Here are brief thoughts about recent happenings in Franklin County and the North Quabbin region.
We cannot wait until Sept. 19.
That’s because for the first time in seven years, there will be a soapbox derby in Montague.
The race, which was originally the brainchild of Mik Muller from Montague Community Television, is being revived this year at the suggestion of Montague Town Administrator Steve Ellis. This time around, proceeds will benefit the Montague Parks & Recreation Department.
The reason the soapbox derbies fizzled out had nothing to do with their popularity. In fact, according to Muller, the first race in 2010 drew about 1,600 spectators and had about 35 entrants. In following years it drew as many as 55 entrants. So we’re definitely not the only ones who are excited about this race’s return.
Rather, finding an organization or town department that was willing to step up to the plate as an organizer was the main challenge. That’s by no means a unique problem to the Montague Soapbox Derby. Finding volunteers, whether it’s to lend a hand at a nonprofit or to serve on a committee, is perhaps more challenging than ever amid busy schedules and in a county where the census is likely to show a population decline.
Thank you, then, to everyone who has volunteered to be on the organizing committee to make the soapbox derby a reality this year. You’ll without a doubt be making as many as 1,600 people very happy.
Bernardston certainly isn’t the first town to try out the idea of “Coffee with a Cop” sessions, but that doesn’t make last week’s event any less meaningful.
On Tuesday, Bernardston Police Chief James Palmeri and Sgt. John Richardson spent some quality time with residents at the Senior Center, while also enjoying coffee and doughnuts.
“It’s a chance to see what’s on people’s minds, their concerns,” Palmeri said of the event. “You can only put so much online, on social media, so it’s nice to get this face-to-face.”
Events like “Coffee with a Cop” take police out of their cruisers and put them across the table from residents, humanizing them and no doubt making for a much easier first interaction than would happen in the midst of an emergency situation. On the flip side, it also gives residents a chance to share their safety concerns with the public servants who are most likely to be able to make a difference.
Both Palmeri and Senior Center Director Hayley Bolton said they hope to continue the event on a semi-regular basis. Bolton added that while the event was dubbed “Coffee with a Cop,” she is interested in extending the opportunities to Fire Chief Peter Shedd or Selectboard members in hopes of keeping seniors and other members of the public informed and in touch with their local officials. We like the sound of that.
We’re always happy when a state or federal agency notices the meaningful work being done in Franklin County, and offers up grant funding to help support those efforts.
This time, it’s the Opioid Task Force of Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region that is the recipient of a two-year $635,000 grant awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Program Rural Responses Initiative. The funding will allow the task force to continue its work on the opioid crisis with a focus on rural areas.
“We’re only one of 21 sites across the country to receive this, and the only one in New England,” said Opioid Task Force Coordinator Debra McLaughlin.
That’s certainly something to be proud of. We can’t wait to see how the Opioid Task Force will make this money count for those who are struggling with addiction in our community.