FEBRUARY, 2008 THE TURBRIDGE IMES S THE CHRONICLE OF STURBRIDGE COUNTRY LIVING MAGAZINET CAR BUYING TAKES A HOLIDAY BY RICHARD MURPHY ONE LATE-BLOOMER’S EXCEPTIONAL GIFTS BY STEPHANIE RICHARDS EUROPE FOR LOVERS: BRUSSELS & BRUGGE BY PAUL CARR Prsrt. Std U.S. Postage PAID Worcester, MA Permit No. 2 THE EBRUARY STURBRIDGETIMES F 2008 MAGAZINE PUBLISHED DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF EACH MONTH AT STURBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS F EATURES PUBLISHER & EDITOR PAUL CARR MANAGING EDITOR JOHN SMALL ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE KAREN ROTHWEILER CONTRIBUTORS RENEE CANADA 4 TOM CHAMBERLAND PAYSON FITCH RICHARD MURPHY STEPHANIE RICHARDS BIG BLOSSOMS FOR A LATE BLOOMER IVING Through her books and teaching, THE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINE Carol Goodrow inspires children to run toward health P.O. BOX 418, STURBRIDGE, MA 01566 and the rest of us to consider the possibilities of our own TEL. 508-347-7077 FAX 508-347-8150 latent talents. WWW.STURBRIDGETIMES.COM L DELIVERED INTO EVERY HOME, BUSINESS AND POST B Y S TEPHANIE R ICHARDS OFFICE BOX IN STURBRIDGE, AND SELECTED HOMES IN BRIMFIELD, BROOKFIELD, CHARLTON, EAST BROOKFIELD, HOLLAND, NORTH BROOKFIELD, WALES, Y WEST BROOKFIELD, SPENCER. 10 ALSO MAILED TO INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES ELSEWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES AND TO MEN AND BELGIUM IS FOR LOVERS WOMEN OF THE U.S. ARMED FORCES WHO ARE SERVING OUR COUNTRY IN THE UNITED STATES AND ABROAD. Lace, chocolate and waffles usually come to mind RESIDENTIAL LIST UPDATED EVERY 3 MOS. when people think about Belgium. But we’ve found PRINTED AT MASS WEB, AUBURN MAILED BY CLARK MAILING COMPANY, WORCESTER that it is a land as rich in romance as it is in history — and well worth the trek from Sturbridge country. B Y P AUL C ARR 12 PRESIDENT’S DAY AND HOW IT DRIVES US We couldn’t find anyone who could trace the origin of the relationship between President’s Day and auto buying. OUNTR We’ll assume it happened somewhere on Madison Avenue. But we met up with two experts in car buying with completely different approaches on selling you your next car. C B Y R ICHARD M URPHY 16 ARE WE LOSING OUR TREES? ON THE COVER The Sturbridge tree warden takes us through In the above painting, which appears as a significant five different scenarios that illustrate or imply devastating outcomes component of our cover this month, Brimfield artist Anna for many of our most cherished trees. M. Ozolins captures the beauty of Valentine’s Day roses. Anna’s work is currently on view, along with that of her And a potential threat to one tree collaborative artisans, at Cornerstone Creations, 548 Main could shake the economy of one New England state. Street, Sturbridge. She will be on hand there on Saturday February 9 from Noon to 3 p.m. Anna’s work will also B Y T OM C HAMBERLAND hang during the entire month of May at Sturbridge Coffee House, 479 Main Street, Sturbridge. Anna’s studio is locat- ed at 7 Cubles Drive, Brimfield. She can be reached at 413.245.0947. 18 THE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINE is published monthly by EIGHT WAYS TO AVOID COLON CANCER Carr Communications.We accept photos,opinions, short articles, stories, poems and drawings from the general public, but assume Harvard physicians lay out an eight-step checklist no responsibility for failure to publish a submission or for typo- to help us avoid the third most commonly-diagnosed cancer graphic errors published or incorrect placement.The contents of this magazine consist of copyrightable material and cannot be in the United States. reproduced without the expressed written permission of the author and the publishers of The Sturbridge Times Magazine. B Y F A CULTY OF H ARVARD M EDICAL S CHOOL ADVERTISING DEADLINE: The 20th of each month prior to pub- lication.ADVERTISING OFFICE: 508-347-7077 ext. 2 TURBRIDGE EDITORIAL DEADLINE: The 21st of each month prior to publica- tion. S THE CHRONICLE OF STURBRIDGE COUNTRY LIVING THE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINE 3 A late- bloomer blossoms Meet Carol Goodrow, author, teacher, athlete — and inspiration for all of us who haven’t quite hit our stride By Renée Canada Carol Goodrow is a “back of the packer”run- ner. Unlike some runners who are merely look- ing for the best ways to shave a few more sec- onds off their fastest time, Goodrow isn't afraid PHOTO BY RENÉE CANADA to stop to enjoy nature. Recently, she observed FISKDALE RESIDENT CAROL GOODROW WITH HER LATEST BOOK TITLED “KIDS RUNNING” the pileated woodpecker as she ran through tinues to produce inventive and amusing stories for marks-and now, also, books. the woodsy hills of Wells State Park. students who are encouraged to overcome their “I don't consider myself a natural artist,” After a daily run, often with German stumbling blocks to learn. For her efforts, she has Goodrow says modestly. “It takes me a long Shepherd Midnight in tow, Goodrow frequent- been recognized with several teaching awards time to do the illustrations, but in the end, I am ly feels the rush of sweet inspiration coursing within the Tolland School System where she has so happy with the result. [Using these pro- through her and she sits down to create. An worked for the last 20 years. grams] they come out picture perfect.” Her award-winning author and illustrator of three Winning the “Teacher of The Year” award in bookmarks are now distributed to schools and children's books, Goodrow says, “The fastest 1994 led Goodrow indirectly to another late-dis- clubs around the country and she illustrates way to cure writer’s block is to run.” covered interest. With her award winnings, and typesets all of her books. While today the petite, blonde Tolland Goodrow said goodbye to her days of being a Goodrow’s love for running led her to schoolteacher from Fiskdale seems brimming coach potato, and hello to the adrenaline rush of become involved with local running websites. with confidence, multitudinous talents, and, a gym membership. It was there where she dis- In 1996, she built CoolRunning.com’s first chil- well, energy, Goodrow wasn’t always this way. covered her love of running. dren’s page: WayCoolRunning.com. After four A self-described late-bloomer, Goodrow didn't Though Goodrow runs for fun,she also runs in years of building steady success, Goodrow took grow up confident that she could do anything half-marathons,and for five years,she has run the her talents to Runner’s World magazine, where particularly well. Athletics seemed an impossi- Pan-Mass Challenge, the 212-mile bike ride from she offered to start a children’s running page. ble arena to explore; it wasn't until fifth grade Sturbridge to Provincetown that raises money KidsRunning.Com, the “run-to-stay-fit and run- that she learned how to ride a bicycle. for cancer.Whether she’s running to stay fit or to to-have-fun” site Goodrow founded and edits, is “And I never drew as a child,”Goodrow con- help raise funds for better health treatment, now considered to be the number one running fides. “I didn't think I could. Everything that I Goodrow knew from day one that she wanted to web site for kids. enjoy doing, came later to me than most.” share her love for the sport with others. Goodrow credits Runner’s World editor-at- After Goodrow had children, she went back to Goodrow has brought many innovative ideas large,Amby Burfoot, for giving her the encour- school to become a teacher. She has been a special into her classroom, but she has become well-rec- agement to write her first book “Happy Feet, education teacher since the late ’70s. It was in the ognized for pairing her passions for running and Healthy Food.” This journal for exercise and classroom,where she discovered a love of writing. healthy living with literacy. “When I became a healthy eating integrates fitness with counting, While being trained as an Ortin- runner,I started integrating running with the cur- nutrition, nature, and creative writing, Gillingham reading instructor in riculum. I still run with my schoolchildren on In his foreword to the book, Burfoot says: Sturbridge, Goodrow wrote her first story Fridays,”Goodrow says. “This is the first book to recognize that we to encourage a boy who was struggling to Goodrow began having her students write in must begin to teach our kids about good health learn how to read. Written on a note card, journals after they ran. She found that even the and nutrition at a young age.”He believes that the short tale about a dog who wanted a most reluctant writers loved to write about their many kids are already out-of-shape and pork chop for lunch earned Goodrow her running. She also began designing t-shirts for the unhealthy before parents know it, and first writing fan. “fun runs” she put on each year for her students. Goodrow’s books provide the necessary wake Mrs.Alice Garcide was the supervising teacher In the process, she discovered quickly a couple up call to encourage kids’ fitness. at the time.“The look of delight on Mrs. Garcide’s of other new passions. Four years after its publication,“Happy Feet, face when I read the story aloud was the biggest After initial disappointment with her attempts Healthy Food” is still changing lives. Goodrow reward in the world,” Goodrow remembers. “It at drawing characters for the t-shirts, Goodrow uses the book in her classroom and in the Happy was the biggest reward any teacher had given me realized that she would need to learn illustration Feet Kids Club after-school running club she in my lifetime.” software.A graphic artist gave her a quick tutori- founded.The club’s success is due largely on its Encouraged by Mrs.