Selectmen Honor Marion’s Best

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Three men, three awards. The Marion Board of Selectmen on May 1 honored three men in Town and presented them with awards, as Selectmen Chairman Jody Dickerson acknowledged that this was his final meeting as a selectman.

Dickerson started by presenting longtime Council on Aging employee Paul Garib with the board’s first ever Chairman Award. Garib, a driver for the COA for a number of years high enough to be considered simply “a very, very long time,” was selected as the first recipient of the award for his outstanding dedication to the senior citizens of Marion.

“In the Town of Marion, we’re extremely fortunate for the many dedicated employees we have in town,” said Dickerson. “But I see on a daily basis this one guy that really stands out.”

Dickerson sees Garib often going way above and beyond his position as a driver, saying, “I’ve seen him take a personal interest in a lot of the seniors in town, not just delivering meals but visiting them in nursing homes…” To Garib he said, “It speaks volumes of you.”

“We’re really proud that you work here in the Town of Marion,” Dickerson said.

“I don’t know what to say,” said Garib. “They give you an award for just doing your job, what you love to do.”

The Chairman Award will be given out to one outstanding person in Marion every year.

Next up was Fire Chief Brian Jackvony whose completion of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program earned him a certificate of completion that the board had the honor of delivering to Jackvony that evening.

Jackvony has been fire chief of Marion for about three years now, Dickerson pointed out, “And when I was a part of the interviewing process you stood out, and I think it was a great decision we made and I’m very happy in the way you run the department. You’ve done a great job there.”

Dickerson handed Jackvony the certificate and congratulated him.

“I appreciate the opportunity to carry on with my studies,” Jackvony said, “and I think it’s important that we continue to learn and that we continue to be lifelong learners.”

Jackvony thanked his wife, Linda, for her support and patience through the years he’s undertaken the program, acknowledging that it was her help that made it possible.

Then last, but never least, the board appointed lifelong resident of Marion Charles “Pete” Smith as Marion’s honorary historian, presenting him with a certificate and a colorful glass sculpture award that everyone joked looked like an ice scraper.

Selectman Norm Hills said Smith is a central figure in the town and he knows everything there is to know about it. “He either knows it or it’s not worth knowing,” said Hills.

Hills called Smith “an encyclopedia of knowledge” of all things Marion, saying his contribution as a historian has been a lifelong achievement.

“I’ve been a resident almost 83 years, come June,” said Smith, whose family goes way back – even his great-grandmother lived in Marion in the same house Smith still lives in.

Smith said people often ask him how he knows so much about Marion, and after living there for 83 years, he said, “How do you know that? Damn it, I lived it!”

At the end of the meeting, Dickerson spoke on the occasion of his last selectmen’s meeting.

“It can be a little emotional but I want to thank the townspeople for their support over the years,” said Dickerson, who between time as a selectman in the 1990s and now in the more recent years has served a cumulative five terms, or 15 years, as a member of the board.

Dickerson listed a number of different departments as exemplary, but singled out two people in particular who Dickerson said have made the most impact on his time as a selectman – the board’s administrative assistant Debbie Paiva, “Who kept me at the right meetings at the right times,” and Town Administrator Paul Dawson, whom Dickerson called a “class act” he’s enjoyed working with, “And you always put the Town of Marion first…”

Also during the meeting, Dawson reminded residents that Monday, May 14, is the Annual Town Meeting at 6:45 pm at Sippican School.

The next meeting of the Marion Board of Selectmen is scheduled for May 15 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.

Marion Board of Selectmen

By Jean Perry

 

Tabor’s Ahearn Commits to Tennessee

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Tabor Academy has had its share of impressive left-handed pitchers go on to play Division I college baseball this decade. A few years ago, it was P.J. Poulin (Marion) who’s coming out of the bullpen for UConn and posted a 3.39 ERA since he joined the Huskies program in 2015. Then there was Jared Shuster, who started his career with Wake Forest this season. Now Coach Ken Ackerman has Colin Ahearn, who just verbally committed to play for the University of Tennessee in the nation’s best college baseball conference: the Southeastern Conference.

Ahearn is only a sophomore, but he’ll be competing against historically strong programs, including Florida, Vanderbilt, and LSU, among others. Ahearn chose Tennessee over three other strong DI schools – Duke, Clemson and Wake Forest – all from the Atlantic Coast Conference.

“I thought I had the best connection to their staff,” Ahearn said. “They’re up and coming right now. I’ve talked to their recruiting coach, Coach (Josh) Elander, since the fall and felt a good connection. Then I visited the school over March break, got to know (Head) Coach (Tony) Vitello, the rest of the staff, some players and see the campus and really liked it.”

Like Shuster, Ahearn has the opportunity to not only pitch, but also play the outfield in college. Though Shuster elected to just pitch after trying to do both in the fall, Ahearn has a few years before he’ll have to make a definitive decision, or decides to stick with both.

But Ahearn’s upside on the mound may force him to just pitch, given he’s sitting 84-86 and touching 87, which is right around where average DI left-handed pitchers sit.

Reflecting back on a decision he made less than two years ago, which is odd for the average teenager, Ahearn knows that electing to go to Tabor Academy was one of the most important decisions he’s made. Not only did it give him experience away from home, though only a short drive away to Lakeville, but it allowed him to face a level of competition that forced him to constantly improve.

“It’s been a different experience for me, living away from home,” Ahearn said. “Playing for the baseball team has definitely been huge for me. Allowed me to play at the next level and pitch against the best teams in New England, which has really helped in my development.”

Through five starts this year, Ahearn has a 3.65 ERA and struck out 37 batters over 23 innings. At the plate, he’s hitting .370 with two home runs and 13 RBI in nine games.

Old Colony

Girls’ lacrosse has displayed no signs of slowing down this season, improving to 6-0 with Monday’s 16-3 win over Upper Cape.

Elana Sargent and Molly Lankowski each scored four goals for the Cougars, while also logging some assists, three and one, respectively. The Cougars (6-0) will play in Abington on Wednesday.

Boys’ lacrosse didn’t have the same luck against Upper Cape, losing 8-7 in the final seconds of the match. Tyler Bosse and Brad Plissey led Old Colony with two goals apiece. The Cougars (4-3) host Southeastern on Thursday.

Softball has dealt with a few rainouts but was able to take care of Westport in their last game, cruising to an 18-5 win. With the win, Emily Littles improved to 4-2 on the year, with her ERA now at 2.60. Littles has pitched 35 innings for the Cougars this year and struck out 59, while only walking nine.

Littles also continues to dominate the plate, now hitting .619 through Old Colony’s six games. Katherine Kirby isn’t far behind her, hitting .520 with a team-high 11 RBI.

Old Colony (4-2, 2-1 Mayflower Athletic Conference) visits Bristol Aggie on Wednesday.

Baseball has won back-to-back games after knocking off Norfolk Aggie 3-0, then Cape Cod Tech 10-3.

Drew Sullivan leads the team in average (.548), doubles (seven), and is tied with Reese Vandal for the lead in RBI (13). Vandal is tearing the cover off the ball in his freshman campaign, hitting .484 through 10 games, trailing only Sullivan. Brandon Zakrowsky has also done well at the dish, hitting .438 with eight RBI and four doubles.

On the mound, Matt Bumpus and Jacob Worden are both 3-1. Worden has only walked seven batters over 25 2/3 innings, while striking out 20. Bumpus has 21 K’s himself, over 16 innings, posting a 3.94 ERA. Ryan McGuiggan has been dominant from the bullpen, posting a 2.33 ERA while striking out 13 hitters in nine innings of work.

The Cougars (8-2, 4-0 Mayflower Athletic Conference) visit Bristol Plymouth on Thursday at 6:30 pm and visit Dartmouth on Monday at 4:00 pm.

High School Sports Update

By Nick Friar

 

Elks Student of the Month

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The Elks of Wareham and New Bedford, Lodge No. 1548 sponsors the Elks Student of the Month and Student of the Year Awards for students enrolled in local area high schools. The criteria used in nominating a student includes a student who excels in scholarship, citizenship, performing arts, fine arts, hobbies, athletics, church, school and community service, industry and farming.

We congratulate junior Mia Quinlanof Marion for being named as Student of the Month for March. Mia is honest, responsible, and mature. She sets high academic and civic goals for herself, taking full responsibility for her own learning. She participates in music programs, teaches music lessons, and teaches sailing lessons. She is also training with G.R.I.T. for the Providence marathon this May. Mia is able to balance all of these activities with a positive attitude while maintaining an admirable GPA.

We congratulate sophomore Chloe Lanaganof Mattapoisett for being named as Student of the Month for April. Chloe continues to show commitment and willingness to help her teachers as well as other students in her class. Chloe is always eager to go the extra mile. She has volunteered to help in class and always comes in with a smile. She is a person who is well organized, considerate, and independent.

Raymond L. Gamache, III

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Raymond L. Gamache, III, 41, of Rochester passed away unexpectedly Monday, April 30, 2018.

He was the born in New Bedford, son of Raymond Gamache, Jr. of Dartmouth and Patricia A. (King) Cullen and her husband Thomas of Rochester, Ray lived most of his life, in Wareham, where he graduated from high school.

He had worked as a commercial fisherman and a self employed carpenter. Ray loved the outdoors and was very athletic. He enjoyed surfing and snowboarding, played semi pro football for the Middleboro Cobra’s and enjoyed cooking.

He is survived by his parents; his maternal grandfather, Milton King of Falmouth; paternal grandmother, Florence Gamache of Fairhaven; a son, Raymond L. Gamache, IV of NC; three brothers, Mark Arone and his wife Meagan of Lakeville, Bradford Arone and his wife Danae of Marion and Julian Gamache of New Bedford; three sisters, Amy Gamache-Blood of Marion, Erin Bishop and her husband Robert of Rochester and Victoria Gamache of Dartmouth; and several aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Calling hours are Friday, from 4-7pm, in the Fairhaven Funeral Home, 117 Main St., Fairhaven.

His funeral will be Saturday, May 5, 2018, at 9:00am, from the funeral home followed by a Mass of Christian Burial, at 10:00am, in St. Joseph’s Church, Fairhaven. Interment will be in Centre Cemetery, Rochester.

Stargazing Walk in the Bogs

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Join the Astronomical Society of Southern New England and the Buzzards Bay Coalition for an evening stargazing walk at The Bogs, 138 Acushnet Road, Mattapoisett on Friday, May 4at 8:00 pm.

Far away from the city lights, the 500-acre Mattapoisett River Reserve offers visitors a dark, expansive sky to view the stars. As you gaze through telescopes at the wonders of deep space, you’ll look for planets, constellations and galaxies. Please dress warmly in multiple layers and bring a flashlight. Telescopes will be provided.

To RSVP for this free walk, visit http://www.savebuzzardsbay.org/events/stargazing-walk-at-the-bogs-may-04-2018/ or contact the Buzzards Bay Coalition at 508-999-6363 ext. 219.

This walk is part of Discover Buzzards Bay, a resource to find unique and exciting ways to explore the outdoors, get some exercise, and connect with nature. Use Discover Buzzards Bay to get outside and discover woods, wetlands and waterways from Fall River to Falmouth. To learn more, visit savebuzzardsbay.org/discover.

Author Talk with Marie Fricker

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Please join us at the Elizabeth Taber Library on Thursday evening, May 10, at 6:30 pm for an author talk with Marie Fricker. She will be discussing her book All in My Head: How a Hypochondriac Beat Brain Cancer. A book signing will follow.

Marie (Gallishaw) Fricker is a head writer for the 30-office Jack Conway Real Estate Company based in Norwell, Massachusetts. She has had freelance articles published in Boston Magazineand many other publications throughout New England. She was a longtime contributor to the South Shore Senior Newswriting a humorous column entitled “Motherhood the Second Time Around.”

In her previous position as a marketing director for Jack Conway & Co., she won five international communications awards for a book and video she wrote entitled The House that Jack Built. Before joining Conway in 1993, she was a publicist for the State Department of Education.

Born and raised in Arlington, MA, Marie earned a bachelor’s degree in English from UMass Boston, and a master’s degree in journalism from Boston University. She lives in Scituate with her husband Al. They have two grown children – Allison, a teacher in the Dedham Public Schools, and Jason, a Rockland Firefighter – and five grandchildren, Benjamin, William, Christian, Olivia and Sam.

Silvershell Beach is Going ‘Gaga’

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Ever heard of ‘gaga ball?’ If not, you’re not alone because neither had the Marion Conservation Commission until aspiring Eagle Scout Jackson Saint Don on April 25 proposed installing a gaga ball pit at Silvershell Beach for his Eagle Scout project.

“Is Lady Gaga gonna come play?” asked Conservation Commission Chairman Cynthia Callow. “No? Never mind…”

Saint Don, son of Conservation Commission member Kristen Saint Don, said he came up with the idea for his Eagle Scout project while at Boy Scout camp where he saw his first gaga ball pit. Saint Don said he approached Recreation Department Director Jody Dickerson and asked if he could make one for Silvershell Beach, and Dickerson gave the nod. Saint Don gave a Google Earth image of the beach and circled in red where Dickerson approved the gaga ball pit placement nearer to the road.

“The entire project is pretty simple in the fact that it doesn’t require many supplies besides wood and corner brackets,” said Saint Don, “but I found a way to make … recycled plastic drums instead of metal.”

The pit, which will be octagonal and 25 to 30 feet in diameter, will be constructed of pressure-treated wood dug about one inch into the sand. The pit can be disassembled and stored should a strong storm approach the area; otherwise, the pit would remain at the beach year round.

This concerned commission member Jeffrey Doubrava, who worried that perhaps a storm surge could send the pit into a neighbor’s house and asked if the pit should somehow be anchored. And although the project would undoubtedly be approved by the commission, said Doubrava, “I don’t want to be a hard case, but the person who was going to put two benches in Sprague’s Cove had to file a [Request for Determination of Applicability.” He continued, “If the rules don’t apply to everybody, pretty soon they don’t apply to anybody.”

Walsh said the commission required Susannah Davis to file a RDA for the Sprague’s Cove benches because the commission was unclear as to how many and what size benches and where she planned to place them. And although Saint Don’s project was likely within a velocity zone, the gaga ball pit is not a permanent structure. Furthermore, Saint Don demonstrated exactly what his plan was and where he would place the ball pit, Walsh pointed out.

“That being said, is this an activity that will remove, fill, dredge, or alter the [resource area]?” asked Walsh. “I think the argument could be made, ‘no.’ If the design is for a more permanent structure with stakes or what-have-you, then you start to get into a potential alteration.” He continued, “I don’t see what filing an RDA would accomplish. It doesn’t remove, fill, dredge, or alter a jurisdictional resource area.”

Still, Doubrava was concerned about consistency in policy and advocated for the RDA, and also about the potential for damage during a storm.

“I don’t think the first thing that’s on people’s minds if a hurricane is coming is, ‘Gotta go get the gaga pit,’” said commission member Joel Hartley.

“I do think that if a hurricane is coming, the [Recreation Department] or the DPW is looking to batten down the hatches and would be going to all the public properties … whether it’s lifeguard stands or benches or trash barrels or a gaga pit,” argued Walsh. “I’m assuming that’s probably the practice.”

And to Doubrava’s point, Walsh added, one of the benches was to be placed right on the water at Sprague’s Cove, which the commission only found out when Davis filed her RDA.

“I’m not suggesting we apply special rules just because it’s an Eagle Scout project,” said Walsh, “I just don’t see the utility in requiring an RDA for this type of project where it is really no more than … setting up a tent or some other easily removed structure.”

Callow agreed with Walsh.

“I think an RDA is excessive, but I think it’s a good project,” Callow said. “Again, Ms. Davis failed to tell the commission where she was going to put [the benches], how she was going to put them. This is not the case. I’m confident that it can be removed in a hurricane or a storm.”

The commission did ask Saint Don to contact the DPW to inform them of the project and work out any concerns from that department. Saint Don will return to the Conservation Commission with an update before the selectmen’s meeting.

Gaga ball is a fast-paced “free-for-all,” as Saint Don described it, where players of all ages and in any number-sized group can enter the pit and throw the ball at players below the knees – but the ball has to hit the ground twice, Saint Don said. “’Ga’ is Hebrew for ‘hit,’” said Saint Don, thus the double hit – ga-ga.

“What’s nice about this game is there’s no skill gap so people of all ages can play,” said Saint Don. “I figured it would be a nice addition to the town beach for the summer camp because I know there’s usually a lot of kids there and kids of all ages can play.”

“It sounds like a great sport,” said Walsh, “because as you said, kids and adults of all abilities can play it and … it’s much a game of luck as it is of skill … and it sounds like, in my opinion, a great addition to the Silvershell Beach area.”

Saint Don, 17, a student of Upper Cape Tech and a Boy Scout of seven years, said he one day wants to be an environmental officer for the Environmental Protection Agency.

In other matters, the commission responded to a complaint about 120 Front Street, owned by Christian Loranger, where a resident reported that some dumping of debris had occurred within the wetlands. And although there was a lot of debris making the site unattractive, the commission acknowledged that there was no dumping in the actual wetlands.

“Someone is not happy,” Hartley commented about the complaint.

Doubrava noted that the commission responds to all complaints lodged by residents; however, he added, “I don’t want to be used by the citizenry if there’s somebody they don’t like.”

Also during the meeting, the commission approved the Notices of Intent of two pier projects related in nature – an alteration to a Chapter 91 licensed pier at 91 Water Street and the moving and attachment of the abutting property’s pier to the 91 Water Street pier.

The next meeting of the Marion Conservation Commission is scheduled for May 9 at 7:00 pm at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.

Marion Conservation Commission

By Jean Perry

 

Marion’s Connection to the World’s Biggest Windmill

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It’s quite possible that you’ve never heard of the windmill on Cuttyhunk that was once the largest windmill in the world, but it’s likely that you’ve heard the names of two of the several young environmentalists, engineers, and idealists who built it back in the late 1970s.

John Rockwell of Marion and former Marion resident and Tabor graduate Roger Race were both there in Cuttyhunk some 40 years ago, and their labor along with the efforts of four other men provided an alternate energy source to the island in the midst of the nation’s energy crisis. And what they did could be considered not only revolutionary, but downright subversive in a society once completely dependent on foreign-owned fossil fuels.

Documentary maker David Vassar captured the entire project in the film Generation on the Wind, preserving the history of how the island of Cuttyhunk was once home to the world’s biggest windmill built only with limited implements and the basic methods available at the time, used by men who were ahead of their time.

Rockwell was living on the island in 1977, and he was acquainted with Allen Spaulding, who was in the throes of a plan to build a windmill big enough to power the entire island that at the time relied solely on generators fueled by diesel, something that was much more expensive on Cuttyhunk than on the mainland.

“In the movie, I talked about how I went out one day to say hello to him and see what he was doing,” said Rockwell from a boat off the coast of New Jersey on May 1. Rockwell liked the sound of Spaulding’s project and he offered to “shimmy up the pole,” said Rockwell, “And for, I think, fifty cents. I didn’t actually think he’d hire me; he was just impressed that I would do that. I didn’t tell him after that my knees were shaking when I got down.”

The project became a steady paycheck for Rockwell, who had no background in high steel work, “Which was basically what we did,” he said. “I knew about rigging,” and a lot of what the crew did was simply that – hoisting and being hoisted 120 feet in the air to build the massive windmill. There wasn’t any large-scale equipment on the island at the time.

Construction began in the fall of 1977 and was completed in mid-May the following year. “That winter was the blizzard of ’78, and we were shipped some parts and they got lost,” Rockwell remembered. And when it was finally time to attach the windmill’s nose with its three 40-foot long blades attached, Rockwell was up there suspended at the top of the tower, guiding the nose dangling from a crane onto its mounting point to be tightened and secured into place.

“It was sort of scary in retrospect,” said Rockwell. “It wasn’t really that scary when I was doing it.”

Rockwell pointed out a part in the film when he was ready to receive the blades from the crane moving them toward him, suspended, and there was an audible ‘groaning’ sound. Someone asked him, “What’s that?” Rockwell told him it was nothing, “But it was actually the main shackle holding the blades up in the air,” he said. “It was bending open! And when it clunked into place, it ‘plunked’ because the main shackle opened right up – in the right place, thank goodness.”

“After that, I realized I could do no wrong,” said Rockwell.

It was an interesting time, Rockwell said, and the interesting project included a group of equally interesting people. A “motorcycle nut” who was a mathematical genius created the custom-made computer program that controlled the speed of the blades’ rotation every tenth of a second, “Which was very impressive back then.”

“One guy was a Boston Celtics fan, and he quit because we didn’t get good TV reception on the island and he couldn’t watch the games,” Rockwell said. “One guy, whenever he went up in the air (to work on the windmill) he always dropped something, which is the only way you can get hurt, by being underneath and having somebody drop something on your head. If you fell, you had a thousand things you could grab onto … We called him Mister Drop.”

‘Mr. Drop’ had a family, though, and wanted to make more money. He left the windmill project to go work on a nuclear power plant in Virginia, “Which we all thought was pretty funny,” said Rockwell. “It was an interesting time.”

Rockwell was friends with Race, who was recovering in Marion from a serious motorcycle crash. “He was sort of feeling sorry for himself because it was hard for him to get a around…” Rockwell talked Race into joining him on Cuttyhunk, and Race joined the project and even stayed on for another six or so months after the windmill’s construction was complete and the 200 kilowatt wind-powered generator was powering the entire island, which it continued to do for eight more years.

Race remembers Rockwell calling him up and encouraging him to come up to the island. “I said, ‘What the heck, I’ll recover out there.’”

The windmill was a great idea, said Race, really cutting edge to try to build one of such a size and capacity to produce power. And just a few miles away on neighboring Block Island, NASA was at the same time building its own large-scale wind turbine, “And it was ten times as much money,” recalled Rockwell.

“NASA was coming over to see us; we were going over to see NASA…” said Race. “Building the world’s first commercially viable 200 kilowatt generator…. It really was a lot of fun.”

“We were all at the top every day, hoisted up,” said Race. “Yes, there were some near misses,” Race continued, like when he was on top of the tower and in the distance he could see a sudden, strong winter storm approaching. “I called down to John, I think, ‘Get me out of here!’ In about ten minutes … when we got to the ground it blew like hell…”

“But it was all fine at the end of the day, nobody got hurt,” Race said. “It was wonderful to be out in the elements and experience that.”

“I thought it was really cold,” is what Rockwell said was on his mind pretty much most of the time he was up building the windmill. “We were cold, it was wintertime, and we were working outside and we were really cold, and that’s what we were thinking about mostly. We were all in our twenties … and we weren’t thinking too much about profound earth-shaking things.”

But the boss, Allen Spaulding, was. Rockwell said Spaulding thought of the windmill as a work of “monumental art.”

“I took that to heart,” said Rockwell, “and I always thought if I ever built anything, I’d want it to be a piece of monumental art like his windmill was.”

Looking back at the experience, Rockwell said the lesson he learned was a simple, yet empowering one – “You can do just about anything, if you think about it.” Building an 80-foot tower of steel with no gigantic cranes using old-fashioned construction techniques – “And when we had a problem we just sat down in a circle and we figured ‘em out. And the windmill produced a lot more power than we thought it would.”

As an engineer who does a lot of traveling, Race said everywhere he goes – France, Scotland, Canada – “I see [wind turbines] everywhere else and I think, wow, we were just so far ahead of our time.”

Generation on the Wind was recently digitally re-mastered and re-released in a theater in Texas on April 22, and in San Francisco the following day, just in time for Earth Day 2018, 40 years later. And, if all goes as planned, Netflix will acquire the rights to the film, making it available soon to an even wider audience.

The documentary was nominated for an Academy Award for best documentary feature, won the “best documentary” blue ribbon at the American Film Festival, and won “best documentary” at the San Francisco International Film Festival.

A short ten-minute abridgment of the documentary can be viewed by visiting http://tinyurl.com/vimeo-wind.

By Jean Perry

 

Academic Achievements

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Bryant Universityis committed to the pursuit, recognition, and celebration of academic excellence. Christopher Carando, Class of 2018 from Mattapoisett, has been named to Bryant University’s Deans’ List for the fall 2017 semester.

A Century of Tabor Rowing

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In 2017, Tabor Academy’s rowing team competed for its 100thseason, an anniversary matched only by a handful of high school programs in the United States. In that time, the team has had unprecedented success on an international scale. The story of this historic rowing program is told in the new feature documentary “A Century of Tabor Rowing,” which premieres at Tabor Academy on May 20at 4:00 pm.

The film is over a year in the making and features over 40 interviews with Tabor rowers and coaches through the decades. With its combination of historical and contemporary footage, the film provides thought-provoking commentary on changes in the sport through the years.

The documentary was written, directed, and produced by Jack Gordon (Marion, MA), a graduate of the Class of 2017 who was also a member of Tabor’s 2017 Henley Crew. Currently, Gordon is a coxswain at the University of California, Berkeley. After the screening, Gordon will be joined onstage by alumni rowers from various decades for a panel discussion to discuss their experiences rowing at Tabor and beyond.

The premiere of the film is free and open the public and will take place in the Fireman Center for the Performing Arts in Hoyt Hall at 235 Front Street, Marion, at 4:00 pm. The documentary runs for approximately 70 minutes.