Kathleen Cooper, Broker, SRES, REALTOR®

Today we are featuring one of the many great universities located in Massachusetts, UMass Amherst. UMass Amherst originated in 1863 with just 4 faculty members, 4 buildings and 56 students set on 310 rural acres of land. The first female student enrolled in 1892 and this was the same year graduate degrees were authorized. After World War II, the university experienced rapid growth and expansion. Today, in the 21st Century, UMass is known as the flagship campus of the state's five campus University system with close to 24,000 students enrolled. It has a wonderful reputation for excellence internationally.

More UMass information from their website: http://www.umass.edu

Location

UMass Amherst, the flagship campus of the University of Massachusetts system, sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, 90 miles from Boston and 175 miles from New York City. The campus provides a rich cultural environment in a rural setting close to major urban centers.

Enrollment and Faculty (Fall 2008)

Students

• 20,540 undergraduate students
• 5,820 graduate students
• 26,360 total undergraduate and graduate students

Faculty

• 1,180 full-time instructional faculty

Tuition and Fees (2008-09)

Massachusetts resident, full-time undergraduate

• Tuition/Fees $10,232
• Housing/Meals $8,114

Non-resident, full-time undergraduate

• Tuition/Fees $21,929
• Housing/Meals $8,114

Rates are for fall 2008 semester and spring 2009 semester combined. Fees include mandatory fees only. Housing/Meals based on full year, standard double room, value meal plan. See complete fee details, including tuition and fees for New England Regional Student Program.

Research

Supported research activities total more than $140 million per year.

Academics

88 bachelor's degree programs, 6 associate's, 73 master's and 53 doctoral programs in 9 schools and colleges.

Library

The library system is the largest at a state-supported institution in New England with more than 6.1 million items.

Alumni

Approximately 215,000 living alumni around the world.

Athletics

21 teams compete at the NCAA Division I level.

Arts

The Fine Arts Center brings nationally-known theater, music, and dance to campus year-round. Six galleries provide a variety of spaces for visual arts. Student art and performance opportunities abound.

Located in Worcester, MA you will find St. Vincent's Hospital not far from UMASS Memorial. St. Vincent's Health System is made up of 5 facilities. They are part of Ascension Health which is the Nation's largest Catholic non-profit health system. They offer the most advanced technologies available.

For the month of October, they are offering $99 mammograms to those that pledge to live a healthier life for their families. St. Vincent's is committed to providing health-care that works, is safe and most importantly, leaves no one behind for life.

When we used to live in Worcester, I visited a few friends that had babies at St. Vincent's Hospital. It is very beautiful inside, parking was free (unlike UMASS) and they had an actual Dunkin Donuts inside the hospital! Now what new dad wouldn't love that when he's stuck sitting around the hospital for 2-3 days?

For more information about their locations and physicians, visit their website: http://www.stvhs.com

UMASS Memorial Hospital located in Worcester, MA is the largest health care system in all of Western and Central Mass. It is a place that I hold near and dear to my heart, for it is where I gave birth to my 4 children. They have an outstanding track record for outstanding care and service. UMASS Memorial is also the clinical partner to the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. There are about 1,600 physicians and 3,000 registered nurses. In 2008, the hospital delivered an impressive 5,176 babies, one of which was our princess Hailey Grace. The UMASS hospitals have 1,111 beds, can handle a high capacity of patients both in and out and in the emergency centers.

UMASS Memorial has nationally accredited specialists in the areas of cardiology, orthopedics, cancer, newborn intensive care, children's services, women's services, emergency medicine and trauma. The American College of Surgeons has accredited UMASS Memorial as the only dedicated Level One Trauma Center in Central Massachusetts.

Visit their website for more information about UMASS Memorial: http://www.umassmemorial.org

Do you have a love for books? Are you looking for some rare, used or out of print books? If so, you will love The Book Bear located at 80 West Main Street in West Brookfield, MA. Open 7 days a week from 10AM-6PM you can find over 90,000 gently used and older books. They will buy sell and trade. The Book Bear will buy libraries, collections and estate book lots. They have been around for 30 years and enjoy diversity and turnover of stock featuring moderate prices. Check with the store for children's story times scheduled each week.

Directions:

From Worcester or Boston
Take the Mass Pike to Exit 9, Sturbridge, after
the toll, take exit 3b to Rt20-Brimfield. Approx
2.4 miles, turn right to RT148. Approx 7.5 miles,
turn left onto Rt9 West.
Follow Rt 9 West to West Brookfield Center,
continue 3/10ths of a mile.


From Springfield or Albany
Take the Mass Pike to Exit 8, Palmer, after the
toll, turn left at RT-32
Continue to follow RT-32 Approx 1.2 miles, turn
right at Old Warren Rd and follow 3.4 miles.
Turn left at Boston Rd/RT-67. Continue to
follow RT-67 6.4 miles. Turn right at W Main
St/RT-67/RT-9.
Follow Rt 9 East .6 miles. The Book Bear is on
your right.


From Hartford
Follow Rt84 East to Exit 3b. Take exit 3b to
Rt20-Brimfield. Approx 2.4 miles, turn right to
RT148. Approx 7.5 miles, turn left onto Rt9
West.
Follow Rt 9 West to West Brookfield Center,
continue 3/10ths of a mile.

Come and celebrate Fall in New Englandthis Saturday, October 10th from 10AM-4PM! Brookfield will be hosting it's annual Apple Country Fair located on the town common. Activities will include raffles featuring a beautifully community made quilt, live music, children's games, crafts and locally grown produce sales. This will be the 31st annual Apple Country Fair. There will be over 70 local crafters featured at the fair. The apple pie contest and raffles will all benefit the Brookfield Community Club, a local non-profit organization that is here to enrich our community.

The "Rapple" Prizes Include:

• Community Quilt
• Old Sturbridge Village Admission for Family of Four
• Worcester Art Museum Family Membership ($80 value)
• Barnes Portrait Studio Family Portrait Session ($175 value)
• Hancock Shaker Village
• Southwick's Zoo Admission for Family of Four
• $25 Gift Certificate to Salem Cross
• Gift from Walker Homestead
• Gift from Oakwood Farm Christmas Barn

The fair will be held in rain or shine! If there is bad weather, it will be held at the Brookfield Elementary school located at 37 Central Street. For more information regarding the Apple Country Fair, visit their website: http://www.applecountryfair.com