Ashland December 2016

Ashland 

localtownpages 

PRSRT STD 

ECRWSS 

U.S. POSTAGE 

PAID 

Taunton, MA 

Permit No. 92 

Postal Customer 

Local 

Vol. 4 No. 5 Free to Every Home and Business Every Month December 2016 

Walter Brewer Receives 

Ashland’s Highest Honor 

Brewer Has Been Quietly Serving the Community for More Than 50 Years 

By Deborah Burke Henderson, 

Contributing Writer 

A man of action and service, Walter “Wally” 

Brewer received Ashland’s highest honor, the 

Rick Gilhani Citizen of the Year Award on 

Ashland Day in September, along with state 

proclamations from Senator Karen Spilka and 

Representative Tom Sannicandro. The awards 

recognized Brewer’s community service, both as 

a volunteer and as part of Ashland’s Auxiliary 

Police Department for 39 years. 

What makes Brewer tick? His philosophy is 

simple: “Be happy. Smile. And get along with 

everybody as best you can,” he explained. Profound 

words to follow. 

“Wally works hard behind the scenes helping 

people and doesn’t look for accolades, which 

is why he’s been under the radar for so many 

years,” Joe Magnani, member of the Ashland 

Day Committee, explained. “This honor is welldeserved 

and long overdue.” 

Brewer’s personal and professional history is 

all about helping others. 

“I volunteer all the time,” Brewer stated with 

a smile in a recent interview. “I started out helping 

others during my high school years in Newton, 

Mass., and volunteering is still a big part of 

Walter “Wally” Brewer was named Ashland’s 

Citizen of the Year on Ashland Day 2016. 

(Photo/Deborah Burke Henderson) 

what keeps me going strong today.” 

In 1951, Brewer graduated with degrees 

WALTER BREWER 

continued on page 2 

The Corner Spot 

Is Coming! 

It’s not too late to be a supporter; 

donations accepted until Dec. 8 

By Beth Reynolds, 

Town of Ashland Economic 

Development Director 

The Corner Spot project 

launched on October 18 and, 

in just two weeks, Ashland residents 

and businesses raised over 

$35,000! As a result, MassDevelopment 

will grant us $25,000 as 

a match to the funds we raised. 

Not only did we exceed our goal 

(which was to raise $25,000) but 

an abundance of excitement and 

enthusiasm was sparked. 

The goal of this project is 

to create a space in downtown 

where residents can gather and 

small businesses can test the market 

with a pop-up business model. 

The Corner Spot at 6 Cherry St. 

will contain a park and a building 

for new businesses to try out 

starting next spring. The generous 

donations from the community, 

coupled with the results of 

the recent Citizen Survey, show 

that that residents want a “new” 

downtown. They want a place 

where they can meet up with 

friends, shop in local stores and 

join in special events. The Corner 

Spot is a step towards creating a 

downtown that has all of that and 

more! 

Thank you to all who donated 

and continue to donate! Donations 

will be accepted until Dec. 

8. All money raised will be used to 

build the space we envision. 

A special thank you to our inkind 

contributors: Meg Abbey 

from In-Kind Design for her brilliant 

logo, Teri Wysor from The 

Embroidery Place for help with 

the car magnets, and Glenn Travis 

and his team at GMT Home 

Designs for the beautiful renderings. 

We are just getting started; 

there are so many businesses that 

want to be a part of this and donate 

their services, and we are so 

grateful! 

Keep your eye out for changes 

CORNER SPOT 


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Page 2 Local Town Pages www.ashlandtownnews.com December 2016 

WALTER BREWER 

continued from page 1 

from both Newton High School 

and its affiliated vocational institute, 

the Newton Trade School, 

where he learned the printing 

trade. He enlisted in the US 

Published Monthly 

Mailed FREE to the 

Community of Ashland 

Circulation: 7,000 households 

Publisher 

Chuck Tashjian 

Editor 

Cynthia Whitty 

Susanne 

Sales 

S FAT Odell 

Advertising Sales 

LOSS 

Manager 

Lori Koller 

Advertising Sales Assistant 

Kyle Koller 

Production & Layout 

Susan Dunne 

Michelle McSherry 

Dawna Shackley 

Advertising Department 

508-954-8148 

susanneo@localtownpages.com 

Ad deadline is the 

15th of each month. 

Localtownpages assumes 

no financial liability for errors 

or omissions in printed 

advertising and reserves the 

right to reject/edit advertising 

or editorial submissions. 

Send Editorial to: 

editor@ashlandtownnews.com 

Navy shortly after graduation. 

As a Navy seaman, Brewer 

served his country with pride during 

the Korean War. His time was 

spent mostly in Europe and then 

at the US Naval Air Station in 

Port Lyautey, French Morocco. It 

was when he transferred to an air 

base in Brunswick, Maine, that 

Brewer met the love of his life, 

Hilda, a nurse to whom he was 

“very happily married for nearly 

59 years.” 

In 1959, Brewer moved back 

to Massachusetts with his wife 

and two small children, Jane 

and Jimmy, and purchased his 

first home in Ashland. He affectionately 

recalled the roots of his 

community service work here, 

beginning at the Ashland Senior 

Center where he volunteered 

during the Thanksgiving and 

winter holidays. 

Professionally, Brewer worked 

in the printing division of the 

Massachusetts Civil Defense 

Agency, which, in 1991, became 

the Massachusetts Emergency 

Management Agency (MEMA). 

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Friends of the 

Ashland Library 

Run Year-End 

Membership Drive 

Sign up by Dec. 31 for a tax-deductible 

membership and be entered into 

a drawing for a $100 gift card 

The Friends of the Ashland 

Public Library will run 

a membership drive through 

December to support programming 

for all ages. The 

Says nonprofit ‘tis group the provides season 

diverse 

programs, ranging from 

musicians to storytellers to art 

classes, for all ages in downtown 

Ashland. 

Quarterly book and cupcake 

sales and grants provide 

some funding. However, the 

Friends rely on individual 

memberships to support 

programming year-round. 

In recent years, the Friends 

have expanded its offerings 

with even more variety and 

through partnerships with the 

schools and other community 

groups. 

In order to continue to 

provide high-quality events 

and activities, the membership 

base needs to grow. The 

membership drive will run 

through Dec. 31. Anyone who 

joins or renews their membership 

during that period 

will be entered in a drawing 

for a $100 American Express 

gift card. The drawing will be 

held at noon on Jan. 5 at the 

library. 

Memberships are tax-deductible 

and range from $5 

per year for seniors to $20 per 

year for a family. To see the 

complete list of membership 

options and to join or renew, 

visit www.friendsoftheapl.com 

or stop by the library, 66 Front 

St., to fill out a membership 

form. Let’s be friends! 

Over time, he was promoted to 

supply/transportation officer and 

ultimately retired after 29 years 

of service to MEMA. 

During this full-time employment, 

Brewer joined the Ashland 

Auxiliary Police where he assisted 

on scene at fires and managed 

traffic control at crash sites and 

marathon events. At the same 

time, he was appointed as a special 

part-time police officer for 

the Ashland Police Department 

(APD). 

After retiring as a special patrolman 

in 1996, Brewer continued 

to remain actively involved 

in the Auxiliary Police. He was 

appointed Captain of the Auxiliary 

APD in the ‘70s and held 

that rank until his retirement in 

2014. 

Brewer is also proud to be a 

lifetime member of the Veterans 

of Foreign Wars (VFW), the 

American Legion and the Ashland 

Lions Club. 

“I first met Wally when he 

became a special police officer 

some 50 years ago,” Robert 

Gonfrade, former Ashland 

Chief of Police, said. “As a 

member of the Lions Club, 

he sponsored me, and we have 

been friends and fellow Lions 

ever since. Wally has been very 

active over the years, serving in 

various capacities with the club. 

Because of his service, Wally 

was nominated for a Melvin 

Jones award, one of the most 

prestigious honors in the Lions’ 

organization.” 

“Wally is a fun-loving guy 

with a quick wit and is not above 

pulling a practical joke on someone,” 

Magnani added. “He literally 

changes a room when he 

enters it and always has a handshake 

or a hug and a kiss for everyone.” 

Brewer devotes his “spare” 

time to helping at Talvy Bros. 

Florist in downtown Ashland. 

“I’ve known the owner for years,” 

Brewer added. “Even after 50 

years, I still enjoy being their ‘delivery 

man.’”

December 2016 Local Town Pages www.ashlandtownnews.com Page 3 

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what we build will be something 

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and will spark something great in 

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To donate, visit www.patronicity.com/Ashland. 

For more 

information, contact Beth Reynolds 

at breynolds@ashlandmass. 

com or 508-532-7905, or visit the 

town’s website at www.ashlandmass.com, 

and The Corner Spot 

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com/thecornerspotashland. 

Design rendering for 

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The Holiday Gift Dilemma 

By Les Clark, 


When there were no malls, the 

holiday season didn’t start until 

December and we frequented 

the small shops in or near our 

town. In Boston, Jordan Marsh, 

with its winter wonderland windows, 

was a destination. Then 

we went through the commercialized 

looking glass: the holiday 

buying season started before 

(horrors) November and stores 

even opened on Thanksgiving. 

News outlets thrived on the pushing 

and shoving throngs as mall 

doors swung open at ungodly 

early morning hours. 

In Ashland, I found a few 

residents who subscribe to traditional 

shopping and those who 

are more technologically savvy. 

One Ashland mother of three 

and a grandmother of one loves 

to go shopping. “Everything 

is so much fun, and there is always 

wine [to buy],” she said. ” 

She attempts to buy locally for 

her children but expands that, if 

necessary, to local towns and the 

cavernous Natick Mall. Online 

Wendy Hannah works at Cheryl 

Cohen Mosaics Art Center on 

a hamsa hand, a symbol of 

blessing and protection. 

(Photo/Les Clark) 

shopping is not for her. 

Susan Wells, a mother of two, 

avoids the malls, shops here in 

Ashland and online. Her family 

is the recipient of her homemade 

annual Christmas gift: a 

German stollen, decadent pastry 

filled with candied or dried fruit, 

almonds and raisins and covered 

in powdered sugar. The dog can 

only watch. 

Kim Kotob shops through her 

computer. She typically buys just 

for her two boys and the younger 

nieces and nephews but adheres to 

an old-school family tradition: her 

two boys, Maky and Jordan, are 

given some ideas to honor their 

grandfather at Christmas and they 

put their nascent crafting skills to 

work. Their grandfather treasures 

their homemade offerings. 

Handmade Gifts 

There are still people who 

make gifts. I visited Ashland resident 

Cheryl Cohen at her studio, 

Cheryl Cohen Mosaics Art Center 

in Holliston, where five of her 

students were working on artistic 

and colorful ornaments, shadow 

boxes and flat designs using glass 

pieces, pottery shards and beads. 

Ashland resident Wendy Hannah 

was working on her Hanukkah 

gift. “Life is all about mosaics,” she 

beamed. Interested residents can 

make their own gifts or purchase 

unique pieces, such as wall art and 

home décor, created by Cohen. 

She can be reached at Cheryl@ 

CherylCohenMosaics.com or 

508-612-4183 or visit her website, 

www.cherylcohenmosaics.com. 

Martha Fletcher, a former 

From her home business, MR Fletcher designs and makes one-of-akind 

jewelry. (Photo/MR Fletcher) 

geologist and owner of a homebased 

business Earthly Wealth, 

is a designer and maker of 

one-of-a kind jewelry using real 

stones, cultured pearls, silver, 

gold, copper and wood. “I try to 

use recycled material whenever I 

can,” she said, revealing that she 

prowls salvage yards for brass 

and copper. Contact Fletcher 

via email, tasmanites@aol.com 

or by snail mail, P.O. Box 171, 

Ashland, MA 01721. 

Those of us who are creatively 

challenged have access to numerous 

websites with the strange, 

mystical, practical, unusual or 

just ordinary gifts for sale. Have 

your credit card handy. In the 

end, though, and trite as it may 

sound, it’s still the thought that 

counts. And Santa thanks you for 

the fudge. 

Les Clark is an Ashland resident 

and can be reached at lclark9247@ 

aol.com. 

Everybody Needs Friends 

Want to 

help enrich 

our library 

and town 

and get a 

chance to 

win $100? 

Absolutely! 

Sign me up! 

Make your check payable to Friends of the APL 

and mail it with the form below to 66 Front St, Ashland 

or go online to www.friendsoftheapl.com 

to join or renew. 

o Senior $5 o Individual $10 o Family $20 

o Front Street Circle $30 o Circle of Friends $50 

o Silver $100 

The Friends of the Ashland Public Library is an all-volunteer group. 

We raise money for programs held at the library to help nurture the 

cultural climate in our town. Some of these programs include live 

animals, magic, music, science, the arts, storytelling, literature, 

and contemporary and documentary films. 

Name _______________________________________________ 

Address _____________________________________________ 

Email _______________________________________________ 

Phone ______________________________________________ 

Drawing to be held at the library on Jan 5 at noon. 

*Donated by the Dunn Family


Ashland Business Association Happenings 

By Cynthia Whitty 

Ribbon Cuttings 

A benefit of being an Ashland 

Business Association (ABA) 

member is that a business may 

gain exposure through a ribbon 

cutting. The ABA partners with 

the town to offer ribbon cuttings 

to any new businesses opening in 

Ashland. Businesses must be a 

member of the ABA prior to the 

ribbon cutting. The activity is a 

great opportunity to gain exposure 

for your business. To schedule 

your ribbon cutting, contact 

Beth Reynolds at breynolds@ 

ashlandmass.com. This fall the 

ABA welcomed Ashland Reiki 

and Wellness Center and Divine 

Stoneworks. 

Holiday Party 

The ABA will hold its Holiday 

Party and Yankee Swap for members 

and their guests on Tuesday, 

Ashland Reiki and Wellness Center recently opened at 54 Front 

St. Hannah Stein, an Ashland resident, has created a welcoming 

environment to practice Reiki and meditation. (Photo/submitted) 

Dec. 6 at Burnam’s Pub House, 

366 Pleasant St. Admission is $30 

per person ($25 if paid by Nov. 

30). Cocktails (cash bar) will be 

available from 6 to 7 p.m; buffet 

dinner at 7 p.m. Bring a wrapped 

gift valued between $5 and $10 

for the swap and food donations 

for the Ashland Food Pantry. 

Send checks by Nov. 30 to the 

ABA, PO Box 510, Ashland, MA 

01721. 

New Year’s Program 

The next ABA program will 

be held on Tuesday, Jan. 3 at the 

Ashland Library, Community 

Room, 66 Front St. The program 

Divine Stoneworks has state-of-the-art equipment and an impressive 

showroom on Pleasant Street. (Photo/submitted) 

will include reviewing accomplishments 

from the past year 

and planning for 2017. Early 

networking is 5:30 to 6 p.m.; the 

program runs from 6 to 7:30 p.m. 

For more information, or 

to join the ABA, contact ABA 

President Alex Carleton, 800- 

425-5573, or visit www.ashlandbusinessassociation.com. 

Wishing you 

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Students (Bella Cerulle, Jessica Yee, Lily Rizza, Lydia Cheever and 

Rebecca Holas) from Annemarie’s Dance Centre performed on 

the ABA’s November program. The centre is a 39-year-old local 

business owned and directed by ABA member Chrissy Reynolds. 

(Photo/Cynthia Whitty) 

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Custom Stone for Your Home and Business 

Onyx Marble & Granite 

By Deborah Burke Henderson, 


When you walk onto the recently 

renovated lot at Onyx 

Marble & Granite in Framingham, 

you’ll see an amazing 

selection of huge, natural and 

engineered stone slabs gleaming 

in the sunlight. They’re all waiting 

to be transformed into unique 

creations for residential or commercial 

projects. 

Next month, owners Jose 

Moraes and his wife, Poliana, 

celebrate Onyx’s twentieth anniversary. 

Onyx is one of New England’s 

premier custom fabrication and 

installation resources, and its 

showroom is open to homeowners, 

contractors and designers. 

The company’s range of work 

includes kitchen countertops, 

bathroom vanity tops, fireplaces, 

Jacuzzis, and tub surrounds; all 

of which can bring a vibrant new 

look to your home. 

“When you work with Onyx, 

you will benefit from the expertise 

of our stone fabrication and installation 

professionals,” Jose said. 

“Each employee has, on average, 

more than 10 years of experience 

in the business. If you’re unsure 

about any details of your project, 

our knowledgeable staff can 

guide you through the decisionmaking 

process.” 

Jose worked with countertops 

for more than 12 years before taking 

full administration of Onyx. 

During that time, he learned 

all aspects of the business from 

measuring templates to cutting 

and polishing stone, working 

closely with customers on site to 

ascertain their needs, and ensuring 

that the installation of the 

finished product was completed 

successfully. Starting his own 

company was the next logical step 

for him to take to utilize his business 

degree and his love for working 

with stone. 

“I like designing things,” Jose 

added. “Getting the client’s ideas 

and making that a reality drives 

my passion for the work. It is very 

satisfying to see the finished product 

and hear from our clients how 

happy they are with the results.” 

Jose and Poliana work with 

their team of 16 professionals 

to offer customers top-quality 

stonework, a wide range of custom 

stone choices, and a timely 

fabrication and installation process. 

They strive to educate their 

clients about the available materials 

in all price ranges, from natural 

stone products of marble and 

granite to Quartz, an engineered 

stone, which is a blend of 93 percent 

natural quartz and resin. 

The Onyx team prides itself 

on always providing unmatched 

customer service. Their business 

has weathered good times and 

tough economic periods during 

these 20 years, and that is, itself, 

a tremendous demonstration of 

the commitment to their industry 

and to their passion of providing 

their customers the very best experience. 

“The best thing we can do for 

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and help them think through 

their project as a whole to make 

sure each detail works with the 

others,” Jose added. “People usually 

update their kitchens only 

once or twice in a lifetime, and 

we want to make sure they get the 

results they desire.” 

Onyx has consistently received 

a “Super Service Award” 

from Angie’s List for the past four 

years and takes pride in receiving 

a significant number of fivestar 

reviews on Yelp and houzz, 

a website and online community 

about architecture, interior design, 

decorating and home improvement. 

Visit the Onyx Marble & 

Granite website at www.onyxgranite.com 

to check out their 

easy-to-use custom “visualizer” 

tool where you can interchange 

flooring, cabinetry, countertops 

and backsplash materials in a 

virtual kitchen, view numerous 

customer testimonials or take advantage 

of their “live chat” feature. 

The Onyx showroom is conveniently 

located at 93 Beaver 

Visit Ashland’s New 

Gift Shop 

Candles • Books • Greeting Cards 

Jewelry • Soaps & Creams • Children’s Gifts 

Works by Ashland Artists 

Gifts from $ 5 to $ 500 

Many prices lower than Amazon.com! 


REIKI & 

WELLNESS 

Center 

508-861-3090 

54 Front Street, Ashland 

www.facebook.com/ashlandreiki 

Street in Framingham. Showroom 

hours are Monday through 

Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 

from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. 

After-hour showings are available 

by appointment. 

Whether you are looking to 

update the interior of your home 

or business, give this top-rated, 

family-owned business an opportunity 

to meet your needs and exceed 

your expectations. Call (508) 

620-0775 for your free in-home 

or in-store estimate. 

Jose and Poliana enjoy being 

part of the Metrowest community 

and have lived here for 10 

years. They reside in Ashland 

with their three children. 

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Excludes Artists’ Consignment Items. Expires 1.31.17. 

www.ashlandreiki.com


Business: 

What’s New in Ashland 

By Beth Reynolds, 

Ashland’s Economic 

Development Director 

We welcomed the following 

new businesses to town in November. 

Check out all that Ashland 

has to offer. 

The Ceramics Garage. Artist 

Arti Bhola Goulatia has 

chosen Ashland as the place to 

express her talent through the 

use of clay. She teaches private 

and group classes in addition to 

creating beautiful works of art. 

1 Summit Ln., 914-486-8582, 

www.theceramicsgarage.com 

PERSONAL SERVICE & COMMUNITY SUPPORT 

SINCE 1987 

HOME • CONDO • RENTER 

AUTO • BUSINESS 

We are Your Reliable 

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We listen to you. 

You listen to us. 

No Worries! 

Divine Stoneworks is a team 

of highly skilled professionals 

who are ready to help you transform 

your dream projects into 

reality. Their state-of-the-art 

equipment provides customers 

with perfectly chosen and cut 

granite for any project. 60 Pleasant 

St., 774-221-6006, www.divinestoneworks.net 

Erica’s Ristorante is Ashland’s 

newest restaurant. Located 

in the heart of downtown, 

it features delicious Italian food 

and is family friendly. Just in time 

for the holidays, make your reservation 

today! 78 Front St., 978- 

478-8321 

WELCOME TO 

M A R A T H O N 

C O U N T R Y 

Ashland Scouts Collect 

Donations for the Food Pantry, 

Sell Wreaths for the Holidays 

The Ashland Cub Scouts 

have been busy this fall with 

skits and magic tricks, fitness 

training and nature and wildlife 

hikes. In addition, the Scouts 

conducted their annual “Scouting 

for Food’ drive, where they 

collected donations of food and 

household items for the Ashland 

Food Pantry. Thank you to the 

Ashland community for your 

generous donations to this important 

cause.t 

In December, the Scouts will 

be selling holiday wreaths in 

various locations around town. 

Thank you for considering purchasing 

your holiday wreaths 

from us. The proceeds support 

our Pack and our community 

projects. 

Our next Pack Meeting is 

scheduled for Friday, Dec. 9. 

Making Your Move Stress Free 

Den 2 Webelo Scouts (back row) John Howland, Chase Garcia, 

Matthew Kukowski, (front row) Ryan Lagana, Jack Lagana, Cal 

Fitanides, Kevin Botsis, and Alex Fitanides explore nature at 

Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary as part of the “Into the Woods” 

Scouting Unit. 

Den 4 Webelo Scouts James 

Bodnar, Nathan Gerlovin, and 

William Pyne complete fitness 

challenges as part of the Scouting 

Unit, “Stronger, Faster, Higher.” 

“Wall calendars available now. Enjoy a 

safe and happy Holiday Season!” 

CALL: 508-881-7800 

25 West Union Street (Rte 135) 

www.phippsinsurance.com 

Proudly representing the 

#1 Home and Auto Insurance 

Companies in Massachusetts! 

Amy Uliss, Realtor 

963 Worcester Rd. 

Framingham, MA 01701 

Cell: 508-341-1422 

Tel: 508-879-8999 

mdmrealtyinc@gmail.com 

metrowesthomesandlife.com 

Den 1 Wolf Scouts Connor Botsis 

and Jacob Fertig proudly sell 

popcorn to support the Scouts.tt 

Join us and learn more about 

what Scouting is about! For 

more information, visit www. 

pack1-ashlandma.org.


Feline Dental Disease 

Ashland Education 

Foundation Wishes 

You Happy Holidays 

The Ashland Education 

Foundation, Inc. (AEFI) would 

like to thank residents for their 

support throughout the year. 

As you shop for the holidays, 

please consider continuing 

your support through two of 

our sponsors: 

Samba Restaurant has generously 

agreed to donate 10 

percent of our supporter’s dining 

costs to the AEFI. If you 

would like a Samba-AEFI supporter 

card, please request one 

in any of the Ashland school 

main offices. If you have any 

questions, contact publicity. 

aefi@gmail.com. 

While shopping for the holidays, 

don’t forget to use Amazon 

Smiles. By using Amazon 

smiles, AEFI will receive .5 percent 

of your purchase price as a 

donation from Amazon. 

1. Go to Smile.Amazon.com 

and select AEFI as your 

charity. 

2. Type “Ashland Education 

Foundation Inc” (no quotation 

marks) in the box next 

to search field and click 

“Search.” “Ashland Education 

Foundation, Inc located 

in Ashland, MA” will be the 

first search result. 

3. Press the Select button next 

to the search result. This will 

select AEFI as your target 

charity 

Mark your calendar for 

upcoming AEFI events: MetroWest 

College & Career Fair, 

Saturday, April 1 and Awards 

Gala, Friday, April 7. 

By Richard Duckett, DVM, 

MS, The Family Pet Hospital 

Dental health often falls low on 

a pet owner’s list of health priorities. 

Many owners simply do not 

realize the impact improper oral 

healthcare can have on their pet’s 

overall health. Even if cats could 

brush their teeth, plaque and tartar 

will build up over time leading 

to gingivitis and, ultimately, periodontal 

disease. Periodontal disease, 

the most common disease in cats, 

is a painful condition leading to 

bleeding gums, bad breath, food 

aversion, behavioral changes and 

tooth loss. 

More severe and potentially 

life-threatening complications 

arise when periodontal disease 

allows bacteria into the bloodstream, 

resulting in possible damage 

to the heart, kidneys, liver 

and lungs. Per the American Veterinary 

Dental Society, nearly 70 

percent of cats show signs of oral 

disease by age three. 

In addition to periodontal 

disease, cats may suffer from a 

condition known as Feline Resorptive 

Lesions, also known as 

“TRs” (Tooth Resorption). In 

this condition, tooth enamel is 

lost due to overactive cells breaking 

down the enamel, resulting 

in nerve exposure and tooth 

destruction. For many cats, this 

painful condition is only detected 

during a dental cleaning with the 

utilization of dental x-rays. Approximately 

30 percent of feline 

dental problems occur below the 

gum line, making x-rays a necessity 

for a comprehensive treatment 

plan. 

While it is easy to recognize 

pain associated with a broken leg, 

what about a painful tooth? 

Typically, cats do not stop 

eating when they have a painful 

tooth. Cats often gulp commercial 

cat food rather than chewing 

it, allowing them to hide dental 

pain. In fact, cats are quite 

adept at hiding pain and illness. 

If your cat has a resorptive lesion 

or periodontal disease, your cat is 

in pain. Only proper dental work 

can fully alleviate their pain. 

Feline dental problems require 

anesthesia for treatment. A 

complete dental care plan, under 

anesthesia, includes a thorough 

dental cleaning via ultrasonic 

scaling above and below the gum 

line, polishing, digital dental radiography 

and extractions, if required. 

Preventative dental care at 

home is also instrumental in 

maintaining your cat’s dental 

health. Several products are available 

which promote healthy, painfree 

teeth and gums. Do you go 

to the dentist? So should your cat. 

For a free feline dental evaluation, 

or if you have any questions, 

contact Dr. Richard Duckett at 

drdduckett@thefamilypethospital.com. 

READY FOR THE 

HOLIDAYS? 

Boarding for dogs and cats 

• Dogs under 35 lbs • 3 walks per day 

Give your pet a cozy place to spend the night 

when you have to be away. 

Daycare for Dogs 

Socialize and Exercise! 


from our family to yours 

Saturday, December 24th 

Monday, December 26th 

Saturday, December 31st 

Monday, January 2nd 

Holiday Hours 

Lobby 

8:30 am - Noon 

Closed 


Closed 

508.634.2500 

246 Main Street 

Milford, MA 

Drive-Up 


Closed 

8:30 am - 1:00 pm 

Closed 

Full Service Veterinary 

Hospital will take 

care of your babies for 

the holidays! 

FREE 1 Day Trial Daycare 

(1st time only) 

1 Day FREE Boarding 

with purchase of 6 days. 

Add daycare for $10/day 

With this ad. Expires 12.31.16 

508-231-1223 

300 Eliot Street, Ashland 

www.thefamilypethospital.com 

Medicine • Surgery • Exotics • Retail • Puppy Play Group 

Doggie Daycare • Dog Training • Grooming • Medical Boarding


Alpaca Ranch Annual Holiday Open House and 

Holiday Boutique 

Features Alpacas, Alpaca Products at 

Acorn Alpaca Ranch, Millis, Mass. 

always, there will be an assortment 

of teddy bears and equally 

huggable items. (Cash or check 

only--- no credit cards) 

If you have ever thought of 

owning alpacas you can talk directly 

to Bob and Louise Hebeler 

about alpaca care, husbandry 

and how to get started. You will 

be surprised at how affordable it 

can be to start your own small 

herd of alpacas. With 18 years 

of experience to guide you and 

a wide choice of alpacas for sale 

this is the place to begin. 

Acorn Alpaca Ranch at 99 

Acorn St., Millis, will host its 

annual Holiday Open House 

On December 3rd & 4 th from 

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors can 

tour the barn, interact with the 

friendly alpacas and browse the 

fine alpaca products in the Holiday 

Boutique. 

The Ranch, in addition to 

breeding and selling the alpacas, 

offers yarn made from the fiber 

of their own alpacas as well as 

luxurious, warm, non-allergenic 

garments made from alpaca 

fiber. These items make great 

gifts to jump start your holiday 

shopping and warm up someone’s 

holiday and winter. 

The range of soft alpaca 

clothing available includes a wide 

variety of alpaca socks, scarves 

and hats, mittens and gloves, 

and other warm products. For 

knitting and crocheting there 

is a wide variety of both natural 

colored and dyed yarns. As 

OPEN HOUSE 

Saturday & Sunday 

Dec 3 & 4 

25% OFF 

ALL PRINTS 

Signed & Numbered Framed & Unframed 

Store stock only. Thru December 31, 2016. 

Celebrating 26 Years as a family owned business 

PREMIER IMAGE GALLERY 

www.premier-image.com 

290 Eliot Street, (Ledgemere Plaza) • Ashland • (508) 881-4730 

Again this year we will be 

joined by our good friends Sue 

Robinson from Buzz10 Honey 

and Linda Horton from Sweet 

Treats with plenty of Local 

honey, jams, jellies and other 

Goodies to sweeten your holiday. 

If you miss the Open House, 

you can still shop for alpaca products 

or alpacas anytime by calling 

ahead to meet us at the barn. 

Acorn Alpaca Ranch is located 

at 99 Acorn Street in Millis. 

Directions can be found 

on our website at www.Acorn 

AlpacaRanch.com or call (508) 

294-7085.


Ashland Youth and 

Family Services 

Holiday and Winter 

Programs 

By Cara Tirrell, Ashland 

Youth and Family Services 

Fuel Assistance 

Applications 

Ashland Youth and Family 

Services (AYFS) is available to assist 

Ashland residents with state 

fuel assistance applications. To 

make an appointment, call 508- 

881-0140 x 3. Note that appointments 

are made on a first come, 

first serve basis and if you applied 

last year or have applied with 

SMOC already, you do not need 

to contact AYFS. 

Holiday Program 

The annual holiday program 

involves giving out gifts and meals 

to over 112 families. Ashland residents 

can sign up to receive new 

clothing, toys, bikes, books, games 

and iPods. Each child submits a 

wish list and AYFS tries to accommodate 

the numerous donations 

received. The food pantry 

coordinator and AYFS provide 

an opportunity for residents to 

“adopt” a family during the holiday 

season. The gifters are given 

the child’s list of wishes, asked to 

buy within their budget and get 

the gifts back in time. The gifts 

are returned, and then gift bags 

are put together for each child. 

Thanksgiving Meal 

The food pantry coordinator 

and AYFS manage the Thanksgiving 

meal program, where 112 

seniors, individuals and families 

receive full Thanksgiving meals 

(frozen turkey, cranberry sauce, 

veggies, potatoes, rolls and pies). 

Food Pantry Needs 

The food pantry accepts donations 

year round. Some items 

needed regularly include: baby 

food, juice, coffee/tea, paper 

products and shampoo. Donations 

can be dropped off at the 

lower level of the community 

center, the Ashland Town Hall, 

Ashland Post Office, Ashland Police, 

Shaw’s, Dr. Zarrella’s office 

and at the fire department. 

Books for Children 

If your children would like 

some new or used books, please 

call the office, 508-881-0140 x 3, 

with the child’s age, gender and 

reading preferences. We will try 

to accommodate every request. 

Thank You 

Thank you to Knights of 

Columbus Hopkinton/Ashland 

Council #4822 for donating new 

coats for Ashland boys and girls 

in need. 

Things you don’t know about today’s 

SAFE, GENTLE, 

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• Gentle, non-painful, low force method to help everyone 

from infants to the elderly regain and keep their health 

Ashland Lions Christmas Trees 

Arrive Day After Thanksgiving 

Pick up a Christmas tree 

from the Ashland Lions. The 

tree lot is located on Pond St./ 

Rt. 126, west of Market Basket, 

next to the Exxcel Gas Station 

and across from Dairy Queen. 

Pick from a huge selection of 

over 600 beautiful trees, featuring 

Balsam and Fraser Firs 

grown in Maine. The Lions 

will also have available several 

dozen wreaths of various sizes, 

with and without bows. Lion 

Ashland Emergency Fund 

Halloween Campaign Raises 

Nearly $2K 

For the 8th year, Ashland 

students in grades K-5 were 

invited on Halloween weekend 

to participate in a fundraiser to 

benefit the Ashland Emergency 

Fund (AEF). Students who volunteered 

collected donations 

for AEF in the form of spare 

change, bills or checks to benefit 

our Ashland neighbors in 

need. 

This year students from 

the Warren school raised 

$1,831.29. The results from 

the Mindess school are pending. 

Final tally of funds raised 

by both Warren and Mindess 

school students will be posted 

members will be on hand to help 

answer questions, wrap trees as 

requested and help load them 

onto cars or trucks. The tree lot 

is open 7 days a week, daytime 

and evening, 12 p.m. to 9 p.m., 

weekdays and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., 

Saturdays and Sundays, until 

they sell out. The funds raised 

from this event support Lions 

eye research and local charities. 

(Photo/Lion Paul Ciccolo) 

on the website, www.Ashland- 

EmergencyFund.com, and on 

the AEF Facebook page. 

AEF wishes to thank the participating 

students, teachers and 

staff in making the 8th annual 

Children’s Halloween Campaign 

a success. In our giving, it 

is all of us who receive. 

The mission of AEF is to 

provide temporary financial 

support to Ashland residents 

in need. AEF is a true charity 

in that 100 percent of its donations 

are spent on providing financial 

assistance to recipients 

according to need, typically on 

a one-time basis. AEF support 

may continue until relevant assistance 

from state agencies is in 

place or until the crisis passes. 

Medical, heating, electric, rent 

and food are among the most 

common expenses for which 

the AEF offers support. And, 

any Ashland resident can qualify: 

those who receive assistance 

are our neighbors and friends. 

AEF is an IRS-recognized 

charitable organization. All donations 

are tax deductible to the 

fullest extent allowed by law. To 

make a donation, send a check 

to AEF, PO Box 112, Ashland, 

MA 01721. 

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Lewis: 

A Message to Ashland Residents 

By Jack Patrick Lewis, 

State Representative, Mass. 

7 th Middlesex District 

I am truly honored to have 

been elected your representative 

on Beacon Hill. My priority 

will continue to be to provide a 

voice for our diverse district in 

the legislature and to advocate 

for policies that allow all of 

our families, schools and towns 

to thrive. I will work to uphold 

Tom Sannicandro’s legacy of 

unparalleled service and hope to 

Wonderful Pampering Services 

Including Massage and Facials! 

Any Demomination & We Gift Wrap. 

Purchase any gift card worth $75 

or more and receive an additional 

$5.00 on your gift card. 

Can be used at both the Spa and the Salon 

fight alongside you to strengthen 

our communities. 

I want to thank everyone who 

opened their doors over this past 

year to me and the incredible 

volunteers who made our campaign 

a success. I wish to extend 

a special thank you to Yolanda 

Greaves and Cliff Wilson for 

running strong campaigns in the 

general election, and similarly to 

Phil Jack and Brett Walker in the 

Democratic Primary. We should 

be proud of the integrity with 

which these campaigns were run 

Project Just 

Because Helps 

Families in Need 

Support Project “Just Because,” a local organization 

that supports families in need throughout the community. 

Stop in at The Residence at Valley Farm, 369 Pond St. 

(Rt. 126) and pick up a heart to help make a child’s 

holiday a little brighter! Drop it off by Sunday, Dec. 18. 

For more information, call 508-532-3197. 

The Perfect Way to Spoil Those 

You Love During the Holidays… 

a Gift Card 

from Richard Francis! 

Join us 

Tuesday, December 6 th 

6:00 pm - 8:30 pm 

for our 

Annual Customer 

Appreciation Night! 

Complimentary services, 

wonderful food, 

seasonal joy and merriment! 

Salon & Spa 

508-881-4004 Salon • 508-881-4003 Spa 

25 West Union Street, Rt.135, Ashland 

www.RichardFrancisSalon.com 

and of their commitment to the 

important issues facing our communities. 

Last month, the residents of 

Massachusetts made their voices 

heard on four such issues. On 

these and other questions, I am 

intent on implementing policies 

that strengthen public education 

and protect our communities. I 

look forward to learning more 

about the concerns and priorities 

of your families and to partnering 

with a wide array of local 

leaders, because we know that 

our democracy is strongest when 

a diversity of voices is heard. 

To this end, I am committed 

to making myself accessible to 

you—my constituents. My door 

will be open to all, and I plan on 

hosting office hours in every corner 

of our district. More details 

will be made available in January, 

but should you wish to get in 

touch with me in the meantime, 

please do not hesitate to email 

me at Jack@ElectJackLewis.com. 

As we think of the future, 

however, we must also contend 

with the deep divide in our 

country that was exposed by this 

election. It will be imperative for 

our legislators as well as for our 

community to ensure that every 

individual in our diverse state be 

treated with dignity and respect. 

It is precisely in these times of 

great political division that Massachusetts 

must continue to be 

the shining city on a hill that our 

Commonwealth’s founders first 

envisioned; a beacon of freedom, 

liberty and justice for the 

rest of the nation. I look forward 

to continuing that legacy, and to 

serving you as your next State 

Representative. 

Remember Last Winter? 

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Art in the Library 

UPSTAIRS DISPLAY CASE 

“A New Beginning” Clay 

Works by Arti Bhola Goulatia 

December 6, 2016 to 

February 25, 2017 

Ashland resident Arti Bhola 

Goulatia was born in India 

and grew up surrounded by 

rich culture, vibrant colors and 

diverse art and architecture. 

Influenced by this wealthy 

reservoir, her creative journey 

started with a foray into the 

world of fashion. She studied 

fashion designing and worked 

extensively in the corporate 

world for over 10 years. She 

worked with different fabrics 

and other mediums, like 

leather, to create a wide range 

of apparel, accessories and 

home furnishings. 

Her widespread experience 

in the apparel industry, particularly 

her sensitivity to the 

interplay of texture, design and 

pattern helped her transition 

into fine arts when she started 

working with clay about 15 

years ago in Arizona. She has 

been creating beautiful works 

of art since then. 

Arti moved to Ashland in 

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2014 and recently set up her 

studio where she continues to 

follow her passion and teach 

clay classes to children and 

adults. Her work is recognized 

and featured in numerous national 

exhibitions and is part 

of various private collections. 

She was recently selected to 

show her work at the prestigious 

Blanche Ames National 

Juried exhibition in Easton, 

Mass. For more information, 

visit www.theceramicsgarage. 

com and www.facebook.com/ 

theceramicsgarage. 

Reception for the Artist 

There will be a reception 

for the artist on Saturday, Dec 

10, 2 to 4 pm in the upstairs 

fireplace area. The public is invited 

to attend. 

DOWNSTAIRS GALLERY 

“11th Annual Senior Watercolor 

Exhibit” by Ashland 

Senior Citizens 

December 6, 2016 to 

January 13, 2017 

The eleventh annual Senior 

Watercolor Exhibition will 

be in the downstairs picture 

gallery at the Ashland Public 

Library until mid-January. 

The paintings were created in 

Suzanne Meeker’s class, held 

at the Ashland Senior Center 

every Tuesday. This class has 

been meeting for the past 25 

years, and is greatly enjoyed 

by all participants. This exhibit 

features the best work done 

during the past year, and it is 

always a treat to see the wonderful 

talent on exhibit by our 

Ashland resident artists. 

888-818-2028 

HEATING OIL


Christmas: 

When Your Heart Isn’t In It 

By Rev. Larry Iannetti, 

Pastor. Federated Church 

of Ashland 

Do you ever find yourself 

struggling to get into the Spirit 

of Christmas? For some of us, 

life can simply seem too busy 

and stressful to squeeze in the 

added burden of shopping 

for gifts, putting up a tree 

and decorating the house for 

the holiday. Perhaps you are 

having a hard time financially 

and are already struggling to 

keep up with monthly credit 

card payments. Or you may 

be struggling with difficult life 

circumstances, such as health 

issues, the loss of a loved one, 

the loss a job, and the list goes 

on. You have looked at the 

calendar and it is December 

already, and Christmas is only a 

few weeks away as you face the 

seemingly daunting list of things 

to do. Do you dare ask yourself 

if you have room in your life for 

Christmas this year? 

With that last sentence you 

might have guessed where 

I am going with this. Like 

the unnamed inn keeper in 

Bethlehem, who told the “very” 

expectant Mary and Joseph 

that there was no room for 

them in the inn, some of us 

might question if there is room 

in our busy lives for the Spirit 

of Christmas. If we take a look 

once more at the Christmas 

story, we notice that the Holy 

couple seems to have managed 

to find a place for the Christ 

child’s birth, without forcing 

anyone to make room for them, 

other than perhaps displacing a 

sheep or two in a manger. 

If we can pause for a 

moment and regain our 

perspective, we might come to 

see that we may have mistakenly 

turned Christmas into a burden 

to bear rather than a day to 

receive a blessing at a time 

and place in our lives when 

we really need one. While 

we have become accustomed 

to an often commercialized 

Christmas tradition with lots 

of paraphernalia, activity and 

expense, the first Christmas was 

a simple and unobtrusive event. 

The first Christmas brought 

tidings of great joy to be echoed 

for evermore; an announcement 

by a heavenly choir of angels, to 

simple shepherds tending their 

flocks by night. There were 

no decorations, no Christmas 

trees and certainly no expensive 

shopping list. 

Come and gather with us 

Christmas Eve at 10 p.m., 

along a candlelit path, to hear 

the angels once more proclaim, 

“Glory to God in the Highest 

. . . and Peace on Earth to All 

People of Goodwill.” We are the 

people of the Federated Church 

of Ashland, 118 Main St. There 

is plenty of parking across the 

street behind the Town Hall. 

Run Your Ads With Us! 

Call Susanne Odell (508) 954-8148 

Holiday Lighting: 

Bring Hats, Gloves 

for the Mitten Tree, 

December 3 

The annual Holiday Lighting will take place at 5 p.m. on 

Saturday, Dec. 3, in Montenegro Square, downtown Ashland. 

There will be Santa songs and snacks and a bicycle raffle. Come 

see the new Santa house built as an Eagle Scout project and the 

new Santa mailbox. All will get a chance to sit on Santa’s lap; 

bring your cameras! The event is sponsored by the Ashland 

Day Committee (ADC). 

This year the ADC will sponsor a mitten tree at the Holiday 

Lighting, Montenegro Square. Residents are asked to bring a 

pair of mittens, gloves, a hat or scarf and hang them on the 

special tree. All donations will be given to Ashland Youth and 

Family Services for families in need. 

THRIFT SHOP 

FEDERATED CHURCH OF ASHLAND 

118 Main Street 

Extended Holiday Shopping Hours: 

Wednesday, Dec. 7, 14 and 21, 10 am to 7 pm 

Closed: Dec. 28 and Jan. 4. 

We will reopen on Wednesdays starting Jan 11, weather permitting. 

Fall and winter donations can be dropped off while we are open. 

CLOTHING • BOOKS • TOYS 

HOUSEHOLD GOODS 

[enter thru right rear door] 

Timothy Daniels House 

Getting back to your active life is your goal and ours too. Here at the Timothy Daniels House we are 

professionally staffed and equipped to provide you with exceptional medical & rehabilitation therapy 

between hospital & home. 

♦ On Call Physicians ♦ In House Physical Therapists ♦ Alzheimer’s Support 

♦ 24 Hr Nursing ♦ Short Term Rehab Stays ♦ Hospice Sevices 

(508) 429-4566 

84 Elm Street, Holliston, MA 

www.rehabassociates.com/timothydaniels


Winter Birding in Warren Woods 

By Julie Nardone, 


Warren Woods across from 

the Warren Conference Center 

on Chestnut Street contains 

many treasures – open space, 

diverse habitats, vernal pools, 

historic stonewalls, walking trails 

and abundant animals. You 

might also add to that list — a 

bird paradise. 

On a recent afternoon, I 

toured Warren Woods with Ashland 

resident and birding enthusiast 

James Toledano. A birder 

for the past 20 years, Toledano, 

a geographer by trade, has taken 

bird watching vacations all over 

the world. Nonetheless, he considers 

Warren Woods birding as 

good as any other place he has 

visited. “I’ve documented 65 different 

bird species here,” he said. 

“In the right light, a blue jay looks 

spectacular.” 

Mocking Birds and More 

According to the Center of 

Biological Diversity in Arizona, 

there are almost 10,000 living 

species of birds in the world, with 

12 percent listed as endangered 

or threatened with extinction. In 

my various walks through Warren 

Woods, it never occurred to me 

that I was sharing this peaceful 

oasis with a wide array of birds. 

Over the years, Toledano has 

documented species such as geese, 

mallards, wild turkeys, great blue 

herons, killdeer, chimney swift, 

hawks, mourning doves, kingfishers, 

starlings, kingbirds, titmouse, 

redstarts, nuthatches, woodpeckers, 

owls, crows, cowbird, blue 

jays, ovenbird, swallows, kinglet, 

wood-pewee, goldfinch, junco, 

vireos, thrush, chickadees, wrens, 

towhee, flycatcher, grackle, veery, 

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blackbird, phoebe, catbirds, warblers, 

tanager, cardinals, orioles, 

yellow throat, finches, buntings 

and mockingbirds. 

I confided in Toledano that 

once I saw the film To Kill A Mockingbird 

I longed to hear a mockingbird 

sing but knew they only 

lived in the Deep South where 

Harper Lee’s story took place. 

A few steps later, he stopped and 

asked me to listen. 

It was a northern mockingbird 

singing. 

The bird of my film dreams 

sings throughout the day and 

often into the night with a single 

song lasting for up to 20 seconds. 

These versatile creatures spend 

their entire lives learning new 

sounds by mimicking other birds, 

frogs and even car alarms, chain 

saws and police car sirens. That 

this bird lives a few hundred feet 

from my home on Eliot Street 

underscores how unaware we humans 

can be of the gifts that surround 

us. In the splendor of the 

aviary moment, I became extra 

grateful that Ashlanders voted in 

2010 to buy this habitat-rich wilderness, 

the home for many local 

birds. They might have lost their 

lives had the trees and shrubs that 

hold their nests been destroyed to 

build homes. As Atticus Finch explained 

to his two children, Scout 

and Jem, “It’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” 

What Makes Warren 

Woods Special 

As we continued wandering 

through the woods, Toledano 

said, “I come here more to listen 

than to see.” Soon, I, too, keyed 

into the symphony of bird chirps 

and songs, and asked what they 

meant. “It might be a warning of 

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Cooper’s Hawk (Photo by Brad Dinerman from The Fieldbrook Reserve, 

a collection of wildlife and nature photographs) 

predators. A mating call. A communication,” 

he said. 

Toledano pointed out the 

various habitats that we passed 

through: grassland, forest edge, 

open woodland, mature forest 

and orchard. “In less than an 

hour, I can wander through a 

variety of habitats, each a niche 

for certain bird species,” he said. 

“For example, you will find a red 

winged blackbird in the grassland 

and a northern mockingbird at 

the forest edge. The diversity is 

what makes Warren Woods such 

a great local place to go birding.” 

But not everything worth seeing 

in this nature enclave hovered 

above us. Toledano pointed 

down to what looked like a miniature 

pine tree on the edge of the 

trail. “It’s an emergent species. It 

may resemble the original but 

is not a tree. An example of the 

overall forest and soil health and 

an indicator of how the forest 

keeps moving.” At that moment, 

I wished the local schools would 

see the woods as giant outdoor 

science classrooms and take the 

kids on weekly nature tours. Why 

have them sit quietly in chairs and 

read about things in books, when 

they can experience the magic of 

science first hand? 

Birding as Meditation 

As we passed under a canopy 

of pine trees, I asked Toledano 

what he loves most about birding. 

He thought for a moment and 

said, “It has taught me to slow 

down. Before I took up birding, 

I did everything fast, like hiking 

through the woods. Now I take 

my time when I’m in nature. I 

can stand in the same spot for 30 

minutes and happily count birds. 

I’m much more observant than 

when I was younger.” 

I, too, felt myself unwinding 

as we ambled up, down and 

around the many paths of Warren 

Woods in search of feathered 

creatures. The societal demand 

to gallop through my days and 

inevitably through my life dissipated 

as we ventured deeper into 

this playground for fowl. I envied 

the birds’ ability to soar and sail 

through the airspace above us. 

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When we reached the open 

grasslands that run along Eliot 

Street, Toledano pointed up to 

a large group of crows lining the 

tree branches. I cringed and said, 

“Those birds symbolize death.” 

Toledano challenged my stereotype: 

“Crows are one of the 

most intelligent, ‘playful’ species. 

On windy days, I’ve come out to 

Warren Woods and seen them 

using air streams to kite, tumble 

and swoop.” 

Back at the parking lot, I asked 

about migration patterns and the 

best time to see birds in Warren 

Woods. “Most birds used to head 

south for the winter in search of 

food, but with the proliferation 

of backyard feeders, many birds 

now stay here year round. Winter 

can be a good season to see 

them,” Toledano said. 

If you have some free weekend 

time this winter, grab some 

binoculars, a bird identification 

book and head out to Warren 

Woods. You’ll be amazed at how 

many birds you can see and how 

many you can hear. I can almost 

guarantee that by the time you return 

to your car, you’ll feel more 

relaxed, mellow and apt to break 

into song yourself. 

Resources 

• YouTube of a mocking 

bird: www.youtube.com/ 

watch?v=kCh2eyDSeNE 

• A real-time checklist for 

the birding community: 

EBird.org 

• Center for Biological 

Diversity: www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/ 

birds/ 

• Cornell Lab of Ornithology: 

www.allaboutbirds. 

org/guide/Northern_ 

Mockingbird/sounds 

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Ashland’s Decisions at Every 

Turn Coalition: Safe Holiday 

Celebration Tips for Parents 

Quilting for Charity: 

Power of the Quilt 

Project 

Ashland resident Tobi Hoffman 

busily selects fabric squares 

and border material to create a 

quilt top at the recent Power of 

the Quilt Project quilt-a-thon, 

part of the Service and Justice 

Ministries of the Unitarian 

Universalist Area Church, First 

Parish in Sherborn. Hoffman is 

a fabric artist and member of 

the Framingham Artists’ Guild 

who said she’s “been sewing 

forever.” She enjoys participating 

in this special project, which 

creates one-of-a-kind handmade 

quilts and lap robes for men 

and women undergoing cancer 

treatments. Since its inception 

in 2003, the Power of the Quilt 

Project has distributed more than 

Our Ad & Editorial 

Deadline is the 15th 

of each month, for the 

following month’s issue. 

(Photo/Deborah Burke Henderson) 

2,100 colorful quilts to chemotherapy 

patients, bringing a small 

amount of joy into each recipient’s 

life. 

The next quilt-a-thon scheduled 

as a community service project 

will be held at the church on 

Monday, Jan. 16, 2017, Martin 

Luther King, Jr. holiday. 

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Many families and friends 

gather in December and January 

to celebrate the holidays and 

ring in the New Year. Whether 

you and your teen are hosting a 

party, or your teen is attending 

a party at a friend’s house, keep 

these safety tips in mind. 

What to Do to Host 

a Safe Party for Teens 

• Make a guest list. Set a 

party time, inclusive of a 

start and end time. 

• Let parents/guardians 

know about the party. 

• Establish rules ahead of 

time: No alcohol or drugs. 

No smoking. 

• Stay at the party. Your 

presence is important. 

Walk through the party 

area frequently. 

• Guests may not leave/return 

to the party without 

supervision or permission. 

• Make some rooms in the 

house off limits. 

Hold the party where you 

can monitor the guests 

from inside and outside. 

• Secure all alcohol – lock 

up cabinets, remove alcohol 

from refrigerator and 

put in a safe place. 

• If you suspect a teen 

guest is intoxicated, 

contact his or her parents/ 

guardians immediately. 

What to Know Before 

Your Teen Attends a Party 

• Make sure your child 

knows that you will be 

checking with the parents 

of any friend who is hosting 

a party. 

• Before allowing your teen 

to attend a party, call the 

adult host to confirm the 

location and time. 

• Confirm that no alcohol 

will be served and that 

there will be adult supervision 

at all times. 

• Practice refusal techniques 

with them. 

• Discuss drop-off and pickup 

expectations with your 

child. 

• Establish a “code word” 

that your teen can use if 

they want you to come get 

them. 

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• Emphasize they should 

never ride home with 

any driver who has been 

drinking. 

• Stay up and greet him/ 

her when they return 

home. 

• Be clear about consequences 

(in advance) of 

drinking alcohol. 

For more information and 

parent and community resources, 

visit www.ashlanddecisions.org. 

Decisions at Every 

Turn (DEAT) Coalition parent 

educational tip sheet series can 

be found at www.ashlanddecisions.org/parent-tip-sheets. 

html. 

Ashland’s DAET Coalition is 

a community-based group with 

stakeholders from many organizations 

throughout Ashland. 

The group is dedicated to creating 

a safe and healthy Ashland 

by working as a community to 

prevent, reduce and solve the 

problems that can lead to youth 

substance abuse. 

508-881-6568 

380 Union Street, Rte 135, Ashland 

www.hantogourmet.com


Do You Have a Doctor in You? 

By Neha Shabeer, Sophomore, 

Ashland High School 

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Asking a seventeen year old 

to decide what they want to do 

for the next 48 years of their life 

sounds like an insane request. 

But that’s exactly what young 

students are asked to do. While 

one can always change their 

major in college, most students 

enjoy the security of having a 

declared major. From medicine 

to business to foreign languages 

to criminal justice, there are 

hundreds of majors to choose 

from, and with little real-life experience, 

the choice seems close 

to impossible for many. Most 

students pick a course of study 

based on subjects they enjoy and 

excel at, but often it is difficult 

for a student to be sure they are 

pursuing the right career unless 

they have had a little taste of the 

profession themselves. 

Luckily, the Breaking the 

Barriers club at Ashland High 

School (AHS) is helping students 

get more information and 

experience in the fields they 

are interested in. The club has 

proposed to have students pick 

the career and a speaker, including 

AHS alumni, they want 

to hear from every month and 

organize an event after school. 

All interested students can attend 

to hear about the speaker’s 

work and apply for shadowing. 

This project would be adding 

onto the concept the AHS guidance 

started with Health Career 

Nights, a night students can 

speak to a panel of professionals 

from the health care field for 

insight into the field. 

From personal experience, I 

can say that shadowing a professional 

truly opens your eyes and 

lights your passions for the field. 

I shadowed a pediatrician during 

spring break of last school 

year and got the chance to interview 

him after the experience 

to provide insight for others interested 

in the medical field. 

Below is my interview with 

Dr. Matthew Benz, a pediatrician 

for 14 years at Southboro 

Medical Group. Dr. Benz completed 

his undergraduate studies 

at Middlebury College, holds a 

Master’s of Science from M.I.T. 

and completed his M.D. at Tufts 

University School of Medicine. 

Following medical school, he 

completed his residency training 

in pediatrics at the University of 

Rochester. He is clearly very 

educated and busy, so I am honored 

to have had the chance to 

pick his brain for an interview! 

NS: Why do you think it 

is important for students to 

shadow professionals before 

they make the choice 

for a career in medicine? 

MB: A career in medicine 

can be extremely rewarding, 

however it is not suited for everyone. 

Therefore, it is important 

for students considering 

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Pediatrician Dr. Matthew Benz 

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this professional path to seek out 

and explore shadowing opportunities 

in order to make a more 

informed decision. 

NS: What will students 

achieve during their shadowing? 

MB: Students will gain a 

unique vantage point by observing 

various aspects of a typical 

day in the life of a physician, 

which may include morning 

hospital rounds, learning how a 

medical history is obtained, observing 

physical examinations, 

interpretation of vital signs, lab 

results and x-rays, and learning 

the basics of medical decision 

making. They will also gain 

knowledge from learning about 

some of the basic operational 

aspects of a typical primary 

care office, which might include 

telephone triage for urgent care 

issues arising during the day, and 

how physicians communicate 

with office staff, and other medical 

providers during the day. 

NS: What do you hope 

to impart to students who 

shadow you? 

MB: I hope to give students 

a sense of what it is like to be 

a general pediatrician, and to 

highlight some of the unique aspects 

of the profession, working 

with children from birth through 

age 21, through both periods of 

wellness and illness. 

NS: When is the best time 

for a student to shadow 

with a doctor? 

MB: It really depends on 

the individual physician and 

practice, as well as the student’s 

schedule. Most commonly, we 

try to set something up around 

a student’s vacation time, but I 

think any high school student 

with a potential interest in the 

medical field could benefit from 

a shadowing experience. It depends 

on a variety of factors and 

should really coincide with the 

time of peaked interest rather 

than to be thought of as an activity 

to enhance a college application. 

Some students might 

reach this point in high school, 

college or after college. It is to 

assist students to decide if they 

could picture themselves working 

in the role of a physician 

someday. 

NS: What skills or qualities 

do you believe an ideal 

doctor needs to possess? 

MB: The ideal skill set is 

somewhat specific for the type 

of specialty. For instance, in addition 

to making sound medical 

judgments, surgeons or procedure-based 

physicians require 

a high degree of technical skill. 

Regardless of specialty, all physicians 

need to be possess excellent 

communication skills, which 

includes, first and foremost 

being a good listener. 

NS: What doors has medicine 

opened for you? 

MB: In addition to my clinical 

work, medicine has provided 

many rewarding professional 

opportunities for me, such a 

volunteer work, teaching, and 

research. There are many opportunities 

for physicians who 

want to get involved in these 

areas 

NS: What other career 

options do students have in 

the medical field other than 

being a doctor? 

MB: There are many other 

potential options for students 

to consider, such as earning a 

nursing, or physician assistant 

degree. Both of these professional 

tracks offer considerable 

options to specialize in a particular 

area of interest, such as 

sports medicine or emergency 

medicine. Laboratory science 

is an ever changing field (for example, 

microbiology, hematology, 

pathology) and would also 

be another area for students to 

consider. Radiology technicians 

assist with a variety of different 

procedures, such as CT, MRI 

and ultrasound. 

NS: How did you know 

medicine was the career 

for you? 

MB: The decision to become 

a doctor evolved over a number 

of years, and was fostered by 

volunteer experiences, such as in 

a pediatric dialysis unit, as well 

as some medical school courses 

(histology and pathology)that 

I cross-registered for while in 

graduate school. 

NS: Why should students 

go into the medical field? 

What are the job prospects 

like? 

MB: Students should consider 

a career in medicine if they 

have a strong interest in the biological 

sciences and feel fulfilled 

and enjoy helping people. The 

job prospects are currently very 

good. 

NS: Anything else you 

would like to mention to 

Ashland High School students 

and community 

members? 

MB: It is not necessary to 

make a decision about going into 

medicine while in high school or 

even in college. Many first-year 

medical students start two to 

six years after college, allowing 

them to pursue other activities, 

such as the Peace Corp, graduate 

school, teaching and other 

professions. It is important and 

helpful to have some real-world 

experience before starting down 

the professional path to a medical 

career. The decision should 

really come from the heart. 

My shadowing experience 

with Dr. Benz was incredible 

and I learned some invaluable 

knowledge about the profession. 

For anyone who is even slightly 

interested in a medical career, I 

highly recommend shadowing a 

doctor. Although, be super careful- 

I was sick for two weeks with 

little kid germs after my internship! 

As Dr. Benz stated, before 

being a doctor or choosing any 

career, is not a decision one 

needs to make in high school, 

but it is one makes with passion. 

So wait, enjoy high school, and 

make the choice you believe 

in no matter what career you 

choose.


Ashland Police 

Department 

Donates Bikes 

The Ashland Music Association 

(AMA) held an a cappella 

workshop and concert 

on Oct. 15 at the Ashland 

High School. The groups featured 

at the concert included 

Singing for the AMA 

Hawkapella from UMass 

Lowell, Hawkward from 

Roger Williams University, 

the acaOWLETTES from 

Westfield State University, 

and Ashland students who 

participated in the a capella 

workshop. The concert benefited 

AMA programs. (Photo/ 

submitted) 

The Ashland Police Department 

(APD) donated 28 bicycles 

in November to Bikes Not 

Bombs, a local nonprofit that 

repurposes unused or discarded 

bicycles for those in need around 

the world. 

The donated bikes had accumulated 

at the APD over the 

past several years. Discarded 

bicycles are considered “found 

property,” which the department 

collects and stores for up 

to one year. 

This is the first year the APD 

has donated bicycles to Bikes 

Not Bombs. 

“We are pleased to do our 

part and donate what we can as 

the holidays approach,” Chief 

Craig Davis said. “I commend 

our officers for reaching out to 

this organization and coordinating 

the donation to benefit those 

who need help with transportation.” 

Bikes Not Bombs collects 

roughly 6,000 used bicycles and 

tons of used parts from supporters 

in Greater Boston and New 

England. Most bikes are shipped 

overseas to economic development 

projects in Africa, Latin 

America and the Caribbean. 

The nonprofit also runs a Youth 

Program where teens learn bicycle 

safety and mechanics skills 

to earn a bike for themselves. 

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Trends in Home Design 

By Doug Masters 

Design Tech Innovations 

We are in an age of 

technology. The tech world is 

constantly evolving these days-- 

just when you think they’ve done 

it all, there’s a new app you can 

install on your phone that makes 

life a little easier. Rewind to forty 

years ago-- computers and high 

tech gadgets were just starting to 

take off. Anyone from the 70’s 

remembers PONG, one of the 

first home video games. Now, the 

technology has evolved so much 

that you can now send a message 

to somebody on the other side 

of the world in a matter of 

seconds. How cool is that? In 

our industry of remodeling and 

design, we have been able to 

benefit from these technological 

advancements as well. Here’s 

a look at some cool technology 

innovations that have improved 

the design and remodeling 

industry. 

John’s 

Design Software 

Home improvement shows are 

all the rage right now, and one of 

the star features is the computer 

rendering of the proposed 

designs. It’s incredible to see 

a designer’s vision in striking 

detail in a video rendering and 

then see that vision come to 

life. While there are certainly 

some embellishments on the 

renderings you see on TV (many 

of those programs are created 

just for the TV world), in reality, 

software used by most architects 

and design build firms is coming 

close to matching what you see 

on slickly produced TV shows. 

One outstanding example 

is Chief Architect. While 

not recommended as a DIY 

software (although their website 

begs to differ), this is a product 

used by many local firms. Chief 

Architect Software is computer 

aided design software for the 

home design and building 

industry. Chief Architect was 

originally released way back in 

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1992, but in the last few years, 

improvements have made it 

much more user friendly, and the 

graphics rendering ability of the 

product is outstanding. 

Gone are the days of hand 

drawn blue prints where design 

changes can take multiple 

meetings and weeks to deliver. 

Once a structure is built as a 3D 

model in Chief Architect, then 

moving walls, windows, doors 

and interior design elements such 

as furniture and lighting can be 

done real time during meetings 

with clients. This literally saves 

months of work during the 

design and development phase 

of a project. 

Chief Architect covers 

all aspects of design from 

construction and framing 

documents, cabinetry and 

millwork, to interior design 

elements, paint colors, counters, 

flooring, and even furniture. 

Designers can import custom 

items and add them to the design 

for a realistic vision of your 

project. It is truly changing the 

design world. 

Smart Phones 

The mainstream introduction 

of smart phones in the late 

2000s brought forth even more 

improvements for our industry. 

Even something as simple as 

the built-in camera and ability 

to send a picture instantly 

on a smart phone has made 

managing construction infinitely 

more efficient. Project foremen 

can collaborate with customers 

and designers who cannot be on 

site “real time” when they need 

an answer in order to keep a job 

moving. 

Moving to applications, there 

are great new visual tools to 

envision what your home will 

look like with new siding and a 

new color, or what a paint color 

might look like on your walls. It 

is as simple as snapping a few 

pictures and letting the app do 

the work! 

JamesHardie, manufacturer 

of the #1 ranked cement siding 

in the USA, has teamed with a 

company called Hover. This 

application will provide accurate 

measurements and a rendering 

of a home. This helps siding 

companies provide accurate 

budgets and a sneak peek at 

what your home will look like 

with new JamesHardie siding. 

Production teams in the 

field can install measuring 

applications that will help 

generate materials lists, assist 

with framing plans, calculate 

angles or room dimensions, and 

more. 

And of course, there is the 

flashlight app on almost every 

phone these days. Simple, and 

used almost every day! 

Online Resources 

Remember buying magazines 

and marking pages or cutting 

out pictures when planning a 

home project? Well, maybe 

not if you are under 30! Today, 

planning your project starts 

online. From finding a design 

build firm, to creating idea 

books with inspiration photos, to 

researching appliances, furniture 

and other decorative finishes, 

and everything in between-- 

everything you need is at your 

fingertips online. As with design 

software, online research and 

shopping saves lots of time and 

streamlines the design process. 

If you are planning a home 

improvement project or to build 

a new home, one of the best 

websites is HOUZZ.COM. 

Houzz is a website and online 

community about architecture, 

interior design and decorating, 

landscape design and home 

improvement. The Houzz 

platform and mobile apps[2] 

feature photos, articles, product 

recommendations, and a user 

forum. On Houzz, you can 

browse over 12 million pictures, 

find a designer or contractor, 

and shop for finish materials for 

your home. Finding inspiration 

photos and sharing them with 

your design time will make 

collaboration a breeze and 

will help your designers to 

understand your vision! 

Online Collaboration 

Let’s face it, everybody is 

overbooked. Work, kids, gym, 

school, church, friends … when 

do you ever get off the “treadmill 

of life”? For many, weekends 

are reserved for kids’ sports 

or recitals. Nights? You’ve got 

kids’ practices! It’s hard to carve 

out time to focus on a major 

home project--but it is critically 

important. When I’m dealing 

with a client who cannot focus 

on a project or invest a little of 

their time and energy, it’s a red 

flag. Those are the folks who rush 

through everything and then end 

Doug Masters 

up complaining because they 

think the project wasn’t planned 

to their liking. 

Fortunately, technology is 

helping solve this problem. With 

Go To Meeting and other live 

meeting software, presentations 

can be done from anywhere at 

any time. This makes a world of 

difference during the design and 

development phase of a project, 

and it ensures all parties are 

on the same page. Sometimes, 

emails and calls are just not 

enough to solve problems and 

collaborate on design details. 

Speaking of emails, you’ll 

also see a major reduction in 

the amount of email used as 

online collaboration becomes 

the standard of the industry 

for project management. While 

this has already happened in 

many industries with larger 

corporations, the design and 

remodeling industry is just 

now starting to embrace this 

great technology. A perfect 

example is the Microsoft 365 

platform. With this product, 

each project or customer has 

an online “newsfeed” where all 

communications and files are 

stored. The communications 

are much like a Facebook 

newsfeed, so it is easy to track all 

communications among a team 

of designers, project managers, 

and customers and refer back 

to the feed later if there are 

questions. 

Clearly, the technology 

advancements over the past ten 

years have drastically improved 

the design-build industry. We 

can’t wait to see what the next 

ten years may hold! 

Doug Masters is the owner of 

Masters Touch, located at 24 Water 

St., Holliston. For more information 

contact (508) 359-5900, e-mail 

info@MastersTouchWeb.com or visit 

www.MastersTouchWeb.com.


The Residence at Valley Farm 

Honors Veterans. Front row: 

Marty Waters, Harold Fine, 

Richard Stevens, Bob Terry. 

Standing left to right: Elliot 

Honan, Greg Doherty, Gene 

Zonghi, Ed Ridolfi and Henry 

Brandolini, Alan Schill, Tom 

Cederland, Arnold Brodsky and 

Bob Labriola. (Photo/submitted) 

Ashland Documentary Film 

& Discussion Series Explores 

How Children Learn, Dec. 8th 

The Documentary Film & 

Discussion Series meets 7 to 9 pm 

in the Ashland Library, Community 

Room, every second Thursday 

of the month. The films are 

sponsored by the Friends of the 

Ashland Library. For more information, 

call the library, (508) 881- 

0134, or visit www.friendsoftheapl. 

com. 

Based on recent research, as 

well as the pioneering work of 

Piaget and others, the film series 

“Minds of Our Own” shows that 

many of the things we assume 

Annual Coat 

Drive Runs 

Through 

January 6 

The Greater Ashland 

Lions Club in partnership 

with Anton’s Cleaners is 

holding its 6th Annual Coat 

Drive through Jan. 6. The 

group is collecting gently 

used winter coats for both 

kids and adults. Coats may 

be placed in a box in the 

lower level entrance to town 

hall, or for pickup, call Lion 

Debbie at 508-881-2117. 

about how children learn are simply 

not true. For educators and 

parents, these programs bring new 

insight to debates about education 

reform. “Minds of Our Own” is 

an Annenberg Learner film produced 

by the Harvard-Smithsonian 

Center for Astrophysics. 

Thursday, Dec. 8--Part 2: 

Obstacles to Teaching and 

Learning Science. Just about everyone 

will agree, trees are made 

from sunlight and water the trees 

suck up from their roots. But the 

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the fact that photosynthesis is one 

of the most widely taught subjects 

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often teach without regard to what 

children actually need to know. 

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Community Book 

Read, March 14 

Parents are invited to participate 

in the upcoming Community 

Book Read, sponsored 

by the Decisions at Every Turn 

Coalition and the Friends of 

the Ashland Public Library. 

Join Jim Adams, Superintendent 

of the Ashland Public 

Schools, for a discussion of The 

Gift of Failure: How the best parents 

learn to let go so their children 

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can succeed, by Jessica Lahey on 

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to 8 p.m. at the Library. Adams 

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relates to resilience in our children 

and our community. The 

library is currently circulating a 

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Sports 

Lyth Takes Reins of Ashland 

Girls Hoop Team 

By Ken Hamwey, 

Staff Sports Writer 

Dave Lyth is Ashland High’s 

new girls’ basketball coach, and 

although he’s never directed a 

high school varsity team before, 

he’s got a wealth of experience. 

The 32-year-old native of 

Danvers was a varsity assistant 

for the Wellesley High boys’ 

squad, coached three years as 

an assistant at Brimmer & May 

(a private school in Chestnut 

Hill), and also was the jayvee 

boys coach at Lexington High 

for three seasons. Last year, he 

coached the eighth-grade girls 

at Natick’s Kennedy Middle 

School, where he’s taught physical 

education for nine years and 

also has served as athletic coordinator. 

Lyth has coached Amateur 

Athletic Union (AAU) teams 

and he’s currently the owner 

and director of the Bay State 

Flash program. 

His goals for Ashland are 

admirable. He’s interested in 

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not only in turning out quality 

teams and players, but he also 

wants to develop quality citizens. 

“If we focus on basics, improve 

daily and do the right 

things in practice, then winning 

will take care of itself,’’ he said. 

“My goals are to qualify for 

tourney play, compete for the 

Tri Valley League (TVL) title 

and ultimately to win a state 

championship. But, we also 

want to develop good studentathletes 

who are role models in 

the school and who are great 

ambassadors for our program.’’ 

Lyth has replaced John Del 

Bonis, who stepped down because 

of a change in his work 

schedule. During Del Bonis’ two 

years as the Clockers’ coach, 

Ashland qualified for the tourney 

once and his records were 

13-8 and 8-12. 

Lyth was hired in mid-October 

after two interviews. He met 

several of his players who sat in 

on the interviews but got a better 

opportunity to know them 

School Start Times 

Change for 2017- 

2018 School Year 

The Ashland School Committee, 

at its Nov. 9 meeting, officially 

set school start times for 

the 2017-2018 school year. The 

school committee adopted the 

following times: 

David Mindess School: 

7:55 am to 2:20 pm 

Ashland Middle School: 

8:15 am to 2:40 pm 

Ashland High School: 

8:20 am to 2:45 pm 

Henry Warren School: 

8:50 am to 3:15 pm 

In a letter to Ashland families, 

School Superintendent 

Jim Adams explained that “in 

March, the School Committee 

considered a proposal brought 

forward by me, and officially 

passed a time range for Ashland 

Middle School and Ashland 

High School. The times 

were to be between 8:15 and 

8:30. After spending seven more 

months meeting with extended 

day organizations, local athletic 

directors, and working through 

potential financial impacts, I 

presented a final recommendation 

this evening. [The] School 

DAVE LYTH 


Committee as part of their 

duties in setting policy has adopted 

the following times [listed 

above].” 

Adams wrote, “As a district, 

Ashland has been a leader in 

making student-centered decisions. 

Our Blueprint for Continuous 

Student Improvement 

and School Committee goals 

are designed to respond to our 

student-centered needs, which 

include focusing on the social 

and emotional well-being of our 

students. 

“The reality of changing 

school start times for adolescents 

may not yet have come 

to fruition in many MetroWest 

communities, but many districts 

in the Commonwealth are investigating 

the merits of such a 

change. We recognize that each 

family creates their own environment 

with regard to sleep, 

electronic screen time, and participation 

in outside of school 

hour events, however administration 

and the School Committee 

believe that sleep deprivation 

is truly a public health concern 

and are committed to providing 

our students with every opportunity 

to be as healthy as possible.”


Sports 

DAVE LYTH 


at a sports information meeting 

at the school in early November. 

“The girls are excited,’’ Lyth 

said. “They showed lots of enthusiasm. 

About 22 signed up to 

play and they all were energetic 

and passionate about getting 

started.’’ 

Although his first day of preseason 

practice arrived after the 

Ashland Local Town Pages deadline, 

Lyth said that his emphasis on 

Day One would focus on three 

areas. “I’ll stress to the girls to be 

positive, to be great teammates 

and to work hard on defense,’’ he 

noted. “I’m a big believer in defense, 

especially pressure defense. 

I want our defense to be our best 

offense. When you get steals and 

blocks that translates to stops, that 

will jump-start our offense.’’ 

A three-sport athlete at Danvers 

High (soccer, basketball 

and baseball), Lyth is aware of 

how competitive the TVL is. 

He’s knows the circuit has balance 

and top-notch players and 

coaches. “The TVL is a terrific 

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conference that has excellent 

coaches and players,’’ he said. 

“I’m excited to be coaching in 

the league. We know that Westwood, 

Medfield and Hopkinton 

are dominant squads.’’ 

Ashland will open its season 

on Dec. 13 in a doubleheader 

with the boys’ team. Hopkinton 

will be the opponent, the girls 

will play at 5 p.m. and the boys 

will tap off at 6:30 p.m. 

Lyth, who is still in the process 

of familiarizing himself 

with a new school and new 

program, wants to maintain a 

Ashland High School’s Adopt- 

A-Family Program Gives Back 

By Eryn Flynn, Freshman, 

Ashland High School 

In November, Ashland High 

School students and staff participated 

in the Adopt-a-Family 

program in an effort to provide 

members of our community 

with all that they needed for a 

hearty Thanksgiving feast. 

To “adopt a family,” classrooms 

or clubs decided to fill 

baskets. Other baskets were assigned 

to graduation classes or 

other groups. Sometimes, teachers 

had up to three or four baskets 

in their rooms. Contributors 

chose and brought in items from 

a list to be sure that everything 

was accounted for. The grocery 

list ranged from stuffing, to salad 

dressing, to brownie mix, to everything 

in between. All of the 

items were collected in a laundry 

basket to be given to the 

families as well. 

Over its three years of running 

at the high school, Adopt- 

A-Family has grown quickly. 

In its first year, 2014, about 30 

baskets were filled, while about 

20 more were filled the following 

year. This year, a total of 65 

baskets were filled. If the trend 

continues, Adopt-A-Family will 

grow, and more and more local 

Ashland families will be helped 

by the program. 

But perhaps part of the impact 

stays in Ashland High 

School itself. Adopt-A-Family 

reflects the school’s core values: 

responsibility, respect, integrity, 

involvement, and achievement. 

All participants are volunteers. 

There is no prize for the winning 

classroom or grade. The 

sole reward is the warm, fuzzy 

feeling and contentment that 

comes from knowing one has 

helped someone else. 

Nick Fetherston, Student 

Council President, described this 

feeling as his personal motivation. 

”My favorite part of Adopt 

a Family is that sense of accomplishment,” 

he said “I enjoy helping 

people, so this is one way that 

I can accomplish that.” 

Student Council Advisor Mr. 

Josh Wiczer thinks it shows the 

power of the community when 

it comes together and demonstrates 

the students’ responsibility 

as they follow through with 

their commitments to bring in 

food, and their involvement in 

and respect for helping those in 

need. 

It is safe to say that Ashland 

High School gave back this 

Thanksgiving, and the joy of 

giving was felt all around. 

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solid relationship 

with Ashland’s 

youth 

basketball 

program. 

He knows 

that’s where 

a program is 

developed and 

built. “That will 

be a focal point,’’ 

he emphasized. “It’s 

crucial to create excitement 

at that level. I’ll expect our jayvees 

and varsity players to assist 

with the youth program. 

It’s obvious that players at the 

youth level aspire to one day be 

playing varsity or junior varsity 

basketball.’’ 

As a coach, Lyth considers 

himself a teacher first, and that 

explains why he emphasizes a 

positive approach. “When players 

are positive and encouraged, 

they reach their potential and 

that leads to success,’’ he said. 

“We all want to win but the focus 

can be on other areas. Another 

important aspect of coaching is 

to foster and help kids learn life 

lessons. Sports teach things like 

a solid work ethic, accepting a 

role, overcoming adversity and 

how to become effective leaders. 

Hopefully, those attributes 

will be learned.’’ 

After graduation 

from 

Danvers High, 

Lyth, who 

is single and 

lives in Framingham, 

earned 

his bachelor’s 

degree in physical 

education at Bridgewater 

State. While at 

Kennedy Middle School, he 

worked on a pair of master’s 

degrees. One is from Fitchburg 

State in curriculum and instruction 

and the other is from Endicott 

College in educational 

leadership. 

And, there’s little doubt that 

Ashland’s new varsity girls basketball 

coach knows the score 

about instruction and leadership. 

Dave Lyth’s transition to 

a new team in a new league 

should go smoothly. 

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Ashland Community Calendar 

Mondays 

1 pm: Chess with Charlie at 

the Senior Center (Dec. 5, 12, 

19). RSVP at the Ashland Senior 

Center office or call 508- 

881-0140 x1. 

Tuesdays 

12 pm to 1 pm: Ashland 

Business Builders Weekly Networking 

Group, a networking 

lunch (bring your own bag 

lunch), meets at Fitness Together, 

126 Commerce Park 

Plaza (Past UPS), 200 Butterfield 

Dr. RSVP to Bob Savin, 

508-438-0050, bobsavin@fitnesstogether.com. 

Every Fourth Tuesday 

7 pm: The Front Street 

Readers book discussion group 

meets at the Ashland Library, 

66 Front St. 508-881-0134. 

The next meeting will be on 

Jan. 3 when A Man Called Ove 

by Fredrik Backman will be discussed. 

Wednesdays 

10 am to 7 pm: Thrift Shop, 

Federated Church, 118 Main 

St. Fall and winter donations 

are appreciated and can be 

dropped off while the shop is 

open. 508-881-1355, www.federatedchurchofashland.org 

Thursdays 

1 pm: Films are shown at the 

Ashland Community Center, 

162 West Union St. Refreshments 

are served at intermission. 

508-881-0140, ext. 1. 

Every Second Thursday 

11:30 am: Happiness is . . 

. hot soup on a cold day. New 

this winter season (12/8, 1/12, 

2/9): a warm bowl of soup for 

a warm body and for a warm 

conversation. Cost: $3, register 

and pay in-advance at the Senior 

Center. 

7 to 9 pm: Ashland Documentary 

Film & Discussion 

Series, Ashland Library, Community 

Room, 66 Front St. The 

Dec. 8 film will be “Lessons 

From Thin Air” from the series 

Minds of Our Own. This film 

explores why something taught 

in school can go unlearned and 

shows that we often teach without 

regard to what children actually 

need to know. Sponsored 

by the Friends of the Library, 

www.friendsoftheapl.com, 508- 

881-0134 

Every Third Thursday 

5 to 6 pm: Golden Pond 

Assisted Living and Memory 

Care, 50 West Main St., Hopkinton, 

hosts an Alzheimer’s 

and Dementia Support Group 

in The Lodge that focuses on 

individuals who care for people 

in the mid to late stages of 

Alzheimer’s and related dementias. 

This support group 

is an Alzheimer’s Association- 

Approved Support Group in 

New England. Light refreshments 

served. Free and open to 

the public. To register, call Liz 

Kemp, LCSW, 508-435-1250 

ext. 29. 

Last Thursday of 

Each Month 

6:30 to 7:30 pm: Library 

Teen Advisory Board meets to 

discuss programming for young 

adults. Teens may earn community 

service hours. Ashland 

Library, 66 Front St., 508-881- 

0134. 

Fridays 

10 am: Tai Chi class at The 

Residence at Valley Farm, 369 

Pond St. (Rt. 126). Free and 

open to the public. RSVP, 508- 

532-3197. 

10:30 to 11:30 am: YMCA 

Play, Learn and Grow Group 

for ages 5 and under at the 

Ashland Library, 66 Front St. A 

parent and child group offered 

by the Metrowest YMCA and 

the Early Childhood Alliance 

of Ashland & Framingham. 

This is a structured program 

to help prepare children for socialization 

and a school experience, 

including stories, music, 

crafts and sensory exploration. 

7 pm: Friends’ Friday Night 

Film Series shows predominantly 

independent or foreign 

films. Many of the films are 

shown with subtitles in English. 

Ashland Library, 66 Front St. 

www.friendsoftheapl.com, 508- 

881-0134. 

December 1, 2 and 3 

7:30 pm: Ashland Community 

Theater (ACT) presents 

the family-oriented play, 

“Dinner Conversations,” at the 

David Mindess School Theater, 

90 Concord St. Tickets $12 at 

the door. www.ashlandcommunitytheater.com 

Saturday, December 3 

10 am to 2 pm: Book and 

Cupcake Sale to benefit the 

Friends of the Library. Huge 

selection of books, just in time 

for the holidays. Ashland Library, 

66 Front st. 

Monday, December 5 

9:30 am: “Color Me Happy” 

adult coloring at the Ashland 

Senior Center. 

Tuesday, December 6 

5 pm: MassBay Community 

College Automotive Technology 

Program: Info session, 

admissions and financial aid 

overview, and facility tour at 

250 Eliot St., Ashland. To reserve 

a seat, call 508-270-4059 

or visit www.massbay.edu/rsvp. 

(Additional session: Jan. 7) 

6:30 pm: Molly’s Apothecary 

Workshop for adults at 

the Ashland Library, 66 Front 

St. Make a natural handmade 

lotion and foaming bath salts 

from scratch. Learn about 

natural skincare in an informal 

and fun setting and take home 

a lovely goody bag. Space is 

limited and pre-registration 

is required. Sponsored by the 

Friends of the Library. 

7 pm: A design public hearing. 

MassDOT will discuss the 

proposed improvements to 

Pond St./Rt. 126 at the Warren 

Elementary School, 73 Fruit 

St. Email project inquiries to 

dot.feedback.highway@state. 

ma.us. 

Wednesday, December 7 

7 pm: ASHPAC monthly 

meeting, Ashland Middle 

School, Activity Room. 


6 am to 7 pm: Day trip to 

New York City. Depart Ashland, 

6 am; depart NYC, 7 pm. 

Travel aboard a deluxe motor 

coach and spend the day shopping, 

sightseeing or visiting 

world-class museums. Cost: 

$65 per person. Contact the 

Ashland Community Center 

for more information, 508-881- 

0140 X2, recreation@ashlandmass.com. 

11 am: Holiday Wreath- 

Making Workshop with Paul 

Split and the Ashland Garden 

Club. Refreshments: 11; Program, 

11:30 to 1 pm. Ashland 

Library, 66 Front St. Pre-registration 

is required; class size is 

limited to 25. Fee: $40 covers 

all materials to make your own 

22-inch wreath. Mail checks to 

the AGC, PO Box 43, Ashland, 

MA 01721. www.ashlandgardenclub.org, 

info@ashlandgardenclub.org 


9:30 am: Coffee hour with 

the town manager at the Ashland 

Senior Center. 

Friday, December 16 

2 pm: Songs of the Season 

with Judy Capone. The Residence 

at Valley Farm, 369 Pond 

St. (Rt. 126). Free and open to 

the public. RSVP, 508-532- 

3197 

Monday, December 19 

9:30 to 11:30 am: Mosaic 

Pendent Class. Students learn 

to cut the glass, glue and design 

a pendant. All materials included; 

each person can make 

up to two pendants. Join us and 

Cheryl Cohen Mosaics. Cost 

is $5. Register in advance and 

pay at the Senior Center. 


Hanukah begins at sundown 

10 pm: Christmas Eve 

Candlelight Service, Federated 

Church, 118 Main St. 

Sunday, December 25 

Christmas day 

Tuesday, December 27 

2 pm: Family movie for 

school vacation. Kids under 

190 must be accompanied by 

an adult. Bring a snack to enjoy 

during the movie. Ashland Library, 

66 Front St. 


2 pm: Story and craft program 

for ages 3 ½ and up. Ashland 

Library, 66 Front St. 

Thursday, December 29 

3 pm: Pirate Party for all 

ages. Come dressed up as a pirate 

and bring a camera. Stories, 

crafts and refreshments. 

Ashland Library, 66 Front St. 

Schools 

For school programs and 

events, visit www.ashlandpto. 

com/events. 

Town Committees 

and Boards 

For times and dates of town 

committees and board meetings, 

visit the town website, 

www.ashlandmass.com, and 

click “Meetings, Agendas and 

Minutes.” 

Email your event, with 

“CALENDAR” in the subject 

line, by the 15th of every 

month to editor@ashlandtownnews.com. 

Events will be 

included as space permits.


Sha’arei Shalom 

Sha’arei Shalom is a memberdriven, 

diverse congregation offering 

the warmth of a small community. 

We recognize the wide range of 

views in our congregation and provide 

both tradition and innovation, 

giving us the opportunity to learn 

and grow as a community. Services 

are held at the Ashland Community 

Center, 162 West Union St. 

For more information, call 508-231- 

4700, email info@shaareishalom. 

org, or visit www.shaareishalom.org. 

Shabbat Kids: Friday, Dec. 2, 

6:45 to 7:30 pm 

Join us for this interactive, musical 

service for young children and their 

families. We will celebrate Shabbat 

together with stories, dancing and 

singing. This Shabbat event is geared 

to children ages 3-7 (older siblings of 

course are always also welcome). 

Shabbat Services: Friday, 

Dec. 2, 7:30 to 9 pm 

Experience the warmth of the 

Sha’arei Shalom Community. Join 

us for a traditional Friday night service 

with Rabbi Margie leading the 

service. A community Oneg Shabbat 

will follow. 

Shabbat Circle: Friday, 

Dec. 16, 6:30 to 8:30 pm 

Join us for a family-friendly Shabbat 

Circle Potluck Dinner at the 

Ashland Community Center. Relax 

with old friends and meet some new 

ones over Shabbat dinner. Attendees 

are asked to bring a potluck vegetarian/dairy 

dish to share. 

Community Chanukah Party: 

Sunday, Dec. 18, 

10 am to Noon 

Join us in our festive celebration 

of Chanukah, the Festival of Lights! 

Bring your favorite Menorah, candles 

and appetite and join in the 

snacks fun and games. This celebration 

is geared for preschool to 7th 

grade. Ashland Middle School, 87 

West Union St. 

Ashland Menorah Lighting: 

Tuesday, Dec. 27, 

6:15 to 7:15 pm 

Join us at Montenegro Square 

in downtown Ashland (across from 

Stone’s Public House) for the inaugural 

lighting of our menorah! This 

event is open to the entire Ashland 

community. 

I Can See Clearly Now, 

the FAT is Gone! 

To successfully drop those 

excess pounds, 46-year-old 

Tom McAullife knew he 

needed a defined weight loss 

program. Between his hectic 

work schedule as president 

of WMRC Radio, 1490 

AM, in Milford, and an active 

home life with his wife 

and three teenage sons, a 

clear plan was the only answer. 

He was already familiar 

with New England Fat Loss 

as an advertiser on his station 

and from friends who 

shared their successful results. 

In July, he and his wife joined 

at the Hopkinton location. 

“I needed a program to follow,” 

McAullife said. “I have 

all this exercise equipment 

in the basement, but without 

someone like Dr. Johns and his 

staff, it wasn’t going to happen. 

I can be extremely disciplined 

if you give me a road map.” 

McAullife made the right 

choice. After only 27 days 

on the program he lost 30 

pounds. The bonus was, 

the effect on how his new 

menu plan fueled his body. 

“By the time I got literally 

seven days into it, I could 

feel my metabolism on fire,” 

McAullife said. “I felt like 

whatever I was eating was 

getting burned up, the water 

was getting washed out.” 

McAullife admits shedding 

the weight was the initial goal, 

but he also joined NEFL to 

influence other aspects of his 

life. His demanding schedule 

promoted poor eating habits, 

and he felt a loss of control. 

Before joining NEFL, 

his body took charge, driving 

his actions, attitude and even 

sleep habits. After only one 

month, everything changed. 

“What I really wanted most 

of all is clarity,” McAullife 

said. “With a busy family and 

stressful, crazy work schedule, 

and feeling lousy because of 

eating bad food every day, I 

felt like I had lost clarity and 

organization in my head.” 

Since his success with New 

England Fat Loss, McAullife 

experiences a good night’s 

rest, free of previous sleep 

apnea and snoring and wakes 

at 5 a.m. to prepare the day’s 

schedules. A restful sleep is 

even more vital when approximately 

230,000 people rely on 

him and his station to stay informed 

with their local news, 

weather, traffic, music, religious 

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and sports coverage. 

“I feel so good, it is simply 

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with New England 

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Take control today at one of 

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To learn more, visit 

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Page 24 Local Town Pages www.ashlandtownnews.com December 2016

Ashland December 2016

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