A legendary uncharted island exists Beyond the sandy shores of sultry Jamaica A virtual utopia-like paradise to behold ‘Amidst the coconut palms and A profusion of verdurous vegetation Elegant fragrant flora grow As each colorful delicate blossom doth unfold Secluded within a mellifluous graceful waterfall No thundering cataract this. Created by the Almighty One who reigns in Heaven’s bliss. Cascading down like yards of unwinding satin ribbons from a gypsy caravan

From between the craggy rock-strewn cleavage above, Permeating past the lofty prominent escarpment; Coaxed by the pull of gravity and Mother Nature’s gentle shove. Fed by continuous rivulets Originating from its counterpart a confluence of hidden streams The emanating inbound current passes by As if awakened from a whimsical dream A vain ostentatious peacock struts fanning its tail with a ruffling sound; Sightless eyes there upon brilliant colors can be found. Waterlilies float atop the rippling mirrored surface Of the accumulating pond, Outlined in beds of moss and interspersed with both fern and frond No apparent obstruction nor nature-wrought tourniquet To attempt to stop the flow. Obeisant as if bowing forth in reverence Head over heels it goes tumbling splashing into the catch basin below The rhythmic melodious sound like the clicking of castanets Coupled with tap dancers Performing in unison repeatedly upon the aquatic stage. The natives surround their god The waterfall kindred spirits in fellowship they engage The rain season comes through the turnstile, At first a mist-like shower changing into droplets akin To silvery sequins passing through a sieve Semblance of an aspergillum used for a holy water sprinkling, A benediction blessing to give Like a banner o’er the waterfall iridescent Neapolitan rainbows appear Every time the rotating ubiquitous sun draws near Lo this enchanting awe-inspiring wonder In this exotic land.

by Janice Baronian

By Clifton (Jerry) Noble, Sr.

In the mid 1950s work with my Department of Public Works survey party, puppet shows, and increasing social activity precluded journal keeping. Thus, only ex-pense pages and records of job progress are all I have to jog memory.

In a coffee shop a cup cost ten cents and I could treat my three men for 40 to 70 cents even if someone had a doughnut or English muffin. Coffee was plenty for my 120-pound physique, especially during the first part of the year when I was plagued by a slight but persistent tendency to diarrhea. For remedy I tried paregoric. That was no help nor was Coca Cola syrup, available at 80 cents to a dollar a bottle, which one of my men suggested. That started a tooth cavity. A cousin loaned Lets Eat Right to Keep Fit by Adelle Da-vis which led me to suspect vitamin B deficiency. By December I acquired a bottle of Rybutol (vitamin B complex,$4.95) and my trouble went away over night

Construction of seven bridges in Hampden and one on Crane Hill Road in Wilbraham continued. They were complet-

ed and sideline bounds set in July. At Mill Road a laborer, who could have modeled for Charles Atlas, worked in swim briefs during sunny weather. I marveled at how he could pick up granite bounds which must have weighed nearly 200 pounds and throw them into holes he dug.

Before final payment could be made to the contractor we had to measure everything to verify that it had been built ac-cording to plan.

In some cases stream beds had been made deeper especial-ly at South Monson Road in Hampden. Although I was chief of party, it was easier for me to turn over notebook keeping to Tom Cooney, my transitman, and get level rod readings in hip-deep water under the bridge in Coronado swim briefs than to make the Department haul out a rowboat for those few elevations. Although upstream the Scantic River valley was loaded with snakes, I didn’t see one while wading. The lady clerk from the corner coffee shop came the short distance to the bridge to see what was going on.

I was paid three cents a mile for using my new, 6-cylin-der Ford to transport crew and equipment rather than have the state supply a carryall. This car proved to be a lemon with one breakdown after another until Westfield Ford replaced it by an 8-cylinder model with exactly the same body and color. Dur-

Looking Back at 1957

Dickey Bird and Fox from puppet show with

“Dividing Flames for Christmas” - Drawing by the author

ing the transition one of the mechanics loaned me his older car. Gas station attendants gave me more sympathetic attention than when I was driving my new cars.

Other prices were for overshoes,$6.50, hair-cut, $1.00, daily newspaper, 5 cents, Sunday pa-per, 17 cents. Yearly rent for my post office box in Russell was $1.20. Postage stamps were 3 cents each, a guitar book, $1.50, a 33 rpm Chet Atkins record, $3.98. I had paid an-other survey chief $15 for his guitar. He told me the crack in its back came from hit-ting his wife in the rear with it. After learning a lot of Gene Autry songs, I was in demand to sing them Saturday nights at the farm of my late fa-ther’s cousin on Main Road, Montgomery. I even played and sang briefly with a local band.

A 1,000 ft. reel of single-strand fence wire, $3.95 (not barbed) got strung to mark two property lines of my 30-acre wood lot. Of 100 Norway spruce seedlings ($7.65) I gave half a dozen to my neighbor across the road, and they did more to mask the front of his house than the other 94 did to fill up my woods.

Yearly property taxes for about 40 acres and 3 smallish buildings were $131.56.

Although much survey time got spent on the reconstruct-ing Hampden bridges washed out by the 1955 flood,we sur-veyed River Road in Agawam, Boston, Fernbank and Pasco roads in Springfield, East Mountain Road, Union Street under-pass in Westfield and the Main Street bridge over Little River. Then there was Agawam Avenue in West Springfield. In spring, summer and fall outdoor survey could be fun. Winter wasn’t too bad if the temperature stayed around 30 degrees.

In August the offer of a free lesson snagged me into nine more ballroom dance lessons for $251 at the Arthur Murray studio in Springfield. If I remember right, after the step lesson,

there was a social dance to finish the evening. I was 31 years old and had graduated from 4-year high school at age 16. Imagine the surprise to meet my freshman civics teacher, Rachel Ripley, at that first social. Before my nine lessons ran out there was Halloween costume party. I wore jeans, snaps shirt, cowboy hat and boots, and didn’t have far to walk along Main Street from my car park to the studio. I met Rita and her friend and gave them a ride home. Friend took my picture which I was later shown in the waiting room album.

For a decade I’d been too busy for dating, but I started picking up Rita for supper (with tip = $4.25) and movies at her walled villa on Springfield’s south highland. She and her widowed mother ran a store near Winchester Square. We saw “Around the World in 80 Days” and “Raintree County.”I even took her to the Public Works Christmas party. She had been an Arthur Murray instructor and danced fabu-lously. I was just good enough to show her off and she made quite an impression. She was a few years older than I and we drifted apart.

Clif Williston, our neighbor up the mountain, died in Sep-tember and we got flowers from Mrs. Pomeroy at Craighurst Gardens in Russell. Also my mother attended the Eastern States Exposition. Admission was $1.25.

As chief of survey party I was earning $111 a week. 5%($5.55) was a contribution to retirement fund. $15.30 went for federal withholding tax leaving net pay of $90.15. I felt rich.

these feelings wash over you and rejuvenate your mind and body.

What I guided you through just now is a glimpse into the Japanese art of shinrin-yoku, which translates to “forest bathing” or “absorbing the forest atmosphere”. It is the act of simply spending time in nature and immers-ing your senses in it, allowing the sights, sounds, smells, physical sensations, and even tastes that you experience to bring you toward a more centered and relaxed state. Most commonly, it involves spending an extended pe-riod in a forest or any other natural landscape in no rush, taking notice of each wondrous detail that piques the in-terest of your senses and your curiosity. In doing this, you are building a bond between you and the natural world, fostering inner peace and strong overall health. Though this may sound like a nature walk and nothing more, shinrin-yoku is a powerful solution to ease the stress of our daily lives. Humanity has lived alongside nature for as long as it has existed on Earth, and thus people naturally reap benefits from embracing nature that directly counteract the harmful effects our modern society burdens us with.

The Woes of a Modern World

Just what are these “harmful effects,” however? To an-swer this, we must first recognize that the world is becoming progressively more urbanized; according to the World Bank, roughly 56% of the world’s population-4.4 billion people live in cities, with urban populations expected to more than double in number by 2050. In this modern era, humans are constantly surrounded by various stressors, from the constant buzz of cell phones, televisions, and other screens around every corner to the cityscapes filled with metallic buildings and structures that seem to stretch as far as the eye can see. Even in more rural ar-eas such as Southwick, the reach of these stressors is seemingly inescapable, with society’s technological advancements having been incorporated into every aspect of our lives. Of course, one cannot deny the immense beneficial impact technology has had on our society, but it is equally undeniable that it can be a detriment to our health as well. Technology use is consistently attributed to an increase in mental health issues such as anxi-ety, depression, and sleep disorders, and the constant barrage of notifications from social media and news outlets leaves us feeling overwhelmed and burnt out.

The Science Behind a Solution

Fortunately, shinrin-yoku has the therapeutic power to stop these consequences in their tracks. Shinrin-yoku was first named and developed by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries in 1982 as a response to the stress and anxiety that stemmed from growing urbanization and techno-

by Lucas Caron

logical advancements in Japan. Since then, numerous scientific studies from professionals both in Japan and around the world have produced significant evidence that demonstrates shinrin-yoku’s ability to heal many of the physical, mental, and emo-tional struggles we as humans frequent-ly suffer from.

For instance, one 2007 study headed by Bum-Jin Park of the Forestry and For-est Research Institute in Ibaraki, Japan, on the physiological effects of shinrin-yoku had one group of six participants walk around a city area for twenty min-utes in the forenoon and sit down and admire the landscape for twenty min-utes in the afternoon. Meanwhile, an-other group of six participants did the same in a forest area. The groups then switched settings the following day for a cross-examination. Throughout the experiment, cerebral activity in the pre-frontal area as well as salivary cortisol (a hormone known to induce stress) were measured as physiological indices in the morning before the experiment, before and after walking around the city or forest, before and after watching the city or forest landscapes, and at night before the participants went to sleep. The results of the experiment indicated that cerebral activity was much lower after walking in the forest than after walking in the city, and the concentration of salivary cortisol was also significantly reduced after viewing the forest land-scape as opposed to the city landscape. The conclusion that can be made from this study is that shinrin-yoku is highly effective at easing stress and relaxing your mind and body alike.

Much of what is known about the positive benefits of shin-rin-yoku has stemmed from the research of Dr. Qing Li, who is a medical doctor and clinical professor at Nippon Medical School Hospital in Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan, the President of the Japanese Society of Forest Therapy, and widely regarded as the founder of forest medicine. Among his experiments, he has proven that a day trip to a forest or natural biome can boost the immune system by enhancing the amount and strength of NK cells in the body, which are white blood cells that destroy infected and cancerous cells. He also determined the ability of shinrin-yoku to lower blood pressure by reducing parasympa-thetic nerve activity.

Although there are far too many to fit into one article, myr-iad other fascinating studies on the effects of shinrin-yoku on humans have been conducted that prove it can help lift depres-sion, improve concentration and memory, improve cardiovas-cular and metabolic health, and much more. Nature’s healing power is truly remarkable!

Shinrin-Yoku and Southwick

To take advantage of these health benefits, how exactly should you per-form shinrin-yoku? Though exploring a forest is the most effective way to do so, the simple answer is any way you would like! At its core, shinrin-yoku is all about finding fulfillment in nature by immers-ing the senses within its splendor, and this can be done anywhere from a per-sonal garden to a city park. Should you be looking for an ideal location to engage in shinrin-yoku, however, I am proud to offer a solution unique to Southwick. As part of the Diversified Learning Ex-perience (DLE) program at Southwick Regional School, I participated in an in-ternship at the Southwick Conservation Commission during the second semester of my senior year. During my tenure as an assistant to Ms. Sabrina Pooler, the Conservation Coordinator, I extensively researched shinrin-yoku and its impacts on physi-cal and mental health and how it could be properly incorporat-ed into the Southwick community. My research has culminat-ed in developing a shinrin-yoku trail within the town-owned Sofinowski Property at 155 Mort Vining Rd, Southwick, MA. Various signs will be installed along the trail to incite walkers to engage their senses with Sofinowski’s natural qualities, thus encouraging them to embrace the beauty of the local flora and fauna, connect to the pleasant sounds of the forest and its in-habitants, feel the soothing flow of a river, and beyond. As my plan for this trail comes to fruition over the coming months, I invite you to take a few hours to visit the property and appre-ciate the land that makes up the heart and soul of our quaint town. In doing so, you will quickly discover that planet Earth has everything you need to raise your mind and body to new heights, and that shinrin-yoku is the key to a healthier you and a happier life.

youth and fathers to families, Southwick was nonetheless pa-triotic in offering up 78 men to fight for the cause of liberty and 24 of them are buried in our old cemetery.

In Sandisfield, Massachusetts, Capt Dan-iel Brown’s tavern and New Boston Inn, actually trained local regiments during the Revolutionary War from 1775 – 1789. Our neighbor-ing town of East Granby, Ct had their New Gate copper mining prospect, now turned into a prison for Red-coasts and traitors.

In Connecticut, near New Mil-ford, you had the once notable Wash-ington Oak tree where Gen. Washing-ton more than once stopped for lunch, from New York to Hartford. And one of these less cordial though important stops was to discuss with Marquis de Lafayette, who laid the decisive siege of Yorktown, in 1781. I was lucky to have visited this 300-year-old historic tree over 30 years ago be-fore it got knocked down.

Also taking place in 1781 and in Connecticut, is the famous Joseph Webb House in Wethersfield, where Washington and Compte de Rochambeau planned the final battle in the Revo-lutionary War.

However, during these trying times of the Revolutionary War, it wasn’t just in Boston or New York where the political strife of debate and treason crossed paths with those who were called Torys or Tories, that sided with the Motherland of Brit-ain instead of a new-found ‘America’ . In both cases, after the famous battle of Saratoga in 1777, and being marched to Bos-ton, to be sold into slavery. A Scotsman, fighting on behalf of

Washington Oak in New Milford Connecticut. It was believed to have been the site of a staff meeting by George Washington during the Revolutionary War. The tree died in 2003.

Above: Capt Daniel Brown’s tavern and New Boston Inn. Sandisfield, MA

Left: Revolutionary War reenactment in Sandisfield, Massachusetts

the redcoats escaped and returned to Chester, Mas-sachusetts to marry Fan-nie Holland, the daughter of James Holland, a lead-ing figure in town; and one of the reasons the town changed its name to Chester from Murryfield, beyond other British loyalty ties. The other case of traitorship hap-pened in Canton, CT when at least 20% of one particular Hessian detach-ment of soldier-prisoners dis-appeared between Simsbury & Canton. Claims that they were kidnapped by lonesome and widowed women.

Beyond all of these many cases of close revolutionary ties during that time in American history, and far more too nu-merous to include in this article. I want to remind readers of the legend of the French accountant soldier who was bringing gold to pay the French troops In Saratoga, who mysteriously disappeared between Simsbury and Canton, and later was seen at night rid-ing towards Albany, the headless rider, that I’ve mentioned in the past, our very own headless horsemen.

Finally, after the Revolutionary War, an angry ex-veteran Captain Daniel Shay, and a group of fellow soldiers took up arms against our then-new Government of both Massachusetts and the United States of New America, over the debt crisis, and naturally high land taxes between 1786 and 87’. With a group of 1,500 farmers, they marched on debtors’ courts and forced them to close, and after an attempt to seize weapons from the armory in Springfield. After the last battle in New Barrington, 200 rebels were captured and tried for treason and sentenced to death, though later pardoned by John Hancock, after he was elected governor.

The Joseph Webb House. The place where the last major battle in the Revolutionary War, the Siege of Yorktown, was planned.

Gravestone of Timothy Noble, a Southwick Revolutionary War Veteran.

is built and offer activities for kids, as well. Another “newcom-er” is GranVal Scoop in Granville, an area landmark so really not new at all! They will have animals to visit, wagon rides and, of course, ice cream!

Here’s how it will work: Pick up an Open Farm Day “passport” at any of the participating locations, and get a sticker showing that you were there. (Passports are optional, but they help you plan your day.) The passport will direct you to all the Open Farm Day locations, and you’ll get a sticker at each place you visit. Here’s a tip – you probably can’t get to all the farms! Also, we are not offering prize drawings this year – the farms are the prizes!

You may have seen Open Farm Day brochures around town at the participat-ing farms, businesses, the library, and Town Hall. We are very pleased with the enthusiasm we’re seeing around town for the event! See you on Open Farm Day!

By Burt Hansen, Chair, Southwick AgCom

life giving freedom every day. Get involved, and show your colors, our precious America needs you right now. When men and women see the demand, they join to-gether in peace and fight for righteousness. Our combat veterans did and many shed the color red for the United States of America. salute all participants with enlight-ened spirits of gratitude.

We all look forward to the July 4th display of Fire-works.

Man-made fireworks are illuminated with colors by pure chemistry. That’s because they’re created by the use of metal salts. Naturally, these salts are different from table salt. Chemistry ‘salt’ refers to any compound that contains metal and non-metal atoms. Most of these compounds produce intense colors when they burn, which makes them ideal for fireworks.

Ingredients, like potassium nitrate, sulfur, and charcoal are useful to help the fireworks burn. While ni-trates, chlorates, and perchlorates provide oxygen for the combustion of the fuel. Dextrin, often used as a starch, holds the mixture together. The application of chlorine donors strengthens a variety of colors.

After a firework ignites, a lift charge propels it into the sky. That’s just explosive black powder in a confined space that, when lit, causes a fast increase of heat and gas that can send a firework as high as 1,000 feet (300 meters) into the air.

Chemistry, mixed and made by men and women for our viewing pleasure.

Burst of colors in front of a black sky, Wow.

On the other hand, we experience an aurora, also com-monly known as the Northern Lights. A genuine light display found in Earth’s sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude re-gions. Auroras illustrate dynamic patterns of brilliant lights that appear as curtains, rays, spirals, or dynamic flickers cover-ing the entire sky.

We believe God created this beautiful spectacle, the North-

ern Lights. The natural properties and behavior of matter are caused by the interaction of charged particles from the sun with the Earth’s magnetic field

Man-made or God-made, both provide en-lightenment to our eyes. One costs a deal of money, while nature’s sight is a gift to all.

Susanna, my colorful and fruit-ful wife, loves parades. Communities around our free nation, gather to watch the flow of characters walking along a set course. Smiling faces on the outside and minds filled with the price of hu-man sacrifices, the freedom that was fought for, and the party of friends that awaits, cheering them on. Some of the best picnics are on the 4th of July. Good, treasured friends, Bob and Pat of the Wyben area of Westfield invite Su-sanna and me to join friends for conver-sation, the Wyben July 4th parade, and of course delicious food. Creative, colorful floats and participants line up and march right in front of the Allen House in a peaceful, country setting. A family picture taken in 2023 captures joy and colors. Candy treats are tossed out, and gath-ered by grandkids and adults who are bold enough to enjoy sweet delights. Thank you, parade and party organizers.

Is it time to work on a tan? Healthy and enriched-looking skin is a must for me. Contact with ultraviolet rays of light (UV rays) can be good or bad. Natural oils on your skin transport Vitamin D internally for applied use. The main function of Vi-tamin D is to help the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, helping to prevent osteoporosis, falls, and fractures in older adults. With that said, avoid washing your skin before sun ex-posure. Sensitive skin and light-hair candidates should remain cautious outside. Protect your eyes with quality sunglasses.

The two types of UV rays are UV-A and UV-B. Your skin

has three major layers: epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue. UV-A is the type of light that makes the skin tan. It reaches the lower layers of the epidermis, triggering your outer covering to produce a brown pigment called melanin. Mel-anin is made by cells called melanocytes. Melanin is your skin’s effort to block the damage that UV-A rays cause. The more you expose it to the sun, the more melanin your body produces.

UV-B rays cause sunburn. They burn just the upper layers of the epider-mis. A warning to all, be diligent with skin exposed to the sun. Avoid getting “burned.”

The heat is on for another season of active, outdoor enjoyment. July and Au-gust are the best times to visit the coastal or summery destinations, including Cape Cod, Maine’s coastline, Rhode Island, and pretty much any beach town. You are sure to find the most, pleasurable, authentic seasonal experience. Summer-time allows the best and warmest weather for beach days, and all businesses will be open, promoting useful products. En-joy watching colorful boats sailing the waters, color-splashed beach wear or just gaze at the natural movements of the lake, ocean, sky, and our fellow human beings.

By the way, July is National Blueberry Month. Packed with loads of nutrients, these deep, blue beauties are a good source of manganese, vitamins C, K1, and antioxidants. These small, blue balls also provide small amounts of copper, as well as vi-tamins E and B6. Studies reveal human bloodstreams will be enlightened with nourishment. Your body will thank you for the flow of goodness.

Have a

Healthy Soul

for the Easter weekend. Later, as she walked out the door, she turned and said, “See you next Easter!” And I fully expect that God will give her another year!

I thought to myself, Over the past 102 years she must have had more than her share of tough times. But here she is – still young at heart and full of energy.

What’s the key to feeling young at any age? Pay attention to your inner life.

I know a man who was in his 20s when he developed a redness between his eyes and all around the top of his face. It made his skin itchy and flaky, and it made him very self-conscious. He tried creams and lotions and special soap, but nothing helped. He went to a dermatologist who gave him a prescription, but the redness never went away.

A couple of years went by, and it wasn’t getting any bet-ter. Finally, he tried a different doctor. The new doctor said, “I know exactly what’s causing this. It’s stress. You’re wound too tight. You have too much pressure in your life. I can give you more medication, but until you change, until you get more balanced, it’s not going away.”

But this young man thought, I can handle the stress. I can do it all. I’m fine.

Sometimes we can’t see what’s poisoning us. We have a blind spot. We look in the mirror and we see the redness or the rash. We look in the mirror and we see the wrinkles on our face or the weight that we want to lose. But we can’t see what’s happening on the inside.

Here’s what I’m saying … Your inner life is more impor-tant than your outer life. What’s happening on the inside – what’s going on in your emotions, how you feel about your-self, and what you’re allowing to play in your mind – is affect-ing what’s happening on the outside.

Sometimes we can’t see what’s poisoning us. We have a blind spot. We look in the mirror and we see the redness or the rash. We look in the mirror and we see the wrinkles on

our face or the weight that we want to lose. But we can’t see what’s happening on the inside.

How about you? Are you like that young man? It’s time to get honest with yourself.

You are responsible for your own emo-tional well-being. It’s not up to anyone else. Your spouse can’t keep your soul healthy. No one – including your doc-tor, your pastor, or your parents – has control over your soul except you.

In one sense, not even God has that control. He’s not going to force you to not worry. He’s not going to force you to forgive someone. He’s not going to force you not live an-gry, offended, and stressed. Those are choices you have to make.

My question for you is: Is your soul healthy?

There was a man who owned a stable full of horses. One day when he was out riding his favorite horse, he saw a large tree limb had fallen across the trail. His horse jumped over it, but it badly scraped one of its back legs. The man took the horse to the barn and cleaned the wound, put some antiseptic on it, and wrapped it up.

A couple of weeks later, he noticed the horse was still bothered by it. The veterinarian came and looked at the wound and put the horse on antibiotics. The horse began to improve.

But two months later, the infection returned, and this time it was worse than ever. His horse could barely walk. They started another round of antibiotics, and again the wound be-gan to heal. But three months later, the infection returned.

The owner finally decided to take the horse to the clinic

to get a better evaluation of what was going on. The horse was put under anesthesia, and the veterinarian opened up the wound. He found a chunk of wood about the size of a golf ball buried way up in the horse’s leg.

That’s why every time the horse went off the antibiotics, the infection came back. They were treating the symptoms, but until they went deeper, until they got to the root of the problem, it wasn’t going away.

We treat the symptoms because we see the symptoms. It’s obvious. “My skin is red and flaky. I need some medication.” But we have to go deeper. We have to deal with the root.

The good news is: You can con-trol what’s in your soul. You can’t con-trol what happened to you … You can’t control what someone did to you … But you can control how you respond to it, what you choose to dwell on, and what your attitude will be.

The Bible says it this way: “A happy heart is good medi-cine, and a cheerful mind works wonders.”

Take Dr. Jeff’s word for it – a cheerful mind works won-ders!

Stanley Park

July Carillon Concert

The Carillon concert for July, will be presented on Sunday, July 21st from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm. Stanley Park’s Carilloneur will offer a variety of music from the Carillon Tower. Find a park bench, sit and enjoy the music as it drifts through the Park.

Blandford Cultural Council

Call for Local Artists

The Blandford Cultural Council is looking for Artisans who would like to exhibit in our Show & Sale August 24, and 25 at the Blandford Country Club.

Contact Susan Racine at stheresa811@live.com for an entry form or more information

Stanley Park

75th Anniversary Celebration

Stanley Park is celebrating its 75th Anniversary this August 17th with a big day long celebration and are in need of unique vehicles take part in our “Touch a Truck” program taking place from 10:00 – 2:00. If you have a cool vehicle that the kids will love that you don’t mind them touching we’d love to have you! There is a suggested donation of $10 per vehicle.

There will also be a classic car show taking place from 10:00am – 2:00pm that day which more cars, trucks and motorcycles are needed for. There is a $10 donation per vehicle entered and we ask that you register in advance.

To see a full list of events please visit stanleypark.org

Jam Session

Join us for Jam Sessions every Thursday from 6pm-9pm in the Southwick Meeting House located at 222 College Highway (formerly Christ Methodist Church). For more info please call Bob Fox at 413-579-4585. Open to all and any age. All fun and no pressure. Explore your talent or come to listen to some good music.

Southwick Rotary

Southwick Rotary Concert Series

FREE summer concert series scheduled on Wednesdays (6 to 9 pm) during the months of July and August at Whalley Park, Southwick. Attendees are requested to bring lawn chairs for seating. Food trucks are being scheduled, and soft and alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase. Attendees are allowed to bring personal snacks and nonalcoholic drinks.

July 17 – Brass Attack, best high-energy horn band with classics from Chicago Cheap Trick, KC and the Sunshine Band, to Bruce Springsteen, Steely Dan, and Bruno Mars.

July 24 – Cobblestone Road, modern, energetic nineties band bring the fire back to country music.

July 31 – General Gist, a high-energy rock and blues band.

August 7 – 91 South, classic rock, Stones, Doors, Billy Joel, Bon Jovi, and AC/DC.

August 14 – Wild Heart Tribute Band to Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac, the music, the legacy, and more!

August 21 – Blue Devil Bluez, a blend of rhythm and blues, rock, originals, ballads, and boggie.

August 28 – King Saison, eclectic, jam, folk, country, jazz, and rock selections.

For information on the Club, visit southwickrotary.org, Facebook, or contact President Bob Fox at 413 579 4585 or rfox52@comcast.net.

Southwick Public Library

July “Summer Reading”

Children

July 18: 2:15pm - Artful Mechanisms - For Ages 5 and up with a caregiver. An exciting Make and Take program, brought to us by Playful Engineers. Children will receive instructions on how to build using unconventional materials to create moving mechanisms!

July 24: 3:30pm Pop Up Art Coral Reef Sculpture - For Ages 8 and up. Transform recycled materials into a vibrant coral reef, with splashes of colorful paint and crafty bits. Craft an underwater scene that’s truly splash-tacular! Get ready to explore a sea of fun! Registration Required.

July 30: 4:30pm Hands on Nature “Big Predators” - For Ages 5 and up. Bears, coyotes, wolves, oh my! Learn which large wild predators are left in MA and which have been extirpated. Understand food chains and “survival of the fittest”. Includes a fun predator/prey activity!

Contact Molly Encarnacion 413-569-1221 mencarnacion@cwmars.org

Adults

July 17: 5pm - Felted Whales - Create your own mini felted whale! Registration is required as supplies are limited.

July 24: 6PM Cherry Blossom Painting with Pop Up Art - Join us to create your own beautiful cherry blossom painting. Registration is required as spots are limited.

Contact Lynn Blair 413-569-1221 or lblair@cwmars.org

traprock driveways built & repaired. Gravel, loam, fill deliveries. Tractor services, equipment moved, York Rake. Bill Armstrong Trucking. 413-531-0498.

DELREO HOME IMPROVEMENT for all your exterior home improvement needs, ROOFING, SIDING, WINDOWS, DOORS, DECKS & GUTTERS extensive references, fully licensed & insured in MA & CT. Call Gary Delcamp 413-569-3733