Westborough – Charlotte C. Spinney, 83, died July 24, 2019 at the Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine.

Born in Worcester, she was the daughter of the late Winthrop H. and Marjorie E. (Whitaker) Spinney. She was educated in Westborough Schools and earned a Bachelor of Science in Education and a Master of Education at Worcester State College. Ms. Spinney was an educator at Westborough High School for 41 years, retiring in 1999.

She is survived by her two brothers, James L. and his wife Janis of Jacksonville, Fla. and Winthrop W. and his wife Patricia of Tampa, Fla.; a nephew, James W. Spinney of Miami Shores, Fla.; nieces Jane M. Spinney of Coral Gables, Fla., Jean E. Spinney of Miami Shores, Fla., Jenifer M. Wheeler and husband William of Odessa, Fla., and Cathryn J. Spinney and her husband Kristof of Tampa, Fla., as well as great-nieces Lori C. Loftin, Rebecca M. Wheeler and Rachel E. Wheeler. A nephew, Winthrop J. Spinney, predeceased her.

Charlotte served on various community boards including Habitat for Humanity, Westborough Rotary, United Way, Westborough Library Trustees, and the YWCA. For many years she was a Corporator, Trustee and Director of Westborough Savings Bank later the Avidia Bank. She was a charter member of the Mewhinney Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame and was co-founder of the Charlotte Spinney Vision Scholarship.

She loved her family, Westborough, teaching, reading, Townies and Friends, traveling, London, Maine, The Pemaquid Trail, the New England Patriots, the Boston Red Sox and chocolate ice cream.

At Charlotte’s request, there will be no funeral. Friends and neighbors are invited to join the family Saturday, Aug. 10, at 10 a.m., in the Charlotte C. Spinney Auditorium, Westborough High School, 90 West Main St., Westborough, to share stories and laughter in a celebration of her life. Ice cream will be served.

Contributions in her memory may be sent to the Charlotte Spinney Vision Scholarship, c/o Avidia Bank, 100 East Main St., Westborough, MA 01581 or Bristol First Responders, Bristol Fire Department, New Harbor, ME 04554.

Westborough – J. William “Bill” Miller, 91, of Westborough, died July 26, 2019 at St. Mary’s Healthcare Center in Worcester. He was the husband of the late Laura S. (Scali) Miller.

Born in Philadelphia, Pa., he was the son of the late J. William and Sarah (Yeager) Miller. He was a graduate of Elmira Free Academy in Elmira, N.Y. and attended Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y.

Bill started his career at the Parker House and Ritz Carlton Hotel in Boston. He then became a District Manager for food consultants and managed food services at four colleges in the Northeast. He managed public school lunch programs at all grade levels and worked in the Industrial Catering industry. He also acted as a food service consultant for colleges for three years.

He was a communicant of St. Luke the Evangelist Church and had been a resident of Westborough for 44 years.

Bill is survived by one daughter, Joanna Donahue of Shrewsbury; two sons, John Miller of Worcester and Joseph Miller of Whately; six grandchildren; two nieces and one nephew; and seven great-grandchildren.

Bill was an avid photographer, cook, gardener and reader. He and Laura traveled to many places after their retirement. Some of their favorite places to visit were Hawaii, California, Italy and Disney World.

His funeral Mass will be celebrated Saturday, Aug. 3, at 10:30 a.m., in St. Luke the Evangelist Church, 70 West Main St., Westborough. Burial will follow in St. Luke’s Cemetery. There are no calling hours.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to St. Luke the Evangelist Church Memorial Fund, 70 West Main St., Westborough, MA 01581.

By Dave Pasquantonio, Contributing Writer

Westborough/Worcester – Wayne Haddad likes a dirty car.

“The dirtier, the better,” he said.

That’s because cleaning dirty cars is his business. Haddad Auto Detail, with locations in Worcester and Westborough, cleans and polishes a vehicle’s interior and exterior to perfection—by hand and by professionals.

Wayne has been in the auto detailing business since 1978. He’s run his flagship Worcester location for over 30 years, while the Westborough location has been around for more than a decade.

A vehicle’s interior takes a beating from kids, dogs, tools, sports equipment, and spilled food and drinks. The cloth, leather, and vinyl surfaces trap odor, dirt, and spills, the windows cloud over with haze and fingerprints, and dust and hair blanket every surface. Haddad eliminates the mess and grime with a full range of interior services, from basic window cleaning and light vacuuming to shampooing mats and carpeted areas. And deep cleaning—Haddad’s most popular interior service—hits the seats, the mats, the dash, the console, and every nook, cranny, and cup holder.

Tar, bugs, sap, tree litter, and dirt can stain and dull a car’s exterior finish and block drainage and air vents. Haddad handwashes the exterior, removes brake dust from tires and wheels, cleans the rocker panels of road tar, and applies carnauba wax for protection (and a spectacular shine). Haddad can buff out scratches and scuffs and will even bring in an outside expert to get rid of door dings.

Some customers get their cars detailed every three or four months, while others visit Haddad only after an incident, like something gets spilled or someone gets sick. Life happens, and much of it happens in our cars and trucks. Haddad is there to meet the challenge.

Getting a vehicle detailed makes financial sense, too, like at the end of a lease or right before trading in or selling a car. And after buying a used car, have Haddad clean it inside and out to remove anything left behind by the previous owner.

Haddad’s Worcester location has four bays, while Westborough has one bay usually staffed by Vito (he’s detailing the white BMW in the picture). Haddad also has fully-equipped trucks and vans to provide mobile cleaning and polishing.

Have Haddad Auto Detail clean your ride, and it will be safer, last longer, and be more enjoyable to drive. Leave the dirty cars for Wayne, and you’ll say, “The cleaner, the better.”

Haddad Auto Detail is located at 3 Union Street in downtown Westborough. The Worcester location is at the intersection of routes 290 and 146. Visit Haddad’s website at http://www.haddadautodetail.com for hours, services, and prices, and visit their Facebook page for some great before and after shots.

Westborough – The Boston Lawnmower Company, 233 Turnpike Rd. (Route 9 West), Westborough, is holding its annual Tax Free Weekend Snow Thrower Sale Saturday, Aug. 17 and Sunday, Aug. 18. There will be big savings on select Ariens Snow Throwers including a free extended warranty on select models. The service department is also holding its annual Snow Thrower Service Special which offers free pick-up and delivery within the local area if you sign up by Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019.

Boston Lawnmower also has a fully stocked Parts Department for all of your parts needs.  If you need to update your outdoor power equipment, now is the time to check out the store’s huge selection of overstock and demo inventory at reduced prices. Visit www.bostonlawnmower.com, call at 508-898-3500 or email info@bostonlawnmower.com for more information.

Westborough – A free movie and CHIPS (Child Identification Program) night sponsored by St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church and the Masons of Siloam Lodge will be held at 3 John St., Westborough, Saturday, Aug. 10, from 5-10 p.m. Parents will go home with a CD of critical identification information about their child to be used in the event of any emergency.  Refreshments will be sold during the program. A popular family movie will be shown at dusk with free popcorn. Please bring lawn chairs or blankets.

Westborough – The Westborough Community Chorus (WCC) recently welcomed its new director Kelly Hodge, only the third director since the group’s founding in 1971.

Hodge, who lives in Sherborn, graduated from the University of New Hampshire (UNH) as a music education major, and received a master’s degree in music education from the City of New York Hunter College in 2003. She taught music education at Pennington Elementary School in Mount Vernon, N.Y., for five years, before moving back to Sherborn.

She now teaches music education at Pine Hill Elementary, the same school she attended as a child. She found out early she had a love, and a talent, for singing. Hodge performed in many theatrical performances while attending UNH, and also in the New York area. She found it very challenging, but also fun and a very valuable learning experience.

Hodge’s first performances as director will be the WCC’s Christmas show in December at the Sarah W. Gibbons Middle School in Westborough.

To learn more about the WCC, visit WestboroChorus.com. Selections from past shows are also available on Westborough Cable Television and YouTube.

Westborough – Chris, of Wiggles and Tails Dog Walking, with his four canine friends, enjoys a beautiful morning on the Lake Chauncy trails in Westborough.

Photo/Bonnie Adams

By Matthew Dunn, Contributing Writer

Westborough – The game of cricket is starting to gain traction in New England, and local Westborough Cricket Club is doing their part to help grow the game in the region.

Nishit Mehta heads up the Westborough Cricket Club, drawing on his lifelong love of the game to help establish the club as well as the Westborough Cricket League – offering competitive league play each autumn.

Mehta was born and raised in India and credits the popularity of the game there, which sparked his interest at a young age, to his continued passion for the sport.

“Growing up, in school, high school, college, everyone was talking about and playing cricket,” he recalled.

Upon his move to the United States, his love of the sport followed.

In 2015 Mehta and others started playing cricket in the greater Westborough area as members of another local club. Unhappy with the playing conditions and lack of proper set-up, they founded the Westborough Cricket Club and worked to raise funds for the construction of a cricket pitch at Hennessey Field, 1 Upton Rd. in Westborough.

“Once we had a beautiful field to play on, the next most logical step was to get a bunch of teams to play there,” Mehta said, referencing the formation of the Westborough Cricket League – an autumn league that spans 7-weeks, culminating in a championship match between local teams.

Noting the sharp increase in interest for the game over the last few years, the Westborough Cricket Club and the associated league offer opportunities for those interested in cricket to learn and participate in the game.

Traditional cricket involves the use of a hard leather wrapped ball, often traveling at speeds that can cause injury to players if they are not using proper equipment or lack experience during a full-speed game. As an alternative, the Westborough Cricket Club offers games using a firm tennis ball for safety; and they are not alone.

“In 2015 there were about 27 teams in New England and today there are about 42 teams just playing with the tennis ball,” Mehta said, noting that tennis ball cricket is becoming increasing popular amongst the older adult crowd.

“There is a separate league that plays leather ball cricket with about 45 teams,” he added.

Like any good steward of the game, Mehta remains focused on getting those interested involved, especially for those who may not be familiar with the game.

“We try to make social and community events out of cricket – community gatherings bring more people out and adds to the sport” Mehta said.

In addition to trying to generate community interest in the sport through hosted events, Mehta knows the importance of getting local youth involved to play cricket.

“The best way to expand the scope is to have youth involved – we want to continue to focus on coaching youth cricket and opening a dialogue with schools about the game,” he said.

For those interested in the game and wanting to get involved, Mehta encourages participants to join them Wednesday evenings at Hennessey Field in Westborough as well as watching the Westborough Cricket League tournament each fall.

More information can be found on the Westborough Cricket Club’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/webocricket.

Westborough – As an outreach case manager for the Westborough Senior Center, Mary Donna Corcoran assists the town’s senior population in a myriad of ways. But it is not just the duties of her job that she does so well on a regular basis; Corcoran regularly donates extra time and efforts to ensure that “no senior is ever forgotten.” In December 2018 she was named as the town’s employee of the month and recently was further honored as the “Employee of the Year.”

As part of her nomination, it was noted that “above and beyond, Mary continues to devote a great deal of personal time and energy to her outreach in the community, in order to ensure that our Westborough seniors have what they need to comfortably live their best life possible.”

Westborough

Thursday, July 18

5:18 a.m. Smith Pkwy. Disturbance (general).

11:13 a.m. Turnpike Rd. Larceny.

3:10 p.m. Lyman St. Annoying/harassing phone calls.

7:15 p.m. Byard Ln. Vandalism.

9:40 p.m. Fisher St. Suspicious person.

10;36 p.m. Turnpike Rd. Suspicious auto.

Friday, July 19

3:45 a.m. W Main St. Threats made.

8:24 a.m. Fisher St. Vandalism.

9:05 a.m. Lyman St./Turnpike Rd. Suspicious person.

9:49 a.m. Colonial Dr. Assault.

3:06 p.m. Grove St. Disturbance (general).

4:53 p.m. E Main St. Well-being check.

5:20 p.m. Lyman St. Suspicious auto.

5:25 p.m. Hopkinton/Upton Rds. Accident property damage.

9:16 p.m. Flanders Rd. Suspicious auto.

Saturday, July 20

1:56 a.m. Nourse St. Suspicious auto.

7:45 a.m. Chauncy St. Suspicious auto.

9:35 a.m. W Main St./Kendall Dr. Erratic operator.

1:26 p.m. Willow St. Well-being check.

1:51 p.m. Blake St. Parking violation/complaint.

2:55 p.m. Flanders Rd. Disturbance (general).

5:12 p.m. Indian Pond Rd. Disturbance (general).

9:25 p.m. Computer Dr. Disturbance (general).

Sunday, July 21

1:28 p.m. W Main/Church Sts. Suspicious person.

4:18 p.m. Turnpike Rd. Accident – personal injury.

4:36 p.m. Maynard St. Disturbance (general).

5:53 p.m. Willow St. Disturbance (general).

6:25 p.m. Old Colony Dr. Erratic operator.

7:38 p.m. Eli Whitney St. Well-being check.

8:02 p.m. Beachmont St. Disturbance (general).

8:36 p.m. W Main St. Annoying /harassing phone calls.

The information from the police log is obtained directly from the official records maintained at each police station in our circulation area. It contains arrests and samplings of police activity. Those arrested are innocent until proven guilty. The Community Advocate will publish news of acquittals upon notification and a copy of court-issued documentation.

Westborough – Carolyn M. Chouinard, 81, of Westborough, passed away peacefully July 28, 2019 at home.

Born in Worcester, she was the daughter of the late William E. F. Thurber Sr and Bertha (Richards) Thurber. She was educated in Westborough schools and was a graduate of Westborough High School.

Carolyn was employed as a pharmacy technician at Westborough State Hospital prior to her retirement. Many know her from her years at Julio’s Supermarket.

A life-long resident of Westborough, she was a member of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church. She loved animals, especially her cat, loved being around people, and loved her family.

Carolyn is survived by three children, Sharon L. Chouinard of Haverhill, Sandra J. Knott of Ashland, and Kenneth W. Chouinard Jr. and his wife, Kay Wojnarowski, of Norton; three brothers, Donald Thurber and his wife, Joan, of Northborough, Kenneth Thurber and his wife, Sharyn, of Ocala, Fla., and Gerald Thurber and his wife, Lynne, of Worcester; one sister, Joyce Hackett of Clinton; and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by a brother, William E. F. Thurber Jr.

Her funeral service will be held Saturday, Aug. 3, at 10 a.m., in St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 3 John St., Westborough. Burial will follow in Pine Grove Cemetery. Calling hours at the Pickering and Son Westborough Funeral Home are Friday, Aug. 2, from 4-7 p.m.

Flowers or donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the St. Stephen’s Memorial Fund.

Westborough – Gary R. Wittmann, 72, passed away Aug. 3, 2019 at UMass Memorial Health Care – University Campus in Worcester, after a period of declining health.

He leaves his wife of 44 years, Robin E. (Nicolay) Wittmann; his son, Joseph P. Wittmann and his wife Nathalie of Maplewood, N.J.; his grandson, Grant Wittmann; a sister, Gail (Wittmann) Grube and husband Richard Grube of Fairport, N.Y.; a brother-in-law, Peter Nicolay and his wife Marita; and sister-in-law, Sara Dufek.

Born in Troy, N.Y., he was the son of the late Robert and Helen M. (Connors) Wittmann. He lived in Westborough for the past 40 years. Gary was most recently employed at Securitas in Framingham for the past 10 years.

He was an active member of St. Luke Parish and sang in the church choir. He was also a member of the Westborough Community Chorus.

Memorial calling hours will be held Friday, Aug. 9, from 5-7 p.m., in Pickering & Son Westborough Funeral Home, 62 W. Main St. A memorial funeral Mass will be held Saturday, Aug. 10, at 10 a.m., in St. Luke the Evangelist Parish, 70 W. Main St., Westborough. Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Westborough Community Chorus Scholarship Fund, c/o Carla Paulson Mason, 13 Old Faith Rd., Shrewsbury, MA 01545.

By Dakota Antelman, Contributing Writer

Region – Massachusetts Department of Transportation officials have come face to face with communities of concerned residents in recent months as they have canvassed area towns seeking input on planned improvements to the I-495/I-90 interchange in Westborough.

Such was the case on July 30 as approximately a dozen mostly Hudson and Marlborough residents met with officials at the Hudson Town Hall for a listening session. Over roughly an hour and a half, those residents raised concerns about the length of construction and whether state proposals will go far enough to prevent the traffic jams that now frequently plague the interchange.

“I can’t ever figure out why it’s at a standstill,” said one Marlborough resident who did not provide her name. “You would think at least in the left lane [traveling south], people would be going. But they’re not.”

Connecting two of the state’s largest highways, an estimated 75,000 vehicles traffic the interchange on a daily basis. That includes half of the truck traffic entering Eastern Massachusetts on a daily basis.

Routing all those vehicles through a series of loop ramps focused around a former toll plaza, traffic often grinds to a halt, sometimes then creating dangerous conditions for drivers. In total, the state reports 460 collisions within the interchange with two fatal accidents between 2011 and 2015 alone.

Acknowledging a desperate need for improvements in the area, officials highlighted their interest in maintaining continual public input throughout this process.

“We want to show you the options, talk about scheduling going forward, and to answer any questions or comments you have,” said project manager Ryan McNeal.

Presenting three potential improvement plans, the state is particularly pushing what is known as Option C-2. Using a series of flyover ramps, that effort would eliminate the most dangerous aspects of the existing looping traffic flow. It would also lengthen acceleration and deceleration lanes on both I-495 and I-90 to, according to the state, decrease the frequency and duration of backups by 91%, and lower the local crash rate by 21 percent.

While attendees of the Hudson listening session were happy to hear of these improvements, they still questioned officials particularly on the project’s construction impacts.

One local landowner worried about encroachment on abutting properties as builders widen roadways.

To this, officials assured that the plan actually uses existing median space to add lanes and ramps without measurably expanding the highway area itself.

Likewise, multiple attendees voiced concerns about delays during construction, which, according to the state may last between four and five years.

“We will be looking at the contract and putting language in there about when they can take lanes out of service and what lanes they can take out,” McNeal said in response to those comments. “The expectation is that we will definitely have those incentives and disincentives in the contract.”

From here, the state will be processing feedback gathered at the Hudson meeting and three others like it in Holliston, Shrewsbury, and Hopkinton respectively. It will then be advancing its base project proposal to a team of engineers who will flesh out designs as contractors begin work ideally in the spring of 2022.

By Bonnie Adams, Managing Editor

Westborough – As family, friends and Westborough residents looked on during the July 30 Board of Selectmen meeting, Town Clerk Wendy Mickel swore in two new Westborough police officers. Prior to that, Police Chief Jeffrey Lourie introduced the two officers to the Board and gave brief backgrounds on them.

Officer Christopher Traynor is a native of Shrewsbury and graduated from Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y. with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. Traynor was the recipient of the 2017 Sean Collier Self Sponsorship Scholarship and subsequently attended the Lowell Police Academy. Upon graduation he began his law enforcement career as police officer serving the neighboring town of Upton.

“Officer Traynor’s service does not end with his law enforcement profession,” Lourie said, “as he is also serving our country as a First Lieutenant with the United States Army Reserves, assigned to the 826^th Military Intelligence Battalion.”

Officer Eric K. Dyson Jr. is a native of Leicester and graduated from Leicester High School. Dyson   began his law enforcement education by attending the Boylston Reserve Police Officer Academy and upon graduation was hired as a part-time police officer for the town of Hardwick. He subsequently attended the city of Worcester Police Academy and upon graduation began his full-time police career with the town of West Brookfield.

Officer Dyson comes from a distinguished law enforcement family, as his father and uncle currently serve with the Auburn Police Department and his cousin with the Worcester Police Department,” Lourie said.

Westborough – The Westborough Economic Development Committee (EDC) officially approved the Small Business Grant Assistance Program at its meeting held June 21.

The EDC established the program to provide financial assistance to businesses and to stimulate investment in vacant or underutilized commercial space in the town of Westborough. The EDC is authorized to expend funds collected from the Electronic Billboard fees in the amount of $25,000 each fiscal year.

The program offers grants that cover approved project costs and rental assistance for new businesses for their first six months of rent, with the possibility of additional funds being awarded on a per project basis.

Approved uses of grant funds include:

• Interior renovations (e.g., walls, flooring, ceiling, lighting, bathrooms, kitchens, etc.)
• Merchandising components (e.g., shelving, counters, menu boards, displays, etc.)
• Retail and food service equipment (e.g., grease traps, cash registers, computers, ovens, etc.)
• Furniture and fixtures
• Rental assistance reimbursement (only applies to new locations, not expansions of existing locations)
• Sign and façade improvements (e.g., accessibility improvements such as ramps, exterior signs, awnings, energy conservation for windows and doors, painting, planters and landscaping, etc.)
• Parking lot surface improvements
• Code compliance

The Small Business Grant Assistance Program Overview and Application is available online at
edc.town.westborough.ma.us/services/pages/financial-incentives

By Christine Galeone, Contributing Writer

Westborough – Sandra Olson has loved animals for as long as she can remember. When she was a little girl, her concern for them led her to welcome – courtesy of her good-natured parents – injured and stray ones into her home. Her fascination with them motivated her to draw them and to spend many happy hours transforming paint-by-number kits into works of art.

But horses held a particularly special place in her heart.

“I am that horse crazy little girl that never grew out of it,” she said.

That passion fueled the Westborough resident’s dream to paint the wild horses and burros of America. In 2017, through social media collaborations, that dream became a reality.

“I’ve developed relationships with some very talented and generous photographers who allow me to interpret what they see through my eyes and paint,” Olson said of collaborations that have resulted in her “Wild Mustangs of America” series of paintings. “I can imagine myself standing shoulder to shoulder with them and creating my vision.”

The paintings and prints from the series, which are sold through the Art and Frame Emporium in Westborough and through Olson’s website, www.sandraolsonwildlifeartist.com, capture stunning mustangs. They include members of the Onaqui Mountain herd in Utah, the Salt River herd in Arizona, the Sand Wash Basin herd in Colorado and the herd in North Dakota’s Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

Olson, who strives to capture the mustangs’ spirits “through light, shadow and color,” said that she pays attention to what makes each one unique and intriguing.

“It isn’t necessarily about painting the biggest, most impressive stallion,” Olson explained. “I’ve had the chance to paint two of the oldest stallions, one in Colorado – Picasso – and one in Utah – Gandalf. The challenge and what I love most is portraying them at their age with all their battle scars but with strength and dignity.”

Olson hopes they can maintain that strength and dignity. While she has enjoyed getting to know the talented photographers, she’s also delighted that the series has introduced her to equine advocacy groups and sanctuaries.

“Every time I pick up a brush, I am so grateful for the chance to paint them,” Olson shared. “One of the things I’m happiest about is that the series has given me the chance to donate a portion of the proceeds of the sale of each painting or print to the local boots-on-the-ground advocacy group that supports the horses depicted in that painting.”

Her support of the wild horses and burros also includes raising awareness of the challenges they face.

“I know it sounds like a cliché, but to me, they – and all our country’s wildlife – are national treasures to be protected,” said Olson, who ardently supports H.R. 961 – The SAFE Act (Safeguard American Food Exports Act) of 2019, which will, if passed, prohibit United States horse slaughter for consumption and the export of live horses to be consumed in other countries.

In the meantime, Olson is enjoying continuing the series. Her goal is to paint at least one wild horse or burro from each herd in the United States.

She said, “My hope…is that I can continue to bring them to the forefront and make people aware of just how beautiful they are in their natural surroundings.”

Photos/submitted

By Nance Ebert, Contributing Writer

Westborough – David Allexenberg has been working tirelessly on a “Mitzvah Project” in preparation for his upcoming Bar Mitzvah which will take place at the end of September at Beth Tikvah Synagogue in Westborough. While this is a huge milestone in many Jewish children’s lives, for David, this has been especially meaningful. He has decided to forego gifts and has asked friends and family to contribute donations to a foundation called “Water for South Sudan.”

David lives in Northborough with his parents Abbe and Mike, brother, Daniel, and dog, Rocky.  It was actually his brother who inspired him on his Mitzvah Project, he noted.

“Daniel also did a Mitzah Project and instead of getting gifts and money, he requested sports equipment that was donated to those in need,” David said. “This got me thinking that I also wanted to do something for others.”

He explained that his sixth-grade teacher assigned the book “A Long Walk to Water.”

“It talked about the ‘Water Crisis’ as a global issue and how many of us take for granted that we can simply go to the sink and turn the faucet for both hot and cold running water,” he said. “Many people in these remote villages in South Sudan spent hours just going to and from a water source that is not even clean. I knew I just had to help.”

The Water for South Sudan Foundation is where David chose to put his efforts. The foundation enables people from all over the world to teach people in south Sudan how to build wells to bring fresh water to the villages. He first set a goal to raise $250. That was reached very quickly. He then set out to double it, which he has also exceeded. To date, he has raised over $1,000. Each time a donation is made on one of the links, David and his family receive a notification and David immediately sends a thank you.

“David’s project has taken on a new life,” noted his mother, Abbe Allexenberg. “After we got the word out to friends and family, we posted it as ‘David’s Mitzvah Project’ with a statement from him. Rabbi Michael Swarttz heard of it and suggested we post it in the Beth Tikvah newsletter. We posted it there as well as Facebook.”

David said he is so glad that so many people have chosen to support this project and he feels really proud of what he is accomplishing.

“I am so inspired by David and his commitment to this project,” his mother said. “I am amazed how quickly the word has spread.”

“David’s Mitzvah project embodies the essence of what becoming a Bar or Bat Mitzvah means to reach the age of responsibility, to fulfill the commandments, or Mitzvot, of Jewish tradition,” Rabbi Swarttz said. “Many of the Mitzvot are intended to make our world a better place by improving the lives of others, particularly the most vulnerable and needy among us.

“Water for South Sudan does exactly that and David’s support of and encouraging others to support this organization demonstrates his awareness of what it means to do Mitzvot and to become a Bar Mitzvah,” he added.

To learn more visit David’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/donate/888280434880099/10157561535819391/.

By Bonnie Adams, Managing Editor

Westborough – Katherine Anderson has long had an interest in abandoned buildings.

“My parents and my grandmother always loved them too,” she said. “I definitely got my interest from them.”

Anderson, who is a veteran special education teacher, has also always had a passion for writing.

For many years she has researched and photographed over 50 former state hospitals, prisons, and reform schools throughout New England. She has published several nonfiction works and lectures on the history of mental illness.

“I’m hooked on the histories of these facilities,” she said, “and have translated that into my career. I am so interested in figuring out the stories that went on behind these walls.”

Recently, she completed her latest book, which is about the former Westborough State Hospital. On Aug. 1 she held a lecture at the Westborough Public Library to discuss the book, which she started researching in 2010.

The book is part of the series, Images of America, and is published by Arcadia Publishing. In it are nearly 200 images of the former hospital property, many of which were provided to Anderson by Westborough historian Phil Kittredge and Anthony Vaver, the Westborough Public Library historian.

“I am so grateful to them,” Anderson said. “They were so helpful to me – I could not have done this without them.”

Also assisting her in her research were Daniella Trammell, direction of communication and community engagement and Kristin Kulig, program coordinator, both from the state’s Department of Mental Health. Mimi Baird, the author of “He Wanted the Moon: The Madness and Medical Genius of Dr. Perry Baird, and His Daughter’s Quest to Know Him,” which in part details her father’s experience as a patient at Westborough, also shared a poignant introduction in Anderson’s book.

For over 100 years, the hospital, located on the outskirts of town on Lake Chauncy, was home to hundreds of patients. In 2010, the state, which owned the hospital, abruptly closed it and moved the patients to a Worcester facility. The dozens of buildings then sat in a state of disrepair until being bought by Pulte Homes, who are now building an over 55 community on the property. (www.delwebb.com/homes/massachusetts/greater-boston-area/westborough).

From its early days in the 1880s as the cruelly named Westborough Insane Hospital to its later incarnation as a state hospital, the facility was home to many patients who were there for much of their lives. Many suffered from mental illness and were too ill to go back home to their families who could not or would not support their complex needs.

In Anderson’s book, she notes how the hospital actually started off as the Massachusetts State Reform School, the first state-owned reform school in the country. It later became best known, she writes, as the “second homeopathic hospital for the insane in the United States and the first example of institutional reuse in the nation.”

The book is an unflinching look at the hospital but also notes the accomplishments of Dr. Solomon Carter Fuller, an African American pathologist who spent much of his career at Westborough studying the physical changes made to the brain by Alzheimer’s disease. And when it closed in 2010, Anderson notes, it was the only state hospital in New England with a dedicated unit for deaf and hard of hearing patients.

As the book concludes, it ends with a description of the fate of the approximately 600 patients who are buried in the paupers’ section at the town’s Pine Street Grove. When those patients passed, they were not claimed by family members, thus they were instead buried in plain cardboard boxes, with only a small stone numbered marker to note their grave. A group of citizens has now formed the Westborough State Hospital Cemetery Project to raise funds for a memorial to honor those patients.

The book “Westborough State Hospital” is now available for purchase through online sites.

Westborough – In an effort to enable all incoming students to begin the school year on even ground, several local organizations are spearheading a school supply drive.

The Faith communities, Westborough Youth & Family Services (WYFS) and the Westborough Women’s Club, with the support of the Westborough Public Schools, are appealing to the greater Westborough community to donate school supplies for Westborough children in need.

Drop off locations are in the Children’s Room at the Westborough Public Library, 55 West Main St. and at the WYFS offices on the second floor at 40 South St. (the Central One Federal Credit Union building).

Supplies needed follow:

• Wide ruled composition books
• Crayola crayons (16 and 24 count)
• Washable Elmer’s Glue stick
• Crayola Classic Magic Markers (thick)
• School supply boxes
• Kleenex tissues
• Dry Erase Expo markers
• Crayola Twistable colored pencils
• Unscented baby wipes
• Clear pencil pouches
• Plain yellow sticky notes

The last day to donate is Monday, Aug. 12. For more information contact WYFS at 508-366-3090.

Westborough

Monday, July 22

1:11 p.m. O’Neil Dr. Accident property damage.

3:38 p.m. E Main St. Accident property damage.

4:00 p.m. Hopkinton Rd. Accident property damage.

Tuesday, July 23

6:56 a.m. E Main St. Parking violation/complaint.

12:05 p.m. W Main St. Burglary/breaking & entering.

12:25 p.m. Oak St. Larceny.
3:07 p.m. School/Cross Sts. Suspicious person.

3:45 p.m. Flanders Rd. Suspicious activity.

4:37 p.m. Upton Rd. Disturbance (general).

6:15 p.m. W Main St. Accident property damage.

9:01 p.m. Lyman St. Suspicious activity.

9:26 p.m. South St. Accident – hit & run.

Wednesday, July 24

1:20 a.m. Upton/Hopkinton Rds. Suspicious auto.

12:07 p.m. Lyman St. Accident – personal injury.

2:55 p.m. Turnpike Rd. Accident property damage.

3:06 p.m. Glen/Arch Sts. Well-being check.

3:21 p.m. Otis St./Turnpike Rd. Accident property damage.

6:06 p.m. Lyman St. Suspicious activity.

8:09 p.m. Willow St. Suspicious activity.

9:11 p.m. Smith Pkwy. Larceny.

9:19 p.m. Turnpike Rd. Suspicious activity.

10:58 p.m. Arrested, Drew R. Clough, 24, of 14 Airlie St., Worcester, for operating under the influence of liquor, negligent operation of motor vehicle.

Thursday, July 25

1:12 a.m. Oak St. Disturbance (general).

5:30 a.m. Connector Rd. Vandalism.

11:44 a.m. W Main St. parking violation/complaint.

5:44 p.m. Turnpike Rd./Otis St. Accident property damage.

6:58 p.m. Friberg Pkwy. Assault.

9:09 p.m. Computer Dr. Suspicious activity.

10:28 p.m. Connector Rd. Suspicious auto.

Friday, July 26

10:27 a.m. Connector Rd. Larceny.

4:45 p.m. Oak St. Suspicious person.

10:34 p.m. Upton Rd. Suspicious person.

11:34 p.m. Connector Rd. Well-being check.

The information from the police log is obtained directly from the official records maintained at each police station in our circulation area. It contains arrests and samplings of police activity. Those arrested are innocent until proven guilty. The Community Advocate will publish news of acquittals upon notification and a copy of court-issued documentation.