By All Hands
It may still be a week before Halloween, but some local people are already looking toward the holiday season — and next month's Santa Parade.
Long a local holiday tradition, this year's parade is slated for Sunday, Nov. 29 — the Sunday after Thanksgiving — beginning at 3 p.m.
Volunteers will line up parade participants at the State Fish Pier on Parker Street that day at 2, and will guide them through downtown Gloucester and on to Kent Circle for the tree lighting ceremony. The parade also marks the official welcoming of Santa Claus to the city for the holiday season, with Santa himself riding high on the Gloucester Fire Department's ladder truck.
To that end, parade organizers are reaching out for support to cover the costs of the bands, and to be able to recognize the groups who create the wonderful floats that add so much local color to the event.
City Councilor and downtown businessman Joe Ciolino, one of several volunteers working to coordinate the event, said the Santa Parade has asked the Gloucester Fund to manage all donations, with all donations 100 percent deductible.
Checks can be made payable to: The Gloucester Fund, 45 Middle St., Gloucester, MA 01930. Donors should note on the check that the gift is for the Gloucester Santa Parade.
Parade organizers are also putting out a call for floats for the event. Anyone interested may contact Ciolino at The Weathervane shop on Main Street.
Beyond the parade itself, children will have the opportunity to sit on Santa's lap at Kent Circle. And, as in the past, those who attend the Kent Circle tree ceremony will be invited to sign holiday cards that will be sent to our troops overseas.
League of Women Voters host forum
While the Gloucester Daily Times public debate for Gloucester's Ward 2 and councilor-at-large races isn't until Monday night at Gloucester Stage Co., residents looking to get a look at where the candidates stand on various local issues can get a head start today.
The councilor at-large and Ward 2 candidates are posting answers to questions from members of the League of Women Voters of Cape Ann on the League's local Web site, www.lwvcapeann.org.
The Times debate featuring those same candidates, is set for Monday night at Gloucester Stage, beginning at 7. The event is free to the public.
A dog's tale featured in new 'Soup' book
A tale about a Gloucester native and her dog appears in the just-released "Chicken Soup for the Soul: What I Learned from the Dog." The collection contains dozens of entries from writers all over the United States.
Sharon Love Cook's tale concerns Tubbs, a former "pound hound" with the amazing ability to break into the family refrigerator.
"Week after week my family came home to bacon wrappers, empty cottage cheese containers and bagel bits spread across the floor. When we were forced to buy a new refrigerator to replace the one he'd ruined, he broke into that, too," Cook said. "Without a doubt Tubbs was the canine Houdini."
Cook said she will donate the proceeds from the sales of a set of the books given to her by the publisher to Friends of Beverly Animals, of which she is vice president. Money raised goes to help feed and care for local homeless and abandoned animals.
She will also be featured on the Nov. 19 episode of "The Writer's Block" with host John Ronan, on Cape Ann TV. Cook will talk about her Tubbs piece, the humor column and cartoons she does for the Times' sister paper, the Salem News, as well as her newest book of text and cartoons, which she is hoping to get published, "30 Reasons Why Men Are For Now And Cats For Forever."
Although Cook now lives in Beverly, she maintains a writing and art studio at the Blackburn Building in Gloucester.
Tubbs, a Labrador mix, is not the only dog of Cook's that attained 15 seconds of fame. An earlier pet, the basset hound, Gaylord Farquahr, received a 12th birthday card from President Ronald and Nancy Reagan. After a blurb in a local newspaper, an Associated Press photographer came to the house and took an outstanding shot of Gaylord in a party hat eyeing his White House card. An avalanche of publicity followed. Gaylord's photo appeared in more than 1,500 newspapers and on TV news nationwide.
Cook said she and her husband had dogs for 30 years, but that she is a cat person; the couple now live with several. "You take them in and foster them and you end up keeping them," she said. "They all have different personalities."
Sweet candy deal for kids
A local dentist is giving new meaning this season to the phrase "put your money where your mouth is."¬
This Halloween, trick-or-treaters ages 2 to 15 can cash in on their excess candy by bringing it to Dr. Jeffrey Ahlin Family Dentistry and Orthodontics at 1 Essex Ave., and receive $1 per pound up to 10 pounds.
Dr. Ahlin says he wants to lead the anti-decay movement by giving away dollars and glowing electric toothbrushes in exchange for cavity-provoking candy.
"Visiting your dentist twice a year and brushing daily are great preventative measures, but doing away with or minimizing excess sweets altogether would really give your teeth a healthy boost," Ahlin said.¬ "Kids can still have all of the fun of trick-or-treating, and now their piggy banks will benefit as well.¬ Plus, these glowing brushes we're giving out are really cool—they're like light sabers for your mouth."¬
The candy will be collected at Ahlin's office on Tuesday, Nov. 3, from 3 to 5 p.m.
The candy must be unopened — "Please, no bites," Ahlin said. While the kids can get the cash, the candy will then be shipped to troops overseas.¬ ¬ ¬
Dr. Ahlin is available to provide more information at 978-293-9020, or on-line at www.gloucesterorthodontics.com.
Scary films at cinema
Cape Ann movie fans who know not to brave the crowds in Salem for a haunted Halloween have another choice.
From now through Nov. 1, the Cape Ann Community Cinema at 21 Main St. in Gloucester will present "ShocktoberFest."
Screenings this weekend include:
Tonight, 10 p.m.: "The Colour From The Dark" - Based on H.P. Lovecraft's "The Colour From Space," about a sinister force that takes over a quiet Italian farmstead during World War II. Starring scream queen Debbie Rochon.
Sunday, 3:45 p.m.: "The Haunted Classroom" - The legendary AV Geeks present this collection of spooky classic educational films from the world's largest archive of 16 mm classroom favorites.
Sunday, 7:30 p.m.: Spirit Of The Beehive — Two young children try to deal with life in Franco-era Spain after seeing a traveling film show presentation of James Whale's "Frankenstein." Also shown Sunday, Nov. 1 at 4:30 p.m.
Monday through Oct. 30, 5 p.m.: "Frankenstein," based on the book by Mary Shelley. This classic hit screens and 1931, and has been frightening viewers both young and old ever since. Boris Karloff's monster has become an icon, and this HD print brings out detail like never before. Additional shows Oct. 28 at 11 a.m,, Oct. 30 at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., and Oct. 31 at 3:30 p.m. All tickets, $5.
All tickets (unless otherwise noted) are $9 adults, $7.50 students & seniors and $6 for members. For those under 18, all shows after 9 p.m. require in-person parental permission. For information, visit www.massbayfilmproject.org.
Honored veteran
The flag at the Veterans' Center will fly this week in honor of World War II veteran Anthony "Nutzie" Pasquale Aiello. Born Oct. 24, 1925, he entered the U.S. Navy on July 11, 1944. The shipfitter third class served with 19th USN Construction Battalion, 15th USN Construction Battalion, USN Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit 523, 103rd Naval Construction Battalion, and Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit 578. He served in the South Pacific and Okinawa, Japan.
Aiello was awarded the World War II Victory Medal, the American Theatre Medal, and the Asiatic Pacific Theatre Medal with two Bronze Stars.
He was discharged June 13, 1946, and died Oct. 28, 1996.
The flag was requested to fly in his honor by wife, Felicia Aiello, and family.
Anyone wishing to fly a flag in honor of a deceased veteran can call the Office of Veterans' Services at 978-281-9740.
