HANSON — Officials must do a better job of communicating with residents, especially younger people, Selectmen say.

The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, Aug. 14, requested that Town Administrator Michael McCue determine methods for improving communication with the public and membership on town boards and committees.

The item was part of a continued review of McCue’s goals and timelines prompted by his request for clarification or feedback on some goals. He also sought more information on the goal for reducing costs and increasing revenues.

Selectman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett said she asked for the communication goal because she thought the town should be more active in making appearances on cable access programs or the WHCA community bulletin board and the Express in order to make sure people are aware of town meetings and board and committee vacancies. She said there should also be an effort to drive people to the town’s website.

“I know we’ve struggled with our social media presence, but we must find a way to get information out there where we’re going to reach people,” she said. “We need to engage younger people and we need to reach them where they’re at.”

FitzGerald also argued the effort is important because she wants to see the effort to fill vacancies on town boards and commissions be less difficult.

“I would really like to see such engagement that we’ve got a cross-section of all kinds of people on all these committees and boards so that we’re getting the best and the brightest and all kinds of ideas from across the spectrum,” she said. “The only way we can do that is to educate people.”

That includes a description of duties and estimated time commitment required of members.

McCue said FitzGerald-Kemmett’s explanation was very helpful and he is already mulling ideas.

FitzGerald-Kemmett also suggested some sort of deadline be attached to it to avoid having things put off. McCue said he would be willing to go on WHCA and discuss the needs of town boards and to submit some information to the Express.

Selectman Matt Dyer said he is also concerned how best to get information on the progress committees are making, and communicating needs, to the public on social media without violating the Open Meeting law.

“If we post it on social media is it public record because I’m on the board and now I’m using my official capacity to spread that information?” he asked. “I think if we get some clarification and guidelines on how to use social media to disburse this information, it would help.”

FitzGerald-Kemmett argued there should be a point person in Town Hall, whether it be the incoming IT director or someone else, to act as a conduit to getting information out to the public.

McCue suggested putting together a procedure for department heads to follow in achieving that.

McCue is continuing meetings with East Bridgewater to hire a shared IT director after a person the towns had hoped to bring on board had declined the offer.

Regarding costs and revenues, McCue said the town is “kind of doing that right now” in the auction of tax title properties.

But FitzGerald-Kemmett said it could also be as simple as an idea contest among town employees who may have ideas for more economical ways of doing their jobs.

“I would say that those conversations do take place to a certain degree, every month at our staff meetings,” McCue said, noting his idea was to see if the citizenry had any ideas.

Dyer suggested it could be as simple as placing a comment box or two around town. FitzGerald-Kemmett suggested something along the line of the Commonwealth Connect system Whitman uses where people can take a picture of a pothole or something else that concerns them and uploads it to the town site.

Selectmen also, in the board’s capacity as the body responsible for setting the Town Meeting warrant, voted to place a Housing Authority vacancy on the annual election ballot.

“This is a request and a requirement from the town clerk,” McCue said.

The town is also looking for volunteers to be appointed to the vacancy until the election, especially for those who also want to run for the office next spring.

WHITMAN — By his own admission, Richard Rosen may not be the best or the smartest beekeeper, but he is becoming the face of backyard beekeeping for people tuning into their local cable access stations from coast to coast as he learns more about it.

He has already inspired the 5-year-old daughter of Whitman-Hanson Community Access TV Executive Director Eric Dresser, who was captivated by seeing a guy in a bee suit.

Rosen has been fascinated by bees, and the idea of running his own hives, for a long time — and while the real estate developer knew honey production was no money-maker, he also knew it was important to try to save them.

“It’s fascinating is what it is,” he said of the life cycle of bees and their honey production. “It was something that I had thought about for years. I thought, kind of from the fringe, that it was pretty interesting.”

He has turned that fascination into a sideline at McGuiggan’s Pub, selling jarred honey, and now working on a drinks menu on which listed beverages will include his honey as an ingredient.

Rosen has also become something of a celebrity through the syndication of his cable access series “The Buzz Around Bees,” which is now seen in programming markets in 14 states, including California and New York. It is the first show WHCA-TV has ever syndicated.

Rosen has already experienced some face-to-face feedback from fans. While attending the Aug. 8 Whitman Police Night Out Against Crime, he said a person stepped up to talk to him about the show.

“There was passion in the person who was talking to me about what they learned from what we showed them,” Rosen said. “I think that’s really cool and it’s surprising how many people do say something to me that have seen the show. … It’s rewarding when people say things to you about what they have seen on the show.”

WHCA’s Access Operations Coordinator Kevin Tocci, who shares Rosen’s interest in bees, approached him about doing the show.

“The idea of what we do here is, if you see somebody who has a unique hobby —whether it’s bees, or gardening, painting, whatever it may be — to expand upon it,” Tocci said. “We’ve been successful here at getting people to take their hobby and make it into a TV program.”

Tocci noted that Rosen had done various other programs for WHCA over the years and is comfortable in front of the camera.

“When he told me he was getting bees I thought that would be a fantastic show,” Tocci said. “And we experienced some very interesting things … we not only experience that the hive had minted a new queen, we got to experience the marking process and [to] understand that.”

Going in, Rosen thought Tocci was talking about a single program. It’s now in its second season, with Rosen shifting attention from his own hives to those of other area beekeepers.

The show’s six-episode first season was an eventful one.

Rosen and his wife Kathy demonstrated introducing bees to the hive, how a new queen had been created in one hive, and how another was “robbed” of its honey by other bees.

“It’s difficult for me to explain just how crazy it is,” he said of the life of honeybees. “But the whole life of a honeybee — how they’re born and when they’re born, how long they live and what they do — it’s pretty fascinating.”

“The Buzz Around Bees” also seems to bridge different ages, Tocci said, as Dresser noted his daughter was intrigued when Tocci posted a photo on Instagram of himself wearing a beekeepers’ outfit for videotaping.

“What’s he wearing?” Dresser said his daughter asked. “I brought up Episode 1 and I showed her ‘The Buzz Around Bees’ and I had never seen her captivated by anything that’s not cartoons until that moment.”

But long before the TV show was even a suggestion, came the development of Rosen’s hobby beginning with learning more about honeybees.

“I started researching it and I read two books and watched a two-hour-and-20-minute DVD, and I still didn’t have any idea what I was doing when I was done,” he said.

Rosen also knew a couple beekeepers, whose experiences fueled his interest. One of those friends, who lives in Duxbury, finally inspired him to buy a couple hives and give beekeeping a try.

His Danecca Drive backyard now hosts seven hives as he has added to his apiary each year.

He stressed that he is still learning about bees himself — taking the eight-week bee school program offered by the Plymouth County Beekeepers’ Association three times so far.

“I’ve said this many times on the show, they have forgotten more about bees than I’ll ever know,” he said. “The old joke is, if you ask three beekeepers the same question, you’ll get five different answers.”

That old saw did not make him hesitate to bring on, in his role as program host, three beekeepers in his first season on the air” PCBA President Anne Rein of Hanson, as well as Bill Veazie and Glen Cornell of Whitman. The sixth and final show of the first season wrapped things up with a panel discussion of issues facing bee populations between Rosen, Rein and Cornell.

This year’s shows began with the bee pickup day in Plympton — in a garage with 9 million bees in packages of 10,000 bees each —and has included the most recently produced episode about sugar shaking to determine if mites have infested a hive and the different pollinators bees seek out. Last season included a tutorial on setting up oil traps for beetles that can take over a hive.

“Last year was not a good honey year, a lot of beekeepers had a tough time … basically because of the weather,” Rosen said of that season, in which he managed a fair yield despite his challenges.

The damage done to bee populations by weather, mites, beetles and pesticides are a very real concern.

With 85 percent of plant species on earth, and about 52 percent of the food products at your grocery store, requiring bees and other pollinators to exist, a 2013 Whole Foods Markets “Share the Buzz” demonstration of the statistics proved an eye-opener for Rosen. The store showed that one of every three bites of food is produced by honeybees and other pollinators by removing all products requiring pollination from its store shelves — 237 of 453 products including almost the entire produce department.

Between learning of that demonstration and his experience as a beekeeper, everything Rosen now plants in his yard benefits bees. That includes selecting plants that have not been treated with pesticides like neonicotinoid, which kill bees.

“This year, so far, it’s been a great year and six of the seven are doing well. One is doing OK, but I think it’s because of where I have them placed. I have a couple [hives] more in the shade and I’m finding they don’t particularly like the shade.”

A daily tablespoon of local honey, produced within a 25 mile radius of where one lives, is also said to be helpful for allergy sufferers.

“There are a lot of people that live by that,” he said. “I have people who come into McGuiggan’s to buy honey that are not drinkers, they’ve just heard we have true local honey and they want to buy it.”

Stings are the last thing to worry about, he said.

“Honey bees don’t want to sting you because they’re going to die after they sting you,” Rosen said. “They won’t unless you swat them. You tend to be afraid of bumble bees, because they’re so big — bumble bees will not bother you —but yellow jackets are bad guys and will sting.”

McGuiggan’s 5K tops $15K to Whitman Food Pantry

WHITMAN — For nine years, the McGuiggan’s Pub Road Race has provided more to its community than bragging rights for runners followed by a block party to kick off the summer months.

It has also contributed proceeds to community organizations — the Whitman Food Pantry, in particular, which has received a total of $15,000 in race proceeds over the years.

On Thursday, Aug. 2, Richard Rosen and his daughter, Danielle, presented the latest check to the pantry, for $3,000.

“Since the first year of the road race, we have donated a lot of the proceeds from our race to the Whitman Food Pantry, because I think it’s really important to give back to your community,” Rosen said. “This year’s check represents over $15,000.”

Bruce Perry, Whitman St. Vincent de Paul president and Whitman Food Pantry director, said the gift is especially timely as the pantry has served about 80 families — a total of a little over 300 people — in the past month.

“This is usually our slower time [regarding people coming to the food pantry], but it hasn’t slowed down this summer at all,” he said.

The summer is also a time when donations drop off due to vacation schedules and other demands of donors’ time and resources, Perry noted. Donations don’t pick up in earnest until mid-November, when the holidays spur donations, he noted.

“The spirit of giving usually helps out,” Perry said. “We receive probably about half of our donations in the last three months of the year.”

This latest McGuiggan’s donation will buy the pantry about 10,000 pounds of food out of the Greater Boston Food Bank, possibly helping the pantry supplement other donations to meet the demand for another month and a half or so.

“Richie and his staff at McGuiggan’s have been doing this for years and it helps us at the food pantry and whenever we do have excess we call neighboring pantries, so nothing ever goes to waste,” Perry said.

St. Vincent de Paul Brockton South District President Robert Hogan noted that the Whitman Business Community has been and continues to be strong supporters of the Whitman Food Pantry especially McGuiggan’s, Duval’s Pharmacy, John Russell Studio, Regal Marketplace, Stop & Shop, Pea Pod, Mutual Bank and Dunkin Donuts.

“We are very grateful for their support and helping us to assure that our friends and neighbors of Whitman always have food on their table,” Hogan said.

Rosen noted there was a time when donations were held “close to the vest,” but said the community has a right to expect transparency concerning where race proceeds go.

“When we’re out generating funds, people want to know … and people do need to know,” he said.

While about half the funds over the years have gone to support the food pantry, several area veterans’ programs — such as Folds of Honor in support of the college education of children of deceased veterans; the Whitman American Legion; Whitman VFW Men’s Auxiliary; Disabled and Homeless Veterans — have also benefitted from the race.

Cub Scouts, the HUG Foundation, Whitman Police and Auxiliary Police, Whitman Fire Department, scholarship groups and the Whitman Library have also received donations.

“We raise money and we give it all away,” Rosen said. “But the majority has gone to the Whitman Food Pantry.”

pasta dinner

The food pantry will also be holding a pasta dinner from 5 to 7 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 25 at the Cardinal Spellman Center at Holy Ghost Church. The cost is just $5 and raffle tickets for gift cards, various items, and services will be available.

Whitman boy honored for aid to fallen officer’s family

A hot, humid week of DARE Camp recreation and anti-drug lessons closed on Friday, July 27 with an emotional ovation for a 7-year-old Whitman boy who didn’t even attend the event.

But Brady Proto’s compassion for the family of Weymouth Police Sgt. Michael Chesna — raising $1,100 for them at a lemonade stand — earned him the traditional cheer of “Outstanding!” as campers raised their arms to make the top of an “O.”

Brady was asked to lead campers, their families and Plymouth County law enforcement officials, including about a half-dozen chiefs of police, in the pledge of allegiance. He was then presented a plaque of appreciation by District Attorney Timothy Cruz and Sheriff Joseph McDonald.

He’s also been invited to tour the Hanson Police Station with DARE/School Resource Office Bill Frazier.

After leading the audience in a moment of silence for all officers killed in the line of duty, Cruz offered his appreciation to Brady Proto for his aid to Sgt. Chesna’s family.

Chesna was killed in the line of duty on Sunday, July 15 when a suspect allegedly attacked him with a rock and repeatedly shot the officer with his own gun.

“Sgt. Chesna was a resident of Plymouth County and his death had a profound effect on all of us, young and old,” Cruz said. “A 7-year-old boy from Whitman, Brady Proto — who led us all in the pledge of allegiance today — was so affected by what happened to Chesna that he went out and he raised $1,100 by selling lemonade.”

Cruz said Brady’s selfless action “caught all of our attention” so the county’s police chiefs and officers, sheriff, and Cruz took the opportunity to thank him for his “outstanding act of kindness” with an Outstanding Achievement Award cited Proto’s gesture.

Cruz also presented service awards to three DARE campers who followed the rules and performed above and beyond what was expected of them. Officer Robert Quigley Peer Service Award was presented to Katie Bondar; the Officer Helen Gray Student Service Award was presented to Taylor Cunningham. Both the officers had served the Marshfield Police Department. The Whitman Officer Gerald Mont Student Service award was presented to Benjamin Carr by Whitman School Resource Officer Kevin Harrington.

Retiring police officers, and DARE camp volunteers, Fred Mello of Carver and James Wigmore of Duxbury were also saluted and the annual five-way tug of war event has been renamed the “Wiggy War.”

“This camp has been going on since 1994 and every year it gets bigger and bigger,” host DARE officer Frazier said in his opening remarks. In its 24th year, about 625 youths from Plymouth County communities attended the five-day camp at the invitation of their local police departments. He credited Cruz with the camp’s existence and success.

Cruz, in turn, thanked the communities, police and fire departments of Whitman and Hanson — as well as the school district — for use of the WHRHS building and grounds. He also thanked the many businesses that contributed food, funds or other donations to make the camp possible.

He stressed that the camp, which teaches and reinforces drug awareness lessons, is funded in large part by money seized in narcotics arrests and the donations he had mentioned. The camp has only been funded by the state once in 24 years.

“We felt, as the funding was non-existent, that the program was too important to let go,” Cruz said about the use of forfeited drug funds. “We take their money and give it back to the community and a big chunk of that goes to you.”

On Monday, July 23, Cruz spoke about the DARE program after addressing campers during opening ceremonies.

“DARE has changed over the years,” he said. “DARE here in 2018 is not the same as it was back 10 years ago.”

He said part of that difference is the need to reach kids at a younger age especially now, in the face of the opioid epidemic, the fentanyl and carfentanyl issues going on and marijuana legalization.

“The kids have a lot of challenges that they face and it’s really incumbent upon us to open their eyes and to tell them about the dangers so they don’t go down that wrong path.”

Vaping, which contains high levels of nicotine, is another challenge that communities and schools must control, said Cruz.

“A lot of kids are vaping in school and I think its incumbent upon each school district to make sure that kids are not vaping in school and the school resource officers do their job to make sure [to stress to students about] that path of continually smoking nicotine where that may lead somebody to the next step.”

He also said a blanket decriminalization of drugs is not an answer to the nation’s drug problems.

“We live in a world right now where the biggest drug problem that we have is alcohol,” he said. “Alcohol is legalized and that still brings all sorts of problems to us so when you’re talking about dangerous drugs like opiates [and] prescription meds, when you’re talking about methamphetamine, LSD, you’re talking about cocaine, crack — it’s important that we get that stuff off the street and we control it through illegalization.”

Friday’s graduation ceremony concluded with the introduction of the 24 teams of campers, with the top three finishers in the cheer competition performing their cheers.

WHITMAN — A young Whitman boy has made a difference for another family following the line-of-duty death of Weymouth Police Sgt. Michael Chesna.

Brady Proto, 7, guided by his heart, asked his mom if he could raise money to help Sgt. Chesna’s family.

On Monday, July 23,  following a one-day weekend lemonade stand operation, Brady and his mother Kayla brought a check to the Weymouth Police department for $1,100 .

“We were returning from vacation and he saw on my phone the news highlights that Sgt. Chesna was killed,” said Proto.

Brady remembered televised services for Sgt. Sean Gannon of Yarmouth Police earlier this year. Gannon was also killed in the line of duty.

Brady had also worn a child-sized police outfit on Hero Day at the Duval Elementary School this year. His mom made a name tag in honor of Gannon that he pinned proudly to his shirt.

“Brady is very sweet. He is an old soul and wanted to help the officer’s family,” said Proto.

The whole event was only advertised on her Facebook page and the Whitman Pride Facebook page. At 9 a.m. with a sign on the street aiming toward their stand  traffic began flowing from all over the South Shore. There was a continuous stream of locals, and police officers from all area towns stopping with donations for Officer Chesna’s family.

After six hours the family took a break, leaving the lemonade with a short note to help themselves and if they wished could leave a donation.

“I brought the money inside and when we returned later the jar that we left empty had an additional $100 added,” she said.

Proto is proud of her son’s efforts.  She explains things to Brady and he knows that police and firefighters can sometimes get hurt or killed in their jobs. He knows they are here to protect us, she said. He looks up to first responders. She will continue her efforts to raise her children to respect police officers and not be fearful of them, she said.

HANSON — With only one member of the Board of Selectmen having held office for more than two years — and two members elected this May — the board convened in a special meeting Tuesday, July 17 for workshop with Town Counsel Katherine M. Feodoroff.

A member of the firm Mead, Talerman & Costa LLC, Feodoroff presented a PowerPoint outline of the board’s roles and responsibilities, unique roles of the board and town administrator and how they intersect, how to act effectively as selectmen, the role of the chairman and the current regulations under the Open Meeting Law. She then fielded selectmen’s questions for nearly half an hour during the meeting.

“I’ve been on the board for three and a half years,” Selectmen Chairman Kenny Mitchell said. “When I first got on the board, other than the three months of meetings that I had attended, I didn’t know all the responsibilities or roles of a selectman so for the first three months I felt a little bit lost.”

After Mitchell discussed it with Feodoroff, she suggested, with the election of two new selectmen, that she conduct a workshop.

“I thought that was a cool idea,” he said.

“I love it, and I also think those of us who have been doing it for a while could use refreshers,” said Selectman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett. “I don’t think it would be a bad thing for us to do this annually.”

The rules

Feodoroff outlined how selectmen is the policy-maker for the town and also serves in a “quasi-judicial capacity” and appointing authority and how it is intended to act as a body.

“Essentially, the roles and responsibilities for boards of selectmen and town administrators are defined by charter, by by-laws, by special acts — Hanson has a particular act for the town administrator to create that role — and it differs for every town,” Feodoroff said. “You have to look at your own by-laws to figure out where these roles are defined.”

Selectmen and the town administrator make up the town’s executive branch with Town Meeting working in the legislative role. The board creates policy, which is implemented by the town administrator.

“You steer the ship, you create the warrants,” she said unless a warrant article is sought by resident petition.

The board oversees litigation involving the town, approve litigation settlements with the town administrator’s assistance, approve collective bargaining agreements, negotiate employment contracts and expend gifts and grants received by the town. Selectmen also approve the budget, licensure — now including marijuana establishments — and governs business practices of the town, hear grievances not resolved with the town administrator and has appointment authority for department heads.

“This is probably the biggest area where boards and staff collide,” Feodoroff said. “Although you have appointment power, you have decided that [Town Administrator Michael McCue] manages operations, so you’re not supervising these folks, you’re not directing these folks, your simply appointing them for their obligations and then assuming they’re doing a good job based on [McCue’s] reports.”

Selectman Jim Hickey later asked what selectmen are allowed to do when they see a town employee not doing their job properly.

“I’m also a citizen and I pay their salaries,” he said. “Where do I go from there?”

Feodoroff said selectmen should go through the town administrator if they feel it is serious enough to require town action.

“If it’s something like, ‘Hey, buddy, you’ve been in your car for 45 minutes and I know your break is only half an hour. Quit it,’” she said. “I’m not saying that you’re foreclosed from being responsive. … Any time you see a town employee that did something great, always say, ‘Great job.’”

The town administrator deals with public complaints, employee evaluations and grievances as well as serving as the chief procurement officer for the town.

“Your authority is limited to the board’s actions,” Feodoroff said. “You can’t unilaterally make any decisions, make any directions without board approval.”

Public complaints should be directed to the town administrator.

“It’s difficult when someone approaches you with a problem not to say, ‘I’m taking care of this today and I’m going to speak to so-and-so directly and ensure it’s done,’” she said. “If it’s something of sufficient severity that requires an action by selectmen, it needs to be done in an agenda for the board to act collectively.”

“Under the Open Meeting Law, the chair doesn’t need to allow public participation,” Feodoroff said. “They are required to be able to to sit here and listen and to hear what’s motivating you on any decision you are making.”

Online pitfalls

Selectman Matt Dyer had also brought to the board’s attention at a recent meeting that comments posted by selectmen on social media forums can constitute a violation of the Open Meeting Law.

“This is such a huge gray area and there’s no really great answer,” Feodoroff said. “But there is a risk when you are on social media … that that could be seen as serial deliberation, especially in closed forums. … This is sort of uncharted territory.”

General statements on political issues could be permitted, such as “I love the schools” or “I’m against marijuana,” but selectmen should be wary of indicating how they might vote on specific matter or in responding to other comments online.

“It would have to relate to town business, though, right?” Mitchell said. “So If Laura posts something that says, ‘I’m having a bake sale on Saturday,’ and Wes hops on and says, ‘Oh yeah, her brownies are great,’ and Jim says, ‘Grab some chocolate cake while you’re there,’ that’s OK.”

Feodoroff agreed that was permitted.

Hickey quipped that mentioning baked goods right after marijuana was a bit funny.

Board members must also avoid to hitting the “Reply All” tab on emails from other board members as that could also qualify as deliberation, Feodoroff cautioned.

Hickey asked if, to prepare for a meeting he calls Mitchell who had already spoken to FitzGerald-Kemmett, is it a violation “if Kenny tells me what Laura said to him?”

“You can’t do that, because … the Open Meeting Law contemplates that the folks at home, or sitting in this room, understand how you got from the point of ‘I don’t know how I’m voting on this’ to, ‘I’m voting yes’ or ‘I’m voting no,’” Feodoroff said. “They want to understand what led you to that position. So, if Laura’s discussion with Kenny had an influence on you, it’s their right to know that that exchange occurred.”

“I think that’s a real pitfall for the unwary right there,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said.

If Mitchell simply mentioned a source of information FitzGerald-Kemmett had told him about and Hickey looked it up independently to help form his decision, it would not be a violation so long as he didn’t discuss his potential vote with other members of the board.

“Don’t we want Laura to present that in an open meeting where we all hear it?” asked Selectman Wes Blauss.

“Why am I the root of all evil in this discussion?” FitzGerald-Kemmett asked.

Feodoroff said Blauss’ point would be the best avenue because, while a board member can distribute information, they have to be careful not to include any opinion in that information.

Selectmen also, in preparing for evaluating the town administrator, may talk with department heads or employees to obtain feedback, but should be wary of someone else’s accounts in the event an employee may be upset concerning an evaluation from the town administrator for reasons a selectmen may not know about. Selectmen also have to be wary against discussing town business if a quorum of members — at least three of five — are present at social occasions.

The area sweltered through the recent 10-day heat wave with little adverse public health effects, according to officials in Whitman and Hanson.

In Hanson, Fire Chief Jerome Thompson reported only four heat-related incidents — a call for an outside worker who was evaluated but not transported to the hospital earlier in the week and three people at the Thursday, July 5 fire at JJ’s Pub, including two firefighters who were transported to the hospital for treatment.

In Whitman, data from the Fire Department was not available at press time.

Directors at both communities’ senior centers said they did not hear of any medical problems among their clients.

“All is well with our folks,” said Barbara Garvey, director of the Whitman Council on Aging on Thursday, July 5. “It’s been very uneventful. I have not been requested to be a cooling center so I think everybody was prepared for this.”

“We often make phone calls to those people who may not get out of the house just to check in with them and remind them that an air conditioner or a fan would be good to use on days like this,” said Mary Collins, director of the Hanson Multi-Service Senior Center. “We have our Friendly Phone Caller who checks in with her group of people — just in communication to let people know that we’re here.”

The center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday and, while the need has not arisen yet, hours can be extended to provide a cooling center in the event of a heat emergency.

indoor events

Collins also tries to schedule summer programs to entice elders to visit in hot weather. On July 5, the Hanson Senior Center celebrated the “Fourth … on the Fifth” with root beer floats and will host a summer barbecue at noon Tuesday, July 24 featuring hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and a cold drink for $5. A morning karaoke program with Rick Ferreira, beginning at 10:30, precedes the cookout.

“We try to plan events that are cooler in nature than we normally would have just to give people a break,” Collins said. “Our Supportive Day Program, we have to keep them in on days like this. We don’t expose them at all to the heat and humidity.”

Whitman’s Council on Aging is also planning events geared to beat the summer heat. An ice cream social will be held at 6 p.m., Tuesday, July 17 with a variety of toppings, including whipped cream for make-your-own sundaes. Tickets are limited and cost $2.

The monthly movie, “Wonder,” at 12:30 p.m., Thursday, July 26 — limit 12 attendees — is also a good way to beat the heat.

Now that last week’s heat wave is over, AccuWeather is forecasting a return to seasonal average temperatures for the rest of July — about 82 degrees — but since weather is changeable one never knows.

People suffer heat-related illness when their bodies are unable to compensate and properly cool themselves, according to the Mass. Department of Public Health. The body normally cools itself by sweating. Certain psychiatric medications impair this critical physiological function. Furthermore, under some conditions, sweating just isn’t enough for any of us. In such cases, a person’s body temperature rises rapidly. Very high body temperatures may damage the brain or other vital organs.

factors

Several factors affect the body’s ability to cool itself during extremely hot weather. When the humidity is high, sweat will not evaporate as quickly, preventing the body from releasing heat quickly. Other conditions related to risk include age, obesity, fever, dehydration, heart disease, mental illness, poor circulation, sunburn, and prescription drug and alcohol use.

To protect people when temperatures are extremely high, remember to keep cool and use common sense.

Staying cool

The DPH recommends that people:

• Drink plenty of fluids, don’t just wait until you’re thirsty while avoiding alcohol or heavily sugared drinks;

• Replace salt and minerals;

• Wear appropriate clothing and sunscreen;

• Schedule outdoors activities carefully;

• Pace yourself and

• Stay cool indoors.

People who are overweight, elderly or physically ill should be monitored as they are at greater risk for heat-related illnesses, according to the DPH.

know the signs

People should also learn the warning signs of:

• Heat stroke — An extremely high body temperature (above 103°F, orally); red, hot, and dry skin (no sweating); rapid, strong pulse; throbbing headache; dizziness; nausea; confusion and unconsciousness. Cool the victim rapidly using whatever methods you can. Do not give the victim fluids to drink. Get medical assistance as soon as possible.

Sometimes a victim’s muscles will begin to twitch uncontrollably as a result of heat stroke. If this happens, keep the victim from injuring himself, but do not place any object in the mouth and do not give fluids. If there is vomiting, make sure the airway remains open by turning the victim on his or her side.

• Heat exhaustion — Heavy sweating; paleness; muscle cramps; tiredness; weakness; dizziness; headache; nausea or vomiting and fainting. Cooling measures that may be effective include cool, nonalcoholic beverages; rest; cool shower, bath, or sponge bath; an air-conditioned environment and having them wear lightweight clothing.

• Heat cramps — Muscle pains or spasms-usually in the abdomen, arms, or legs-that may occur in association with strenuous activity. If you have heart problems or are on a low-sodium diet, get medical attention for heat cramps.

WHITMAN — Less than a month before his death from cancer on May, 15, 2013, Dr. John F. McEwan was thinking of the pain of others in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings, assuring their friends and loved ones that faith would help see them through a dark time.

Such events, much like chronic illness “remind us that life is precious and our lives can suddenly change in a moment … you do have the opportunity to evaluate what is important in your life and how you choose to spend your time,” he and his wife Margaret wrote in an email to family and friends on April 20, 2013 — five days after the attack.

An organ donor, he wanted to share that life with others after he was gone, just as he had in his career in education. At first, the family was told that his cancer made that impossible, but a call from the New England Organ Bank advised them that his corneas could and would be used to help two blind people — who could now see the world through his eyes.

“This was the final gift of John’s legacy,” Margaret P. McEwan wrote in a May 18, 2013 email.

It turned out to be a premature coda to that legacy.

Those emails, written faithfully — in every sense of the word — to help inform and bouy the spirits of others during the illness faced by the retired W-H superintendent of schools, have been used as the framework of a new book by his widow, “Every Day Is a Gift: A Couple’s Cancer Journey,” [201 pages, trade paperback, 2018 SDP Publishing ISB 978-0-9992839-8-1 eBook ISBN 978-0-9992839-9-8], for which she shares author credit with him. The book is locally available at Duval’s Pharmacy as well as online through Amazon Books, Barnes & Noble and SDP Publishing Solutions.

“It all started because he was working at W-H and he has so many people … interested in his progress that I sent out emails the entire time he was being treated,” Margaret said in an interview at her home Thursday, June 21. The emails were frequently passed along to friends the initial recipients thought might be interested in reading them. Several people who read the emails later urged her to consider writing a book.

“People were very interested in knowing how things transpired,” she said.

The title is a nod to an inspirational sign John had received as a gift from his Administrative Assistant Michelle (Kelley) Lindberg while he worked at WHRSD.

“When I was trying to think of a title for the book, I thought, ‘That was always our philosophy,’ because we felt very fortunate in our marital relationship,” Margaret said. “That’s the way he was.”

John was diagnosed with Stage 4 melanoma in 2008, when he had a spot on his scalp examined. While not a textbook “outdoorsman,” he did like working in his yard and never wore a hat when doing so, Margaret said.

“John always said ‘Things don’t happen for a reason — you find a purpose for why things happen.’ I finally thought that maybe I wrote all these emails so that I could compile them and make a book about his journey,” she said. Also included in the book are letters he wrote to W-H staff even before his diagnosis, to illustrate his long-held positive outlook to readers.

“He really believed that you really needed to do what you could in order to bring joy into other people’s lives,” Margaret said.

John McEwan began his career as an English teacher and later as a principal at Silver Lake Regional High School, W-H superintendent from 2001-09 and the first lay president of his high school alma mater Cardinal Spellman.

“It was something he took great pride in being able to do because he was very committed to trying to give back,” she said of the Spellman position.

Initially given a prognosis of six months to a year, John lived for five years in his cancer battle and never stopped working until his health forced him to give up the Spellman presidency in March 2013. They had also done the traveling they had planned for their retirement years — to China, Rome and the Amalfi coast, a Baltic cruise, the Canadian Rockies and Yellowstone — during his illness.

“We attribute that to fortunate proximity to hospitals in Boston where they do clinical trials,” she said of her husband’s long-term battle.

When she got to work on the book, Margaret had one main request to the publisher, referred by her friend, Kathleen Teahan, whose book, “The Cookie Loved ’Round the World,” they published: “Do not edit the emails.” John was an English teacher, she reasoned, and if he dangled a participle — leave it dangling.

She said people who knew John say they hear his voice in his writing. Her accompanying narrative took about a year to write, submitting it on his death anniversary of May 15, 2017 with the goal of publication this May 15 to mark his fifth anniversary year, and was successful in reaching that goal.

“The idea was to provide other people with hope and give purpose to whatever their journey is,” she said. “You hope that in living your life — even if it’s under a cloud — you can find joy every day. … It’s work, but he always said you can choose your attitude.”

The book is also a gift to the couple’s grandchildren, who were very young, the oldest being 8 and 6, when John died so they could get to know their grandfather.

The writing process also helped Margaret grieve and she had Dana-Farber’s Director of Bereavement Services Sue Morris, PsyD, and IMPACT Melanoma Executive Director Deb Girard read advance copies for feedback on the book.

“Margaret captures the essence of living well with cancer,” Morris said. “A must read for families and clinicians.”

“I believe anyone finding themselves on the cancer journey can identify the roads that Margaret and John traveled together and find tidbits of solace, grace and hope to journey down their own roads,” Girard wrote.

W-H named its performing arts center in John’s honor in 2014. Margaret McEwan holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in food and nutrition, was a registered dietitian and first female vice president of Shaw’s Supermarkets, from which she retired as vice president of corporate communications in 2004.

Eighth-graders planning to participate in sports as freshmen this fall at WHRHS — along with their parents — took part in the annual Athletics First Night program Wednesday, June 13.

It was the second year in which the program was held in the spring instead of the week before school begins in late August when families are trying to “squeeze in an extra week of vacation,” according to Athletic Director Bob Rodgers.

Project Impact concussion baseline exams were administered; school and MIAA rules for eligibility, game-day attendance, chemical health and other issues were reviewed; Athletic Trainer Lexi Watkins went over rules governing post-concussion returns to competition and three team captains spoke before two guest speakers talked about opioid addiction and positive sports psychology.

“It’s important for you to know them,” Rodgers said of the rules. “It solves a lot of problems before they happen.”

Quinn Sweeney, a football team co-captain spoke about the importance of the fitness center in conditioning. Fellow football team co-captain Jacob Nixon advised incoming freshmen to keep in mind what high school sports are all about.

“High school sports are not your job,” he said. “You do not get paid to do this, so make it fun, make it count.”

But he said sports do serve an important social function.

“They bring people together of a variety of races, religions and all different backgrounds,” Nixon said. “In this world today that’s very special because you don’t see a lot of that across the country. … We’re creating peace and we don’t even realize it.”

He also said high school sports bring the two communities together.

Chloe Wilson, a cross-country captain, said a team is a place to feel welcomed with open arms.

“I understood — from the hallways, to the classrooms to the track — it was no longer just me, a little powerless freshman, it was me and my team,” she said. “Open arms — my team took me under their wing [and] I took them into my heart. … Our job is to welcome you with open arms.”

Messages sent

In reviewing the chemical health rules, Rodgers set up his first speaker by cautioning parents that none of the rules would serve to dissuade students from violating them, but stressed there are consequences that will be enforced.

“Parents, we need to work together to make sure we’re sending the same message: It’s not OK for them to drink in the basement as long as you take their keys,” he said. “The addictive part of their brain gets triggered when they start doing these things. The younger they do it, the greater the chance that they’re going to have a problem with addiction as they get older.”

He drove home the point that the reasoning and impulse-control center of the brain is not fully developed until age 25 — and that vaping is addictive and may soon be included as a drug offense at the school.

“I have been to too many funerals of W-H student-athletes who left here, had trouble, overdosed and died,” Rodgers said. “We’ve had a lot of them. … they were the best and the brightest.”

Speaker Kevin Rosario, regional outreach representative for Gosnold Treatment Center, headquartered in Falmouth, outlined the challenges he faced as a teen that, coupled with a family history of addiction led to his abusing alcohol and drugs.

“What I bring to the table is I’m a person in long-term recovery,” said Rosario, a New Bedford native who has been sober since July 2010. “I try to be a decent human today … but that wasn’t always the case.”

A student who was small for his age and socially insecure, he was bullied and when his heart was broken in sixth grade, he felt the need to “create a new character.”

He became a class clown and “player” who frequently got into fights. He also started smoking weed and drinking in grade seven.

“Self-esteem, insecurity and peer pressure, body image and all those different things play a huge factor in whether somebody will experiment with drugs or alcohol,” he said, noting he also had undiagnosed ADHD. “Before drugs or alcohol I already had an issue.”

Even nicotine can impede the reasoning and impulse-control center of the brain he said.

“If at a young age, you use a chemical to try to deal with feelings, the body naturally builds a tolerance to it … over time, you will find you need stronger chemicals to get the same effect,” Rosario said. Even one small Juul contains the same amount of nicotine as more than two packs of cigarettes.

Eating, exercise, making love — but wait until you’re at least out of high school, he quipped — and laughter release the same dopamine in the brain as the chemicals that addictive drugs release in larger quantities.

“Once you start abusing [drugs, alcohol or nicotine] you’re flooding your body with so much dopamine from an unnatural source, the rest of your life becomes desensitized,” he said. “All those things that used to make you feel good don’t do it anymore because now you’re so used to being over-stimulated.”

Rosario’s first arrest for under-age drinking was at 16, after moving on to marijuana and pain-killers such as percocet and within a year after that he started sniffing heroin — and shooting it six months after that. It was the beginning of nine years of addiction.

“It wasn’t fun anymore,” he said. “I needed it every day to not be sick.”

He has had episodes where he has walked out of the hospital after being saved by Narcan to get high again — and has been arrested “more than a dozen times,” but does not remember exactly how many.

“It was a long, nasty cycle,” he said.

About 63 percent of Americans know a person, or have a family member, struggling with addiction to drugs or alcohol.

“You’ve got to know the risk that you’re at,” Rosario said, noting that alcoholism runs on both sides of his family.

Power of happiness

He concluded where speaker Pam Garramone picked up, that finding what makes you happy and confident because “happy, confident people don’t do what other people are doing.”

A positive psychology life coach, Garramone said being happy is a goal parents have for their children and each person would like attain in life — but most people say they know more unhappy people.

While 60 percent of how happy we are is due to genetics or external influences, she said “the good news is, 40 percent … are things you can do everyday to increase your happiness and well-being.”

Social connection, exercise, a healthy and happy committed relationship, all lead to happiness and research shows that happy people are more productive, make more money and have better jobs, are better leaders, are more likely to marry and stay married, have more friends, are healthier and live longer, they give more and are less stressed, anxious and depressed.

“Or brains are hard-wired for negative thoughts,” Garramone cautioned. She recommended journaling the three good things that have happened to you that day. “It proves the power of words.”

She had the audience pair off to discuss three good things that happened to them over the past 24 hours, with a few sharing examples with the audience.

One student-athlete was part of a community service project to clean an elderly man’s home so he could keep his cat. Another said he had played his first Junior Legion game.

Garramone also offered students a chance to thank people who have made a difference to them to demonstrate how gratitude makes both you and the person you thank feel better. Several thanked teachers.

“I want to thank [Hanson Middle School history teacher and Builders Club advisor Joshua] Lopes for not only being an amazing teacher, but for teaching his students to be better people,” one student said.

“I want to thank my mom, Amanda Pearl, for keeping my head up high,” her daughter in the crowd said.