Mailed free to requesting homes in Charlton, Charlton City and Charlton Depot Vol. V, No. 50 PROUD MEDIA SPONSOR OF RELAY FOR LIFE OF THE GREATER SOUTHBRIDGE AREA! COMPLIMENTARY HOME DELIVERY ONLINE: WWW.CHARLTONVILLAGER.COM Friday, December 16, 2011 ‘This year Alzheimer’s a challenge we’ve been for science, families BY GUS STEEVES all kinds of clients, not just those STONEBRIDGE PRESS STAFF WRITER with Alzheimer’s. really lucky’ Alzheimer’s Disease is one of the “I have a caseload of 40, and hardest illnesses for family mem- seven clients that have Alzheimer’s bers to deal with. or dementia,” she added, noting Over the course of several years, several of them also have Down OUTPOURING they have no choice but to watch a syndrome, a developmental disor- loved one’s mind disintegrate der caused by being born with an FROM COMMUNITY while their body lives on. extra 21st chromosome. In Down Often, they try to keep them cases, they “often have Alzheimer’s BENEFITS FOOD home, but in time the medical and at a very early age” — Tri-Valley behavioral burden often becomes starts screening at age 40, an age PANTRY too difficult. many Down patients never used to That’s where nurse Donna live to. Because of good care, BY AMANDA COLLINS VILLAGER STAFF WRITER Frietas comes in. though, many are living into their She helps coordinate Tri-Valley 50s, and one of Frietas’ clients, age CHARLTON — Looking around Amanda Collins photo Elder Services’ Adult Family Care 55, is noteworthy in that regard. at the shelves at the Chip-In Food Chip-In volunteer Tom Coleman and Executive Director Darlene Emco Rollins and Personal Care Attendant pro- “He’s the only one who doesn’t Pantry, overflowing with boxed pause from their hard work preparing holiday baskets last week, standing in front grams, which connects families to have [Alzheimer’s] symptoms in and canned food, Darlene Emco of shelves that are brimming with food thanks to the community’s efforts to feed state and other services for “men- that age range,” Frietas said, Rollins smiled. those in need this season. tally- or physically-challenged and attributing it to the fact he’s been “Christmas is going be good this frail adults.” under a doctor’s care for many year,” said Rollins, the pantry’s vol- the pantry is now serving more in their twenties, Rollins said she’s The agency doesn’t provide such years taking daily doses of antioxi- unteer executive director. families in Charlton than ever seen people from all walks of life services directly, but it helps iden- dants. “I think there’s great hope in But she wasn’t always so sure. before. need a little help lately. tify what families qualify for (espe- antioxidants.” A couple of months ago, when “This has been the worst year “It’s not poor people. It’s people cially MassHealth), set up case Nobody knows why Down syn- the number of families registered I’ve ever seen,” said Rollins, who who are down on their luck and management, procure equipment, drome and Alzheimer’s seem to be at Chip-In jumped considerably, for nearly 20 years has spent at need a little support,” she said. and trains families in how to navi- related, but it is one of many Rollins said she worried about the least 20 hours a week sorting and This weekend, in addition to the gate the system. The families actu- avenues of ongoing research. pantry’s ability to serve them all. preparing food at the pantry for monthly box of food those families ally hire the aides themselves. Alzheimer’s itself is an illness in Just since October, Chip-In’s those in need. When she first start- are given, they will receive a spe- “If I see they’re having problems which toxic protein plaques build enrollment increased by more ed her work at Chip-In in 1992, the cial Christmas basket, complete coping, I’ll hook them up with up in people’s brains, essentially than 20 percent. While the number food bank served just 15 people in with everything they need to make counseling,” among other things, short-circuiting the neurons’ abili- of families registered always rises town. Today 220 families are regis- a traditional holiday dinner. While Frietas said. ty to communicate. The exact caus- in the winter months when fami- tered there. Rollins is preparing hundreds of She noted the AFC program has es are still unknown, but lies have to combat with heating Rollins said there is no “aver- these baskets, she’s not worried “187 [participants] and counting. and utility costs on top if their age” person who utilizes Chip-In. We get a lot of referrals.” It serves Turn To ALZHEIMER’S page A13 usual living expenses, Rollins said From the elderly to young couples Turn To PANTRY page A13 CAAC seeks community involvement ‘A LOT OF PEOPLE IN TOWN DON’T EVEN KNOW IT’S HERE’ BY AMANDA COLLINS VILLAGER STAFF WRITER CHARLTON — Without a doubt, the Charlton Arts and Activities Center (CAAC) has come a long way in the near two years since they’ve opened, but activities council mem- bers who run the programs out the center worry that a lack of commu- nity involvement there is keeping it from reaching its full potential. “A lot of people in town don’t even Amanda Collins photo know it’s here,” said Activities Dorothy Barre, 93, who was part of Worl War II’s Battle of the Bulge, displays her Council member and Pasture Prime Legion of Honor medal, which she was recently awarded for her contributions to Players co-founder Don Konopacki. the battles that liberated France. According to him, the center’s 4 Dresser Hill Road location can be easy to miss — the farmhouse and 19th century barns that make up the WWII vet receives CAAC look almost residential. This posed a problem for the center’s Amanda Collins photo recent “music in the barn” series, in Legion of Honor medal Local musician Eric Hart was one of the few musicians who came out for the CAAC’s Turn To CAAC page A13 open mic night last week. BY AMANDA COLLINS or the Knight of National Order of VILLAGER STAFF WRITER the Legion of Honor, a French CHARLTON — Looking back on medal of honor that is considered a Christmas Eve nearly 70 years the country’s highest decoration. Swapping instead of shopping ago, Dorothy Taft Barre said she’s She, along with 10 other World War thankful she’s alive. II veterans were presented with the It was 1944, and 25-year-old Barre medal by Consul General of HERITAGE CLOTHING was stationed in snowy Jupille, France in Boston Christophe Belgium, serving as an army nurse Guilhou at a ceremony in SHOP PICKING UP at the 16th General Hospital, just 10 Worcester last month. miles away from where soldiers “It’s an honor but I don’t feel like STEAM were fighting the Battle of the I deserve it,” Barre said modestly. Bulge. She was off-duty when a Indeed, the award is quite the BY AMANDA COLLINS German buzz bomb strafed the hos- distinction. Created by Napoleon VILLAGER STAFF WRITER pital, wounding some and killing in 1802, it “rewards the outstand- CHARLTON — You’ve probably others. ing merits of citizens in all walks seen those giant metal bins that sit Sitting in her living room last of life, regardless of social, eco- at storefronts and in parking lots, week she remembered hearing the nomic, or hereditary back- collecting used clothing for the news of the strike. Flipping grounds,” states the Legion of needy. through an album of photographs Honor’s official website. Only Perhaps you’ve even thrown a from her time in the service she American veterans who were part sack or two in, because after all, as paused and pointed to one. of one of the battles that lead to Heritage School teacher Tara “This was after the strafe,” she French liberation are eligible to Trufan said, “Who doesn’t have a said, running her hand over a receive the decoration, which in bag of extra clothes at their house?” black and white picture. “You can France, wearing “without having But instead of dropping those see all the holes in the top of the the right” can lead to prosecution. bags anonymously into bins, with- tent.” But Barre isn’t exactly pinning out ever knowing where your dona- Barre, 93, has a reason for look- the medal on every day. Instead, tions end up, why not keep them Courtesy photo ing back on her days in the service she keeps it in a box next to a — she was recently appointed Fourth grade student council students from Heritage School are getting a lesson in com- Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur, Turn To BARRE page A10 Turn To SWAP page A11 munity service, helping to get the school’s new Swap Shoppe up and running. ANIMAL SHELTER Almanac ................. 2 Learning................ 9 GIVES PETS RAMS RALLY LATE TO Obituaries ............. 11 Calendar ...............11 DEFEAT WOOLIES Police Logs .............. 9 Real Estate ...B Section A SECOND CHANCE INDEX INDEX PAGE 12 Opinion ................ 10 Sports .............. 12-13 PAGE 3 2 •THE CHARLTON VILLAGER• Friday, December 16, 2011 www.charltonvillager.com Historical society to offer virtual tour of common BY AMANDA COLLINS direction. presentation will feature “then and and worked there, like William discouraged that they would have VILLAGER STAFF WRITER “There’s a lot of interesting tid- now” photos of some of the ancient Henry Dexter, who donated the sol- to climb stairs,” she said.