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

Driving through the center of Rochester on an early summer Monday evening, you might think you took a wrong turn and ended up somewhere back in the 1950’s. As you near the Plumb Corner Mall, you see dozens of vintage cars and hear classic rock tunes blaring through the speakers.  Don’t worry, you’re not crazy, nor did your car learn how to travel back in time. The gathering is a weekly ritual for the Downshifters’ Car Club of New England.

“It’s a car club for friends and it’s a get together,” said Downshifters’ President John Remedis, who is also known as Johnny Angel to his friends in the club.  “This has been going on for a long time.”

The weekly gatherings are called Cruise Nights, and they began back in 1959 in Brooklyn, NY when Remedis established the club. A couple of decades later, the club relocated to Florida when Remedis retired from a career in law enforcement in 1989.  In 1981, the club made its way to New England where it has been ever since. Remedis currently resides in Freetown.

The cruises are held in the summertime and begin in May.  They are held in a variety of towns including Westport, New Bedford, Assonet, Middleboro, Acushnet, Fairhaven, Mattapoisett and Somerset.  Each week, nearly 50 cars gather, pop their hoods and show their stuff to club members and curious folk passing by. While the number of cars has slightly decreased over the years according to Remedis, the cruises are still quite popular.

There are cars from every decade dating back as far as the 1920’s. Remedis said some of the cars are in their original form while others have been transformed into hot rods.

“It’s nice to see the cars restored so you can keep them forever and pass them along to your kids and grandkids,” he said.

No matter the model, year or color of the car, Remedis said there is one common theme that brings the cars back week after week.

“It’s all about friendship,” he said.  “It brings us back to the 50’s.  Those were the good years.  We grew up with these cars.”

For more information on the Downshifters’ Car Club, you can find them on Facebook by searching “Downshifters Car Club of New England,” or stop by the Plumb Corner Mall in Rochester Mondays at 5:00 pm.

Story and photos by Katy Fitzpatrick

Damien Council No. 4190 Knights of Columbus recently awarded ten (10) $500 scholarships to deserving area students at an Awards Ceremony held at the Council Headquarters in Mattapoisett.  Funds for the scholarships were raised from middle school dances held throughout the past school year, as well as other Council fund-raising activities.

Directing the scholarship program was Grand Knight Al Silva, Deputy Grand Knight Al Fidalgo, and the Scholarship Committee including Chairman Jim Grady, Jim Hubbard, Carl Junier, and Jim Alferes.

Scholarships were awarded to the following students:

•          Andrew E. Bancroft of Marion, MA who will attend Bryant University

•          Taylor T. Days-Merrill of Fairhaven, MA who will attend Assumption College

•          Mikayla A. Florio of Mattapoisett, MA who will attend the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth

•          Anna L. Goulart of Mattapoisett, MA who will attend Providence College

•          Kathleen E. Hammond of Fairhaven, MA who will attend Gordon College

•          Philip R. Harding of New Bedford, MA who will attend Bristol Community College

•          Mark J. Perreault of Southborough, MA who will attend Trinity College

•          Terrence J. Sinnott of Mattapoisett, MA who will attend Brown University

•          Jonathan L. Zucco of Mattapoisett, MA who will attend Merrimack College

Naomi R. Keeney of Fairhaven, MA who will attend Bristol Community College was the recipient of the Raymond Fleurent Scholarship Award.