What’s Happening at the Elizabeth Taber Library

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Books at the Beach! Join the library at Silvershell Beach to buy or borrow some summer reading materials every Tuesday from 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm. 

            Docu-Tuesdays. Beat the heat and learn something new with Docu-Tuesdays. Each Docu-Tuesday will feature a documentary film screening through IndieFlix and light refreshments. Tuesdays: July 9 & 23, August 6 & 20from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm. 

            Outdoor yoga with Heather Hobler. Heather Hobler from Anchor Yoga in Mattapoisett will lead outdoor yoga sessions. These sessions will coincide with our Thursday Lunch Bunch sessions, parents are welcome to attend. Sign up at the library. Please bring your yoga mat. Thursdays July 11, 18, & 25, and August 1from 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm. 

            3D Print Camp. Learn how to design and print unique creations with our Ultimaker 3 3D printer. Open to ages 10 and up, participants must attend all three sessions. Sign up at the library July 11, 18, & 25from 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm.

            The Annual Summer Book Sale! Add to your library with our giant sale of pre-loved books, audiobooks, puzzles, CDs, DVDs, and more. Fiction, non-fiction, and children’s books available. Friday, July 26from 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm, Saturday 10:00 am – 2:00 pm, and Sunday 9:00 am – 11:00 am at the Marion Music Hall. Donations of gently used materials are still welcome at the library.

            Art for Your Mind – Massachusetts’ Art Revealed – Jill Sandford from Art For Your Mind presents Massachusetts’ Art Revealed, is a collection of images from the Pilgrims landing to modern skylines. Massachusetts’ famous people, events, architecture, landforms, and industries are represented in surprising and interesting ways through a variety of art styles. Join us for an enjoyable hour of challenging yourself to see in new ways! Tuesday,July 30 at 6:00 pm.

St. Philip’s Episcopal Church

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For 135 years, St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Mattapoisett has held summer only services for parishioners.

            Each Sunday through Labor Day, visiting clergy from Massachusetts and beyond conduct services, using the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, at 8:00 am and 10:00 am.

            On Sunday, July 14, services will be officiated by the Reverend Marc Eames, Rector, The Church of the Advent, Medfield, MA.

            All are welcome at our historic church next to the Town Beach in Mattapoisett.

Donald “Rip” Perry

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Donald “Rip” Perry, 91 of North Falmouth died peacefully on July 10, 2019 at Royal Megansett Nursing Home, North Falmouth after a long illness. He and his wife Dee (Dastous) Perry of 63 years lived a full and adventurous life.

            Born in Marion on May 10, 1928 he was the son of the late Manuel and Frances (Sousa) Perry. Rip graduated from Tabor Academy and was inducted into the 2016 Inaugural Class of the Tabor Academy Athletic Hall of Fame.

            After graduation from Tabor Rip attended UNC at Chapel Hill, then was recruited by the Washington Redskins. Due to an accident Rip could no longer play football so enlisted in the US Army where he served in Korea as a Master Sgt in Special Forces and Airborne Ranger. He then raised his family in West Falmouth. Rip was always involved and volunteered countless hours in the communities in which he lived. As a member of the Quarterback Club he ran football banquets in the 70’s & 80”s. He also was a member of the Falmouth Rotary Club, Paul Harris Fellow, Commander of Marion VFW, VP Falmouth Hospital Board of Trustees, VP Friendship House in Florida where migrant farm workers and families lived.

            After retiring in 1981 as Regional VP for Eversource Southeast area he and Dee traveled enjoyed boating, fishing and socializing.

            Besides his wife Dee, he is survived by daughters Jane F. Perry of Falmouth, MA, Nancy A. Fraser and husband Jeff of Key Largo, FL, and Joan Polliti and husband Stephen of E. Falmouth, MA.

            Visitation on Sunday, July 14 from 2-5 PM in Chapman Cole & Gleason Funeral Home, 74 Algonquin Ave. (Rte. 151) Mashpee. Graveside service will be held at Massachusetts National Cemetery, Bourne on Monday, July 15 at 11:15 am.

            In lieu of flowers and in memory of Rip donations may be made to Tabor Academy, 66 Spring St. Marion, MA 02738.

Alan B. Harwood

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Alan B. Harwood, 71, of West Wareham, passed away peacefully Monday, July 8, 2019, at home surrounded by his family, after a long illness. He was the husband of 54 years to Merilyn L. (Radu) Harwood.

            Born in New Bedford, son of the late Arthur E. and Edith M. (Robbins) Harwood, he grew up in Fairhaven where he went to high school and later lived in Mattapoisett prior to settling in West Wareham 22 years ago. He was a member of the Organized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

            Alan had worked as a quahog fisherman for many years as well as a mason. He enjoyed watching the local sports teams on TV and especially loved spending time with his family.

            He is survived by his wife; a daughter, Karolyn Dunham and her companion Matthew Germano of Fairhaven; a son, Craig Harwood and his wife Ivette Cortes of Montreal, Canada; a daughter in law, Stacy Harwood of Fall River; two grandchildren, Alexah Leigh Dunham and Tyler Harwood; two great grandchildren; a sister, Joyce Ramos and her husband Eric of Englewood, FL and several nieces and nephews. Mr. Harwood was the father of the late Barry Harwood.

            Calling hours are Friday, July 19, 2019, from 9-11am, in the Fairhaven Funeral Home, 117 Main St., Fairhaven, with a service at 11am. Interment will follow in Riverside Cemetery, Fairhaven.

            In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Alan’s name to the Boston Children’s Hospital, 300 Longwood Ave., Boston, MA 02115.

Arts In the Park, Indeed

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            The Marion Art Center’s 11th Annual Arts In the Park juried art festival is an opportunity for the public to witness the glory of human artistic expression. From pottery to painting, from photography to wearable art, the offerings were, in a word, magnificent.

            The brutal heat on July 6 did nothing to hamper the overall beauty of this fundraiser. Each of the more than 40 booth spaces lining the perimeter of Marion’s Bicentennial Park like a diamond necklace were nothing short of mini art studios.

            Many of the artists have returned year after year, finding the venue to be the perfect platform to share their work with those who are seeking expertly-created handmade goods or a piece of wall art to grace their home. Whatever the case may be, this festival had quality and variety to spare.

            There were many traditional themes such as Nantucket Baskets crafted by Bill Judd. The classic New England form of weaving wooden strips into small baskets, clutches, and purses is as popular today as when the craft first began over 150 years ago by crewmen who manned lightships off the coast of Nantucket.

            Among the artisans displaying their creations was Karen Zaharee of Dartmouth whose glazing techniques were luminous.

            Several potters’ booths featured bowls and vessels, each uniquely their own as seen in objects under the canopy of Liz Fieldsteel. Her pieces are what she calls “hand-built.”

            One might not normally expect to find soaps at an art festival, except when those soaps are small artistic creations like the ones crafted by Jennifer Hofmann. The luscious fragrances emitting from her booth certainly lent a “come pamper yourself” vibe to the event.

            James Gallagher’s hand carved folk art fish were not the ones that got away. These whimsical pieces were intended to lend “a less serious side of the fishing world” to any dining table or sideboard.

            Photography as an art form has continuously evolved since the technology was invented. And those evolutionary paths were wonderfully executed by several photographers, including Doug Hockman, whose scenes taken from the natural world were gentle voyages.

            Lauren Zaknoun’s photographic compositions of surreal images evoke questions, inspire debate, and certainly share with her audience a cutting-edge take on how imagery transforms thought.

            Paul Nguyen, the 2017 Artist in Residence at the Petrified Forest in Arizona, brought his talent for capturing raw nature in its purest forms to the Marion festival. Nguyen has also been commissioned by the Boston Museum of Science where his images may be viewed in the Yawkey Gallery.

            If it was a lovely new piece of wearable art one was looking for, those were available in abundance. But these were no simple pieces of beads on strings – these were pieces of art to adorn the body.

            Donna Andrews-Maness’ molten glass creations were a feast for anyone seeking a one-of-a-kind necklace or bracelet. Each piece shined and captured the light in stimulating colors.

            Accessories from jewelry to purses could be found at the tables holding Lisa Mackey’s designs. Use of leather, mother of pearl, and metals, combined to create statement pieces for any fashion forward maven.

            Bringing his nautical themes to jewelry was Cesar Palma with pieces that seemed to tell the story of sailing through the use of nautical flag symbols in inlaid stones and shells in silver.

            And the exhibits were all museum quality, including custom furniture where hands, not machines, produced warm inviting pieces as found in the booth of Floating Stone Woodworks or the Shade Tree’s hardwood trays and cutting boards, proving that utility need not be boring.

            Punctuating any summer art festival must be the breezy paintings inspired by birds and the ocean. Those could be found in Annie Wildey and Holly Wach’s booth, as well as those created by Charlene Mackiewicz.

            Well-known local artist and instructor Sarah Brown displayed one of her many talents through the creation of fanciful painted children’s furniture ready to grace any small child’s bedroom.

            Adding to the festivities was a raffle at the closing of the event where lucky winners took home a donated piece from one of the many hundreds on display. Also lending an extra layer of fun was the New Bedford Museum of Art traveling art mobile which gave the children an opportunity to express their artistic inclinations while parents browsed the pop-up art show.

            To see a full list of all the artists and their medium visit www.marionartcenter.org.

By Marilou Newell

Committee Set for Town Administrator Search

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            October is fast approaching – well, maybe not that fast – but in terms of days remaining for Michael Gagne in his role as Mattapoisett’s town administrator, the days are dwindling down. And so, during the July 9 meeting of the Mattapoisett Board of Selectman, Gagne presented the selectmen with a list of volunteers willing to take on the responsibility of screening the 25 applicants who have submitted letters of interest and curriculum vitae for consideration.

            “The submission period ended on Monday,” Gagne reported. He said the volunteers willing to help the selectmen in their selection of his replacement are John Decosta, James Turse, Don Karlstrom, Bonne DeSousa, and Pat Donoghue. Gagne will also be a member of the committee.

            Selectman Paul Silva said he wanted the committee to select the best three from the field. He said the selectmen would then prioritize the candidates and interview them in a public forum.

            During his report, Gagne told the board that appointments and reappointments to boards and committees would take place during their next meeting on August 13. He reminded the public that anyone seeking to be appointed to a board or committee or reappointment were required to submit a letter of interest to the selectmen.

            Gagne said that new lock-out tag-out safety policies and procedures had been implemented as part of the adoption of an overall workplace policy. He said the new and updated policies will bring greater safety to the workplace and are especially intended for those working with equipment or in hazardous environments such as water, sewer, and highway employees. He stated that these safety procedures coupled with upcoming OSHA training means that “we are moving in the right direction.”

            In other business, the selectmen accepted a 14-acre gift of land from Robert Gingras, a parcel abutting Old Hammondtown School. The acreage will be available to the public for passive recreational purposes, Gagne said.

            Regarding reverse-911 calling, Gagne reported that a company named Code Red offered cloud-based communication services used to inform and communicate with residents on a variety of platforms like cell phones, text messaging, email, and landlines. He said that no contract was necessary and suggested that the town try the service for a period of six months at a rate of $200 per month. After a six-month trial, the system’s functionality with respect to the needs of the community would be evaluated before continuing further with the program. The selectmen voted to try it out. Further details will be made available on the town’s website that will direct residences on how to sign up for inclusion.

Gagne said this type of service was “vital” during storm events, road closures, municipal maintenance work, and other types of public matters requiring communication.

            Gagne also discussed grant applications currently being sought for the Industrial Park infrastructure upgrades and roadway improvements. Those grants are Mass Works, Economic Development Assistance, and a PARC Grant. The latter is a federal program for shared-use roadways.

            Gagne also took the time to acknowledge the volunteerism and depth of knowledge and commitment of Bonne DeSousa and Robin Lapore for their grant writing skills and willingness to tackle such complicated documents. He also thanked State Representative William Straus and his team for their continuing assistance in these matters.

            After a period of public review, Gagne announced there were no changes to the new shellfish regulations drafted by Harbormaster Jill Simmons. The document was approved for release and will be made available on the town’s website.

            In a related matter, the selectmen asked Simmons to relocate the equipment used for water filtration purposes during the propagation of shellfish. The equipment known as an upweller draws water from the seafloor to the surface, forcing it through cages where young shellfish are grown. There was some discussion on where it should be moved to from its current location at the end of Mello Wharf. Ultimately, it was decided it would be placed at the end of Long Wharf.

            Regarding shellfishing in Mattapoisett, the selectmen lauded the hard work of numerous volunteers who are responsible for bringing recreational shellfishing back to a healthy viable state. Of special note was Bill Mansfield, who Gagne said had been coordinating the program for years. Selectman Jordan Collyer noted that on Sunday, July 14, at 10:30 am in Pine Island Cove, a group will be placing young shellfish into the sea.

            Allen Decker of the Buzzards Bay Coalition sought and received the support of the selectmen in the conveyance of a small 4-acre parcel owned by the Buzzards Bay Coalition at the “Shaw Farm” reservation that straddles Fairhaven and Mattapoisett. He explained that this conveyance to Philip DeNormandie, the abutting property owner, was part of an original plan with DeNormandie whose large holdings in the area have been significantly granted as public lands.

            A public hearing on the application by Pandolfi’s Mattapoisett Diner, Brian Vose, for an all alcohol license and entertainment license was partially granted. Collyer and Silva were in agreement with granting the entertainment license, but the all alcohol license caused Silva to say, “I’m ready to give you a beer and wine license, but I don’t see the need for all alcohol.”

            Collyer countered, “I have no problem with this.”

            In the end, the alcohol license hearing was continued until August 13 to allow for a full board’s attendance and to give Silva more time to review the request.

            And what could be more apropos to summer than Shakespeare in the park? Shipyard Park, that is. Gagne explained that he had received a request from a local Shakespeare performance group for use of the iconic location on August 4 at 1:00 pm for a production of “Much Ado About Nothing.” The selectmen approved the request.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen is scheduled for August 13 at 6:30 pm in the Town Hall conference room.

Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen

By Marilou Newell

Marion Art Center

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Summer Members’ Show Opening Reception & BBMF Musicians’ Celebration – On Friday, July 12, the MAC will present its Summer Members’ Show, with an opening reception from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm. Any MAC member is able to participate in this exhibition with up to 2 original pieces. During the reception we’ll also celebrate the musicians of the Buzzards Bay Musicfest (BBMF), happening July 10-14, and we anticipate a lively event! For more information on BBMF, please visit www.buzzardsbaymusicfest.com/. 

            Membership Drive through August 15– It’s a great time to become a MAC member – our Membership Drive runs through August 15. Receive $5 off any new membership. Member benefits include: discounts on plays, concerts, classes, workshops, and ArtStart; first access to tickets and classes with member-only registration period; opportunity to exhibit your art in 2 members’ shows per year; invitations to special events including donor celebrations, artist lectures, and preview parties; membership is good for one full year based on your registration date (new in 2019!); various membership levels for any budget. Please contact the MAC with any questions about your current member status.

Pine Island Watershed Walk, Sunday

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Join the Mattapoisett Land Trust (MLT) on July 21, 10:00 am, for a guided walk on the beautiful Pine Island Watershed lands north of Angelica Avenue and Crescent Beach. MLT is working to preserve 120 acres of forests, streams, freshwater wetlands, and salt marsh in the Pine Island Watershed. Please come see this spectacular property.

            The walk will begin at the Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. stone foundation site on Angelica Avenue, just after the turn east from Prospect Road. Please park at the adjacent Town pump station or along the roadside. The trail is gentle but be prepared for tall grass – long pants and closed shoes are recommended. For more information, please email us at info@mattlandtrust.org.

Canisius College Conferred an Honorary Degree

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Canisius College conferred an honorary degree upon David Campbell of Mattapoisett, co-founder and chairman of All Hands and Hearts – Smart Response, during its 2019 commencement ceremonies.

            Campbell, a former technology executive and investment banker for Computer Task Group, Xpedior, and BBN Technologies, used his humanitarian endeavors to form All Hands and Hearts – Smart Response, a non-profit natural disaster response organization.

            He was on the verge of retirement in 2004 when an earthquake and subsequent tsunami hit Southeast Asia where he was living at the time. Determined to help those affected, Campbell spearheaded volunteer efforts, traveling to Thailand to assist thousands in need. This transformative experience led him to create his non-profit organization, which facilitates assistance to natural disaster survivors, which received the highest possible rating by Charity Navigator and Greatnonprofits.org.

            For his extraordinary humanitarian relief efforts worldwide, his outstanding ability to motivate others to serve in times of need and his generosity of spirit, Canisius College conferred upon David N. Campbell, the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa.

            Canisius College is one of 28 Jesuit colleges in the nation and the premier private college in Western New York.

Rochester Votes ‘No’ to Restore ORR Project

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The road to ‘Restore ORR’ ended on July 10 after the special election Proposition 2 ½ override ballot question was defeated by a significant margin – 575 in favor, 689 against.

            The polling station at the Rochester Senior Center fell silent moments after Town Clerk Naida Parker read the results aloud promptly at 8:00 pm when polls closed, a reaction that was a stark contrast to the celebratory aftermath of three successful town meetings and two subsequent annual town elections that marked five wins for the $2 million ORR athletic field, track, and auditorium renovation project.

            This special election vote was the final hurdle the project had to overcome, and after hours of lining Dexter Lane with “Vote ‘Yes’ to Restore ORR” signs and waving cheerfully at passing vehicles, the volunteers and restore ORR supporters’ hopes were dashed in a matter of seconds.

            “I wasn’t expecting that,” said Parker as the crowd processed the news. “I think everybody was surprised,” she added as supporters silently filed out of the room. After the project supporters left, Parker said, “I didn’t see that coming.”

            Voter turnout for the special election was just a tad below 30 percent.

By Jean Perry