The Wrentham Times

Yoga Studio to Open this Weekend

When Lauren D’Angelo and her husband, Wrentham native Chris Cocuzzo, saw the space formally occupied by Performance Pilates and Yoga they knew they had found the perfect spot for their Humble Warrior Yoga studio. “When we walked into 15 Franklin St., we really liked the character it had,” D’Angelo explained. “It felt like a really good space to build a community. We wanted a space where people of all ages and all levels can come and practice yoga.”

(Pictured: D'Angelo in the new Humble Warrior Yoga studio.)

Community is an important concept to D’Angelo. She plans to bring in different yoga experts and instructors in an effort to build a community around the practice, exercise and lifestyle of yoga. That’s why the initial classes will be geared primarily towards the beginner with a few intermediate sessions offered. “There will be a lot of beginner classes because we want to grow with our community,” D’Angelo says.

D’Angelo has 100 hour certification with Baron Baptise. She is currently studying with Chanel Luck and Bonnie Argo and will  have 300 hour certification through Radiant Yoga. She plans to have  between eight and twelve different instructors to start and the studio will offer a few different variations of yoga. In addition to beginner  classes, there will be relax and renew sessions offered primarily on the weekends and in the evening. D’Angelo says this is important particularly around the holidays. Heated flow classes will also be offered. “Yoga is not just about exercise,” she says. “It’s a way of life and that’s what we’re hoping to build here."

The grand opening is scheduled for Saturday. Free yoga classes will be offered from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m and 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Humble Warrior Yoga studio is located in Cook’s Hall, 15 Franklin Street, Wrentham.

KP Falls to Duxbury in Its First MIAA Playoff Game

The King Philip Warriors fell to undefeated Duxbury High School in the school's first MIAA playoff game. The final score was 7-0.

KP Music Program Bottle and Can Trailer Being Renovated

On November 30th and December 3rd, there will be special bottle and can drives to help fund a Norfolk Eagle Scout service project. Peter Boudreau has selected the renovation of the bottle and can collection trailer at the Norfolk Transfer Station as his community service project, a requirement to earning the rank of Eagle Scout. The trailer has been suffering a slow demise with a leaking roof,rotting windows, door, and floor, making it hazardous to the people that work in it. With the help of volunteers and generous donations, Boudreau has been repairing the trailer by replacing its floor and installing a new door and windows.

There is still work to be done and donations are needed. The special collections will go towards the final repairs and paint to finish the renovations. Just drop off redeemable bottles and cans (plastic, aluminum, and glass) at the trailer on that day to contribute to the project.

The trailer, run by the King Philip Music Association, is used to raise funds for the award winning music program. Boudreau, a member of the music program, is doing his part to boost recycling in the area and promote a great program.

The Transfer Station is open from 9:30-5 on Wednesday and 8-4 on Saturday.  The trailer is to the left as you enter and is always open during regular station hours. A transfer station decal is not necessary to make donations. Bottles and cans may also be dropped off in Wrentham at the garage behind King Philip Regional High School and in Plainville at the new Wood School.

 

Caption 1: The can and bottle trailer at the Norfolk Transfer Station is receiving much needed repairs from Peter Boudreau, a Norfolk Boy Scout.

Holiday Events Planned

The Wrentham Cultural Council is holding a Holiday Open House on December 4th, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., at the Old Fiske Library. Entitled, Holiday Traditions in Different Cultures the event is a great opportunity to work on holiday themed craft projects for adults and kids including gingerbread pins, jingle bells, origami and note cards. There will be holiday displays centered on musical instruments, books, and ornaments. The Sohanno Garden Club will provide decorations and there will be luminaria outside. For those interested in music there will be sing-along’s with lyrics projected and handouts. A reading of the Christmas classic Twas the Night Before Christmas is also planned. Refreshments will be served. Volunteers are welcome to help at the event.

(Pictured: A festive crowd gathers as the Town Common goes from dark to light for the Holidays. Wrentham Tree Lighting was Sunday night. Photo by Jackie Gately.)

Wrentham Downtown Merchant Association has once again invited the man in red to the center of Wrentham for the annual Santa Stroll. He will take pictures with children on December 10th and December 17th from 11:00 a.m, to 2:00 p.m. Participating businesses will put out balloons.

On Saturday, December 3rd from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Sohoanno Garden Club of Wrentham is holding a workshop called Holiday Table Arrangements at the Fiske Public Library. This is an instructional workshop, open to the public. Participants will create a beautiful arrangement for this holiday season. The workshop cost is $20, with part of the proceeds benefiting the Fiske Public Library. All instruction and materials will be provided. Participants are asked to bring their own hand clippers or flower cutters.  Additional arrangements will also be available for purchase. For more information, please contact SohoannoGardenClub@yahoo.com or 508-384-1190.

The folks at the Proctor Mansion also invite people to stop by for their Victorian Holiday Tea on December 3rd which starts at 2:00 p.m. The Victorian Christmas Carolers will perform. Seating is limited. Call 781-718-5041 to make a reservation.

 

Happy Thanksgiving

"Turkeys linger in the misty morning on Beech Street."

Photo by Jackie Gately.

Wrentham Troop Takes Top Honors at Fall Camporee

Wrentham Boy Scout Troop 131 took home the top prize at the annual Seven Rivers District Fall Camporee. The Wrentham scouts squared off against 10 other troops from the surrounding area in a series of challenges similar to the ones found on the TV show Survivor. The challenges were designed to test the scouts mental agility, physical fitness, and wilderness skills. 

The scouts from Troop 131 had the best overall combined scores for the entire competition which landed them in the final rounds.  The three highest scoring troops participated in a large scale (big cards on the ground) memory card game, like the one frequently seen on the Survivor.  In front of all the competing scouts, both Troop 131 and Troop 44 from Walpole advanced to the final competition. It was in this last challenge that Troop 131 sealed their victory. The task called for each troop to build a fire out of given materials. The first troop to build a fire large enough to burn through a ¾" rope stretched three feet above the ground would win. The scouts of Troop 131 quickly started a fire and burned through the rope that dropped a weight raising their troop flag sealing the victory. As their reward, the Troop 131 scouts received the "Golden Tiki Torch" and the Blue Ribbon for the event.

Troop 131 also won for Best Dutch Oven Food cooking. The scouts created a chicken pot pie which earned a cook-off "Idol" award. Other challenges that took place over the weekend included archery, a First Aid competition where scouts competed in a relay that required the creation of a wilderness stretcher and then the transportation of a patient. The scout's knowledge of edible and poisonous plant was tested, as well as survival shelter building. Troop 131 continues to be active and busy. At its Fall Court of Honor, where scouts are awarded their merit badges and rank advancements, the boys in the troop received 178 merit badges and 15 scouts advanced in rank.

BSA has opportunities for boys from first grade to age 18, and they welcome new attendees at anytime of the year.  You can go to BeAScout.org for more information on local scouting organizations, or contact Alan Plantamura alan.plantamura@verizon.net for more information on Troop 131.

Irish Tenor to Performance Christmas Concert

Karl Scully has performed around the world on some of its most famous stages including Lincoln Center, the Teatro Mancinelli in Italy, as well as the Wolf Trap in Virginia and the Mann Center in Philadelphia. This December he will perform in a smaller, more intimate setting, but one that is familiar to famed Irish singers. Scully will be the second member of the Irish Tenors to sing at St. Mary’s, Wrentham. The first was Anthony Kearns back in August, 2009.

Scully, born in Limerick, Ireland, will perform a concert of Christmas music along with classical pieces, Broadway tunes, and a few songs that connect to Ireland. “Classical music is a funny one. A lot of people think of classical music as boring and stilted and elitist,” Scully explains. "It really isn’t like that at all."

According to Scully the concert is more of an experience between the audience and him. "I always make sure that my concerts are as engaging and as fun as possible," he says. "We are all in this concert together."

The centerpiece to the performance is Scully’s voice, a gift that has defined the course of his life. "If you can sing, you can’t help but be involved in music," he says. "You have to do it. It’s part of who you are."

There was a time that the voice didn’t feel like a gift, and he lost all interest in music. He stopped singing for three years. "I didn’t even hum in the shower," Scully recalls. There was pressure to make something of his life simply because he had an incredible voice. "I actually became quite disillusioned with singing. There was pressure to make something of this wonderful instrument. I felt like I didn’t have a choice," he explains.

But ignoring his talent was taking a toll on him and he felt like he couldn’t breathe. All that changed with the encouragement of a friend’s mother who wanted him to perform on an Irish television show looking for the next great classical performer. "The show was a precursor to X Factor and America’s Got Talent," Scully says. "After three years of not singing a note, I got to the finals."

While he didn’t win, the experience rekindled his love for singing and he never looked back. His career has taken him all over the world performing. He spent two years in Italy working at the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa. After returning to Ireland, he received a call from Kearns. The Irish Tenors were auditioning, and they wanted Scully to come in on the last day of their search. Kearns was aware of Scully through a connection with Veronica Dunn, a well- known Irish classical music teacher. "I arrived at the audition and the accompanist was gone and I had to sing a cappella," Scully says. "Needless to say, I got it and we kind of clicked straight away. It was kind of history from there on in."

In addition to performing, Scully is currently enrolled in a Master of Music program at the Manhattan School of Music. He will be there until July and continue to perform around the world.

The performance is a fundraiser for St. Mary’s Parish in Wrentham and seems to have the makings of a new tradition of having Irish Tenors perform at the church. "I don't know if it's a tradition, but they are willing to come and perform and for that I am grateful," says Fr. Chip Hines, pastor of St. Mary’s.

The performance is Thursday, December 22, 7:30 pm, at St. Mary’s Church, 130 South Street, Wrentham. Tickets are $45 and $65 for a special meet and greet after the concert.Tickets may be purchased online or call St. Mary’s Parish at 508-384-3373.

Photo: Irish Tenor Karl Scully in performance. Photo by Sue Owen.

KP Chiefs Build on Success

The 2011 season has been another remarkable year for KP Pop Warner Football. On Saturday four teams will play in the Hockomock League Super Bowls in their respective divisions and this year appears to be a continuation of last year’s success which ended with two teams traveling to Florida to compete in the Pop Warner National Championships. The reason for the wins on the gridiron is the result of years of hard work by coaches and players according to Mike Lilley, president of KP Pop Warner Football.  “I wish I could tell you there was a secret formula behind the success, but it really comes down to good old fashioned hard work,” he says. “The seeds were planted a long time ago by many selfless coaches who cultivated a sense of pride in the program. It’s that pride that makes both coaches and players want to work a little bit harder.” (Pictured: KP Chief Matthew Narewski #5, of the Pee Wee team, takes the ball in for a TD in the first half semi-final against Foxboro last Sunday.)

The program is seeing success at all levels. The Super Bowl games on Saturday will include teams at Midget, Junior Midget, Pee Wee and Junior Pee Wee levels.  Over the years, the program has gone from one Super Bowl team to two teams and now to four. “The success feeds on itself because everyone sees what is achievable by working that much harder,” says Lilley. (Pictured: Andrew Sprague #57, and the offensive line open holes in the Foxboro line.)

The Junior Midget team is led by head coach John Deluca, with assistant coaches Mike Mazur, Craig Herson and Steve Eaton. According to Eaton, the kids have been motivated all year starting with hot summer practices. “The boys have worked hard since the first week of August to return to the Super Bowl,” he says. Many on his team have been together for five and six years and most have had three appearances in the Hockomock Super Bowls winning two as Junior Pee Wees and one last year as a Pee Wee team. That team also won the New England Regional Championship. Last season the Junior Midget team also won the New England Regional Championship.

Eaton points out that the work done in the program isn’t just about football. There is an emphasis on sportsmanship, integrity, and camaraderie. An example of this was seen last season when they competed in the National Championship game in Florida. While the team didn’t come home with the victory, it was recognized for its character. “The coaches are very proud of the games won, but we were especially proud of the team winning the 'Sportsmanship Award',” Eaton says. “To me, that speaks more than game trophies. I am hopeful that the kids look back when they are older and think of their King Philip Chiefs football days with the fondest of memories.”

KP Pop Warner Football is completely run by volunteers providing for children from Wrentham and Plainville and the dedication to the program is what keeps it going. "We have coaches with no kids in the program who give hundreds of hours of their time," explains Lilley. "We have parents whose children are now playing in high school that come back to games to cheer the teams on, and we have a community that rallies around us like they did last year when we sent two teams to Florida to compete in the National Championship."

To get to the Super Bowl, the Midget and Jr. Midget teams both had byes through the semi-finals where they faced Sandwich and Foxboro, respectively. The Pee Wee team had to defeat Stoughton and then Foxboro in the playoffs, while the Jr. Pee Wee team had to defeat North Attleboro and Foxboro. The playoffs followed a nine game regular season.

All the Super Bowl Games are at Community Field in North Attleboro. The first game is at 9 a.m. where the Jr. Pee Wee team will square off against North Attleboro. The Pee Wee team will face Westwood at 10:45 a.m. The Midget team will go against Brockton at 12:30 p.m. and the Jr. Midget team's game is at 2:15 versus Stoughton. There is an admission charge at the gates. (Pictured: Ryan McCoombs #1, catches a pass for a long gain against Foxboro.)

(Photos courtesy of Doug Sprague, Gemini Photo Events)

 

Flamingos Return to Help KP Hockey

The streets of Wrentham, Norfolk and Plainville will be a little brighter over the next few weeks, as the pink flamingos have come back to “flock” the community. The King Philip High School Boys’ Hockey Program began this fundraiser last year and it received a tremendous positive response. Much like “ghosting”, the team places the pink birds at homes of local residents for one night with the hopes that they will make a $20 donation to the program. The three flocks, wearing their KP colored scarves, “fly” to a different home each night over the course of several weeks. As an added bonus this year, the sponsor will receive a free ticket to a home game. The monies raised are used to supplement the King Philip High School Boys’ Hockey Program. Please contact Darcia Jensen at508-838-4378 if you would like to make a donation or a flocking request.

 

 

Volunteers of the Year Named

Wrentham residents received Volunteer of the Year awards from the Board of Selectmen at the November Town Meeting. Patricia Fogg received the 2011 Wrentham Volunteer of the Year award for her decades of service caring for Birchwold Farm Conservation Area, while Samantha McPhee and Eddie Cullinane won the 2011 Youth Volunteers of the Year for their work with special needs students at King Philip Regional Middle School.

Almost every day for the past 26 years, Fogg and her husband David have maintained the trails on Birchwold Farm. They hit the trails and clip branches, rake the ground, and at times cut trees. Recently, they’ve been taking their newly rescued copper nose beagle, Mazzie.

Fogg spends her time caring for the land out of a love of the outdoors and a desire to protect it for future generations. “I really enjoy doing this work out there,” Fogg says. “I think my husband and I will do this for as long as we can. The outdoors, animals, it makes my day.”

Fogg also invites people to help her out in her work. “I do encourage people to bring clippers as they walk the trails,” she says. “I can use all the help I can get to keep the trails open. When I walk the dog, I have clippers in one hand and the dog’s leash in the other hand.”

Last year, as eighth graders, McPhee and Cullinane participated in the Peer Mentoring Program at the King Philip Middle School where they worked in an adapted physical education class specifically for special education students. “I really enjoy the work,” McPhee says. “I’ve become close with the students. I understand them and they understand me.”

Cullinane says he was very honored to receive the award and that he loved the work as well. The experience has opened his eyes to a potential career. “After doing the mentoring program, I’m thinking about becoming a special education teacher,” he says.

 The three volunteers received certificates highlighting their service and they will also receive gifts from Wrentham merchants.