The Bedford Citizen (https://www.thebedfordcitizen.org/category/features/page/2/)
I stood in my room, Sheahan Hall 207, for what I never thought would be my last time living there. The previous week was filled with hard-core studying for mid-terms, work-study, and sneaking in a meal or two here and there. I looked around at my bags all packed up, most of my belongings inside, worried that the college would end up closing and I would leave much-needed clothing behind.
Amidst all the disruption, Callahan’s Karate held a virtual online belt graduation ceremony and hosted a drive-through, no-contact belt pick up.
Instructors cheered for the students as they pulled up to the karate school. Another instructor with gloves on placed the belt onto our DIY social distant belt delivery device to allow the students to still receive their new belt!
Friends and families who visit the Bedford Free Public Library may have been wondering what Murphy the Turtle has been up to since the library closed on March 13th.
Murphy has definitely been wondering where all of his friends and admirers have gone since then!
At first, the coronavirus seemed like every other news headline: real, but distant. We’d hear about how it affected others, we’d talk about it in the hallways, but none of us believed we would actually feel the effects ourselves; that our lives would be directly impacted.
The Bedford Citizen, in accordance with our Breaking News Policy that was put in place last fall and posted on our website, is closely monitoring all aspects of rapidly developing events in Bedford regarding COVID-19.
We are focused on publishing reliable information that is fact-based and cross-checked with officially designated agencies and departments at the federal, state, and local levels. This includes, but is not limited to, the federal Center for Disease Control (CDC), Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the Bedford Board of Health, Selectmen, Town Manager, School Committee, and the ad-hoc Town/School COVID-19 Task Force. (Task Force members are Sarah Stanton, Town Manager; Jon Sills, Superintendent of Schools; Heidi Porter, Director of Health and Human Services; David Grunes, Fire Chief; Robert Bongiorno, Police Chief; and Taissir Alani, Director of Town/School Facilities.)
The Dollars for Scholars 55th annual Phone-a-thon contacted Bedford and Hanscom community residents who pledged almost $32,000 according to chairpersons Alma Pomponi and Scott Dyer. Projected donations are expected to exceed $55,000.
Among Bedford TV’s strongest volunteers are its youngest.
Thanks to Ralph Hammond and the Rotary Club of Bedford’s BRIC program that earns community service points for elementary and middle school students who serve as tech support for local access programs as well as creating their own content for the station.
If you cannot remember what it was or is like to be 12 years old, please meet Ariel Grossman, a 12-year-old creative, serious-minded Bedford middle school student, active in a variety of extracurricular activities, and a successful entrepreneur who produces and markets photo and video montages.
Ariel has a true passion for her work and enjoys being able to provide a professional and affordable product for her clients. She developed an entrepreneurial interest at an early age, cutting her teeth on lemonade stands and selling Girl Scout cookies. In 2018 a discussion with her mother regarding a montage for her future bat mitzvah led her to the decision that she would be the ideal person to develop her own montage for her upcoming 2020 celebration. As a result, Montages by Ariel was born.
Snuggly and fuzzy friends from all over Bedford gathered on Thursday afternoon for a sleepover in the Children’s Room at the Bedford Free Public Library.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church celebrated Scout Sunday on February 2. Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Cub Scouts took part in every aspect of the service, and senior Girl Scout Joleen Ricci delivered the sermon. In it, Ricci spoke of her 13-year experience as a Girl Scout, beginning as a 5-year-old Daisy.
Editor’s Note: If you’re watching the Oscars on Sunday night, pay special attention to Little Women, the film on this year’s list with the strongest connections to Bedford!
In 2018, the Columbia Pictures film Little Women, directed by Greta Gerwig, was shot on location in the Boston area. The Oscar-nominated film was released on Christmas Day 2019 and is up for 6 Oscar awards at the 92nd Annual Oscar Awards on Sunday, February 9. The film has many local ties, including 3 local actors who enjoyed being extras in the production that features major Hollywood stars.
On Growing Up, the Art Steering Committee’s current show at the Bedford Free Public Library was curated by Bedford photographer Astrid Reischwitz. The exhibit features photographs by a pair of accomplished artists. Suzanne Révy and Tira Khan each photographed her children – Révy’s sons and Khan’s daughters.
Révy and Khan will lead visitors through the show and talk about their work during an artists’ reception in the library from 4 to 5 pm on Sunday afternoon, February 9.
This past fall while traveling out west mostly in Arizona and New Mexico, my husband and I traveled to Page, AZ to visit Antelope Canyon. This slot canyon was discovered a few years ago after a local farmer supposedly lost his cows and found them in this amazingly beautiful smooth-sided, red-walled canyon a few miles outside Page. It was on Navaho land and made famous by photographers who flocked there for the amazing light and color phenomenon of both the upper canyon and its more rigorous lower canyon. The Navahos give regular tours of both canyons and are very accommodating to tourists seeking good photographs of this spectacular place.
Protests. Marches. Strikes. Walk-Outs. The impact of young people on the direction of climate change proposals has been monumental. However, their voices represent a mere fraction of Generation Z. While most Gen Z’ers do indeed agree on the need for change to preserve our beautiful world, opinions differ as to exactly what changes are needed and who should be involved in implementing them. The majority of Americans recognize the dangers that climate change confronts our country with, so there is overwhelming support to take action to prevent further damage. Despite the polarizing political sphere in today’s world, climate change is a unique issue on which many people agree that something must be done. However, a significant divergence in approach becomes apparent as we discuss possible solutions to the looming effects of climate change.
Out for a casual stroll or something a tad more invigorating? Maybe there’s an urge to experience an afternoon nature walk?
For sure, one doesn’t need to search too far in and around Bedford for a suitable trail.
Thanks to the teamwork of the Department of Public Works and the Bedford Trails Committee, there are more than 30 miles of public walking paths. These trails often snake through conservation areas as well as municipal and private properties.
Over the past few weeks, social media has carried multiple posts about coyotes, and more recently on January 7, about a possible mountain lion.
A Facebook discussion was begun by Erin Campbell on Tuesday morning. “A large tan cat-like animal with a long tail ran across the road [at Middlesex Community College] …. bigger than our golden retriever, and it really looked like a long muscular cat…. ” wrote Campbell.
“Come one, come all, to the costume ball!” read the announcement for Thursday morning’s storytime party on the Bedford Free Public Library’s web site.
Librarians Ms. Bethany and Ms. Elaine promised to dress up (they came as Snow White and a dandy Ladybug) and to host silly games, singing, and dancing.
Who was there? Grandparents, mamas, caregivers and lots of ‘littles.’
On Growing Up, a new show with work by Tira Khan and Suzanne Revy will be on display in the gallery at the Bedford Free Public Library, 7 Mudge Way, through March 11, 2019.
Please join an artist-led Gallery Walk and reception from 4 to 5 pm on Sunday, February 9.
An award-winning Cape Cod artist and instructor with local Bedford roots, Kim Cleghorn Rumberger has been painting, beading, and making jewelry for as long as she can remember.
Bedford residents Maureen Oates and Janet Powers are lifelong environmentally conscious people. Their childhoods featured regular outdoor life – Oates at the beaches and in the forests of San Diego county and Powers with summers in the Adirondacks. Oates, a high school biology teacher who became involved in environmental education projects in the 1970s, worked with both science and social studies teachers at all grade levels and was for seven years the Director of Education for Maine Audubon Society before her retirement.
Please welcome back a former “Voice”, Brooke Shamon, who graduated last June with the BHS Class of 2019. Several of her submissions last year spoke about the college application process and her mixed emotions around graduating and leaving Bedford. Brooke is now settling into her freshman year at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York and offers this reflection as she prepares for her return to Bedford for Thanksgiving break.
November has been recognized as Substance Abuse Awareness Month in Bedford since 1998.
The month serves to enhance community awareness of alcohol, tobacco and other drug problems that may exist among children, adolescents and adults.
Each year the Veterans Administration’s Veterans Day National Committee chooses a commemorative poster, selected from artwork submitted by artists nationwide. It is distributed to VA facilities and military installations around the world, across cities and towns in our nation. It also serves as the cover for the official program of the Veterans Day Observance at Arlington National Cemetery.
This year’s official Veterans Day poster was submitted by Teresa Harrington, a Voluntary Service Activity Assistant at Bedford VA, to honor all Veterans, especially her late father, WWII Combat Veteran James M. Battcock.
It’s bulb planting season! Time to think about what types of flowers you want to see in your garden after a long, cold winter.
Looking back, and looking ahead ~ bits of news you’ll want to know about.