Here are brief thoughts on some of the events taking place around Franklin County and the North Quabbin area.
Country Club Road in Greenfield is a popular place for turtles, and their trip across may be safer thanks to fourth-graders at the Discovery School at Four Corners.
As David Moscaritolo, who lives on that road, explained, a dam on nearby Cherry Rum Book has created a small pond that attracts wildlife, including snapping turtles.
The students from Marguerite Rancourt’s class first met Moscaritolo when they were following the stream last fall. On a recent visit, it was by chance they got to see a snapping turtle in action — and a driver stopping on the road to let it finish its trip.
That experience inspired students to create signs they posted along the road warning drivers about the turtle crossing.
“They’re a great bunch of kids that are full of enthusiasm about science,” Moscaritolo said.
And we say thoughtful ones.
Here’s a suggestion: Perhaps the class could write city officials about posting official “turtle crossing” signs along the road to get drivers’ attention. Let’s keep this lesson going.
As parents can attest, diapers are a big-ticket item when raising babies. But it’s important to keep the little ones dry and clean.
This is the dilemma families with limited incomes face. Diapers are estimated to cost $70 to $80 a month and parents can’t use food stamps to buy them.
So, we are pleased a diaper drive is being revived after a one-year hiatus.
The drive, which begins June 10, is a collaboration of the Franklin County Diaper Task Force, United Way of Franklin Count and Community Action
As part of United Way’s Day of Action on June 22, the task force will be collecting diapers on the Greenfield Common from 9 a.m. to noon. A list of 29 drop-off sites can be found at https://www.uw-fc.org or on the Franklin County Diaper Task Force’s Facebook page.
The diapers will distributed through the Family Center and other agencies.
The drive needs donors and volunteers. Want to help? Contact Deb Billings at 413-659-6019 or email franklincountydiaperbank@gmail.com.
We say helping our youngest residents feel comfortable is a worthwhile cause.
One of last week’s feel-good stories was when Bernardston Police Officer Curtis Weaver responded to a cry for help — from a starving fawn.
Police believe the days-old fawn was orphaned when her mother was killed by a vehicle. Officer Weaver, who was alerted by people living in the area, place the fawn into his cruiser and took her to a wildlife rehabilitation center that is permitted to take fawns.
Last report was that the fawn was doing well.
After the story appeared, we were reminded there is a proper procedure when residents — and not law enforcement — find what appears to be an orphaned animal. According to the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, the agency gets hundreds of calls each year about fawns who appear to be lost, and not all cases require action by humans.
Typically, Mass. Wildlife will advise the caller to leave the fawn alone — or if the animal is in a dangerous situation, how to help it return to its mother.
If the fawn appears to be truly orphaned or injured, call MassWildlife at 508-389-6300, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; or the Massachusetts Environmental Police on evenings and weekends at 800-632-8075.
Let the experts handle the situation.