Saint John's Quarterback Dan Light Chosen as Patch's Athlete of the Year

The young quarterback with an amazing future.

In Dan Light's first and only season as the quarterback of the Pioneers, he racked up 2,171 passing yards, 1,131 rushing yards, and 48 total touchdowns. No, that isn't a typo. As if that wasn't enough, as a defensive end Dan got 28 tackles with two forced fumbles, seven sacks, and two picks. As the chirping around town grows louder about Dan's college of choice, I sit down with him to get the real scoop. You didn't start at QB until this season. Did you ever get impatient while watching other guys take snaps? No, not really. I always played defensive end, and I also got some time at running back and receiver so I was never impatient but always eager for my chance to play quarterback.   Which win this season meant the most to you?  This …

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Oak Middle School's Food and Essential Item Drive

Students partner with St. Anne's to collect items after Thanksgiving so those in need will have them by Christmas.

The seventh grade students of Oak Middle School are setting a terrific example for their peers. They have shown what it means to give back to the community and work together to achieve a goal that they have set for themselves. The six students that make up the "Student Voice" (similar to Student Council) are Julia Shaughnessy, Eric Nerkowski, Sarath Mohan, Max Petrovsky, Shirag Ganesa and Xiayue Wang came up with a plan and partnered with St. Anne's for an annual food drive that they do. "There's a big gap between Thanksgiving and Christmas and not as many people give at this time. We start the drive right after Thanksgiving so all of the items will be collected and delivered by Christmas," said Shaughnessy. Every morning before homeroom, …

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Moms About Town

December Traditions

One of our favorite mothers talks about what gets her through December.

My friends and family have been put on notice that they can expect our seasonal greeting card in March. As usual, I am behind in holiday preparations and now realize I cannot possibly get our card out in time for Christmas.  New Year's isn't looking likely either.  March is a boring month and long. December has sparkle to spare. I figure I'll spread that excess cheer around, while also giving myself an extension. Nobody seems surprised by my declaration of card tardiness. It seems I typically admit defeat and succumb to my grinchly nature around this time of year.  It's my own personal tradition. Here are some other personal traditions I perform during December, some to my own chagrin: 1. The Roundage—This personal tradition involves the …

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Angels and Sheep were Spotted

St.Nicholas Orthodox Church prepares for the season with a pageant.

It came upon a midnight clear, that glorious sound of old and then the children entered. The children acting out the story of Christ's birth is a yearly tradition at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church located on Gold Street. This year, over 30 children participated in the age-old tradition of dressing as sheep and shepherds and laying Jesus in a manger. V. Reverend Father Nicholas Apostola, the parish priest, reminds us all of the reason for the season and noted that despite the hustle and bustle, there is time to slow down. "You are the grown-ups," he said. "Slow things down. Stop and remember the reason for the season and then come to church on Christmas morning. Not being in church on Christmas is like having a birthday party without the …

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Beal School Holiday Cookie Swap

PTO gathers volunteers to bake and present cookie platters to the faculty and the rest of the school staff.

The Beal School has an amazing PTO that, several times each year, organizes treats for the entire 80 person staff to show appreciation for what they do. At this time of year, PTO President, Michelle Biscotti got Principal Alice Brennan's approval to host a type of holiday cookie swap. Hospitality coordinators, Christa Duprey and Juliette Krovi enlisted the help of over 30 volunteers who were kind enough to bake enough cookies for one platter each to be dropped at the school and set up on festive table cloths with pine cone centerpieces and poinsettia plants.  These 30-plus platters were arranged during the morning hours in the faculty room by Duprey and other volunteers and would later delight the staff when they came in for their lunch …

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Health Tips

Happy Craziness

Help with holiday stress by working out and eating healthy.

The hustle and bustle of the holidays is among us. We all seem to have so many more commitments, projects and deadlines this time of year. Fitting everything into each day gets to be quite a challenge. As a fitness instructor, I see how this affects my class attendance beginning around Thanksgiving. Well, we must prioritize each activity we have and stay true to our to-do list to get everything done. It seems to me like many people will let certain parts of their lives fall into an abyss during the holidays and forget to take care of some simple things in their lives. Well dropping your regular exercise program and reducing your physical activity need not be one of those dropped items. When we are busy with extra commitments, would you …

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Blue Christmas Service

While the holidays can be joyous for many, some feel alone this time of year.

In the midst of the hustle, bustle, and gaiety associated with Christmas, many people quietly endure great sadness and depression. For many, the period from Thanksgiving to Christmas is the most emotionally challenging time of the year, and they desperately struggle to survive though it. Wellspring United Methodist Church in Shrewsbury will hold a service especially for anyone having a difficult time this Christmas season.  The Blue Christmas service will be held at the church, located at 440 Main St. in Shrewsbury, on the evening of Dec. 21, at 7:30 p.m. Sabina Terrades, one of Wellspring's lay speakers as well as being responsible for outreach and missions, will lead the service. "Our service is open to anyone in the community who's …

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