Action Unlimited

Spellman Stamp Museum Re-Opens July 8

WESTON: The Spellman Museum of Stamps & Postal History, located on the campus of Regis College in Weston, will re-open on Thursday, July 8. Summer hours will be Thursday, Friday and Saturday from noon to 5pm. It will also be open on Sunday, July 12 from noon to 5pm.

While closed, the Museum completed major improvements including repainting the main gallery and adjacent spaces, installing new LED lighting throughout the building, rebranding and updating signage, refreshing the Museum store, adding library services and preparing many new activities and books for children while expanding materials in the Museum’s Youth Club.

The two major exhibits now on display feature a history of the 19th Amendment and Women’s suffrage using stamps, and a celebration with stamps of the 400th anniversary of the landing of the Pilgrims. Other exhibits include medicine on stamps (which is also on display at New England Baptist Hospital), owls on U.S. and world-wide postage, the history of rural free delivery, children’s stamp games, antique stamp cases, Civil War letters and envelopes, zeppelin mail, the very first stamp (the One Penny Black of 1840) and the first US stamps. And the Special Exhibits Room features a women’s jacket
and skirt hand made in 1935 using more than 2000 stamps.

Admission to the Museum is $8 for adults, $5 for seniors and $3 for children. Some area public libraries have free passes available. All children receive a free packet of stamps and can participate in a stamp hunt for prizes. The Museum offers an evaluation service of collections, by appointment, for a $50 fee. More information is available at www.spellmanmuseum.org or info@spellmanmuseum.org.

Wayside Inn Foundation Hosts New Summer Programs

SUDBURY: The Wayside Inn is announcing new drop-off summer programs for children ages 6 and up. Programs are scheduled throughout the summer in June, July, and August. “Over the last year and a half, we have experimented with family programs that require children to participate with an accompanying caregiver,” said Katina Fontes, TWIF Education Coordinator. “However, our goal has always been a menu of drop-off programs for youth. With COVID restrictions easing and vaccination rates rising, this summer felt like the perfect time to begin!”

The “Time Travelers Summer Programs” will kick off with a June 5th preview of the new Three Sisters Garden behind the Old Barn and a self-guided story walk (families can stop by any time between 10:00 a.m. and noon). The garden will be used for educational programming later in the summer. “It will also be an opportunity for visitors to talk with staff and learn more about The Wayside Inn Foundation and our new drop-off summer programs,” noted Fontes.

The first drop-off program is on Saturday, June 19th, 10:30-noon. The theme is Juneteenth, and participants will enjoy a picnic lunch in addition to some journaling and craft activities. The week of July 19-23, a program series focused on gardening, sustainability, and Native American traditions is offered. There will be another series on American cooking through time the week of August 16-20. All programs will take place from 9:00 a.m. to noon, with an option to add an extra hour for lunch until 1:00. “We administered a survey back in March, and the results suggested that families want flexibility and choice. So we are allowing them to pick and choose the dates and themes that work best for them,” added Fontes. Registration is limited to 10 kids per session.

“We are excited and can’t wait to share some of our site’s history with families and kids,” said Fontes. “Thanks to a generous donation of loam and compost from Cavicchio Greenhouses, Inc., garden preparations are already underway! We encourage our guests to swing by from time to time to see the progress of our garden the next time they have dinner at The Inn or visit our site.”

A brochure with details about the programs, costs, and the registration process is available at http://bit.ly/TimeTravelers21.

June is PTSD Awareness Month

June is PTSD Awareness Month. Though most often associated with veterans who experienced atrocities of war, anyone, including children and teens, can suffer with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Children typically recover quickly from stressful events, but when it comes to severe stress, especially serious injuries, the death of a close family member or friend, sexual assault, living through a disaster, or witnessing a violent act such as a school shooting, children can often suffer the long-term effects of PTSD.
The National Center for PTSD estimates that 7-8% of people will experience PTSD during their lives. Worse yet, over 65% of children who are exposed to a traumatic event will, at some point, attempt to take their own lives.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the symptoms of PTSD are different for young children than those of older teens and adults. Children younger than 6 will often wet the bed, forget how or refuse to talk, act out the traumatic event during routine play, or become unusually clingy with a parent or other adult.

Research shows that depression rates increase after a trauma and tend to be especially high among children with PTSD. If your child or someone you love is struggling with depression or thinking about suicide, get help now. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK (8255), is a free resource, available 24 hours a day for anyone who is in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. The Crisis Text Line is a free 24/7 text line where trained crisis counselors support individuals in crisis. Text “Jason” to 741741 to speak with a compassionate, trained Crisis Counselor. Confidential support 24/7, for free.

The Jason Foundation is another available resource. The Jason Foundation is dedicated to the awareness and prevention of youth suicide through educational programs that equip youth, parents, educators, and the community with the tools and resources to identify and assist at-risk youth. Many times, a young person will exhibit clear warnings signs prior to an attempt. By knowing the warning signs, and knowing how to help, you could save a life. Visit The Jason Foundation’s website to learn more about youth suicide, the warning signs, and how you can help make a difference. The Jason Foundation has never charged a school, community, or individual for the use of their programs or resources. http://www.jasonfoundation.com

Emerson Hospital & IMPACT Melanoma Team Up to Protect the Public

CONCORD: Emerson Hospital and IMPACT Melanoma, a national non-profit organization dedicated to reducing the incidence of melanoma, have teamed for the third consecutive year to protect residents from skin cancer. The organizations have deployed touchless, automatic sunscreen dispensers at 16 high-traffic locations, including parks and recreation facilities, beaches, rail trails, and athletic fields throughout Concord and the greater area. The dispensers provide complementary sunscreen throughout Acton (at The Discovery Museum), Bedford, Chelmsford, Concord, Harvard, Hudson, Maynard and Westford.

Jen Melanson, Community Service Coordinator for the town of Chelmsford, reported after the 2020 season, “The program was so well received, we had positive feedback on social media and from citizens who were very excited and appreciative. We are grateful to Emerson Hospital for providing the dispensers and are excited to support the program again this year.”

“We are pleased to work with Emerson Hospital on this invaluable initiative for the third year,” said Deb Girard, IMPACT’s Executive Director. “It is imperative to educate communities at all levels – residents, government, employees, and visitors – to create a broad sense of sun-safe practices aimed at healthier lifestyle choices for our skin. With this initiative in motion, we can achieve exactly that with the fleet of free sunscreen dispensers, and educational messaging. We are excited and hope that neighboring towns take notice. Together we can make a great IMPACT and practice of safe skin.”

Emerson Hospital is sponsoring bright yellow sunscreen dispensers that are filled with SPF 30 sunscreen. The dispensers are monitored regularly and replenished as needed, ensuring that everyone in the area who needs sunscreen has easy access to it. SPF 30 or higher sunscreen is rated and recommended for use by children ages six-months and up, and adults. All sunscreen ingredients are safe and approved by the FDA.

“Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers in our service area, according to our latest Community Health Assessment,” notes Christine Gallery, Senior Vice President, Planning and Chief Strategy Officer, Emerson Hospital. “We are proud to support IMPACT Melanoma again this year, so that people throughout our towns can have fun this summer, while easily protecting themselves from skin cancer. We anticipate the community will use the sunscreen often and it will become a routine part of their summer safety regimen. We encourage the community to be in touch with a physician with any questions or concerns about their skin.”

To learn more about the importance of sunscreen and where the complimentary sunscreen dispensers are located, please visit www.emersonhospital.org/sunscreen.