August 12, 2021

LIBRARY The Wilbraham-Hampden PRSRT STD 1000 U.S. POSTAGE books PAID read PALMER, MA PERMIT NO. 22 Page 9 SPORTS ECR-WSS Wilbraham LOCAL POSTAL CUSTOMER falls in final Page 11 Dedicated to Improving the Quality of Life in the Communities We Serve A TURLEY PUBLICATION ❙ www.turley.comTIMESAUGUST 12, 2021 www.wilbrahamhampdentimes.turley.com Graduating correctional officers Opinions differ on clean Hampden’s Memorial Park potential school district equity audit By Cara McCarthy Staff Writer HAMPDEN, WILBRAHAM - Residents of the Hampden-Wil- braham Regional School Dis- trict expressed their opinions on a proposed equity audit during the district’s School Committee meeting July 22. If an equity audit is conduct- ed, an independent firm would Photos taken by Dalton Zbierski look at the district and recom- Members of the 46th Western Massachusetts County Correctional Officer Academy cleaned up Hampden’s Memorial Park on Aug. 4. mend changes to further promote equity in the school system. By Dalton Zbierski The park’s tilting basketball erts. before driving down Main Street Many residents spoke in sup- Editor hoop was even straightened. “It makes it so much more to Memorial Park. port of an equity audit to better Nearing the end of a rigor- worth it just to be able to see Each recruit arrived at the address racism and equity issues HAMPDEN – Hampden’s ous 11-week program, smiles them have a nice play to enjoy. park individually, as vehicles that exist in Hampden and Wil- Memorial Park was beautified were plentiful as the soon-to-be When you’re out there driv- filled the complex. The concept braham schools. on Aug. 4 by a class of recruits correctional officers enjoyed a ing, you see all these rundown of strength in numbers was ever Renee Bracey, a mother with representing the 46th Western much-deserved change of pace, playscapes. Then, you come out apparent, as Class 46 systemati- two children in the district, spoke Massachusetts County Correc- tending to the popular recre- here, and you have the spray cally took to improving the rec- in support of the equity audit and tional Officer Academy. ational facility. park, the baseball diamonds; it’s reational space. said she was “frustrated” that she Prior to graduating on Aug. Class 46 President Jake really nice to see everything,” “It’s beautiful here, I love it even had to “fight for their basic 6, 32 recruits were required Roberts, a Wilbraham resident, said Roberts. here, it’s not too big, it’s small, rights instead of tucking them to complete Wednesday’s took great pride in cleaning After applying mulch to it’s intimate and it’s perfect,” into bed.” community service project, Memorial Park, where he made the play area located behind said Lt. Joseph Celetti, a Train- Bracey re-submitted a letter which involved cutting grass, memories playing baseball as a the Public Safety Complex in ing Officer for the Hampden she had written to the School weed-whacking, weeding trim- teenager. Watching children use Monson, the recruits made their County Sheriff’s Department Committee with 110 signatures ming, laying down mulch and the same park on Aug. 4 was way to Hampden. There, they in favor of the equity audit and cleaning the baseball diamonds. especially meaningful for Rob- worked outside the Town House Please see OFFICERS, page 5 an additional petition from Min- nechaug Regional High School alumni with over 300 signatures also supporting the audit. She also showed the committee statistics showing minority Library pantry open to all, at all times students receiving harsher conse- quences than white students. By Dalton Zbierski design that has two lazy Susan “Black and brown students Editor types of shelving,” said Demers. are disciplined at a higher rate Residents are asked to fill and consequenced more severe- WILBRAHAM – The Little the pantry with donations. The ly than their white classmates,” Free Pantry outside of the Wil- library has assumed the respon- Bracey said. braham Public Library is open sibility of managing the food Additionally, Bracey showed to all who need it, at all hours items and making sure that none a packet documenting over 200 of the day. are expired. instances of “overt racism span- Inside of an old shed that The pantry sits under the ning 10 years in this school dis- was long unused now sits a va- watch of security cameras to trict” she gathered by interview- riety of food items. Library Di- best protect it from vandalism. ing alumni from the district. rector Karen Demers shed light While it’s only a pilot project, “This has everything from be- on the initiative. the Little Free Pantry has been ing called the n-word and admin- “Our library is always look- met with positive reviews. istration doing nothing, to a stu- ing for new ways to serve our “It’s available 24/7. It has a dent being accused of not writing community. We’re happy to par- latch on it, but it’s not locked,” their own paper because it was ticipate in something like this,” said Demers. “We’re testing it ‘too well-written for someone said Demers. “It’s all anony- Wilbraham Public Library Director Karen Demers stands next to the out, and so far it’s going well. like them,’” Bracey said. mous. They can just pull up to Little Free Pantry on Aug. 9. Library pantry photos by Dalton Zbierski We’ve gotten lots of donations, “I am here for my two boys the side, open it up, see if there’s and there have been some items because they deserve to go to a anything in there that they need, brary’s Borrower Services As- used after the library received taken from it so, certainly, there school and feel safe and secure,” and they’re welcome to it.” sistants, approached Demers its dumpsters. Demers was con- are some people who have a Bracey said. “They deserve to be The mini pantry movement with the idea of opening a small fident that the shed could be need and have found it.” taught by people who look like has become popular across the pantry on the premises. Around used again in a productive man- Carved into the front of the them, to learn about the world country, as community enti- the same time, Mason, the Eagle ner. pantry shed is “WPL Food Pan- according to their ancestors and ties do their part to help put an Scout, expressed his interest in “Mason took a look at it and try.” Recently, Demers received not just from white Europeans. end to hunger. About a month completing a project to benefit took dimensions. He did a lot of a larger, weather-proof sign that They deserve to have their spe- ago, the Wilbraham library de- the library. the woodworking himself and will soon be installed as well. cial needs properly met by high- cided to follow the trend, with The shed outside of the li- might have had some help from If overstocked, surplus items ly qualified and knowledgeable the help of a local Eagle Scout brary’s side door had previously his father. The other members will be taken to the Community teachers and they deserve the named Mason. been used to temporarily store of the troop did painting and Sue Getchell, one of the li- garbage but became seldomly assembling. He put together a Please see PANTRY, page 7 Please see AUDIT, page 7 Page 2 The Wilbraham-Hampden TIMES August 12, 2021 NEWS ABOUT TOWN Selectboard to reassess COVID-19 numbers in 30 days By Cara McCarthy adjustments that we need to as vaccination status. date be issued by the state or fed- States. Staff Writer new guidance comes out,” An- “Presently, there is a guide- eral government, it would adopt “In terms of the town’s natu- drews added. line for wearing a mask indoors those right away. ral heritage, it’s a really import- WILBRAHAM - The Wil- Town Administrator Nick from the Centers for Disease Board of Selectmen chair ant location,” Farrington said. braham Board of Selectmen re- Breault reported there were Control and through the Massa- Robert Boilard said, “If the Gov- “It would be a shame to lose that ceived a COVID-19 update and several people, counselors and chusetts Department of Public ernor does put something down, for a facility that could be placed discussed the possibility of reim- campers, who tested positive for Health,” Breault said. we should look into following it.” elsewhere.” plementing a mask mandate at its COVID-19 at a campground last Additionally, Breault asked Also on Aug. 9, John Far- Farrington added, “There are Aug. 9 meeting. week. the Board of Selectmen what rington asked the Selectboard a lot of things going on back Wilbraham Fire Chief Mi- “The decision was made in they thought about reinstating about the status of the pickleball there in terms of migratory war- chael Andrews said his depart- consultation with myself and a mask mandate for municipal court proposal for Stony Hill blers. It’s a very important Wood- ment has seen “a small uptick” the Director of Public Health to buildings. Road and shared some biodiverse cock mating ground and there are in COVID-19 responses over the close initially just on Thursday Vice Chair Carolyn Brennan statistics he observed in the area a lot of migratory raptors that use past couple of weeks. and Friday,” Breault said. said she would like to revisit the of the proposed court. the fields, particularly wlso in the Andrews said the department He added after two more idea of reinstating the mask man- Farrington said the area of winter.” has transported approximately reports of positive COVID-19 date in 30 days.

Load more