May 24, 2020 ~ Building East Bridgewater Community One Positive Story at a Time
Congratulations to Short Story Contest Winner Rob Sturdevant.
Read his entry below. It's a treat! We are very grateful to all our writers and the 22 submissions will definitely be appearing in the BuzzAround's 8 weekly publications. Sharing good news is what we do... making and writing good news is what you do! We make a great team! : ) Jacquie
This morning I awoke to find a text from a friend containing a word puzzle. You remember the kind, the word, SAND inside a square: SANDBOX, and so on. There were 24 of them. I figured most of them out and replied. Then I forwarded it to my family. Later some of us announced things like, “I just got number 11! Off-level!”
I hadn’t seen this kind of puzzle in as long as I could remember. But they were pretty common back 40 years ago, or so, when I was growing up. You’d see them in places like the newest edition of Reader’s Digest brought home from a weekly trip to the grocery store or Parade Magazine in the Sunday paper, when parents would languidly wile away the morning carefully reading each section, page by page and kids would sprawl out on the living room floor to see what The Peanuts Gang was up to or what misfortune Dagwood was encountering. Read More: Contest Winner Robert Sturtevant
Barred Owl Spotted At Sachem Rock Farm
A Barred Owl was spotted resting in a tree at Sachem Rock Farm by plotholder Shauna Cannon.

She captured this picture of the bird in the morning on May 16th.

Historical Tidbit:

Colonial Firefighters

Colonial Massachusetts leads the way in our nation's history regarding fire prevention and fighting fires. Early Boston was greatly affected by fire. Governor Winslow had made the first steps in fire prevention by outlawing wooden chimneys and thatched roofs in 1631. After two major fires in 1653 and 1676, Boston created its first paid municipal fire department.

Organized on January 27 th  1678, Thomas Atkins was named the first Fire Chief with twelve assistants. At the same time, a "state of the art" Fire Engine was imported from England.  This fire engine was basically a rectangular wooden box with carrying handles at each end and direct force pump which pushed water into a small fire hose. The tub-like section of the engine was kept full by the bucket brigade. Naturally, never missing a chance for an inventive idea, Ben Franklin organized the first volunteer fire department, called the Union Fire Company in 1736 with thirty men. Other companies were also formed, with names such as The Fellowship, Hand-in-Hand, Heart-in-Hand and Friendship Company. Is there any wonder why Firefighters continue to set the standards regarding community, volunteering, compassion and sacrifice.
 
Information from:   my.firefighternation.com
52 Weeks Logo & Link Ad in 1 Hive

For $99 / each month, your Logo & Link ad is in 1 Buzz Around town e-newsletter each week. Ad rotates monthly between Bridgewater, Brockton, East Bridgewater, Halifax, Raynham, West Bridgewater & Whitman. 1 year contract commitment

Read more
buzzaround.info
Town Hall
175 Central St
508-378-1601
Email & Phone contact only
Check the town website for important updates

E. Bridgewater Public Library
32 Union St 508-378-1616
Email & phone contact only

Council on Aging 
355 Plymouth St 508-378-1610
Email & phone contact only
COA

Food Pantries
Union Congregational Church
105 Pleasant St
2nd Wednesday from 12:30p - 2:00p and last Saturday from 9:30a - 11:00a
Pre-Packed bags for pick up only

St Vincent dePaul Food Pantry
St. John's Catholic Church
210 Center St, EB
(508) 378-3760
Distribution 1st & 3rd Monday of Each Month
Pre-packed bags for pick up only
Congratulations!
Rick Barry
 won a
One Free Embodyment® Yoga at Bliss Through Yoga to be used after the reopening.
Located at Physical Therapy U
75 Scotland Blvd, Bridgewater.

You should play our
Historical Tidbit Trivia Game
at the bottom of this newsletter.

You could win a
Jump Start Training Package including nutrition consultation & 6 free sessions from
Get In Shape For Women ($279 value) at 180 Winter St, Bridgewater for when they reopen.
A Thank You to Health Care Workers
All 14 New World Gas Station locations
Monday, May 25th
New World Gas would like to thank all Healthcare Professionals by offering free fuel. We truly appreciate your tireless effort in supporting the community! Please accept this as a token of our appreciation for everything you do.
Doctors, nurses, paramedics, medical assistants, supporting staff need to arrive with work ID showing place of employment.
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New Flags Mark EB Veteran's Gravesites.

The Patriotic Activities Committee, Veteran Service Officer Chris Buckley, Veterans and many Patriotic volunteers spent the last week and finishing today (Sat 5/23) the replacement of all the worn flags with fresh new flags on all the graves and war memorials.

Thank you to all who helped in this task during these times. We couldn’t be successful without you all.

If we missed a Veterans grave please reach out to us at ebpac96@gmail.com or the VSO Chris Buckley. We will get a flag on their grave.
Dale Julius Returns Home to Recuperate
Selectwoman Carole Julius shares their family journey: " Dale and I went to Boston yesterday (May 19) (thanks to Jessica Julius for borrowing a van to drive us in) for an appointment with his surgeon at BMC. His leg is healing right on schedule and the doctors were very happy with how it looks. We were relieved and encouraged to get this news! Physical therapy starts officially tomorrow but I'm already seeing Dale make huge leaps in his ability to get around and establish his independence. Here's a blog post about his homecoming in case you missed it:"
The World Is Right Again

I can only start this post with three words: Dale is home. On Friday I was in despair, full of self pity and missing our Friday night routine. I think it felt even worse because it was a beautiful ...

Read more
caroleknits.net
Stay home and dress up your gardens!
Order your mulch online today!
We have wood pellets, feed & grain and
we're open for essential items!

Please call with your order and drive up.


 1000 Plymouth St (Rt 104) Bridgewater 
(508) 697-0357

A Great Big THANK YOU
A group of E. Bridgewater neighbors took it upon themselves to raise funds while having safe-distance fun. Thanks for thinking of the E. Bridgewater Emergency Food Pantry. We are very grateful for your generosity.

Seven Strategies That Work Together to help us return to Profitability
MetroSouth Chamber of Commerce Zoom
Thursday, May 28th
12:00p
Join us for this very interactive discussion with other business owners to discuss best practices on the seven 7 essential building blocks for every business that work together to help control the results of the business and return us to profitability. Now more than ever we need to be planning for what will hopefully be a big bounce. Be sure your business doesn’t make a big thud!

Do you know by making modest improvements across critical areas of your business you can achieve major improvements in your profits?

Would you like to have a better understanding of marketing and sales fundamentals that will help you with your day-to-day business needs? In this program, PBC, Inc. presenter Bernhard Heine will show you how to measure and improve each of the 7 areas in your business and how by making small incremental improvements in your business, you will see an increase in profits, and help us get through this terrible crisis. Register Here

As an added bonus, all registered attendees will receive a FREE Everything DiSC Management assessment. ($120 value)!
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Annual Town Election Updates
The Annual Town Election will be on June 6th.

Absentee Ballots or Early Ballots are now available.

The following offices appear on 2020 ballot:
One - Moderator (3yrs)
One - Board of Selectmen (3yrs)
One - Assessor (3yrs)
Two - School Committee (3yrs)
One Housing Authorty (5yrs)
Two - Library Trustees (3yrs)
One - Board of Health
Three - Planning Board (3yrs)
.
Last day to register to vote at Town Election is  Wednesday, May 27th - click here to check your voter status.

Click here for Absentee Ballot Application.
Click here for Early Ballot Application.

Mail completed applications to: Town Clerk 
PO Box 387 East Bridgewater, MA 02333

Voting Location: Jr/Sr High School Gymnasium 143 Plymouth Street
Now offering Disinfectant Fogging & HEPA Vacuuming Services!

 As small businesses start to return to work, HEPA vacuuming is an effective way to take the cleaning and sanitation precautions necessary for a safe environment.
Starting June 6th the Recycle Center will go back to the usual schedule of the 1st and 3rd Saturdays from 8:00a - 12:45p with no hours on Wednesdays.

The following Guidelines MUST be observed:
•Appropriate social distancing shall be maintained at all times.
•Please remain in your vehicle until entering the Drop Off Area.
•Face masks/covering and gloves must be worn at all times when outside of vehicle.
•No more than 2 vehicles will be allowed in the drop off area at any time.
•Residents must unload their own vehicle-Staff is for directions only.
•No loitering.
•The removal of any items from the Recycling Center is prohibited.
Get in Shape for Women in Bridgewater
 We will be open on June 1st - Its time to get back into shape post-quarantine!

Until then, follow us on Facebook for daily home workouts!

30% off any three month or more membership for essential workers THANK YOU!!!

180 Winter St., Bridgewater 
(across from Chatta Box)
  Contact Stephanie at 508-697-2900   
Email us:  getinshapeforwomen
Dance Theater of New England
Storytime w/ Anne from the EBPL

Anne's back early today with a special treat for our preschool friends! Listen to 2 stories: A Good Day, by Kevin Henkes and Sleepy Bird by Jeremy Tankard. Thank you HarperCollins Publishers and Scholastic Publishing for permission...

Read more
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Witness: Pandemic 2020
We are experiencing an historic event – a global pandemic of huge proportions. COVID19 is a most unwelcome visitor.
The OLD BRIDGEWATER HISTORICAL SOCIETY invites you to bear witness to the chaos around us. We are soliciting essays, poems, photographs, drawings, etc. – for collection, organization and preservation. We may publish your submission online and/or on social media.
Your submission should relate to the pandemic and how it affects you. What are you doing to stay sane? What’s happening around you? How do you think the pandemic will change things, in our town or around the world?
This is not a contest. This is history.
Rules: You should be a member of OBHS or have a connection to one of the “Old” Bridgewater towns (East Bridgewater, West Bridgewater, Bridgewater, Brockton).
Children and teens are also invited to participate.
Please: Keep your essay or poem to one typed page.
No profanity (although mild profanity may be overlooked.)
Avoid politics.
Please join us in this project!
Submissions should be sent electronically to:
EB Hope Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition
EB Hope is part of a regional coalition with the Brockton Area Prevention Collaborative. EB Hope's mission is t o proactively provide a safe gateway to substance use information, resources, support and hope for individuals and their loved ones, as well as promoting awareness and education in partnership with the COMMUNITY-AT-LARGE!

“In today’s policing, we are confronted with many new challenges that have never fallen on departments before. It is encouraging to see and know that our local work helps departments nationwide. The East Bridgewater Police Department will continue to work with all those involved in EB HOPE to focus on the needs of our community and help residents in need recover from their addiction.”
-East Bridgewater Police Chief Scott Allen

Two digital billboards went live on the morning of Monday, May 11th on Route 24 at Exit 17 in Brockton. The billboards, created by the Brockton Area Prevention Collaborative, promote connection and resiliency with hopes to encourage anyone who is struggling to reach out and ask for help during this challenging time. The art will be displayed on each side of the billboard and will be visible to both north and southbound traffic on Rt. 24 through the first week in July.

To learn more about the work being done in your community around substance use prevention, please visit EB HOPE's website at  ebhopes.net . Or find us on Facebook @EBsHope and on Instagram @ebhope_ .
PINCHES AND POUNDS
  We take phone & online orders
for your convenience!


Open everyday
12 - 5p

Order online and get a free gift certificate for a future purchase! Receive $10 gift certificate for a future purchase when you spend $50 or more online.

785 Bedford St, Rt 18
Whitman
(781) 447-2639

Online orders!
GRANTS RENTAL
Grant's sends out support & care to all of our communities.
We're all in this together.

10 Bedford Park, Bridgewater
 (508) 279-0950

Good News From East Bridgewater: Story Share by Lisa Rue
I will call him Zeke.
He has a tremendous spirit.
Zeke loves to tell jokes (He has a joke book),
Works diligently at practicing his letters, words and numbers
(We practiced word searches together - elbow to elbow, “Help me” he would say when stumped),
And patiently resharpened many colored pencils that we used for detailed coloring sheets.

Zeke loved to hoard the basketball when at the court with his housemates and me,
But always shared when asked, each of them taking turns to shoot at the hoop.
They were good!

Zeke started hanging to the side of the court on those two bright sunny mornings a couple of weeks ago. His energy was lower, though he still had a smile on his face, and would ‘step up’ to do whatever was asked of him, and always loved engaging with other people.
Zeke is a chatty fella!

We’ve all been taking our temperatures as we arrive to work at the group home there, and the
temps of the residents.
This is the home I’ve been ‘dispatched’ to since the Day Hab I work at was closed March 16th.

(It’s been an adjustment for everyone. The residents were used to going to different work and day programs during the week. And they usually visit with family and/or friends outside of the house.
So we have found activities to do together there, with masks and gloves on: yoga, sign language, music, movies, meals, walks around the block, basketball, and reminding everyone about what and why this is happening, and what to do for the sake of our health.)

Zeke came down with a fever,
Then it got better.
Then it got much worse (103 point-something).
He was quarantined in his room, and went for a Co-Vid19 test.
That night I prayed for him.
He’s the type of person that will leave a huge hole when he leaves this mortal realm,
And his 60+ age puts him at an increased risk.

The next day I went to the open window at his room where masked and gloved staff had been visiting him:
(An interior window for each of the nine rooms, which are individually painted with colorful walls; The place is bright and cheery; The building used to be a rectory. The parents of one of the residents were married there!)

I couldn’t help but notice Zeke’s extensive record collection by the window - each carefully encased in protective plastic cases.
‘Wow! Look at all of your albums!’ I say. ‘Can you play something?’
He chose the Beatles. I suggested one song, but he played another.

It’s hard to put into words the joyful spirit that was shared between us as
“All Together Now” rang out through the second floor of the house for that song,
with him behind the open window in his room, and me out in a hallway living space.

He sang! I sang!
I danced! He danced!
I clapped rhythms and he clapped along.
When I forgot the words, I made them up; and so did Zeke.
He beamed and spun behind the open window with its rows of albums.

The music completely transcended the gravity of the times, and we were gladly lost in it.

When the song was over, I thanked him for sharing his album and the song of the Beatles, wished him well, and said that I would see him soon.

(I ended up having to buy groceries for another group home the following day, Friday.
FYI, I did not go inside - but left the groceries on the porch, where staff then came out to get it all.)

On Sunday afternoon - Easter, I received a call that Zeke had tested positive for Co-Vid19, and I was quarantined, myself, for two weeks - while also sent to be tested at a local hospital.

The Good News Is

Zeke has been symptom free as of the Friday before Easter -

Which was the day after our late afternoon song together.

His spirit lives on in this mortal realm for the time being,
I am all ver-klempt,
And can’t wait to see him again.
WEEKLY TRIVIA GAME  

Have fun with us and bee entered to win a
Jump Start Training Package including nutrition consultation & 6 free sessions from Get In Shape For Women ($279 value) at 180 Winter St, Bridgewater for when they reopen.


  Historical Tidbit Question:
Who organized the first volunteer fire department?


Please submit your answer through our website here . It's easier for us to run more contests & distribute prizes this way.
We are looking forward to giving you more opportunities to win!


By entering, you give us permission to announce your name in next week's Buzz Around East Bridgewater.


On May 27, 2020 we will randomly pick a winner from the correct answers.
The Buzz Around is brought to you this week by: Jen Bellody, Theresa McNulty, Janice O'Brien, Jacquelyn Rose & Gregory Venezia
Gaining Inspiration

Dedication and self sacrifice for the greater good is embedded in our military families. We have them to thank, not only their sacrifice, but also passing on those traditional values to the next and future generations.

These learned values, deep in our culture, has allowed our leaders to call out "greater good" and we know our individual actions matter, we know we have to take action.

As hard as this pandemic has been, I have gained inspiration from our military personnel. They have sacrificed, giving themselves for the idea that there is a civilization we can create collectively that is worth it.

The idea that we can create a civilization where people are respected. A place where we care about each other and listen to each other, and basic human rights are a given. This democratic dream that we are together in.

There are many different ideas on how to get there, but the concept that it can exist is worth it to them to sacrifice their freedom for ours.
All I can say is "Thank You," and I try, each day, to honor your sacrifice by living a life that works toward that civilization. ~ Jacquie
Copyright 2020 Buzz Around East Bridgewater.  You have our permission to share and copy this issue in its entirety or as much as you like. If you take it in part, please give credit: ("Buzz Around East Bridgewater 5/24/20")

Disclaimer: At the Buzz Around, we promote community and family. Occasionally, there will be links to town committees and other non-profit groups, as a way of sharing local information. Individual groups are responsible for how they represent themselves on their websites and in their promotional materials.
The Buzz Around does not claim to support any particular view.