Bombers Soar Classrooms,” Said Egloff
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The Westfield NewsSearch for The Westfield News Westfield350.com The WestfieldNews Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY WEATHER CRITIC WITHOUT TONIGHT AMBITION.” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL. 86 NO. 151 $1.00 TUESDAY,TUESDAY, MARCH JUNE 27, 23, 2017 2021 VOL.75 cents 90 NO. 68 SAFE grant Students funds awarded for student stop, drop and senior and read for programs By PETER CURRIER a good cause Staff Writer WESTFIELD — The Council on By AMY PORTER Aging and the Westfield Fire Department Staff Writer are both receiving SAFE grants this year WESTFIELD – Franklin Avenue Elementary to help fund the residential lockbox pro- School students, families, staff, and friends, along gram and to provide fire education to with other remote students from around the city, Westfield Public School students. raised over $3,500 for two Franklin Avenue fami- The Student Awareness of Fire lies who lost their home to a fire in February by Education (SAFE) grants were participating in a Read-A-Thon. announced during the City Council Franklin Avenue Principal Christine Tolpa said Finance Committee meeting last week. that the Masso family had lived in their home on The grants are for $2,880 for the Senior Orange Street for 40 years, and all of the children SAFE program and $6,380 for the have gone through the Franklin Avenue school. Student SAFE program. “There has been so much outpouring of gener- Council on Aging Director Tina osity from the community, mostly the adult com- Gorman said that she wants to use the munity. Because it affects the community of stu- $2,880 for the senior lockbox program dents at Franklin Avenue — we have four Masso’s and the Sand For Seniors program. The here – we wanted our students to participate. Our lockbox program installs lockboxes on a motto is HEART – Honor, Effort, Attitude, doorway at a senior’s house. In the event Responsibility and Teamwork, and this was the of a fire or medical emergency, the lock- perfect opportunity to show all those values on box provides an alternate means for behalf of our Franklin Avenue family,” Tolpa said. firefighters to enter the home without Wendy Creech, the school’s library paraprofes- causing damage. sional, suggested the Read-A-Thon as a way for Gorman said that there had been a lot of demand for the lockboxes when they See Stop, Drop and Read, Page 3 did the program two years ago. She also said she wanted to use some of the funds for the Sand for Seniors program, which provides seniors with buckets of sand that they can use to de- ice their driveways in the winter if they are physically or financially unable to do so on their own. Fire Chief Patrick Egloff said that he plans to use the $6,380 grant for the Student SAFE program. The fire depart- ment has received a similar grant in some form for the last 25 years. “Eighty percent of the grant goes into overtime costs to get firefighters into Bombers soar classrooms,” said Egloff. Westfield senior quarterback Matt Adamites (5) hands off to senior running He added that the firefighters go into back Chris Barber (8). See story and Photos Page 6. (MARC ST.ONGE/THE kindergarten, first and second grade Teachers and student participated in the WESTFIELD NEWS) Franklin Avenue Read-a-thon. (CHRIS TOLPA See SAFE Grant, Page 3 PHOTO) WRITERS’ SERIES: Preparing for Spring on the Homestead Editor’s note: When you think of spring – His submission is titled “”Preparing for what comes to mind? Hope? The return of Spring on the Homestead.” blooms? The color green? Refresh and renew- Preparing for Spring on the Homestead al? In this latest writers’ series by members of Spring on the homestead is a very exciting the WhipCity Wordsmiths, members share their time. The land starts to come alive again. The thoughts about the spring season upon us. birds are chirping and the sun is warming the Today’s submission is by Ayden Rogalski. ground in preparation for planting. It’s time to wake up from our winter rest and set to work. By LORI SZEPELAK When spring starts on the homestead we get Correspondent straight to work with cleaning up and moving WESTFIELD — Ayden Rogalski, 12, rel- the animals around to new locations on our ishes his time writing and is the author of six farm. We clean up their enclosures and add books. new bedding. We upgrade our infrastructure “Ayden has a love for American history,” to make our job easier and more efficient, like said his mom Tanya Rogalski, noting one of his improving our feeders and watering systems. books details the history of homesteading. Spring is also when we get new animals to Emiley and Ayden Rogalski play with their The name of the family’s homestead is add to our farm. Pigs, meat chickens and tur- goats. (TANYA ROGALSKI PHOTO) Country View Homestead. keys are just a few of those animals. We start bountiful plant that will feed our family “Our family has been homesteading for four to get our gardens ready with the compost we throughout the year. years and Ayden is very involved,” said have made in the past year so that we can Once the plants get too big for the tiny Rogalski, adding, “Ayden’s tasks include feed- make sure that the plants can grow in rich soil planter pots we transplant them into bigger ing the animals and helping in the garden.” and get all of the nutrients they will need. pots. Then we wait for Mother Nature to tell Ayden is a member of the WhipCity Ayden Rogalski takes care of a variety of During the end of winter my mom and I us when it’s time for them to be planted into Wordsmiths and his books are available online animals on his family’s farm, including start seeds inside our house. When those first the ground. at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com under Olivia and Charlie, Nigerian Dwarf goats. seeds germinate, I get very excited because I “Ayden’s History.” (TANYA ROGALSKI PHOTO) know that little seedling will soon turn into a See Writers' Series, Page 3 Fresh Cycle expands space, classes, in Southwick By HOPE E. TREMBLAY down temporarily like all other fitness tion – and we see new faces every week.” Editor facilities, but as soon as the CDC said we Some of the new faces are not only new SOUTHWICK – While many businesses could re-open we were holding classes out- to Fresh Cycle, but they are new to fitness. have struggled during the pandemic, Fresh side.” Soares explained that indoor cycling is a Cycle – an indoor cycling and fitness facil- A group of members and instructors lower body strength and total body endur- ity – has expanded. cycled outdoors through December. ance and conditioning class for all levels of Owner Jennifer Amy and her instructors “We have dedicated members, since they fitness. had to close for several months, which gave were willing to show up in 30-degree “It’s great for fat burning and lean muscle them the opportunity to move to a larger weather so we were 12 feet apart with out- building and best of all, it’s low impact on space and plan for the future. doors heaters and dressed in layers,” said the joints,” she said. Now located at 320 College Highway, Soares. Fresh Cycle can currently hold a class of Fresh Cycle hosted outdoor classes at its Fresh Cycle started the new year in its 15 participants. former Westfield location because of the new space, moving on Jan. 1, 2021. Soares credits the owner for working to small space and COVID-19 guidelines. The much bigger space allows for safe continue offering members a way to stay fit “Fresh Cycle originally opened at the distancing for cycling indoors. “We also and destress throughout the pandemic. Mill at Crane Pond in Westfield three years offer strength classes, TRX, yoga, and we “While other studios and fitness facilities Fresh Cycle at 320 College Highway in Southwick ago, but we outgrew the space almost are looking to add more as we expand,” said had to close as a casualty of COVID, Jenn offers daily classes for all fitness levels. (FRESH CYCLE immediately,” said instructor Erica Soares. Soares. “Business is growing steadily — PHOTO) “When the pandemic hit, we had to shut many members followed us to the new loca- See Fresh Cycle, Page 3 PAGE 2 - TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021 WWW.THEWESTFIELDNEWS.COM THE WESTFIELD NEWS New app launches on World Water Day, aids Connecticut River Paddlers GREENFIELD – A new smartphone app launched on World Water Day, March 22, to help paddlers navigate the Connecticut River, particularly for multi-day paddles. The Connecticut River Paddlers’ Trail (CRPT) is a unique, water-based trail that includes a series of primitive campsites and river access points spanning 400+ miles of the Connecticut River through NH, VT, MA and CT. CRPT is managed by a collaborative of more than 30 nonprofit organizations and state agencies, including the Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC), the Appalachian Mountain Club, and the Vermont River Conservancy. Those interested in downloading the app can find it in CRC’s online store at www.ctriver.org/shop, or search “Guthook Guides” in your smartphone app store. “We chose to launch this new app on World Water Day, a day where people around the world recognize the importance of water in our lives,” says Gabriel Chevalier, CRPT Coordinator. WWW.CTRIVER.ORG/SHOP “The Connecticut River is the longest river in New England and enriches our lives in many ways.