Plympton-Halifax-Kingston Express

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Rep. Kathy LaNatra grants for Kingston, Plympton, Duxbury, for safety, crime prevention, education

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State Representative Kathy LaNatra (D-Kingston) announced today that the police departments in the towns of Kingston, Plympton and Duxbury will receive federal law enforcement funding for highway safety, crime prevention and education initiatives.

 More than 160 law enforcement agencies will receive $7.8 million in federal grant funding made possible through the Edward J. Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Announcement of the grants, which will provide access to equipment and strengthen training, crime prevention and enforcement initiatives across the Commonwealth, was made in a statement by Governor Charlie Baker, Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito and Public Safety and Security Secretary Thomas Turco.

The following funds were awarded to departments within the 12th Plymouth District:

Kingston – $20,000 from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and  $40,000 from JAG for training and upgraded tasers

Duxbury – $34,687.85 from JAG for LIDAR radar technology, Cameras and Handheld Narcotics Analyzer

Plympton – $11,776 from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and- $19,783 from JAG for a message board, bulletproof vests and accessories

”I was thrilled to see Kingston, Plympton and Duxbury’s police departments within the 12th Plymouth District receive federal law enforcement funding,” said Representative LaNatra.

The JAG program is the leading source of criminal justice funding awarded by the Department of Justice to state and local jurisdictions. Local police departments, sheriffs, and the Municipal Police Training Committee (MPTC) received a combined $4.6 million in funding for several needs, including protective equipment and communications infrastructure.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provided $3.2 million to fund traffic enforcement campaigns, safety equipment, and non-enforcement activities by local police. All the initiatives contribute to reducing vehicle crashes and the resulting injuries and loss of life.

Coats4Vets in Halifax

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The Halifax Police Department, as well as many of the other police departments throughout the Commonwealth, participated in Coats4Vets on Tuesday, Dec. 8. The event is an annual initiative of the Massachusetts Military Support Foundation (MMSF) and is sponsored by Massachusetts State Police, Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, New England Patriots Foundation, Ocean State Job Lot, and Home Depot. Coats4Vets has distributed 34,500 coats to veterans since 2016.

This past Tuesday, various local law enforcement agencies traveled to Gillette Stadium to pick up 4,000 buckets that are each filled with coats, masks, hand sanitizer, and snacks. The buckets will be distributed throughout local communities. In addition to providing material support for the veterans, the hope is that law enforcement can make a connection with veterans as well and thank them for their service.

Veterans who are in need of these resources should contact their Veteran’s Agent .

Thanksgiving dinner delivered by firefighters

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It all began three years ago when the Plympton Firefighters were told that an elderly couple in Plympton were in a very difficult time and would not have a Thanksgiving meal.  Members of the Plympton Firefighters Association got together and made an amazing feast for the family.

The following two years didn’t find any specific needs, so the Plympton Firefighters Association sponsored a meal for the town’s senior citizens at the Upland Sportsman Club.

This year, because of the pandemic, they couldn’t provide an in-person dinner so the Association reached out to the Plympton seniors through their monthly newsletter and a robo call.  The Association received requests from 25 residents for a Thanksgiving meal.

There was turkey with all the fixin’s, including a dinner roll and dessert.   

They delivered the meals to grateful recipients Wednesday evening and Thursday afternoon.

courtesy photo by Plympton Firefighters Assn.

Town-wide COVID testing Dec. 5 and 6

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The Town of Halifax and the Accureference Medical lab will host a COVID-19 drive-thru testing clinic on Saturday, Dec. 5 and Sunday, Dec. 6 at the Halifax Town Hall, 499 Plymouth St. from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.

Everyone including non-Halifax residents, is welcome to participate whether they have health insurance or not. All participants must be at least one year old.

Bring your health insurance card (if applicable) and a government picture identification card such as a driver’s license along with a completed registration form that is available on the Town of Halifax web site – http://www.halifax-ma.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif4496/f/uploads/covid-19_req_form_halifax.pdf              All participants must remain in their vehicles at all times (this testing is available for drive-ups only; no walk-ins). All participants should leave adequate time to wait in line for testing and the length of the wait time depends on the number of participants. No appointments will be made.

The test will be the PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction)/Molecular test (the nasal swab test). Results will be available within 48-72 hours. Results will be obtained by accessing Accureference Medical Lab patient portal at https://results.accureference.com/patientportal/index.html – If you do not have access to the web site, you can call 877-733-4522.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health will be notified about all positive and negative test results. The Town will receive information about positive test results for residents of Halifax through the State›s MAVEN system.

Halifax Cultural Council accepting grant applications

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The Halifax Cultural Council is now accepting applications for the Council’s Fiscal Year 2021 grant cycle. All applications must be submitted to the Halifax Cultural Council, 499 Plymouth Street, Halifax, MA 02338 no later than Monday, Dec.14.

Grant applications and other information are available on the Council›s web site: http://www.halifax-ma.org/cultural-council
<http://www.halifax-ma.org/cultural-council> or applicants can apply on-line at https://www.mass-culture.org/Halifax <https://www.mass-culture.org/Halifax> (click on the “Apply Now” tab) –

This year, the Council’s priorities include an emphasis on events in Halifax, but not just in the “municipal center”, programs related to nature, science, environmental education and the Town’s history, programs for seniors, library patrons, people with disabilities, families, and teens, and programs involving artists and speakers from Halifax.

Applicants can obtain more information through the Halifax Board of Selectmen’s office at 781-294-1316.

Fontaine named to Bryant’s Senior Advisory Council

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SMITHFIELD, RI– Bryant University President Ross Gittell, Ph.D., is very proud to announce the 2020-21 members of the University’s Bryant Senior Advisory Council (BSAC).

In a year like no other, this distinguished group of students representing the Class of 2021, including Brandon Fontaine of Kingston will meet monthly with the President and members of his Cabinet to reflect and learn together during these unprecedented times for Bryant and for all of higher education.

The students will gain significant professional experience and exposure, and a deeper knowledge of their University, and the leadership team will benefit through this substantive forum by hearing the perspectives of those who, in many respects, know Bryant best.

In announcing the appointment of the BSAC members, President Gittell said, “During these challenging times and in the first year of my presidency, I have learned a lot about and from our students. I have been particularly impressed by their strong support of each other, and their commitment to their personal, academic and professional development and to our University.

“Their insights and perspectives, which we will receive through the Bryant Senior Advisory Council, will provide an invaluable resource as we plan for the University’s future.”

Around the Field

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Here is a look at how the Silver Lake High varsity sports teams fared last week.

Cross Country

The Lakers competed in the Patriot League championship meet on Wednesday, Nov. 11. Samantha Faherty won the race on the girls side (19:53.3).

Field Hockey

The Lakers picked up a win in the Patriot Cup tournament last week. They beat Hingham 1-0 on Saturday, Nov. 14. In their win, Haley Beatrice scored the goal, and goalie Allison Dahlen had nine saves for the Lakers.

Boys Golf

The Lakers did not compete last week.

Boys Soccer

The Lakers picked up a pair of wins in the Patriot Cup tournament last week, improving their record to 5-3-5 on the season. They started the week off with a 2-0 win over Quincy on Tuesday, Nov. 10 and two days later, they beat Plymouth South 2-0.

Girls Soccer

The Lakers competed thrice last week in the Patriot Cup. They picked up a pair of wins, but also a loss that marked the end of their season. They started the week off with a 5-1 win over Quincy on Monday, Nov. 9. Two days later, they bested Marshfield with a 1-0 win. However, they fell to Pembroke 2-1 on Friday, Nov. 13. With the loss, the team finishes their season at 6-7-1.

Volleyball

The Lakers season came to a close in their first round Patriot Cup matchup. The Lakers fell 3-0 to Hanover on Tuesday, Nov. 10. They finish their season at 1-12. Previously, they beat Hanover 3-2 on November 5.

College Commitments

A pair of Silver Lake High students committed to schools to continue playing their respective sports at the next level. For field hockey, Caitrin Hazley-Collins committed to Franklin Pierce (NCAA Div. 2). And for equestrian, Laurel Smith committed to Texas Christian University (NCAA Div. 1). Silver Lake does not have an equestrian team, but there are equestrian facilities in Halifax.

Plympton plans for FY22 budget

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The Monday, November 16 virtual Plympton Selectmen’s meeting was a popular place to be with much of the Dennett Elementary School staff present as well as members of the Finance Committee and a few other committees. As explained by Chair Mark Russo, the selectmen have begun a practice this year of inviting a representative(s) from various boards, commissions, and committees in town to come to a meeting and provide an update. He told those assembled, “This week, we have the opportunity to meet with the teachers and we are absolutely thrilled with that chance.”

Chair of the Plympton School Committee Jon Wilhelmsen was in attendance as was School Committee member Jason Fraser. Dennett staff present included Principal Peter Veneto, school psychologist Christine Marcolini, teachers Ann Walker, Jenna Ouellet, Bea Reynolds, Elizabeth Goodman, JaneMarie Sylvester, Kara Schofield, Meghan Conroy, Andrea Clawson, and Meghan Shaheen.

Ann Walker spoke on behalf of her fellow teachers saying, “We have had to rebuild our schools from the ground up… had to rethink any and all aspects of the school day.” She described teachers working to learn new technology over the summer as well as designing virtual classrooms and making videos for asynchronous learning. Unlike many districts, Plympton was able to devise a plan that allowed students to have live teaching even when remote.  She also acknowledged the extensive efforts of not just teachers but all staff including custodians. She also had high praise for Veneto who she said didn’t miss a video or phone call all summer. “All of this extraordinary effort has gone into ensuring that the children of Plympton continue to receive an effective and meaningful education that nurtures not only the mind but the spirit as well,” Walker explained. A video was then played that had been prepared in collaboration with the staff at Dennett to demonstrate what the new normal looks like in the school.

Russo thanked the teachers saying of their success this school year, “We are thrilled that you’re here and thrilled with your presentation… I will admit that I would have given very low odds that you or anyone could have pulled this off and the fact that you have is just stunning.” Selectman Christine Joy concurred saying, “It’s been amazing to watch and to hear about what you’re doing… this group of teachers and staff in the building are an amazing group.” Selectman John Traynor asked how they are dealing with the stress of the situation. Walker said that in 28 years of teaching this year has been the most difficult. “We have such a strong support group in our building. We really, I think, have bonded even more closely throughout this whole process… I think each one of us has had our moments,” Walker said.

Following the discussion with the teachers, the selectmen turned their attention to future priorities for the budget cycle. Russo said despite town meeting still being six months away, the budget process was beginning as it often takes that long to put the budget together. Russo said that the meeting would allow for the Town Properties Committee and the Board of Selectmen to present their expected needs for the next year to the Finance Committee. Russo also said it would allow them a chance to explain their priorities in terms of short, medium, and long-term goals as well as those that they deem essential versus those that are less essential.

Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy spoke first assuring those present that she was well aware of the financial situation of the town and was not advocating for spending on all of these priorities at one time. “We are managing expectations,” she explained.

Dennehy mostly addressed personnel management saying she would like to see the town establish an article for professional level searches such as department heads. She said the funds could be used toward professional advertisements and professional recruitment services. One possible suggestion Dennehy gave was to repurpose the funds leftover from the town administrator search. “It would ensure we continue to bring in the best and the brightest as far as those department head roles,” Dennehy explained.

Dennehy also shared concern over the razor thin budgets that don’t allow overlap between when an employee leaves a role, and another starts. She also spoke to what she called “the revolving door” with public safety officials in town. Plympton has been losing a lot of fire and police personnel to other towns. She said that retirements and employees leaving their positions can be quite costly as accrued, unused vacation time, etc. must be paid out resulting in reduced salary lines for new hires.

The Selectmen spoke next. Russo said that he echoed Dennehy’s points and said that he understands the need to keep the tax rate as moderate as possible. Speaking to the upcoming year, Russo said he understands the questions regarding revenues and what additional expenses may be accrued by the town. He noted that they are trying to run a 10-million-dollar operation mostly with part time help or volunteers. Russo said he would like to see better funding for consultants to assist in job searches as well as more hours for the building inspector, Council on Aging, and the zoning enforcement officer. Other needs according to Russo include more help with the website and new budgeting and accounting software.

Joy suggested performing an analysis to determine which is costlier – losing employees to other towns or paying a little bit more for insurance as she believes people are leaving Plympton for communities that offer better health insurance. Joy also said she would like to see a tightening up of the personnel bylaws that would stop allowing employees to accrue unused vacation time resulting in $20,000 payouts when leaving a position. “You need to lose your vacation time or lose it,” she said. Joy also said she would like to see more notice given prior to retirements.

Selectman John Traynor, who said he has lived in town for 50 years and volunteered for 30, said he was concerned about losing the volunteer spirit in the town. He said that of the roughly 130 volunteer positions available in town, only 60 or 70 people are doing that work. He noted the importance of utilizing volunteers saying, “that’s in a sense the beauty of the town is that people care about it.”

Wilhelmsen, who serves as Chair of the Town Properties Committee, began by saying, “Don’t freak out because we’re going to talk about a lot of things, and we understand that we have to pay for them and we have to put things in order.” Wilhelmsen said that when the decision was first made to build a new police station there were a lot of numbers thrown around regarding cost before a decision was made to stop and hire a professional to assess exactly what was needed. He referred to the hiring as slowing down in order to move faster and related it to the work of the Town Properties Committee. According to Wilhelmsen the goal of the Town Properties Committee is to “thoughtfully evaluate and document both current and future town property’s needs” and to “make recommendations for the town to act upon.” The Committee plans to take advantage of a grant that will allow them to look at the town campus and help guide in planning for the future.

Wilhelmsen said they are currently working with a consultant on septic and water use on the town campus. “We need to understand what we have before we can even understand what’s feasible,” he explained. He also said that the new roof for the town barn is going out to bid this week. There is currently $100,000 available for the project as approved at town meeting. Wilhelmsen said they are hopeful they will get a bid that will allow them to move forward with the project and get a new roof put on before it is too late in the winter.

Wilhelmsen also addressed what the Town Properties Committee is considering short term needs with limited costs. Those items include fixing lighting issues at the library, installing an accessibility ramp for the upper floor of the townhouse for which funds are available through the state, refurbishing or replacing the flagpole on the town green, and addressing problems with the cistern that the Fire Department has under the town green and for which a grant may be available. Other short-term needs include performing an assessment of the roof on the townhouse building and an assessment of waste lines and drainage issues at the townhouse.

Amongst the items Wilhelmsen categorized as potential items for town meeting were assessments to the roofs at the library, fire station, and the old townhouse. While it’s not expected that these roofs would be replaced in the near future, having the assessments done would allow the town to create a plan and have an idea of potential costs. Wilhelmsen advocated for establishing a fund to withdraw from when professional assessments are needed.

Wilhelmsen said that the new ambulance and brush truck that have been acquired by the Fire Department are larger than the outgoing models. This is creating a space issue within the station that will need to be solved. In the long-term, the town may need to start thinking about designs for a new fire station.

Medium to long term projects would include eventually fixing or replacing the roofs for which assessments will be done. Fixes will have to be done to deal with whatever comes of the investigation into the waste line issues. Townhouse drainage issues and basement water issues will eventually have to be resolved. The Dennett will likely need a new roof in 5-7 years, a cost that estimates have placed at $1.5 million dollars. The driveway and the parking lot at the Dennett will also eventually need fixing.

Chair of the Finance Committee Nate Sides joked that he will be holding weekly bake sales until some of the items can be funded. Sides said, “We certainly appreciate the effort that everyone has put into this meeting and I agree with what has been said by everyone previously as far as the need for the planning and the benefits that we realized from taking a moment to step back and take a look at the big picture.” Sides said it would be helpful to have an inventory from the various departments regarding the state of their equipment so the town could better plan for replacing the items when the time comes. Sides also said he agreed with Joy that vacation time for town employees should either be taken or forfeited.

Following the discussion on the Town Properties Committee, the selectmen moved on to two appointments. The first of which was for the much anticipated role of Director of Elder Affairs. Traynor had been acting as an interim director. Colleen Thompson, who has served in many roles in town, was named to the position. Traynor said, “I’ve talked to Nancy Butler, the Chair of the Committee, and she is delighted. I’m delighted.” There were many murmurs of agreement coming from those present at Monday’s meeting. Her term will run through June 30, 2020.

The second appointment was Carolyn DeCristofano as an alternate on the Zoning Board of Appeals. Her term will run through June 30, 2022. There is still an opening for another alternate.

Traynor gave a brief update on the Council on Aging (COA) saying that an outreach worker was still needed. “I think I feel good about what we’re offering our seniors,” Traynor said.

Dennehy provided an update on the COVID situation. The County will be dropping off two CARES Act reimbursement checks for a little over $5,000 apiece from expenses submitted in September. A larger reimbursement check for $170,000 is still pending. Two more submissions are going to be made from the town – one largely on behalf of the school and another for various town-related odds and ends. Dennehy also asked that residents remain vigilant as numbers in the town continue to rise.

Wilhelmsen provided a brief COVID update on the school saying that despite Governor Baker’s recent announcement that he would like to see students back in school full time where feasible, it is still the position of the School Committee that Dennett won’t be moving that way until the state has reached Level 4 which means an available vaccine and/or therapeutics. Despite there being approximately 20 cases in the entire Silver Lake district as of Monday’s meeting there had been no cases at the Dennett.

Dennehy told the Board that they are working on a hazard mitigation plan which is funded through a FEMA grant. As part of that plan, the general public will be surveyed regarding natural hazards. While there will be a link to that survey on the town website, hardcopy mailings will also be sent to seniors in town.

Dennehy said she has been working with the South Shore Community Action Council to find out about possibly securing a small number of turkeys for seniors in town for Thanksgiving. Jean Pacheco at the Council on Aging said that while the seniors are grateful for the premade meals received from the Fire Department, some are interested in cooking their own turkeys.

As customary, the selectmen ended their evening with their rants and raves. Traynor said his rave was for the Fire Department who intends to deliver Thanksgiving meals to any seniors that request one. Joy said her rant was for the divided state of the country. “We need to focus on what we have in common more so than what divides us,” Joy lamented. Her rave was for the great people of the Plympton community. For his rant Russo said, “This is my third three-year term as selectman and I increasingly find this sense of so much to do with limited human and financial resources.” His rave was for how well the town does in spite of the things they are up against.

It’s not just luck keeping numbers low

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When you look at the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases, we in Plympton are lucky to have few compared to neighboring towns.  But it’s not just luck.

The smallest town by population in Plymouth County, Plympton was among the first to re-open its Town House on June 1, Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy said, and prior to that date with all of the departments working from home, “we were still able to successfully serve everyone who contacted us, while we were fully remote.”

Plympton’s Emergency Management Director, Fire Chief Steven G. Silva leads a coalition of departments within the town to bring things back to some semblance of normal.  Team members include Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy, Board of Health Chairman Arthur Morin, Board of Health Assistant Cathy Ferguson, and Police Chief Matthew Clancy.  Silva said he is heartened to see how people have come together to work things out.   Peter Veneto, principal of the Dennett School, Debbie Batson, Library Director, Patricia Detterman, Town Clerk, and more – have all worked to document protocols for delivering services to the community in a safe manner.

Working in concert with the Board of Health Silva has introduced a new Community EMS Program that will takeover the duties performed by the Cape Cod Visiting Nurse Association.  In the midst of the pandemic, the Cape Cod Visiting Nurse Association, who had formerly served several South Shore towns including Plympton, stopped services to towns off Cape giving towns six months notice to find other sources.

Chief Silva, after a September presentation to the Board of Health, has announced that the plan for Community EMS program has been submitted to the Department of Public Health and is awaiting approval.

What will Community EMS do for Plympton?

It uses personnel we already have, Silva explained, and gives a plan for implementing public health nurse  services to the townspeople, working with Plympton’s Board of Health. Fire Captain Cheryl Davis, who has interacted with Plympton’s citizens on many occasions, will oversee the program.  Davis has been with the Plympton Fire Dept. for 14 years and was recently brought on full time.  Before accepting her position as a full time Captain and EMS coordinator, she was also a Lieutenant and shift commander with the Fall River Fire Dept. EMS division.

In addition, the Plympton Fire Department has also been trained in the use of MAVEN, a computer program that tracks cases of COVID and other infectious diseases, so up to date numbers of cases in the state as well as in the area are available to work out preventative measures.

Opening the Town House to Plympton residents was done safely June 1, according to Dennehy.   Now, a member of the Plympton Fire Department signs you in, records what office you are seeing, does a thermo scan of your forehead to make sure you are fever free, and calls ahead to see that the office is available so proper distancing can be observed.  Arthur Morin, Chairman of the Board of Health, says that to date, there have been no cases of COVID-19 attributed to the Plympton Town House.

Dennett Elementary copes with COVID

Peter Veneto, principal of the Dennett Elementary School, has been key in getting the school open safely this fall.

“We have made a number of changes here at Dennett to try to keep everyone as safe as can be.  We have installed touchless faucets in all of our learning spaces and rest rooms as well as touchless paper towel dispensers.  We have sanitizing stations outside of every space and by the recess doors.  Students “pump in” and “pump out” when entering the building or leaving a room.  We have had Plexiglas installed in the office, cafeteria and Nurse’s Office.  We also have Plexiglas shields for any students receiving one to one instruction or special education testing.  Our Director of Maintenance, Matt Durkee, assisted with getting the Plexiglas installed.  He also helped with signage in the building and floor decals to help students maintain a six- foot space when waiting in lines.”

Veneto continued, “Most of these items were paid for through CARES Act funding.”  In our classrooms, all students sit six feet apart from seat edge to seat edge.  Students eat lunch in the cafeteria six feet from one another.  It looks and sounds a lot different but the students are still able to talk and interact with one another.  Everyone has done a great job wearing masks.  Teachers try to get outside multiple times per day for mask breaks for our kids.

“From a procedural standpoint a lot has changed as well,” he said.  “The vast majority of our students are dropped off in our car line in the morning.  Using the Pick Up Patrol web based program, parents complete a health assessment every morning.  An aide will stand in the hallway and confirm that students have no Covid symptoms before they go down to class.  Once in the building, students have specific waiting areas and hallway directions to prevent a lot of face-to-face contacts.  Playground equipment is sanitized every morning and the students line up 6 ft. apart coming back into the building.  During lunchtime, students who have brought their lunch enter the cafeteria first and sit at the front of the room.  Students who are buying lunch wait in line, get their lunch and fill in the open seats.  Dismissal procedures are the same as drop off just in reverse.”

Those are the very general changes to our day.  Each classroom has some smaller details specific to their grade level.  The staff has done a nice job with these tweaks and our students have been phenomenal.”

“We’re well positioned now”

“Those of us in the Emergency Management Committee, I feel we’ve done a really good job getting things up and running,” Dennehy said.  “Not that we’re looking for credit,” she continued, “People in town should be proud.  We have made it reasonably safe for people to be more connected to the positive things going on here… We’re well positioned now.   Obviously we will react to any new circumstance needed to keep people safe.”  She continued that being a small town in this case seems to be an advantage in that we can change direction and implement new procedures more easily than a larger town might.  She also said that she appreciates all the helpful people who have stepped up to volunteer wherever needed. “The Board of Health has been very quick to react to help keep us up to date on the state level,” she continued, and Plympton has been able to develop protocols adapted from neighboring communities.  “Everyone is willing to accept new information,” she said.   “It’s been a good learning experience.”

Library continues to provide services

Debbie Batson, library director, admits that it has been a challenging time to bring library services to the community.   “We had to throw out all of our ideas for summer, and find other activities for kids.”  The pinwheels on the library lawn, indicating how many books people have read were one way to encourage reading for all age groups.

“Back in June we were able to continue our book clubs via ZOOM,” Batson said.  The adult book group meets on the second Tuesday of the month by Zoom.  Contact the library at PLPcirc@sailsinc.org to get sign-in information.   They are always looking for new members.

Story time for little ones continues through ZOOM, and each month there is a challenge.  October’s was making a paper tube creature; bring it in to the library and get some “library loot”, a gift bag of library-inspired goodies.  November’s challenge is creating or building something you’re thankful for.  Challenge items will be displayed at the library.

In September there was a story walk outside the library where young patrons walked around outside to read the story.  October saw a tiny “Jack be Little” pumpkin challenge,”I Spy … pumpkin search” where kids were given a printed list to search around outside to find each pumpkin with the required number, letter, or symbol on it.

Now through Dec. 17, join the Fall Book Harvest, a virtual reading challenge.  Sign up at plympton.beanstack.org, log your reading online to earn virtual badges and chances to win a $10 gift card to Barnes & Noble.  This challenge is open to kids through grade 6.

“Adult activities, that were held in the library – pre COVID – aren’t coming back so far, like Genealogy and knitting groups.  We do offer ZOOM but they’re not interested right now.  Maybe as the fall and winter limit outdoor choices, these activities will come back.   We listen to our people and try to bring them what they want,” Batson said.

New Seniors Pantry and Freezer

Acting Council on Aging Director John Traynor has seen services to seniors continue without a hitch and there has been considerable progress made in the food pantry.

Due to the pandemic we made a decision to separate the joint use of the entranceway pantry by the Council on Aging (COA) and the townhouse staff. The townhouse staff now uses the pantry that was formerly used by the Police Department before they moved to their new headquarters. This has freed up the entranceway pantry to be solely used by the Council on Aging.

To abide by the Board of Health guidelines we put in place a new protocol for seniors wishing to access the pantry. When a person accesses the townhouse, they will be greeted by a Fire/EMS person who will perform a forehead thermal scan and ask what department they want. For the pantry they should ask for COA receptionist Jean who will then come to the entrance and escort them to the pantry to see the foods we stock. Only one senior at a time is allowed in with Jean. Then Jean selects the foods the senior  chooses, takes them from the shelf or freezer and packages them. At no time is the senior allowed to handle the food. This is both for the safety of the senior and Jean.

We are grateful that the COA has been the recipient of a grant through Old Colony Elder Services that has allowed the COA to purchase a commercial size freezer from North American Restaurant Equipment in Smithfield, RI. This has enabled us to significantly enlarge the amount of frozen foods that we carry for seniors. The frozen and canned foods, plus vegetables, are obtained through the South Shore Community Action Council in Plymouth. We value their service.

Many thanks to Fire Chief Steve Silva and his wife Debra, who along with Fire Captain Cheryl Davis and Fire/EMS Amira Kim came in over the weekend of the freezer delivery to move and reinstall all the shelving and product. A special thank you also to Assistant Treasurer/Collector Christine Kelly and her son Sean for volunteering to come in over the weekend and restock the pantry.

Chief Silva is enormously pleased with the success of the work his committee has done to bring services to Plympton during this pandemic.  It couldn’t be done without the help of volunteers.

Halifax honors veterans

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Halifax honored its veterans Wednesday morning with a bagpipe solo by Nathan Campbell, 12, a champion piper and Silver Lake Middle School 7th grader.  Shown in the color guard was Bill Finn, left, and Stephanie Jones, Junior Vice-commander of the host Halifax VFW Post 6258.  Taps closed the ceremony played by bugler Cary Gearhart.