Westport in Brief
EverythingWestport.com
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Quick Article Index . . .
Cohousing guru John Abrams discusses a new
approach to Community Creation.
Village Ice Cream
has gone bananas!
Civil War Day at the Town Landing!
Behind the Shingles: 17th and 18th Century
Houses of Southern Massachusetts
5th Annual Glass on the Grass.
|
Cohousing guru John Abrams discusses a new approach to
Community Creation. EverythingWestport.com Tuesday, June 30, 2009 Press Release Contact:
Deb Lee (508) 291-3484 or
d1lee@umassd.edu
Westport, MA – On Thursday, July 23rd at 7:00 p.m., Cohousing guru John Abrams will discuss the philosophy behind the growing Cohousing movement, and other ideas on how to build inspired thinking into communities at every level. His talk is entitled “Thinking Like Cathedral Builders: Affordable Housing, Community Preservation and Business for People and Place.” Abrams is cofounder and CEO of South Mountain Company, a
34-year-old employee owned design/build and renewable energy company in West
Tisbury, Massachusetts. John's is the author of Companies We Keep: Employee
Ownership and the Business of Community and Place (Chelsea Green Publishing
in 2008). Abrams serves on the Island Housing Trust and Island Affordable Housing Fund boards, the Green Building Advisor, and the steering committee of Island Plan, which is working on a 50 year plan for the island of Martha's Vineyard. He and his wife Chris live in a cohousing neighborhood designed and built by his company. The event is the third lecture in the Summer Conversations Series that takes place at the Apponagansett Meeting House in Dartmouth, MA. Abrams’ presentation coincides with the launch of Westport Cohousing www.westportcohousing.org, a small but active group of families planning to build a cohousing community of 24 units in Westport. The multigenerational group, which is actively recruiting new members, seeks to create a socially, environmentally, and economically sustainable community comprised of: · 24 individual living units built to the highest green standards, near Westport’s Central Village · A good sized, beautiful “Common House”, where several times a week families have the option of enjoying a group dinner at a cost far lower than they would pay if they were cooking for themselves · A safe place where homes are joined by walking pathways and places where neighbors can gather to chat · Open areas where children can safely play with each other · A caring community where responsible, free baby-sitters and neighborly helpers abound · A communal organic garden · And much more (think of it as an old-fashioned village) Apponagansett Meeting House is located at 850 Russells Mills Road in Dartmouth, MA. EverythingWestport.com Saturday, July 4, 2009 View
the high resolution photo album now of these events 165 photos | Dial-up speed |
Broadband/DSL
speed |
Left: Westport
July 4th parade’s first-ever honor guard marched past Old Glory at the
Central Village fire station, perhaps for the last time as the 81 year-old
fire house is slated for closure next year. The weather sparkled as fire trucks blasted their horns, bringing
shivers and civic pride to kids and adults alike. Everyone loves a birthday
party, and everybody loves a parade. The two-hour procession started at 10 a.m. and stepped off at Main
Road and Hixbridge Road. It travelled north on Main Road, left onto Charlotte
White Road, then right onto Sodom road where it finished at the Holy Ghost
Grounds. The event was well paced and experienced no disruptions. For the first time ever the Westport Fire Department’s honor guard led
the July Fourth parade, which was marshaled by Westport’s most decorated WW
II veteran, Leo St. Onge. The Westport Fire Fighters honor Guard consisted
of: Captain Bruce Martin, and firefighters Darren Nunes, Dan Baldwin, and
Tony Ward. Parade viewers arrived early, garnering coveted spots on the east side
of Main Road in Central Village. A few squirt guns were sighted in the crowd,
but for the most part they did not lead into an all-out water war experienced
last year. No “thrown”
water please!
A
spirited war between parade participants and roadside warriors (right and left photos) broke out
last year in front of Partners Village Store and Kitchen. No casualties were
reported but a few egos were bruised. Lt.
Daniel Ledoux requested no water hoses, no water balloons, no high-pressure
squirt guns or extinguishers be used this year. For the most part everyone
complied, and everyone had fun. The floats were imaginative and terrific. It was difficult for the
judges to pick three winners and they deliberated for some time over their numbers
(pictured below left.) There were tractors and trucks, antiques and hot rods, decorative
floats and ice house boats. Westport is, if anything else, eclectic and old
school and it showed in our July 4th parade. There was so much red, white and blue it was difficult to be anything
but patriotic. And if it moved there was a flag on it. For two hours there
were no republicans or democrats, no economy in crisis. Only patriotism and a
love of one’s country, and a pride in being an American. God bless America.
“It
was the intention of the firefighters in Westport to show gratitude to a
supportive community,” Lt. and Parade Chairman Daniel Ledoux observed. “They
are honored for this opportunity to donate time to their grateful community.
This parade was a family event and they wish to thank all who attended for being
respectful to observers as well as participants.” The “Fill-the-Boot” campaign
for MDA collected over $1200 for the cause. “Thanks to all who helped and
pitched in’” Ledoux said. For
more information or if you have any questions please contact Lt. Daniel
Ledoux at (774) 264-5191. And the winners
were: Trophies and cash prizes were awarded for first, second and third
place floats with an additional trophy for “best antique.” Jeanne Cawley was
placed in charge of the judging. Assisting her were Bob Wood, Pastor
Catherine Mitchell, and James Cawley (all pictured above, left.)
Above left, clockwise: (1) 1st place - The
Carnival Float sponsored by Evan Anthony Excavation and landscaping; (2) 2nd
place – Perry’s Bakery Rock and Roll Guitar Float; (3) Barbara Marcotte of
Westport wears her patriotism; and (4) 3rd Place – The Grim Reaper
Float (Thriller) sponsored by F.L. Tripp Boat Yard. Billy Cabral’s white ’34 Ford coupe (not shown) won Best Antique. “We wish to thank Billy for arranging so many cars to enter the parade,” Ledoux said. Village Ice Cream has gone bananas! EverythingWestport.com Tuesday, July 30, 2009
Has Doreen lost her mind! Free waffle dish ice
cream sundaes? No, it’s just her way of introducing the first-ever waffle
dish ice cream sundae, only at Village Ice Cream, 764 Main Road in the
Village Commons, right next to Tony’s Pizza. All you
have to do is guess the name of the flower in the picture from a choice
of three, and you will win a free waffle dish ice cream sundae! The first five
correct guesses will receive a free sundae; the next ten
correct guesses will get a $1 off a waffle-dish ice cream sundae. Sound too
good to be true? Well, don’t wait, this promotion expires July 11, 2009.
Click here to take your best guess! ·
Chrysanthemum ·
Dahlia ·
Marigold Waffle dish
ice cream sundaes, only at Village Ice Cream!
Visit Village Ice Cream’s website. EverythingWestport.com Saturday July 04, 2009
Laurie (below middle),
visiting from out of town, was perusing the pieces while glass artist David
Jusseaume (right) was arranging
them for maximum appeal. This annual sale is a fabulous way to pick up glass
art at below market prices, something that should appeal to today’s
cost-conscious consumer. Partial proceeds benefited the Westport River Watershed Alliance.
Civil War Day at the Town Landing. EverythingWestport.com Saturday July 04, 2009
A civil war re-enactor, Mr. LaFleur displayed military field campaign
wood products that included “slapback” chairs, collapsible tables and field
cases. “An army on the move couldn’t
take time to assembly their camp. The quartermaster had no tools. Everything
was made collapsible to fit in the wagons,” LaFleur said. LaFleur also
displayed civil war memorabilia such as swords and travel bags. Locally handmade wood products, both for indoor and outdoor use, were
for sale. Civil War items and an array of war memorabilia were on display. Many local residents had an exciting opportunity to explore Civil War
life on the move.
Behind the Shingles: 17th and 18th Century Houses of Southern
Massachusetts EverythingWestport.com Thursday, July 02, 2009 An exhibition on
reading the secrets of old houses through the clues that they leave. At Westport Historical Society, 25 Drift Road, Westport. Open July 11th through September 7th 2009. Wednesday through Saturday 10 – 4. Free. “Behind the Shingles” presents the personal collection of architectural historian Pete Baker and explains the essentials of early New England architecture. During a 40-year career as restoration contractor and consultant on more than 200 antique structures, Pete Baker has gathered an encyclopedic collection of materials from structures in southern Massachusetts. In the words of Pete Baker, curator of this exhibition: “Every old house has a story - in its cellar, attic, and behind its walls: imprints from hinges, latches, locks and window catches; the chafe marks from daily chores and thresholds worn from years of footsteps; a broken saucer; a pewter spoon, an English coin; and the carpenter’s scribe marks and Roman numerals that link the house to the day of raising. In each ancient structure there are clues to the past – if we take the time and concern to look, to learn, to touch, to document, to preserve. By so doing we will be able to give our past to the future.”
This exhibition is curated by Pete Baker. Documentation and graphics are by Geraldine Millham with support from the Westport Historical Society and the Westport Historical Commission, Andrew Isidoro and Brandon Cox. The project was initiated by Betty Slade through a grant from the Helen E. Ellis Charitable Trust administered by the Bank of America. Contact Westport Historical Society for more information at (508) 636-6011 or westhist@gis.net or visit www.westporthistory.com Click here to read the article and view photos of the Waite-Potter chimney restoration. - - - - End -
- - - © 2009 Community Events of Westport All rights reserved. |
The exhibition will
explore common questions for those who live in or have an interest in old
houses. What to look for in an old house? How do you unlock the secrets of an
old house, what are the clues to the history of a house? When was the house
built? The answers to these questions lie in the structure, building
materials and techniques used. The exhibition will include examples of
bricks, nails, windows, doors and framing from 17th and 18 century houses and
will examine how these materials evolved over time. The exhibition also
explores modern techniques such as dendrochronology which analyzes growth
rings of timbers used in construction to determine the date of a house within
a range of a few years. Many objects from the Waite Potter House, Westport’s
oldest house, will be on display.