Author: Joey Ciaramitaro

SEACOAST NEWS June 2014

Thanks to the Friends of Seacoast the residents enjoyed the weekly Musical Entertainment, a lunch outing to the Lobsta Restaurant, an Ice Cream Sundae trip to Friendly’s , A Luau with music by Guitarist Marty Sawyer. A Mothers Day Tea with Harpist Moira Kelly and a violet plant as a gift.

The Friends of Seacoast enhance the resident’s lives at the Seacoast Nursing and Rehabilitation Center with hours of enjoyment by providing the finances needed for the special entertainment, supplies and community outings. Any and all donations to The Friends of Seacoast are gratefully accepted.

The Friends of Seacoast are grateful for the gifts received in honor/memory of loved ones.

The Lottery Ticket Raffle was a successful fundraiser for the Friends of Seacoast! Congratulations to the raffle winner Gaye Viola!

We are looking forward to many events with the support of the Friends of Seacoast including weekly Musical Entertainment, Dinner Theater with catered foods from local restaurants, Community Outings and more…

The next Friends of Seacoast meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 10, 2014 at 6:00 PM.

“Scenes of Cape Ann”

Thanks to the donations of images by local photographers and the beautiful work by James and Anna Eves from Cape Ann Giclee, pictures on canvases of familiar places and events on Cape Ann are on perminant display bringing memories and comfort to the residents on the Alzeimer’s care unit .

The unit looks like a museum of fine art and the residents love it!

Thank you to all the photographers who participated in this project Carl Gustin, Cathy Chapman, Charlie Carroll, Dana Hasselgard, David Cox, David Delroy, EJ Lefavour, Joey Ciarmataro, Lennie Bergess, Lowell Peobody, Mark Kenegis, Marty Luster, Fr. Matthew Green, Nancy Shaw, Skip Montello, Mark Kanegis, and Thom Falzarano.

Alison Cox

Activity Director

Contemporary Art at the White-Ellery House: George Wingate

Saturday, June 7

11 AM — 3 PM

245 Washington Street, Gloucester

Jonathan McPhillips Fine Art

Workshop Announcement

The Rockport Art Association

June 16 and 17, 2014

Coastal Attractions: Plein Air Painting the Marine Environment

Link to the workshop information at RAA’s website

Rockport Art Association
12 Main Street Rockport MA 01966 978-546-6604
email us

This outdoor workshop is for the artist looking to enhance their skills at marine subjects, particularly on location. An inspirational and encouraging environment will be established in this course, fostered by friendly critique and advice. Individual attention and demonstration are emphasized. An efficient and loose approach to painting will be essential to realizing exponential growth when working “en plein air”. The basic principles of design, value, and color will be addressed as they apply to coastal subject matter. The prevailing goal will be to approach painting as a fulfilling and enjoyable experience…a learning process that allows us to grow as artists and individuals!

Three Essex-Built Schooner Challenge – June 16, 2014 – 6 pm

Monday, June 16, 2014 – 6 pm – 8 pm leaving from Maritime Gloucester Dock:  Participate in the Second Annual Schooner Challenge and help support the Essex Shipbuilding Museum’s efforts to stabilize the Evelina M Goulart – climb aboard the Essex Built schooners Thomas E. Lannon, Ardelle, or Fame and enjoy an evening of sailing and take part in Challenges, including:

• Racing around a course (with man over board drills at a moment’s notice)
• Fastest to weigh anchor
• Knot tying
• Song writing (extra credit for instrumentation)
• Sail raising, and
• Whatever else the (conspiring) captains dream up between now and then

Arrive by 5:30 pm to load – boats will depart from Maritime Gloucester, Harbor Loop, Gloucester.

Schooner seating will be assigned by random draw.
Every effort will be made to seat friends and/or couples on the same boat.

There will be cash bars on board, and light hors d’oeuvres will be available.

Last year the evening was capped by a double rainbow – we are hoping for an equally fabulous evening, so don’t delay!

Tickets are $40 per person.

All proceeds to benefit the Evelina M. Goulart stabilization project.

For additional information, and to purchase tickets, visit www.essexshipbuildingmuseum.org and select Details of Next Events!

Hi Joey,

I hope this finds you doing well! I wanted to share the below release with you about some new and exciting happenings at the Crane Estate. As you likely know, our tour season began last week as well as the re-opening of our Castle Hill Café. And, we also have some interesting updates on a Zorn portrait on loan from the MFA at the house, as well updates on the final phase in the Allée restoration work in the casino complex area. I’m hoping you’ll feel free to choose bits and pieces of this below release (or all!) with your readers. Thanks for considering!

Cheers,

Holly Hannaway

Great House at Castle Hill Now Open for the Season

Expanded Tour Program, Enhanced Visitor Services, a Restoration in Action Project, &

Special “Appearance” from Richard T. Crane, Sr. Expected to Delight and Inspire Visitors

FREE Open House Planned for Sunday, May 31st

This summer get your Downton Abbey fix as The Trustees of Reservations have officially opened their doors for the season at Castle Hill on The Crane Estate. Massachusetts’ own version of an English country estate, Castle Hill was recently described by popular travel writer Steve Jermanok as “the closest New England gets to Versailles.” 

This summer, visitors to Castle Hill and The Great House can experience all the Estate has to offer first-hand when exploring with friends and family. Take a behind-the-scenes tour of the exquisite Great House and discover what life was like back in the day of the Cranes. Explore the grounds on your own and learn about the exciting Restoration in Action project on the Grand Allée Casino Complex. While touring the house, stop by the elegant stair hall to view the restored portrait of Chicago plumbing magnate Richard Teller Crane Sr. (father of Richard Jr. who built Castle Hill), painted by internationally renowned artist Anders Zorn. The portrait is on generous loan by the MFA and its donors, descendants of the Crane family. Afterwards, enjoy lunch on the terrace at the Castle Hill Café. With May being Preservation Month, visitors are also encouraged to learn more about this treasured National History Landmark on Sunday, May 31^st from 10am to 2pm during The Trustees FREE Home Sweet Home Open House day (for more info visit: www.thetrustees.org/homesweethome).

“We are excited for another busy season on the Hill that includes an expanded tour program and improved visitor amenities,” adds Terry Cook, The Trustees’ Northeast Regional Director who just started with the organization a little over a month ago. “With so many upcoming programs, happenings and events to chose from, the opportunities for recreation and fun mixed with a little culture are endless here at Castle Hill.” 

More background on what’s new and noteworthy at Castle Hill this season:

Contact information:

Castle Hill on the Crane, 290 Argilla Road, Ipswich, 978.356.4351, www.thetrustees.org/castlehill

TOURS:

Great House Tours

The Great House Revealed one-hour tour offers an in-depth look at a 1920’s David Adler masterpiece – once summer home to Chicago plumbing magnate Richard T. Crane, Jr. On this walk through the mansion, you’ll be inspired by the past, and see how Adler masterfully combined centuries of architectural tradition with early-20th-century features including ornate woodcarvings, luxurious Italian marble, sterling silver fixtures, and, of course, stunning bathrooms that exemplify Crane Company craftsmanship. Tour & Gallery Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday, 10am-4pm | Fri & Sat. 10am-2pm.

Castle Hill Landscape Tours: The Designed Landscape

Experience the art, architecture, and landscape design highlights of this 20th-century estate by the sea, a National Historic Landmark. Learn how landscape architects, including the Olmsted Brothers, transformed a bare, sandy drumlin into a stunning country retreat. Explore formal garden rooms and other outbuildings. Investigate the original barn complex and walled vegetable garden, all part of a working farm that supported and sustained the estate. Coming in July, golf cart tours of the estate! Tour Hours: Thursday & Saturday, 11am and 1pm.

Hot & Cold Tours: Behind-the-scenes of the Great House (Now Every Other Wednesday!)

Walk from cellar to rooftop and see the spaces that supported the smooth running of the Crane household utilizing early 20th century technologies. Delve into closets, examine the boilers, explore the servants’ quarters, and climb a spiral staircase to the roof for one of the most spectacular panoramic views in the Northeast. Pre-registration is required.Pre-registration is required. Tour Hours: Every other Wednesday (beginning May 28), 5–6:30pm.

Children’s Treasure Hunt at the Great House (Weekly – beginning June 6)

The Great House at Castle Hill isn’t just a big mansion for adults to explore. It was once the summer home (and playground) of the Crane children, Florence and Cornelius. On this special, 45-minute guided treasure hunt created especially for families with children ages 4 to 8, you can sharpen your sleuthing skills as we search for treasures, both large and small, throughout the Crane family mansion. Included: hands-on experiences related to life in the 1920s and the daily activities of the servants who worked here. Tour Hours: Fridays (beginning June 6), 11am.

Castle Hill Café

At The Castle Hill Café, enjoy lunch on the Great House terrace or a picnic along the Grand Allée, the half-mile-long “front lawn” stretching from the house to the sea. Either way you’ll enjoy panoramic ocean views. The café, managed by Ferreira Foods in Salem, compliments the beautiful surroundings with fresh and innovative lunch choices and great service, giving each and every guest a truly enjoyable experience. Lunch menu items include fresh salads like Curried Cous Cous and Classic Caesar Salad as well as a delicious selection of sandwiches including a Field Greens & Goat Cheese Wrap and Tuna Provencal, as well as fresh fruits, yogurt and baked goods. Café Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 11am—2pm.

Restoration in Action – The Casino Complex

The Casino Complex is the most distinctive Italian-style architecture surviving from the Crane’s first building campaign at Castle Hill in 1910. Casino is Italian for “little house,” a term used for centuries to describe small dwellings in gardens and landscapes surrounding a villa. Here at the Crane’s summer estate, the opulent Casino, situated at the bottom of the first Alleé, provided a secondary court of entertainment for the property, with a saltwater pool and accommodations away from the main house. After nearly a century in its seaside location, the building fabric and structural elements of the Casino Complex suffered from exposure to the elements, leading to an eroding structure that was eventually closed to the public in the 1990’s. Since 1998, The Trustees have been working restore the many architectural and decorative elements, salvaging and preserving as much of the original site as possible. Now, The Trustees are poised to complete the work on the former pool area and bath houses, with plans to revitalize the complex as a public and private entertainment venue, carrying on the legacy left by the Crane family. This third and final phase of The Trustees’ extensive Grand Allée Restoration project is expected to be complete by Labor Day.

Zorn Portrait, Richard T. Crane Sr.

Painted in 1904 in Pasadena, California on one of his seven trips to the United States, Anders Zorn’s magnificent oil-on-canvas portrait of Richard Teller Crane, Sr., an international industrialist and plumbing magnate, was carefully restored by the MFA’s conservation staff.  Descendants of Frances Crane Lillie, sister of Richard Jr. who built Castle Hill, gave the painting to the MFA with the condition that they loan it to Castle Hill each year when it was open for visitors. When visitors experience the Crane Estate – a marvel of engineering and design – the legacy of the family can be felt all around you, so it is fitting that the artfully rendered and powerfully presented image of Richard T. Crane Sr. welcomes guests into this estate. The painting has arrived just in time for Castle Hill’s official season opening and is a treat for art and culture enthusiasts alike.  Zorn is an internationally renowned artist who painted industrialists and members of high society including Isabella Stewart Gardner, President William Howard Taft, Charles Deering, George Vanderbilt and Andrew Carnegie. His work was exhibited by the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum last year.

Hi Everyone,
The Cape Ann Painter and Photographer Group will meet at Cape Ann Giclee, 20 Maplewood Ave, Gloucester on Friday, June 6, 9 – 10:30 AM. Thank you to James and Ann for providing their space for our meeting!
Members are asked to bring a painting they have been working on or a photograph to share.
We will also plan some programs for the rest of the year. “Field Trips” in the summer months or possible social events will be discussed.
Hope to see you there. Everyone is welcome.
For further information call: Alice Gardner  978-810-9760.

Gloucester Shingles Prevention Program

The Gloucester Health Department is offering a limited supply of shingle shots to eligible Gloucester residents age 60 and older.  The goal of the program is to expand access to the vaccine and increase vaccination rates in our community.

The cost of the vaccine and lack of insurance coverage are barriers to becoming vaccinated. To assist Gloucester residents in making the vaccine affordable, the cost will be $85.00 per person which is half the cost of the vaccine. The vaccine at a medical office or pharmacy, if not covered by insurance, costs between $200 and $300. The Health Department is able to bill some insurance and Medicare Part D prescription plans and will provide assistance in determining coverage.

For those who do not have adequate insurance coverage and are on a limited income, financial help is available through completing an application process with the Merck Vaccine Assistance program. To be eligible for a free vaccine, the income guidelines are as follows:

• An individual making less than $46,820
• A couple making less than $62,920

It is estimated that in the United States, 1 million cases of shingles occur every year.

Shingles, also called herpes zoster, is a painful, blistering skin rash caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox.  A vaccine for shingles was licensed in 2006 which decreases one’s chance of getting shingles by 50%. It can also reduce the pain associated with it. Those who previously have had shingles should also get a shingles shot to help prevent a reoccurrence. A person needs only one shingle shot in a lifetime. To be safely vaccinated, medical eligibility guidelines include:

• You cannot have a weakened immune system as a result of treatment with high doses of steroids, cancer treatment with chemotherapy or radiation, HIV/AIDS, or a history of cancer affecting the bone marrow or lymphatic system, such as leukemia or lymphoma.
• You cannot currently be undergoing treatment for shingles or post herpetic neuralgia (residual pain from shingles) or have previously received a shingles shot.
• You cannot have a life- threatening allergic reaction to gelatin, or the antibiotic neomycin.

Please call the Gloucester Health Department at 978-282-8022 for determination of eligibility.

In My Solitude: Recent Photographs
by Paul Cary Goldberg

Pucker Gallery is pleased to present a new collection of photographs by Gloucester, Massachusetts based artist Paul Cary Goldberg. The series, titled In My Solitude, marks a return to the studio for Goldberg, who for the past five years had shifted his focus to documentary photography. He writes in his artist statement that after a period of feeling directionless, the layers featured in these photographs required his attention. “Fruit, flowers, pods, seeds, nuts, onions, garlic, bread and velvet found their places on the stage and relationships between them began to emerge.” Entering a new chapter in Paul Cary Goldberg’s work, we are invited to witness the artist’s focus on imperfections to seek beauty within. These photographs awaken in the viewer a longing to understand more about the relationships between the objects, which so fully exhibit their vulnerability.

We hope that you enjoy perusing the exhibition catalogue for this upcoming show, which will open at Pucker Gallery on 6 September, 2014. We also invite you to visit the Gallery in advance of the show to view this remarkable new series in person.

Visit our website or contact us to learn more about the art of
Paul Cary Goldberg and to see additional works.

GHS Swim Team-

Hi Joey,
I am not sure if this is GMG material, but would you mind posting this announcement?
Thanks,
Erin McKay
Attention families of students grade 8-11: The YMCA and Gloucester High School are exploring the possibility of starting a high school swim team.  The YMCA will be offering free pool use for the first year of the program as well as a volunteer coach.  Any students who will be in grades 9-12 next year at GHS are welcome.  There are no try outs, and all students will be trained in the four basic strokes.  Swimming will be part of the winter sports season so it is a great sport to participate in between fall and spring sports seasons to stay in shape.  This is also a wonderful opportunity for kids who are not on a traditional team sport to try something new. Any interested participants should see Ms. Muise in the principal’s office, or contact the high school  978-281-9870.

YMCA of the North Shore Helps Bring Birthday Parties to Homeless Children

Y joins forces with Birthday Wishes organization to ensure ALL kids get a birthday celebration

Each of the YMCA of the North Shore’s seven locations: Cape Ann (Gloucester), Beverly, Marblehead, Salem, Ipswich, Haverhill and Plaistow, NH will be collecting birthday gifts and supplies from May 27 to June 15, to support Birthday Wishes, a local non profit that brings Birthday Parties to homeless children throughout the region.

Birthday Wishes supports the idea that children regardless of their living situation, should celebrate their birthdays joyfully, surrounded by family, friends, and others who care. It’s grassroots philosophy fosters the spirit of volunteerism and community service in the adults, children, and families who donate their time and resources to the Birthday Wishes mission.

Founded in 2002 as a  volunteer organization serving one local shelter, Birthday Wishes has expanded its program to serve more than 185 shelters and transitional living facilities in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Long Island, New York. Our goal is to provide birthday parties to all homeless children in Massachusetts and to make our model available to homeless family programs nationwide.

In Massachusetts and New Hampshire there are 96,000 homeless children who do not get to celebrate one of life’s sweetest joys—a birthday party. From May 27 to June 15, join the YMCA of the North Shore in spreading birthday cheer to a homeless child. Volunteer and donate party supplies or gifts at any of the seven YMCA of the North Shore locations in Cape Ann (Gloucester), Beverly, Marblehead, Salem, Ipswich, Haverhill and Plaistow, NH. Help ensure that ALL children have the opportunity to be celebrated on their birthday.

For more information visit http://www.northshoreymca.org/programs/social-responsibility/community-impact/birthday-in-a-box/.

Hello Cape Ann Trail Stewards partners!

I am writing in hopes that you would be willing to share our event flyer (see attached) for this weekend’s upcoming cleanup at the Babson Reservoir with the City of Gloucester.  The date is Sunday, June 1 from 9-11AM.

Thank you so much!

Hi Joey,
I’m pleased to share that the next Cape Ann Contra Dance is scheduled for Saturday, May 31 at the First Baptist Church, 38 Gloucester Ave., Gloucester, MA.

No experience is required!  All dances are taught.

House band regulars will be joined by guest fiddler Adrienne Howard.

A break is planned for the half-way point, roughly 8:30, for refreshments and visiting. Non-alcoholic drinks as well as finger snack foods are welcome to be brought and shared. Water bottles are recommended to reduce our use of paper cups.
This dance is sponsored in part by the Outreach Fund of the Country Dance and Song Society, Folk Life Studio, and the generosity of the First Baptist Church, Gloucester and the Cape Ann House Contra Band.

For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/CapeAnnContraDance, or contact us at capeanncontradance@gmail.com

Sandy Bay Preschool is thrilled to introduce the Cape Ann community to our new Director and Lead Teacher, Donna Hingston. Donna, a resident of Marblehead, has amassed 30+ years of experience both at the Preschool Director and Lead Teacher level.  With degrees in Early Childhood Education and Psychology as well as noteworthy coursework in both Day Care Administration and Visual Arts, Donna brings boundless administrative, educational and creative expertise to the school.  She is delighted to work alongside the fabulous Kristy Mulkern and is excited to have the support of a well-established parent cooperative preschool behind her.  Although Donna officially begins in August, she is already working on plans for the 2014-2015 school year and will be involved in our summer playdates.

New and prospective families, alumni and the plain curious are invited to meet Donna at our open house on  Wednesday, June 4 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. We think you’ll love her as much as we do!

Hi Joey,

The GHS Human Rights Initiative is holding their second annual benefit concert next Wednesday, June 4th at 6 P.M. at the Stage Fort Park Gazebo. There will be five talented high school and local musicians and bands playing that night as we raise awareness about the issue of the imbalance of education in the United States. The concert is free to the public, but we will appreciate any donations, which will be sent to Teach for America, a program devoted to eliminating educational inequality.

If you could plug this in your blog before next Wednesday, that would be really great! Also if you wanted to bring down a photographer for the night of, that would be really fun!

Thank you very much! Please feel free to email/call me if you have any questions.

Hey Joey!

We’re raising funds to put in a floating dock at the Paint Factory in honor of our friend and co-worker Kim Marshall Tilas to celebrate her 50th birthday and surviving breast cancer. The goal is $9250 in time for Kim to pop a champagne cork on her birthday on July 24th. Just go to http://www.whale.org/help-make-birthday-wish-come-true-dock-paint-factory/. We’re looking forward to visitors arriving at the Paint Factory from the water.

Thanks so much!

Amy Kerr

Ocean Alliance