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Serving the City of Marlborough Since 1888 Community Newspaper Company ■ www.wickedlocal.com/marlborough

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32 Pages ■ Vol. 127, No. 28 ■ 75¢

THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2009

BEHIND AUTISM’S CURTAIN Darnell School helps children through adults

Shining Stars concert

By Catherine Buday STAFF WRITERR

Shining Stars of Marlborough kicks of Autism Awareness Month with their annual benefit concert on Friday, April 10 at the Marlboro Fish & Game, Muddy Lane, Marlborough. Featured local artist include Shayne Holland, Wes & Joe, and Flashback. Doors open a t 7 p.m. with a $10 cover and there will be a variety of raffle tickets for sale throughout the evening, including Red Sox tickets. This event is for age 21 and older. All proceeds go directly to fund opportunities for local children with autism such as social skills groups, weekend sports programs as well as community outings and camps during school vacations. For more information call Robin Temple at 508-485-9433 or e-mail [email protected].

Community sing

A Community Sing is scheduled at the home of David Kimball, 547 East Boston Post Road, in Val’s Mobile Home Park, intersection of Route 20 and Farm Road, Lot #63 in Marlborough, on Saturday, April 11 at 3 p.m. Singing includes folk/community, Broadway and Pops of the Past (top 40s of the ‘60s and ‘70s). Everyone sings along so performance is no issue. Snacks will be provided. For more information call David Kimball at 508-4854795.

STAFF PHOTO BY KEN MCGAGH

Classroom assistant Lyndsey Nunes, left, works with Darnell School student Naate Hobley, 20, in the gym at the Darnell School.

Gustin honored at citywide art show By Mary Wenzel STAFF WRITER

MARLBOROUGH - The late Sandra Gustin, Marlborough Public Schools art teacher and later the art department coordinator, was honored recently when the citywide show, “Art Is EssenMARLBOROUGH — The Women’s Fellowship of the First tial,” was dedicated to her memory. Church in Marlborough, Con“Sandy was instrumental in begregational, will meet Tuesday, ginning the tradition of the cityApril 14, at 6:15 p.m. in the wide art show,” explained Helen Parish Hall. A covered dish supDowney, current K-12 art coordiper will be enjoyed, President nator for the Marlborough Public Janet Yurkus will run the business meeting and Thelma Nilson Schools. “She was a strong advocate for art education, fighting to will offer devotions. A program expand the amount of instructionof Karaoke with Bill Zolli will al time in the arts as well as the follow. The hostesses for the variety of courses offered.” evening will be Sandy Stetson Combining community inand Barbara Stone. The public is volvement with her passion for welcome to attend. First Church art education, Gustin, who lived is located on Bolton Street in Marlborough, worked to bring (Route 85) at High Street, just art to the community. Under her above Union Common. leadership, art work was displayed in the city’s banks, the library, the post office, the Chamber of Commerce and in the store windows on Main Street. “Sandy’s commitment to the HUDSON — Hosted by the arts stretched beyond local orgaHudson Elks in their function hall, 99 Park St., Hudson on Saturday, April 25. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. and Music by Cubby begins at 8 p.m. The Tour of Italy dinner includes salad, garlic bread, chicken parmesan, lasagna, meatball/sausage and coffee/dessert. Tickets go on sale at the Hudson Elks, March 11 through April 16 at $15 per person. Tickets may also be reserved by calling Aline Madden at 508361-4364; reserved tickets must be paid for and picked up at the Lodge by April 17. Dinner tickets will not be sold at the door. Proceeds will benefit Elks Lodge 959.

Women’s Fellowship to meet

Tour of Italy Dinner Dance

HUDSON — Inside a cozy and cheerful classroom, Satoki Aiba, 9, is working intently on a drawing of a hippo. Aseries of illustrations shows his schedule for the day: unpacking his backpack; academics; gym and other activities, with periodic breaks for drawing, the activity he enjoys the most. A teacher helps Satoki, who is autistic and has difficulty speaking, navigate the day’s routine, making sure to build in plenty of break time. Periodically the nine-year-old roars like a lion. Satoki s education takes place at the Darnell School in Hudson, which serves children, teens and young adults with profound autism. As Satoki grows older, the Darnell staff will work with him to help him build academic, social and living skills. While many children with milder autism symptoms can thrive and make progress in public school special education programs, the Darnell School, located at 15 South Street, helps those with the most severe symptoms. The newly accredited school, which is run by Franklin-based HMEA, currently has six students aged 9 through 21 and is licensed for a dozen more. “The kids we see here are children who could not be served by the schools in their home communities,” said Jan Bolton, educational administrator at the Darnell School. “If a child with autism can be well served in the public schools, it gives them more opportunities for inclusion with other

nizations,” said Downey. “She served on the board for Boston Globe Scholastics Art Awards, the board for Art Allstate, the board of the AAA Poster contest and the steering committee for Worcester Art Museum Youth exhibit.” In addition, Gustin made presentations at the National Art Education Association conventions and was an active member of the Massachusetts Art Education Association, serving both as vice president and president. In 1997, she was chosen by the MAEA as art administrator of the year. This year a scholarship will be presented in Gustin’s memory to a Marlborough High School senior who plans to pursue a career in visual art. Hundreds of students, parents, teachers and others attended the March 27 art event, featuring selected works of art from students in kindergarten through grade 12, as well as Gustin’s own work. Also making an appearance at the Art is Essential art show were Gustin’s children Rebecca GUSTIN, page 7

AUTISIM, page 5

THREE WAYS TO CELEBRATE

EASTER

Here are some festive weekend events

FILE PHOTO

Greet Easter morning with an outdoor sunrise service at either the Piccadilly Pub or Marlborough Country Club.

STAFF PHOTO BY KEN MCGAGH

The Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School is offering an Easter Brunch for the first time.

FILE PHOTO BY MARY WENZEL

The City of Marlborough’s Easter Egg hunt features thousands of eggs and the Easter Bunny.

Greet the sun

Do brunch

Good egg hunting

At least three local churches are having sunrise Easter Services outdoors on Sunday. First Federated Church and First United Methodist Church, both of Hudson, will have a joint service at 6 a.m. in the parking lot of the Piccadilly Pub on Rte. 85 in Marlborough. After the service, the two churches will have their own pancake breakfasts; First United Methodist’s is in Lamson Hall at the church, located just off the Hudson rotary; First Federated’s is at the church building at 200 Central Street. The First Church in Marlborough, Congregationalist’s sunrise services are at 6 a.m. Sunday at the Marlborough Country Club; breakfast follows at 6:30 a.m. at the church and an Easter Egg hunt is set for after the 10 a.m. service.

Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School is preparing for its first-ever Easter Brunch Sunday. On the menu are an omelet station, potatoes, eggs, breakfast meats, their very special Venetian Stuffed French Toast, and of course, pastries galore. Also featured will be entrees such as prime rib, chicken and seafood, with all the trimmings. The Bake Cart will offer homemade pastries packaged for travel for those who will want to be able to satisfy that sweet tooth a little later in the day. If that has you salivating, don’t reach for the phone…the brunch is already sold out, according to spokeswoman Cindy Zomar. But you can still visit the bake cart Sunday for goodies to take to Easter dinner, or go to the school’s Epicurean Room Tuesdays through Fridays for lunch.

In Marlborough, the Annual Easter Egg Hunt, sponsored by the Fraternal Order of Eagles Marlboro Aerie #3565, will be held Saturday, April 11, at 12 noon, sharp, at Ghiloni Park.on Concord Road. Children can see the Easter Bunny and collect colorful plastic Easter eggs filled with candy. There is no admission charge. At Hudson’s First United Methodist Church (just off the Rotary in downtown), children will decorate bags on Easter Sunday morning at 10 a.m. and an Easter egg hunt will follow. Sunday in Marlborough, the First Church in Marlborough, Congregational, High and Bolton (Rte. 85) streets, will hold an Easter Egg Hunt following the 10 a.m. Easter service, and St. Matthias Parish, 409 Hemenway St., will have an Easter Egg Hunt following the 9 a.m. Easter Mass.

COURTESY PHOTO

The late Sandy Gustin, at right, posed for this photo about a week before her passing on March 22. With her is her daughter, Beck (Rebecca Gustin) Gill, formerly of Marlborough now living in Vermont. Gustin had been an art teacher and art coordinator for the Marlborough Public Schools.

WANT MORE INFORMATION? SEE CALENDAR ON PAGE 15 AND RELIGION NOTES ON PAGE 18.