Did You Know?

Sharon, Massachusetts: Open Spaces, Special Places, a 32-page book celebrating open space, local history, and places frequented by Sharon residents in their daily lives, has been published by SFOC to promote public awareness of the importance of preserving land and water resources. All net funds raised from the sale of this keepsake volume will go to benefit land preservation in Sharon. Find out more…

SFOC Annual Potluck and Meeting

Members, friends, and guests of the Sharon Friends of Conservation convened at the Unitarian Church of Sharon on Saturday evening, March 10, for the 6th Annual SFOC Potluck Supper. This year’s event was a big success with about 55 attendees, young and old. The evening served to honor Sharon Cottage Street School teacher Shirley Houston, who for 18 years has worked to instill an appreciation and understanding of the environment in her young students. Shirley received, along with a certificate of appreciation from SFOC, a gift certificate for Acorn Naturalist catalogue, a supplier of environmental teaching materials. In addition Ward’s Berry Farm contributed a large gift basket. One of Shirley’s students, Elizabeth Arguimbau, has become a kindergarten teacher with hopes of carrying on Shirley’s vision in her classroom.

Notable in attendance were Cottage Street School principal John Marcus, Sharon Selectman Richard Powell, and representatives Chris Laughlin, Barbara Harrington, and Carolyn McDade from the Crystal Spring Earth Learning Center in Plainville.

Winners of the 2006 Wildlife Photo Contest were announced and prizes awarded. The contest is sponsored by Sharon Fish and Game Club and SFOC. This year’s first prize (animal division) went to 11-year-old Will Sweet for his photo of a Monarch butterfly. Cindy Greenstein won first prize (plant division) for her photo of fallen pollen patterns on the water of Mann’s Pond. Other winners were Josh Simons, Philip Andrade, and John Prendergast. The photos, along with all entries, will be on display in the Conservation Commission Office.

Entertainment for the evening was a showing of the PBS Nova documentary “Dimming the Sun,” which explored lesser-known aspects of climate change.

SFOC members as well as local businesses in Sharon contributed very generously to the event. SFOC would like to heartily thank Ward’s Berry Farm (614 South Main St.), Pizzigando Restaurant and Pizzeria (1 Pond St.), Alice’s Mandarin Taste Chinese Restaurant (37 Pond St.), Pizza Market (376 South Main St.), Tedeschi’s Food Mart & Mobil Station (68 Pond St.), and Crescent Ridge Dairy (355 Bay Road).