Author: Joey Ciaramitaro

My daughters and I will be squaring off against Famed Chef Peter Zappa of The Causeway Restaurant and his sons in a BBQ throwdown at the Bluefin Blowout Friday night.

We’ve got our work cut out for us but don’t count out us underdogs just yet

Won’t you come join the fun at this family friendly event?

http://bluefinblowout.com/2018-schedule/

CLICK HERE FOR SCHEDULE OF EVENTS!

My daughters and I will be competing against the great Peter Zappa from The Causeway Restaurant and his sons Friday night at 7PM in a BBQ Cookoff at Mile Marker.  Come and enjoy this family friendly event with us!

www.bluefinblowout.com

Gloucester Police Officers Adopt Students From Class of 2030 as Part of Kops N Kids Program

GLOUCESTER — Chief John McCarthy is pleased to announce that the Gloucester Police Department will be expanding its Kops N Kids initiative by having three of its officers “adopt” the students who comprise the class of 2030.

Officers Josiah Aberle, Tim O’Leary and Michal Cimoszko have committed to adopt the first grade students in all of Gloucester’s elementary schools. Through their 12-year commitment to the class of 2030, the officers will pay regular visits to the students as they progress through the Gloucester schools and take the first steps on their path to graduation.

This new program is the latest step toward growing the Kops N Kids initiative, ensuring that children have numerous opportunities to develop relationships with the police officers who serve them and their community.

“This is an amazing opportunity for our officers to build meaningful and lasting relationships with our kids,” Chief McCarthy. “I’m proud of Officers Aberle, O’Leary and Cimoszko for taking on this extraordinary commitment and volunteering to serve as mentors and friends to children throughout their school careers.”

Kops N Kids launched in 2016, under the guidance of Lt. Jeremiah Nicastro, as a way for officers to engage with kids by joining them for lunch. Since then, the program has grown to include more lunch, gym class and recess gatherings that have strengthened the bonds between students and officers.

“I’m grateful for all of the officers who have stepped up and taken on an active role in the lives of the children in our community,” Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken said. “Chief McCarthy and the Gloucester Police Department have gone above and beyond to build relationships with students of all ages, and I’m sure the first grade class will be excited to meet their adopted officers.”

As the Kops N Kids program has expanded, participating officers created baseball style trading cards for students to collect, and challenged them to collect all 14. Four students ultimately reached that goal earlier this year, earning rides to school from an officer of their choosing.

With the program continuing to enlist more officers, students will be challenged to collect even more trading cards. Those who successfully collect them all will once again be eligible to earn a ride to school in their favorite officer’s cruiser.

“The Gloucester Police Department, under Chief McCarthy, has gone the extra mile to build relationships with the children of Gloucester, and to begin doing so at an early age,” Superintendent Richard Safier said. “With this new initiative, these relationships will continue throughout the grades. This is sustained community building at the ground level with the key, once again, being relationship building.”

#Kops-n-Kids

Use code “30” in the promotion section.

http://schooner.org/book-online/

U.S. Dory Elimination Races- The International Dory Racing Committee will hold it’s elimination races off Niles Beach Saturday August 4th at 9 AM. All racing fans are encouraged to attend!! Those dues paying members who plan to race must attend sign ups Friday evening August 3rd at St. Peter’s Square at 6 PM or email before 12 noon. These races are strictly for 2 person teams in the following categories: Juniors (men under 18), Women, Mixed Doubles, Seniors (Men Open) and Master’s (Men over 50), and will determine who will represent the US against Canada in the upcoming International Races in Lunenburg Nova Scotia on August 18th. If needed there will be a finals race on Monday night at 6 PM at Niles beach. Please share this with friends and family. It will be a great day of racing, uniquely Gloucester, and fun for all!

Billy Pow Wow pulls up to the dock

Schooner Lannon Sail Tonight  July 27, 2018 Get Tickets Here

July 27, 2018 at 6:00pm (2 hours)

PRIVATE GARDENS of Bobbie Brooks OPEN for this weekend

A warm welcome to visit DISTINCTIVE GARDEN DESIGNS, 73 Langford St, Rt 127 in Lanesville 

Open Garden Days and Daylily Sales 

July 28, 29 – Sat and Sun – note the time to visit is 9-1

Collection of 1000 American Daylily Society registrations in bloom, with 500+ seedlings, with 200+ varieties to offer, plus 50 BB registrations, and with many potted up to carry home!

Or just come and enjoy! 

bobbie brooks
lilylady@comcast.net
distinctivegardendesigns.com

https://www.facebook.com/DISTINCTIVE-GARDEN-DESIGNS-269140633407/

Gloucester Resident Awarded Second Annual

Salem State Junior Book Award and Scholarship

Rose Degrange, of Gloucester, has received the 2018 Salem State Junior Book Award and Scholarship from Salem State University Undergraduate Admissions. A total of 50 local high school students received this award this year.

The recipients received a copy of Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand, a book which was chosen by many of the students from university community.  The recipient received a copy of the book, as well as a $1,000 scholarship to the university. To be eligible for the scholarship the student must be admitted and enroll as a first year student in the fall 2019.

The students who received book awards, all high school juniors, received a GPA of 2.75 or higher throughout their first three years of high school and have demonstrated a commitment to the community through work, volunteerism, family/peer commitment, and/or civic engagement.

Hi Joey, 

Happy Summer! 

I am a volunteer with the Mass Oyster Project.  You may be familiar with this organization.   Here is the our website:  www.massoyster.org

Mass Oyster Project is hosting a Waterfront Party at Maritime Gloucester on August 18 and thought that you may be interested in details. Attached is press release for your reference.  If you have time – come join us!   

Let me know if I can connect you with one of our Board Members for additional comments on these initiatives.   Thank you! 

Stories Songs and More

My girlfriends and I were sharing our own stories of marriage, motherhood, movies and more the other night.  One of them mentioned wanting to see the Mr. Rogers movie coming out. As we all have gotten older and somewhat simpler we realize how amazing this man really was. How present but purposeful every move, routine, and word was spoken to evoke such a feeling of welcome, love, and kindness.

My own kids have written biographies on famous explorers, Americans, and heroes of the times.  Most are noted for achieving uncharted territory and climbing some mountain top for the first time. However, most heros actually walk the same street everyday, take the same 7:08 train, and the same route on the boulevard. And, like Mr Rogers, in their quiet routine accomplish so many unspoken and trophy-less feats. Some of these heros help us journey back to our child self, you know the part of you who plays, wonders, and notices small details like lady bugs and acorns. They remind us to slow down, look up, enjoy time and a smile. They make serious note and attend to matters that are seemingly small to busy adults but to a 5 year old of the utmost importance. They call us out of our heads and into our hearts.

I had a toddler and infant swaddled in cloth heading to Stage Fort Park for some type of story time a decade ago. Instantly, magically, I was welcomed into this tribe of mothers, fathers, grandparents, children, friends, ,and two talented storytellers.  We would gather and listen, laugh and wonder. Year after year, Lucille and Alicia watched my children grow from babies to toddlers and more babies and long legged 10 and 12 year olds. One year my daughter found a tiny little teddy bear for Alicia’s puppet Pierra. To her this gift was as rich and tender as the first sighting of the Lady Slipper in Ravenswood Park.  Summer after summer they taught my children to wait, to listen, to not step in the poison ivy behind the bushes, to make a wish, to send a good thought, to laugh. But it never stopped at only those Tuesday mornings. Everytime we see Lucille walking on the boulevard or to the library or Alicia walking to the train we are embraced in their love and treated like the most important people in their lives.

Even two years ago when I was laid up in bed for a year with sickness Alicia read and responded to every heart wrenching blog I wrote sorting out the trauma and gift life had given me. Encouraging me to keep telling my story and helping me understand truly that life is about stories, songs, and more.

When I heard Lucille and Alicia were moving on from Tuesday mornings at Stage Fort Park sadness crept in that my youngest never got to meet the puppet Pierre and hear the story about Aunt Tia and be gifted a shell; a good thought at the end of July. Something in my summer shifted knowing Tuesday mornings at Stage Fort Park right on that little piece of grass has finally ended.

But  I realize it never really ends. My girlfriends and I  and their kids and my kids still will gather at Stage Fort, or the Boulevard, or in a backyard, and keep telling our stories and keep listening to each other. And we will keep sending good thoughts in the shape of acorns and sea shells.  Lucille and Alicia have taught me so much over these years and are some of my heros.

On Tuesday at 10:00 in that grassy same spot we would like to celebrate their 28 years of service to us. Come  and help us send them off with gratefulness, well wishes, good thoughts, and miniature teddy bears for Pierre.