Reading Memorial High School Senior Nick Staffier wants to study civil engineering in college next Fall, so it is no surprise that he chose to create a trail and design a bridge for his Eagle Scout project.   Staffier has been involved as a Scout since the first grade, when he started as a Tiger Cub.  His project of creating the Lynn Village Way Trail in the Reading Town forest seemed like a natural extension of Staffier's interest in camping, hiking and nature.   "I met with town meeting member Bill Finch, and we walked the trail through, then mapped it out. My assistant scoutmaster, who is …

Patty de Garavilla has been Assistant Superintendent of Schools for less than 6 months and has already made an impact. A resident of Wakefield and a 10-year veteran of the Reading School System, de Garavilla served as principal of the Joshua Eaton School for six years after serving four as the language arts coordinator. Three projects have taken most of her time, and she has been enthusiastic about each one of them. "It is enough to keep me busy for a year or two," she explained. Soon after she started her first day, the Academy at Harvard Square, which provides exchange programs for Korean …

Filip Galiza, his wife Carolyn, and his daughters Maya, 4 and  Alphea, 1 month, take full advantage of what the Reading community has to offer. Moving here a year and a half ago from Yonkers, N.Y., the Galiza's rent an apartment in the historic district of Reading. While Galiza owns WebPageCreation.org, Carolyn serves as an Anesthesiologist at Lawrence General Hospital.  Choosing between Andover and Reading, he said they found that Reading was not only more affordable, but had more of a community feeling. He also liked living closer to Boston. Born and raised in Poland, Galiza met his wife, …

Robert "Bob" Nordstrand, 81, has been busy. Modestly. "I like to be involved," Nordstrand said. Nordstrand moved to Reading when he got married in the late-fifties, and since then has been a member of the town meeting. "I was interested in becoming a town meeting member because I wanted to get involved in the community, and get to know people in the community," he said. Nordstrand waged a "vigorous campaign" for a position in the town meeting in the late-fifties and eventually become elected to the Board of Assessors in 1961. "It was very competitive," as he put it. "I went door to door …

Joe Beninati learned to love the piano when he was at St. Agnes Elementary School and tries to instill that passion in his students at Creative Arts. Beninati has been teaching piano at the center for the past 9 years to students ranging in ages from kindergarten to high school. He most enjoys classical music, and is concerned that most kids today do not have musical appreciation or exposure.  "Music had always been in my house," he said.   He explained that his Dad played the accordion and piano, and they never missed watching the Lawrence Welk show. His piano career started with a group …

Bill (William) Brown was recently honored with  the ALS Angel Fund , 2010 'Unsung Hero Award" for his continued support. The Angel Fund is an independent charity that benefits ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) research at the Cecil B. Day Laboratory for Neuromuscular Research at UMass Medical Center in Worcester. Brown volunteers to run the water stand at the annual Walk of Hope held at Wakefield's Lake Quannapowitt. He raises money to buy the water by selling scrap metal, and he makes sure no one gets dehydrated during the 3.5 walk. Brown was married to his wife, Barbara, for "47 years and 16 days…

It was almost four years ago when a proposal calling for the Addison-Wesley site to be developed as a mixed residential and retail area was  heatedly debated in town.  Like everyone else, Sheila Clarke received a flyer about it and decided to find out more. In doing so, she was disappointed to see the town so divided on a subject that would bring business to Reading.  Clarke realized then that she needed to get involved. "The Town manager at that time was looking to do something, and I became one of the first members of the Economic Development Committee," she said.  "It took a year to find …

Charlotte Harlan is not one to "toot her own horn," but as co-coordinator of the Reading Food Pantry, she also volunteers as a shopper, van driver, collects for UNICEF, baby sits and helps out in the pre-school where her  2 year old grand-daughter attends. Since moving to Reading, 42 years ago with her husband George and their oldest son, Harlan has been an active member of the Old South United Methodist Church.  Joining a playgroup there with her then toddler son, Harlan, a former 2nd grade teacher, helped it evolve into the Christian Cooperative Preschool. By the time her second son was …

Riley Sandberg was not your typical poll worker on Election Day.  In fact, this was the first time he voted in any election. Sandberg, 19, graduated Reading Memorial High School in 2009, and said he chose to work at the polls because he "was eager to become a part of the democratic process and help out in any way possible." Town clerk Laura Gemme, who he met through his neighbor Kim Honetschlager, offered him the job after he helped her move furniture into her apartment. After accepting the job, he found out that his grandmother coincidentally had worked at the polls for years. Although he …

John Davis has worked for the Town of Reading for the past 22 years, and currently serves as lead custodian of the library, police and senior center.  Davis is one of two full-time custodians who take care of the town buildings. There is also a part time custodian at night. He works every day, is on call at night and usually works one Saturday or Sunday during the weekend. Davis’s typical day begins when he and George Mansfield check the police station, then the senior center.   “After that I come to the library, and George goes to the town offices,” Davis said. “Each day is different,” he …

Downstairs at the Library, Colleen O'Shaughnessy has been helping a Chinese woman improve her English once a week since February. O'Shaughnessy, who retired as an English teacher from Lynnfield High School, volunteers with English At Large, an adult literacy program located in Medford. The program, supported by state grants and private donations, provides free English instruction throughout 20 Boston-area communities.  According to O'Shaughnessy, they screen their students and match them with volunteers. "This looked like a way to use my skills for a good purpose," she explained. O'…

Steven Oston has a "yen for volunteering."   The newly appointed chair for the Council on Aging has been a volunteer at the Reading Senior Center for the past 10 years. He has also represented his district at Town Meeting for the past 15 years, served on several town committees and is active in his church. Oston, 73 has been living in Reading since 1973. He met his wife Diane Chapin here, and they have been together for 31 years. Growing up in Queens, New York, Oston said he decided to stay in New England when he graduated from M.I.T.  He has lived in other towns in the area, but said his …

Helene and Thomas Stohr joined an unprecedented 5,000 people at Fewnway Park Sept. 16. While that's a smal crowd for a Red Sox game, it's a big crowd to be sworn in as new American citizens. The Stohrs described the celebration as "impressive" and "cool," and said they were proud to become citizens after 12 years of living in the United States. "We love living here, and our business is here," said Thomas. Together, the Stohrs own swissbakeexpress at the Reading Depot, and have raised their two sons, Tobias and Nicholas, here. The Stohrs met 25 years ago in Borne, Switzerland when they both …

Jared Beaulieu's fervent interest in leadership and politics helped propel him to his position as one of two student advisors to the Reading Public Schools Committee. Approached last spring by Reading Memorial High School Principal Elinor Freedman, he and Matthew Conway report to the committee on day-to-day school activities. Freedman said that the school's social studies faculty nominated Beaulieu and Conway because they are "motivated and socially responsible students who might represent our school well." Describing her interaction with Conway and Beaulieu, Freedman said they are "fabulous …

Matthew Conway is passionate about the Arts and hopes that, if the School Committee ever has to make budget cuts, it wouldn't be in that area. "Reading has been fortunate that there haven't been many cuts in the past," he explained.  He believes that "a broad diverse education is the essence of the 21st Century." Conway, 17 and a senior at Reading Memorial High School, is one of two student advisors to the School Committee. Approached last spring by RMHS Principal Elinor Freedman, he and Jared Beaulieu report on day-to-day school activities. "We are free to chime in at any time.  The school …

Dr. Craig Brandt only moved back to Reading last December, but his involvement in the town would make you think he has been a life long resident.  In addition to moderating a Foreign Policy course at the Reading Public Library, he plays saxophone with the Reading Civic Concert Band and volunteers with the Historical Commission. Fifty years ago, Brandt lived in Reading while his father was stationed in Charlestown.  According to Brandt, "we moved two weeks before I started high school and moved two weeks after I graduated. " Attending his 50th reunion in September, Brandt even got involved in …