Giving Back...
Debbin Beaubien's daughters graduated from 4-H and have used their rich experience there to give back to the community. Tom  Waskiewicz  was one of their mentors and he is up at UMass at the Tillton House 4-H.

Corinne graduated from Stockbridge UMass with an associate in Equine Science. Today she has a very successful full service equine center and also maintains a family life (2 children) as well as her husband's business.

Christina is about to graduate from Framingham State with an Associates in Art and Bachelor's  in Spanish. She is going to finish up with a Ph.D in Spanish so she can teach at the college level.  She also works as a supervisor at CVS while doing this.

Both of Debbie's daughters continue their involvement with the 4-H,  volunteering their time.
Debbie works at UMASS extension, Waltham Station.


goodbye to....
Christine A. Gagne, longtime campus staffer
Christine A. Gagne, 43, of Gilbertville, a 22-year campus employee and USA member, was killed Sept. 23 when her motorcycle collided with a truck in Vermont near the Brattleboro-Marlboro town line.

She began her campus service in 1985 in Undergraduate Admissions and later worked in Chemical Engineering before moving to the post of program director at the Center for Hierarchical Manufacturing within the MassNanotech Institute.Born in Ware, she moved to the Gilbertville section of Hardwick in 1985. She was a member of the Gilbertville Public Library and active in coaching youth sports. He leaves her husband, Gary; her children, Kayla and Ethan; her parents and stepparents, a sister, a niece and nephew as well as extended family members.

Memorial donations may be made to the Kayla and Ethan Gagne Benefit Fund, c/o Country Bank, 75 Main St., Ware 01082.
courtesy of the Loop

Here is Penelope Jane Black, on September 29th, preparing to make cider with her dad, Collin, who is Sylvia Snape's son.
Membership Update
New Bargaining Unit Employees

Week of October 1, 2007
Caitlin McAdams, Bursars
Stacey Pinkney,UHS
Dawn Johnson, UHS
Kimberly Watts, UHS
Katherine Hurwitz, CC
Margaret Chiavetta, Psych
Jennifer Hanks, Ugrad Adm
Karen Greene, Envir Science
Week of 9/17, 9/24
Arlene Bermudez, UHS
Melinda Lelacheur, Arnold House
Shannon Keller, Anthropology
Jacqueline Carlevale,French Hall
Jonathan Tominar-Litari, Psych
Mathew Phillips, UHS
Week of 9/10/07
Neeti Acharya, Arnold House
Week of 8/27/07
Robert Charles, Library
Ramon Ruiz, Thompson Hall
Week of 8/20/07
Anita Chan-Randall, UHS
Colleen O'Callaghan, Totman Building
Tracy Misiun, ROTC Building
Week of 8/13/07
Kimberlee McAulay, Hosp & Tourism
Week of 8/6/07
Elizabeth Bogdahn, Northeast/Sylvan
Week of 7/2 and 7/9
Andrew Dominik,Comm College
Marcus Tate, Archaeological Services
Melissa Wales, Archaeological Services
Week of 6/18 and 6/25/07
Jeffrey Goodhind, Renaissance Ctr
Kimberly Wells, Library
Andrew Dominik, Parking Services
Emily West, Lederle Tower
Week of 6/11/07
Casey Krone, Comm College
Kimberly Wells, Library
Week of 6/4/07
Lisa Ducharme, SOM
Jennifer Seifert, Arnold House
Week of 5/28/07
Kevin Teres, Machmer Hall




Union Voice
University Staff Association
afghans for Afghans
Earlier this fall, the Knitting Group that meets at lunch (now Wednesdays noon-1pm in the Campus Hotel Lobby) decided they would begin knitting/crocheting 6 inch squares to be joined together to make a blanket for a child (7-14 years old) in Afghanistan. Last Wednesday, some of us got together, at Margaret Ludlum's lovely home where we ate tomato soup and pumpkin pie made with ingredients straight out of Margaret's garden.... Margaret's husband Stuart joined us and we sang and sewed all the squares into strips and then the strips into the blanket. And despite the glasses of wine, the seams were straight!

Squares were donated by various sources included two lovely blue/green squares from Mary Fraser a young friend and Friend (Quaker) from Aggie's Meeting - Upper Valley Worship Group in Greenfield.

We've decided to keep making squares and to donate another blanket for the next drive which may be next year. If anyone is interested, feel free to contact any of us.



Linda Wallack, Margaret Ludlam, Janet Keegan, Aggie Mitchkoski, Lisa (not pictured)

A bit of syncronicity... the gentleman we asked to snap our picture told us his girlfriend and her parents live in Afghanistan and have been missionaries for many years. We sent our good wishes to them along with our thanks for taking our picture.
Sylvia spotted this tee shirt when Katie Matuszko came to the polling station to vote on our contract.

The tee shirt was the brain child of Katie's Workplace Committee as a contest. It was a new design for this year.  The color was chosen by Jennifer Bedell. The front was designed by Shirley Spencer and the back was designed by Natasha Widener.  The theme was based on the "FISH" principle.

Hopefully you can see all the cool conditions on the shirt...I love the fins with "athlete's foot."

For the Union, by the Union
October 2007