ESSEX HAPPENINGS, TUESDAY, JULY 6, 2010
Essex Heritage Executive Committee Meeting
The leadership of Essex Heritage made a wise decision when they arrived back from the Alliance Conference in South Carolina. After reviewing the calendar it was decided to move the Executive Committee meeting scheduled from the first business day after the long 4th of July weekend to a date later this month. I suspect that the decision might have been driven by how many members of the Committee had called in to say that they would be unable to attend. When the date was first chosen back in the dead of winter we never anticipated the wonderful weather that we all enjoyed for the weekend and how many of our members might have combined the holiday weekend with an extended vacation.
In any event we have re-scheduled the meeting for July 20, 2010. That is a date that will work much better for me as I have to be back in Danvers the night before that meeting date for an important meeting of my local Parish Council and so staying in the area for an extra day makes sense for me as I can likely make both events. It will also allow us to report to the Executive Committee on the plans and goals that will be set by the Essex Heritage Development Committee meeting that will be held this coming Thursday afternoon. There is little question that the activities of this Committee will be critical to the continuing success of the Commission. President Kevin Tierney has convinced a wonderful group of Trustees headed by Charlie Cullen of The Provident Bank to come together in an initial meeting later this week to set very important goals and to develop important strategies to achieve both commercial and retail fundraising goals that will be critical to the long range success of Essex Heritage.
The later date for the Executive Committee meeting will also allow Essex Heritage staff more time to follow up on the recommendations of the Nominating Committee as we work towards putting a slate of Commissioners in place well before the annual meeting scheduled for October. I want to once again take the opportunity here to ask any of you who are readers of these BLOG postings to advance any names that you think might make a good Commissioner to me for consideration.
Marine Corp Battle Color Ceremony
Just before the long holiday weekend I attended a very moving and patriotic service that was sponsored by the Marine Corp League, Cape and Islands detachment. This detachment is made up of a group of current and former Marines that dedicate themselves to servicing their country and their local communities. They raise funds to support the famous Marine Corp Toys for Tots effort, and provide support to injured and sick marines and act as an honor guard at Marine burials.
The event was called a United States Battle Color Ceremony and was offered by active duty Marines from the Washington Barracks of the U S Marine Corp. The event began with an impressive flyover by a search and rescue Coast Guard aircraft and then a gun salute by a local National Guard howitzer battalion. The subsequent program consisted of a series of patriotic songs presented by local tenor and retired Massachusetts State Trooper and former marine Dan Clarke and then a sensational presentation by active duty marines. The United States Marine Corp Drum and Bugle Corp provided a concert and drill, and the unbelievable twenty-four-member silent drill team who offered a demonstration of close order drill and precise weapon handling followed. The evening presentation that was offered to an overflow crowd at the Dennis-Yarmouth High School Stadium and concluded with an appearance by a Marine Corp color guard presenting the national colors and the official marine Corp Battle flag, with streamers representing the numerous engagements where the Marines have participated from the Revolutionary War to today’s conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. After a most stirring version of the Star Spangled banner the color guard and the drill team and drum and bugle corps then passed in review
The evenings program ended with the entire contingent of marines passing in review past the families of eight service men and woman from cape cod who have lost their lives in the fight for freedom in the last two wars. The service was very moving and the tribute paid to the deceased service members was a fitting tribute. I am certainly glad that I attended the presentation and being presented so near the Independence Day Holiday made it that much more special.
Holiday Weekend Activities
I certainly hope that all of you enjoyed the Holiday, and were as lucky as me to be able to share the day with family. My son, Mike and his family spent the weekend at our vacation home with my wife and I. As I noted earlier, the weather if it had been ordered could not have been better and we all including a couple of grandkids, enjoyed cookouts, the wonderful beaches and a spectacular fireworks display from Hyannis that we were able to view from the beach at the end of our street. We were also able to watch two baseball games played by some of the very best collegiate players in this country. Most baseball experts think of the Cape Cod Baseball League as the best amateur league in the country. I have for many years told whoever would listen that I have two season tickets to the Red Sox. The Red Sox in this case are the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox and my season tickets come with two lawn chairs that I can put down wherever I can find a space. The YD Red Sox have won two league championships in the last four years and are in first place again this year at the holiday. They play exciting and enthusiastic baseball and during the summer we usually make at least two games a week. This week we saw two wins, with a no hitter one night and a come from behind 3 to 1 win, that was won by starting pitcher John Leonard from Boston College and Walpole, Ma. To top of the win by pitcher John Leonard, my grandson Casey was able to “snag’ a foul ball and that absolutely made his weekend. All in all it was a most enjoyable weekend, I hope that you will all allow me this opportunity to speak about a more personal part of life. In the next posting, now that the holiday is over, I will get back to the business of Essex Heritage.
As always we value your comments, questions and observations about the work of Essex Heritage. Please contact me with your thoughts or any questions you may have at www.essexheritage.org. We are always striving to make Essex Heritage work as effectively as possible and your input and suggestions are always welcome. We can always provide more information and better communication, and one of the goals of these postings on Essex happenings is to provide that opportunity. Thank You. Tom Leonard
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