On Saturday, July 7, from 10:0 am to 4:00 pm, the Marion Art Center Will Host its 6th Annual Arts in the Park, at Bicentennial Park in Marion.   Arts in the Park is a judged show and sale featuring local artists and artisans

who will be offering jewelry, glass, paintings and prints, ceramics, textiles, collage, photography, turned, carved and painted wood, garden sculpture and  garden furniture.  There will be food, music and more.  Over forty artists and artisans will be exhibiting their work.  Bicentennial Park is located at the corner of Main Street and Spring Street in Marion, MA.  Admission is free.

There will be a raffle of art work which has been donated by the artist exhibitors.  Raffle tickets will be $1 and can be purchased throughout the day.  The proceeds of the raffle will benefit the Marion Art Center.

A wide variety of fine art and crafts will be displayed in tents throughout the park. Ceramic artists include: Tessa Morgan, Pat Warwick, Kim Barry, Karen Zaharee, Chrissy Feiteira, and Ann Schunior.

Fiber creations by Liz Howland and Carol Vincent will be on display along with weavings by JoAnn Vierkant.  A variety of fine jewelry by Trish Kozub, Karen Silvia, Emily Condon, Lynn Hahn, Sarah Morse, Toni Cardoza, Donna Driscoll, and Harmony Winters.

Paintings, prints, photographs and collage artists include: Sharlie Sudduth, Mary Ross, Russell Saunders, Anne Converse, Kim Weineck, Donna Secour, Joan Dromey, Cecilia Murray and Carole Raymond.  Hand crafted bags, belts, and accessories by Lillie McDonald, stiched bags by Nancy Alexander, unique and whimsical puppets by Barbara Harrold, plus hand carved wood and painted objects and garden furniture by Joe & Paula Pellerin,

Fine wood worker Michael Tobin will offer small tables and other furniture.  Garden sculpture by Stephen Koleshis and Dick D’Agostino, folk-art fish by James Gallagher, glass creations by Jackie Pinheiro and Peter Zimmerman, and wooden harps hand-crafted by Al Winters round out the show.

The Marion Art Center’s galleries will be open during the event.  Visitors are invited to come inside and see the current exhibition of David Edgar’s recycled plastics art and Stan Godwin’s photographs as well as check out a “Remainder Sale” of art, books and more!

For the last 65 years, the Marion Horse Show has been an Independence Day staple for the Tri-Town community, bringing together generations of horse lovers and families for a day of friendly competition.

“It’s a Fourth of July tradition,” said Faith Perkins, who is the Horse Show Committee President. She also participated in the exhibition in her youth, as did most of those who help organize the show each year.  “We are all here because we remember how fun it was growing up,” she said.

The equestrian show is about community as much as it is about horses.  Washburn Park itself was designed to be a horse exhibition space decades ago, by the Washburn family, who deeply embraced horse riding traditions.  Many local businesses and groups make annual donations to the show, whether financially or otherwise.  The Mattapoisett Lions Club was on hand for the third year in a row, cooking and selling the food.

“They were looking for people to run concessions, so we stepped up,” said Mattapoisett Lions Club member Ken Dawicki.  “I love to get involved with these kinds of things.  I work as a meat cutter and I just love to cook.  I was actually out till about seven last night picking up more food for today.”

“We’re here to help with the food and it sort of spins off our Harbor Days celebration,” said Dom Bamberger, President of the Mattapoisett Lions Club.  Harbor Days will be held this year from July 20 to July 22 at Shipyard Park in Mattapoisett.

While there were no specific events planned during the show to commemorate its anniversary, Perkins said that the categories of competition were a bit different this time around.

“We’ve really changed it up.  This year there is a games class, a costume class, and even a trail class,” she said.

Despite the rainy morning, participants and spectators appeared ready for the show.  Dozens of trailers and piles of hay outlined the open field between the two show rings.  This year, the competition had over 50 entrants in 13 divisions, with rider ages ranging from five years told to adult.

Mikayla Henderson of Marstons Mills was riding in this show for the first time, but at age 13, is a veteran in her own right.

“I’m riding Boomie, who is a Quarter Horse,” she said as the horse’s handler indicated the boomerang-shaped white stripe down the horse’s nose.  “I’m excited.  A little nervous because it’s so slippery, but I’m still excited.”

By Eric Tripoli

The rain didn’t dampen the spirits of the hundreds of people who turned out for Marion’s Annual 4th of July Parade Wednesday morning.  Take a look at out pictures! Photos by Katy Fitzpatrick.

Every morning during the summer, Mattapoisett residents Ken and Cindy Dawicki wake up early and prepare breakfast for the entire family while their children are fast asleep in their beds. Only there’s a catch.  The kids asleep aren’t really kids; they are some of the best collegiate baseball players in the country. They are of no relation to the Dawicki family and they come and go every summer. Still, that doesn’t stop Ken and Cindy for treating them like they are their own children.

“If you treat them like family, they will be family,” said Cindy.

For the past six years, Cindy and Ken have opened their home to house baseball players from the Wareham Gatemen.  The Gatemen are one of ten teams that comprise the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League, and the Dawicki’s are one of hundreds of families in the Tri-Town and on Cape Cod that volunteer their time, energy and food to take care of players.

“It’s a great way to give back to the community. We love it,” said Cindy.  “It’s been great diversification and meeting up with these kids from different places and watching them grow and develop into their career.”

Cindy and Ken are no strangers to opening their home to strangers, either. Prior to becoming involved with the Cape League, they would welcome AFS exchange students to come and stay with them.  Knowing what it’s like to send your children out into the unknown, the decision to host players and students was an easy one for the couple.

“My oldest son was in the Coast Guard and when he was away during holidays, people would take him in,” said Ken.  “We almost took in another AFS student, but then we saw an ad in a local newspaper for Cape League host families.”

This year, Cindy and Ken are housing two players out of Indiana University- Dustin DeMuth and Kyle Schwarber.

“It’s a great accommodation for us,” said Schwarber.  “If you put us on our own, we wouldn’t get the hospitality we get with our host families. At first it’s hard to get used to living with new people, but as it progresses you start to get used to them like they’re your own family.”

Schwarber says that Cindy has breakfast ready for him and Dustin every morning and the family will invite them places on off days to have a little fun.  But it’s the other family-like characteristics the Dawicki’s have that really make them feel comfortable.

“It’s good because you have people you can go and talk to,” said Schwarber.  “You’re not alone and you’re not by yourself.  It’s kind of like having another mom and dad to go and talk to about your problems.  It’s awesome.”

The Cape League puts a lot of wear and tear on its players. Playing nearly 70 games over the course of two and a half months, it’s not unusual for players to become overworked and overstressed. When that happens, Cindy and Ken are willing to lend an ear to them and to give them the same advice they would give to children of their own.

“We always tell them, ‘pick yourself up, it’s okay tomorrow is another game,’” said Cindy.

“If they’re doing good, we’re proud of them.  If they mess up, we call them a noodle-head,” joked Ken.

The contributions of Cape League host families do not go unnoticed by the players no matter how long it has been since their stint on Cape. Last week, Cindy and Ken caught up with Josh Phegley, a former Cape Leaguer who currently plays in the Chicago White Sox’s farm system for the Charlotte Knights. Phegley was the first player Cindy and Ken hosted.

“After six years, he remembered the dog’s name and our granddaughter’s name,” said Ken.  “He told us how much he loved it here.”

“It just warms the heart,” said Cindy.  “I knew him when he started here.  He’s done well for himself.  It’s a great feeling.”

For more information on becoming a host family for the Cape Cod Baseball league visit www.gatemen.org or www.capecodbaseball.org.

By Katy Fitzpatrick