Town Talk
Amanda Flitter
November 15, 2008 05:25 am Third-graders at Essex Elementary School have satisfied their sweet tooth for giving. Instead of gobbling up their Halloween candy, more than 30 of the students donated it to soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq. They managed to fill two 5-gallon totes with the special treats. The project was part of a Halloween candy buyback program run in conjunction with the Massachusetts Dental Society. Through the program, local dentists sponsor children and offer to buy their Halloween candy if they donate it. Dr. Timothy Isabel, DDS, sponsored the Essex students and gave each one that participated a healthy teeth gift pack. Teacher Nicole Cucuru said the children didn't find it difficult to give up their treats. "The students were actually very excited to participate in something bigger than themselves," she said. "It was very easy and natural for them to give." Rotary to honor high schoolers Nearly 100 high school student leaders will be recognized during the Manchester-Essex Rotary Club's fourth annual Green and White Pancake Breakfast next Saturday. This year the event will feature a topping bar with fruit toppings, chocolate chips, whipped cream, and syrup. There will also be live musical entertainment from local jazz musicians Nat Simpkins and Henri Smith, along with invited student musicians. "We hope everyone in the community comes out to the Green and White Breakfast to enjoy the excellent food, entertainment, and most of all to show support for these terrific student leaders," said Rotary Club president Dave Peterson in a statement. "These young people are great assets and this is a chance for the entire community, young and old, to show appreciation of their accomplishments." The breakfast will be Nov. 22 from 8 to 10 a.m. in the Manchester Essex Regional High School cafeteria. It is open to the public, and the cost is $6 for adults and all students and children are free. Money raised goes to the Manchester-Essex Rotary Club Scholarship Fund. Need help with fuel costs? The Essex Council on Aging will host an Action Inc. presentation about energy assistance on Tuesday, Nov. 18, at 2 p.m. at the Senior Center on Pickering Street. Action Inc. has money available to help eligible Essex residents with fuel, electric, phone and gas costs. The meeting is free to all interested residents. Eligibility requirements will be discussed at the meeting, and there will be an opportunity to ask questions. Essex Fire Company hosts spaghetti dinner The Essex Fire Company will hosts its 18th annual spaghetti dinner next Saturday, Nov. 22, from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Essex Fire Station on 24 Martin St. The dinner is family style and will include spaghetti and meatballs, salad, bread, drink and desert. Donations are accepted and greatly appreciated. All donations will go toward the Essex Fire Company Equipment Fund. Amphibian specialist to share local findings The annual meeting of the Manchester-Essex Conservation Trust will feature guest speaker Dorothy Boorse, associate professor of biology at Gordon College in Wenham. Boorse will share some of her extensive research on the turtles, salamanders and frogs that inhabit the Manchester and Essex woods. Boorse's primary research and teaching interests are in aquatic community ecology and invasive species, and her biological research focus is on vernal pools. She is the author of "Global City," a set of interactive supplemental activities for "Environmental Science," a textbook by Richard Wright. The meeting, which is free to the public, is tomorrow at 4 p.m. in the Manchester Community Center. There will also be a two-hour walk through the wilderness conservation area before the meeting, at 1:30 p.m. The walk, led by Manchester-Essex Conservation Trust president Charlie Kellogg and trustee Bill Vachon, will leave from the Cedar Swamp parking area on upper School Street in Manchester. Town Talk is compiled each week by reporter Amanda Flitter. If you have an Essex or Manchester item for Town Talk, call her at 978-283-7000, ext. 3447, or e-mail her at gt_reporter@gloucestertimes.com.
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