Richard Roth of Littleton with one of his teaching assistants.
Globe West people
Creature teachers
Richard Roth of Littleton with one of his teaching assistants.
Having lived on Drumlin Farm in Lincoln when his father worked for the Massachusetts Audubon Society, Richard Roth has always been comfortable around animals. Instead of traditional pets, however, he was drawn to the raccoons, a bobcat, a boa constrictor, and an alligator on the property.
“Several of the animals wound up in the house instead of staying outside,’’ the Littleton resident recalled. “I had very understanding parents.’’
Four years ago, Roth founded the Creature Teachers to share his love of exotic animals. While his property in Littleton is not open to the public, with the exception of a summer camp, he incorporates a sampling of his 80 animals in educational programs that he conducts at schools, libraries, and private parties.
Depending on the educational component, animals may include a veiled chameleon, red-eyed tree frog, kinkajou, gray fox, chinchilla, python, porcupine, opossum, and hedgehog. All were raised in captivity, according to Roth, and have been fully socialized and acclimated to people.
“I’d like all kids to be able to have a personal experience with animals they may have only seen on television,’’ he said.
KUDOS FOR PERKINS: Kim Charlson of Watertown learned to rely on visual aids at an early age, as complications from glaucoma progressively took her eyesight by age 11. Now director of the Perkins School for the Blind’s Braille & Talking Book Library in her hometown, she recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to accept the facility’s award as the Network Library of the Year.
Charlson was accompanied by Watertown resident Steven Rothstein, president of the Perkins School. US Representative Edward Markey, whose district includes Watertown and surrounding communities, was among the speakers at the luncheon ceremony, which was held at the Library of Congress.
“To me, this is like winning an Emmy, because it’s the top award our library could receive,’’ Charlson said. “It’s tremendous to have our colleagues and peers recognize the work that Perkins does as outstanding.’’
Presented annually by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, the honor recognizes innovative services and patron satisfaction. Founded in 1835, the Perkins Braille & Talking Book Library is one of the oldest accessibility services in the country. Last year, it circulated 442,935 books and magazines and loaned 5,027 playback machines and accessories to 22,814 patrons.
Programs have included “Fenway at Perkins,’’ a book and author event featuring Boston Red Sox baseball legends; a celebration of patron-nominated mail carriers who provide exceptional service; and “The Harry Potter Extravaganza,’’ marking the simultaneous release of Braille and print editions of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.’’
The Perkins library also promotes literacy through Braille awareness kits, the Brailler Loan Program, and Brailler Repair Program. Braille books are loaned throughout Massachusetts, the District of Columbia, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
For more information about the Perkins Braille & Talking Book Library, go to www.perkinslibrary.org.
MONEY TIPS FOR WOMEN: As the reference department supervisor at the Newton Free Library, Nancy Johnson is familiar with women’s needs for financial guidance, particularly if they have interrupted their careers to care for children or elderly parents. As a result of a grant she coordinated, the library meets this need through its monthly Retirement Planning Club for Women.
Free guidance is provided in using the library’s financial and investment resources, including access to Financial Industry Regulatory Authority educational resources. The program, which is led by volunteer facilitators, is made possible by a grant from the authority’s Investor Education Foundation and its partnership with the American Library Association.
According to Johnson, the club is primarily a networking venue for women while they draft financial retirement plan goals, though men are welcome and do attend.
Previous topics have included financial literacy, securities regulation, asset allocation, credit, fraud awareness, pensions, Social Security, and the value of wills. A blog and record of past meetings are available on the library’s website, www.newtonfreelibrary.net, and patrons may register for electronic club updates.
“This is an informational, nonthreatening atmosphere that encourages people to learn from one another,’’ said Johnson. “Bring a friend, make new friends, and become empowered while you’re doing it.’’
The next meeting of the Retirement Planning Club for Women, including a discussion of experiences related to retirement decision-making, will take place Aug. 19, 7 to 8:30 p.m., in the second-floor meeting room at the Newton Free Library, 330 Homer St. in Newton Centre.
BEST DRESSED: Sherborn resident Arlene Handschuch, a professor of fashion design and retailing at Framingham State College, was recently awarded third place in an international garment design competition sponsored by the Queen Sirikit Institute of Sericulture in Bangkok and the International Textile and Apparel Association in California.
The sheath-style dress designed by Handschuch, which will become part of the Sirikit Institute’s permanent collection, features diagonal stylized princess panels, contrasting double piping, an asymmetric front opening, stand-up collar, long sleeves, and horizontal bands and ruffled panels at the sleeve cuffs and hem.
Garments had to be targeted to “career women of the world’’ and made with Thai silk bearing the government’s new “Peacock Standard’’ logo of quality assurance for four types of Thai silk fiber and fabric production.
While the formal ceremony took place Thursday in Bangkok, Handschuch will receive her award at the international textile group’s annual conference in Seattle in October.
“I was very happy, surprised, and honored to learn that mine was selected for the third place award,’’ Handschuch said. “It brings recognition to me personally and to the design program at Framingham State College.’’
NEW ON BOARD: Seven community leaders have joined the board of directors at Indian Hill Music for this fiscal year. Based in Littleton, Indian Hill Music is a nonprofit regional center for music education and performance.
The board’s new members are Carolyn Cantrell of Littleton, a faculty member at Indian Hill Music School and principal horn in the Orchestra of Indian Hill; Faith Cross of Harvard, coordinator of public programming at the Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, chairwoman of the Harvard Arts Council, and chairwoman of the Harvard Public Library’s board of trustees; Mary Kaye of Littleton, owner of Mary Kallin Kaye
In welcoming the new board members, Indian Hill also acknowledged three retiring directors - Robert Anderson of Groton, Mark Scheier of Acton, and William Wilkinson of Townsend - for their service to the facility and its programs.
People items may be submitted to Cindy Cantrell at cantrell@ globe.com. 
© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.
