Friday, November 30, 2007

 

AREA MAYORS EMPHASIZE COLLABORATION, COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, AS KEYS TO STRENGTHENING ECONOMY

By Janice O'Connor

Fitchburg Mayor-elect Lisa Wong, Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella and Gardner Mayor-elect Mark Hawke provided insight into economic development strategies during the What's Next? Speaker Series forum this week at the Doyle Conservation Center. President Daniel M. Asquino moderated the forum, which attracted more than 100 community and business leaders from the region.

The chief elected officials of Gardner, Leominster and Fitchburg said a collaborative effort among the cities, community engagement and innovation will be among the key elements needed in the upcoming years to stimulate economic development in the North Central region.

Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella, Gardner Mayor-elect Mark Hawke and Fitchburg Mayor-elect Lisa Wong shared their views on Monday during a forum, "Embracing the New Economy." The forum, sponsored by Mount Wachusett Community College's Center for Democracy and Humanity, the Twin City Latino Coalition, the North Central Massachusetts Economic Development Council and the Trustees of Reservations, launched the college's 2007-2008 What's Next? Speaker Series.

President Daniel M. Asquino moderated the forum, which attracted more than 100 community and business leaders from throughout the region.

"This is the fourth year the Center for Democracy and Humanity has featured noted experts, not only to provoke discussion, but also to inspire action," Asquino said. "The reason the series is called 'What’s Next' is because these featured speakers are guiding us in exploring future solutions to make our communities better places to work and to live. The Center for Democracy and Humanity is committed to facilitating this type of dialogue, and we are so proud to welcome our panelists. Our cities have a vital role to play in economic development and these three leaders all have impressive credentials in economic development—which is a key component to healthy communities."

Mazzarella, a veteran of Leominster's Police Department, has served as the city's mayor since 1993. Since being elected, the city’s $45 million deficit has been erased, a new school was built and plans were the city implemented a new state-of-the art water filtration.  Among many other accomplishments, the city’s police department grew by one third, resulting in a drop in crime. Leominster’s economic future is promising with over 1.5 million square feet of new space built and another 1 million planned. In an effort to help moderate growth and preserve the city’s natural beauty, the mayor’s administration has purchased over 1,000 acres of open space.

Hawke, a native of Gardner and a member of MWCC’s board of trustees, most recently has worked as the grants administrator for the city, bringing in an average of $1 million in grant funding each year for the past five years. Prior to working for the city, Hawke worked as the Northeast business analyst for a wireless network company, as an operations manager for a transportation company, and as a regional logistical analyst for a waste management company.

Born, raised and educated in Massachusetts, Wong is an economic development consultant who has worked extensively in New England and abroad. From 2001 to 2006, she worked for the Fitchburg redevelopment authority, including two and a half years as the agency's director. She also served as the executive director of the Women's Institute for Housing and Economic Development.

The three mayors emphasized a strong interest in collaboration among their administrations and community partnerships, to help strengthen the region's economy and communities.

The speaker series will continue with a second session, scheduled for January 10, focusing on “Emerging Opportunities in the New Economy” and will take an in-depth look at look at how certain industries affect development, including health care and the biomedical industries as well as what is being termed the creative cluster.

Housing, transportation, municipal growth, ecotourism, local farming and quality of life issues will be discussed at the third session in the series, “Living and Working in the New Economy,” scheduled for March. The last session in the series, “Entrepreneurial Spirit: The Pulse of the New Economy” will take a look in April at the conditions and environment necessary to help entrepreneurs succeed as well as what it takes to be an entrepreneur.

Reservations for the Jan. 10 forum are now being accepted and may be made by calling Nancy Hawkins at 978-630-9163 or emailing nhawkins@mwcc.mass.edu.

THEATRE AT THE MOUNT ANNOUNCES 2008 SEASON

A mix of rock and roll, ragtime, Vegas glitz and the fabulously popular High School Musical will highlight the 2008 season of MWCC's Theatre at the Mount.

Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story will kick off Theatre at the Mount's 2008 season of extraordinary plays. The play chronicles the rockers meteoric climb to the top of the charts to become the biggest selling recording artist worldwide before his tragic death in a plane crash at age 22. Over 20 Buddy Holly hits songs including Peggy Sue, Chantilly Lace and That’ll Be the Day are performed live on stage. You’ll be dancin’ in the aisles at this one! Performances of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story are February 22, 23, 29, March 1 at 8 p.m. and March 2 at 2 p.m.

Summer heats up with the powerful musical Ragtime, painting a poignant portrait of the melting pot of America at the turn of the 20th century. Weaving the delights of vaudeville, baseball, and nickelodeon with the disturbances of labor rallies and racial revolt, this unforgettable musical traces the threads of three families – WASP, African-American, and Jewish immigrant – intertwined in one of the greatest musicals of our time. Ragtime will run on June 20, 21, 27, 28 at 8 p.m. and June 29 at 2 p.m.

The Disney Channel’s smash hit movie musical High School Musical comes to life in August on the Theatre at the Mount stage! Troy Bolton, super-popular captain of the basketball team, and Gabriella Montez, super-smart president of the science club, try to score the leads in their school’s musical – a decision that turns both their world and their school upside down. This musical sensation has been sweeping the charts across the country – so “getcha head in the game” for High School Musical! This amazing blockbuster will be performed on August 8, 9, 14, 15, 16 at 8 p.m. and August 10 and 17 at 2 p.m.

The fall is highlighted by Dan Goggins’s Nunsensations: The Nunsense Vegas Revue. Praise the Lord and pass the sequins! Those crazy Sisters of Hoboken have gone Vegas! In this all-new, sixth edition of the Nunsense series, a parishioner has promised The Little Sisters of Hoboken $10,000 for their school if they will go to Las Vegas and perform at a friend's showplace. After convincing Reverend Mother that "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" the Sisters are off on another hilarious adventure! Show dates for Nunsensations are October 3, 4, 10, 11 at 8 p.m. and October 12 at 2 p.m.

Home for the Holidays comes to Theatre at the Mount to conclude the 2008 season. Celebrate the most joyous of seasons with the Theatre at the Mount family! Our Christmas spectacular will get you in the festive spirit with dazzling sets, stunning costumes, Broadway-style dancing, the traditional holiday songs you know and love and a visit from Santa!  Home for the Holidays is our greeting card to you – filled with love, laughter and holiday cheer! Home for the Holidays runs November 28, 29, December 5, 6 at 8 p.m. and November 30 and December 7 at 2 p.m.

Season tickets for all five shows are only $65.00 and are on sale now. To purchase tickets or request a season brochure, call the Theatre at the Mount box office at 978 632-2403. Tickets may also be purchased online at http://theatre.mwcc.edu  

JAMES MANGOK WOL, ONE OF SUDAN'S 'LOST BOYS' SHARES STORY OF SURVIVAL

James Mangok Wol, one of the Lost Boys of Sudan now living in New Hampshire, shared his story of survival with students, faculty and staff this week. In the background, a photograph in his PowerPoint presentation depicts how the young boys traveled thousands of miles over the course of several years seeking safety from attacks by enemies and wild animals.

James Mangok Wol, one of 4,000 Lost Boys of Sudan who were relocated to the United States over the past several years after fleeing their war-torn country, shared the story of his amazing survival with students, faculty and staff this week.

Wol, who now lives and works at Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center in Greenfield, New Hampshire, was invited to speak at the college by adjunct instructor Liane Jablonski, who wanted her Human Services counseling class to hear his story.

Raised among a family of cattle herders, Wol is of the Dinka ethnic group and lived in a rural village near the border of north and south Sudan. He recalled waking up one morning in 1987 when he was 5 years old to the sounds of gunshots and screaming and the smell of the village huts burning. The village was under attack by the Janjaweed, Arab-identifying Sudanese associated with mass killings in nearby Darfur. He fled, joining many other boys, and managed to survive incredible hardships. The Lost Boys' search for safety took them by foot to refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya over a period of several years. Only the fortunate survived. Wol said many of the Lost Boys died from helicopter bombings, attacks by lions, hyenas and poisonous snakes, disease or starvation, or drowning while trying to cross rivers to safety. Few girls survived, because the girls and women of the village were captured as slaves.

Wol's father, two brothers and two sisters were killed during the attack on the village. He believes his mother and other relatives are still alive, and hopes to be reunited with her next spring when he visits the country for the first time since coming to the United States. Wol, 25, came to the United States in 2001, first settling in Philadelphia. He joined a cousin, also a Lost Boy, in New Hampshire a few years ago.

In addition to working with disabled youth and attending college in New Hampshire, Wol also volunteers with the California-based non-profit organization 4 the World, which contributes to sustainable, participatory and equitable development among the poorest groups. As a spokesperson for the organization, Wol shares his story with schools, churches and other interested parties to raise awareness about Sudan and ultimately help bring much-needed aid to the region. The three most critical needs are food, education and health care, he said.

More information can be found at www.4theworld.org

More MWCC News:

• The Molly Bish Institute for Child Health and Safety and students in Human Biology and Anatomy and Physiology courses will present a Healthy Choices Fair on Monday, Dec. 3 from 4 to 8 p.m. in the North Cafeteria. The fair will allow students to demonstrate the results of their personal research into the area of healthy lifestyles and will focus on things that can be done in terms of education, physical training, nutrition and family role models to improve healthy lifestyles. Interactive exercises, posters, questions and answer are just a few of the many fun things that will be there. It promises to be an informative and thought-provoking evening of enjoyment for the entire family.

• In recognition of World AIDS Day, the acclaimed photo-essay exhibition “AIDS: The Challenge to Educate," by Loel A. Poor will be on view at the Leo & Theresa LaChance Library through Dec. 7 during library hours. Poor uses photography as a tool for creative compassion-based education and awareness. She has allied her work with philanthropic ventures and organizations that work to benefit youth at risk. The exhibit is sponsored by the office of Student Life.

• The Leo and Theresa LaChance Library will be open for extended hours during the fall semester’s final exam period: Saturday, Dec. 1 and Sunday, Dec. 2 from noon to 4 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 9 from noon to 4 p.m. For more information, call the library’s main desk at (978) 630-9125.

• Friday, Dec. 7 is Mount Wachusett Community College Night at the Worcester Sharks' hockey game at the DCU Center in Worcester. MWCC students, faculty, staff, alumni, family and friends can purchase tickets for the 7 p.m. game at just $9 each - about half the regular price - and watch the Sharks take on the Manchester Monarchs. The event is sponsored by the MWCC Alumni Association. For information or tickets, contact Carol Cullins, director of alumni affairs, at (978) 630-9594 or ccullins@mwcc.mass.edu

• MWCC’s Practical Nursing program will hold its fifth annual Pinning Ceremony for the Gardner Class of 2007 on Friday, Dec. 14 at 6 p.m. in the Raymond M. LaFontaine Fine Arts Center auditorium. For more information, contact Kathy Suchocki at ksuchocki@mwcc.mass.edu or call at (978) 630-9544.

• The enrollment center is offering Information Sessions on a number of academic programs. Upcoming sessions will take place on the following dates: Clinical Laboratory Science: Dec. 12 at 3 p.m. in OBS Conference Room at Heywood Hospital; A.S. Nursing: Dec. 4 from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Gardner campus, room 125; Practical Nursing Certificate program: Dec. 6 from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Gardner campus, room 125; Complementary Health Care: Dec. 10 from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Gardner campus, room 258; Dental Hygiene: Dec. 5 from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Gardner campus, room 125. Prospective students interested in attending an information session are asked to call the enrollment center at (978) 630-9110 (TTY (978) 632-4916), or send an email to admissions@mwcc.mass.edu

• Stressed? Why not schedule a relaxation massage to ease your tension? The MWCC Student Massage Therapy Clinic provides relaxation massage at a reduced rate to the public, faculty, staff and students. One-hour sessions with student massage therapists enrolled in MWCC's Massage Therapy Program are just $15 for students and MWCC employees and $30 for the general public. Many people have already discovered the advantages of this service as a way to relax and reduce stress. To schedule an appointment, call (978) 630-9212.