Sturbridge 7-27-07
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Mailed free to requesting homes in Sturbridge, Brimfield, Holland and Wales Vol. 4, No. 23 COMPLIMENTARY HOME DELIVERY ONLINE: WWW.STURBRIDGEVILLAGER.NET ‘He is able who thinks he is able.’ Friday, June 4, 2010 Honoring the fallen ‘WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES’ BY CHRISTOPHER TANGUAY tion,” Briere said, quoting VILLAGER STAFF WRITER Lincoln’s words. “That we STURBRIDGE — On Nov.19, here highly resolve that these 1863, President Abraham dead shall not have died in Lincoln delivered a 278-word vain.” speech to a crowd gathered on Sturbridge Veterans Agent the bloodiest battleground of and Champeau-Vilandre the Civil War, Gettysburg. American Legion Post 109 Fighting off a mild case of Commander Thomas smallpox just to appear in that Chamberland, also an Air Pennsylvania town to com- Force veteran, led the town’s memorate and honor the sacri- Memorial Day festivities. fices made on that battlefield, Chamberland said Briere’s Lincoln’s words have since words were particularly inspired Americans to honor poignant at North Cemetery. the sacrifices of its war dead — “Here, at North Cemetery,” and never forget them. he said, “we have interred the On Monday — Memorial Day remains of our Civil War vet- — Robert Briere, a veteran of erans.” the U.S. Air Force, delivered The town’s overall Christopher Tanguay photos that same address at Memorial Day remem- The Sturbridge Militia fire a ceremonial salute in honor of fallen soldiers. Sturbridge’s North Cemetery, brances took place all week- inspiring the town, as Lincoln end, beginning with a veter- had, to never forget the sacri- ans breakfast and ceremony Monday’s parade stepped off and concluded at the Town fices made by men and women at Tantasqua Regional Junior around 10 a.m., making stops Common. wearing the uniforms of this High School and Memorial ay at the American Legion and St. In neighboring Holland, a country. assembly at Burgess Anne’s Cemetery for cere- couple dozen people gathered “From these honored dead, Elementary School on Friday monies. outside the town’s elementary Jack and Debra Booth, parents of the late Marine 1st Lt. Joshua we take increased devotion to and a special Memorial Day The parade reconvened at school, to place a wreath at the L. Booth, read the names of the six gold star soldiers from that cause for which they gave service at Sturbridge the Public Safety Complex, and Turn To MEMORIAL, page A12 Sturbridge. the last full measure of devo- Federated Church on Sunday. proceeded to North Cemetery Area students take a history tour BURGESS ALUMNI, 4-H MEMBERS EXAMINE THE PAST BY RYAN GRANNAN-DOLL STONEBRIDGE PRESS STAFF WRITER Area residents traveled back in time last week. Around 20 former Burgess Elementary School students unearthed a time capsule they helped bury on June 18, 1976, to rediscover memories of their time at the school and of their genera- tion. At 10 a.m., current and former students gathered on a grassy area outside the school to dig up the cap- sule, a metallic yellow canister, and soon found some interesting items. What was in the capsule? An old Christopher Tanguay photo menu from the former Rom’s restau- Selectman James Wettlaufer, right, applauds while Earl Johnson, left, shakes hands rant in Sturbridge, collages depict- with state Rep. Todd Smola, R-Palmer, as he receives a citation from the General ing sports, a wet pair of red canvas Court honoring his service to Holland town government. shoes and an old lunch box — among other items. Former student Keith Douty RYAN GRANNAN-DOLL PHOTOS smiled at the orange T-shirt depict- 32.jpg: Holland resident Keith Douty displays the T-shirt depicting Fonzie, from the ing Fonzie from the television show “Happy Days,” that he buried in the time capsule in 1976. “Happy Days.” Douty, a 1984 gradu- Holland voters nix Burgess teacher Geoff Earls, who bantered about the fate of their cap- ate and now a Holland resident, said retired in 2006. About 120 fourth- sule. he enjoyed seeing the shirt again. grade students buried the time cap- “We’ve always talked about break- “[The show] was the big thing back sule on a Saturday as part of their ing into Burgess and digging up the then,” he said. “It is still in decent idea to spruce up the once-barren time capsule,” Chris Tierigrad, a senior housing shape. I was shocked.” area. The students also planted trees 1978 graduate of the school who par- Today’s Burgess students loved and benches that still stand today ticipated in the project. “We’ve had seeing the relics of the past and said were also installed, Earls said. it on our minds all these years.” they now want to bury their own. SELECTMAN JOHNSON Thirty-four years later, Earls said, Some are 4-H club members “It is amazing,” said fourth-grad- the items were a sight to see, espe- reached further back into history er Alicia Geer. “It’s been from so HONORED FOR SERVICE cially some of the fashions. Thursday, May 27 when they re- long ago. It is like burying someone “It’s a riot to see how everyone enacted various eras of history at and them coming back to life.” dressed,” he said. the Hitchcock Academy in BY CHRISTOPHER TANGUAY The capsule was buried as part of build multiple wells that would be The event was the capstone of VILLAGE STAFF WRITER a larger project, according to former able to sustain the housing develop- years past when former students Turn To TIME CAPSULE, page A11 HOLLAND — A proposed senior ment and the Senior Center, was housing project was resoundingly defeated by a 25-41 vote. defeated by a nearly 2-1 margin The next article sought a similar Tuesday at Holland’s Annual Town easement for maintenance of storm Meeting. water overflow drains and other Grant boosts trolley trail Three separate articles would water related equipment, and was have had to passed at the meeting in defeated 21-43. order to allow the 16 variances need- The third article pertaining to the BY CHRISTOPHER TANGUAY making the passage between 80 mile trail linking Blackstone to ed for the would be development, proposed housing development VILLAGER STAFF WRITER Holland Road and the Quinebaug the Pioneer Valley via reclaimed which would have included 20 hous- sought permission for the STURBRIDGE — It’s long out of River walkable, the trail has sat rel- rail beds, primarily of the defunct ing units on two acres of land Selectmen to enter into a 99-year reach of anyone’s memory since a atively dormant for 15 plus years. Grand Trunk Railroad. behind the Senior Center and adja- lease of the two-acre parcel, and was trolley car last rolled through Now, thanks to a grant awarded to Former president of the Lions cent to the cemetery for low income shot down 22-41. Sturbridge. the Sturbridge Trails Committee by Club Robert Briere recalled build- seniors and disabled people. Resident Peter Frei suggested the One of the last remaining trolley the Last Green Valley, the Old ing the trail, a process in which he The first article, which sought an town offer to buy out the neighbor- beds town was reclaimed as a walk- Trolley Line Walking Trail is about was an instrumental part. easement from the Board of ing property to increase the size of ing trail in 1992 by volunteers from to have some new life breathed into “From the bridge on Holland Selectmen and the Cemetery the overall parcel so the wells and the Lions Club. Despite the dedica- it. The area will become part of the Commission to HAP Inc. in order to Turn To JOHNSON, page A11 tion of a small group of people in contiguous Grand Trunk Trail — an Turn To LGV, page A11 ALMANAC ..............2 SPORTS POLICE LOGS ..........5 LOCAL VILLAGER TRIVIA CALENDAR .............5 WARRIORS WIN, Who said, “I’m the president OPINION ..............10 VETS HONORED of the United States and I’m AWAIT POSTSEASON not going to eat any more broc- OBITUARIES ..........15 PAGE 3 coli”? PAGE 14 Answer inside. INSIDE SPORTS ..........14-15 2 STURBRIDGE VILLAGER • Friday, June 4, 2010 Regional police purchasing effort saves money VILLAGER ALMANAC LEICESTER — When Leicester Police Chief James Hurley recently arrived at work, he found a note left by one of the officers indicat- OPEN TO CLOSE ing the department’s supply of highway flares HOLLAND: 413-245-7108 was getting low. Mon – Thurs 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and The chief did not think twice about the 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. issue; it was simple task to order four cases of flares. All that needed to be done to stay in com- FISKDALE: 508-347-6486 pliance with public purchasing laws was to get Weekdays 9:00-4:30 and Sat. 9:00 -12:00 a couple of quotes and use sound business STURBRIDGE 508-347-6463 practices in making the purchase. It sounded Weekdays 8:30 – 5:00 and Sat. 9:00 -12:00 easy, but what the chief would find out is that it would not be as easy as it sounded. BRIMFIELD: 413-245-3451 Hurley contacted area vendors for quotes Weekdays: 9:00 – 4:30 and Sat. 9:00 -12:00 and found the price of flares ranged from $83 to WALES: 413-245-9808 $99 per case, and that because of the shipping Weekdays 8:30 – 12:30 and 2:00 – 4:30 and requirement for flares the shipping cost would Sat. 9:00 – 12:00 be $100 per order.