Girls Hoop Heats Up

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The Old Rochester Regional High School girls’ basketball team defeated Somerset Berkley, 45-40, on February 9, as Amber Engel was named the player of the game. The Bulldogs took a five-game winning-streak and a 14-3 record into their February 14 showdown against Apponequet (16-3) in Lakeville.

            ORR wraps up its regular season with three non-league games. They look to avenge an early-season loss to Dartmouth, facing the Indians on Thursday, February 15, at 6:30 pm in Mattapoisett. The Bulldogs visit New Bedford on Tuesday, February 20, at 1:30 pm and then finish the season on home court against Bishop Stang on Thursday, February 22, at 6:30 pm.

Boys Basketball

            The ORR boys’ basketball team beat Greater New Bedford Voc-Tech, 78-60, on February 6, improving its record to 13-4. John Butler was named the player of the game. The Bulldogs’ home game scheduled for Tuesday against Apponequet (10-6) was postponed amidst a snowy forecast. ORR continues its season-ending homestand with games Friday, February 16, against Bishop Stang and Tuesday, February 20, against South Coast Conference rival Fairhaven. Both games tip off at 6:30 pm.

Hockey

            The ORR/Fairhaven hockey team faced Bourne on February 7 and won 4-2, improving its record to 10-7-1. Connor Galligan scored two goals for the Bulldogs and was named the player of the game. Justin Marques had two assists. The playoff-bound Bulldogs will play their final regular-season game on Tuesday, February 20, against Apponequet (5-12) at 3:00 pm at Driscoll Memorial Rink in Fall River.

By Aiden Comorosky

FCCR Chili Supper

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The community is invited to a Chili Supper at First Congregational Church of Rochester, 11 Constitution Way, Rochester, on Saturday, February 24 at 5:00 pm. Tickets are $8/person, under 10 years old eat free. Proceeds will go to the Fellowship Hall Roof Repair Fund. Contact the church office at rochestercongregational@comcast.net or 508-763-4314 to reserve your tickets.

Sippican Thanks V.A.S.E. for Support

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Old Rochester Regional Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson recognized the Volunteers at Sippican Elementary (V.A.S.E.) organization for their ongoing support of student learning and programming. V.A.S.E.’s primary objectives are to provide Sippican students with enrichment beyond the classroom environment and to support teachers and staff.

            “In my 22 years as a school administrator, I have never experienced a parent-run school support group as comprehensive and involved as our V.A.S.E. Team at Sippican School,” said Sippican Assistant Principal Peter Crisafulli. “They provide the school with amazing financial support through fundraisers. They provide opportunities for student educational enrichment by creating and staffing high-quality after-school programs. V.A.S.E. is setting a very high standard in the world of local school support groups, and we are very lucky to have them.”

            Each year V.A.S.E. volunteers raise money for annual field trips for every grade at Sippican. With the exception of sixth grade, field trips are offered at no charge to students and staff chaperones. In addition to covering field trip expenses, V.A.S.E. conducts the work needed to schedule and book each field trip and, where applicable, manages permissions slips through the use of the online platform, FamilyID.

            Some of the field trips include visits to the Plymouth Patuxet Museums and the Mayflower, the Cape Cod Natural History Museum, the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra and a three-day field trip to Camp Burgess. Other day trips to local zoos, museums and the beach were all funded and coordinated by V.A.S.E. volunteers.

            “V.A.S.E. is such a wonderful part of our school community,” said second-grade teacher Ashley Sweatland. “They help facilitate amazing opportunities for our students- from fundraisers, to field trips, school-wide events and after school programs. V.A.S.E. helps enrich the lives of all of our students, and as teachers, we are so grateful for our partnership.”

            Over the past two years V.A.S.E. has coordinated presentations from many performing artists who have engaged with students during school meetings, classroom visits and community events. Presentations and performances from the Fall River Mad Scientist Program, Kanaley School of Irish Dancing, Author Bill Harley, Band Blast Performing Artist El Caribe, Arts in Action: Boston Artist Bren Bataclan, New Bedford Youth Ballet and more.

            V.A.S.E. also organizes a separate program called After Class Enrichment (A.C.E.) A.C.E. is free and runs once per week for four weeks, twice per school year. Any Sippican Elementary student is able to attend, and dozens of kids participate each year. Students take part in a number of courses and activities in areas such as arts and crafts, drama, foreign language, athletics, reading and more.

            Some of the A.C.E. fall 2023 courses included a book club, jewelry making, 3D printing, robotics club and intramural sports. The winter 2024 sessions included gratitude crafts, introduction to French, a collective art project and others.

            “We appreciate the V.A.S.E. volunteers for their consistent effort in coordinating and funding these educational and memorable activities for our students,” said Nelson.

            V.A.S.E. holds multiple fundraisers throughout the year, making it possible to secure these day-to-day activities for students. The Boosterthon is their largest fundraising effort that raises funds for all enrichment activities and grosses over half of all monies needed to support V.A.S.E.’s annual budget.

            This year’s Boosterthon theme is “World Changer Workshop”, taking place March 1-12. Students will learn about what it takes to make a difference by being introduced to a number of character lessons. This fundraiser is the students’ most favorite event that includes an indoor, glow-in-the-dark “Fun Run” in which students run laps for donations toward V.A.S.E.’s enrichment programs.

12u Baseball Team Fundraiser

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The 12U Buzzards Bay Baseball team is hosting a fundraiser featuring live music, over $4,000 in raffle prizes and a spirited corn hole tournament to raise funds for their upcoming tournament in Cooperstown, NY this summer. The event is scheduled for Saturday, March 2 from 4:00 to 9:00 pm at the spacious indoor venue at Stone Path Malt in Wareham, conveniently located near Wareham Crossing. Food and refreshments will be available for purchase at the venue. This is a kid-friendly event so all are welcome to attend.

            Proceeds from this event support the team’s participation in the renowned Cooperstown Dreams Park tournament in July, known as “America’s Baseball Summer Camp.” Our local community has hundreds of alumni (players and coaches) who have been to the Cooperstown tournament and describe their experience as “unforgettable.”

            Admission to the event is free. There are cash prizes for first and second place in the corn hole tournament, which has a $20 participation fee. To secure a spot in the corn hole tournament, it is highly encouraged to preregister using the Scoreholio app (search for Buzzards Bay Baseball) or by filling out the form on our website, BuzzardsBayBaseball2024.com.

Curtain Calls for Szyndlar, Stoltenberg

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            Though it might add approximately $70,000 to the town budget, the Rochester Finance Committee Monday approved recommending a 3% Cost of Living Adjustment increase for all contract town employees for Fiscal Year 2025.

            The vote came after Finance Director Suzanne Szyndlar advised the board to set the COLA figure right away so the committee will know what salary increases they are dealing with when they work their way through building the FY25 budget.

            Town Administrator Glenn Cannon added that he and the Select Board prefer voting the increase now for that very reason. The increase must be approved by the Select Board at its next meeting on Tuesday, February 20.

            Szyndlar said a 3% increase will add $70,000 to the town budget; a 2.5% increase would have added $60,000.

            The discussion began with Szyndlar’s overview of what the town knows now about budget year 2025. Szyndlar she said she is presently working with a lot of estimates and level-funding of every department without a specific budget request. Even with that approach, the town is short $120,000 on the revenue side. “This will be a tougher year than normal,” she said. “We are looking at a lot of nickel-and-dime-ing this year.”

            David Arancio was the lone Finance Committee member to abstain from voting for the increase, protesting that the decision was being made too soon after receiving the budget information. “To set it at 3% five minutes after getting all this information is not ideal,” he said. “My hesitation is that I never like to make a quick decision like that.”

            Before seeking a motion for the vote, Finance Committee Chairman Kristian Stoltenberg asked what is the current Federal Consumer Price Index, a barometer of the country’s cost-of-living level. Board member Justin Bouley noted the CPI is, in fact, around 3%.

            Stoltenberg seemed satisfied. “I see no advantage to defer the decision,” he said. “Three percent is a reasonable reflection of the CPI. And we’re all here now.”

            In other action, Stoltenberg was reappointed chairman but announced this will be his last year on the FinCom. “I said I’d serve a maximum of 39 years, and this is my 39th year,” he said. “A friend brought me here then, and I’ve been here ever since. There will be opportunities next year for other people to step up.”

            The committee appointed James Austin as vice chairman and Arancio as secretary with assistance from Bouley, a new member.

            Cannon announced another retirement from the town’s financial services departments, as the committee reviewed and approved several department budgets that will not include COLA increases. He advised the committee that funds should be added to the Finance Director account for FY25 because this will be Szyndlar’s last year at town hall; the former town administrator and town accountant will soon retire from the job that was created to keep her on when she stepped down from the town administrator role. Cannon explained the funds will be needed to find Szyndlar’s replacement and hire and train any temporary replacements.

            The Finance Committee will next meet on Monday, March 4, at 7:00 pm at Town Hall, 1 Constitution Way.

Rochester Finance Committee

By Michael J. DeCicco

Local Signs of First Nations People

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            Archaeologist Erin Flynn of Public Archaeology Laboratory based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, was the guest speaker at the Marion Natural History Museum on February 9. Flynn took her audience on a journey of many hundreds of years, a journey of our collective past but more specifically the long, ongoing journey of the First Nations People. Flynn has over 20 years of field experience pulling back the sands of time to discover bits of past lives, lives of the first people.

            Flynn began with comments outlining precontact centuries (Paleoindian period 12,000 to 3,000 years ago) where hunting and fishing fed the growing, original populations. These people inhabited the south-coast region, finding it conducive for supporting life. But it wasn’t until postcontact, colonists took an interest in archaeology through the modern era that a fuller history emerged.

            From artifacts uncovered in the 1800s by homeowners and others digging around in recreational, archaeological pursuits, much was learned. There is evidence that these early people traded amongst other established tribes based on the types of materials used to make spearheads and arrows. Discovery of these tools, the manner in which they were created and the organic materials used, helps Flynn and others date residential sites.

            Precontact sites are where stone tools used in a variety of ways from grinding nuts and grains to cooking utensils have been found. Marion had many precontact sites at one time, but Flynn said those are all under water now as shorelines have shifted over the ages.

            Retreating glaciers turned up mastodon bones, animals, Flynn said, that were surely hunted for food. More likely, however, the early people sustained themselves on small game and fish.

            The Archaic Period, some 10,000 to 3,000 years ago, found First Nations People improving on earlier stone tools. During this time, they carved stone tips with bifurcated bases that made attachment to a handle or arrow more secure. Through carbon dating of charcoal and ash, scientists believe there were very large villages with many hundreds if not thousands of people living.

            Flynn stated that all along the way native people were learning, experimenting, designing better tools. By the late archaic period and Transitional Period, they were using weighted nets to catch fish, carving pipes and using stones and other materials for personal adornment.

            During the Woodland Period, 3,000 to 450 years ago, villages were reaching their zenith. Flynn said that there is evidence of agricultural activities and that shell pits from this period have been found. She noted that the Little Neck region and Great Hill or Stone Estate areas have produced evidence of First Nations people occupancy. Flynn said that Charles Neck, a point of land between Aucoot Cove and Sippican Harbor, was named after a person of ancestral First People lineage.

            Flynn was asked what one should do if they believe they have found a First People’s site. She said that the Massachusetts Historical Commission is charged with the responsibility of collecting and confirming historical data. To contact this agency, visit .sec.state.ma.us/mhc/. And don’t forget to visit the Marion Natural History Museum to view their collection of First Nations artifacts.

By Marilou Newell

Alane Hall

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Alane Hall passed away on February 10, 2024; and is survived by her husband Larry of 43 years, children Barbara and Ben and their spouses Chris and Aly, grand-critters Sebastian, Reagan, Cyrus, and Riley, sister Carla, sister-in-law Mary, niece Heather and nephews David and Carl, and fake daughter Kellie and her family.

            Alane was born on January 14, 1950, in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. She left Massachusetts in 1967 to pursue a bachelor’s degree in American studies at Lake Erie College. After working at the New Yorker’s Boston office, she went on to receive her master’s in historical architecture at Columbia University and later worked for the National Park Service to restore portions of the Boston Navy Yard.

            After graduating from college, Alane went on a hiking trip to New Hampshire where she met the love of her life and future husband, Larry. After a long courtship they married and settled in Marion, Massachusetts, where Alane would raise their two kids in what would forever be her home (despite her love-hate relationship with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts).

            Over the next four decades, Alane built a life for her family in Marion. She walked her kids to Loft and then Sippican school until they could go by themselves. She was active with her church for most of that time. A master knitter, she worked with a talented group of women to craft hats and clothing and repair toys for those in need. She supported her fellow parishioners in their time of need, frequently volunteering her time and cooking for funeral receptions.

            Among family and friends, Alane was known for her incredible cooking. While she was formally trained, she had a natural talent for making food taste good. She was meticulous in her preparation and every year spent days preparing a Christmas Eve smorgasbord for dozens of family and friends. She loved to host but was not an extrovert. She prioritized family and close friends over everything.

            Alane was a mom who remembered every school event, special occasion, and holiday. Her love and support were unconditional, but she told you when you were going off course. She was a voracious reader, consuming a minimum of two newspapers a day, hand-purchased at the Marion General Store and never delivered or read online. She was the best nana who read book after book at bedtime and passed her love of reading to all four grandkids. The grandchildren’s eyes all lit up when Nana was in the room and the feeling was mutual.

            She will be forever missed by her family and friends. We love you Alane, Sammy, Mom, and Nana.

            Those who knew Alane know that she would not want flowers (especially the smelly ones). In lieu of flowers, please give those you love a call or hold them a little tighter. A service will be held by the sea in the summer for family and close friends.

Rochester Cultural Council Grantees

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The Rochester Cultural Council (RCC) is excited to announce that we have awarded $6470 in grant funds to support 17 projects in 2024. Grants ranged from $150 to $850 and were awarded in the categories of arts, sciences and humanities. Emphasis was placed on funding programs that benefited Rochester residents and are to be held locally in town as well as projects that are free to participants or available at a reduced rate.

            The RCC is proud to be able to announce our support of following grantees for FY24: Acushnet Public Library, Cara Bean, East Over Farms, FORD, FORM, Lewis-Parks & Andrew, MAC, Old Colony Cougars PTO, Onset Bay Assoc., Practice Best Practice, Rochester Historical Society, RMS PTO, Sippican Choral Society, South Coast Children’s Chorus, South Coast Children’s Theatre, Tri-County Music Association, Jon Waterman.

            All events are ongoing through December 31. For more detailed information of events, please visit the MA Cultural Council website at massculturalcouncil.org/local-council/rochester/ or our Facebook page.

            The RCC is a group of volunteers appointed by the Rochester Select Board for three-year terms. Our mission is to promote excellence, access  and diversity in the arts, humanities and sciences to enhance the quality of life in Rochester. The RCC strives to achieve these goals by diligently evaluating grant requests and allocating the funds provided by the Mass Cultural Council to projects best serving Rochester residents. The Rochester Cultural Council is always recruiting new members. Please visit our town website at www.townofrochestermass.com/cultural-council and get in touch with a member of the council to learn more.

The Story of the Tremont Advent Camp Meeting

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The Marion Historical Commission and the Sippican Historical Society will cohost a live presentation The Story of the Tremont Advent Camp Meeting on Thursday, March 21. Historic preservation consultant Lynn Smiledge will present the talk at the Marion Music Hall at 6:30 pm.

            Have you ever noticed the little Tremont Advent Camp sign along Wareham Road near Hermitage Road? Here’s your chance to learn what it represents.

            The Tremont Advent Campmeeting was established in 1861 by a group of Second Advent (or Advent) Christians. Their belief, expounded by revivalist Baptist preacher William Miller, was that the second coming, or Advent, of Jesus Christ was to take place in 1843. The Tremont Advent Campmeeting was originally located in the Tremont section of Wareham, hence its name. When the Wareham camp was completely destroyed in a fire on March 31, 1905 they chose the property on Hammett’s Cove. The first Marion Campmeeting was held there July 25-August 6, 1905.

            By the mid-19th century, seasonal revival camp meetings had become a common fixture in the landscape of America. Located in the countryside and often on bodies of water, campgrounds included permanent buildings for common use such as dormitories, kitchens, dining halls and assembly rooms and eventually individual residential cottages. These revival meetings featured charismatic speakers and were punctuated with enthusiastic hymn singing. Plentiful food and a wide range of recreational activities were also mainstay aspects of camp meeting life. Camp meetings were described by Transcendentalist philosopher and poet Henry David Thoreau as “a singular combination of a prayer-meeting and a picnic.” They reached their greatest popularity between the Civil War and World War I.

            Only a handful of these camp meetings still survive in Massachusetts, the most well-known being the Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association established by a Methodist congregation in 1835 in Oak Bluffs. The campground there is a National Historic Landmark, known for its colorful and elaborately-decorated Gothic Revival and Queen Anne-style cottages.

            Located adjacent to Hammett’s Cove, the 10+ acre site of Camp Marion and most of the original cottages and other buildings remain largely as constructed during the first quarter of the 20th century. Of the 43 buildings, 19 are Association-owned and the rest are in private ownership on Association-owned land. According to consultant Lynn Smiledge, “This resource is important as an intact example of the layout and built fabric of one of the camp meetings so prevalent across New England in the second half of the 19th century.”

            The Camp meeting in Marion has remained in continuous operation since 1905. Every summer, campers of all ages still come to Marion from across New England and beyond. Family Camp meeting Week is the highlight of the season. It is framed by Little Sunday and Big Sunday, the first and last days of the camp meeting week. Other formal sessions include camp weeks for children, youths (age 8-17), and adults.

            Come learn more about this interesting facet of Marion history on Thursday, March 21.

RMS Students Introduced To Coding and Computer Programming

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Superintendent Michael S. Nelson and Interim Principal Heidi Letendre are pleased to announce that Rochester Memorial students recently participated in several activities to learn about and apply concepts in computer science and coding.

            During Computer Science Education Week, students at Rochester Memorial School participate in the Hour of Code with Media Specialist Sandi Sollauer. The Hour of Code is a global initiative that helps students learn the basics of computer programming and coding, as well as practice creativity and problem-solving skills.

            Following the Hour of Code, K-6 students have further applied the coding

concepts they learned with STEM teacher Scott Huckabee in the Rochester

Memorial School’s STEM Lab.

            Working in small teams, students recently took on a robot race challenge. Using the “Over the River and Through the Woods” song as inspiration, students programmed a variety of robots to complete challenges with the ultimate goal of being able to get their robot to “Grandmother’s House.”

            For the intermediate elementary grades, an obstacle course was set up in the STEM Lab. Groups were given different starting points and a set of constraints were put in place. These constraints required students to program their robots to go over the river, through the woods and through the white and drifted snow, before ending in front of Grandmother’s house. Students in Grades 3-4 programmed Dash Robots through an iPad app. Students in Grades 5-6 used Sphero Bolt robots, also programmed through an iPad app.

            For the primary grades, students contended with fewer obstacles to Grandmother’s house; however, her house was gradually moved to more challenging locations as groups succeeded. Students in grades K-2 used Bee-Bots, which have basic controls of forward, backward, left and right.

            “Here at Rochester Memorial School, we are very fortunate to have the resources for our students to participate in the Hour of Code. Mr. Huckabee and Ms. Sallauer collaborated to make the Hour of Code Week happen at RMS,” Interim Principal Letendre said. “Through these experiences, our students are gaining a stronger understanding of the use of technology in our everyday lives. Our students are growing up in a world where technology is constantly evolving and maybe some of our students will be interested in this career path in the future.”

            Massachusetts Computer Science Practices for students in this grade span focus on the development of coding concepts through exploration, discovery and creativity. The robot race provided the opportunity for students to actively engage and apply coding concepts. Throughout the activity, the students worked in cooperative groups, using their creative and problem-solving skills to develop their solutions. They explored technology through play, tested and evaluated computer code, and corrected “bugs” when they appeared in their code, all while building their coding fluency and technological skills.

            “It’s great to see the Hour of Code embraced so enthusiastically by our students and their teachers every year,” Superintendent Nelson said. “This is not only an excellent opportunity to introduce our younger students to coding, but also allow them to expand their skills in creativity, problem-solving and teamwork.”