PROFILE ARCHIVE
Three months ago, Rehoboth attorney Lori O’Brien-Foeri traveled down to Washington, DC and was sworn into the bar of the United States Supreme Court. Now she can represent her clients all the way to the Supreme Court if she needs to.
As both an attorney and social worker, Lori offers a unique combination of legal expertise, advocacy and compassion to her clients. Her practice concentrates on providing legal services and long-term planning for elders, veterans, and families with children or adults who have special needs. As a sole practitioner, she specializes in estate planning, elder law, probate, Medicare and veterans benefits planning.
Many Rehoboth residents remember Lori from the town post office where she worked after graduating from Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School. For years she worked there while attending Rhode Island College studying for her degree in social work. She began volunteering as a victim’s advocate at the Garrahy Judicial Complex in Providence helping people navigate through the legal system. She found herself always looking for attorneys who could help her clients.
That’s when Lori had her “ah-ha” moment. “This should be me,” she said in a recent interview in her office on Route 44 in Rehoboth. “This is exactly what I should be doing,” she added, “and that’s when I decided to go to law school.”
So while working, volunteering, and being the mother of two, she earned her Juris Doctorate from the Southern New England School of Law.
In May 2009, Lori was accredited by the Department of Veteran Affairs to participate in the preparation, presentation, and prosecution of claims for veteran’s benefits.
As a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, she works on the Public Policy Committee assisting to write proposed legislation that will help enhance the lives of elders, people with special needs and their families.
Lori is the daughter of Raymond and Jean Reed of Rehoboth, the wife of Arthur Rossi and the mother of Amanda O’Brien and Stephen Foeri.
The social worker in Lori comes out when she says, “I love whenever I have a chance to sit down with families at their kitchen table to talk about their problems and their needs, and how I can help.”
Then the lawyer comes through. “I’m fighting for a client right now in a case I think I can bring all the way to the Supreme Court if I have to.”
July 2010
June 2010
Tim Johnson was just graduating from Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School in 1984 when his father decided to sell his propane delivery business, Lin’s Propane. Moving on to building propane trucks eventually led to Tim and his brother/partner Andrew operating both Propane Plus in Rehoboth and Lin’s Propane Trucks of Dighton. The brothers serve as mutual critics and consultants. “We can be brutally honest with each other,” says Tim, “but we have the mutual respect necessary to get productive results from this honesty.”
After Tim graduated from Roger Williams business school in 1990, he joined his father in his propane truck building business, but quickly felt his path should be the propane delivery. At 22 years of age, he found himself responsible for delivery, service, installations and billing of the new Propane Plus delivery service. While his friends were out having a good time every weekend, he wore a beeper in order to answer service calls.
The years have gone by and both family businesses have grown. Lin’s Propane Trucks ships custom-built delivery vehicles to customers worldwide from their Dighton location. Propane Plus on Route 44 in Rehoboth offers a range of services with vast storage facilities to assure continuous availability of fuel. Facility improvements continue with a planned renovation of the office and improved showroom facilities scheduled for this summer.
Lin Johnson remains a regular visitor to his sons’ businesses. The small, side business he started out of a small Mobile gas station decades ago continues to grow and thrive. His entrepreneurial spirit has clearly been passed down to his sons along with a basic philosophy that, “You treat people like you would like to be treated.”
Tim and his wife Diane have two sons, Danny, 13 and Nicholas, 11 who both help Dad on Saturdays. “If they are interested in heading into the business the opportunity will be there,” he says. “It would be nice if they want to keep it going, but I don’t want to force anyone to do what they don’t want to do.”
Living on a 40-acre farm originally owned by his grandfather, they also operate Johnson’s Doo Little Farm off Route 118, growing pumpkins and selling firewood. Diane, with an entrepreneurial spirit of her own, has developed a successful business, keeping bees and producing honey.
August 2010
The Souza family has been operating farms in Rehoboth and Dighton since 1938 selling both wholesale and retail locally-grown produce and plants. The operation is a family affair with three generations actively performing a variety of roles.
Offering a lifetime of guidance, eighty-six year old Jesse is the patriarch of the family. He along with his wife Rose, 81, live in one of the family homes located on Baker Street in Rehoboth.
Their son Jim is the hands-on manager of 225 acres of farm land and eight greenhouses. Son Jesse, his wife Sharon and their son Josh, 23, manage the wholesale operation delivering produce in refrigerated trucks to market everyday.
Jim, who is the country representative for the Farm Service Agency (FSA), is the father of three daughters, Sarah, Amanda and Emily. Two work in the family business performing any number of jobs including tending the greenhouse plants.
Fifteen-year-old Emily, a student at D-R, has been put in charge of running the family’s retail farm stand seven days a week. Located at 29 Baker Street, the stand is in it’s second year of operation.
Along with selling seasonal vegetables right now, including freshly-picked sweet corn, the stand sold flowering and bedding plants earlier in the season.
Soon a variety of colorful mum plants will also be on sale along with fall decorating items such as cornstalks and hay bales.
The farm stand is open Monday thru Friday form 9 AM to 6 PM, on Saturday form 9 AM to 5 PM and on Sunday from 9 AM to 4 PM.
LOCAL FARMERS OFFER CSA SHARE PROGRAMS
Many Rehoboth farmers participate in a program called Community Supported Agriculture or CSA. Farms put together a program unique to their operation and offer “shares” or memberships for a set fee per season. Each week, members or shareholders arrive at set time to pick up a pre-packaged box or bag of fresh, locally grown produce.
It’s a win-win for everyone involved. The farmers build revenue as membership deposits come in during the early spring. Full payment is customarily due on June 1 for either full or partial seasonal plans, usually three or six month packages.
Additional benefits include building relationships with local farmers and other shareholders. You’ll make new contacts and perhaps even good friendships. Children enjoy making a weekly trip to the farm to pick up their fresh veggies and automatically learn about the growing process. Plus most farms have animals and you know how much kids love critters.
It’s elemental. It’s earthy. It’s crunchy. And it’s cost-effective. Most CSA plans range in price from $20 to $30 per week. Just compare it to what you usually spend in the produce section at the supermarket every week. If you don’t eat that much produce, consider sub-dividing it on your own with a friend.
Do some research and check out local CSA farm websites for details on their membership plans and their produce offerings. Most agri-businesses sell other products as well including honey, cheese, eggs, and meat products.
REHOBOTH CSA FARMS
Agraria Farm The Farmer’s Garden Oakdale Farms Rosasharn Farm
That’s the new slogan for the Rehoboth Business Association. Established to address the concerns of local business owners and managers, the RBA works to promote local enterprise and tackle issues that impact the town of Rehoboth.
Members are committed to helping the town through many efforts including annual road clean-up, blood drives, and collecting donated goods for Helping Hands Food Pantry.
They have also supported other town organizations, clubs, and schools with their efforts to help the community at large. Of course, that takes money and time . . . which is one reason why the RBA is undertaking new endeavors to increase awareness and membership.
Along with a recent membership food drive for Helping Hands, the RBA had a booth at the recent Harvest Block Party, giving away environmentally-friendly, reusable jute bags. A raffle held that day raised money to give to Helping Hands in preparation of holiday season needs.
According to RBA President, Mike Castro, the group is eager to expand in new directions.
Monthly dinner meetings with guest speakers and “business after-hours” events will provide members with networking opportunities and the chance to invite new potential members.
Another recent endeavor is a new website featuring up-to-date news and membership listing as well as other information of value to local business people.
In the last two years, many local businesses have shut their doors. Keeping local business alive is critical to the overall health and sustainability of any rural town.
Having a strong, collective force like the RBA benefits the entire community. Please visit their website, attend a meeting, talk to a member. In other words, “Love where you live. Love what you do.” rehobothbusiness.com
Business Profile
For over thirty years, Chartley Country Store owner Augie Fernandes has provided the personalized service and quality that can only be found in a family-run business. The store has built a great reputation as a full-service neighborhood grocery famous for its on-site butcher shop.
Along with convenience, the store offers a deli (try the store-made oven roast turkey and homemade chicken salad) and “to-go” food cooked on site including crispy fried chicken, ribs and other favorite comfort foods. Oh, yes, don’t forget dessert. Chartley Store offers a great selection freshly store-baked pies.
With the holidays coming up, customers really appreciate Chartley’s fresh turkeys, rib roasts, hams and the ease of ordering party platters along with other special holiday fair. While a 24-hour notice is always appreciated, the staff at Chartley will make every effort to assist customers with even last-minute needs.
Augie’s marinades and spice mixtures, with recipes brought from his native Madiera, make delicious gifts for your favorite cooks. He offers a variety of these products both in the stores and online including blade meat marinade, garlic marinade, buffalo wing sauce, “Black Jack”, fun salt and spicy fun salt. All delicious time-savers.
Chartley store is also your one-stop shop for buying individual spices and herbs at the best prices around. No little, bitty jars either, instead larger plastic shakers with all your favorite cooking herbs and spices.
Don’t forget Augie’s great weekly Bundle Specials . . . excellent quality meat products at great prices.
is a publication of Image Communications, Copyright 2011
