Town Talk: Flag from Afghanistan flying at Bancroft and other brief stories of note

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June 18, 2009

By Bethany Bray

Bancroft stars and stripes

A representation of pride, honor and sacrifice now hangs in the Bancroft Elementary cafeteria. As part of a Flag Day ceremony on June 12, a flag flown over a U.S. Air Force base in Afghanistan was hung there.

This spring, fourth-graders from Bancroft Elementary have been pen-pals with an Air Force unit stationed in Afghanistan, sending cards, letters and care packages. In return, the soldiers wrote back and sent the youngsters two flags that had flown over their base.

"I learned that war isn't how a lot of people think it is," said fourth-grader Maxwell Kalinowski. "It's not all combat fighting, but fighting for freedom."

The fourth-graders gave the flags to Bancroft Principal Francine Goldstein, who used them during the school's Flag Day ceremony on Friday. Students read poems, said the Pledge of Allegiance, talked about the history of the U.S. flag and sang patriotic tunes together, including "You're a Grand Old Flag."

The fourth-grader's pen pals are Air Force technicians for Predator aircraft, unmanned spy planes. Marge Lundgren, a Bancroft parent and former Marine, helped organize the pen-pal project, said fourth-grade teacher Claire Touseau.

Through their correspondence, the fourth-graders learned the soldiers are "just regular guys that really care about their country," Maxwell said.

"They miss their families," said Juliana Lugg. "We wrote things to make them happy, like what's happening back here at home."

Fourth-grader Jayley Licata said as she sits under the flag once flown in Afghanistan, she'll be thinking of her soldier pen-pals, and "wondering what they're doing."

- Bethany Bray

From rugs to fields

Tonight, June 18, Sotherland and Co. will auction handmade rugs from around the world, and 15 percent of the gross sales will be donated to the Andover Little League to help build new fields on Blanchard Street.

"We try and do what we can to help the community," said Sotherland Owner Matthew Enyat, whose best friend is a Little League coach. "We said, why not help out?"

Enyat opened his rug shop at 44 Main St. in October, and just moved to Andover with his family, he said. A preview will be 4 to 6 p.m. at the store and the auction will be 6 to 8 p.m.

This spring, Town Meeting voters paved the way for a new sports complex, approving $425,000 to create a design for the town-owned property. Andover Little League and Andover Soccer Association have pledged to raise more than half of the project's $1.8 million total cost, which includes both diamonds and a multi-use field.

For more information, call 978-475-5900 or visit www.sotherlandco.com.

- Bethany Bray

Another Step for Andover band

Andover band One Step Away is making Community Auditions history as the first full band to win consecutive "Stars of the Day" - and with all original songs. The last time a full band won a single "Star of the Day" was back in 2007. Next weekend, the band will be shown on multiple New England TV stations, including WBZ, Channel 4, competing for its fourth consecutive "Star of the Day." If it wins this competition, the band will compete in the 2009 Season Community Auditions Finals later this year.

The show is taped live onstage at the Foxwoods Resort and Casino and telecast all over New England.

One Step Away is made up of high school sophmores: Andover's Adam Carrington (lead vocals) and Mike Nuzzolo (bass), Peabody's Alex Kwmuntis (drums) and Wilmington's Terence Healy (lead guitar). Adam and Michael are students at Andover High School while Alex and Terence attend St. John's Prep.

"It is clear to me that you are the pride of Andover," said one of the judges, Candy O-Terry, DJ for Magic 106.7-FM. "You should be on the cover of Tiger Beat Magazine."

Chic gets new home

The Chic Consignment Closet was so successful at Gigi's that we have Expanded to a new location, 46 Main St. It was open for the Sidewalk Bazaar on Saturday, June 13.

Buddhas on view in Shawsheen

Alpers Fine Art has hung six of Virginia Peck's Buddhas in the lovely, spacious lobby of Elements Therapeutic Massage at 209 North Main Street, Andover, right in Shawsheen Plaza.

Scheduled to run through July 26, this exhibit is part of the ongoing Faces of Buddha tour, which now consists of four exhibits running concurrently throughout the northeast. The exhibit at Elements is free and open to the public whenever Elements is open for business: weekdays 9 to 8, weekends 9 to 7. For more information, call Elements at 978-475-2266.

Alpers has also just hung a new exhibit at Andover personal-training facility, Get in Shape for Women at 63 Park St. This exhibit features paintings by two of our perennially most-popular artists, Ellen Granter and Kathleen Speranza. This show will run until July 6. Hours of operation are Monday through Thursday 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday 6 a.m. to noon.