From the Editor's Desk: Resources galore in our own backyard

3/23/2017 | Chris Maza
chrism@thereminder.com

Category: March

Storrowton Village
Reminder Publications photo by Chris Maza

I had the opportunity to sit down with Dennis Picard, retiring director of the Storrowton Village Museum.

Sitting in the Gilbert Farmstead building, the first structure reconstructed at Storrowton Village in 1927, he marveled at the foresight Helen Osborney Storrow had in bringing original – not facsimile – antique structures to the Eastern States Exposition.

He also, while praising the success of Storrowton Village, opined that not enough people have an appreciation for the kind of resource those buildings and the museums represent for the community. The same could be said for many places in the Pioneer Valley. This area is rich with a number of bastions of knowledge that are not well known or as appreciated as they should be.

In addition to better recognized institutions such as the Springfield Museums, the area is a treasure trove of local organizations like the Ramapogue Historical Society and smaller museums, including several readily accessible at local colleges that can offer fun and informative experiences for people of all ages.

As winter turns into spring, I would encourage everyone to take the time to explore some of these lesser known, but still incredibly valuable local resources.

***

As Bruce Landon's Springfield hockey journey nears its end, I've been recalling my many encounters with him in my years as a journalist.

Always, regardless of the situation, Bruce demonstrated that he's fully committed to his passions – family, hockey and Western Massachusetts. And more than that, he's always a gentleman, a man who knew the name of every employee he encountered as he walked the concourse.

The last time I interviewed Bruce was shortly before the Springfield Falcons shuttered their operations here in the City of Homes and moved to Tucson. Even then, sitting in a conference room surrounded by boxes that were remnants of an organization he built, he still had faith that hockey could remain. He was right.

Nate Costa and his team have done a phenomenal job of looking to the future while honoring the legacy built by those who came before. And now with Costa and company taking charge, Springfield hockey's Superman, who saved it from the brink time and again, now feels confident that he can hang up his cape.

Every honor, handshake and well-wish that comes his way is much deserved.

So is the time off.

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