Nicole Schrafft writes-
Have you ever heard the expression, "It takes a village to raise a child"? Well, while I wouldn’t say that the town of Rockport is actually raising our sons, I have, 2 years in a row, been touched and awed by how certain people in this town (our village) have gone out of their way to help enrich our sons’ lives and make them feel special.
This past Sunday, May 20th, will go down as one of those special days that our small family will never forget. But, allow me to back up a bit. Last spring, as my son’s 4th birthday approached, he asked to have it on "the Pirate Ship"…also known as The Formidable, in Rockport harbor. Not having it in my nature to do things half way, I immediately started planning to throw together a party that he would love. One of the final things I arranged was a treasure hunt that would take the children from the ship upon disembarking, through town, and ultimately to the Mill Pond Park where his his cake, etc would be waiting for the guests. I fell in love with the town of Rockport all over again as several merchants stepped up and offered to hand out some treasures to the children along the way. Employees at the Fudgery, Kenny from Roy Moore Lobsters, the owner of Tuck’s, and a manager from the Paper Mermaid didn’t hesitate for a moment to add to the children’s excitement and to join in the fun. I remember hearing from guests how special it was that "the townspeople" played a role in Thatcher’s party and how nice it must be to live in such a wonderful community. At the end of the day I was humbled by how fortunate we are to be raising our children in this great town.
If one negative could be said about last year’s party, however, it would be that due to his party, Thatcher had to miss Rockport’s annual EMS day. And, it is that unfortunate truth, that takes us to this year’s party.
Back in October we bumped into Rosemary Lesch, Rockport Harbormaster and EMS Director. I mentioned to her how sad Thatcher was to have missed the event, that she plays a huge role in coordinating, because it fell on the same day as his birthday party. Rosemary, possibly not realizing exactly the magnitude of the can of worms she was opening, simply said, "you should have his birthday party at EMS Day this year." And with those simple words, Thatcher was hooked and my wheels were spinning.
As I was busy planning the details that were within my range of capabilities such as invitations, party favors, the cake, the decorations, etc., Rosemary, somewhat unbeknownst to me, was busy making sure that she and the Rockport EMS made Thatcher’s birthday more special than we could have ever asked for or even imagined. While she was generous and accommodating from the beginning of the planning stages with important items such as tables and a tent, she kept a few secrets up her sleeve that absolutely made our son’s party one of the best days of his life. From a banner that she had designed to wish Thatcher a "Happy Birthday" from the Rockport EMS (which still brings tears to my eyes and is now hanging proudly in his bedroom) to a fire truck and an ambulance of his own for his guests to tour and climb on. From a surprise visit from Sparky and Smokey the Bear to helping to keep us informed of events happening during the actual EMS event so that Thatcher’s guests could attend. Rosemary and the Rockport EMS took Thatcher under their wings and went far above and beyond just for the sake of making a little boy happy. I can’t help but think "where else in this world?" and to once again thank our lucky stars that we are raising our children under their watchful eyes, in their helping hands, and surrounded by their kind, kind hearts. While the things that Rosemary arranged for Thatcher may seem small to her, I am certain that they are acts of kindness that he will never forget and will help to shape the man he’ll become. To know that there are such kind and giving people in his world is by far the best gift that we could ask for for him.
Good Morning Gloucester 
” While the things that Rosemary arranged for Thatcher may seem small to her …”
This is the only thing you probably got wrong. I would bet Rosemary had nearly as much fun (possibly more) as Thatcher did. Just a guess.
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Outstanding. This is the sort of thing that lives on and on in the lives of everyone involved. It’s why anything any of us can do to further community building is so worthwhile.
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