Here are brief thoughts on the many exciting New Year’s happenings across Franklin County and the North Quabbin region.
The turn of December into January is one of the most exciting times of the year. It’s a time to think about new beginnings, how to live life to the fullest and, oftentimes, the most healthy, during our next trip around the sun.
In Turners Falls, the resolution to kickstart better health manifested in a 3-mile walk on the Canalside Rail Trail, part of the state Department of Conservation and Recreation’s (DCR’s) First Day Hikes program.
With some prompting, people called out their New Year’s resolutions: “Hike more,” “Come out on the rail trail more,” “Getting outside every day,” “Making healthy choices,” and “Being happy.” There were some exceptions, but almost all of the resolutions had to do with maintaining or bettering one’s health, either mental or physical.
Life is too precious and fleeting to live it in a way that doesn’t bring you happiness, fulfillment and pride in your accomplishments, whether you hope to hike every day or spend more time with the people who matter most. Make this year count. No matter what your New Year’s resolution is, we wish you luck in achieving your goals in 2020.
While we peer into the new year with hope and anticipation, it was also exciting to have a new way to celebrate the start of 2020, courtesy of the Shea Theater Arts Center in Turners Falls, which held its first Franklin County Last Night.
The performing arts center offered eight hours of music, with eight bands performing in the theater and two singer-songwriters playing their music in the lobby as guests entered.
“We’re hoping to bring this back every year,” said Emma Ayres, organizer and program coordinator. “We want to see this continue and grow.”
We know first-hand how much Franklin County has to offer, and that certainly doesn’t stop on New Year’s Eve. We were thrilled to see the Shea launch Franklin County Last Night, attracting fans of local music to Turners Falls to ring in 2020 in a memorable way.
“People are hungry for this type of event,” said Sam Perry, guitarist for the band Old Flame. “With a little persistence, this could really grow.”
Nicely put. We hope the organizers use that persistence to make the event a success for years to come, much like Starry Starry Night has become in Orange after 24 years now.
As Athol resident Bill Curtis, an attendee of the most recent Starry Starry Night, explained, “You know, you can go to Worcester or Northampton, but there are people here with a lot of talent. There are places to go right here.”
A new year has been born, new traditions to celebrate the start of that new year are being born, but there’s one more part of our traditional New Year’s coverage we wait for each Jan. 1.
With the arrival of new Greenfield resident Zoey Lynn Wroblewski, Franklin County’s first baby came into the world at 8:50 p.m. New Year’s Day. She joins the company of the first babies before her — three little girls in a row, now, after Penny Ruth Hall of New Salem in 2019 and Saoirse Swan of Wendell in 2018.
“I want her to have a life full of happiness and good health,” said Zoey’s mother, Corrie Wroblewski, 27, during an interview at Baystate Franklin Medical Center with Zoey’s father, Andrew Wroblewski, 29. “She’s a New Year’s baby, and we’re so excited.”
Not only is Zoey the first baby born in Franklin County in 2020, but she’s also the couple’s first child. Congratulations!