To Whom This May Concern,
Two years ago, when Covid-19 restrictions were still high, I had found out that there would be no raft in the water that year because it was apparently damaged from a storm. Most years, the raft is out right when school ends and the weather gets warmer. I was shocked and disappointed when I did not see the raft out at the start of this summer. However, what surprised me the most was when I went to the Town Beach with friends on June 29, and my mom and I asked the lifeguards if the raft was coming out this year. The lifeguard said that the raft had been dismantled and that she didn’t even think they had it anymore. I can’t believe that the raft, something people in this town look forward to during the summer, something with so many memories is gone. So many people loved the raft and to see it go away would be heartbreaking. That is why we need to bring back the raft! I remember the first time I was able to swim out to the raft when I was young and I want others to have that same experience. That joyful feeling of independence when you know how far you swam out. Once when I had gone out to the raft, a girl I met there told me that their family loves coming specifically to the Town Beach in Mattapoisett just for the enjoyment of the raft. That is why we need to bring back this piece of pure joy. Mattapoisett is special and one of the things that makes this town special in the summer is having fun at the beach. Let us help make the people of Mattapoisett and its summer visitors happy with what we call, #returntheraft!
I remember the first time I swam all the way to the raft by myself. It was the summer of 2019 and I was 6 years old. It was very exciting to be able to do this and unlock one of the freedoms of being a responsible and safe swimmer like all the kids that came before me. My favorite thing to do on the raft was jumping off in different ways with my friends and family. After COVID-19 came and there were lots of restrictions on going to the beach and the raft was not there, it was understandable. As restrictions have been lifted, one of the things I was most looking forward to this summer was swimming out to the raft like we used to. I would like to see the town look into and put a plan into action for replacing and returning the raft to the Town Beach.
My sister and I encourage other people in the town that want to #returntheraft to write to our town’s administrators and request them to do so.
Sincerely,
Piper (12) and Reese (9) Newell
Mattapoisett Residents
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