The Buzzards Bay Coalition will present the first Buzzards Bay Film Festival (BBFF) on Sunday, November 11, 2012, at the Zeiterion Theater in New Bedford.
The BBFF will consider entries from all film makers, from first-timers, professionals, students and hobbyists. All film types are eligible, including features, shorts, dramas, documentaries, animation, and smartphone videos, as long as some portion of them were shot on the Bay or in its watershed, have the Bay as their subject, or promote the Bay’s preservation and restoration.
The Festival will feature a crowd-sourced film, “The People’s History of Buzzards Bay,” assembled from the public’s contributions of pictures, slides, and videos that depict important historic or personal places and events in the Bay’s history. Video submissions must be between thirty seconds and three minutes long. Festival editors will assemble the entries into a film that will premier at the Festival.
“The Festival is part of our year-long celebration of the Coalition’s 25th anniversary, and ‘The People’s History’ will ensure this will be a festival about Buzzards Bay, by the people of Buzzards Bay,” said Festival Director Tom Gidwitz. “Entries can be serious or funny, and the potential subjects are virtually limitless. For example, a film maker could describe the disappearance of the glaciers, the arrival of Bartholomew Gosnold or places and events in their own families’ lives.”
Festival judges will award a cash prize for Best Film of the Festival and for the best films by college, high school and middle school students.
The BBFF is also holding a cash prize contest for the best 30-second Public Service Announcement about nitrogen pollution. “Nitrogen pollution is an insidious threat to our bays and coves, but people’s eyes often glaze over when they hear about it. We’re looking for new, inventive ways to get the message out,” Gidwitz said.
Festival sponsors include New Bedford’s Jay Lanagan’s restaurants, mediumstudio, and First Priority Media of Cranston, Rhode Island.
Submissions to “The People’s History of Buzzards Bay” are free, but for all other films submitted there is a $10 entry fee. All entrants will receive a membership in the Buzzards Bay Coalition and a link on the film festival’s website to their own website or Facebook page.
Last March, New Bedford Guide featured a bone marrow drive for Baby Chloe, who at 4-months years-old was the youngest child in the state of Massachusetts with Acute Lymphatic Leukemia (ALL). By April a bone marrow match was found, thanks to thousands of people registering with the bone marrow registry. Now there is another young girl that needs our help.
On April 14, 2008, Somerset’s Scarlett Isidoro was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Scarlett spent the last three years in remission, but unfortunately relapsed on January 5th, 2011 and immediately began chemotherapy on January 7th, 2012. She currently resides in the hospital at the Tuff Floating Hospital for Children, and her only hope for a cure is a bone marrow transplant. Please join us in the fight to help the thousands of patients like Scarlett. You have the power to heal the power to save a life by joining the bone marrow registry.
On Feb 4th, 2012 there is a Bone Marrow Drive at St. Louis de France Parish, Church Hall (56 Buffington Street, Swansea, MA) from 10am-2pm to register to become a donor, or visit BETHEMATCH.org to receive your free home kit. Registering is painless and is a simple cotton swab rubbed against the inside of a cheek.
Please feel free to stay update with Scarlett at: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/scarlett
There is also a bone marrow drive from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm at:
Dartmouth Town High School
555 Bakerville Rd
South Dartmouth MA, 02748
Healthy Living Within the New Bedford Community
by Nicholas Walecka
Members of The City of New Bedford Parks, Recreation, and Beaches have teamed up with members of the New Bedford Public School System and local chefs to create an initiative to promote healthy living and eating by creating awareness amongst families in the community.
With the help of a $40,000 grant from the Wal-mart Foundation and the National Recreation and Parks Association, they have been able to host three Family Food Nights (one at The New Bedford Boys and Girls Club, one at Roosevelt Middle, and the most recent one at Gomes School) to help families learn how to live healthier by eating better and exercising on a regular basis.
Last Thursday, January 26th, students and parents met at the Gomes School, where they rotated amongst three exercise stations- a dance station, a yoga station, and a aerobics station- and then were treated to food demos from local chef JT Ghim of Commons (formerly Ginger Grill) as well as a demo from student chefs at Johnson and Wales and Kim Ferreira, who works with the NBPRB and is a registered dietician.
Ross Moran, a representative of the NBPRB, said they’re targeting populations that don’t typically have access to healthy foods. “We’ve had these (initiatives) at Roosevelt and The Boys Club, and we’re looking forward to the next one, which should be at Normandin in March.”
Ross, along with Renee Dufour, Pauline Hamel, and Ferreira, among others, helped recruit area chefs who focus on healthy dining, as well as some individuals involved in promoting physical activities in the city.
The goal is to promote easy ways to create cheap, healthy meals, as well as to stress the importance of exercise to create a complete, healthy lifestyle. Dufour told me that New Bedford was one of the first cities to get involved with Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” program, which was designed to address America’s obesity problems by focusing on the youth of America.
Last July, the state Public Health Council agreed to change lunch menus so that schools are required to provide students with a variety of healthier options. The USDA also has a series of new requirements that must be followed. This grant program is another part of what seems like a nationwide effort to promote health awareness amongst the youth.
Ferreira and Hamel collaborated to bring the healthy dining demos to the schools by recruiting the local chefs. Initially starting on a small scale in May, the program was fully launched in August. Kim said that the idea was, “to get healthy meals in a way that makes sense- by connecting restaurants to the community.”
So far, the program has been considered a success. Over 120 people signed up for and attended this particular session at the Gomes School. “We usually have a tough time getting parents to participate in the physical activities, but overall the night seems like a success,” said Dufour. The kids especially seemed to enjoy the physical portion of the program. “The kids liked it. They like to move, no matter what it is,” said dance instructor and teacher at the Gomes School Rachel Machado.
Frederick Douglass’ Birthday Celebration
On Saturday, February 11, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park will celebrate the 194th birthday of New Bedford’s most famous orator and abolitionist, Frederick Douglass. The park will celebrate Douglass and his legacy, from Civil War to civil rights, by showing films, hosting a panel discussion, and showcasing a poetry slam and live music . All of the day’s activities are free and take place at the Corson Maritime Learning Center located at 33 William Street in downtown New Bedford, Massachusetts. For a complete schedule of activities, stop by the National Park Visitor Center or visit the park on the web at www.nps.gov/nebe.
10:00 a.m – 12:00 noon – Exploring the Home Port: The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass, and videos by YAP! (Youth Ambassador Program)
1:00-2:00 PM: Satellite Panel Discussion on Frederick Douglass hosted by Dr. Edna Medford of Howard University with representatives from New Bedford and Maryland, in collaboration with Frederick Douglass National Historic Site in Maryland.
2:30 – Poetry Slam featuring Jibreel Khazan, Erik Andrade, Raena Camacho, and Frederick Douglass-Knowles II, Live music by Afrika Rainbow and YAP! (Youth Ambassador Program)
Frederick Douglass escaped slavery and made his first home in freedom in New Bedford. He was one 300-700 escaped slaves who called New Bedford home between 1840 and 1860. To learn more about New Bedford’s Underground Railroad history visit www.nps.gov/nebe or www.nbhistoricalsociety.org.
Best Places to Watch the Super Bowl
by Michael Silvia
On Sunday, February 5th at 6:20pm EST, the New England Patriots will take on the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis, Indiana. New Bedford bars are gearing up to provide patrons the best experience possible. Here is a list of the best bars in New Bedford to watch the Super Bowl based on HD TV inventory, food/drink specials and capacity.
Rose Alley Ale House | 94 Front St. | New Bedford MA 02740 | (508) 858-5123
Number of TV’s: 9 HD
Food Specials: All-you-can-tenders for $6.50 per person
Drink Specials: Beer Pitcher Specials
Capacity: 149
Win a $100 Rose Ally Gift card by playing our Super Bowl contest.
Knucklehead’s Bar & Grill | 85 MacArthur Dr New Bedford MA 02740 | (508) 984-8149
Number of TV’s: 15 HD, 5 Big Screen
Food Specials: Half Time Buffet, prizes and give-aways. 9-12pm late night pub menu: 25 cents wings, 50 cents flavored, $2 Cup of Chili with Chips, $1.50 Homemade Onion Rings, $3 Bacon Cheese Fries, two Chili Cheese Dogs for $3, and one topping pizza for $4, two topping pizza for $5.
Drink Specials: Bucket of beer and cheese pizza: Domestic: $16, Foreign: $19. 50 cents extra toppings. Absolute Vodka Mountain Due for $3.
Capacity: 95
Strikers Sports Bar and Grille (Wonder Bowl) | 66 Hathaway Road New Bedford, MA 02746 | 508-993-1746
Number of TV’s: 14 HD, including 115” Projection
Food Specials: Daily specials
Drink Specials: Beer specials every month
Capacity: 120
Hibernia Irish Pub | 109 William Street, New Bedford, MA 02746 | (508) 984-4423
Number of TV’s: 16 HD
Food Specials: 25 Cent wings, all-you-can-eat
Capacity: 99
Pier 37 | 37 Union Street, New Bedford, MA 02746 | (508) 990-0117
Number of TV’s: 4 HD
Food Specials: FREE half-time buffet
Capacity: 90
Super Bowl XLVI starts at 6:20PM EST.
Endzone Sports Pub | 218 Coggeshall St. New Bedford, MA 02746 | (508) 997-7309
Number of TV’s: 7 HD
Capacity: 100
Miller’s Homeport | 24 Cove Rd New Bedford MA 02744 | (508) 992-1311
Number of TV’s: 12 HD
Capacity: 99
Other Cities:
Ice Chest Bar & Grille | 136 Huttleston Ave. Fairhaven MA 02719 | (508) 992-BEER.
Number of TV’s: 6 HD
Capacity: 196
Rasputin’s Tavern | 122 Main St. Fairhaven MA 02719 | (508) 858-5490
Number of TV’s: 8 HD
Food Specials: Scallops and Steak $15
Drink Specials: $1 drafts, $3 shots
Capacity: 99
City of New Bedford To Host Credit Workshop
New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell announced that the City of New Bedford Office of Housing and Community Development and the Fall River / New Bedford Housing Partnership, will host a no-cost, Credit 101 Workshop. This workshop will provide valuable tips for setting goals and planning for your financial future. It will offer guidance on such topics as the meaning of a credit report to your financial future, how to obtain and re-establish credit, and the amount of debt you can comfortably afford. Mayor Mitchell said, “I encourage area residents to take advantage of the opportunity to become more effective managers of their personal finances. The skills they will gain at the workshop can make a huge difference to their financial security over time.”
The workshop will be held on Wednesday, February 1st at the Fort Taber Community Center at 1000 Rodney French Boulevard, New Bedford, MA 02744. Registration begins at 5:00 pm and a presentation will be held at 5:30 pm. In addition, Credit counselors will be on hand beginning at 5:00 pm to meet one on one with individuals until 7:00 pm. Informational packages will also be available for anyone who attends.
Prior to the event, anyone attending is asked to obtain a “Free” annual credit report from https://www.annualcreditreport.com or by calling 877-322-8228.
Participating agencies for the Fall River/New Bedford Housing Partnership include BankFive; BayCoast Bank, Bristol County Savings Bank; Bristol Elder Services; Catholic Social Services; Fall River Affordable Housing Corporation;
Fall River Community Development Agency; Fannie Mae; First Citizens’ Federal Credit Union; MassHousing; Mechanics Cooperative Bank; Money Management International; Neighborhood Housing Services of the South Shore; City of New Bedford Office of Housing & Community Development; Rockland Trust; South Coastal Counties Legal Services; South Shore Housing; and St. Anne’s Credit Union.
The Fall River/New Bedford Housing Partnership, founded in 2007, was formed to address the housing and foreclosure crisis. The partnership looks to provide assistance to individuals and families facing a risk of foreclosure by providing foreclosure prevention counseling, as well as educate consumers about financial literacy, credit worthiness and innovative loan products, including purchase and rehabilitation programs.
To pre-register for the Credit Workshop please call 800-643-2272 or for additional information, please contact the City of New Bedford Office of Housing and Community Development at 508-979-1500.
New Bedford Event Calendar System
NewBedfordGuide.com is pleased to offer a community events (http://www.newbedfordguide.com/calendar) for the New Bedford area. You can also access the calendar at eventsnb.com. Approved registered users of New Bedford Guide will be able to submit events to the calendar. To gain permissions to add events to this calendar you must register with New Bedford Guide and e-mail us at info@newbedfordguide.com. This is a free service to promote events in the New Bedford area.
Send us an email at info@newbedfordguide.com. Let us know what types of events you will be adding.
Go to the event calendar and at the top left click add event.
Single click on the date you want to add an event.
Fill out the form and click save.
Want to get extra promotion? Get a leader board ad on the calendar! Full details here.
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Browse the calendar by month/week and add an event.
Add an event to the calendar. Yellow areas are mandatory.
What an event looks like when clicked.
New Bedford Guide Super Bowl Contest
On Sunday, February 5th at 6:20pm EST, Eli Manning and the Giants will take on Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis, Indiana. We gave away a Wes Welker signed mini-helmet when the Patriots took on Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos. This time we are giving away a $100 Rose Alley Ale House gift card!
The $100 gift card will go to the person who can guess the combined score of the New York Giants and New England Patriots match-up. For example, if the Patriots win 26-10, the combined score (36). The person that comes the closest combined total will win the $100 gift card. For a tie-breaker also post how many passing yards Tom Brady and Eli manning will throw. Your guess must be posted by 5:30pm EST on February 5th, 2012 on this Facebook photo or in a comment in this article.
A sample guess would be, “33 combined score and 500 combined passing yards.”
How to Participate
Post your combined prediction (total combined game score + total combined Eli Manning and Tom Brady passing yards) in a comment to this Facebook photo and “Like” the Photo.
To gain an extra 3 points (plus or minus) on the combined game score total, share this article or photo on your Facebook wall. For example, if you guess 30 and the final point total is 33, you will be the winner (or go to the tie break if more than person wins). Post in your response that you shared the article. You will need to prove that you shared the article. This extra 3 points does not count towards Tom Brady/Eli Manning combined passing yard total. To confirm these points, we must be able to publicly see that you shared the article on Facebook or see proof in person.
Your guess must be posted by 5:30pm EST on February 5th, 2012.
There is only one winner.
If you can’t pick up the prize, we will mail the item with delivery confirmation, but we are not responsible for it being lost in the mail. If the delivery confirmation shows it was delivered to the address, we will not be responsible for any lost or damaged prize.
Participation in this contest confirms you have read the rules.
If there is till a tie after both both phases of this contest, we will invite the contestants to Rose Alley Ale House and have one of the staff pull a name out of a hat, or the winners can decide to split the winnings.
Ginger Grill Becomes Commons
by Nicholas Walecka
Starting this week, the restaurant formerly known as Ginger Grill reopened its doors with a new look, a new vision, and a new name: Commons.
A lot of people were disappointed when Ginger Grill closed its doors, and even more will be disappointed when they find out that the old menu no longer exists. What they will find at Commons, though, is a new, more eclectic menu, a more spacious layout, a stage that will feature a wide variety of performances, and most importantly, a new vision—to create change in the downtown community and the city of New Bedford as a whole.
Owners JT Ghim and his wife Augustina, alongside their new partner and downtown New Bedford resident and former New Bedford Public School Teacher Nicholas Baptist, are excited for the opportunity to reach a wider variety of people. They see Commons as a place where people gather to share ideas and turn those ideas into actions, as well as a place people can go to for a good meal and to be entertained. Picture it as a Community Center with food and entertainment to accompany it.
Baptist has been involved in the local community as the creator of the “Where Are You Headed” attendance initiative program for New Bedford Public Schools. He also has volunteered his time as a basketball coach at the High School, as well as in the Citizen Schools program within the cities Middle schools. JT took him on to help him with his vision. “Who better than someone who already has some valuable experience in the community?” said Ghim when I spoke with him recently. “I’m really excited about what he has to offer as an individual.”
Together, they feel that they can change the current landscape of Downtown New Bedford while running a venue/restaurant at the same time. Baptist sees it as a meeting place for young professionals, philanthropic groups, community service outreach programs, as well as people looking to get their foot in the door within the community. He mentioned his plans to have a Teen Night and a book club as a few of their initial goals, as well as booking local musicians and DJ’s to perform, among other forms of entertainment.
One thing is clear: Commons will no longer be the same Ginger Grill that so many have come to know and love. Many of Ginger Grill’s former customers are worried about these changes. Myself, for one, will miss the old menu, and I’m a little skeptical about the idea of axing the Korean food.
“Things just weren’t working out the way they wanted them to,” said Baptist. “The rising cost of food was hurting them, and because they always served such high quality, fresh foods, they weren’t making enough money to turn a reasonable profit.” So JT decided to shift his focus.
The menu, in its former state, was too difficult to pay for and keep up with. Under the new regime, the menu will be geared more towards the Bristol Community College crowd during the day, and more toward late-night crowds in the evening, rather than the traditional dinner crowd Ginger Grill catered to.
One thing that Commons will be is different. There aren’t many places in the city where you can get a good meal, see some quality live entertainment, as well as rub elbows with like-minded people, people who aspire to see New Bedford grow as a community. The people exist, and the ideas exist, but up until now, there hasn’t bee a comfortable atmosphere aimed combining all these elements. The Ghim’s and Nick Baptist see the potential for Commons as limitless.
OKO Arts is located on 528 Pleasant Street in culturally diverse and historic downtown New Bedford. The space is perched above Tip Top Nail Salon, directly adjacent to the Used Book Store. OKO Arts has many defining characteristics that make it both unique and pleasurable to visit. It serves as a space for creative expression as well as a thrift store for books, records, and pieces of art. Owner Hilary Burkitt strives to provide a diverse place for artists and musicians to display their work. She hosts small shows for local musicians. Musicians that have performed at OKO are; Anthony Savino, Aaron Alves, Nick Leblanc & The Pink Beans, Divorcees, Jenna Legge, Shelley Cardoos, Ethan Weiss, Brittny Kouta and Sarah Dickow.
I talked to Hilary about her plans, goals, and background in art in this interview.
Please explain your reasons for starting OKO.
Hilary Burkitt: “OKO Arts was the product of my unrest after I graduated from Umass Dartmouth with a degree in Photography. I wanted to explore my options in New Bedford, as I tried to figure out what direction I wanted to take with my work. I worked for almost a year and a half as a nanny and found myself feeling disconnected from my community. After everyone I’d gone to college with had moved away, It felt like I no longer had a creative outlet or group of people that I could talk to critically about my work, goals and ambitions. I opened OKO with the desire to create an environment that would bring artists, musicians and writers out of the woodwork. I knew there were a lot of like-minded people in the community, but I found myself going out only to drink. I felt like no one was really present or engaging in meaningful conversations like I had experienced in school. The New Bedford art scene, as much as it is well received in the media, felt static to me and that it was more about the politics of art as a way to bring money and tourism into the city.”
What goals do you set out to accomplish with OKO?
Hilary Burkitt: “I wanted to create a place that promoted cultural awareness and supported working artists, providing a safe and open environment to form connections within the community, provoke people and provide an outlet for artists making contemporary work.”
How did you expect to pay for the space and what is your job history?
Hilary Burkitt: “I expected to generate some income selling locally hand-crafted jewelry, zines, art books and supplies to students, and by increasing my exposure to get jobs as a photographer. Instead, I took other part-time jobs, like working for a professional photographer in Newport as a photo-editor, doing layouts and submissions for magazines. This has given me time to work on my own projects, but I’m still looking for part-time work.”
A view of Oko Arts in New Bedford, MA
What have you accomplished with OKO so far?
“My personal accomplishments at OKO were having the opportunity to show work of friends, lesser known artists and the works of my family – notably wall reliefs by my Uncle, Richard Perry, my mother, a Cape Cod print-maker, and my sister, Mass. Art graduate Katrine Burkitt, a painter and video artist. I also had a solo show for the New Bedford Studios. I would say that our biggest accomplishments at OKO have been our music events, exposing young and local talents.”
How did you come about the idea of hosting small shows?
Hilary Burkitt: “After pairing up with my friend and housemate Aaron Alves, we worked to organize events that would benefit from the intimate setting that OKO provided. Lit mostly by streetlamps, local musicians filled the space with their acoustics and vocals, as friends and passerby’s quietly gathered and took the time to really listen. These events highlighting the original mission of OKO.”
What are your current plans with the space?
Hilary Burkitt: “Our current goal is to keep the space running with a few more art shows and music events, until the lease is up at the end of April. In order to sustain OKO, I’ve realized I need to team up with other artists and musicians to share the costs. I’m also looking to find a street-level location that is more suitable to the crowds that we were getting at our events. This will also provide us with a storefront and more visibility. I really want the space to be accessible to all people, particularly those that are handicapped or in wheelchairs, which is another downside to our 2nd floor location. We also plan to look for grants and funding for community-based projects like recording music with kids to keep them active and involved. It was an idea shared among some of the local musicians we met at OKO, and is still in the planning stages. We are exploring our options and hope something begins to blossom soon.”
What are the benefits of owning OKO?
Kazimierz Proszynski
Hilary Burkitt: “One of the most beneficial things for me in having the space is the opportunity to organize monthly art critiques with a small groups of photographers. It’s been really encouraging and I plan to continue with more meetings and groups like these at the space in coming months.”
The name of the art space is derived from the Polish word “oko” which means “eye”. Hilary chose this name to honor her great-grandfather, Kazimierz Proszynski, who was also a photographer. He named his popular camera/projector that he developed in 1912 “oko”, as well as his film company.
OKO Arts is currently hibernating for the Winter of 2011-2012. It is open by appointment only. You can keep up-to-date on Oko Arts on their facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/okoarts
Some significant Art shows: First Solo Exhibit of works by Phillip J. Mellen, Solo Exhibit for Cape Cod Printmaker Ann Guiliani, Oko Kids Fair and Zine release for 9 year old Malcom X. Monteiro, New Bedford Open Studios, OKO Art & Flea Market.
Other artists frequently shown at OKO: Andy Anello, Jose Falconi, Vincent Martin, Tim Graham, Works by Nick Ferreira and Kerry Cardoza of Amigos publishing.
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The Buzzards Bay Coalition will present the first Buzzards Bay Film Festival (BBFF) on Sunday, November 11, 2012, at the Zeiterion Theater in New Bedford.
