Making It Here; Cure for Cabin Fever

Do you see why in by the UMass Fine Arts Center presenting the Turtle Island Quartet and Stephan Harris performing the music of Duke Ellington performance art meets Beijing Opera in sleeping with strangers. Sculptor Bethan use information at fine art center dot com. This is WG Why interview GV why D.T. Springfield public television for Hampshire County and all of Western New England and the town I don't make it here it's all about trying to find a cure for cabin fever. The stuff you get during the winter months. We're going to visit some places in Western New England and see if we can find a cure for this malady. That's all coming up next on making it here. Making it here is brought to you by the members of WG Y and by United Bank where every customer has a personal banker the personal banker concepts I'm an extremely successful for a

customer to have one person that they can go to that knows about them whether they're a $10 customer a $10000 customer or a hundred thousand dollar customer. They have a personal banker. We need something that's going to set us apart. And that's our customer service. We don't just talk about it. We actually do it. United Bank we take banking personally serving the professional staff to help you find the products that you live your life well. Hi everybody.

Thank you for joining us tonight on making it here I'm George Murphy and we are looking for some relief from this cabin fever so I thought I'd find the fun part of the state of Massachusetts and I've owned up and show involves Massachusetts. Why. Because I heard about a bowling alley it's over 100 years old that's still in operation. And we're going to go up and all of you strings a look around a little bit if I can find it. It's up here somewhere on this dark winter's night. I cannot remember the last time I went bowling. And maybe some of you can either maybe some of you have never bowl. Once upon a time you could find bowling alleys everywhere three or four of them in every little city in town. And here's one it's been here in the same spot since 1996. So during the winter months if you want to cure for cabin fever and I do too. Maybe we can find you here. Well this looks like a little hometown bowling alley and you would be Tammy. Hi George how you

doing nice to meet you. Cook and bottle washer clean all the windows were clean everything do everything I have a partner that owns the smile. Yes but since you were three years old you said Someday I want to go up and buy a bawling out. Never never. But it's been a lot of fun. So you never head out in this direction. No I just and I myself can't open bowling occasionally but not that often but I love. That's all you do here. You don't have the other kind of candle which is unique to me when in the time it is kind of going away it seems like fewer and fewer cities and towns have a lot of the lanes are getting interesting. The sport itself is in the last six seven eight.

It's a lot more people coming out to bowlers all our leagues are full now. Tell me a little bit about what you should have been or 100 actually have some information over here. When we went through our 100th anniversary we did a lot of research in the old newspapers and old fire insurance maps showed you know the size of the bowling alley. This piece looks like it's gone and we're standing over here yet here somewhere and it's banana. But this port here has been here the whole time. And this guy up here is you know he's the father canopy from which he invented. He put it all together you know. Nice. So it's been around longer now. Yeah everybody. Yeah thanks.

You know since I was a small child it's always one thing I wanted to see carry the bacteria were on the other side of the pins were back there. Can we go back now. You trust me to not to break anything as we're going back to find out what's on the other side of those pins over there we're going to send you out to meet someone that helps design and make those shovels the ones that look like a car ran over to save your back do you ever wonder about them. We'll help you with cabin fever to get you out of the house the fabulous No this is what they do here. My father back save yourself bending the handle on your back. Train company. Fifth Generation family owned to a manufacturer. We also make lawn and garden tools. The company was started by my great great grandfather Amos ride in 1842. He originally started making wooden hay rakes over in Montague and eighteen eighty nine I believe the

factory that they had go in there. Montague burned down after that. People in Greenfield asked them to move here and set up shop here and we've been here ever since. One of five new street I grew up in the business I remember coming here as a little kid and my dad was doing. Watching how they made the products and then the needs needed someone to do the payroll for the company I came down and started doing the payroll and just kind of grew from there until my husband Steve and I took over about 10 years ago and started running it on our own. When it's when it's your own company there's a different sense of ownership that you know your investment in the process and the product is greater I think the company started in 1842 making some we do this this is a wooden hay rake. It was basically all wooden components and this was a product that my wife's great great

grandfather developed. And we still make something somewhat of us and then upgrade it a little bit from here but still a wooden rake. Rod also started making wooden shovels back in the early 1880s probably about the 1940s I believe they started to make a woman of snow shovels and we evolved those into the 1960s into the back saver design with the bent handles. It's our trademark. If you see back saver on something it should be a rug product. My dad and and the oldest candidate who was the production supervisor here they tried different configurations we tested them home and came up with the current back saver configuration that people seem to really like that over the years that has become a probably substantial part of our

business 20 30 percent of our sales are a back saver style shovels. Other companies have made and handled shovels and rakes and other tools. But we're the only ones with their backs to me. You know one. Well imitation is I guess the sincerest form of flattery. I started working for the company in 1980 and in 1980 there were no knock offs. You know we were the only ergonomic design shovel business. There are other companies that have developed and handled shovels that I have to say that I believe our design is superior to theirs. We really work hard to put in the highest quality components to make the best quality product that we can. The metal shovels that we build here in them and that one of five Newton Street performed in a sort of like a cookie press

process that puts the corrugations it gives the plate stiffness and we then revert to where strips on to the edge of the blade similar to the old wooden shovel. We were a bit of a back strapped to the back of the of the metal blade which is what holds the handle into the blade and the back saver handles are bent for us bending operation down towards her. Punched in clipped and riveted together screwed together whichever assembly is appropriate for the blade to make the finished product. And they go into boxes which are then shipped to the distributors the retailers where our customers are for the stock tools are mostly in the northeast because that's where most of the snow is. The last couple winters have been pretty warm in December in January and it made for slow sales this year with all the snow we had in December and the beginning of January it's

really given us quite a shot in the arm so we are thankful that our petitions to God to move winter back into the November instead of February have come to fruition for sure. What I like best about working here and making a good product is something that people can use that will help people and I think the thing that makes me happiest is being able to provide a working opportunity for people in the Greenfield area. Greenfield was a big factory town kind of water that is as well. So I'm glad to be able to provide a job and manufacturing from people. I think it's to be part of such an old company and that's you know my family heritage. Means a lot to me to carry on my parents started passed on my family history as a as a

wonderful asset to really draw back on over the years and all the people that came before us to get us to where we are today. Hopefully for us to be able to pass it on to the next generation. Our records show the truth of the shover Chami noise. This is Brennan a long time. Good morning. Do you know this thing or are you saying. The plans come up here and just

drop the 60 part tracker part. I know there was a guy girls with him.

To make about an inspiring person will see in this I want to see that our work now I know how work I think is actually getting the ball in your hands and getting it right. I think you should. Well that's very easy. You just take this ball you wrote down that thing it hits 10 of them up there. And the other one time they did they did back in the eighteen hundred one. Again you could put 12 up there the people that make these would be really happy when we're back in the 60 pence I think they broke a lot actually

to get a square. So sometimes there is a short right when the woods going around the pan they're like short used to be all different. So I need shoes right now. OK here we go. Let's try to close in the sea. OK. Want to get your spin on the whole like the big banks. I'm going to give it a shot I can't recall I've ever done this. The ones with the big balls and the Pens and so on but we're going to give this a shot that I put on my size

12 and the bowling ball. I'm going to go to break cabin fever and we're going to send you down to Connecticut. You have to get cabin fever and wish you could find some ice skating rink but you don't need an instructor. We found one. And this is the person you go to. Hey let's let's make sure the right arm goes all the way to the shoulder. OK. Parallel to the floor over here. My name is a genome and I would call my business and it's figure skating coach. Yes. Day to day basis and I would have approximately 8 to 10 license. They are all different in different age groups and different skills and different needs. Some people wanted to achieve their best and become the best either they can be. Some just love to skate for the love of the game. Let's say they just came in and I you know I'd love to help all of them because that's my business and that's what I do and I'm sure I can help any person who would love to

try to skate. My typical day usually begin very early and my first session starts 6:00 or 6:15 a.m. and I have a first portion we're down by 10 o'clock. I would say I have some breaks in between here and there and when the icemaker happens you can have represented off one drink because it's really cold in the morning. So then I would come back home and have a breakfast come back and work with my son and my wife brings him here so we worked together. They sour around the golf with him and so on. And then students come from school. Some early release some regular hours you know and it all goes up to about 5:30 6:00. About my son. Some people do say that he. Oh yes he would have a natural ability this unskilled if we had given him an inheritance for parents but it's not true. And as a matter of fact my wife when we first put him on skates in a couple weeks was envious

that you know he doesn't have that he doesn't have that natural flow of water so maybe we should do something else and I said Listen give me a year. OK let us work. I don't doubt that sims can see the progress and then will decide. And so a year passed and he's improved quite a while I must say and that was exactly the way that everybody else step by step piece by piece repetitive over and over falling getting up and doing this again. It's all the same. My wife who Gania also my partner she helps me a lot. She supports me in my decisions in my work and she helps me when I in the bed and that when I'm doubting I'm going to have trouble. She would always bring me up. She takes care of the family which is a big part of the life. And besides coaching you can discuss music costumes programs

the general play and you name it. We grew up in St. Petersburg Russia. Big Brother was Soviet Union and we started to skate fairly late. My wife she started when she was eight. I started to skate and I did a few years of gymnastics and came back to skating again so I must say this series of training began when I was 10 and I had five partners before my wife and wasn't very successful until I met her and we started to skate together and then we progressed very quickly. She was away when I was 15 and 91. We won our first national title and we started to do international competitions this year and we did go twice in Olympic Games. Well they're real. And when the Hummer. We were fifth and fourth and over events and we won the World Championship in 1994 and the very first Grand Prix Final in 1996 in Paris we won we finished our amateur career and 1998 eight

and that's the year we came here in the United States. Transition from amateur career to professional and further into coaching is very common. Basically old. I level skaters go in saying that they compete and they do a lot of shows as they're pros and they become coaches eat quite booked. As far as lessons although we're always looking for young talents who wants to achieve high goals and we would definitely find time and ability to coach him. If we see great potential. The moment I step on the ice

every day I have that interesting feeling that I'm like suspended. So I'm not like on the ground I'm glowing. And you may see some coaches. How would they train their students. They move because by doing movement. No wait some time tells a lot more orders. And where else can you give an example that you show me and that flow and gliding. When the eyes just done it's a little water on it. It's soundless. And it's almost like you were suspended in the air you just floating. That's an incredible feeling I guess. That's probably why people like to skate because it's you can't really compare it to anything right. That's very good. Oh

hi there. Just shut out sharpening up the old Skate's Here is what I'm doing. There's nothing more I like to do than to get out and I skate because this whole episode tonight is all about cabin fever and you know if it wasn't for a man right here in western Iowa we would be able to get out and do what we do and these the strew Everett has more Barney was born in 1835 an avid ice skater in childhood. He was frustrated with a bulky skate designs of the day so he would design and build his own skates in his father's mill. At age 14 he invented what would become the foundation for his empire an ice skate that could be clamped on to shoes using a metal key. Fifteen years later he patented his design and 864 at age 29 mining opened up a factory with John Barry the Barney and Barry company took off and by 1878 they were manufacturing 80000 skates a year. Everett Barney's invention made him a very wealthy man a prolific inventor.

Barney also created other devices and innovations such as a rescue sled a machine for perforating bank checks a shotgun and a sailing canoe. Barney died in 1916 but his greatest legacy was one that endures to this day. The gift of his estate to the city of Springfield which became what we all know as Forest Park. People continue to enjoy Forest Park to this very day and that was Everett Barney's greatest gift to the city and you know you can even ice skate there too. Did you know that when I do this. Well here we are back once again at the Shelburne Falls bowling alley and we're with Joe and the other own yes I enjoyed you come down here while I understand you need a little help with your technique out here I thought I would look over my technique I don't think I honestly have ever done this. And when you've been going for all of your money two years

and I've been bowling for all of four years really never bowled a perfect never has never been never been done. It's never been done. No other boy. Yes a ten pin bowling it happens quite often. Candlepin bowling it's never been I don't get it. All right. Unfortunately when are you going to do it and just as you want to take three steps left there to do it. Sure. Right right. There's no pins in that alley for me. OK. Now the tournament game you get to use the

wardrobe the plastic whatever you call it nowadays. Yeah and so you take one head and headed over another one in the corner that had a pin or any of the ones lying down around it should do it which I will do all right as we scoot in the corner the other corners. What I was aiming for here. Now this game is different than the other game in that you get to throw three balls down. That's right you know the one you want to get the throw to. That's right this is much more difficult so you get the third ball. How could it be it is basically the same thing as smaller pieces smaller ball should kind of workout. Well it sure I did but it hasn't yet. No did I break something. I'm looking down there and nothing's happening the big sweep didn't come down. Now wait for you to throw your third ball and clean that up. Oh no we won't count for you. OK this is going to be a writer middle class and then a little

bit goes away. There's a defective pin right there. I've heard that before. All right. Hey thanks I really appreciate so much taking this in tonight because they probably do this with a lot of pride. I'm not going away. Unfortunately you have to join us as we hope we're breaking cabbage here next time around right here and maybe you're going to do it again. Sure I will ring. Here we go buddy. Making it here is brought to you by the members of WG Y and by United Bank where every customer has a personal banker the personal banker concepts I'm an extremely successful for a customer to have one person that they can go to that knows about them whether they're a $10

customer a $10000 customer or a hundred thousand dollar customer. They have a personal banker something that's going to set us apart and that's our customer service. We don't just talk about it. We actually do it. United Bank we take banking personally health care stores serving the Pioneer Valley 1953 caring and professional staff will help you find the products that you need to live your life well. At Mass Mutual Financial Group we are proud of our tradition of active support for WG be why we help clients take the next step towards financial security. Won't you take the next step and help make community programming possible through your support. Hi I'm Mark Walberg joining us on our search for America's hidden treasure.

I'm not surprised. Yes I would like to next time from Orlando Florida and New Antiques Roadshow is coming up next up rich in Africa. Story of one man's gone now it's part of black history month February 4th. With more than 6000 employees in the region Mass Mutual Financial Group recognizes how important it is for Western New England to be served by public television. And

for all of us to keep this valuable resource strong and vibrant at Mass Michel we're proud of our commitment to helping our clients take the next step towards financial security. And we're just as proud of our tradition of support for WG be why won't you join us by taking the next step and helping to make community programming possible through your support of the Y. This is the y the y d t. Springfield local broadcast of antiques road show is brought to you by the graduations at UMass Amherst events. They're fantastic and other resources with a historic field 17 0 4 colonial encampment weekend commemorating the three hundred fourth anniversary of the raid February 29 through March 2nd. Information at historic dash Deerfield dot org.