Tri-Town Holiday Event Round-Up

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There is no shortage of things to do in the next few weeks leading up to December 25. Whether you’re interested in family activities, opportunities to give back to our servicemen and women, or enjoying classical musical performances, the Tri-Town region has something for everyone.

Rochester has its annual Tree Lighting Ceremony and Santa’s arrival on Monday December 9 at 6:30 pm at the Town Hall. Music will be provided by Rochester Memorial School students, followed by refreshments in Town Hall.

Joseph H. Plumb Memorial Library in Rochester will host two holiday themed events: a silent auction and open house on Saturday, December 7, between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm; and, on December 14 starting at 11:00 am, there will be a marathon reading of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Refreshments will be served.

ORRHS Drama Club’s presentation of A Christmas Carol runs from December 5 – 7 at 7:30 pm with a final show on December 8 at 2:00 pm. This annual event is a tour de force not to be missed, bringing together the acting and musical talents of numerous students and volunteers working behind the curtain preparing period costumes and props with a story as timeless as Christmas itself.

If you are looking for something a bit more sublime, The Cantata Choir of the First Congregational Church in Marion will present ‘The Heart of Christmas’ by Pepper Choplin on Sunday December 15 with two seatings – the first at 9:30 am and the second at 11:30 am. This remarkable concert, under the direction of Choir Director Cassandra Morgan, has 63 singers and is accompanied by a professional 18-piece orchestra. This is a free concert; however, tickets are required due to limited seating. You can get your tickets while they last at The Bookstall and the General Store in Marion.

For the nineteenth year, Marion will host The Village Stroll between 3:00 and 6:00 pm on December 15. Santa will arrive via boat. Food and beverages will be available at various venues along the strolling path which steps off at Handy’s Tavern located at 152 Front Street. This is a perennial favorite for the young at heart as well as youngsters of all ages.

Sippican Woman’s Club will host its Annual House Tour on Saturday December 14 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm showcasing five homes professionally decorated for the season. Local businesses have partnered in making this a tour to remember. Joining with the homeowners will be Eden Landscapes, Bunny’s Bouquets, Always in Bloom, Serendipity by the Sea, and members of the SWC. A tea will be served between 2:00 and 4:00 pm at St. Gabriel’s Parish Hall as well.

A Gingerbread House Gala and Silent Auction sponsored by Habitat for Humanity is being held at the Marion Music Hall on December 5 from 6:00 to 8:30 pm. Bakers of all ages and ability will submit gingerbread houses to be sold along with other goods in their silent auction. A $50.00 donation is requested. Choirs will sing Christmas carols, and refreshments will be offered by Harriet’s, Lindsey’s and Artisan Kitchen.

For the third year, the Sippican Lands Trust, in coordination with business neighbors, will have a Christmas Stroll on Friday December 6 from 3:00 to 5:00 pm at the Pilgrim Landing Plaza on Front Street. This is a free event that includes face painting, gingerbread decorating, ornament decorating, treats, and a visit from Santa.

The Sippican Choral Society will perform ‘A Ceremony of Carols’ by Benjamin Britten on Friday, December 6, at 8:00 pm at the Grace Episcopal Church, County Street, New Bedford and on December 8 at 4:00 pm at the Wickenden Chapel, Spring Street, Marion. Tickets are $12.00 and are available at The Bookstall in Marion and Symphony Music Shop, 94 State Road, in Dartmouth.

Marion Art Center will be open for holiday shopping Tuesdays through Fridays from 1:00 – 5:00 pm and on Saturdays from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. On December 14, Timothy Wade, local sand and ice sculptor and painter will demonstrate ice carving at 10:00 am outside on the patio, while inside wood carver Mike McCarthy will demonstrate bird-carving.

St. Anthony’s and St. Rita’s are jointly holding a ‘Harborside Christmas Fair’ on December 7 at St. Anthony’s church in Mattapoisett from 9:00 am- 2:00 pm. Great gifts and baked goods will be some of the items available for purchase during this glittering event.

‘Holiday in the Park’ at Mattapoisett’s Shipyard Park takes place on December 14 at 4:00 pm with Santa’s arrival, food and beverage tent, craft activities and face painting for the little ones. There is also a tree lighting and carol sing-along. Concurrent with this event, Mattapoisett’s Lions Club will collect toys and food. Bring a new unwrapped toy or canned foods for distribution to local families in need.

ORR High School presents its ‘Holiday Concert’ on December 12 at 7:00 pm with performances by the band and chorus. The following week, on December 19 at 7:00 pm, the Junior High School will bring their holiday concert to the public with performances from their band and chorus.

Mattapoisett Historical Society’s Museum opens its doors for the holiday with a variety of events. On December 7 from 9:00 am to noon, you can view a Toy Train Exhibit, and holiday shoppers can purchase unique gift items. Drop-in with your kids throughout the day on December 14 and enjoy making an ornament or stop by on December 21 when classic Christmas cartoons will be shown. Hot chocolate will be served.

Looking to help the troops? Join Veterans Services from Mattapoisett and Rochester, in conjunction with Cape Cod Cares for Our Troops, who will be organizing Christmas Care Packages for troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. Your donations may be dropped off at Mattapoisett Town Hall by Friday, December 6. Items especially needed are travel-sized personal hygiene items and non-perishable foods of all types. Other useful items include gloves, hats, paper, pens, t-shirts and much more. Contact the veteran’s office at 508-758-4100 ext. 212 for complete details.

By Marilou Newell

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Gateway Youth Hockey Update

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Squirt Grizzlies: The Gateway Squirt Grizzlies beat North Attleboro in a Yankee Conference game by a score of 7-2. The Grizzlies came out fast by scoring four goals in the first period. Goals were scored by Austin Fleming, Matt Quinlan, RJ Vickery and Chris Gauvin and Bailey Tieu added another in the second period. Matt Quinlan and Stephen Old finished up the scoring in the third. The defense was lead by Stephen Old, Luke Mello, Thomas Galavotti and Tyler Kelly. Ryker King got the win in net.

Pee Wee Warriors: The Gateway Warriors skated to a 3-3 tie with the Braintree Blue Pee Wee team on Saturday night. After being outhustled by Braintree through the first period and a half, the Warriors found some hard work from RJ Vickery, winning his battle and the puck, then placing it past Blue’s goalie, unassisted. Warrior goalie Zachary Pateakos was stalwart in net, but just minutes into the third period, he faced a Braintree four-man rush that resulted in their third score of the game, and a two-goal deficit for the Warriors. Defenseman Jake DeMoranville would answer back with a Warrior goal at the period’s 8-minute mark, assisted by Robert Ramsay and Jameson Woodward. Still down by a goal and desperate, the Warriors pulled Pateakos, allowing Ramsay to somehow find Stephen Old in traffic. Old tied the game for the Warriors with less than 90 seconds remaining. Pateakos re-entered the net and finished with the save of the game in the final seconds, as he and DeMoranville sprawled across the ice to prevent a Blue breakaway from untying the contest.

Middle School 1: The Gateway Junior Vikings 1 team pulled off an exciting win Sunday against Norton. The teams proved evenly matched through the first period, with several attempts on net but none connecting. Goalie Steven Strachan was spectacular in net, making save after crucial save as the Gateway defense found their rhythm. Norton managed a top shelf goal as the second period began. It was quickly answered, though, as Vyper Latulippe picked up the puck from behind the net and passed it to Matt Maloney, who dumped it in for the Gateway goal. Two minutes later, Bryan Gallagher scored the first goal of his middle-school career, assisted by Kaleb Riggle, and the score was 2-1. Norton took advantage of the goalie switch, scoring on Teaghin Andre as he joined the game in relief. Andre quickly settled in though, and didn’t allow the puck to get by him again. On a breakaway, Makayla Wood scored the go ahead goal as the third period began. Down 3-2, Norton pulled their goalie at the two minute mark, but the gamble did not pay off as Vittorio Consoletti scored from behind the blue line and ensured the 4-2 win.

After Thirty Years of Service

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They say that for every door that closes another one opens. For people who retire, finding those doors can be difficult, especially for those whose lives have been one of service. For Officer Suzan, now Mr. Mitch Suzan, finding those doors won’t be difficult, but the public will need to adjust. He told me that when you are a police officer in a small town, “You are never off duty.”

When I met with him, literally minutes before the end of his last shift, he said, “Now when someone asks me ‘What happened?’ I can say, ‘I don’t know’”. Although he is leaving active police duty, he is not leaving the community he has come to love and which has come to love and appreciate him.

Suzan spent three years as a military police officer and 27 years as a police officer in Mattapoisett. He was quick to add that he has been married for 35 years to his wife Debbie, has three children, two of whom are married and one still in college. He is the very proud grandfather of two little grand daughters and calls himself the biggest kid his wife has to deal with. A real family man.

During his impressive career, Suzan shared that working with the kids in the schools is a highlight for him. He plans on making himself available to the school in some capacity in the future. And, here’s a little known fact about Suzan – he surfs. Who knew!

As a Navy brat, Suzan moved every year or two throughout his childhood and spent enough time in San Diego to catch the surfing bug. To this day, he surfs the northeast coastline from the National Seashore in Massachusetts to Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island. He said, “I’d like to start a surfing class for local kids.” He said that one of his passions would be teaching kids water safety skills and how to surf.

Who wouldn’t want to be out in the fresh air and sunshine after 30 years of dealing with all that a police officer has to deal with in the course of a shift. “Mattapoisett is a small town, but small towns still have big city problems,” he said. In his career, he has seen the darker, sadder side of humanity from car accidents, to suicides, to drug overdoses – life for a police officer is one peppered with these harsh realities. But there were those lighter moments as well. He said that his first traffic stop was rather comic, “I asked for the driver’s license and registration. I got that plus a ‘get out of jail card’ from the Monopoly game!”

Suzan came to his love of Mattapoisett through his father, Frank, a former selectman and resident of the town. Although Mitch didn’t grow up here, he wanted his children to enjoy the small town childhood he didn’t have as a military dependent. Suzan said, “I didn’t have any long-term friendships.” Moving every year or so meant he didn’t get to establish those types of relationships, ones he wanted his own children to have. Today he lives in a house that has been in his family for three generations – right here in Mattapoisett.

What’s the biggest thing Suzan is looking forward to – “Having weekends off with my family.” He hasn’t had a full weekend off since 1984. Now he’ll get to enjoy all the weekends in his future, and maybe hang ten to boot.

By Marilou Newell

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Marion Council on Aging Update

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The COA still has a few tickets to the final dress rehearsal of A Christmas Carol by the ORR Drama Club. The performance will take place on December 4 at 7:30 pm. Each attendee is asked to bring at least two canned goods to be donated to a local food pantry.

The Marion Police Brotherhood will be holding their Holiday dinner on December 14 at noon at Sippican Elementary School. Please call the office to register.

The next speaker series will be December 4 at noon at the Marion Police Station. Bring your lunch and hear Jennifer Francis speak about the “Wacky Weather.” This is free and open to the public. No pre-registration needed.

The COA will be providing transportation to Jordan’s Furniture on December 11 to view the Enchanted Village. Call early to reserve your spot.

Overdue Lunch Fees Discussed in Marion

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All children are entitled to lunch, even if they can’t pay for it.  Overdue lunch fees for 62 students who owe a total of $760 was discussed at the Marion School Committee on Wednesday evening.  389 students eat lunch at school. 327 students have positive account balances and 62 students have negative balances. Reminders to pay overdue balances will be sent to parents who are behind in payments for school lunch.

Schools in Massachusetts have been following a set of guidelines since 2012 which spell out the nutrition standards for foods and beverages.  The goal, according to Food Services Director Caitlin Meagher is to improve the health of children by promoting the availability of snacks with whole grains, low fat dairy, fruits, vegetables and protein.

Principal Evelyn Rivet provided her report and noted that over 25 large boxes of food were donated to the Damien Food Pantry.  The collection was the combined effort of the Student Council and others.  Rivet thanked Ms. McKeen and her third grad class for leading the charge to stock the pantry.

First trimester grades have closed and report cards will be issued to grades 1-6 on December 9th.  Current enrollment is 456 students and attendance is at 98%.

Volunteers at Sippican School (VASE) coordinated a sixth grade field trip to the New Bedford Whaling Museum in New Bedford to attend a solo performance of Anne Frank sponsored by the Zeiterion Theater.  According to Rivet, students described the performance as ‘different, emotional, and very sad.”

Facilities Director Gene Jones reported that the interior and exterior light upgrade at Sippican Elementary is completed.  Jones also noted that he is conducting an energy envelope with NSTAR and will have the boiler room insulation redone to maximize heat efficiency.  The emergency generator upgrade for code compliancy is completed and fully operational.

In other business, the committee, along with school administrators are beginning the fiscal year 2015 budget process.  A budget subcommittee will meet on a regular basis to work on the process.

By Joan Hartnett-Barry

James M. “Jay” Henderson, III

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James M. “Jay” Henderson, III, 53, of Mattapoisett passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, December 5, 2013 surrounded by his loved ones.

Born in Milton, the son of Alison B. (Hersey) Henderson and the late James M. Henderson, Jr., he lived in Mattapoisett for most of his life.

Jay attended a Special Education program at Old Rochester Regional High School, where his outstanding personality quickly made him loved by everyone. Through this program, Jay was introduced to Sheila Burchell and Rory McFee, who played a large role in setting the stepping stones for the pathway of his adult life. Sheila Burchell developed a work study opportunity for the Special Education program, in which Jay started to work for Sippican Corporation in Marion, Massachusetts and then later became a full time employee for 27 years. Rory McFee pushed Jay to become involved with Special Olympics Massachusetts where he excelled to win numerous medals, trophies, and was then able to qualify for the International Special Olympic Games, in swimming where his specialty was the butterfly. Although Jay loved swimming, he also enjoyed floor hockey, bocce, and bowling.

Through the strength of his parents and grandparents, Jay was able to progress and develop into the person we all know and love. Jay exemplified no matter how many adversities one is born with, you can grow, survive, and flourish in society.

Survivors include his mother; two sisters, Leslie B. Kesseli and her husband Steven of Acushnet, and Whitney L.H. Renauld of East Freetown; four nieces, Brooke Michaud and her husband Russell, Liisa M. Walsh, Jennifer L. Renauld, and Lauren A. Renauld; and a nephew, Brett W. Renauld.

He was the brother-in-law of the late Leo H. Renauld.

His Funeral Service will be held on Monday Dec. 9, 2013 at 10 AM in the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd. (Rt. 6), Mattapoisett. Burial will follow in Milton Cemetery. Visiting hours will be on Sunday from 2-5 PM. Remembrances may be made to Special Olympics Massachusetts, New Bedford Chapter. Checks can be made to Special Olympics Massachusetts noted New Bedford Chapter, sent to 125 John Hancock Rd., Taunton, MA, 02780 or call 508-821-3635. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

Mattapoisett, It’s Special

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To the Editor,

As a teenager growing up in Mattapoisett, in a purple house no less, I did not truly appreciate the magical wonder and blessings of … Mattapoisett … It’s Special. During the hustle and bustle of the holiday season as well as today’s cultural tendency to pay forward the negative, it is too easy to overlook the many daily practices of kindness and compassion. My mom, Nancy T. Rothwell, passed on November 5th at home. The community outpouring of support was immediate and genuine, from Mattapoisett Police Captain Anthony Days responding to the 911 call to provide support above and beyond the call of duty, to the football crew at Chowder House offering strong hands and a tender heart, to the caring staff at Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals capturing mom’s essence perfectly. Thank you to all. I am grateful for the affirmation that the true goodness of our individual and collective soul triumphs!

Alieta-Marie Lynch ORR ’82

Branford, CT

 

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. 

Thanks from the Turkey Trot

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To all who helped at the 3rd annual 5K Turkey Trot,

I would like to thank all of the individuals, businesses and organizations who shared their time and contributions to support the Marion Recreation / Guard Oil 3rd Annual 5K Turkey Trot on a blistery cold Sunday morning on November 24th. This year, funds collected will be used towards improvements to Washburn Park.

A special thank you is extended to the following businesses and organizations that were instrumental to the success of the fundraising effort: Guard Oil, Pilgrim Bank, Marion Junior Troop #81177, Adagio Arts & Wellness Center, Top of the Hill Liquors, Sippican Lands Trust, Sippican Physical Therapy, Morse Insurance Company, Lars V. Olson Fine Home Building, Boomer’s Playland & Laser Tag, Serendipity by the Sea, Eden’s Florist & Garden Center, Saltworks Marine, Tabor Academy, Marion Police Department, Marion Police Brotherhood, Marathon Sports, and Cape Cod 5 Cents Savings Bank.

I would also like to extend my sincere appreciation to all of the runners (320) and the many volunteers who braved the cold weather to make the 3rd Annual 5K Turkey Trot a great success.

Sincerely,

Jody Dickerson

Director of Recreation – Town of Marion

Children’s Christmas Concert

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The Tri-County Symphonic Band celebrates the festive holiday season with its annual Children’s Christmas Concert on Sunday, December 15, at 1:30 pm at the Sippican School, 16 Spring Street, Marion, in the Multi-Purpose Room.

The concert is a wonderful family experience designed for all ages and is free of charge.

The Tri-County Symphonic Band, under the direction of Philip Sanborn, will perform seasonal favorites including “Bells”, “A Christmas Festival”, “An American Christmas”, “Three Moods of Hanukkah” and “A Charlie Brown Christmas”.

A special part of this year’s concert will feature the Sippican School Concert Choir, under the direction of Patricia Richard performing lovely settings of “Jingle All the Way”, “Three Traditional Carols”, “Jazz Gloria” and a colorful arrangement of “The Christmas Song.”

Also, the youngsters in the audience will enter a drawing with the winners playing the sleigh bells with the Tri-County Symphonic Band in its rendition of Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride”. The concert will conclude with a “Christmas Sing-a-long” featuring the Sippican School Concert Choir and special guests, followed by a volunteer community band called the “Cottage Street Jam Band”, under the direction of Patricia Richard, leading a march from the Sippican School to Island Wharf to greet Santa as he arrives via “water sleigh”.

Winter Solstice Stargazing

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Saturday, December 21, from 6:00 – 7:00 pm, join the Coalition and Bristol Community College Professor Stephan Martin for a stargazing walk at the Mattapoisett River Reserve on the winter solstice, the longest night of the year. Far away from city lights, this 300+ acre preserve offers visitors trails and a dark, expansive sky to view the stars. The event is free and will be at the Cranberry Bogs on Acushnet Road in Mattapoisett.