Hello neighbor.
Well, the next time I write my Neighbors column, it will be a new year. I want to wish all of you a very happy and healthy one. Please stay safe on Saturday night.
I’m sure, like me, you’re looking forward to an even better 2016 – we said “goodbye” to my dad this year, but “hello” to Nolan, my new grandnephew, my sister’s new grandson. I guess no matter how young or old, we have to accept pain along with joy. That’s life!
But on to what’s going on in the coming year.
Dakin Humane Society’s weekly vaccine and microchip clinic will be held on Sautrday mornings beginning Jan. 7 at 171 Union St. in Springfield. According to the nonprofit’s director, this is so that more people will have the opportunity to take advantage – it has been held on Thursdays until now.
The clinic offers dog and cat owners the opportunity to receive vaccinations to prevent rabies, distemper and parvovirus, kennel cough and feline leukemia. The feline leukemia shot is $20, while the others are $12 each.
Microchiping is also available for $20 and that includes registration. Heartworm tests for dogs and flea and prevention treatments for dogs and cats are offered, as well as deworming and feline leukemia testing. A veterinary examination fee applies to each animal treated at the clinic ($10 for spayed and neutered animals and $25 for those who are not spayed or neutered).
The final Thursday clinic will be Dec. 29 beginning at 9 a.m. Then, the clinic will open Saturday, Jan. 7, at 9 a.m. There’s typically a line that goes out the door, so plan accordingly. If you’d like more information, visit: www.dakinhumane.org
DO YOU HAVE OLD FAMILY PHOTOS of winter fun from the 1950s or earlier? The Recorder’s upcoming supplement, In Business Since, always takes a look back, and this year it’s looking back at Winter Carnival Fun with special old photos from the 1920s and 1930s – local historian Peter S. Miller is providing some from his collection. The Recorder would also like to share some of yours – the older, the better. Contact Chris Harris, who will carefully scan your treasured photo or photos and return them to you. Call her at 413-772-0261, ext. 265 or email her at: charris@recorder.com
IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN THE NIGHT SKY and what’s there, join Crystal Mengele, president of the Amherst Area Amateur Astonomy Assoication, along with some of the group’s members, on Jan. 4 at 6 p.m. in Greenfield Public Library on Main Street in Greenfield. Weather permitting, you’ll then head outdoors to look at the night sky.
OUR NEIGHBOR MIKE CADRAN (Class of 1968) has put together some information on Turners Falls High School for historical record and would like to invite all of you to take a look. It’s a history of the school, its sports teams, yearbooks, principals, superintendents, graduation statistics and so much more. There’s a copy of Mike’s work at Carnegie Library and the high school and its library. Some of the information can be found at the school’s website at: tfhs.gmrsd.org
WE SHOULD ALL SEND OUT a collective “thank you” to Athol Hospital’s Warming Tree and Heywood Hospital’s Warming Tree. The two took care of many of our younger neighbors this year by providing gloves and mittens, winter hats and scarves, winter coats, sweaters and sweatshirts, boots, snowpants, pajamas and backpacks.
Everthing Athol collected went to the Salvation Army, while everything Heywood collected went to Community Action! This was all accomplished by collecting donations from employees and visitors to the hospitals. It looks like between the two, they helped about 200 kids. Our neighbors Stephanie Mayo and Mike Needham organized the projects at both hospitals. Thank you, also, Stephanie and Mike!
To contact Anita Fritz, features editor at The Recorder, send an email to: neighbors@recorder.com. Information you want included in Neighbors should be submitted by noon two days before you want it to run. Neighbors runs on Wednesday.