Several Kent residents who served in the Peace Corps speak at the July 16 ‘People and Places’ session co-sponsored by the Kent Senior Center and Kent Historical Society. From left are Barbara Psarakis, Irene Coe, Denis Curtiss, Barbara Curtiss and Catherine Bachrach.
KENT — Heeding the words of President John F. Kennedy when he urged citizens to ask what they could do for their country, five current residents joined the Peace Corps back in the 1960s and’70s.
On Wednesday, July 16, they spoke about their experiences at a session of “People and Places” co-sponsored by the Kent Senior Center and the Kent Historical Society. Moderator was Marge Smith of the historical society.
Established in 1961, the Peace Corps is an independent US government agency that sends American volunteers to serve in communities overseas, working on projects in areas such as education, health, and economic development. They work at building relationships, exchanging cultures and contributing to sustainable development. A key aspect is to promote world peace and foster friendship and understanding between Americans and people of other countries.
Each of the participants gave a glimpse into their time in the corps. Barbara Psarakis said in 1964, at age 24, she had been through college and “wanted to go overseas in the worst way. I’d never been out of the country.” Her first choice was Africa and she was fortunate to be sent to West Cameroon. She was assigned to teach four courses at a girls’ school and said, “I had a wonderful two years. The students were eager to learn.”
Living conditions were primitive, with electricity available only two hours a day. Kerosene was used for heat and there was cold running water. “The Peace Corps had a great influence on me. It was life changing. I got to take two long trips. I consider myself extremely lucky and was glad the Peace Corps was there when I wanted it.” She went on to be a social studies teacher and found that experience to be very helpful in her career.
Irene Coe had just graduated with a bachelor’s degree in education in 1973, but there were no teaching jobs in Hartford. So, she turned to the Peace Corps and chose Central America with a goal of learning Spanish. She was sent to Honduras, and was immersed in speaking Spanish, which she said was tough.
Her position was to teach science, but they needed someone to go to a small town to teach beekeeping, carpentry and sewing. “I was selected,” she said, “But that didn’t last long. My abode was broken into, so they moved me back.” She then traveled around to many small towns teaching science, all the while speaking Spanish, in which she eventually became proficient.
When her stint was up, the Honduran Education Department asked her to stay another two years, which stretched into three. Then it was time to go home. “Within two weeks, I had a position teaching in Hartford because I could speak Spanish,” she said. She still returns to Honduras where she is very close to a family, who are like her own. She speaks lovingly of her “brothers” who have all done well.
“It was the best experience of my life,” Coe said emphatically.
The story of Barbara and Denis Curtiss was a bit different. They had been married for seven years in 1976, when he saw an ad for the Peace Corps that described it as “the toughest job you’ll ever love.” They signed up and had two weeks to prepare. Their home for the next two years was Figi. She said the training part was difficult and they had to pass a language test or be sent home.
They, too, had primitive living conditions, residing in a grass hut with no electricity or running water, “but we had the South Pacific out the door,” said Barbara Curtiss. At first, she was kept busy with the native women, but because men were essentially stripped of their duties, there wasn’t much for her husband to do. Eventually they were assigned teaching jobs at a high school on the main island (Figi had 300 islands), but she said boredom was a big problem. There were long periods with nothing to do.
They later moved to a place near an orphanage, where they were embraced by 57 children and kept very busy.
“The Peace Corps changed our lives hugely,” Barbara Curtiss said. When they completed their time there, they spent the next 20 years teaching at schools around the world.
Catherine Bachrach joined in 1965 immediately after college. “It seemed like the most exciting thing to do,” she said. Her assignment was Turkey. Her training focused quite a bit on the cultural aspects of going to a Muslim country. She was dropped off by herself in a small town on the eastern shore of the Black Sea, which was just across the street from the school in which she taught.
She interacted mostly with women and children and had to dress and act conservatively. Hazelnut shells were the source of heat, she had a squat toilet, and two-burner gas stove, but no refrigerator. She, too, did a lot of traveling during her stay. “Echoing the others, she said, “It was a great experience. I gained as much as everyone else did.”
During the comment period, when asked what the citizens of the countries thought about Peace Corps volunteers, Barbara Curtiss said “We taught them so much about Americans and they taught us so much. The Peace Corps was not imposed on countries. They asked for us.”
Asked if they thought they did good, all responded in the affirmative. Several said their students flourished because of their influence.
Aradev LLC’s plans to redevelop Wake Robin Inn include four 2,000-square-foot cabins, an event space, a sit-down restaurant and fast-casual counter, a spa, library, lounge, gym and seasonal pool. If approved, guest room numbers would increase from 38 to 57.
LAKEVILLE — The public hearing for the redevelopment of Wake Robin Inn is over. Salisbury Planning and Zoning Commission now has two months to make a decision.
The hearing closed on Tuesday, Sept. 9, after its seventh session.
Michael Klemens, chair of P&Z, had warned at the opening of the proceedings that “this might be a long night” due to a last-minute influx of material from experts hired by Wells Hill Road residents William and Angela Cruger to oppose the project, but this turned out not to be the case.
These 11th hour submissions set a sour tone to the start of the meeting, with commissioner Robert Riva stating that it was “not very professional to pull this stunt on this Commission.” Riva said he had diligently reviewed the already substantial documentation provided by both the applicant and the opposing experts, and was surprised to find a “dump” of additional information submitted just hours before the meeting’s start time at 6 p.m.
Tensions were quickly eased, however, when William Cruger offered his concise summation of his platform’s opposition to the expansion, which is the second iteration of the project after an earlier version was withdrawn late last year.
“It’s important for you all to hear from me that there was never any disrespect intended to the Commission, the commissioners, and to the process,” Cruger said. He defended the last-minute submissions as an effort on the part of the experts to be thorough in their analysis: “Our intention… has been and remains to do our best to get whatever we think will be helpful in your deliberations into the record.”
The Crugers formally entered the hearing process as intervenors for the first application from Aradev LLC, the applicant, in the fall of 2024, meaning they and their hired consultants had full party status in the hearing proceedings. During this cycle, however, they chose not to petition for intervenor status, yet during this round of hearings their role has been similar. Klemens described them as having “almost intervenor status — not quite.”
William Cruger summarized the consultant’s findings for Aradev’s revised application, noting they found it to be “virtually identical in scale to the previous proposal.”
“Our position is that the proposed expansion would absolutely negatively impact the usefulness, enjoyment and value of the surrounding properties,” he said.
Aradev’s attorney Joshua Mackey countered by saying that the special permit conditions would elevate the currently non-conforming hotel in the zone, describing it as a “community asset that is improved, regulated, and safeguarded for generations to come.” He characterized Aradev as “the next steward of this storied property.”
After Mackey and Aradev co-founder Steven Cohen concluded their remarks, Klemens closed the hearing with no public comment, which he had stated would be the case at last week’s hearing session on Thursday, Sept. 4. Klemens said that P&Z will begin deliberating the proposal in early October after the commissioners have had the chance to review the information in the record.
A total of 45 letters, including the Crugers’ experts’ testimony, were submitted since the Sept. 4 meeting alone, alongside hundreds of pages of application materials and additional testimony.
As the Commission deliberates and reviews, all of this information is available for public viewing on the “Meeting Documents” subpage under P&Z’s section on the town website, www.salisburyct.us.
The Commission must issue a decision on the application by Nov. 13, the end of the statutorily defined deliberation window.
The Weavery is Stanton Home’s oldest activity space, featuring a collection of vintage and modern floor looms. It offers opportunities for building dexterity, creative expression, and social connection through fiber arts.
Stanton Home is holding its annual Harvest Roast fundraiser on Saturday, Sept. 13 in Great Barrington, an evening of farm-to-table dining, live swing music, and community connection.
For nearly 40 years, Stanton Home has supported adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities through residential programs, therapeutic services and skill-building activities.
“Here in the Berkshires, adults with diverse abilities often face barriers like limited housing, tricky transportation, and fewer opportunities for meaningful work,” said Executive Director Peter Stanton. “Stanton Home flips that script. Our mission is to partner with adults to pursue healthy, self-determined lives.”
The Harvest Roast features locally grilled meats, roasted vegetables from Stanton’s own gardens, warm apple crisp with SoCo Creamery ice cream, and beverages —all set to the swing and gypsy jazz rhythms of the Lucky 5 Band.
“The Harvest Roast is a celebration of what makes our community strong, inclusive, and vibrant,” Stanton said. “Every ticket and sponsored table supports programs that make a lasting difference.”
Guests will begin in the gardens with a signature cocktail before gathering at long farm tables for a shared meal and celebration.
“Though this night matters, the work is year-round,” Stanton added. “People can help by shopping locally at the farm store or buying handmade weavery goods, pitching in with time or skills, gardening, lending a hand at events or by partnering with Stanton’s programs like composting or sourcing local goods. Folks can also speak up for inclusion in their workplace or community circle. Even the smallest action helps keep the mission alive.”
Tickets are $125 per person. Proceeds support Stanton Home’s inclusive programs. Reserve at donorbox.org/events/771775/steps/choose_tickets or call 413-441-0761.
Following the memorable benefit reading last season of Charles Busch’s Tony-nominated Broadway hit, “The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife,” the Sharon Playhouse will present a one-night-only staged reading of his riotous comic melodrama “Die Mommie Die!” on Friday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m.
The production —a deliciously over-the-top homage to classic Hollywood mid-century thrillers — continues the Playhouse’s artistic partnership with Busch, who reprises his iconic role of the glamorous yet troubled songstress Angela Arden.
The playwright and performer is no stranger to the Playhouse and, luckily, he’s supported by a truly stellar powerhouse cast of top-notch comic actors — some returning to the Playhouse stage, and some making their debut. The cast includes Richard Kind; two-time Tony Award nominee Kristine Nielsen, who was part of the original New York cast; Tony Award winner Celia Keenan-Bolger; Andrew Keenan-Bolger; and Claybourne Elder.
The production also marks a fortuitous alignment of talent and history. It is directed by Sharon Playhouse Artistic Director Carl Andress, who performed in the play’s Los Angeles premiere in 1999.
“I have a long and happy history with this particular show,” Andress said. “At the Sharon Playhouse, we’re thrilled to offer unforgettable, one-of-a-kind live experiences. With Charles Busch and this phenomenal cast, ‘Die Mommie Die!’ will surely light up the Olsen Stage with laughter, wit and glamour.”
The original music is by Lewis Flinn, whose score for the 2007 Off-Broadway production is being adapted specially for this event.
The play is a classic Charles Busch concoction that, like all his work, lovingly and intelligently spoofs some of the greatest talents and tropes of stage and screen. The original production was praised by critics as his “funniest, most accomplished and, without question, raunchiest work.”
In 2003, Busch won the Best Performance award at the Sundance Film Festival for the film version of “Die Mommie Die!” His indelible contributions to American theater have been recognized with countless awards and he was recently inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame.
The event promises to be an unforgettable night of laughter, glamour and theatrical fun, with all proceeds going to benefit Sharon Playhouse’s productions and educational programs. The funds will help ensure that the Playhouse continues to thrive as a cultural destination for audiences and artists alike.
For tickets, visit: sharonplayhouse.org. Running time: 90 minutes.
Richard Feiner and Annette Stover have worked and taught in the arts, communications, and philanthropy in West Berlin, Paris, Tokyo, and New York. Passionate supporters of the arts, they live in Salisbury and Greenwich Village.
