Claire M. (Koelsch) (Warren) Pratt

on

Claire M. (Koelsch) (Warren) Pratt, 87, of Mattapoisett, formerly of Canton, passed away peacefully Dec. 28, 2022 at home surrounded by her family. She was born in Boston, a daughter of the late Frank and Isabelle (McClennon) Koelsch. Claire was a professional crossing guard in Canton and West Bridgewater. With her husband of 55 years Bruce K. Pratt they operated Berwick Marine on Rt. 106 at 400 West Center St. in West Bridgewater for many years. Claire was a member of Order of Eastern Star, Social Order of Beauceant, and Daughters of the Nile (Shriners). She was a dedicated supporter of functions and activities at Paul Revere Lodge in Brockton where Bruce was life member and Past Master. Claire loved her family and home, everything pineapples, seahorses, baskets and the beach. Claire was also the beloved mother of Deborah Warren of Quincy, Karen Rogers and her husband Jeffrey of Taunton, and Melissa Gonsalves and her husband Robert of South Dartmouth; dear stepmother of Denise Mizzoni of Bourne and Lisa McLaughlin of Sandwich and her late husband Jack; loving grandmother of Kayla Amaru and her husband Christopher, Kevin Rogers and his wife Paige, Kathryn Rogers, Matthew Gonsalves, stepgrandmother of Sarah Mizzoni and her husband Shayne Hurley, Michelle Mizzoni and Heather McLaughlin; great-grandmother of Charles and Harrison Amaru; sister of Gerald Koelsch and his wife Marjorie, and Denise Shea and her husband David, all of Brockton; and an aunt of several nieces and nephews. All are welcome to calling hours Friday Jan. 6 from 4-8 pm at Waitt Funeral Home, 850 N. Main St. Brockton, her funeral Saturday Jan. 7 at 9 a.m. from Waitt Funeral Home, funeral Mass at 10 am at St. Ann Church, 103 N. Main St. West Bridgewater and burial at High St. Cemetery in Hingham. In lieu of flowers memorial gifts may be made to Southcoast Hospice, 200 Mill Rd. Fairhaven MA 02719.

MRV Land Proposal under Review

on

            On January 3, the Mattapoisett Community Preservation Act Committee met to continue their review of grant applications received for FY24.

            As they had at the beginning of December, the committee studied each grant application and supporting documentation in an effort to formulate questions that applicants will be asked to respond to during face-to-face interviews.

            The five grant applications are: $38,000 for ADA-compliant modifications to the American Legion Hall, $85,000 for the purchase of land in the Mattapoisett River Valley by the Mattapoisett River Valley Water District, $47,648 Mattapoisett Museum/Historical Society for improvements to the structure, $150,000 for the Mattapoisett Housing Authority to upgrade glass panels on housing façade and $15,000 for continued historic inventory data collection and study for the Mattapoisett Historical Commission.

            On the matter of questions waiting to be asked and answered, the committee members want better understanding of projects in some cases and in others, whether or not the applicants have sought other funding sources.

            Regarding the American Legion Hall, the committee wants to know if other grant sources have been sought. A similar question is planned for the Mattapoisett Museum. Committee members wondered aloud if the museum applicants looked at using endowment funds. They were of a mind that some portion of that fund was most likely earmarked for care of the building.

            The Mattapoisett River Valley Water District’s desire to purchase more than 240 acres inspired the question at to whether or not some portion of uplands could be “pealed away” for affordable housing. Members also wondered how the purchase price of $6,000,000-plus was arrived at and what happens if the participating MRV member towns (Fairhaven, Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester) fail to contribute their portion of the purchase price. State funding in the amount of $4,500,000 will also be requested.

            CPAC Chairman Chuck McCullough said that representatives of Massachusetts Housing and Community Development have been asked to help Mattapoisett define acceptable grant applications for state-run public housing. Once the committee has a full understanding of how grants may be used for this form at 5:30 pm, at which time the Mattapoisett Historical Commission, the Mattapoisett Museum and the MRV of public-housing renovations, it will be able to make a determination of the grant being sought.

            The only grant application not eliciting questions was filed by the Mattapoisett Historical Commission.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Community Preservation Act Committee is scheduled for Tuesday, January 31, Water District will make their formal presentations to the committee.

Mattapoisett Community Preservation Act Committee

By Marilou Newell

Enlightenment

on

Sparkling, sparkling showers of light swirl around me,

Lifting my soul.

Shimmering pinpoints of light dance all around me.

Music fills the air and I am transported through the magical air.

Spiraling upward, ever upward, past suns and moons and stars … glorious and ephemeral.

Onward and upward I fly, filled with ecstasy and exhilaration,

Whirling through space and timeless beauty, profound and still.

I am transformed into spirit, dancing and laughing with joy … filled and fulfilled!

I found the universe is filled with love …

Made of love, by love, with love.

All is forgiven, all is made clear and pure and new.

Songs and poems tumble from my lips.

Poems of gratitude and worship and knowing.

And that is the Mystery.

            Editor’s Note: Hope Bradley Finley is a 95-year-old Mattapoisett resident who, despite the loss of eyesight and hearing, has continued in her pastime of writing poems and essays. The Wanderer is happy to share them with our readers.

By Hope Bradley Finley

Birding Apps for Beginners

on

On Wednesday, January 11, Justin Barrette, Museum Board Member and Chairman of the Nasketucket Bird Club, will be showing us the basics of the most popular birding apps. The Great Backyard Bird Count is coming up, and these apps will be extremely useful while we identify birds in the field. We will meet at the Marion Natural History Museum, 8 Spring Street, Marion at 10:30 to 11:30. This program is free, but please rsvp through the museum’s website to ensure a seat. Website: www.marionmuseum.org.

Gender Queer

on

To the Editor;

            Gender Queer is not a “regular” book with text. It is a 240-page graphic novel (like a large comic book), and its explicit illustrations of sex acts – which are arguably pornographic – should have no place in any school in ORR.

            I read Gender Queer from cover to cover. Now, proponents of this book claim that it’s important that gender-questioning kids see themselves represented in literature. OK, but is this the representation and future we want to show them? A future with sex toys, hook-ups with strangers on dating apps, self-loathing, and sexual dysfunction? That’s not my interpretation. It’s the author’s own story in illustrations.

            How insulting. How degrading and demeaning it is to expose our kids – no matter what their orientation is – to a book like this.

            What is the message of this book? Well, it certainly isn’t that everyone is loved at school and that students are welcome and accepted for who they are. No, this book is the very opposite of that.

            And up until now, no one would ever think of handing a child a book with such graphic illustrations of sex acts. If they did, they’d probably go to prison.

            When did it suddenly become necessary and so urgent that kids be exposed to books like this? I never had books like this. You never had books like this.

            Defenders of this book have also claimed that removing Gender Queer from ORR schools is somehow “book banning.” Well, I hate to break the news, but we already ban certain books in schools. ORR does not carry the Kama Sutra, and we don’t keep copies of The Joy of Sex next to the Lego blocks in kindergarten.

            Parents send their children to school expecting them to be safe from graphic illustrations of sex acts, and school leaders should respect this. Gender Queer should not be an exception.

            Yes, we need to teach kids to accept each other for who they are, absolutely, but we can do this without crossing the line of giving out a narcissistic comic book with graphic illustrations of sex acts.

            Let me be clear: I don’t hate anybody. I don’t fear anybody. I don’t want anybody to “go away,” as defenders of this book claim about people like me and others who are against this book.

            By speaking out against this book, I am defending the dignity, the uniqueness, and, most importantly, the innocence of every child at ORR. And when I say every child, I mean every single child, no matter who they are or what their sexual orientation is.

            This Gender Queer book isn’t loving, and it isn’t affirming in the least bit. It is degrading and damaging.

            And how awful that the district is giving out this filth.

            Get rid of this book from our schools.

David F. Pierre, Jr., Mattapoisett

The views expressed in the “Letters to the Editor” column are not necessarily those of The Wanderer, its staff or advertisers. The Wanderer will gladly accept any and all correspondence relating to timely and pertinent issues in the great Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester area, provided they include the author’s name, address and phone number for verification. We cannot publish anonymous, unsigned or unconfirmed submissions. The Wanderer reserves the right to edit, condense and otherwise alter submissions for purposes of clarity and/or spacing considerations. The Wanderer may choose to not run letters that thank businesses, and The Wanderer has the right to edit letters to omit business names. The Wanderer also reserves the right to deny publication of any submitted correspondence.

A Little Kindness Goes a Long Way

on

            As the winter season depends, and the parade of holidays continues, many people find themselves in a more charitable frame of mind. Nothing puts us in the mood for helping others than short days, long nights and strings of lights glinting from nearby houses. But this year, among the usual patter of coat drives and camaraderie, Marion resident Davin Alves stood out.

            His target was United Way of Greater New Bedford’s Hunger Commission, a charity that runs initiatives like can and toy drives for those members of our community that might need support, particularly around the holidays.

            Rather than go the usual route knocking on neighbors’ doors or setting up a donation box, a tried-and-tested method to be sure but one that is already done by countless nonprofits, schools and libraries alike, Davin decided to hold a raffle and use the money raised from tickets to purchase the food himself.

            The raffle prizes were two video-game systems, a $100 Target gift card and a 750 ml bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label scotch whiskey. In the spirit of the season, Davin received help from his whole family, particularly when it came to purchasing the food and driving the donations to the bank. After all, Davin is only 10 years old.

            Victoria Grasela, vice president of marketing and community engagement at United Way, said she was thrilled by the idea and provided some guidance on what items they were looking for in particular. She said she was thrilled when Davin’s mother, Kathylee Alves, reached out with the idea.

            “He’s such a genuine kid,” Grasela said, a sentiment echoed by his mother who described him as having a “heart of gold.” Grasela said she was additionally blown away by the raffle’s success.

            “I expected maybe a box full of food,” she said, referencing the photos shared by Kathylee Alves, depicting Davin sitting on his front porch, dwarfed by pallets of food. “When they showed up with two car-fulls, I was shocked.”

            Kathylee Alves described the logistics of totaling up the purchases, as they went through the store and the challenge of getting it all transported there. “We had it in a trailer, like a big, enclosed trailer,” she chuckled. Eventually, they decided the best way to transport it was two separate cars, loaded down with the cumulation of their good deeds.

            While Davin went above and beyond, Victoria Grasela emphasized that anyone can get involved at any level they feel comfortable. Donating goes a long, long way, no matter the amount.

            “Even when it comes to writing a check, we can take that money you donated and the bit that someone else donated and another person and put it all together,” she explained. They also negotiate bulk purchases as directly as they can to get the best deal possible and stretch what they have to its potential.

            Davin’s total haul rang in at $900, a hefty amount for anyone to raise, particularly on a first-ever try. But the praise doesn’t seem to have gone to his head in the slightest, as his message for the world was a brief but touching one.

            “I just want (people) to know that kindness is the most important thing. Especially for a holiday, that’s like … so good, and everyone wants to be happy, so like you have to do something kind for it!”

            Davin also expressed big plans for the future, intending to make this a yearly effort since it was such a resounding success. When not doing charity work, Davin said he enjoys playing with his friends and reiterated one final time that “kindness matters.”

            Those looking to donate or get involved in other ways can check out VolunteerSouthCoast.org, a site run by United Way to help keep the community informed about volunteer initiatives and opportunities.

By Jack MC Staier

Mattapoisett Christmas Tree Disposal

on

The Town of Mattapoisett is scheduled to begin the courtesy Christmas tree pickup beginning January 3 through January 20. Christmas trees should be placed curbside by 7:00 am on the day of your regularly scheduled rubbish pickup. Trees in plastic bags or with ornaments will not be picked up. Trees are also accepted at the Transfer Station on Tinkham Hill Rd. If you have any questions, please contact the Mattapoisett Highway Department at 508 758-4181.

Mattapoisett Republican Party Meeting

on

The Mattapoisett Republican Party invites everyone interested to join us on Tuesday, January10 at 6:00 pm at the Mattapoisett Free Public Library, 7 Barstow Street. Topics for discussion are: 1) Party Membership – We are growing rapidly but we welcome new members. If interested, please attend or contact by email: chairmattyrep@gmail.com; 2) GOP State Activities; 3) Swearing in of the new officers of the Republican Town Committee and 4) Local Political activity.

Winter Reading Programs at the Mattapoisett Library

on

Need a distraction from the cold weather? Sign up to participate in one of our reading programs!

            Children from grades 3-6 are encouraged to join the Quahog Book Awards! Registration opens on Tuesday, January 17 for the Quahog Book Awards Program. There will be weekly beads, specialty events and great books!  The program will end with voting for favorite titles and a pizza party to announce the winners. More information will be provided soon, check the library’s website or stop by.

            Teens and adults can sign up for the Winter Reading Program on Beanstack. Participate in this year’s Winter Reading Program from the comfort of your own home. All you need to do is sign up on Beanstack on your computer or favorite smart device and start reading to earn entries toward our fantastic prizes. Registration begins January 17.

            Have questions? Email the library at mfpl@sailsinc.org or visit mattapoisettlibrary.org to register.

Nancy J. (Downing) Fletcher

on

Nancy J. (Downing) Fletcher, 79, of Mattapoisett died Saturday, December 31, 2022 peacefully in her home surrounded by her family after a long illness. Born in New Bedford, Nancy was the daughter of the late Harry and Ellen (Heuberger) Downing.  She was a lifelong resident of Mattapoisett who attended Fairhaven High School and later graduated from UMass Amherst.  Her career spanned over four decades, first as a primary school teacher in Falmouth, MA and later at Friends Academy in North Dartmouth, MA, where she taught 1st and 2nd grade for 32 years.

            Nancy retired just short of her 70th birthday and turned her focus to her many lifelong hobbies and interests which included tennis, golf, tending to her extensive gardens, basketmaking, reading and puzzles.  She was a member of the Mattapoisett Congregational Church, Mattapoisett Womens’ Club, Sippican Tennis Club and Kittansett Club.

            She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Frank L. Fletcher; her sons, Thomas B. Fletcher (wife Kristin) of Stamford CT, and Stephen L. Fletcher of Mattapoisett; her twin brother, Harry B. Downing Jr of Wareham; her younger brother, David Downing of Mattapoisett; and several nieces and nephews.

            She was the sister of the late Ruth Sundquist.

            Her Memorial Visitation will be held Saturday, January 14, 2023 from 1-4 PM in the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Mattapoisett. Her burial in Cushing Cemetery will take place privately at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Nancy’s name can be made to Southcoast Health Visiting Nurses Association, https://www.southcoast.org/visiting-nurse-association/donate/. For directions and guestbook, visit www.saundersdwyer.com.