Author: Joey Ciaramitaro

Saturday, December 19, 4PM-6PM enjoy this NEW family tradition as we light up the night with a woodland solstice stroll by candlelight followed by a fire dance, warm fire, and S’mores! 

Stroll by candlelight along Ravenswood’s carriage paths through the woods. Catch a mesmerizing fire dance performance by Tetra, a fire spinner who blends contemporary dance movements with poi spinning. Warm up by the fire and enjoy hot chocolate and S’mores celebrating the coming season.

Members: Adult $10; Child Free. Nonmembers: Adult $25; Child $5; Family $30!

Preregister on our website: www.thetrustees.org  or rlatham@thetrustees.org or 978.281.8400

The Rockport Christmas Tree Committee, now in its 117^th year, is Rockport’s oldest ongoing tradition.

Started in the 1890’s by Rockport grocer Tim Sheehan, the custom of remembrance is carried on today. Members of the Rockport community 80 years of age and older, shut-ins, people with illnesses and others are remembered on Christmas Day with the delivery of a fruit basket and cookies. Residents of area senior housing, nursing homes and local hospitals receive a visit in the days before Christmas. Santa Claus himself visits residents of the Den Mar Nursing Home and presents each with a small basket of fruit and other goodies.

On Christmas morning in Dock Square, Santa arrives at 10:30 and gives all the town’s children a bag of goodies, in the tradition of the 1890’s. 

Santa’s volunteer helpers will meet at Spiran Hall on Broadway at 7:00 PM on December 22 to pack the bags and baskets. On Christmas morning volunteers are welcome at Spiran Hall from 8:30-9:30 AM to deliver baskets. Generations of Rockporters have participated, all you need is a willingness to help, and a smile.

The Committee needs your help to continue this tradition. We rely solely on volunteers and donations. Donations may be mailed to the Rockport Christmas Tree Committee, %Doreen Carter, 2 Mary Helen Way, Rockport, MA 01966 or dropped off at Smith Ace Hardware & Lumber. Donations are tax deductible.

If you have a neighbor or friend who you feel should receive a basket, just let any committee member know, or leave a note with name and address at the Lumber desk at Smith Hardware and Lumber.

Committee members include Dana (Buddy) Woods, Jay Smith, Lisa Littlefield, Doreen Carter, Judy Harris, Mary Helen MacLeod, Linda Johnson, Janice Ramsden, April Beaton, Sally Frithsen, Ruth George, Andrea Ritchie, Chris Murch, Judy Bogage, Mary-Kathryn and Jeff Gray, Darlene Trumbour, Pat Brown, Roger Lesch, Nina Samoiloff, Toni Rowe, Bethany Brosnan and John Thompson.

Another Year and Another Unanimous Decision For The Gloucester MA Lobster Trap Tree As The Without A Doubt Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of The World.

While towns up in Maine are still going back to the same old tired plans trying to make their trees the tallest (by making them horribly disfigured Christmas Spikes Instead of Christmas Trees)  David Brooks and the Gloucester MA community once again made them all pale by comparison.  David Brooks and Gloucester MA is playing chess while Rockland Maine is playing checkers.  But after all these years and crushing their spirits with their horribly disfigured Christmas spikes and them using terrible Chinese sweat shop labor Christmas bows on their trees while Gloucester MA adorns their Lobster trap tree with hand painted buoys made by the angelic youth of  Gloucester.  But this year after the over the top outpouring of support, David Brooks decided to go 3 dimensional on their ass.

You don’t just experience the Gloucester Ma lobster trap tree from the outside, we built this shit so dope that you can actually enter inside the tree and the entire inside is adorned with the beautiful hand painted buoys as well.   They turned the Lobster trap tree game on it’s head.

Hilarious that they thought they could compete.  I feel bad for these other communities, I really do.  Just when they think they have a chance, along comes Brooks and Co just crushing their Christmas dreams.

Kim Smith photo.

In all seriousness, it’s nice that the other communities try  to compete and we wish them nothing but the best during this Christmas season.

Good luck next year, LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!

Gloucester MA Lobster Trap Tree> All Other Lobster Trap Trees

Word on the street is that the makers of the other community lobster trap trees were all infiltrated by moles from the creators of the Land of the Misfit Toys.  True Story.

  

Photo Cat Ryan

Hi Joey, something’s been brewing since last spring and I am so excited to share this happy announcement.

Gloucester Lyceum & Sawyer Free Public Library, Rockport Public Library, Manchester-By-The-Sea Public Library, and TOHP Burnham Library Essex are pleased to announce and launch a yearlong innovative community reading program in 2016 CAPE ANN READS. The libraries are coordinating with several regional organizations including Cape Ann Museum (CAM), Cape Ann Art Haven, Cape Ann YMCA, Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce, Local Cultural Councils, area schools, cultural districts,  Pathways for Children, and First R Foundation. 

Throughout 2016 the four Cape Ann public libraries will coordinate special events PLUS administer a contest for original picture book submissions.

One new book. Four communities. Everyone reads.

The 2016 Public Call for the first ever Cape Ann Creates for CAPE ANN READS children’s picture book contest will be open to Cape Ann residents, all ages, students attending school on Cape Ann, and people who work on Cape Ann.  People can collaborate, too. Look for the announcement for the application and guidelines coming in the New Year. The Cape Ann Museum (CAM) is hosting the CAPE ANN READS kickoff event for the yearlong collaborative initiative on Saturday, January 30, 2016. Staff from the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art will be at CAM to lead a series of picture book-themed workshops for adults and children throughout that day.

New logos were created for CAPE ANN READS by young artists with Kyra Moyer and staff at Cape Ann Art Haven’s Teen Artist Guild (TAG) art center, working with Kate LaChance from the Cape Ann Museum.

Hire these HIVE/TAG kids—but wait until after this week. This week it’s all Cape Ann Art Haven buoy painting for the lobster trap tree at the art center.

For more information about CAPE ANN READS contact Deborah Kelsey, Director, Gloucester Lyceum & Sawyer Free Public Library, (978)281-9763 x23, kelsey@sawyerfreelibrary.org.  The 3 other Library Directors are:  Deborah French, Library Director, Essex, MA; Sarah Collins, Library Director, Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA; and Cindy Grove, Library Director, Rockport, MA.

‘Waiting for the storm to pass.’ Seems a bit of an analogy for what’s happening in the world today. I have seen amazing storms come down the Annisquam River toward Ipswich Bay. This summer I was at Lobstaland and lucky to catch this storm coming up the river and over the marsh. Last Sunday I was at Lobstaland for their final night of the 2015 season. Looking forward to next year’s menu, along with great views of the marsh. Louisa May Alcott said – “I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.”     Karen 

Rockport Writer debuts her new Novel.

Betty Ann St.Germain, a long time resident of Rockport, has published her debut novel entitled Sabbatical. It is the story of a middle aged college professor from Boston who must travel to Ireland to settle her mother’s estate and learns that things are much different than she ever expected. After discovering a letter that her mother wrote to her before her death, she is forced to reexamine everything as more shocking truths about her family and her home life are brought to light. Soon, a simple sabbatical paves the way for life-changing adventures and for the very first time in her life, experiences true mindfulness and joy.

St.Germain said she started the book 11 years ago while taking a writing course at Rockport High School. Her teacher encouraged and inspired her to write the book. St. Germain’s many trips to Ireland enriched her knowledge of the people, landscapes and culture which added greatly to the book’s development.

St.Germain spends her time writing in the seaside village of Rockport, Massachusetts. An Irish-American author, she is inspired by her family heritage- and the subtle and not-so-subtle messages passed down through generations. Sabbatical is her debut novel.

The author is scheduled to do a reading at Toad Hall Bookstore on Thursday, January 14 at 3pm.

Autographed copies of the book are available on her web site www.sabbaticalthenovel.com also at Toad Hall Books in Rockport or on-line at Amazon.com and it is also available in Kindle edition.

Next 8-week ALI 1 Session Starts Jan. 4th!
For more information, please call us at (978) 281-3558 x322.

SeniorCare Hosts Free Medicare Counseling

SeniorCare now hosts free SHINE counseling sessions for Medicare members and prospective members. SHINE Counselors offer free, unbiased information about the many choices to be made when enrolling or re-enrolling in Medicare. Anyone interested in reserving a 45-minute session should contact 978-281-1750 (TTY 978-282-1836). All counseling sessions are held at SeniorCare’s offices at 49 Blackburn Center in Gloucester, MA.

SHINE, Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone, provides free health insurance information, counseling, and assistance to Massachusetts residents with Medicare and their caregivers. SHINE is administered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs in coordination with local agencies.

SeniorCare, a Massachusetts Aging Services Access Point, with offices in Beverly and Gloucester, is a regional consumer-centered organization that provides and coordinates services to elders and others, enabling them to live independently at home or in a setting of their choice while remaining part of the community. SeniorCare can be reached at 978-281-1750 or 1-866-927-1050 (TTY 978-282-1836). SeniorCare is also a federally designated Area Agency on Aging, providing services such as Meals on Wheels and Community Dining Sites. SeniorCare’s service area includes: Beverly, Essex, Gloucester, Hamilton, Ipswich, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Rockport, Topsfield and Wenham.