Volunteer Effort Restores Skate Park to Former Glory
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Call Diane Dabrowski, Realtor Expert seller and buyer representation in our community for over 26 years 31B Main St., Charlton, Next to Town Hall 508-479-2340 www.DianeDabrowski.com Mailed free to requesting homes in Charlton, Charlton City and Charlton Depot Vol. IX, No. 27 COMPLIMENTARY HOME DELIVERY ONLINE: WWW.CHARLTONVILLAGER.COM Friday, July 1, 2016 Volunteer effort restores skate park THIS WEEK’S QUOTE to former glory PROJECT ‘SHOws THAT PEOPLE DO CARE “The highest proof of virtue is to possess ABOUT THE COMMUNITY’ boundless power without abusing it.” BY OLIVIA RICHMAN Olivia Richman photo NEWS STAFF WRITER Jesenia Gonzalez with the hair she will be donating to Lord Macaulay SOUTHBRIDGE — When Pro BMX Children With Hair Loss. Said Gonzalez: “I feel very good. I Ramp Rider Airin Roso recently vis- am going to grow it out and then donate it again. I want to ited Joe Capillo Park with his daugh- keep doing it.” ter, he was horrified by what he EDITOR’S saw — graffiti, garbage everywhere, things broken and destroyed. OFFICE HOURS Earlier in the month, Roso and a Lending a few local teenagers started to clean MONDAYS 12-5 up the park and fix the ramps, which Roso had built himself 20 years ago, WEDNESDAYS 1-5 and he hopes to raise money to com- helping hair FRIDAYS 1-5 pletely renovate the park in mem- ory of Southbridge resident Steven Howe, who recently passed away SOUTHBRIDGE GIRL DONATES LOCKS from cancer. “The ramps were completely TO CHILDREN WITH HAIR LOSS INSIDE neglected,” recalled Roso, who spent Almanac ....................... 2 three weeks and counting picking up paper and other litter around the BY OLIVIA RICHMAN could inspire other chil- Obituaries ..................... 7 Photo courtesy Airin Roso skate park. “These ramps weren’t NEWS STAFF WRITER dren — and even adults Police Logs ................... 9 Airin Roso with one of the most famous BMX SOUTHBRIDGE — to do the same. Most Opinion .......................10 riders, Matt Hoffman. people probably just cut Please Read SKATE, page A9 — Nine-year-old Learning .....................11 Southbridge resident it and throw it into the Calendar .....................11 Jesenia Gonzalez recent- garbage anyway. If it can ly received a much-need- help someone, do it.” Real Estate ........ B Sect. ed haircut … for a cause. Olivia Richman sat Sports ....................14-15 A FEARSOME FOURSOME Gonzalez had 12 inches down with the father and of her hair cut off and daughter to discuss her sent to Children With new hair and her excite- LOCAL Hair Loss. Her proud ment over helping oth- father, Richard, said he ers. wanted to spread the word about his daugh- How long was your ter’s choice in hopes of hair? inspiring other children to also give back when Jesenia: “It was past they can. my butt. If it was wet it “Ever since she was a would go even longer. little girl we always dis- Richard: “We cut like cussed her growing her 12 inches off.” Churches join hair out to help anoth- Photo courtesy Jenn Spangenberg er kid who may need What did you think hands to bring CHARLTON — On Saturday, June 18, KARL STORZ held their 6th Annual it more,” said Richard. when your dad sug- gardens to Golf Tournament Fundraiser at the Leicester Country Club, complete with “Her hair finally reached gested cutting your warm weather and a sunny forecast, netting more than $11,500 for Dana the required length so hair for Children With community Farber and the Jimmy Fund. Pictured is the W.B. Mason, which team won we went over to Finally Hair Loss? the golf tournament two years ago. For more photos, turn to page A4! Lisa’s. The owner said it Page A3 would be a good idea to talk about it because it Please Read HAIR, page A9 LOCAL A nice distraction from life’s hustle and bustle KNITTERS UNITE FOR SPECIAL DAY IN SOUTHBRIDGE BY OLIVIA RICHMAN the world. It was just NEWS STAFF WRITER so nice,” said Event SOUTHBRIDGE — Organizer Barbara Softball game pays Southbridge partic- Day. “It was so much ipated in World Wide fun.” tribute to the late, Knit in Public Day The 12 knitters on Saturday, June 11. consistently knitted great Carl Beane Around a dozen or so throughout the morn- knitters made them- ing and afternoon, even Page A5 selves comfy in the catching the attention gazebo on the Town of a few residents who Common that warm, stopped in to see what sunny day, sponsored the group was up to and SPORTS by the Jacob Edwards show their support. Library. While all of the par- “It was nice to sit and ticipants were working knit all those hours — on individual projects, Photos courtesy Margaret Morrissey no phone, no distrac- it didn’t stop them from tions from the rest of Although most people knit alone, Barbara Day said it’s fun to socialize while knitting. Please Read KNITTING, page A17 Summer reading programs in full swing in area towns BY OLIVIA RICHMAN The national theme and adults — so entire patrons, local businesses want people to come to Three-run third NEWS STAFF WRITER this summer is “Sports, families can participate. and groups in town. the library and experi- Local libraries have Fitness & Wellness.” Children earn raffle tick- “We want everyone to ence our programs and helps Sturbridge begun their annual sum- The Charlton Public ets by reading a certain keep reading, especial- everything else we have Legion top mer reading programs, Library started their amount of minutes, while ly kids and teens. While here.” offering events and activ- reading program on adult are rewarded raf- they’re not in school, this For children, there will Cherry Valley, ities all summer long, as Tuesday, June 21. The fle tickets for the amount program gives them a be many events at the well as prizes for chil- library is offering a of pages they read. The reason to keep reading library all summer long. 4-1 dren, teens and adults reading program for all raffle prizes can be used through the summer,” There will be concerts, Page A14 who consistently read age groups — babies, on gifts at the library, said Children’s Librarian story times, a magic each month. toddlers, kids, teens which were donated by Molly Garlick. “We also Please Read READING, page A12 2 •THE CHARLTON VILLAGER• Friday, July 1, 2016 www.charltonvillager.com Town formulating plan to repair municipal buildings BY OLIVIA RICHMAN to make decisions on what needs to be addressed NEWS STAFF WRITER immediately and what we need to plan for in the SOUTHBRIDGE — The town recently released future.” a Facilities Management Report, detailing over While every municipal building in town faced $17 million worth of repairs and maintenance that multiple issues, the two biggest concerns for needs to be done to the town’s municipal buildings Southbridge were the fire station and the dog over the next 10 years. pound. According to San Angelo, the fire station is Town Manager Ron San Angelo was able to “old, outdated and in horrible shape.” The costs to secure a $30,000 grant from the state to develop the fix the current fire station are so great that it actu- plan, which will act as a guide for the next decade, ally costs less to build a new one. A plan is already the first time in many years that Southbridge has being drawn up for a new fire station. had a long-term plan for their buildings. “If it had been fixed over the years we probably “Throughout Massachusetts and the country, wouldn’t be in this situation,” stated San Angelo. there are so many towns failing to plan for the long “But this is the kind of thing the report stops from term,” said San Angelo. “They save on tax money happening — it’s a cost saving measure. We are by not fixing buildings and infrastructure. The going to try to focus money every year to fix our buildings keep deteriorating until they need to be buildings and keep them in shape and repair what replaced, which costs the taxpayers three times as we can.” much or more in the long run.” As town manager, San Angelo said it’s his job According to Acting DPW Director Heather to fix the town’s weaknesses. The lack of planning Blakeley, nothing in the report came back as a for maintaining the town facilities was one major shock. In fact, Blakeley said she was very aware weakness that stood out to San Angelo within the of most of the items in the report since she was the first year. Having a plan “is the fiscally respon- one who pointed them out herself in the past. sible thing to do,” he explained. “My goal here is “We are aware of the con- to make the town have better planning in place. ditions of the buildings but This is a planning tool. It gives us a blueprint to we have not had available see where we should be investing money through- funding to maintain them out the years. It’s a huge thing for the town and it at the funding needed,” she shows the Town Council in clear language where explained. “A lot of them are the problems in town are. Each year we can allo- over 50 and 100 years old. By cate appropriate resources within the budget to fix having all of this informa- these problems.” tion in one place, it’s easier While it’s a useful tool for various departments in town, San Angelo said it’s also important for the citizens to be aware of the problems in town.