Whitman-Hanson Express

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Rates
    • Advertisement Rates
    • Subscription Rates
    • Classified Order Form
  • Business Directory
  • Contact the Express
  • Archives
You are here: Home / Archives for Featured Story

Hanson author writes about Boston El trains

December 17, 2015 By Tracy F. Seelye, Express Editor

Hanson author writes about Boston El trains

HANSON — For Hanson resident Lawrence D. Mills, retirement has literally opened a new chapter in his life — several of them in fact — as he recently completed work on a book saluting Boston’s erstwhile elevated train system.

The book [“Main Line Elevated,” Xlibris, 83 pages, hardcover $61.99/large format paperback, $51.99/E-book, $24.99] is not a history, but rather a photo essay of the last years of Boston’s Main Line elevated train.

Hanson author writes about Boston El trains“It describes what it was like to see and use this transportation on one of the heaviest transit lines in the city of Boston,” Mills states in his promotional materials.

The elevated trains also afforded the chance for Mills and his sister to spend hours of locomotive and people watching at Dudley Station from a display window in Roxbury’s Ferdinand’s Furniture Store where his parents met on the job and his father worked again after WWII.

The Charlestown elevated route ended in 1975, followed by the one in Roxbury and Jamaica Plain in 1987, and “there are adults today that never saw it” he said of his reason for doing the book.

“It’s a way to see what life was like in those days because you see everything — the cars, the way people dressed, the ads — the whole business,” he said. “My view has always been that these pictures don’t do any good sitting in a closet. They should be where people can see them.”

While he never worked for a railroad or the MBTA, Mills continued his lifelong interest in railroads and transit systems during his military service, which included postings in Germany, and during a career with the Federal Protective Service, which protects federal buildings, for more than 35 years. His FPS service was largely in Boston and other New England sites.

“I’ve had this as a hobby all my life,” he said of his collection of El photographs. A book he bought about the Third Avenue Line in New York City provided the spur to create his own book.

Most of the photos are his from a personal collection dating back to 1964, except for a half dozen from Rockland resident George Jason, a few from a retired Boston Fire Lt. Jim Teed and some black white photos from Mills’ father Thomas.

“This was something I have been thinking about for years and when I retired, we sat down and [decided to] do it,” he said. His wife Michele, a former librarian, used her expertise and connections to find Xlibris, a self-publishing firm in Bloomington, Ind.

“The quality of the book turned out well,” he said. “I was impressed with that.”

Mills had done all the scanning and layout of photos on his home computer.

“That’s one of the good things about his pictures, he has all the old cars, the old buildings, the old signs,” Michele said. “They’re historic.”

Mills plans to make appearances at train and hobby shows — such as one held in Springfield next month — as his primary merchandising avenue, but the book is also available online via Barnes & Noble and Amazon and at rail museums.

Michele noted that the book will also be in The Library Journal so town libraries and special libraries may purchase it if they wish.

The book provided Mills with a project during last winter’s worst weather. He is now looking toward the next project while he continues interest in trains.

Even his move from Brookline to Hanson hinged on the Commuter Rail service, as his job did not initially include a “take home” vehicle.

“It was a convenient commute and they were building the area up,” he said.

“We worked together on the house,” Michele said. “Larry told me what he wanted and I worked with Jack Conway himself [to design it].”

Conway had been a friend of her family in Cohasset for years.

 

Filed Under: Featured Story, News

Dance show aids Whitman food pantry

December 17, 2015 By Stephanie Spyropoulos, Express Correspondent

Dance show aids Whitman food pantry

The Dance Dimension School of Dance and Theatre of Whitman held its annual winter showcase at Whitman Hanson High School on Saturday evening.

Dance show aids Whitman food pantry

HOLIDAY DREAMS: Students from Whitman’s Dance Dimension School of Dance and Theatre perform a number costumed in holiday PJs during the annual winter showcase Dec. 12. Photo by Stephanie Spyropoulos.

Collectively they raised $1,300, which was presented in a check by Owner and Director Laurie Healey to Bruce Perry for the Whitman food pantry at the start of the event and more than 100 pounds of food were donated for the pantry during the event.

There were 25 to 30 toys donated to the Whitman area toy drive through the efforts of the Whitman Hanson drama club. Along with the dance teams several vocal soloists from WH drama club, and chorus performed an array of holiday musical arrangements.

Mrs. Claus was portrayed by a local woman who volunteered her time for the event after overhearing the director talking about it.

“Our hope is to continue to grow this (event) into other performance groups and people in our community. It is such a great town we live in,” said Laurie Healey’s husband and school co-owner Mike Healey.

— Stephanie Spyropoulos

Filed Under: Featured Story, News

Whitman teen struck crossing street to bus

December 17, 2015 By Stephanie Spyropoulos, Express Correspondent

Whitman teen struck crossing street to bus, received non life-threatening injuries

WHITMAN – A female high school student was transported to the South Shore Hospital for non-life threatening injuries after being struck by a car in Whitman near 309 Washington Street at about 7 a.m., Thursday while getting on the school bus.

The initial investigation by Whitman police was that the teen was struck by the side mirror of a car as an elderly woman went past the stopped school bus, according to Police Chief Scott Benton.

Whitman teen struck crossing street to bus

caption: The initial investigation by Whitman police stated that a teen was struck by the side mirror of a car as an elderly woman went past a stopped school bus. The teen was treated non-life threatening injuries.

The bus driver, whose name has not been released, works for First Student Bus Company. She initially reported to police her red flasher lights were on for the students to safely cross the street. However, after a statement and corrected report by the bus driver to Whitman police she informed the officer her yellow lights were on not her red lights, which would have activated the cross board on the front of the bus to signal that all traffic must stop.

“The bus driver made the determination to allow two more cars to pass before activating her red lights. The student, anticipating the red lights, then stepped into traffic and was struck by the car. She was not hit by the bus,” Benton said clarifying incorrect information that was possibly started on social media.

The women driver of the grey sedan was shaken and did stop at the scene. A male who identified himself as the son of the driver said his mother “is elderly and very upset.” He did not want to speak further.

He was driving her home following the accident.

Two women who reside across from the bus stop said approximately five students wait at the bus stop daily.

Tina Burnell, whose daughter is a high school student, said her daughter was right behind the girl who was struck and that she had been upset by the incident.

Benton said the investigation is ongoing, however he does not believe the driver of the car will face charges and there were no charges filed as of Thursday Dec. 17.

Filed Under: Breaking News, Featured Story, News

Security cameras eyed for Whitman Park

December 9, 2015 By Tracy F. Seelye, Express Editor

Security cameras eyed for Whitman Park

WHITMAN — Police Chief Scott Benton is considering a Town Meeting warrant article calling for the placement of security cameras in Whitman Park. He has been discussing the issue with Town Administrator Frank Lynam, IT Director Josh MacNeil and DPW Parks and Highways Superintendent Bruce Martin.

Lynam urged Benton to bring the idea to the Board of Selectmen so, from a policy standpoint, “We can clear the air and not just surprise people by throwing cameras up there.”

Security cameras eyed for Whitman ParkThe discussion was intended to inform the town and spur public discussion on the proposal.

“I think it’s an excellent idea,” Lynam said. “Ten years ago, this was Big Brother watching everything. I think today people realize that [cameras] serve a public and public safety purpose.”

He said cities, such as New York and London, are heavily covered by security cameras, and the trend is coming to smaller communities now. Lynam added that he’d like to see them used downtown, as well.

“There’s always a big debate on do cameras reduce crime? No,” Benton told selectmen on Tuesday, Dec. 1. “The long and the short of that is no, but they go a long, long way to solve it.”

He noted that the Boston Marathon bombing, and many other cases including motor vehicle accidents, would not have been solved without video evidence gleaned from security cameras. FBI Academy information Benton cited points to security cameras as “holding more evidence than any other source — more than DNA, crime scene analysis or eyewitness testimony.”

“The need is there,” Benton said, citing past vandalism damage to the park area and town pool. He also stressed that recordings would only be reviewed when there is cause to do so.

“When something happens, people want answers,” he said. “You want to be able to provide those answers.”

Others make move

Many surrounding communities are also making the move to post security cameras. The initial cost is expected to be lower than the cost of maintaining equipment and archiving recordings.

“The ability to identify people who do bad things goes a long way toward deterring other people from doing bad things,” Lynam said. “The concern I have always had is one of infrastructure cost.”

Estimates are being sought on the cost of fiber optic and other wireless systems for a pilot program consisting of a couple cameras as a test, perhaps ahead of a Town Meeting vote.

Vice Chairman Dan Salvucci, who conducted the meeting in the absence of Chairman Carl Kowalski, asked if permission from the Historical Commission would be needed to place cameras in the historic park.

“We have talked about putting cameras in the park in the past,” Salvucci said.

Lynam said the small cameras would in no way alter the park’s appearance.

“In the times that we live in, I think it’s critical,” Benton said. “I think it’s my responsibility to make the board aware — make the people aware. I think we let the people vote, let the people have their say.”

But he stressed the importance of protecting the park as a place of recreation for young families.

“You don’t want to be the guy who’s looking at a family saying, ‘Geez, I don’t have any answers to that,’” Benton said.

“I think it’s a brilliant idea, and I don’t think you’ll have to do a lot of convincing,” said Selectman Lisa Green, citing recent “questional behavior” in the park as well as questionable items left behind.

Selectman Brian Bezanson also voiced support.

“Who knows what’s going to come around the corner and for us to say ‘we should have’ is not good enough,” Bezanson said.

Living Nativity

In other business, the board approved a request by the Rev. Joshua Gray to permit closing off a portion of Broad Street between Washington and Central streets from 5:45 to 6:45 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 20 so the First Congregational Church may conduct a living Nativity program. Refreshments and a carol sing will follow in the church Fellowship Hall.

“It’s just a great community event, [we’re] trying to get people out to remember what this season is about for those of us who are Christians,” Gray said. “Just a fun community event.”

Filed Under: Featured Story, News

Holiday blood donors sought

December 3, 2015 By Tracy F. Seelye, Express Editor

Holiday blood donors sought as Red Cross says: ‘Give something that means something’

With the public already familiar with organized efforts to get them shopping and donating to charity around the holidays — Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday and now Giving Tuesday — the American Red Cross hopes there is time in that busy holiday schedule for a blood donation.

All one needs to spend is some time.

Winter, especially the holiday season, and summer are the times of most urgent need for blood donors, according to Red Cross spokesman Colin Riccoban. Winter weather and summer travel plans are also often cited for the shortage.

Holiday blood donors sought“Obviously this time of year donations typically decline for a variety of reasons,” Riccoban said. “People are busy, the holiday schedules start, people are traveling and we never know what Mother Nature has in store for Massachusetts.”

Gift promotions such as T-shirts, coupons for coffee in the past and even a serving spoon packaged with celebrity chef recipe cards in November have been offered to help get donors in the door. Permanent donor centers across the state have also planned holiday hours, opening for half-days on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

It’s all designed to meet a need that never takes a vacation or holiday, according to Riccoban.

“Right now, we’re meeting needs of patients in hospitals,” he said. “But we want to remind people that, even though it is the holiday season, patients are still depending on blood donors to roll up their sleeves. What we’re asking people to do is to give something that means something.”

The time involved for whole blood donations varies with traffic at a given blood drive or donor center, but typically takes about 45 minutes with platelet donations requiring about two and a half hours. A new online health history called Rapid Pass speeds up the registration process.

Platelets, the clotting component of blood, must be transfused into patients within five days and are required by hospitals for surgery and cancer treatment. Whole blood has a shelf life of 42 days.

“We want to ensure that the blood supply remains stable,” Riccoban said. “We know people are on the go, but there’s no substitute for a volunteer blood donor.”

December blood drives in the area include:

• Saturday, Dec 5 — 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Phoenix Masonic Lodge, 133 Broadway St., Hanover.

• Wednesday, Dec. 9 — 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., Loyal Order of Moose, 601 State Road, Plymouth.

• Friday, Dec. 11 — 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital Plymouth, 275 Sandwich St., Plymouth.

• Saturday, Dec. 12 — 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tri Town Masonic Lodge, 38 Franklin St., East Bridgewater.

• Wednesday, Dec. 16 — 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., Social Harmony Lodge AF & AM, 2509 Cranberry Highway (Route 28), Wareham.

• Friday, Dec. 18 — 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., Braemoor Health Center, 34 N. Pearl St., Brockton.

• Saturday, Dec. 19 — 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Knights of Columbus, 254 Hancock Str., Abington.

• Tuesday, Dec. 22 — 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., Duxbury Senior Center, 10 Mayflower St., Duxbury.

• Tuesday, Dec. 22 — 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., Kingston Collection, 101 Kingston Collection Way, Kingston.

For an appointment visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Filed Under: Featured Story

Beekeepers host candle workshop in Hanson

December 3, 2015 By Stephanie Spyropoulos, Express Correspondent

Beekeepers host candle workshop in Hanson with John ‘the Bee Man’ Phillips of the Plymouth County Beekeepers Association 

HANSON — A beeswax candle-making seminar hosted at the Plymouth County Beekeepers Association and Hanson Food Pantry building on High Street Nov. 21 was both motivating and educational for more than a dozen people.

Candles are a popular gift item and, with the holidays in full swing, and what better than gifting something homemade? Many of those in attendance were mainly part of the Beekeepers Association, according to John “the Bee Man” Phillips of Hanson, whose goal is to educate others about apiculture.

Beekeepers host candle workshop in Hanson

A handmade sign welcomed visitors at a beeswax candle-making seminar hosted at the Plymouth County Beekeepers Association and Hanson Food Pantry. Click here to see more photos from the event. Photo by Stephanie Spyropoulos.

“Candle making is interesting and can be fun. Overall it was well attended,” Phillips said.   

In past years, turnout for the workshop was good — but with several local activities occurring simultaneously Phillips thought there were slightly fewer people this year. He is considering doing another candle making seminar in the months to come if there is an interest in the community.

Phillips also offers a woodworking seminar in which Beekeepers Association members can receive assistance in setting up their wooden hives. Beekeepers Association membership does cost a small yearly fee to join.

Phillips has been a bee keeper since 1971 and a club member since 1978. The club itself had been established in the late 1960s. He offers teaching on bee topics and assists in maintaining the building.

He has two hives at his home and said his honey production last year was averaged at about 40 pounds.

Most people in the club got a similar amount of honey the median around 40 pounds, which is good considering  the South Shore is close to the ocean, and spring  weather is wet and raw. There are many factors which affect the production of honey, he said.

Further inland Massachusetts bee keepers easily double the production of honey with the increased warmer, drier atmosphere.

During the candle workshop, Phillips and other club members melted approximately ten pounds of wax, which was demonstrated as one of the four to five steps in candle making.

At home his wax is melted via a sun-solar wax melter and then it is purified before making candles. The wax is boiled down and poured into rubber molds mainly to keep the shape and they easily split apart to release the candles.

To quicken the process several molds were placed in the freezer to cool the wax but he said he doesn’t often do that. Everyone left with a candle following the seminar.

The website for the Plymouth County Beekeepers Association contains information and invitations about upcoming Beekeeping School, which will be held this winter for approximately eight weeks at the Pembroke Community center. For more information, visit plymouthcountybeekeepers.org.

Filed Under: Featured Story, News

Whitman considers electronic voting

November 24, 2015 By Tracy F. Seelye, Express Editor

Officials divided as Whitman considers electronic voting

WHITMAN — Town Administrator Frank Lynam will be hosting a meeting within the first two weeks of December “to conduct a preliminary discussion regarding the possibility and practicality of utilizing electronic voting at town meetings.”

But the device, which resembles a miniature TV remote, could be a tough sell in some quarters.

Whitman considers electronic voting

A CHANGE? Whitman officials are discussing use of this palm-sized electronic device for Town Meeting votes. Courtesy photo

Police Chief Scott Benton and Fire Chief Timothy Grenno have voiced objections to it, and DPW Parks and Highways Superintendent Bruce Martin has suggested the money to purchase the devices could probably be better spent elsewhere.

The devices, for which a quote has been received from Turning Technologies of Youngstown, Ohio, are expected to cost $7,050 for 150.  Their product is heavily used in colleges and by the military. Whitman would look to obtain 300, should they be approved, with renting or borrowing more if more are ever needed.

“I’m going to deal with whatever comes out of it, but I think if they want to zero in on an individual … and they want to zing them, it’s a good way to sit there and hide behind a button,” Benton said.

“There’s more than just us that aren’t happy with it,” Grenno said, suggesting it could change the democratic process of town government. “We have a town meeting that works.”

Lynam sees electronic voting as a way to avoid intimidation at town meeting.

“The biggest challenge is making sure that we have a sufficient number of devices,” he said. “The benefits to a push-button device? It takes the intimidation factor out of voting. People can vote their conscience or their wishes without fear of reprisal, intimidation or scorn from their fellow voters.”

Benton took issue with that.

“We, by the nature of our job, [tick] people off,” Benton said. “So is it to be portrayed that the Police Department has always been funded because I intimidate people?”

Lynam had originally posted the meeting for Nov. 24, but Town Moderator Michael Seele was unable to attend on that date. The session, which will also include Town Clerk Dawn Varley, Technology Director Josh MacNeil, Finance Committee Chairman William Capocci and selectmen, has yet to be reposted.

Varley and Lynam said electronic voting would be more accurate and could remove the intimidation factor from votes on controversial warrant articles.

“Nobody has to know how you’re voting,” she said. “We would do it on all articles, not just the sensitive articles. … It’ll be fair. I think it will be much faster.”

She recalled a past town meeting at which she cast a vote for a school budget. Her mother, watching at home gave her what-for after seeing her vote on TV.

Benton, for one, sees real intimidation problems within electronic voting. He argues the process could allow people to “bully silently.”

“We’ve seen how powerful social media is,” Benton said. “I just think our form of government works.”

“There’s a process in place to have a secret ballot,” Grenno said. “There’s not a problem, it’s not broken and I don’t believe that the town is in the fiscal situation to wastefully spend money on electronic voting machines when there are needs for public safety, there are needs for Town Hall, the DPW and there are needs for tax relief in town.”

Varley, however, sees electronic voting as the way things are headed.

“We’re trying to get interest from the voters,” Varley said. “We scrimp and scrape every town meeting to get 150 people here.”

It will also make her job easier, as all votes will be recorded and saved in a file. The warrant could be produced in PowerPoint for on-screen display during town meetings to help voters follow along.

“You can do cumulative [tallies] so they can watch the votes come in, but that’s not what we’ll do,” she said. Whitman would use a time limit for casting votes before the results are displayed.

While devices carry numbers for inventory control, Varley said no one will know which device an individual voter has, but misuse may have to be controlled by peer pressure.

“Other towns have done it and they don’t find any of this stuff to be a problem,” she said, noting Avon and Belmont use them. Belmont tested theirs in a mock town meeting, trying to alter or change votes and were unable to do so.

Lynam said he was inspired to look into electronic voting after seeing an article two years ago in The Advocate, a municipal paper, indicating some towns were considering it and has been informally discussing it with Varley and Capocci on whether it was viable and how to pay for it.

Hanson is also interested in the devices, perhaps sharing with another community, according to Varley.

Filed Under: Featured Story

Whitman razes blighted house

November 19, 2015 By Tracy F. Seelye, Express Editor

Whitman razes blighted house

WHITMAN — A blighted house at 36 East Ave. was torn down Thursday, Nov. 12, to ease the process of auctioning off a vacant house across the street and resolve complaints from neighboring residents of vermin they said were traced to the condemned house.

Whitman razes blighted house

GOING: A worker operates the heavy equipment to tear down a dilapitated house at 36 East Ave., in Whitman last week. Courtesy photo, Frank Lynam.

Selectmen voted on Tuesday, Nov. 10 to authorize Town Administrator Frank Lynam to hire an auctioneer for 35 East Ave.

“This has been something that’s been pending for several months,” Lynam said of the auction. “We have had permission to sell the property for a while, but given the fact that the property across the street is even worse than that and we had voted to take that property down, I wanted to wait until we actually did that before seeking to auction this.”

The presence of 36 East Ave. would have greatly reduced what could be brought in by an auction of 35 East Ave., according to Lynam.

The town received a judicial order to demolish the property.

“Once it’s down and graded I’d like to move forward with the sale of the other property,” Lynam told selectmen.

East Avenue neighbors attended a Board of Health meeting on Sept. 2, 2014 regarding a continuing problem with rats in the East Avenue neighborhood — and the possibility that the two vacant houses on the street were housing the vermin. While there was doubt in some quarters if rats were, indeed, living inside 35 and 36 East Ave., evidence that raccoons nested in one of the houses had been found.

Town officials, meanwhile, saw legal and financial limits to what could be done about the problem posed by the decaying houses.

The town had, by that time, already foreclosed on 35 East Ave., and had to wait until November 2014 [the end of a one-ear waiting period] before anything could be done with it, including trying to sell the property to a developer who would raze the house and build there, according to Lynam.

“We will not move forward without a judicial order, because it puts the town in a liability position,” Lynam said at the 2014 Board of Health meeting. “The biggest question then becomes funding because we have to have funds have to pay someone to take the house down.”

A Town Meeting vote in May of this year provided the funds.

— Tracy F. Seelye

Filed Under: Featured Story, News

Open House at South Shore Voc Tech

November 19, 2015 By Stephanie Spyropoulos, Express Correspondent

Middle schoolers tour shops at Open House at South Shore Voc Tech

HANOVER — When all was said and done at the weekend’s open house at South Shore Vo-Tech, an estimated  400 potential students walked through the doors to view and consider the next step of their high school education.

Director of Guidance and Admission Michael Janicki was on hand to welcome students in to the open house, where they were encouraged to sign in and fill out an application of interest.

Open House at South Shore Voc Tech

Olivia Buckley of Whitman, top, works on SSVT T-shirts in the graphic arts design studio. CLICK HERE to see more photos on the Whitman-Hanson Express Facebook Page.  (Photo by by Stephanie Spyropoulos)

“At the open house we have extended an invitation to allow students to narrow down their interests and begin the process of guidance to their future whether it is college, career, or military,” Janicki said. “Right off the bat, by participating in today’s open house, they are getting an opportunity to think of their future goals and aspirations.”

With the culmination of products and ideas many changes are occurring at the school. One of the recent projects is the carpentry canopy, which allows students and staff to learn on each new phase of construction, especially shingling and siding projects, with the true temperature of outside elements gives the students a true-to-life experience on a job site, said Carpentry Department Head Derek Mariani.

With the canopy ideas presented to, and approved by, Superintendent/Director Dr. Thomas Hickey and the school committee, support for the nearly completed project has been strong.

The space contains framed windows, joist settings, lighting and outside electrical outlets among other construction projects.

“The mock-up area contains smaller scale concrete foundations with anchor bolts and beam pockets to apply skills, girders, floor joists and decking,” Mariani said. “The waist high roof mock up develops skills with complete hip, valley, and cheeks at a safe height.”

Numerous local businesses and graduates of SSVT assisted and donated time and products to create the canopy for students. The area is large enough to build sheds for the public, lay out rafters, stairs and steel studs — allowing for completion of projects, which cannot be completed inside the shop due to scale limitations.

The Brass Lantern served culinary delights inside the fully operational commercial kitchen with a full strawberry shortcake bar right down to the homemade whipped crème. A Cuban luncheon was also prepared and served by students in the sit-down restaurant, with other students operating the bakery where fresh pastries trays were being loaded into display counters.

Culinary seniors Mariah Mazzilli and Mary Louise Jepsen were hand-piping cupcakes to fill the pastry case, which held a variety of sweets from giant chocolate chip cookies to holiday-inspired desserts.

Robotics projects demonstrations in the electronics shop was a popular spot all morning as teachers and students talked about upcoming grant money opening up additional projects for their program. The grant will also allow the department to advance its space in the workshop area and allowing them greater technology in building and competitions.

Matthew Cahill of Abington, a recent graduate, returned to visit his teachers during open house and expressed his enjoyment and success at Wentworth Institute of Technology where he has maintained a 100-percent grade average on his lab segment in electronics and robotic.

Both drafting and graphic design majors were also on hand to explain and demonstrate their projects as potential students and parents asked questions and looked on.   

Hanson resident Harry Gauthier, a graphic design student, recently completed posters with public service announcements against drinking and driving as well as upcoming event posters for Halloween and the Brass Lantern. He is aspiring to go on to a design school as his future plan.  Olivia Buckley of Whitman was screen printing T-shirts for SSVT apparel as part of the graphic design and communication program.

The hallways were filled with club representatives and students willing to share their success stories from their high school, which is preparing them for their futures as soon as they walk in the door.

For more information on South Shore Vo-Tech visit their website at ssvotech.org.

 

Filed Under: Featured Story

Whitman Area Toy Drive cheers children

November 12, 2015 By Tracy F. Seelye, Express Editor

Whitman Area Toy Drive cheers children in need

WHITMAN — Within an hour on Sunday morning, a small army of volunteers had transformed the VFW Post 697 pavilion at 95 Essex St., into something like an annex of the North Pole.

Members of the VFW Men’s Auxiliary and the Whitman Mother’s Club were joined by the WHRHS Drama Club and many more residents responding to a Facebook appeal for assistance, participated in the Whitman Area Toy Drive kickoff day on Nov. 8. In previous years, the kickoff was in early December.

Drama Club Vice President Samantha Healy said the group’s members volunteered because they know volunteer Jane Plasse.

“I mentioned to her that we wanted to do something to give back,” Healy said.

School Committee member Fred Small, a longtime volunteer with the Whitman Area Toy Drive, thanked the Drama Club for its participation.

“It’s really appreciated,” Small told the students. “Don’t ever stop getting involved. Don’t ever stop giving back.”

Volunteers Dan, Amy and Logan Desmond received a Facebook message from toy drive founder Donnie Westhaver and decided to come and help, too.

This is the toy drive’s 14th year and, for the past couple of years, a nonprofit partner of the VFW Men’s Auxiliary, according to Westhaver. That helped streamline the to drive’s nonprofit status while helping bring in some corporate donations, he said.

A first this year will be a visit by Santa Claus for photos with children from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 6. There is no charge for the photos, but toy donations would be welcomed.

“We are here for the needy,” Westhaver said. “We always have been.”

The Whitman Area Toy Drive was started as a Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots collection, but the toys collected that year didn’t stay in the area because there is no reserve unit on the South Shore to oversee it.

“In order to pick up the slack for the community we decided to start Whitman Area Toy Drive, which goes to local families,” Westhaver told the volunteers. “It’s kind of a ‘one-stop shopping thing.’”

Westhaver also works to cooperate with toy drives in neighboring communities.

“A lot of the surrounding towns — Abington, Hanson, Rockland — have toy drives,” he said. “I told them if they run out of toys by the middle of December, call me up.”

But he encourages residents of those towns to go through their community program first.

Client families come to the pavilion close to Christmas to select toys for their children — often three to five toys per child s well as clothing items — and are provided with gift wrap supplies they need and even Christmas trees, complete with lights and ornaments.

The Men’s Auxiliary presented Westhaver, it’s president as well as the toy drive organizer, with a $3,000 donation Sunday morning and the Whitman Mother’s Club presented $5,000 as its annual donation. The auxiliary’s donation was one of many it was able to make from the $17,000 raised at its annual golf tournament in August. The Mother’s Club’s donation is also a regular part of the group’s community support fundraising.

“It’s very rewarding and we have a great time doing it,” said auxiliary member Matt Olson. “It’s too much for one guy, so all of us do whatever we can. [Westhaver is] very dedicated to it and doesn’t want all of this to fall away.”

Last year the drive received $9,000 in cash donations and $50,000 worth of donated toys and clothes.

“There’s some great people here,” Westhaver said. “This is overwhelming.”

The volunteers assembled briefly to receive instructions and to hear more about the toy drive’s roots and mission before sorting the toys donated since last Christmas, which have been in storage. Two long rows of tables, covered with red or green plastic tablecloths, were labeled with signs indicating how to lay out the toys by gender and age group.

On Friday, Nov. 20, a performance by an Elvis/Johnny Cash impersonator is planned at the VFW to support Whitman Area Toy Drive and Men’s Auxiliary programs. Call 781-447-6883 for tickets and more information. A meat raffle is planned for Saturday, Nov. 28 at the VFW to support the Men’s Auxiliary.

Filed Under: Featured Story

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 16
  • 17
  • 18
  • 19
  • 20
  • Next Page »

Your Hometown News!

The Whitman-Hanson Express covers the news you care about. Local events. Local business. Local schools. We honestly report about the stories that affect your life. That’s why we are your hometown newspaper!
FacebookEmailsubscribeCall

IN THE NEWS

Brianna Wu challenges Lynch in primary

Brianna Wu challenges Lynch in primary

December 5, 2019 By Larisa Hart, Media Editor

By Austin J. Schofield Express correspondent The presidential race isn’t the only area seeing … [Read More...]

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK

Whitman-Hanson Express

FEATURED SERVICE DIRECTORY BUSINESS

LATEST NEWS

  • W-H football gobbled up by Abington December 5, 2019
  • Season Review: Panther boys’ soccer team has a rebound year December 5, 2019
  • Brianna Wu challenges Lynch in primary December 5, 2019
  • The Patio latest Rosen project honored with Metro South Chamber award December 5, 2019
  • Hanson recycle deal struck December 5, 2019
  • Whitman OK’s sewer funds December 5, 2019
  • Q&A with new W-H gymnastics coach Alison Vance December 5, 2019
  • Season Review: For cross country teams, it was a ‘memorable’ season December 5, 2019
  • Season Review: Girls’ volleyball soars under first-year head coach November 28, 2019
  • Fire officials launch safe cooking campaign November 28, 2019

Whitman-Hanson Express  • 1000 Main Street, PO Box 60, Hanson, MA 02341 • 781-293-0420 • Published by Anderson Newspapers, Inc.