditwouldbe.

For dinner, John had the Irish SeafoodStewwhichwasfullofhaddock,shrimp,andscallopsinasaffronstock.Thisdeliciousdishwassimilartobouillabaissebuteasiertoeatas it lacks the clams and mussels. It was awonderfuldinnerandIwasluckytostealacoupleofbitesbeforeitwasdevoured!

Ichosethecrabcakedinnerwithricepilafand mixed vegetables. The crab cakes wereveryflavorfulandmoist.Inotonlyenjoyedthemfordinner,butfinishedthemthenextdayforlunchastherewerethreelargecakes.The rice and vegetables were typical, but Ienjoyedthemwiththecrabcakes.

We completed the meal with a light,creamy lemoncello cake. Neither of us haseverhadthisbefore,sowesplitapiece.ItwasthehighlightofthemealformeandIendeduporderinganotherpieceforourbabysitterwhichsheimmediatelygobbledupwhenwegotback.Shewasbabysittingforfree,sowefelttheneedtogivehersomething.Frankly,I’dbabysitforapieceofthiscake!Everythingon the dessert tray looked fantastic; it wasso hard to decide but our server helped usmakethefinalcutandIamsogladwetookheradvice.

Theyhad livemusic in thebar startingat 9 pm as they do every Saturday night.Also,startingFridayMarch1�andbringingyourightthroughSt.Patrick’sDay,youcanenjoyliveIrishMusicalongwithtraditionalCornedBeefDinner,SmokedPorkShoulderDinner and I imagine there will be somebeer. So we recommend that you put onsomething green, head to the Rose andcelebrateyourIrish…evenifyou’renot!

Sherry Livsey is an Independent Wine Consultant with Traveling Vineyard. For a home wine tasting experience, contact her at [email protected].

CeLebrAte your irish At the emerALd rose

The Traveling Gourmets•By John and Sherry Livsey

On Feb. �0, A Night ofHopewashostedat theBennettLibrarybysinger/songwriterJulieKinscheck and her band, whichfeatured her husband RalphKinscheck on Keys, JohnnyVicaireonLeadguitarandahostof back up singers. The band,along with the community’sgenerosity, raised over $600to support Hope WorldwideprogramswhichhelporphansofAidsinAfricaandbringmedicalmissions to Honduran children.The evening’s theme song was“Hope For the Children,” asong the couple wrote severalyears back, inspired by HopeWorldwide and found on their�006“TheForce”CD.


Whether it’s chimichangas, burritos,or arroz con pollo, residents in town haveenjoyedauthenticMexicanfareintheirownback yard for a few years now, courtesy ofthe Cervantes family. As a thank you fortwo great years, Casablanca, located at 99ChelmsfordRoad,willopenitsdoorsforananniversarycelebrationonMarch18from5-6:30pmofferingafreesamplingofsomeoftheirfavoritedishes.

Hailing from southern California,Sylvia and Margarito Cervantes were notstrangers totherestaurantworld.Theyhadworkedinfoodserviceandhadmanagedacafeteria.TheircousinhadmadehiswaytoMassachusetts and done well on the southshorewithhisownrestaurant,Acapulco’s.Soin�006,theCervantes’cameforavisittofindouthow.Seeinghissuccess,thecoupleandtheir children decided to make their move

fromthewarmthtothecold.For Silvia, it definitely wasanadjustmentbut startingabusinesskepthertoobusytonotice.

In�007,theyfirstworkedfortheircousinatAcapulco’swhich gave them solidmanagement experience.After a year, cousin DavidopenedupCasablanca.Thereis one restaurant in NorthAndoverandoneinBillericain Brick Kiln Plaza. TheCervantesruntheonehere.

Currently, approximately�5 relatives, prior Acapulcoemployees, and a few newhiresmakeuptheverynativeLatinostaff.LuisCobarrubias,theCervantes’nephew,camefromCaliforniatoworkand

go to college. Although he agrees it’s hardwork,hefindshiscustomersveryfriendly.

“It’s a good experience, saidCobarrubias.

The menu hails from the family’skitchens in Jalisco, Mexico. The meals areall cooked fresh and numerous items arerecipes the couple grew up making. Thiscomingyear,beonthelookoutforsomenewauthenticdishes,likeSopadeMarisco,beingintroduced.

“Thelocalpeopleareenjoyingthefood,”saidSilvia.“Wegetalotofcompliments.”

ForMargarito,hisgreatestsatisfactionispleasing his customers. He knows they aregetting a great meal and great service at agreatprice.

“Peopleleavehappy,”hesaid.DuringtheMarch18celebration,there

will be a buffet with samplers or smallportionsofthefamily’sfavoritemenuitems.Foranhourandahalf,thesedishesarefreeandwhileyou’reenjoyingthem,aMariachibandwillplayforyouatyourtable(weatherpermitting) while you get chances throughafreeraffletowinsouvenirsandsmalldoorprizes.Overall,thecouplenotedhowgratefultheywereforalltheirpatrons.

“Wejustwanttothankthetownforourtwosuccessfulyears,”saidSilvia.

tWo yeArs of spiCy: biLLeriCA goes mexiCAn At CAsAbLAnCA

Withtheendofwinterinsight,manyfamilieslooktoSpringandenjoyingallthatcomeswiththat.Thewarmth.Theblossoms.Theholidays.

Many people celebrate Passover orEasterastheirreligiousobservance.Theseholidaysoftenbringfamiliesandfriendstogether for gatherings. For many, thisis abusy time.Newoutfits.Churchortempleservices.Mealprep.

If the thought of spending hourscooking in the kitchen is tiresome,lookno further than theCourtyardByMarriottinBillerica.OnApril4,�010,they will once again host their annualEaster Brunch. There are three sittingsavailableat10am,1�noonand�pm.These well attended buffets allow forpeople’svariedschedules.

“We’vehelditeveryyearsinceit[TheMarriott] opened in 1999,” said KrisFrazee,DirectorofSales.

Perhapsthe10amsittingallowsforvisiting family in the afternoon or the�pm sittingmeets your church serviceneeds. The 1� noon sitting tends tobe the most popular because so many

want to have a relaxing lunch to enjoythepeopletheylovemostsomakeyourreservationstodayastheyarerequired.

No matter the time, the extensivemenu of hot and cold breakfast itemsas well as dinner choices are availablefor every sitting. In addition to cereals,pasteries and fruits, there are eggs andbaconoranomeletstationforthepersonwanting to enjoy breakfast. Anyoneon hand for dinner can choose fromChicken Saltimbocca, Herb CrustedRoastSirloin, andMapleGlazedHam.There’sevenachildren’sbuffetisavailablewith a variety spanning from FrenchToastStickstoMacaroniandCheese.

“Peoplecomeyearafteryearbecausetheylovetheambiance,”saidFrazee.

As anadded treat, the childrenwillenjoyavisitfromtheEasterBunnyandembark on an Egg Hunt. The wholeexperience is reasonably priced foradultsat$�9.95,seniorsat$�6.95,andchildrenunder1�are$1�.95.Thelittleonesunderthreearealwaysfree.

Tomakeyourreservationstoday,calltheMarriottat978-670-7500.

mArriott’s touCh of spring: bringing fAmiLies to the tAbLe

Middlesex Canal Association MemberTom Dahill held an Artist’s Reception onFeb. �0 at the Middlesex Canal Museum.Hedisplayedbothrecentandclassicpiecesofhisworktonumerousguestsandfriends.


ByShawnHutcheon,SportsWriter

It’sasAmericanasapplepie.Baseball.IfyougrewupintheUSAthenchancesare,attheveryleast,youhavepickedupabaseballandlookedatit.

Each Spring, Little League fieldsthroughout the country are filled withyoungballplayerswhodreamofplayingatFenway Park, Yankee Stadium, or DodgerStadium.Unfortunately,someboysandgirlsmayhavehadthesamedreambutwerenotincluded. Due to physical

impairments, they could only watch theirfriendsandsiblings.

Thatchangedin1989whenLittleLeagueBaseballestablishedtheChallengerDivision.According to its website, www.littleleague.org,thepurposeoftheChallengerDivisionwasto“…enableboysandgirlswithphysicaland mental challenges, ages 5-18 to enjoythegameofbaseball…”In�007,twomeninvolved with the Billerica Little League,Gil Ynostroza and Phil Doiron, believed aChallenger Division was necessary for theyouthofBillerica,whowerewatchingfromthesidelines.

“We have about sixty-six kids fromtowninvolvedandwehavealltypesofkids-autisticorinwheelchairs,”saidDoiron,theplayeragentforthedivision.

“Theyjustneedtogetoutandsocialize.”PamCawthron,whose15yearoldson,

Nicholas,hasbeenaChallengerplayersincethe division’s inception, enthusiasticallyendorsedtheleague.

“Iwantedtogethim(Nicholas)involvedwithkidsfromthetown,”shesaid.”He’sinawheelchair and lovesbeingpushedaround.Theygrowasindividuals.”

Presently,therearesixteams,comprisedoftentotwelveplayerseach.Scoreisnotkeptandeachplayerbatsandplayseveryinning.Benefitsincludeplayersgettingexerciseandsocializingbutaboveallelse,havingfun.

Perhaps, the most unique part of theprogram is it allows for “Buddies” to beinvolved. The buddies, who are typicallydeveloping youth volunteers, assist theChallenger players on the field wheneverneeded.Theyencouragetheplayerstomakeplaysandbatbutarealwaysnearbytohelp.

TwosuchdedicatedbuddiesareTrystanLavelle,whoisthirteenyearsoldandhasbeenabuddyforthreeyears,andKilieghGlavin,ageeleven,whohasalsobeenabuddysincethe league

began.Lavelle isanathletewhoplaysbaseball,

football,andbasketballbuteverySundayisattheballfielddoingwhat,tohim,amountsasalaboroflove.

“Every week I like to go down andbouncefromkidtokid,”Tristanexplained.“Iloveit.”

Glavin is an outstanding soccer playerand like her cousin, Lavelle, she can befound on the field with Challenger playerseachweek.

“Ithinkit’sgreat.Theygetachancetodowhattheywanttodo,”Glavinexclaimed.“Iloveit.Itmakesmehappy.”

TheleaguewelcomesplayersfromoutsideoftownaswellandDoironwouldliketoseethe division grow with more players fromBillericajoining.

“People can go on the Billerica LittleLeague website at www.billericalittleleague.org and download the registration formuntil the season starts in April,” explainedDoiron.

Doiron also explained that corporatesponsorship iswelcome as it allows for thedivisionnottochargetheplayers.

“Attheendoftheseason,wehaveacookoutandgiveawardcertificatestothebuddiesfortheircommunityservice,”saidDoiron.

NicholasCawthron’smother,Pam,sumsitupabouteveryoneinvolvedwiththeChallengerDivision,“Theydotheirbestanditgetsbettereachyear.Theydoanawesomejob.”

ChALLenger LeAgue: mAking bAsebALL AvAiLAbLe for ALL

ChAmpioning for sAfety And fisCAL sensibiLityPatricia “Pat” Flemming,CandidateforSelectman

ItwillbeagreathonortoserveasyourSelectman.Ihavealwayschampionedforthesafetyandfiscal sensibility. Iworkeddiligently toget theSecondaryWaterToweronLexingtonRoadtotallyrevitalized,asitwasaleadpainthealthhazard.IalsobroughttheBillericaDogKenneluptocodeandmadeitsaferfortheworkersandtheanimals.TheConcordRiverBridgeonBostonRoadisfinallygettingtheinfrastructuresupportitneedsafterIbroughtittotheattentionofTownofficialsthrough …>> Continued on www.TheBillericaGreen.com

experienCed And knoWLedgeAbLe LeAdershipMichael S. Rosa,CandidateforSelectman

MynameisMichaelRosaandIamrunningforre-electiontoserveandrepresenttheresidentsofBillericaandmakethisabetterplaceforallofus.

Ienjoyhelpingpeople,andfindingsolutionsthatwork,nomatterhowlargeorsmalltheproblemmaybe.IamnotafraidtospeakupandseekoutanswersforthebenefitofourresidentsandcommunityIamknownformyworkwiththeseniorcommunity,seniorcenter,Veteransandworkingwithresidents …>> Continued on www.TheBillericaGreen.com

your independent voiCeBob Correnti,CandidateforSelectman

I’vebeenprivilegedtoserve three termsasoneofyourSelectmen.BeingaSelectmanisauniqueopportunitytomakeadifferenceinpeople’s lives.That’sbeenmyfocuseveryday I’ve served. I’ve enjoyed representing you and I want to continue working for you.Youknowmyrecordgettingresultsforseniorsandveterans;fightingtogiveBillericamorelocal control against 40Bs; and fighting for all residents as an independent voice on theBoardofSelectmen. …>> Continued on www.TheBillericaGreen.com

giving bACk to the CommunitySandra Giroux,CandidateforSchoolCommittee

MynameisSandraGiroux;IamacandidatefortheBillericaSchoolCommittee.IhavelivedinBillericaformorethan35yearsandattendedBillericaPublicSchools.MydaughterRebeccaisintheeighthgradeattheMarshallSchool.

Beinginvolvedandgivingbacktoourcommunityisextremelyimportant.Foracompletelistofmycommunityinvolvement,pleasevisitmywebsite:www.sandragiroux.com.

Theremustbeastandardofexcellence …>> Continued on www.TheBillericaGreen.com

bringing biLLeriCA togetherPaul Marasco,BoardofSelectmenCandidate

In these uncertain economic times, town government must control costs whereverpossible. Solutions can be found in operational savings, boosting efficiency and makingleadershipanintegralpartofourtown’sbusinessprocesses.It’saboutbringingbalancebacktotowngovernmentthatresultsinbringingBillericatogether!!!

IwanttorestoreyourconfidenceinourBoardofSelectman.Forme,it’saboutleadershipthatfostersteamworkthatgetsthings …>> Continued on www.TheBillericaGreen.com

Marie Blanchette,CandidateforSchoolCommitteeMycandidacybringsabroadrangeofexperiencetothiscampaign.Ihaveservedasan

electedPlanningBoardmember,onourFinanceCommittee,aTownMeetingmemberformanyyears,andforthepastnineyearsonourSchoolCommittee.IampresentlyservingasChairpersonoftheCommittee.

IhavedemonstratedanabilitytoaskhardquestionsoftheAdministrationandhavebeenanindependentvoiceontheCommittee. …>> Continued on www.TheBillericaGreen.com

independenCe, dediCAtion And professionALism

Meet Your candidates!OOOOO Now, you can get the rest of the story online. OOOOO


Parents and teens preparing for theirlicensesneed the factsaboutwhat is facingthemoutontheroadandtheygotjustthatfromlocalexpertsatarecentfreeteendrivingworkshop.

Michael Larocque, Owner of the newBillerica Driving School, explained that indriver’s education, classroom time preparesthe students for their permit/license testwhilethetimebehindthewheelgivesthemexperience with becoming safe, courteousandresponsibledriversbeingthefocus.

“It’snottheage,it’stheexperience,”saidLarocque.

Larocquetouchedonthethreebigissuestoconsiderasateendriver-seatbelts,alcohol,andcellphones.Wearingseatbelts,designedto prevent the drivers and passengers fromviolentlyhittingthedashboardorfrombeingejected,arethelaw.Asforalcohol,statisticsshowthatoneteendieseveryweekendasaresult of alcohol abuse. Larocque pointedout that anyone who is under age shouldnottransportalcoholever.Lastly,Larocqueexplained dangerous cell phone use in carshas reached epidemic levels. 1.6 millionaccidentsintheUSAarecausedbycellphoneuse.Larocquenotedwhenteens’areonthephone,theirmindsarenotontheroad.

“Talkingortextingonthecellisequatedtoa.08bloodalcoholcontent,”saidLarocque.

Insurance requirements must also be aconsiderationforparentswhenanewdriverisaddedtothehousehold.LaurieMancinelliand Cindy Traverso, Owners of MTMBrainerd Insurance, outlined what parents

shouldplanfor.Mancinelliexplainedratesarehigherfor

a new driver and a speeding ticket, whichstaysonayoungdriver’srecordforsixyears,willincreasecosts.Thetypeofcartheteenisdrivingisaconsiderationwhenratesareset.

“Don’tgooutandbuyanewcar,” saidMancinelli.“Callyouragentfirst.”

Mancinelli outlined available discountsincluding driver’s ed, advanced drivertraining, and the good student discount,which applies to any student with a”B” orbetter average. Traverso pointed out thatminimally, parents can probably expect tosee an increase of about $800 per year ontheirinsuranceregardless.

Sargent Martin Conway from theBillerica Police department reported thereare bills being passed which would bantextingandwouldonlyallowhandsfreecellphone calls in the car. Conway urged theteens to raise their awarenesson the roads.He recommended to look at other driverswhilewaitingat a red light.Sooften, evenexperienceddriversarenotpayingattention.Conway has seen people reading, shavingandputtingonmakeupbehindthewheel.Conwayexplainedtherehavebeenmultiplecaraccidentsintownduetoinattentiveness

“Everyonehasitintheirmindthattheyaregooddrivers,”saidConway.“Youthinkyou’re invincible and think, ‘I know I candrive’butyou’renot.”

Conway handles ticket appeals at thedistrict court andexplained the costof theticket,whichcangetto$100ormore,withup to $50 more in fees tacked on. Even iffound ‘not responsible’, the appellate doesnot get a refund and can wait up to sixmonths for a re-instatement class. Conwayadded that drag racing can raise a licensesuspensionoveroneyear.

Conway handed out Registry of MotorVehicles packets and encouraged everyoneto sign the Junior Operator Contract whichstates both parties will follow through withlaws, be safe and supportive. One item wastheparentsagreementtopickuptheirteenifthey can’t drive home. Conway pointed outparentsdon’tmindgoingtoapartytogettheirchildbutaren’tpleasedwhentheygetcalledtothestation.Ofcourse,Conwaysaidthiswasalwaysbetterthantheworstcasescenario.

“On a few occasions I had to go to aparent’s home to tell them their child wasnotcominghome.”saidConway.

getting reAdy to drive: teen Workshop outLines ruLes of the roAd

Junior Operator (Anyone under the age of 18)

Law Highlights:• Passenger Restrictions: No one

under 18 can be in the car with a junior operator for the first 6 months after they get their license.

• Nighttime Restrictions: No one under 18 can drive between 12:30 and 5 am.

• Speeding: For one ticket, anyone under 18 will lose their license, pay a $100 fine, be required to take an attitudinal restructuring class, retake their permit test, and pay a $500 re-instatement fee.

Have you ever had this great dream tohaveyourownbusiness,butyoudon’tquitehave enough funds, so youdo the obviousandfindapartner?Soundlikeagreatidea?Maybe they have something to help youand you have something to help them.Everything iswonderfulandbeautifulwithflowersbloomingand littlebluebirdsflyingaround your head. Everything is perfectuntilthebluebirdofhappinesscrapsonyourhead.

Now,I’mnotsayingthisalwayshappensbutitdoesalot.Eventhoughyou’veknownsomeone forever and you trust them withyourlifedoesn’tmeanthey’llbeeasytoworkwith.Ifyoushouldembarkonthisadventure,makesureyourlawyerdrawsupallofyourpaperworkandcrossesallthe“t’s”anddotsallthe“i’s”.Thatwayyoucanavoidanylittlesurprises, like finding out your partner hasdrainedthebankaccountandleft$1 in it.That’sneverpleasanttofind.

Thenthere’stheoptionofansweringanad for someone looking for a partner.Doyourhomework.Checkouttheperson.Arethey in debt? Are they going to take youto the cleaners? Believe me, you won’t geta freshly starched shirtoutof thedeal.Do

you like them?ImeanREALLYlike them.Wouldyouhangoutwith themoutsideofwork?Iftheanswerisno,thenIguesstheyareverydifferentfromyouanditwon’twork.Do they have the same ethics as you? No,Idon’tmeanyouare aveganand they’re acarnivore.Imeandotheyapproachbusinessthesamewayasyou?Forinstance,youpaytaxesandtheydon’t.I’mgoingtogooutonalimbheretosaythat’sgoingtobeaproblem.Ithappens.

Now, justbecause someone isdifferent,doesn’t mean it won’t work. It could giveyou a fresh new perspective. It could openupaworldofnew ideas andopportunitiesbutthatbringsmebacktoethicsagain.Newideas are wonderful. They help you growand make you think. However, if you twoarecompletelyatoddsabouthowtorunthebusinessandyoucan’tcompromise, I say“Run,Forrest,Run!”

Partnerships are tricky business andsometimes dirty business. Sometimes theyworkfamouslybutdon’tbehasty.Doyourhomeworkandwearahat,justincasethatbluebirdofhappinessdecidestogiveyouanextraspecialpresent.

to pArtner or not to pArtner:

Pet Peeves•By Nora Fiore

The Greater Lowell Chamber ofCommerce held another successful TownBusinessDayatour townhall inFebruary.Speakers from state agencies and townoffices were on hand to offer support andshare information with the more than 30individuals and businesses who attended.UMassDesigncampandZiptivity.

>> For the complete story, visit www.TheBillericaGreen.com.


If you are already own or are thinkingof starting a small business, there are greatresources available to support you. Manypeoplearenotawareof theseopportunities,soherearesomeyoumaywanttoconsider.

TheMassachusettsofficeoftheUSSmallBusinessAdministration (SBA) is located inBoston.TheSBAwascreatedin1953asanindependentagencyofthefederalgovernment.Their objective is to aid and assist smallbusinessconcerns.Sincethevastmajorityofbusinesses inMassachusettsandmanyotherstatesaresmallbusinesses,theirroleiskeytotheeconomy.Amongtheservicestheyofferare technical assistance, financial assistanceand disaster assistance. In addition theyprovide supportonhelping smallbusinessesbecome government contractors. Theyalsooffer assistance to special interestgroupbusiness owners such as women, veterans,Native Americans and young entrepreneurs.For more information, visit their website atwww.sba.gov or call their Boston office at617-565-5590.

For service that offers tremendous localvaluetosmallbusinesses,looknofurtherthantheLowellSmallBusinessAssistanceCenter.ThecenterisacollaborativeofUMass-Lowell,MiddlesexCommunityCollegeandtheCityof Lowell and is under the CommunityTeamworkumbrella of services. Located indowntown Lowell, the agency is celebratingitstenthyearofoperationduringwhichithasassistedhundredsofclients.Thecenteroffersentrepreneurial training, crisis interventions,seminarsandindividualcounseling.Aspartoftheirentrepreneurialonlinetraining,theyhaveanonlineorliveclasscalled‘RightStart’whichprovidesasolideducationalfoundationthrough three hour modules like Intro toBusiness,Marketing,BookkeepingandTaxes,

and Business Law. Other seminar topicsofferedbythecenterincludeinventorycontrol,business plan development, and protectingintellectualproperty.TolearnmoreabouttheLowellSmallBusinessAssistanceCenter,seetheirwebsiteatwww.lowellsmallbusiness.orgorcallthemat978-3��-8400.

TheNortheastofficeoftheMassachusettsSmallBusinessDevelopmentCenter(SBDC)located at the Enterprise Center at SalemState College provides business counselingandadvisingatboththis siteandatvariousother locations in the area. They also offermany Business Workshops, most of whicharefree.UpcomingworkshopstopicsincludeTrends in Social Media, Web and InternetMarketingBasics,EffectiveEmailMarketingandFinancingYourBusiness.TolearnmoreabouttheSBDC,visittheirwebsiteatsbdc.salemstate.eduorcallthemat978-54�-6343.

SCORE known as the “Counselors ofAmerica’s Small Business Owners” are anational association dedicated to helpingsmall business owners form and grow theirbusinesses. SCORE is headquartered inVirginiaandWashingtonD.C.,andhasover350 chapters in the United States. TheyhavepartneredwiththeU.S.SmallBusinessAdministration (SBA) and have been inexistencesince1964.SCOREhasover1�,000volunteersnationwidewhoworkwith smallbusiness clients. In addition to individualcounseling, they offer online workshopsandwebinarsonavarietyofbusiness topicsfrom starting or growing your business, tofinancing, marketing and technology. Youcan also use their website at www.score.org.tofindalocalmentorforcounseling.

Pat Zapert is the Executive Director of The Billerica Community Alliance.

smALL business support

Business to Business•By Pat Zapert

OnFeb.11,morethan70coupleswho’vebeenmarried50yearsormorecametoenjoytheSweetheartDinnerDancesponsoredbytheBillericaCommunityAlliance.Inadditiontodelicioussitdowndinner, couples renewed their vows, and received proclamationsfromStateRep.BillGreeneandourSelectmen.


What’sComingInApril:

BillericaPublicLibrary:Abiganniversaryandaexcitingscavengerhuntmakeourpubliclibrarytheplacetovisitthisspring.

TownMeetingHistory:Howwasourlocalgovernmentformed?Howaredecisionsmade?HearfromTownMeetingRepswhorememberwhen...

HeartfeltStories:Singers.Survivors.Athletes.They’reallhereandwe’lltellyouallaboutthem.

WeRemember:Oursoldiersmadetheultimatesacrifice.ReadabouthowBillericakeepstheirmemoryalive.

CaptionContestWinnerAnnounced!SubmityourCaption.Detailsonpage18.

I got a call the other day from a loyalreader (and friend) about an online K.D.LangperformanceofLeonardCohen’s1984track,“Hallelujah”.SaidMrs.D,“Iwatchedittwice-criedbothtimes!”Hmmm,alyricallyabstract song with a brutally repetitivechorusthatsomehowhasthepowertobringasanepersontotears.ThislookslikeajobforGeneralSound!

Thehistoryofthepieceisascomplexastheemotionsit invokes.Originallyreleasedon Cohen’s 1984 studio album “VariousPositions” the song received limited praise.However,inrecentyearshasbeenperformedby more than �00 artists and has becomeCohen’smostcoveredsong.

It isatthispoint(ifyoucan’trecallthesong) that you may want to set down theBillericaGreen(don’tpanicitwill justtakeaminute)andtypethefollowingkeywordsinto the search bar at www.youtube.com;Lang Hallelujah Juno. You will no doubtseeathumbnailoftheeclecticartistlookingabitominous ina longdark robe.At thatpoint,turnupthespeakers,tellthechildrento give you 5 minutes and then simply…enjoy. Singer Anjani Thomas called Lang’sperformance “the ultimate blissful state ofperfection.”Icouldn’tagreemore.

Whileonthewebvisitwww.kinagrannis.com.Thistalentednewcomerhasjustreleasedher4thalbumandhervoiceandguitarskillsareoutstanding.Thereisasearchbarwhereyou can find “Hallelujah” which, despite apersonal message from the artist mid-waythrough,isverynice.

Other artists who have covered what isnowoneofmyfavoritesongsareJohnCale,Jeff Buckley, Allison Crowe, Bob Dylan,Brandi Carlile,Willie Nelson, Alter Bridge(Myles Kennedy), Bono, Alexandra BurkeandRufasWainwright(whichbythewaywaspart of the soundtrack to the animatedhit“Shrek”.)Thecurrentband“FallOutBoy”also incorporated the tune into their song“Hum Hallelujah” in their album “InfinityonHigh”.

OnJanuary��,�010,JustinTimberlakeand Matt Morris performed a duet of“Hallelujah”withCharlie Sextonon guitarin a live performance broadcast worldwideduring the “Hope for Haiti Now” charitytelethon.TheperformancehasbeenreleasedaspartofanalbumoniTunes.Theproceedsfromwhicharedonatedtothecharity.

“What about the title reference to theHuskies?” you ask. Well, that’s just a littleshoutouttomyBYBG5/6basketballteamwho just finished an outstanding seasonandhadagreattimealongtheway.Mollie,Holly, Katia, Hannah, Katelyn, Emily,Kerrie, Angela, Kathryn, Haley and mypower forward, Ameerah. You girls are thebest!Thanksforagreatseason.Hallelujah!

General Sound Entertainment has been providing clean, upbeat entertainment for the people of Billerica for almost two decades! To inquire about quality entertainment, Videography or Photography for your next event he can be reached at 508-572-6880, on the web at www.generalsound.com, or by email at [email protected]

“hALLeLujAh” And the huskies

Notes from General Sound•By Todd Dellaporta

Start a Relay For Life Team!

American Cancer Society Relay For Life of BillericaJune 12-13, 2010Boys & Girls Club of Greater Billerica19 Campbell Road, Billerica

Our community is joining together to celebrate survivors and caregivers, remember loved ones, and fight back against cancer at Relay For Life. During Relay teams take turns walking around a track overnight while raising funds for the American Cancer Society to help people stay well, get well, find cures, and fight back. Special activities, ceremonies and entertainment make it a fun and moving experience for everyone.

For more details contact Erik Langhoff at your American Cancer Society at 781-314-2646 or visit relayforlife.org/billericama.

Get ontrack to ght cancer

March 2010 designed and illustrated by Tony Luongo

Documents

Transcript of March 2010 designed and illustrated by Tony Luongo