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Thurs. & Fri 10-8 • Wed & Sat 10-5 • Sun 12-5 Mailed free to requesting homes in East Brookfield, West Brookfield, North Brookfield, Brookfield, Leicester and Spencer Vol. XXXVI, No. 31 COMPLIMENTARY HOME DELIVERY ONLINE: WWW.SPENCERNEWLEADER.COM Friday, July 31, 2015 THIS WEEK’S QUOTE Service dogs lend an ear for reading program “Be honorable yourself if you ‘A LOT OF CHILDREN DON’T ENJOY READING … IT wish to associate DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY’ with honorable people.” BY KEVIN FLANDERS Poodles at Work, Inc. NEWS STAFF WRITER On Thursday, Gartner brought two of her Welsh Proverb SPENCER — For kids struggling with specially trained service poodles, Dandy and their confidence in reading or public speak- Charlie, for a fun and educational afternoon ing, it often helps to read to someone who with the kids. Charlie, 10, has been Gartner’s won’t judge or correct them. And what better demonstration dog for many years, while audience members for such a situation than 2-year-old Dandy is almost ready to graduate INSIDE a few four-legged friends? and become an official service dog eager to Obituaries .................B2 Last Thursday, July 23, area kids were help someone in need. once again able to read to service dogs as “A lot of children don’t enjoy reading Our Towns ................B4 Kevin Flanders photo part of Richard Sugden Library’s Paws to because they are embarrassed or fearful, and Calendar...................B5 Jillian Gartner, of American Poodles at Work, Pages program. The weekly sessions are it doesn’t have to be that way,” Gartner said. Public Meetings ......... A attends a weekly Paws to Pages program at made possible by Jillian Gartner, the found- Richard Sugden Library. er and director of Spencer-based American Turn To SERVICE DOGS, page A14 Classroom Corner ....... A Viewpoint .............. A7-8 Police Logs............. A18 Sports ...............A10-12 Hunger battle continues LOCAL across state BY KEVIN FLANDERS while school is in session thanks to NEWS STAFF WRITER low-cost school meals, but the summer SPENCER — About 60,000 children will months pose unique challenges to the enjoy free breakfasts, lunches, snacks, parents of more than 400,000 children or dinners this summer at more than 900 across Massachusetts who qualify for free Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) or low-cost meals during the school year. sites across the state, including a venue “For the many families in our com- in town. munity relying on free and reduced The SFSP is administered by the breakfast and lunch programs during Massachusetts Department of Elementary the school year, this program is vital to and Secondary Education, with sup- them when the summer comes and they There’s always a port from the Child Nutrition Outreach suddenly need to provide those meals story to tell Program at Project Bread. Officials at themselves,” said Robin Sundquist, the Page A3 Project Bread recently announced the Food Service director for Spencer-East disbursement of grants totaling $100,000 Brookfield Regional School District. for local communities. The SFSP is a federally funded nutri- Courtesy photo SPORTS The need for food assistance during the tion program that provides meals at no New to You Thrift Shop volunteer Katharine Doyle helps summer months is an often overlooked cost to children ages eighteen and under organize the toy section. The shop recently celebrated issue, SFSP officials said. Children have its first anniversary of operation. access to quality nutrition programs Turn To FOOD PRGRAM, page A18 FULL ARMOR The business of West Brookfield giving back hosts sixth CHURCH THRIFT SHOP annual Quaboag Plantation CELEBRATES ANNIVERSARY Triathlon BY KEVIN FLANDERS Page A10 NEWS STAFF WRITER LEICESTER — St. Joseph-St. Pius X Parish recently celebrated the first anniversary of its thrift shop’s opening. And if the early returns are OPINION any indication of what’s to come over the next few years, the shop is in for a long and successful run. GET YOUR The church’s New to You Thrift Shop first POINT ACROSS opened last July. Since then, volunteers have been PAGE A7-8 busily stocking gently used clothing and shoes, household goods and furniture, books and toys, and electronics, among other donated items. The POLICE LOGS volunteers sort, clean, display and sell items on Tuesdays from 5-7 p.m., as well as on Wednesdays PAGE A18 Courtesy photo and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon. WEST BROOKFIELD — For the 20th year, Jane Higgins ran a summer arts pro- The idea for the shop was first sparked in the gram for the West Brookfield Recreation Department. Several volunteers from local fall of 2013, when Rev. Robert Loftus, the pastor of schools, including DPHS, helped make the program an enjoyable experience for the St. Joseph-St. Pius X Parish, approached Leicester kids this year. Pictured, the kids show off armor of their own creation. For more Food Pantry Director and church member Cheryl photos, turn to page A9! Turn To THRIFT SHOP, page A14 2 SPENCER NEW LEADER • Friday, July 31, 2015 Kayak for a Cause to return for fourth year BY OLIVIA RICHMAN of boats — to the lake, but many money and get to know the Warrior Project was the per- starting Kayak for a Cause, she NEWS STAFF WRITER people go above and beyond the other people who lived on the fect organization for Kayak for also strongly believes that it’s STURBRIDGE — What could minimum donation. lake. It was met with enthusi- a Cure.” a day for the community to get be better than enjoying a com- “Some people pay $10 for a asm. One hundred percent of the together and have fun. fortable, cool summer morn- boat, but a lot of people donate Seipz and her husband, donations collected will be “It’s a really pretty picture, ing with friends out on Cedar even more,” said Cedar Lake Timothy, have always been going to the Wounded Warrior all the kayaks getting into the Lake? What if relaxing and hav- Association member and event volunteers and given back to Project. lake,” she said. “It’s so beauti- ing fun out on the lake helped organizer Jane Seipz. “A fam- the community. She thinks it’s “The military keeps us safe ful. It’s not a race. It’s just a fun raise money for the Wounded ily who lost their mother to important to give back and that every day,” said Seipz. “Too day. Grandmothers, grandfa- Warriors Project? Cedar Lake Alzheimer’s disease donated everyone will benefit from it. often, people forget there’s a thers, grandchildren — all age Association’s fourth annual an extra $500. A man’s father She volunteers on the Cedar price to pay for that. A lot of groups can enjoy it. There’s no Kayak for a Cause will take was a veteran so he donated Lake Association and other our veterans come back and requirements for how far you place on Sunday, Aug. 2. $100. Organizations that can’t organizations around town. have a hard time adapting to have to paddle or how fast you In the past, Kayak for a make it will still leave a dona- Another thing the Seipzes life back in their communi- have to go. Every year it’s been Cause has raised money for tion. Some people that win the have always supported was the ty. Some of them come back better and better.” Alzheimer’s disease, autism 50/50 raffle put it back into the military. and don’t have a job anymore. Registration begins at 8:30 and diabetes. This year the organization.” “My husband and I are vol- Some of them are not able to a.m. Kayak for a Cause leaves focus is on war veterans. All Back when Seipz moved onto unteers for Family Services do their former job because of from Sturbridge Host Hotel’s proceeds will go to the Wounded the lake in 2007 she saw a lot at the International Guard, a physical or mental injury. I Host Beach. Warriors Project, which will of potential in Cedar Lake. 103rd Air Lift Wing branch want to add even more support For more information visit help purchase prosthetics and She joined the Cedar Lake at the Bradley International to whatever support they are cedarlakeassocation.org.