Kevin T. Brogioli, Principal of Old Rochester Regional Junior High School, announces the following Students of the Month for April, 2015:
Green Team: Nicole Fantoni and Noah Gowell
Orange Team: Lily Youngberg and Matthew Carvalho
Blue Team: Caroline King and Joshua Vinagre
Red Team: Kate Marsden and William Osbourne
Special Areas: Chloe Lanagan and Michaelis
It was the largest turnout in the history of The Women’s Fund Tiara 5K, now in its ninth year as a Mattapoisett Mother’s Day tradition.
Over 1,000 runners turned out for the race on May 10, some donning tutus, costumes, and tiaras in addition to their running shoes. Traci Calabrese, director of development for the Women’s Fund, was pleased with the 47 sponsors of the event this year, and the preliminary number suggest the event will bring in roughly $50,000, the most ever.
“The Women’s Fund Tiara 5K is our largest fundraiser,” said Calabrese. “We have intentionally maintained a real, family-friendly atmosphere for this race. We want moms and dads and kids to come out together on a beautiful Sunday morning and have a good time.”
They always say, said Calabrese, you don’t have to clock your best time ever – just have the best time with the ones you love.
“It’s important for us to honor women and mothers in this way,” said Calabrese. “It’s all about supporting other mothers in our community who are trying to make ends meet.
There was a kids’ fun run race in addition to the 5K, and one of the highlights of the 5K was when the winner, Michael Grasela, stopped short of the finish line to allow his young friend Alana to cross the finish line with him to come in first place, a dream of hers. Grasela sacrificed his race time to let Alana come in first place with her idol.
“This is the type of atmosphere we want for our race,” said Calabrese. “Of course, we want to raise a lot of money for our work, but in the end it’s also about love and sacrifice and family.”
As a runner, Calabrese said this race is one of the most beautiful in the area. Beginning at Oxbow Creamery, the course wraps around Ned’s Point and winds through the neighborhoods of Mattapoisett into the downhill finish line –Calabrese’s favorite part of the race.
The race started nine years ago when a group of women passionate about the Women’s Fund and about running decided to start the Mother’s Day fundraising tradition. The women they support are constantly running, Calabrese said. Pursuing higher education, working a job, and taking care of a family all at the same time. They are seeking economic independence and a living wage to support themselves and their children.
“For me personally, the race represents so many things,” said Calabrese. She said the Women’s Fund Tiara 5K is a metaphor for those women struggling for economic security and all the women who are running towards a goal. “When we work together, lean on and support each other,” said Calabrese, “we’ll all cross the finish line.”
By Jean Perry
The American Cancer Society’s 10th Annual Relay For Life of Tri-Town will be held from 3:00 pm on Saturday, June 13 until 8:00 am on Sunday, June 14 at Old Rochester Regional High School in Mattapoisett. The Relay For Life is an event where teams made up of local community members take turns walking around a track. Because cancer never sleeps, Relays are an overnight event.
Teams do most of their fundraising prior to the event, but some teams also hold creative fundraisers at their campsites during the Relay.
The dollars raised through Relay For Life events help to fund the American Cancer Society’s vital cancer research, education, advocacy, and patient service programs to defeat this disease.
Last year, our Relay For Life of Tri-Town was able to raise more than $50,000 and included many teams made up of family, friends, cancer survivors, and those passionate in the fight against cancer.
Are you a cancer survivor? We would love to honor you at our Survivors luncheon held on Saturday, June 13 at 1:00 pm at the Old Rochester Regional High School in Mattapoisett. Free entertainment and a free catered lunch by On the Go, which includes a survivors T-shirt and lots of door prizes!! Your caregiver is also welcome. Join us at 3:00 pm for the opening ceremonies where survivors and caregivers kick off the event with the first lap around the track.
Have you lost a loved one to cancer? Come to our beautiful Luminaria ceremony at 9:00 pm on June 13 where we honor the people we have lost during a beautiful candlelight ceremony.
This is a great family event!! Come join us for a fun Carnival! We will have a Midway with lots of games, face painting, popcorn, cotton candy, frozen slushies and more!!!
If you would like to participate or join us for the Survivors lunch, please contact Kelsey Newton, American Cancer Society at 508-897-4323, Pam Houston, Co-Chair, Tri-Town Relay For Life at 508-922-4024 or MaryBeth Meunier Tripp, Co-Chair Tri-Town Relay For Life at 508-991-9870 or sign up on our website: www.relayforlife.org/tritownma or “Like” our Facebook page Tri-Town Relay for Life. Please help us finish the fight!
Selectman Jody Dickerson will remain on the Board of Selectmen for another term, after easily beating Dale Jones 771-281.
In the middle of an excited crown gathered at the Marion VFW May 15, the two gentlemen shook hands after the results were read, and Jones congratulated Dickerson on his win.
“Honorable campaign,” said Jones to Dickerson. “Congratulations.”
Dickerson’s words could hardly escape his mouth, overjoyed with his win.
“I’m very excited that the voters of Marion will allow me to continue to serve the town,” Dickerson said. “
There was tabletop banging and cheers for Planning Board newbie Jennifer Francis, who took second in the three-way race for the two seats on the board. She will join incumbent Steve Gonsalves who came in first. The two bumped out Planning Board Chairman Stephen Kokkins and Todd Richins. Gonsalves brought in 711, Francis 522, Kokkins 490, and Richins 171.
“I think we’ve got a lot of work to do,” said Francis. “And I want to look forward…”
There will be a new face on the Marion School Committee, along with a familiar one. Newcomer David MacDonald came out on top of a tight race with 572; Michelle Oullette brought in 550, and Jessica Harris came in with 526.
“I’m excited about having my first opportunity to serve the community,” said MacDonald, turning toward Oullette seated next to him. “We both worked very hard to achieve this.”
Oullette’s face said it all with wide eyes and a wide smile. “I want to cry. I’m emotional,” said Oullette. “I’m very grateful.”
The new town moderator is Patricia McArdle with 572 votes, beating Matthew William Nowick with 379 votes.
Ray Pickles ran uncontested for assessor, bringing in 894 votes. John Howard ran for reelection uncontested, receiving 869 votes.
There were three ballot questions, and ‘yes’ prevailed in each of them.
Question 1 allows for the snow and ice removal of private ways. The result was 716 yes, 374 no.
Question 2, a Proposition 2 ½ exemption to purchase the new fire pumper, passed with 716 yes, 374 no.
Question 3, another Prop 2 ½ exemption, came in with 672 yes, 400 no. However, on Town Meeting floor May 11, the Board of Selectmen passed over the article to allocate the funds, choosing to wait until the new fire chief is chosen so he or she can be a part of the decision making process. The tally was 671 yes, 380 no.
By Jean Perry
The Rochester Women’s Club at 37 Marion Road, Rochester will host the Mermaids of Cape Cod Mermaid Bus on Sunday, May 31 from 1:00 to 3:30 pm. The mobile chic boutique is filled with fun, summer apparel, Cape-inspired jewelry and cool hand crafts by local artists. This is a fundraising event for The Raymond C. Hartley Scholarship Fund. Come join in the fun!
The Rochester Women’s Club is holding a yard sale at our clubhouse at 37 Marion Road, Rochester on Saturday, June 20 from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm. We are accepting donations. Clean out your cellar, attic and garage and bring your unwanted items to us. If you would like to sell your own items, space can be rented for only $25. Contact Yvonne at 508-763-4979 to drop off items. All proceeds benefit The Raymond C. Hartley Scholarship Fund.
Tabor’s Commencement services on May 26 honoring of the Class of 2015 will feature two engaging speakers who are both successful and important social entrepreneurs.
Christine Ward, parent of Francesca Ward ’15 and Lulu Ward ’16, will speak at Baccalaureate on the evening before Commencement. Ward was the Founder of The Darfur Project, an initiative connecting the financial community with the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Darfur and the surrounding areas. From 2007 to 2010, they provided over $17 million worth of medical support for the region. Seeking a longer-term solution to some of the world’s most pressing problems, Ward is now focusing her energies on a new project, ROCKFLOWER, a not-for-profit venture philanthropy fund investing in women in developing countries. By partnering with local community organizations and social impact strategists, ROCKFLOWER works to develop resourceful and practical solutions to improve and often rebuild the lives of women and girls. In their unique roles as mothers and providers, Tine says, women “discover innovative and adaptable solutions necessary to protect, educate and care for their children.” ROCKFLOWER believes this determination and resilience has enormous and far-reaching impacts on communities as a whole. Read more at www.rockflower.org.
Travis Roy, a member of the Tabor Academy Board of Trustees and a graduate of the Class of 1995, will be the Commencement Speaker. Travis is the founder of the Travis Roy Foundation (http://www.travisroyfoundation.org) and in November was awarded the Spirit of Courage Award by the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation for his work assisting people with spinal cord injuries. The Travis Roy Foundation has awarded over $6 million in equipment and research grants that directly impact quality of life. One of his annual fundraisers is the Travis Roy Cup, a much loved hockey game held each year between Tabor and St. Sebastian’s School. Travis also raises money for the Foundation through his motivational speeches at schools, businesses and organizations around the country.
With many Tabor students devoting more and more of their time to community engagement, these speakers will provide final lessons to the Class of 2015 in effective ways to best impact the course of people’s lives in lasting ways as they head off to leave their own indelible marks on our world.
Starting in September, school lunch prices across all Tri-Town schools will increase by 25 cents, said Food Services Director Caitlin Meagher on May 6 during the Marion School Committee Meeting.
The committee approved the rise in the school lunch cost at Sippican School, and other districts are expected to approve the 25-cent increase within the following week.
Meagher said the rising cost of food, aging equipment needing repairs, and the cost of replacing old equipment are the reasons behind the increase.
“It makes sense,” said School Committee member Christine Marcolini. School lunch prices at Sippican School have not increased since 2011, said Meagher, the year she took on the role of food services director.
The current price of $2.50 for lunch at Sippican School will be $2.75 come September 2015 into the 2015/2016 school year.
Also during the meeting, Sippican School Principal Evelyn Rivet said the school’s student body will increase by five students next fall as a result of round one of acceptance of qualified applicants for the 40B affordable housing development.
Rivet said the biggest impact would be on the kindergarten and third grade classrooms, with 55 students entering the three kindergarten classrooms in the fall and 66 entering the three third-grade classes.
“[That is] at the top end of the number that we would like to see,” said Rivet.
Superintendent Doug White said a total of 15 students moving to Marion Village Estates located off Front Street will enter the Old Rochester Regional and Marion school district.
In other matters, school administrators are unhappy about having to wait until November for the state to release the early data from this year’s piloting of the new PARCC testing that took the place of the MCAS.
“Which is very, very, very disappointing,” said Assistant Superintendent Elise Frangos. “And everyone in the education world has weighed in on it.”
White said one of the initial positive aspects of adopting the PARCC exam instead of continuing the MCAS for another year was the promise of the earlier availability of the resulting data.
“It’s not only bothersome to me,” said White, “but to many superintendents across the districts.”
Parents should expect to receive their child’s scores later in December.
Also during the meeting, the committee accepted a donation valuing $500 to $750 for free tick spraying around the perimeter of Sippican School from a local business.
Facilities Manager Gene Jones said the all-natural product consisting of oils such as rosemary and peppermint would be applied several times throughout the season early in the morning over certain weekends.
School Committee Chairman Joseph Scott and committee member Jay Pateakos both said their good-byes to the committee, the administration, and their constituents during their last meeting as School Committee members. They were both honored with a book for the library at Sippican School dedicated to each of them.
The next meeting of the Marion School Committee is scheduled for June 3 at 6:30 pm at the Marion Town House.
By Jean Perry
The monthly meeting of the Florence Eastman Post 280 will be held at the Post Hall at 7:00 pm on May 20. At this meeting, a maximum turnout is desired as we have not only Memorial Day, Flag Day and our Annual Clam Boil on July 12 to address, but a very important decision needs to be reached regarding the future of our Post Hall.
Bring your ideas for these endeavors as we cannot function without our members’ support and, obviously, the support of the great folks in our area who always patronize our efforts. Please mention this meeting to members you may know as everyone should be involved with the subject matter of the Hall. The Hall is always available for rental. Just contact one of our members or call Mike at 508-758-9311.
May 9 in Marion was also the time for the annual clean up, which had residents meeting at the Marion Music Hall for their assignments and supplies. Photos by Colin Veitch
Nicholas Xifaras of Mattapoisett achieved Dean’s List status for the Fall 2014 academic term at Bryant University. Nicholas is the son of Stella Xifaras-Piva and Paul Piva.
Emily Bungert of Mattapoisett and a member of the Bowdoin College Class of 2015, received the Bowdoin Theater and Dance Department’s 2015 Award for Excellence in Dance Performance at the college’s Honors Day ceremony held May 6. Bungert is earning a major in Neuroscience and a minor in Dance.