The Wanderer is once again pleased to announce the 2012 recipients of our nineteenth annual “Wanderer Keel Awards.” This annual community service honor is presented to one resident from each town: Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester. It is given to those who have contributed in some way to the overall benefit of the community, either directly to town residents, or indirectly through efforts in promoting town activities, or working to keep the wheels of local government well-oiled.

In doing this each year, we hope to applaud those who are rarely recognized for their countless hours of service and focus on the many people “behind the scenes” who remain otherwise anonymous but provide crucial support to many town functions. Like the keel of a ship, which keeps the vessel from capsizing, the recipients of the Annual Wanderer Keel Award are recognized for their stalwart efforts in keeping their respective community on an “even keel.” We hope you will join us in congratulating this year’s recipients and celebrate their contributions to the Tri-Town communities.

• Mattapoisett Keel Award 2012 – 

Howard C. Tinkham, during his lifetime, has played a large role in the community of Mattapoisett.  In his youth, he and his family harvested timber, ran a sawmill, raised vegetable crops and built a cranberry bog. During the 1960’s, Howard served on the Finance Committee and on the Planning Board.

In 2008, Howard donated the land with rights of way that now comprise the Mattapoisett River Valley Treatment Plant. Earlier, he granted the use of the land to the Boy Scout Troop #53 for what is known as “Camp Tinkham.” He has been a steward of the lands and water resources in the Mattapoisett Village area known as Tinkham Town.

In 2008, he received citations from the Governor, the State Legislature and the Board of Selectmen for his contributions to the Water District and his stewardship of the land.

Each year since 1949, Howard has overseen the activities of the Tinkham Town Chapel, the Tinkham Town Helping Hand Society Meeting House and the Ellis Cemetery. Annually, he has stocked the wood fire stove, lit the kerosene lamps, maintained the foot pump organ and seen to the maintenance of the two buildings, all for the use of the community.

These days, he still checks up on the Water Department and the Highway Department, keeps the Chapel and Meeting House going and manages to mow his hayfield, produce a garden of asparagus, beans, cabbage, squash and tomatoes. In addition, he continues to monitor the operation of a three-acre cranberry bog.

Howard C. Tinkham joins other past Mattapoisett Keel Award Winners: Maurice “Mudgie” Tavares (1994); Priscilla Alden Hathaway (1995); Norma Holt (1996); Gale Hudson (1997); Kenneth Stickney (1998); Clara Morgan (1999); Betty and Bert Theriault (2000); John N. “Jack” DeCosta (2001); Jo Pannell (2002); Stan Ellis (2003); Evelyn Pursley (2004); Luice Moncevitch (2005); Seth Mendell (2006); Bradford A. Hathaway (2007); Kim Field (2008), Dr. David Spencer Jenny (2009), Stephen L. Kelleher (2010), Bento Martin (2011)

• Marion Keel Award 2012 –

Nancy Braitmayer served as the President of the League of Women Voters for nearly a decade before turning over the reigns to Chris Eastman earlier this year. During her time, she was instrumental in the publishing of the Blue Book, the league’s biggest fundraiser and an important resource for the Tri-Town. She also coordinated several political forums in order to further the Tri-Town’s education on politics. She still volunteers her time to the League of Women Voters.

Nancy and her husband John are avid volunteers for both the New Bedford Whaling Museum and the New Bedford Symphony. They have established their own charity, the Braitmayer Foundation, which provides grants to help make changes in local schools. She also helped to establish the volunteer program in the Sippican School.

Described by her friends as competent, capable and willing, Braitmayer is a community-oriented woman who is willing to help out wherever necessary.

Nancy Braitmayer joins other past Marion Keel Award Winners: Claire Russell (1994); Ralph and Phyllis Washburn (1995); Annie Giberti (1996); Jay Crowley (1997); Tyler Blethen (1998); Olive E. Harris (1999, posthumously); Kathleen P. “Kay” Reis (2000); Loretta B. “Lori” Schaefer (2001); Ann and Warren Washburn (2002); Andrew Santos Sr. (2003); Eunice Manduca (2004); Annie Giberti (2005); A. Lee Hayes (2006); Horace “Hod” Kenney (2007); Margie Baldwin (2008), Jack Beck (2009), Dr. John Russell (2010), Jane McCarthy (2011)

• Rochester Keel Award 2012 –

A lifelong resident of Rochester, Thomas Gayoski Jr. worked at the helm of the tax department as Tax Collector for 42 years before retiring in 2011. His service to the town of Rochester as Tax Collector is the longest in the state of Massachusetts.

In 2004, Rochester had 100% collection in real estate taxes thanks to Gayoski, making it the only town in Massachusetts to do so that year. Gayoski is known by all town officials and keeps its best interest in mind. He will address issues to Selectmen and other committees without hesitation.

An avid cranberry farmer, Gayoski is always on top of his harvest, making sure everything is taken care of in the middle of the night.

Also known as a dear friend, Gayoski is known for dropping in and checking in on his friends when they need him. In addition to working as Tax Collector, Gayoski has been very involved with various youth and adult sports programs such as hockey and softball, where he volunteered as both a coach and an umpire. He has also been a participant in the annual Rochester Boat Race.

Thomas Gayoski Jr. joins other past Rochester Keel Award Winners: Joseph McCarthy (1994); Jean Fennell (1995); Katherine Hartley Church (1996); Chris Byron (1997); Albert Alderson (1998); Arthur and Aline Lionberger (1999); Kenneth E. Daggett (2000); Georgia D. Chamberlain (2001); Mary P. Wynne (2002); Evelyn F. Benner (2003); Mike Meunier Sr. (2004); Arthur F. Benner (2005); Pamela J. Robinson (2006); Anna E. White (2007); John E. Lafreniere (2008), Cathy Mendoza (2009), Kate Tartleton (2010), John Cobb (2011).

Edited by Katy Fitzpatrick

Summertime on Cape Cod means the arrival of hundreds of the nation’s best college baseball players to the region competing against each other to earn the recognition of the top scouts and coaches in Major League Baseball. The Cape Cod Baseball League, for over 100 years, has been the preeminent summer baseball league for college players in the United States.

There’s no doubting the busy schedule for the players, as they hit the field playing and practicing everyday. Despite the demanding hours, however, they still take the time to reach out to the community. On Tuesday, June 26, four members of the Wareham Gatemen stopped by the Mattapoisett Free Public Library to read to dozens of local children.

“It’s been fun to give back to the community,” said Dustin DeMuth, and infielder from Indiana University. “I remember when I was little and looking up to people, too. It’s good to get out and mingle with the kids.”

DeMuth was joined by teammates and pitchers Clay Chapman (Florida Southern University), Fred Shepard (Amherst College) and Brad Kuntz (Baylor University).  The players read two books, Bats at the Ball Game by Brian Lies and Randy Riley’s Really Big Hit by Chris Van Dusen. The kids and players then exchanged questions about the sport of baseball, including favorite teams and positions.

“I think it’s really good when they come out here and see us and meet us and we can give them autographs,” said Chapman. “It gives them something to look up to. I looked up to my father and grandfather since they both played baseball too. I also remember players coming to the library to read to us during elementary school.”

The players then took the children outside and showed them some pointers on throwing and catching baseballs. The children relished in the moment, playing baseball with players who could potentially play in the major leagues someday. The Cape League is one of the best learning tools for baseball players.

“I like to play against all the other players,” said Chapman. “I play for a Division II school, so I like to see if I can go against the best of the best. It’s really fun, I’m glad I’m here.”

When the players aren’t busy on the field or helping out in the community, they are still trying to make the most of their summer by partaking in normal summer activities.

“It’s been awesome, the weather has been great,” said Kuntz. “This is the best place to be.  The beaches are really nice, and when it’s 75 degrees out, anything is fun. I like going through the Cape and checking everything out.”

By Katy Fitzpatrick

Summer of 2012 started with a bang, as parts of New England experienced the first official heat wave of the season.  Temperatures hit the mid 90s on Wednesday, June 20, which also marked the summer solstice, and continued straight through Friday, leaving people clamoring for relief.

“We’ve been inundated with a lot of calls,” said Christine Hiller of Hiller Fuels in Marion, which offers air conditioning repair and maintenance.  “A lot of them are for frozen coils.  They freeze when people turn on their units too high the first time.  We’ve also fixed a few condensers and broken control panels,” she said.

Despite the intense heat, the Mattapoisett Police said that there haven’t been any reported incidents related to the hot weather.  “We haven’t had any outstanding emergencies.  No medical situations or electric failures,” said Officer Mitchell Suzan.

The Tri-Town offers no shortage of options for folks to get their cool on, from shady groves of trees, to the beaches, to indulgence in chilly treats (hopefully before they melt).

“We’ve served lots of ice cream,” said Liz Ackerman of the Oxford Creamery in Mattapoisett.  “If the sun is out, we’re busy.”

In the last few days, the Creamery has seen a strong influx of customers in the afternoon and early evening.

“We’ve done a lot of take out for people going back to the beach or the pool.  Business is steady when it’s hot because people don’t want to cook,” Ackerman said.

According to meteorologists, this summer could be one of the hottest on record, with many predicting it may stretch into the early part of the autumn.  Just in case this heat wave wasn’t our last, here are some tips from the Massachusetts Health and Human Services department on how to stay safe and cool this summer:

• Drink plenty of water, even if you don’t feel thirsty.
• Avoid strenuous activity, especially outside during peak heat times.
• Eat regular and balanced meals to keep your metabolism steady.
• Never leave children or pets in enclosed vehicles.
• If you don’t have air conditioning, stay on the lowest or coolest level of your home.  You can also cover doorways and windows with towels or other heavy cloth to block the sun.

For more safety information, visit http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/feature-story/summer-heat-precautions.html.

By Eric Tripoli

It’s been two years since the last historic barn, home, and garden show, organized by the Rochester Land Trust.  This year saw the return of some old favorite places as well as the addition of a couple new locations.

The self-guided tour was held on Sunday, June 24, and included five total stops along the route map.

“We’ve had a lot of different properties in the last few years, so it’s been really nice,” said Norene Hartley, of the Rochester Land Trust, who was situated outside the Town Hall, seeing tickets, t-shirts, and passing out maps to the interested parties.  “This is the third one we’ve had. We go to the landowners to find out who would be willing to participate, then we decide who to include based off that.”

This year saw the premier of Sterling Point Farm on the tour, located up on the Middleboro line on Walnut Plain Road.  The farm is home to several horses of various breeds.

“We have painters, saddlebreds, and quarter horses,” said caretaker Cheryl Lavoie.  Being on the tour increased their foot traffic by a few dozen people throughout the course of the day.  “It’s nice to have different visitors and to have people look around.”

A few miles south, you arrive at Englenook Farms, on High Street, also a first timer on the tour.  The farm has a wide variety of livestock, from horses to chickens to llamas and alpacas.  Many of the animals there are also rescue animals, and most are exceedingly friendly.

Joanie Chapman is in charge of the animals there and makes sure they get the kind of care that may have been denied them by previous owners.  She feeds all the animals specific organic diets.

“Here it is as close to organic as you can get without being certified,” she said, citing the expensive and extensive process many farmers go through in order to be officially recognized as proprietors of organic foods.

The next stop on the tour was at the home of Mark Whalen and Randall Elgin, who four years ago, built a completely eco-friendly home that features a wide variety of green materials used to reduce the amount of energy used by the building.

“The best investment you can make is in good insulation.  If you have good insulation, you can have a smaller furnace and use less energy,” Whalen said.

The furnace at their home on Foss Farm Road is mounted on the wall in the basement and isn’t much larger than an industrial electrical control panel.  The insulation in the walls is made up of rebar-enforced cement, sandwiched between interlocking bricks of Styrofoam.

“We just wanted to show people how accessible this technology is and how much it can help,” he said.

Down on Vaughan Hill Road, people could tour the Rusinoski property; a large home designed and built by a Boston stonemason, with a three-car carriage house-style garage.  The home features large, sprawling lawns and top-notch wood and stonework.  Don’t have a car?  The property (which is for sale) is suitable for easily landing a helicopter.

The final stop on the tour was down on Mattapoisett Road at the locally famous George Church Museum, featuring an array of antiquated, largely manual, farming and industrial tools.     “My family had the first saw mill on the Mattapoisett River,” Church said.  His ancestors arrived here in the mid 1700s and the home he lives in dates back almost as far.  “I ran the saw mill until maybe 20 years ago,” the 10th generation American said.

His museum is an open floor barn and contains hundreds of tools and machines, many of them powered by man or horse.  “I used to live in Marion and New Bedford.  I just gathered the pieces up.”

For more information on the Rochester Land Trust and how you can help, visit http://home.comcast.net/~rochesterlandtrust/

By Eric Tripoli

He loved the water. He inspired us all to be kind, happy, better people.  He loved all kinds of children.  He brings creativity to everything.  He always, always, always smiles.

These are the words of family, friends, and students describing Charles Pickles of Marion, a former junior sailing instructor at the Beverly Yacht Club and avid cook, who died in a skateboarding accident in 2005.  He was not yet 30 years old.

For the last few years, his parents, Diane and Ray, have organized a boat cruise benefit, to honor the memory of their late son.

“For me, this benefits his memory in a way he would have wanted.  It’s all about people coming together, having fun, and sharing time and stories about him together,” his mother, Diane, said.  “Charles would make everything fun.”

The event was attended by almost 100 people, which in itself stood as a testament to the power the young Pickles had on the people who meant most to him, from the closest members of his family to his favorite sailing students.

Everybody on the boat seemed to have a story to tell about Charles.  Many of those stories were compiled by his mother into a couple hardcover memory books she brought for people to read.

The result was a tome of joy, thanks, remembrance, and sorrow, stuffed with photos, letters, poems, and drawings, each evoking special and personal memories of Charles.  As the cruise continued, dozens of people sat and pored through the volumes, some together, some alone, and each person seemed to strengthen their connection to Charles and his memory.

There’s the story about three year-old Charles and his penchant for sticking chewing gum in his own hair, and his resulting fussiness over the peanut butter and ice cube process employed by his mother to remove it.  Then there was the three-week family trip to Calgary, Canada in August of 2000, where they hiked the Rockies, visited Olympic Park, and picnicked at Lake Minnewanka.

Don’t forget about the time he took his friend, Ben, out sailing, when Ben was contagious with chicken pox and couldn’t be in public.  Or the time he arranged for a special table at his restaurant for his cousin Stephanie and her beau Ken on Valentine’s Day, where they could watch him in the open kitchen preparing their meals.  These are all small but immensely important pieces to the mosaic that was a life dedicated to happiness and fearlessness.

“He had as much fun as he possibly could at all times,” said Margaret Evans of Marion, who was a lifelong friend of Charles.  “He was a gentleman.  He had this amazing aura.  Whenever

“The essence of it all was to have a great time,” said Paul Fathallah of Marion, who knew Charles for over 10 years.  He told the story of how he and Charles were on the water when Fathallah, who has a strong aversion to jellyfish, saw a big one floating in the water near the boat.  “He was looking for it and looking for it and when he finally saw it, he tried to jump in

“He was so daring,” said Sarah Gaunt, who met Charles when they attended the International Institute of Culinary Arts in Fall River. They were partnered up for many projects together during their two years of study.  “The first day I met Charles, he greeted me at the door, and even held it open for me and said, ‘My name is Charles Pickles, but my friends call me Pickles, so you can call me Pickles, too,” Gaunt said.

The proceeds of the event go to benefit the junior sailing program at the Beverly Yacht Club, as well as the Community Boating program, which provides opportunities for students from New Bedford to learn how to sail.

 By Eric Tripoli