Sippican Students Learn About Nepal

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How would you like to start your day off with a nice hot mug of yak butter tea?  If you happen to travel to Nepal, you might have to get used to it.

On Friday, December 7, Marion resident and world traveler Sally Hunsdorfer gave a special presentation to the students at Sippican School about the country of Nepal and the service project she started to help its people.

Why Nepal? 15 years ago, she and her husband, Peter, dissolved two businesses they owned, pulled their teenaged sons out of school and the family backpacked around the world for a year.

“We wanted our sons to see what a beautiful and diverse place the world is, to get them to meet new people and see new things,” Hunsdorfer said.

Nepal, a country about the size of the state of Georgia nestled snuggly between the population powerhouses of India and China, was their favorite.

“We were immediately welcomed by the Sherpa culture,” she said.

The Sherpa are one of 85 tribes that inhabit Nepal.  The group originated in China but migrated south over 500 years ago.

“We all became directly linked to the daily rhythms of their lives,” she said.

Hunsdorfer has returned to Nepal several times since the family’s first visit and usually resides there for three months out of the year.

During the assembly, Hunsdorfer explained how she started the Himalayan Project, a charity which began as a way to distribute warm clothes to needy Nepali families.  She works with area schools which collect the clothes.  Hunsdorfer then washes and organizes them all by hand at her Marion home and ultimately treks to some of the most remote villages of Nepal to pass them out to the people.

Local students also write letters to their Nepali peers, which Hunsdorfer delivers by hand because the country does not have a postal service.  The students in Nepal learn English as part of their schooling, so they are able to read the letters they receive and directly respond.

She also detailed some of the cultural differences between Americans and the Nepali people. In a photo slideshow, she illustrated how boys and girls sit on opposite sides of the classroom and perform laborious daily chores around their homes.  The nation has about an 80% illiteracy rate so the number of children who can afford to attend school, and make the four hour journey on foot to get there, is quite low.

“For a lot of kids around the world, education isn’t a birthright the way it is here in the United States.  If you are born here, you are entitled to an education no matter who you are or where you live,” she told the students.

For more information on the Himalayan Project, visit himalayanproject.org.

By Eric Tripoli


J. Michael Cudahy

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J. Michael Cudahy, 60, formerly of Marion, MA, recently of Dingle, Ireland, died unexpectedly on October 24th. He leaves his wife, Carol Whitney Cudahy, and his sons, Nathaniel and William. Born in Chicago, IL, the son of Evelyn W. and the late William B. Cudahy of Palm Beach, FL, he was an alumnus of the Middlesex School and Rollins College. He received his MS in Journalism from Boston University. Michael lived a life of inquiry and intellect, kindness, respect, humor and wit. A loving husband and father and a supportive friend, Michael had a laidback personality and a winsome smile. He also had a great love for his country and deep affinity for Ireland, both its people and its heritage. Michael wanted the world to be a better place and tried to make it so through a rich and varied career as a writer, photographer, political consultant, bookstore owner, strategic communications advisor and business developer. Donations in Michael’s memory may be made to CURE (Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy), 223 W. Erie, Ste 2SW, Chicago, IL 60654, or Epilepsy Foundation, 8301 Professional Place, Landover, MD 20785. Donations may also be made to Tipitina’s Foundation, online or 4040 Tulane Ave.,Ste 6000, New Orleans, LA 70119. A memorial service is being planned for the spring.

Sports Preview: Boys’ and Girls’ Track

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The winter season is a little slower than the fall season, as Old Rochester offers less athletic options in the winter. Some athletes who are not dedicated to basketball, swimming, or hockey decide to choose indoor track as a means to stay in shape between the fall and spring seasons. This boost of athletes is one of the key advantages for the boys’ and girls’ track teams.

Both the boys and girls have a lot to live up to this season, as they each won their respective SCC championship titles last year. With nearly 50 athletes apiece, the boys’ and girls’ teams are stacked with talented runners, throwers and jumpers.

The boys, coached by Bill Tilden, bring back several experienced athletes. Senior Aaron Holick will most likely be the top shot-putter for the Bulldogs, and junior Mike Wyman will lead the distance runners. Sprinters Dan Donahue and Colin Knapton will be key components for the Bulldogs, with Knapton also high-jumping and Donahue throwing shot put. There are also several new prospects, including freshman Darien Dumond, who will most likely be a sprinter. Captain Fred Murolo commented on the team’s goals for the winter season.

“We want to be undefeated SCC champs again, but we’d also like to place in the top three at states,” said Murolo.

The girls’ team is just as stacked with talent, the most obvious being hurdler Ally Saccone. Saccone placed 5th in all of New England last year, and she will provide many points for the girls’ team. Sprinters Hannah Walsh and Arden Goguen will also provide speed for the Bulldogs, and thrower Abby Robinson and high-jumper Paige Santos will provide points in the field events. Junior Morgan DaSilva will also be a key as a mid-distance runner for the Lady Bulldogs. Coach Cindy Tilden commented on the strengths of her team, and potential challenges they will face.

“We have some strong, athletic freshmen and sophomores,” said Tilden. “Dighton-Rehoboth and Apponequet will be our biggest threats, but I think we have a really good team. Our goal as a team is to have a strong, successful season.”

The boys and girls kick off their track season with a meet against Case and Bourne at GNB Voc-Tech on Saturday, December 8 at 9:30 am.

By Michael Kassabian

Red Carpet Comes to ORRHS

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The red carpet was rolled out for the class of 2013 on Thursday, November 29 for the Annual Senior Superlative Gala. Mr. Sardinha and Mr. Devoll hosted the gala with spiffy attire and plenty of entertainment. The gala opened with an exciting “Know Your School!” game where Mr. Sardinha, Louie Pina, Sophie Harding and Chandra Perez-Gill answered a series of trivia questions about the school. Sophie Harding won the game.

            We also saw a video demonstration of teacher superlatives. The award for Most Helpful went to Ms. Wickman, the award for Most Inspiring went to Ms. Brunelle, the award for Best Senior Class went to Mrs. Morrell’s 12 English class, Most Talented went to Dr. Hamer, and the Paraprofessional of the Year went to Mrs. Blake.

            For the students, the red carpet opened for the male and female winners of twenty-nine categories. Best Eyes went to Joshua Powers and Alison Francais. Class Complainer went to Alexis Stampley and Drew Cunningham. Class Flirt went to Timothy Gonsalves and Katherine Wilbur. Best Dressed went to Kevin Noone and Rose Haznar. Most Likely to Succeed went to Edward Costa and Abigail Hiller.

Teacher’s Pet went to Adam Costa and Jessie Hodges. Most Athletic went to Nick Pacheco and Alexandria Saccone. Cutest Best Friends went to Cameron Severino and Christian Marchisio. Cutest Couple went to Edward Costa and Jaclyn Hahn. Class Clown went to Even Sylvia and Jackie Hahn, although the short speech time was interrupted by a practical joke by Louie Pina reminiscent of Kanye West at the Video Music Awards.

Rowdiest went to Christian Marchisio and Quinn Donovan. Most Changed went to Fred Murolo and Taylor Fien. Most Likely to Tell It Like It Is went to Quinn Henshaw and Pearl Carter. Best Laugh went to Alexander Milde and Marissa Paknis. Drama King and Queen went to Maxwell Houck and Katie Kiernan. Most Gullible went to Kurt Kroninger and Sophia Santos.

Friendliest Senior went to Grady Branagan and Quinn Stoeckle. Best Hair went to Joshua Seim and Abby Robinson. Hallway Wanderer went to Zachary Bowditch and Olivia Laferriere. School Skipper went to Benjamin Price and Erin Molloy. Biggest Gossip went to William Coucci and Brenna Maloney.

Most Musically Inclined went to Michael Bliss and Caroline Reusch. Most Shy went to Douglas Gifford and Elizabeth Bastarache. Best All Around went to Edward Costa and Chandra Perez-Gill. Best Personality went to Emun Legesse and Christian Marchisio.

Biggest Appetite went to Luke Mattar and Melissa Bassett. The Stayed the Same award went to Douglas Gifford and Kara Silvia. Best Smile went to Christian Marchisio and Katelyn Cummings. The award for Most Artistic went to Jacob Rioux and Anthea Andrade.

While there were some nominees and winners who did not attend the ceremony, there was a decent-sized audience with plenty of energy. In between the announcements of the winners there were door prizes for the audience to win in a raffle that were donated by local businesses. The night was a success for the class of 2013.

By Jessica Correia

“New England Nutcracker”

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Every year around the holidays, we are all reminded of the classic ballet, “The Nutcracker.” But this year, if you’re looking for something a little different, the New Bedford Ballet Company will be presenting “A New England Nutcracker,” which features several dancers from the Tri-Town area.

“Our upcoming performance is a spin-off of the classic Nutcracker ballet,” said Kathryn Sebastiao, an 18-year-old Mattapoisett resident who will be playing the Sugar Plum Fairy and a Party Mother in the upcoming production. “We do our own version. We want to make it more about our area in New England.”

Although the production uses the same score from Peter Tchaikovsky’s original Nutcracker ballet, the New Bedford Ballet Company’s show is set in the 1850s in New Bedford. The show takes place at a party where both Herman Melville and Captain Ephraim Williams have returned home from a whaling trip. After receiving a Nutcracker that her father brings home for her from his journey, young Mary drifts off to sleep to a far-away land where magic and fantasy comes to life.

“I think it’s a really cute show,” said Sebastiao. “Little kids love it and it gets everyone ready for Christmas.”

Joining Sebastiao in the production are Tri-Town residents Tori Castanha, Bailey Sweet, Ari Sweet and Camryn McNamara from Marion, as well as Annie Tucker and Lily Eilersten from Mattapoisett. The show was created by Director Nicole Waskiel-Marchesseault and features choreography from Erin Pettijean Allen and James Brown.

“They’re amazing leaders,” said Sebastiao. “They really help us to try and perfect our dances and improve our skills.”

The cast and crew have been hard at work since the end of September preparing for the show. The company holds classes four nights per week and additional rehearsals on the weekends.

Although Sebastiao plays the sweet Sugar Plum Fairy in “A New England Nutcracker,” this performance will be bittersweet for the Old Rochester Regional senior, who will go on to college next year. While she does not plan on majoring in dance while in school, she will try and keep active in it in some capacity.

“I love to do ballet, I’ve been doing it since I was five, so basically my whole life,” she said. “I am definitely going to miss going to ballet every day with my friends and not able to perform with the same group of people.”

“A New England Nutcracker” will debut on Saturday, December 8 at 1:30 and 3:00 pm. Additional viewings will be held on Sunday, December 9 at 1:30 and 3:00 pm, Friday, December 14 at 6:30 and 8:00 pm, Saturday, December 15 at 1:30 and 3:00 pm and Sunday, December 16 at 1:30 and 3:00 pm. All shows will take place at the New Bedford Ballet Community Theatre on Purchase Street. To purchase tickets, visit www.newbedfordballet.org.

By Katy Fitzpatrick

Weekend Holiday Events Roundup

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There’s so many great holiday events going on this weekend!  Here’s a roundup of everything going on here in the Tri-Town:

Friday, December 7

• “It’s a Wonderful Life – The Radio Show Version:” Presented by the Marion Art Center Players at 8:00 pm at the Marion Art Center. Tickets are $12.50 for MAC members and $15 for non-members.

 

Saturday, December 8

• “It’s a Wonderful Life – The Radio Show Version:” Presented by the Marion Art Center Players at 8:00 pm at the Marion Art Center. Tickets are $12.50 for MAC members and $15 for non-members.

•Sippican Women’s Club 26th Annual Holiday House Tour: from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at Handy’s Tavern on Front Street in Marion. Advance tickets are $18 and can be purchased in Marion at the Bookstall, Marion General Store and Serendipity by the Sea.  In Mattapoisett, tickets can be purchased at Isabelle’s.  Tickets on the day of the event are $22 and can be purchased at Coldwell Banker’s next to Handy’s Tavern.

•Marion Police Brotherhood Pancake Breakfast: From 9:00 am to 12:00 pm at the Marion Social Club.  A pancake breakfast will be served and photos with Santa will be taken.  Admission is free. Contact president@marionpolicebrotherhood.org to register.

•Holiday in the Park Tree Lighting:  4:00 to 5:30 pm at Shipyard Park in Mattapoisett. Face painting, ornament making and musical performances are some of the attractions that can be enjoyed by patrons.  The Mattapoisett Lions Club asks guests to please bring one unwrapped gift for a needy family and a canned good for the food pantry.

•Mattapoisett Boy Scout Holiday Wreath and Poinsettia Sale: 12:00 to 4:00 pm at the Mattapoisett Town Hall.  This event is a Mattapoisett Boy Scout Troop 53 project.  Come and support your local Boy Scout Troop and enjoy a free hot cup of coffee or hot chocolate while making your selections among the many beautifully decorated wreaths.  Undecorated wreaths will also be available.

•Make a Candy House!: From 10:30 am to 12:00 pm at the Mattapoisett Library.  All materials will be provided for children to construct holiday candy houses.

•Mattapoisett Historical Society Christmas Crafting: 9:00 am to 12:00 pm at the Mattapoisett Museum. All are invited to create their own Walnut Ship Ornament to sail across your Christmas tree.

 

Sunday, December 9

• “It’s a Wonderful Life – The Radio Show Version:” Presented by the Marion Art Center Players at 8:00 pm at the Marion Art Center. Tickets are $12.50 for MAC members and $15 for non-members.

•Knights of Columbus Pancake Breakfast with Santa: 8:00 am to 11:00 am at the Knights of Columbus in Mattapoisett.  Enjoy your choice of a stack of plain, blueberry or chocolate chip pancakes served with sausage, coffee, tea milk or orange juice for $5 per person and family cap of $25.

•Marion Annual Christmas Stroll and Tree Lighting: From 3:00 to 6:00 pm.  Santa will be arriving at Island Wharf and will head to the Marion General Store to begin the festivities.

Fields, Food and Language Discussed at RMS

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The lack of use of the fields for both recess and sports at Rochester Memorial School was discussed at the Rochester School Committee meeting held on Thursday, December 6.

With pride, Rochester built their elementary school under budget by approximately $900,000.  Coming in under budget saves Rochester residents tax dollars.  But, with any major building project, glitches occur.  One area discussed was the condition of the school recess and sports fields, which are now off limits to students.

“The fields need to be fixed,” said Committee Member Timothy Scholz.  “They were seeded, perhaps at the wrong time and didn’t take…and weather didn’t help. We have not accepted that portion of the contract and the landscaping will be addressed, so we have to wait to have that resolved.”

Scholz said that the Building Committee is working to resolve the landscaping issue and will report on it at the next meeting.

In other news, English as a Second Language specialist Tia Mizzoni addressed the committee and spoke about the 2016 requirement that all teachers and staff that interact with students whose primary language is not English, must get training.

Mizzoni provided a listing of the various languages that students in the tri-town speak at home, including Arabic, Ethiopian, Portuguese, Spanish, Indonesian, Chinese, Hindi, Creole and Vietnamese.  Special training in working with the students will soon be mandatory so that children of other cultures who speak other languages can assimilate into American culture smoothly.

Elise Frangos, Curriculum Director in the district stressed the importance of early intervention in getting the young students into language transition for success in their education to assure confident adults who speak English successfully.

With English as a Second Language, students are tested to qualify for special instruction.

The school lunch program was discussed in light of the 2012 legislation requiring that certain healthy foods be included in the daily offerings.

“We are in compliance with the legal requirements,” said Caitlin Meagher, Food Services Director. “We have revamped our recipes and worked on our grain serving size and have a larger variety of fruits and vegetables. We now serve beans once a week.”

“But are they eating them?” asked Scholtz.

Meagher responded and said that over time, children become adjusted to change and will, most likely, comply and eat what is offered…as that is the goal to reduce obesity and poor eating habits.

RMS Principal, Dr. Moira Rodgers discussed a new guide for parents whose children will enter kindergarten.

“It’s a road map for those who are new to education in Rochester and how it works,” said Rodgers.  The draft of the guide will be reviewed at the February school committee meeting.

Dr. Rodgers discussed a collaboration with the Plumb Library and RMS in support of the 2013 summer reading project.  RMS librarian Lucille Morris and Rochester town librarian, Lisa Fuller deemed the summer theme to be “Dig into Reading”.

“We’re planning some interesting and motivational ideas to get students to keep up their reading skills during the summer,” said Frangos.

By Joan Hartnett-Barry


Ready, Set, Dodgeball!

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A tournament that had been dormant for three years finally awoke last week.

On Friday, November 30, the Roller Courts at Tabor Academy played host to a dodgeball tournament that pitted dormitories and day students against each other.

This was the first time Tabor has had a dorm vs. dorm dodgeball tournament since the Fall of 2009, when there were six different teams made out of allying dorms in a competition called Dorm Wars.

The tournament received lots of popularity as there were sixteen teams in total, as well as impressive attendance to this event.

Student Activities Director Chris Millette was very optimistic with the tournament’s future.

“I thought the tournament went very well,” he said. “Making it a dorm event was very productive, and I really liked the energy and excitement each dorm brought to the gym.”

The bracket was set up so that the boys would compete against boys and girls would go up against girls. In the end, the remaining boys and girls team would play in the championship.

In the preliminary round, Williams Dorm defeated Foscle to enter the first round, but Makepeace shut them down. However, sophomore Charlie Clipstone made a valiant effort on his own and came close to pulling off a stunning comeback.

Makepeace once again found themselves in a hole in their second matchup against Lillard North 2/3, who defeated the day student boys in the first round. Lillard had Makepeace down to their last guy, but Makepeace dug deep and eventually outlasted Lillard to reach the semifinals.

“I think that we performed well under a lot of pressure, and we made a statement with our wins,” said Makepeace resident, senior and dodgeball player Brian Goldaber.

Other results included Lillard North 1 defeating New House and West House, with both wins requiring lengthy struggles to defeat the last player.

On the girls’ side, Bushnell moved into the quarterfinals by default and took on the winner of Baxter and Lillard East. This matchup was highlighted by Lydia Caputi’s marvelous catches as she showed her skills as the starting varsity soccer goalie, to give Baxter the win.

However, Bushnell still overcame these catches in the quarterfinals and moved on to the semifinals.

Finally, Heath and Lillard South wound up in a nail-biting finish. Kelsey Shakin from Heath and Izzy Nappa from Lillard South were the only two players left on the court, and Shakin came through by making a clutch catch. Heath moved on to the semifinals by default.

The semifinals and championship game will be played on Friday, December 7 with Makepeace taking on Lillard North 1 and Heath taking on Bushnell. The winners will then duel for the championship.

By Nicholas Veronesi

Marion Thanks Board Members for Service

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Instead of looking at an agenda, those who serve on town boards socialized with one another at the annual Town House potluck holiday gathering held at the Marion Music Hall on Tuesday evening.

“We have this event, in the spirit of the season, to thank everyone who volunteers to come out, often in the evening, away from their families at the dinner hour to serve on committees in our town,” said Paul Dawson, Town Administrator. “We appreciate their service.”

The venue was decorated in festive holiday decor by Steve Gonsalves, a member of the Marion Planning Board and the owner of a local landscape and garden business.

Truman Terrell, a member of the Marion Music Hall Committee, played the piano to provide an upbeat holiday feeling to the event.

“We want to say thank you, from the Town of Marion, to all of you for your commitment and service to the town,” said Chairman Steve Cushing. “We’ve had a successful year this year and hopefully next year as well.”

Selectman John Henry spoke and said it was his 8th year as Selectman. “It is a great time to be with friends and associates in town government, to come together regardless of their political differences to enjoy the evening.”

Selectman Jody Dickerson told the crowd that he was pleased at the turnout for the event and that he has enjoyed his time as a newly elected Selectman.

Karen Kevelson, a member of the Finance Committee, commented that it was a time for all to gather together regardless of their differences of opinion on issues. “This is my first time at this event and I’m pleased to see so many gathered together enjoying the evening, regardless of the differences we may have.”

Over 60 people attended the event, including board members from the Council on Aging, Conservation Commission, Cultural Council, Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, Board of Selectmen, Board of Health, Marion School Committee, Alternative Energy, Recreation Board, Pathways Committee, Cemetery Commission, Elizabeth Taber Library Board members and many others.

Each year, an invitation is sent to the committee chair of each town committee, who then invites the board members who served on the committee during the prior year. Former members of committees are also invited, along with spouses.

“It’s fun to gather in a non-working environment to socialize,” said Susan Schwager, Director of the Council on Aging. “Usually, we only see each other at board meetings where we work together to tackle the business issues of the COA.”

According to Deb Paiva, organizer of the annual event, planning starts in November with the date selected for the potluck supper.

“It’s been a great evening for us all,” said Paiva.

By Joan Hartnett-Barry

Curfew in Question

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To the Editor:

The Tri-Town consists of three small towns: Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester. With a few thousand populating these towns, you can imagine how small it really is. Where everyone knows everyone, they are towns where many people don’t like to leave as they start their own lives and so generations all come together. Being small towns, we therefore have strict regulations, one being my most hated: town curfews of 10:00 pm.

As for me and every other young adult in the Tri-Town, this regulation and strictly enforced rule puts a huge damper on social hangouts. Especially in summer, which our towns are made to be enjoyed for, nothing for children or adults is allowed to be accessed after curfew. This rule couldn’t be any more of a burden, especially when we want to enjoy our friends in our lovely suburban, safe towns in the summer.

You look at the alarm clock next to your bed, as you half-dazed pick up your head, while it takes you a minute to realize what time it really is. Half of your day is gone, and it’s about 1:00 or 2:00 in the afternoon. It’s become a natural summer routine to waste most of your day asleep, and most of the night and the early morning awake.

No matter how long the school year was, and the alternate routines we held up to work with their schedule, it’s like it all never happened. Summer is there and so is everything that comes with it. The warm feeling you get knowing that as soon as you wake up, you slip your bathing suit on and quickly put a beach bag together to go off to the beach with your friends to the town beach.

As your day goes on, the time flies by. Throughout the day, you’re busy making plans with many friends for the night and whom you’ll see. I can’t speak for everyone, but for my friends and me, the nighttime hangouts and what we did at night was what we looked forward to. With very few places to go, just walking around town with your friends has always been a main event in the summer. You see every age group, as well as our seasonal tourists walking around. Summers are the time to enjoy and soak up as much time as you can with your friends, especially if they are seasonal visitors. With our welcoming streets, and safety knowing there’s a cop around every corner, I’ve never seen a need for a 10:00 pm curfew.

As 10:00 pm approaches, the only places to go, like the town beach, Center School, the private beach, and even just the streets, are expected to be bare. As the police officers of the town drive slowly amongst the dead streets, little did they know sometimes there were us, and many others hiding behind anything that would shield our presence.

To our defense, we are doing nothing destructive or illegal, none of us ever are. They keep this rule intact, only for no one to be able to enjoy our great scenery at the nightly hours most of us are up for. Mostly teenagers, but very much as well adults, do stay up late. When in summer, my night is my day. The weather is beautiful and warm, and our towns are such a beautiful thing to be out and see, even at nighttime. I’ve had many summers where my friends and I love to just go sit on the beach at night and talk and listen to the water, or lay and watch the stars. I’ve done this with my mother as well, and have been told to leave. I feel like this is my town as much as it is anyone else’s, I feel like I should be able to enjoy the places that my mother works so hard to keep us in. Whatever the Town Counsel may have to say, it’s just not fair.

Not being too sure, I know the towns would come up with some sort of reasons for the curfew being upheld. After reading articles of other towns having curfews like Charleston, their reasons were very understandable. They had placed a curfew for teens to place some order back into their town after violence with guns. Even other towns, not having the extremities with guns, but rather cases with spray paint and tire slashing, instituted curfews. Either way, every town had incidents to lead them to a 11:00 pm curfew. With towns and cities adopting curfews, it is safe to say that in the places where big crimes were the main focus, the curfew helped for the most part. I don’t think places that have had no issues should be able to set a law on mistakes that haven’t been made.

“The police already have the right to arrest juveniles who are committing crimes,” said Terri Baur, staff attorney with the state group. ”The curfew puts innocent juveniles essentially under house arrest for a portion of the day/night.”

Whatever Mattapoisett, Marion and Rochester’s reasons for putting this early nighttime curfew for teens, as well as older people, I would like to point out especially in our towns, there’s a large majority who are just out there to purely enjoy our town at night, and the social aspect. I, as many do, see nighttime as a time to enjoy being with friends. We don’t see it as a time of destruction. There will always be people who break the rules, but the rest shouldn’t be punished and restricted on “what could happen.” I love to enjoy my town and what it has to offer if not more at nighttime than I do in the day. I live in a beautiful area with many things to offer. This restriction, in my eyes, is a waste.

Samantha Clements

Tri-Town Resident