By Robert Chiarito

At one time or another we have all uttered something to the effect of I'll call you or I'll drop by next time I'm in town only to see years pass by without following up on the promise. As we grow from youth to adulthood, then adulthood into our senior years, people pass in and out of our lives with dizzying regularity. We honestly mean to stay in touch with one another, but life is so hectic that time never seems to find a way to leave us the luxury of that well-intentioned phone call, e-mail or letter.

On Saturday afternoon, April 12, the Rochester Senior Center played host to a play that tackled the theme of learning that sometimes life is better lived when we take the time to reward ourselves with company of others as they welcomed the Harwich Winter Theater's Production of Tuesdays with Morrie. The story chronicles the relationship shared by author Mitch Albom and his professor and mentor, Morrie Schwartz. The play, adapted from Albom's book of the same name, is a powerful two-man performance about the lessons Albom gleaned from Schwartz in his days as a student at Brandeis College and later in their lives when the younger man finds his mentor facing death at the hands of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or ALS, otherwise known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.

The Harwich troupe accepted an invitation form Rochester Council on Aging (COA) Director Sharon Lally who saw them perform the piece at a conference for COA directors last October in Sturbridge. Ms. Lally told the audience before the play began that, "I saw this at our state conference last year and my colleagues and I were very moved by the performance. We were so moved that I am going to get several boxes of tissues because you will probably need them like we did."

The tissues were indeed needed as actors Todd Yates Gosselin, playing the part of Albom, and John McFadden, in the part of Morrie, brought many in the audience to tears with their touching performances. In his role as Morrie, John McFadden gave a beautifully memorable performance that showed a man who was full of life as he faced his death while Gosselin's portrayal of Mr. Albom was fused with a balanced palette of emotion, humor and fraility.

The play recounts the friendship that began between a student and one of his favorite instructors sixteen years after the former had graduated and gone onto a successful writing career. Stunted in his attempts at becoming a successful musician, Albom is also stunted emotionally following the death of a favorite uncle.

Fearing that he will suffer a similar, early fate, the young man becomes a success-driven writer, always striving for more recognition, more money and more fame while not letting things such as a personal life get in his way. After seeing a piece about his former professor's battle with ALS on television, the young man begins to visit his former teacher and begins to learn many of the lessons that are not taught within the hallowed halls of academia.

It is through the subsequent visits that the older man teaches the younger man: "So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half asleep, even when they are busy doing things they think are important. This is because they're chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning."

After the show the audience was invited to a reception that included a talk on aging with Suzanne Mitchell of Saint Anne's Health Care.

By Kenneth J. Souza

Despite what turned out to be a somewhat confusing race for Rochester's top office, incumbent Selectman Richard D. Nunes handily retained his three-year seat on the board, defeating his closest competitor -- write-in candidate and former Selectman Gary Laboa -- by a nearly two-to-one margin. Mr. Nunes garnered 642 votes to Mr. Laboa's 385 write-in votes in the April 9 Annual Town Election. Thomas Skrutski, whose name still appeared on the ballot even though he officially withdrew to support Mr. Laboa, received 47 votes.

"I'm happy with the results," Mr. Nunes said at the polls, surrounded by his family. He agreed that Mr. Laboa's late entry into the race and Mr. Skrutski's subsequent last-minute withdrawal may have confused many voters, but he was quick to credit his win with all the door-to-door campaigning he did right up until Election Day.

"It's over, now I have to go pick up my signs," Mr. Nunes said as he left the polls.

"It was a big margin," Mr. Laboa admitted outside the polls after learning the results. "It's tough to win a write-in campaign ... but I'm pleased with the number of votes we did receive."

Mr. Laboa said he'll be considering options for another run next year.

It seems the contested and write-in races inspired many Rochester voters to head to the polls on Wednesday, April 9. A total of 1,106 ballots were cast of the 3,377 registered voters in town -- or about 30 percent.

In the other closely-watched write-in race, newcomer Tim Scholz narrowly defeated fellow write-in candidate Michelle Cusolito for one of two open seats on the Rochester Memorial School Committee. Mr. Scholz received 274 write-in votes while Ms. Cusolito garnered 263. Mr. Scholz will join Donna Laliberte, who received 614 votes, on the local School Committee.

"I've been doing this for 24 years and I've never seen write-in (campaigns) like this," Town Clerk Naida Parker said after announcing the results. "This is certainly a first and it's unprecedented. But everyone did a good job in getting people out to vote. There are no losers here."

Former Selectman Antonio A. Sol and newcomer Russell Litchfield were both handily beaten by first-time candidate Glenn Lawrence for an open two-year seat on the Board of Health. Mr. Lawrence received 760 votes to Mr. Litchfield's 143 and Mr. Sol's 123.

"I was trounced ... he beat me three-to-one," Mr. Sol said of Mr. Lawrence after learning the results. "I tried to tell the truth, but I guess people didn't want to hear the truth."

Phoebe Butler and Bunny Mogilnicki will both fill two three-year seats on the Library Board of Trustees, garnering 486 and 456 votes respectively. The duo beat out Donna Laliberte (332 votes) and Linda Medeiros (374 votes) for the two open positions.

Other unofficial results for Rochester's Annual Town Election include:

* Thomas Gayoski Jr. received 959 votes for Tax Collector;

* Naida Parker received 910 votes for Town Clerk;

* John Mello received 882 votes for the Board of Assessors;

* William D. Watling Jr. received 949 votes for Herring Inspector;

* David Sylvia received 891 votes for Park Commission;

* Walter Hartley received 917 votes for Cemetery Commission;

* Sandra Keese received 833 votes for a three-year seat on the Board of Health;

* Stephen Healy received 769 votes and John DeMaggio received 664 votes for two five-year seats on the Planning Board; and

* James L. O'Brien received 785 for the ORR School Committee.

By Kenneth J. Souza

As a means of honoring and thanking the dedicated members of her Communications Department staff, Rochester Chief Dispatcher Tracy Eldridge once again held her Third Annual Dispatcher Appreciation Night on Monday, April 14 at the Rochester Police Station. Coinciding with "National Telecommunicator Week," the event featured dinner, a magic show, and awards and well-deserved accolades for the town's civilian dispatchers.

"It is my opportunity to thank the dispatchers of the Rochester Communications Center for selflessly answering the call of duty everyday and for being the first link in the public safety chain of survival," Ms. Eldridge said by way of introduction. "I have worked in other dispatch centers and through my involvement with many dispatch organizations, I have come to learn that the dispatchers of the Rochester Communications Center are amazing. This department truly works together when the squid hits the sand!"

Citing some key examples of their superior work over the past year, Ms. Eldridge noted how Dispatcher Jon Weedall was paramount in the apprehension of a suspect who committed an armed robbery in Fairhaven in June of 2007. That same month, Ms. Eldridge was honored to be the recipient of the 2007 Jeff Grossman Public Safety Telecommunicator of the Year Award which allowed her to go to the National Telecommunicator Conference in Baltimore, MD with all expenses paid. "This was truly an honor and a learning experience that I will never forget," she said.

In September 2007 Dispatchers Patricia Knight and Debra Morrell were commended by the Massachusetts State Police Parole Board for assisting parole officers in apprehending a suspect wanted for violating his parole and beating up his girlfriend.

More recently, in February 2008, Dispatcher Samantha Gomes was instrumental in intercepting a 911 call from a Rochester resident who encountered one of three suspects at large in the tri-town area after committing a robbery in Fairhaven and stealing a motor vehicle. "(Ms.) Gomes took a 911 call from a resident who asked in a quiet voice, 'are you looking for someone?'" Ms. Eldridge said. "While Dispatcher Gomes could have easily dismissed his question as a non-emergency call, she did not. Dispatcher Gomes' quick thinking led to the apprehension of one of the males that had been breaking into houses for 24 hours looking for shelter, food and clothes."

Ms. Eldridge also presented the "Outstanding Call of the Year" Award to Dispatcher Tracie Lord, both for her superb work in handling the brunt of the calls coming into the Communications Center during the raging SEMASS fire in March 2007 and for not getting her due credit in the press after the fact.

"Several articles that appeared in the papers over the last year gave credit to me as being the dispatcher that was on duty while the SEMASS fire played out," Ms. Eldridge corrected, noting she was actually with the Fire Department on the scene. "Every article that surfaced, Tracie knows I would call her and say I'm sorry. I don't know how this happened. Maybe it's because we have the same name."

Ms. Eldridge noted that Ms. Lord performed flawlessly during this high stress situation and "fielded hundreds of calls that night" from "over 40 state and local agencies responding to mutual aid."

"Tracie's documentation of the incident was impeccable and I am proud to say she is a dispatcher for the Rochester Communications Center," Ms. Eldridge said.

By Robert Chiarito

In what is quickly becoming one of the most anticipated events each spring, Sippican School held its third annual Arts in Action art fair on Saturday, April 12. The event drew several hundred people to the school building on Spring Street in Marion to a celebration of the visual and performing arts. This year's gathering, in addition to displays and workshops, centered on the visual arts included musical performances and theater workshops for young people.

The entrance of the school was a hub of activity spreading out in every direction that engaged visitors from the moment they walked in until the end of the day. Just inside the main entry area visitors were welcomed by a colorful display of student work included a variety of paper mache bowls as well as paper mache fish and penguin sculptures. One visitor, Gail Strom whose daughter Hannah attends the school, said, "I thought that this would be a quick in and out thing and that maybe we'd be here a half an hour or so but there has been so much to do we've been here since they opened and will be here for another hour or so."

Over 20 booths lined the corridors of Sippican School offering both art for sale and demonstrations of the techniques used in creating works of arts with many of the booths including many displays designed for children to participate in the creative process. Children participated in a variety of hands-on interactive art projects, which included Pysansky egg painting, a mural project and a booth where students could try their hand at floral arrangement. At regular intervals members of the Priscilla Beach Theater held on-stage workshops that let kids step into the spotlight for a moment and run through a series of acting exercises in front of a live audience.

Adding to the street festival atmosphere of the day were the musical performances that saw musicians stationed at various points throughout the school treating visitor's ears as they viewed the many artistic creations. The Sippican School Jazz Band and other bands performed during a cafe style luncheon of chilidogs and desserts in the school's cafeteria as the smell of hot dogs roasting on the grill drifted in from just outdoors. Diners were serenaded throughout the day by musical ensembles consisting of students, staff and volunteer groups.

On display in the school's art room were works of art by the school's faculty, including paintings by Sippican student Kristy Boyajian. Ms. Boyajian's work was especially impressive upon discovering that the artist is 11 years old. Her work showed the quality of an artist many years older and is reminiscent of the work done by folk artist Howard Finster, whose work included album covers for the Talking Heads and R.E.M. during the 1980s."I have been painting since I was seven," the artist said, adding, "I just really like to paint, I don't do it all of the time. Just when I get an idea." She said that she mostly has worked on her own but also enjoyed taking classes alongside her grandmother.

Each year the Sippican School Arts in Action event has grown in scope and scale. In a time when many communities and schools are cutting funding for arts programs, this school chose to throw open its doors and invite the public to join them in embracing the arts. If the large turnout is any indication, this event should have many happy returns in the years to come.

By Olivia Mello

The students and faculty at Old Rochester High School are hoping that everyone will be putting on their walking shoes during the months of May and June this year. There are three major charity-based walk-a-thons including the previously-mentioned "Walk for Hunger" taking place at the school within the next two months.

The ORR Student Council is taking part in the Seventh Annual "Keep Moving for Camp Kyle" Walk-a-thon, which will be held on Saturday, May 10 at Buttonwood Park in New Bedford. Camp Kyle is a four-week day camp program located in Rehoboth, MA, which provides education on diabetes and nutrition. It also offers traditional camper activities incorporating sports games, along with arts and crafts. Campers will meet others just like them, battling the same challenges, and hopefully make friendships that will last them a lifetime.

"Keep Moving for Camp Kyle" serves to be the main fundraiser held by the Friends of Camp Kyle to earn money for the costs of providing a safe, fun environment for those children in the area affected by diabetes.

The Old Rochester Student Council is hoping to meet their goal of $1,000 and would be more than grateful to any individual willing to make a donation or maybe even join their team. People can also help out by forming their own team with work or church. The high school would like to inform anyone interested in donating to visit www.firstgiving.com/oldrochester08. The number 08 represents the Senior class, year of graduation. For the Junior, Sophomore or Freshman class you must change the last digit of the address to their appropriate dates. Check donations can be made out to "Diabetes Association Inc." with Camp Kyle on the memo line and dropped off at the ORR High School main office. For more information, please contact the Diabetes Association at 508-672-5671 or visit the web at www.diabetesma.org and click on "Events."

Kim Corazzini, the nurse at ORR High School, is also planning to take part in a Walk-a-thon for a cause that holds a dear spot in her heart. Only four months after her now 27-year-old daughter Reilly was born, Kim's mother Betty Caudieux died from breast cancer. For anyone who has been lucky enough to share a relationship with a grandparent, you would know how terribly unfortunate bring robbed of that privilege would be. In addition to this tragedy, Kim's sister-in-law, Joanne Wall, has been recently diagnosed with the same disease. Although Joanne is a strong woman, it is still important that she gets the love and support from those who surround her.

On May 17 and 18, Kim and Reilly will be walking in the two-day, thirty-nine-mile Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in Boston. They would be so deeply appreciate anyone who decides to join them on their journey. Contributions can be mailed through a check or donated online. The tax deductible donation can be made out to the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer and mailed to Kim Corazzini at 12 Knollwood Drive in Mattapoisett, MA 02739. Both Kim and Reilly also have websites that they encourage visitors to view at anytime to see how their fundraising and training is doing. Kim's site is www.tinyurl.com/34mh7u and Reilly's is www.tinyurl.com/3xahot.

Kim is not only fighting for the past memory of a beloved mother but, also, the present battle of a close relative. She hopes to gain the help and support from her peers and encourages that it only takes a little to make a big difference.

The last fundraiser that the Old Rochester Regional High School is promoting at this time is the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life of Tri-Town. This Walk-a-thon is an 18-hour event which will begin on Friday, June 13 at 6:00 pm and end at 11:00 am on Saturday, June 14. Any student interested in creating a team, which should be made up of 8 to 15 people, should place a note into Ms. Ouimet's mailbox inside of the front office. They will then receive a Relay for Life Team Captain's Handbook that includes all the possible information they may need. Although the fundraiser is not until June, teams should be created soon so that T-shirts can be made for them.

For all those people who have been looking for a way to make use of themselves by helping out a person in need, it's quite apparent that ORR is offering plenty of opportunities. Anyone interested can begin searching their closets for the most comfortable sneakers and join in one, if not all, of the upcoming walk-a-thons.

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