Relay For Life of Tri-Town Kickoff

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The American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Tri-Town & Wareham will hold a free kickoff for the annual event on February 23 from 6:00 – 8:00 pm in the Wareham Middle School Cafeteria, Viking Drive, Wareham. Everyone is invited to the kickoff to learn about how to help the American Cancer Society save more lives from cancer.

This year’s kickoff is an Ice Cream Social. There will be activities for families including relay-themed games and an information scavenger hunt. Guests will have the opportunity to register a team for the Relay For Life event, which will be held on Saturday, June 18 – Sunday June, 19 at Wareham Middle School Track.

We are looking from more teams to join our event. The Kickoff Event is an opportunity for anyone to come see what Relay for Life is all about. The Relay For Life movement unites communities across the globe to celebrate people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and take action to finish the fight once and for all. Relay For Life events are community gatherings where teams and individuals camp out at a school, park, or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Teams participate in fundraising in the months leading up to the event.

Visit relayforlife.org and search for our event – Tri-Town & Wareham – to learn more about the event or sign up your team.

Knights Teen Dance

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The next Knights Teen Dance is on Friday February 26 from 7:00 to 10:00 pm at The Knights Hall, 57 Fairhaven Road in Mattapoisett for $8. Teen dances provide a safe place for 6th, 7th and 8th graders to have a good time socializing, dancing and listening to their favorite music on a Friday night. Knights of Columbus chaperones and a uniformed police officer are on site at all of our dances.

Sippican School

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To the Editor:

As parents of six current Sippican School students, friend to countless other young students and (for one of us) a consistent presence as a regular in-class volunteer, we must respond to comments made in the February 5, 2016 article “FinCom Gives Candid School Budget Opinion.” Sippican’s population has increased, and alongside that uptick has come greater numbers of students needing extra attention for either behavior or academic support.

Volunteering twice weekly at the school informs our opinion. Every hour spent in the classroom, I admire our teachers anew. I observe patience and compassion not only for my child, (who is one of those kids who would benefit from the extra help our teachers are requesting), but the other 17 kids in that classroom, those who struggle and those who don’t. I am grateful for teachers who bring snacks and clothing from their own homes for students who would otherwise go without. I can attest to the fact that our Sippican teachers and staff work well beyond the hours they are in the school building, making plans and preparing lessons and materials before school, after school, and over the weekends. Every single time we walk through the Sippican hallways, we observe the great care taken by teachers and administrators who treat our children as their own.

The bubble mentality expressed by a FinCom member that “This is Marion” is outdated, incorrect and frankly, dangerous. There are behavior issues and worrisome incidents in EVERY town, regardless of zip code. And admittedly, though none has escalated to the extreme examples cited in the February 5 article, there are problems in our classrooms, our buses and beyond. These issues invite a respectful dialogue between parents, teachers, town administrators and other stakeholders.

We invite anyone to take a seat in the classroom, volunteer in the lunchroom, or ride the bus, and reacquaint themselves with the changing dynamics of our school community. It is our collective responsibility to see the reality on the ground, in order to respond to these changes, support our teachers meaningfully and take all the measures within our means to ensure the best education possible for our children. Sippican Proud!

Respectfully submitted,

Ixia Bongiorno and Nicole Long, Marion

 

The views expressed in the “Letters to the Editor” column are not necessarily those of The Wanderer, its staff or advertisers. The Wanderer will gladly accept any and all correspondence relating to timely and pertinent issues in the great Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester area, provided they include the author’s name, address and phone number for verification. We cannot publish anonymous, unsigned or unconfirmed submissions. The Wanderer reserves the right to edit, condense and otherwise alter submissions for purposes of clarity and/or spacing considerations. The Wanderer may choose to not run letters that thank businesses, and The Wanderer has the right to edit letters to omit business names. The Wanderer also reserves the right to deny publication of any submitted correspondence.

Rochester, Marion Selectman Races Contested

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Rochester and Marion voters will have a choice when they head to the polls this year for their towns’ annual elections; however, the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen race is currently uncontested as are all other Mattapoisett races.

On Wednesday, April 3, Rochester Planning Board member Michael Murphy will seek to occupy Selectman incumbent Brad Morse’s chair on the Rochester Board of Selectmen this year in a contested race that, as of February 16, involves only the two men.

Murphy, of 650 Mary’s Pond Road, is a former selectman who served on the board in the 1990s. He also served as a member of the Finance Committee at one point.

Murphy ran against Morse back in 2010 and again in 2013, losing both times.

Morse, resident at 209 Pierce Street, is currently serving his fourth term on the Board of Selectmen.

In other categories of the election, so far incumbents reign as no others have pulled papers for the 12 other categories. Nomination papers are due February 24.

Listed here are the positions, term length, and incumbents currently running: Highway surveyor, three years, Jeffrey Eldridge. Eldridge is seeking a sixth term. Constable, three years, David Hughes is running for one of the two positions, and incumbent Leo Dalbec is not running for re-election. Board of Health, three years, Glen Lawrence; Board of Assessors, three years, Diana Knapp; Planning Board, five years, Gary Florindo and Lee Carr for two positions; Library Trustees, three years, Dennis Desrosiers and Winston Sharples for two positions; Cemetery Commission, three years, Leo Dalbec is not seeking re-election; Park Commissioner, three years, David Hughes; Water Commission, three years, Richard Charon; Rochester School Committee, three years, Sharon Hartley; ORR School Committee, three years, Cheryl Hebert is not seeking re-election; ORR School Committee, two years, vacant.

In Marion, voters on Friday, May 13 will also likely have a choice for their next selectman. There are three possible candidates seeking a seat on the Board of Selectmen now that incumbent Jonathan Henry has decided not to seek a fifth term as selectman.

Long-time Planning Board and Conservation Commission member Stephen Gonsalves, 3 Hermitage Road, has pulled papers for the selectman position, along with Planning Board member and Conservation Commission Chairman Norman Hills, 680 Front Street. This is the first time both man have pulled papers for the Board of Selectmen, unlike third candidate Dale Jones, 68 Register Road, who is running a third time for a seat on the board.

Jones served many years as a Marion EMT and was also a member of various boards and committees.

The race for two seats on the Planning Board so far is seeing potentially three candidates to fill Hills’ position, who is running for selectman, and Jerry “Rico” Ferrari, who has not yet pulled papers.

Former Planning Board member Stephen Kokkins is trying to win back the seat he lost last year, and retiring selectman Jonathan Henry is also seeking a seat on the Planning Board. William Saltonstall, 657 Point Road, also pulled and returned his papers on February 10 for one of the three-year terms.

In the six other categories, most incumbents have pulled papers and are running uncontested at this point.

Listed here are the positions, term length, and incumbents currently running: Assessor, three years, Bradford Eames; Board of Health, three years, Albin Johnson III; Open Space Acquisition Commission, three years, John Rockwell and Randy Parker for two positions; Marion School Committee, three years, Christine Marcolini; ORR School Committee, three years, Linda Harju who has not pulled papers; Moderator, one year, Patricia McArtle who has not pulled papers.

Nomination papers have been available since February 1 and are due back to the Clerk’s Office by Friday, March 25.

Over in Mattapoisett, there are no contested races so far for the Tuesday, May 17 election.

With nomination papers due March 29, there is still time to pull papers to run for one of the uncontested positions.

For Selectman, Jordan Collyer, 5 Hillside Avenue, is seeking a fifth term on the Board of Selectmen, so far uncontested.

Listed here are the positions, terms, and incumbents currently running: Mattapoisett School Committee, three years, Patrick LeClair and Charles Motta. Motta has not yet pulled papers. Trustees of Public Library, three years, Mary Magee and James Dildine for two positions; Moderator, one year, John Eklund; Water/Sewer Commissioner, three years, William Hubbard; Planning Board, five years, Karen Field; Mattapoisett Housing Authority, five years, Leda Kim; Community Preservation Committee, two years, Jodi Bauer and John DeCosta for two positions; Tree Warden, three years, Roland Cote; Constable, three years, Paul Magee and Kenneth Pacheco for two positions; Herring Inspector, three years, Robert Martin.

Old Rochester Regional School Committee member Cynthia Johnson is not seeking re-election for the three-year position. Assessor Cary LeBlanc has not yet pulled papers for the three-year position, and current Board of Health member Kenneth Dawicki has not yet pulled papers for the three-year position.

By Jean Perry

 

ORRHS Term 2 Principal’s Honor Roll

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The following students have achieved honors for the second term at Old Rochester Regional High School:

Grade 9 Highest Honors: Michael Barry, Julia Cabral, Sara Campopiano, Danielle Craig, Alexandra Fluegel, Ian Friedrichs, Sydney Green, Genevieve Grignetti, Amelia Isabelle, Kaitlin Kelley, Michaela Mattson, Claire Noble Shriver, Harrison Riley, Megan Shay, Geneva Smith, Gates Tenerowicz;

Grade 10 Highest Honors: Erin Burke, Collin Fitzpatrick, Thais Gorgonha, Alexandra Hulsebosch, Sophie Johnson, Maxine Kellum, Lindsey Merolla, Sam Pasquill, Jahn Pothier, Grace Stephens, Evan Tilley;

Grade 11 Highest Honors: Hannah Guard, Maxxon Wolski;

Grade 12 Highest Honors: Serena Jaskolka, Jane Kassabian, Mallory Kiernan, Edward Krawczyk, Nicole Mattson, Lauren Ovian, Jacob Plante, Drew Robert, Hannah Rose, Evan Roznoy, Rachel Scheub;

Grade 9 High Honors: Emma Blouin, John Burke, Adrian Gleasure, Daniel Hartley, Rosemary Loer, Samantha Nicolosi, Elisa Normand, Vanessa Ortega, Madison Pedro, Delaney Pothier, Maria Ramsay, Ansley Rivera, Robert Sylvester, Madison Welter, Lily Youngberg;

Grade 10 High Honors: Haleydawn Amato, Emily Bock, Nicholas Claudio, Evan Costa, Abigail Dyson, Megan Field, Lauren Gonsalves, Sophie Gurney, Hanil Kang, Caitlyn Kutash, Alexander Lorenz, Hannah Powers, Madeline Scheub, Nicole Sullivan;

Grade 11 High Honors: Emma Collings, Kelly Fox, Connor Kelley, Molly Lanagan, Joshua Lerman, Riley Nordahl, Daniel Renwick, Eli Spevack;

Grade 12 High Honors: Colleen Beatriz, Julianna Bernardi, Lauren Gaspar, Samantha Kirkham, Keegan Lant, Alexandra Melloni, Lucy Milde, Mia Resendes, Alex Tavares, Deianeira Underhill, Paige Watterson;

Grade 9 Honors: Maggie Arruda, Cassidy Bart, Danya Bichsel, Nickolas Borsari, Marc Bourgeois, Mary Brulport, Elsie Buckley, Evan Chase, Brielle Correia, Noah Cunningham, Maddie Demanche, Jennifer Durocher, Nicole Fantoni, Katherine Gillis, Pavanne Gleiman, Megan Guaraldo, Mariana Hebert, Jordan Hoeg-Chick, Kristina Hopkins, Emily Humphrey, Hanbyul Kang, Holden King, Logan King, Tyler Kulak, Jillian Kutash, Victoria Kvilhaug, Nolan LaRochelle, Tayler Lee, Cole McIntyre, Alexander Murteira, Geoffrey Noonan, Avery O’Brien-Nichols, Carly O’Connell, Kevin Ovian, Elsie Perry, Chelsea Peterson, Lauren Pina, Owen Powers, Mia Quinlan, Aidan Ridings, Joseph Robinson, Alexandria Sheehan, Sarah Sollauer, Delaney Soucy, Michael Stack, Lauren Surprenant, Taylor Swoish, Adam Sylvia, Julius Wagoner, Natalia Wierzbicki, Raymond Williams, Alexander Wurl, Lauren Ziino;

Grade 10 Honors: Margaret Adams, Albertine Arnfield, Jenna Aruri, Samantha Ball, Ainslee Bangs, Thomas Browning, Madison Carvalho, Joanna Caynon, Isabelle Choquette, Ava Ciffolillo, Madison Cooney, Alexa Costa, Jacob DeMaggio, Carly Demanche, Rachel Demmer, Celia Deverix, Stephanie Dondyk, Mackenzie Drew, James Dwyer, Maggie Farrell, Katelyn Feeney, Bennett Fox, Arissa Francis, Elle Gendreau, Alexandrea Gerard, Mackenzie Good, Riley Goulet, Reese Graham, Ayana Hartley, Kacey Henriques, Marina Ingham, Allison Kvilhaug, Benjamin Lafrance, Fiona Lant, Alexander le Gassick, Warren Leavens, Joseph MacKay, Emily Marraffa, Madisen Martin, Julia Melloni, Tyler Menard, Ethan Moniz, Mikayla Mooney, Zechariah Mooney, Caroline Murphy, David Nadeau, Gabriel Noble Shriver, Marcus Rita, Isabella Rodrigues, Jamie Roznoy, Isabella Sauro, Christopher Savino, Noah Schipper, Meghan Seguin, Julia Smith, Benjamin Snow, Abigail Stark, Erin Stoeckle, Caitlin Stopka, Sara Sturtevant, Aidan Thayer, Jake Thompson, Katherine Tracy, Courtney Vance, Eleanore Wiggin, Julia Winsper, Jacob Yeomans;

Grade 11 Honors: Madison Barber, Julia Barrett, Andrew Bichsel, Kyle Brezinski, Jacob Cafarella, Patrick Cummings, Timothy Dix, Griffin Dunn, Connor Farney, Nicholas Ferreira, Colleen Garcia, Joshua Garcia, James Goulart, Jonathan Harris, Celeste Hartley, Jonathan Kvilhaug, Olivia Labbe, Benjamin Lima, Jillian McCarthy, Thomas Miller, Hannah Nadeau, Alexandra Nicolosi, Olivia Pellegrino, Mary Roussell, Lauren Scott, Jacob Spevack, Lauren Valente, Emily Ziino;

Grade 12 Honors: Elexus Afonso, Josefin Bakken, Isabella Bernardi, Rikard Bodin, Hannah Deane, Emily Faulkner, Alexus Garcia, Hailey Gray-Jenney, Kyra Greco, Brianna Grignetti, Eryn Horan, Serena Iacovelli, Emily Josephson, Jacob Lawrence, Abigail McAssey, Lillian McIntire, Madeline Meyer, Frederick Miller III, Jeffrey Murdock, Brett Noone, Michaelah Nunes, Alexandria Powers, Evan Santos, Kristina Sauerbrey, Alexis Sweeney, Ally Sylvia, Kayley Sylvia, Mia Vercellone, Teagan Walsh, Conrad Wierzbicki, Margaret Wiggin.

Marion Council on Aging Hosts Talks

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February 22: “The Pendleton Disaster Off Cape Cod: The Greatest Small Boat Rescue in Coast Guard History.” It happened long ago on February 18, 1952. One particular Coast Guard rescue mission with its mismatched crew of four young men has survived the proverbial test of time, but how? Why is the saving of 32 merchant mariners from the sinking 503’ Pendleton still a sacrosanct story within Coast Guard corridors and leadership circles some 63 years later? Come listen to author Theresa Barbo as she explores the reason that make this an enduring tale.

February 29: “Firsts in Boston & Massachusetts.” Due to Boston being one of the oldest cities in the United States, a lot of our nation’s firsts occurred here. For example, Boston had the first newspaper, the first automobile, the first chocolate factory, and many more. Come listen as History Officer James Healy with Boston Duck Tours leads this fun and insightful presentation.

Both programs begin at 12:45 pm and are held at the Marion Music Hall, 164 Front Street, Marion, MA 02738.

Family Movie Night

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The Mattapoisett Lions Club invites you and your family to the movie Inside Out on Friday, February 26 at 6:00 pm in the ORR Auditorium. Admission donation: school supplies, new socks, new underwear, toothbrushes, toothpaste, gently used books. Donations will assist local families in need and supply Gifts to Give. We will also be accepting old eyeglasses and hearing aids. Refreshments will be available through ORR AmbassadORRs outside of the auditorium. The Movies in the Park series is presented by the Mattapoisett Lions Club and made possible by a grant from the Mattapoisett Cultural Council.

Jeanette P. (Prokott) Webb

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Jeanette P. (Prokott) Webb, 73, of Mattapoisett, formerly of Lexington and Rochester died February 14, 2016 peacefully at home.

She was the beloved wife of Herbert F. Webb.

Born in Little Falls, MN, she was the daughter of the late Joseph M. and Helen (Eggert) Prokott.

She had been a member of the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls.

Jeanette was the proprietor of Desktop Grafik Services in Lexington, MA and later was employed by the Mattapoisett Library from 2002-2013.

She had a creative spirit that shone through her quilting, quilling, painting, graphic design, and creative writing. She received her Masters Degree in Creative Writing from Lesley University in 2003. She was a politically involved member of Town Meeting in Lexington and the Democratic Town Committees in Rochester and Mattapoisett. Her volunteer work included support of PFLAG, and the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center in New Bedford. She relished the excitement of a good game, from watching the Red Sox, to playing bridge or Scrabble, to doing a crossword puzzle. She was known for her warm smile and especially enjoyed time with family and friends, trips to Europe and Florida, and walking hand in hand with her husband.

Survivors include her husband; 2 sons, Timothy Webb and his wife Rebecca of Kittery, ME and Christopher Webb and his partner Alfredo Justo of Worcester, MA; a brother, Robert Prokott and his wife Marlene of Minneapolis, MN; 4 sisters, Dolores Madden and her husband John of Denver, CO, Rita Baron of Brooklyn Park, MN, Dorothy Corser of Burnsvlille, MN and Margaret Lehrke of Little Falls, MN; a granddaughter, Emma Webb of Kittery, ME; and many nieces and nephews.

Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, February 27th at 11 AM in St. Anthony’s Church. Visiting hours will be Friday, February 26th from 4-6 PM in the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Road, Route 6, Mattapoisett. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Jeanette to: Massachusetts General Hospital, Development Office, 125 Nashua St., Suite 540, Boston, MA 02114, attn: Sarah Church, memo: Dr. Elizabeth Gerstner; or to: Southcoast VNA Hospice, 200 Mill Rd., Fairhaven, MA 02719. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

Evelyn Veiga

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Evelyn Veiga of Mattapoisett, wife of the late George Veiga Sr. and eldest daughter of the late Anibal Abreu and Edna Mae Walker, granddaughter of Ida Mae Walker of Harwich, MA, passed on in the presence of her loved ones on the night of Feburary 15, 2016. She graced the earth for nearly 98 years of youth from her birth on May 3, 1918. Evelyn will be remembered as a jubilant soul who loved making others feel light at heart.

Evelyn was a Mother to Michele Evelyn Veiga Rentumis, and the late George Veiga Jr., Yvonne Joaquin, and Michael Veiga. She is survived by her youngest daughter, Michele, sister Virginia Mae Wende of Sacramento, and grandchildren Dena, Katharena, Alexandra, and George Rentumis who all love her dearly. Evelyn is leaving a legacy as a beautiful, joyful spirit, full of spunk (right on, babe!) and will be remembered forever by her loved ones. She lives on in our hearts and spirit.

“If this is just the beginning, my life is gonna be beautiful.”-Dean Martin

Join us for a celebration of Evelyn Veiga’s life on Saturday, February 20th. Her Funeral will be held on Saturday at 9 AM from the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home For Funerals, 50 County Rd. (Rt. 6) Mattapoisett, followed by her Funeral Mass at St. Anthony’s Church at 10 AM. Burial will follow St. Anthony’s Cemetery. Visiting hours are omitted. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

Marian T. LeBlanc

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Marian T. LeBlanc, 85, of Palm Desert, California, and Marion, Massachusetts, passed away on Sunday, February 14, 2016. She was born in Norwood, Mass. on September 20, 1930 to the late Michael & Marian Murphy. She is survived by her beloved spouse of 59 years, Harold E. LeBlanc.

Also surviving are her brother Paul C. (Gene) Murphy; sons Robert J. (Shannon) LeBlanc; James C. (Susan) LeBlanc; Joseph J. (Keely) LeBlanc; Gerard F. (Jennifer) LeBlanc; daughter Judith (Buzz) Pankoff and eight grandchildren: Nathan, Emily, Gavin, Winter, Sedona, JP, Allison and Griffin.

Marian graduated from Bridgewater State University. She taught elementary school in Walpole, Mass. and was a substitute teacher in Marion, Mass. Always active in the Catholic community, she was a religious education director at St. Rita’s Church in Marion, Mass. for eight years, and also a lector and Eucharistic Minister to the sick. Marian volunteered at the Market Ministries soup kitchen in New Bedford, Mass., and upon moving to California, at the American Cancer Society in Palm Desert. She also volunteered for, and found joy in working with, the children at Mecca Elementary, through the “Read with Me” Ministry Reading Program sponsored by Sacred Heart Church.

Marian was a generous person who loved spending time with her family. She loved to read and play games, whether it be golf, Scrabble or Canasta. She will especially be remembered for her kind spirit.

Marian is preceded in death by her son Harold M. LeBlanc, her parents Michael & Marian Murphy, as well as her brothers John W. Murphy, Joseph G. Murphy, Francis X. Murphy and sister Mary A. O’Brien.

A funeral mass will be held at Sacred Heart Church in Palm Desert on Friday, February 26, 2016 at 9 am. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Marian’s name may be made to the Read with Me Volunteers Program—specifying her name and “Marian LeBlanc/ for Mecca Elementary” (readwithmevolunteers.com) or the American Cancer Society.

FitzHenry-Wiefels Palm Desert has been entrusted with arrangements.