I’d like to thank all of you who have been following this column for the past 13 years. Your support and respect are much appreciated, and keep me going when times are rough. I’m thankful to my wife and children, who have put up with the many hours I spend covering events and news 24/7 in town. I give thanks to the hard-working professionals at the New England Sinai Hospital and Copley at Stoughton who have worked so hard with my mother since her August stroke. I thank my friends, some of whom go back over 50 years. I treasure my time in Stoughton, and hope to continue to serve my town in any way I can. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! Here’s what other residents of the town had to see in this week’s version of my annual Thanksgiving Wishes column:
“Hey Mark, come out to the Upper Cape some day! In 1984, I ran for Stoughton Town Moderator against Fran Crimmins. In 2011, 27 years later, I became Town Moderator in Wellfleet and have recently had the pleasure of renewing my acquaintance with Stoughton Moderator veteran, Howie Hansen. Happy Thanksgiving to Mr. Hansen, and to all Stoughton residents.”
- Attorney Bruce A. Bierhans
“Where to begin? I am thankful that all three of my children are healthy and happy! I am thankful for the three amazingly beautiful grandchildren I have and the fourth that will be arriving sometime in mid-February! I am also thankful to be living in a beautiful home in a wonderful neighborhood in the great town of Stoughton, where I am involved in many community organizations and have the privilege of working with some of the most awesome people I have known in my lifetime. I am thankful for a few special friends who are always there for me, who bring sunshine on the dreariest days and who enrich my life much more than they know. Lastly, I am the most thankful of all for my husband, Mike. The town of Stoughton is lucky to have him serving its veterans . . . our family is luckier to have him as the most devoted husband, dad, and grandpa in the world!”
-Cindy Pazyra
“I have so much to be thankful for this year! To my amazing children, my family, friends and my `second family’ at the Stoughton Public Schools, a huge thank you for all you have done and continue to do for me.. I am so blessed to have all of you in my life. I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving and a year filled with love, good health and much happiness! Go Black Knights!!”
- Patty LaCivita
“Jean and I would like to send our `Thanks’ for the many (60) years we had lived in Stoughton before retiring down here in Florida. We send our best wishes to our family and friends, to the leaders of the town, and to all the citizens. We love our Home Town of Stoughton. Stoughton continues to be a wonderful place to raise a family. We also hope Stoughton wins over Canton on Thanksgiving Day!”
- John and Jean Fernandez
“After losing my oldest girl in September, I am so thankful for my son and my two remaining daughters, along with my six grand children, for getting me through this tough time. My girls cross country team at the high school have helped me keep my mind busy enough not to keep thinking about my loss. There is no way that I could thank them enough. I wish all familys and friends to be thankful, and try to do something for others this holiday season. Make someone happy!!! Happy Thanksgiving.”
- Robert A. Clarke
“I am thankful that my family is healthy and happy, and my wish is that we continue to be so. I will be very thankful when all our Military Forces are safe and home with their families. I will be thankful when all the religions in the world come together and live in peace with each other. I will be thankful for a lasting peace in the Middle East. I will be thankful for the time when people realize we are not here to hurt or hate each other, I don't think it will ever happen, but I can hope. I hope that good things come to all of us. I will be very thankful when Mark Snyder is back on TV. Lastly, I hope that our Police and Firefighters are safe has they protect us.”
- Leo E. Mellyn
“I am thankful for Stoughton - a town we moved to for no particular reason but a place we have found a real home full of people who really care about one another and who `get involved’! When some is hurting, Stoughton pulls together; when something needs to get done, Stoughton folks form a committee and get it done, when problems arise, Stoughton deals with them rather than sweeping them under the rug -- Stoughton is us and I am thankful for that.”
- Sharon Fradkin
“Living in South Florida now after spending 40 years in Stoughton has been quite a culture shock!! I’m very grateful and excited to be coming home for Thanksgiving this year. It has always been my favorite holiday. To be surrounded by family and great friends means the world to me! As we all get older you begin to realize how precious those moments are! We of course have the family football game on the front yard every year! (Which it’s not as graceful as it used to be) Having grown up in a football family I have been to every Stoughton/Canton football game since 1975 as a spectator, a water boy , a player, and most recently a coach! I’m thrilled to be able to join the team on the sidelines this year in Canton. There is truly no place I would rather be than with those kids!!! Happy Thanksgiving to all!! GO STOUGHTON!!!”
- Bob Gelly
“Thanksgiving has always been a day to relax, have a great meal, maybe spend it with friends however I never really thought about then thankful part of it until recently. I am looking at my 58th birthday coming up and then look at my son and sometimes wish I was back at that age because of what fun we were having and we could do anything we put our mind to however and old friend of mine (Linda Levine Keegan) just celebrated her birthday and she summed up very simply what being thankful really means. This is her Facebook posting: Thanks everyone! Aside for the fact that I had to work today it was really nice! I so appreciate your kind wishes! I think I just inched closer to another big decade!! I'm happy that I get to get older...when I think of the people who didn't I am so thankful...appreciate every minute!”
- Jim Lindelof
“I'm thankful for such wonderful friends and family, especially my husband, who is the love of my life. I'm also thankful for my health, a job and to live in a great community like Stoughton. I wish all residents a lovely and bountiful Thanksgiving!”
- Roseanne Felago
“When we think of all we have been given, simple men and women that we are- the laughter of friends; good work to do; and more than our small share of nature’s bounty - we ought to bow our heads in glad thanksgiving, fall on our knees in deep appreciation, or, at the very least, utter a simple, soft word of gratitude to the Hand of Life that has blest us so sustainingly all these years. How truly blest we all have been to drink from this holy chalice, this Cup of Life. The bread we eat was once a living spirit, sacrificed to nourish us; our communion, then, is a sharing of life with life.
So may we pause in gratitude this season to speak clearly our word of thanksgiving for these simple gifts of life which are all ours, not to hoard, but to share; till all the world is fed, both on bread, and on love and hope and justice. Elizabeth joins me in wishing each of you a happy Thanksgiving, and a blessed holiday season. Faithfully.”
- Rev. Jeffrey Symynkywicz
I am thankful for: my family and friends, who support me in everything I do; For good health and being able to celebrate another day with those I love; For the passion in what I do, whatever the obstacles; For realizing that it is the nontangible things that matter. Chris Cares Int’l is thankful for: Our volunteers - who make up our organization; Our donors – who we couldn’t do what we do without; Our supporters -who keep us going; and our recipients who give us hope. On behalf of everyone at CCI both here and in Tanzania – We wish you and your families a very happy and healthy Thanksgiving filled with peace and hope.”
-Christine Lott
“Why I love Thanksgiving: Turkey pictures by my granddaughter, Preparing my favorite meal for my favorite people, A sense of unity in all the people you see and greet when out and about, Being able to finally see the whole pond now that the leaves are down, Teaching my ESOL student what Thanksgiving is all about, Giving thanks for what we have, where we live and why we celebrate.”
- Dori Frankel
“What I am thankful for....Current and former members of the US military for protecting and serving us all. The police, fire and rescue departments for being their when you need them. My kids for keeping me honest and making me think, sometimes too much!
The public education and library systems for making available the tools and resources that we all need to succeed, all at a very affordable cost. The commitment to music in the Stoughton Schools for teaching the joy of winning, the pain of losing but most importantly the importance of always working as a team to succeed. The founders of the USA for creating the best place on the planet to live, work and raise children. G-d for teaching me to be thankful.”
- Mark Kushinsky
RUMBLINGS AROUND TOWN
WELCOME ABOARD: Two new police officers will be joining the Stoughton Police Department. Chief Paul Shastany said that Marc Baldner and Sheana Isabel will be joining the force after extensive training. They celebrated their graduation at the IBEW Hall on Tuesday, before dignitaries like Boston Mayor Tom Menino and Police Commissioner Ed Davis. Many officers of the Stoughton Police Department attended.
IT’S A GRAND OLD FLAG: Christine Iacobucci and her daughter Isabella attended the Sept. 11 ceremony at the Stoughton Fire Station on Freeman Street earlier this year, and when her daughter sang three lines (“I love my Country. I love my freedom. I love my flag and independence day!”), it thrilled the crowd, and surprised her. What really struck her there, and at Town Meeting, was the enormous 30x60 foot flag that flew from a Stoughton Fire Department ladder truck. Iacobucci’s young daughter wondered why it didn’t fly during all the holidays, from July 4, to Memorial Day, to Veterans Day. What she discovered was that Stoughton borrowed the flags, from the Towns of Randolph and Canton. So is born a fund-raising campaign. Iacobucci is conducting a fundraiser to try to secure the estimated $2,000 it will cost for Stoughton to own its own flag. She can use your help! If you have an idea for a fundraiser, call Christine at 339-237-0520 or e-mail her at christine.iacobucci@gmail.com. Send a donation (make it payable to “Raise the Flag”) to Randolph Savings Bank , 87 Sharon Street, Stoughton, MA 02072. Let’s see if we can all rally around the flag - and Christine!
GIVING THANKS TO VETERANS: The Stoughton Firefighters, along with the Harry Landman Committee, will be collecting names of Stoughton residents serving in the military, currently away from home. They will send them a Christmas package on behalf of all Stoughton residents thanking them for their service and sacrifice. The package will consist of candy, cookies, toiletries and DVD’s. Please forward names and addresses in writing to the attention of either FF James Rush or FF James Brackett at the Stoughton Fire Station at 30 Freeman St. no later than Friday, Dec.2. They thank you for your continued support.
Mark Snyder, former chairman of the Board of the Neponset Valley Chamber of Commerce, has written over 1460 articles in newspapers and magazines, and published three books. He is the CEO of pmpnetwork.com, the internet’s entertainment superstation, and snydersstoughton.com, a community website, which has recorded over 25 million hits in the past two years. He can be reached by fax at 781-344-7207, by e-mail at snydersstoughton2011@gmail.com, on Facebook (Snyder’s Stoughton), and on Twitter (MediaMan2009). He has been writing “Snyder’s Stoughton” in the Journal since November 1998.