Good Morning Gloucester

  Juni Van Dyke in front of her work at the opening of The Flatrocks Galery’s latest exhibition: ECLIPTIC 15 May through 15 June

Joey, We are asking if you could put this announcement on your program.

On june 7,2014 at 1:00 PM at the First Congregational Church of Essex located at 29 Main Street, Essex, the Daughters of the American Revolution is presenting the letters of John and Abigail Adams written during the War. Patricia Bridgman, a talented and well known portrayer,  will read the letters and answer questions, but you must remember that the year is 1778!

Light refreshments will  be served.

Pamela Schwartz

Historian

Cape Ann dAR

Good morning,

The O’Maley Innovation Middle School’s Drama Club is hosting two Performing Arts camps this summer. We would love to place a notice about these two camps in your calendar as soon as possible. The camps run for two weeks each, one camp in July and one camp in August.  Below is the information we would like in the calendar. If you would need or like more information on the camps please contact me at jluzitano@gloucester.k12.ma.us . Thank you for all your help.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Luzitano and Leslie Sellers

Camp Directors

O’Maley Performing Arts Summer Camps

REGISTRATION OPEN: for ages 8 through entering high school seniors 

Drama Camp: July 7-11 and 14-18 (9am-2pm)

Musical Theatre Camp: August 11-15 and 18-22 (9am-2pm)

Public performances will be held at the end of each camp!

To download a camp brochure with registration form, please go to www.tinyurl.com/omaleypacamps or contactlsellers@gloucester.k12.ma.us

Camp brochures are also available at O’Maley’s Main Office

Sarah Fraser Robbins Environmental Award-Call for Nominations

Anthony Weller, local author and long time musician with a gig at the Franklin Cafe, is completely handicapped by MS. He has another novel in him, but needs help getting it written down (he can’t even use Dragon because his voice is too gaspy). We’re trying to raise money to hire a professional for an hour a day, 5 days a week, and would appreciate all the publicity we can get. Here’s the blast we sent to the GWC email list:
Friends:
Many of you know, or have heard of, Gloucester resident Anthony Weller – professional musician, teacher, and writer of acclaimed works of fiction and non-fiction. Over the past few years Anthony has been seriously affected by a particularly vicious form of MS, and the prognosis is not good. At this time his physical limitations are extreme. He needs help with everything.
Everything, that is, except thinking.
Anthony’s always sharp mind has not diminished a whit. And despite the obviously depressing reality of having regressed from published author and world class guitarist to quadriplegic in a few short years, his outlook is stoic. His courage is enormous and his sense of humor is as sharp as ever – maybe sharper.
Here’s the kicker. Anthony has another book in him – probably his last – but as matters now stand, he has no way of getting it out. He can’t type, he can’t operate a computer, and his speech is too faint and raspy to allow the use of Dragon or a transcription device. He needs to hire a typist. Someone who will sit and listen carefully to what he says, and type it into a computer.
To do this, of course, he needs money. We’ve scratched up enough to get started, but we will need more. And, as Anthony says, “Time is of the essence.”
If you would like to contribute to as worthy a cause as you’re likely to encounter anytime soon, please make your check out to THE GALEN GIBSON SCHOLARSHIP TRUST. The Galen fund will be administering this project. It  is a 501C3 charity, so your donation will be tax deductible.
Mail it to:
Greg Gibson
Galen Gibson Scholarship Trust
76 Langsford St.
Gloucester, MA 01930
As the Rev. Wendy Fitting said, “Imagine being part of getting a novel written!”
Thanks and best wishes,
Greg Gibson

Hi Joey—If I could, I’d like to post a big shout-out to the Gloucester Police Department for it’s Citizen Police Academy and also highly recommend it to all FOBs.  The Academy was started by Chief Campanello and has been organized and directed by his second in command, Lt. McCarthy.   I am a graduate of the most recent class and I was very impressed with the topics covered in class and the presentations given by the officers and detectives.  The presentations were informative, not sugar-coated, and definitely not boring.  We also had the opportunity to tour the police station including the jail cells and the dispatch (where all those 911 calls come in), we were able to ride along in a patrol car (fascinating to experience real-time, street level police work), we took a tour of the Middleton House of Correction, we were given the opportunity to shot a weapon in their firing range, and we had a stunning demonstration by K-9s Mako and Trident and their officers.  The biggest benefit I found was getting to know our police officers as the professionals they are and also as people—just like us.  They are planning another class in the fall and it’s not too early to pick up your application at the police station—I highly recommend it!  And, once again, thanks to everyone in the Police Department who welcomed us in and gave us such a great experience.

Rita Stapulonis

Highland St.

Hi Joey, 

This is Anna Swanson from Backyard Growers. Starting next week, all 1,300 elementary school students are coming out to the garden to harvest the lettuce they planted and plant new fall crops. Many community members were involved on some level in making this possible so we would love it if you could do a little post about Salad Days on your blog to get the excitement started. I have put an informational bit and pictures below. 

Thank you for all your help! 

Best, 

Anna

Backyard Growers’ Annual Salad Days is just around the corner!

Across the Gloucester Public Elementary Schools, students are taking to the garden through the Backyard Growers Schoolyard Garden Program. Each year over 1,300 elementary students come out to the garden to plant, harvest, and eat fresh vegetables from their school garden. Next week begins our annual Salad Days when students will harvest the lettuce they grew and taste it in the cafeteria!
The Schoolyard Garden Program is a collaboration between Backyard Growers and the District Schools. It is thanks to our community partners, parent-led School Garden Teams, teachers, principals, food service staff, and of course the children, that make our schoolyard gardens a success!
The Schoolyard Garden Program is broken down into three main events:
Spring Planting Day – Held in early April, our spring planting day is when students come out to the garden to plant different varieties of leafy greens including spinach, leaf lettuce, Asian greens and kale!
Annual Spring Salad Days & Fall Planting – In the first two weeks of June the leafy greens are ready to harvest! On Salad Days students come out to pick the lettuce they planted and then wash, dry, and prepare it for a cafeteria taste testing! Once all the lettuce is harvested students plant hardy fall vegetables like pumpkin, squash, beans, potatoes, carrots, and beets. Each grade plants a specific vegetable to be harvested upon their return to school.
Annual Fall Harvest Days– After a summer of sun and parent-coordinated watering, the fall veggies are ripe for harvest. In one of their first weeks back to school, students join us in the garden to harvest the vegetables they planted the year before. After a day of uprooting carrots, shelling beans, and more, students enjoy their harvest in the cafeteria through a special taste test of the schoolyard veggies.
By involving the students in the full circle of events—planting, harvesting, and eating—we are presenting them with a unique experience with their food and encouraging them through hands-on learning to enjoy healthy eating. To learn more about Backyard Growers please visit www.backyardgrowers.org and www.facebook.com/backyardgrowersprogram.

A big thank you to our local foundations that support our Schoolyard Garden Program:

North Shore United Way-Women in Action

Gloucester is Awesome Foundation

Annisquam Sewing Circle

Get Fit Gloucester

North Shore Community Health Network

New England Biolabs Foundation

2 Depot Square Ipswich Charitable Foundation

Forest Foundation

Bruce J. Anderson Foundation

“So, Martha, think we should hang out in Rockport or move on to Gloucester?”
I feel very blessed. I have lived in Rockport here for close to 20 years (although I spend most of my time in Gloucester)  and have never seen ducks in the yard or anywhere in the area. They are SO sweet…but this is very unusual so I am concerned.
I noticed them walking up the road early this morning. They flew off this afternoon and then returned. They have been tagged. I have no idea why they are here…but am delighted. Should I be concerned about them? Does anyone know why they are tagged?
I just wanted them to be happy  and healthyand hope they are not disoriented or hurt.
They’re a cute couple. Please help – any information or guidance would be appreciated.
JoAnn

Freshly cut chives from the garden have made their way onto the dinner table tonight!

Hi Joey,

Captain Ryan Brown gave B a shot at the helm as we steamed out of the harbor on Monday.  Thanks Ryan!

Enjoy!
~Bill O’Connor
North Shore Kid

Hi Joey, here’s a photo taken at the Essex Shipbuilding Museum for your newly designed site.  –Len Burgess