The Wanderer is once again pleased to announce we are now soliciting nominations for our 20th annual “Wanderer Keel Awards.” The yearly community service honor – which is presented to one resident from each of the three central towns in our circulation area – will be announced in our July 25 issue, and each winner will be the subject of a short feature highlighting their contributions to the local community. But The Wanderer needs your help in selecting these “unsung heroes.”
The requirements are simple. Nominees must be legal residents, for at least five years, of Mattapoisett, Marion or Rochester and must 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. The only restriction is that these persons cannot benefit from their efforts in any other way – either financially or politically (hence, sitting elected officials are not eligible).
In doing this, 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 will be recognized for their stalwart efforts in keeping the community on an “even keel.”
Past recipients of this honor have included:
• MATTAPOISETT – 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), David Spencer Jenny (2009), Stephen L. Kelleher (2010), Bento Martin (2011), Howard C. Tinkham (2012).
• MARION – 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), Nancy Braitmeyer (2012).
• ROCHESTER – 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 Tarleton (2010), John Cobb (2011), Thomas Goyoski Jr. (2012).
Please send the name, address and telephone number of recommended nominees, along with a brief description of their key contributions to the community and why you feel they are deserving of this honor to: Keel Award, The Wanderer, P.O. Box 102, Mattapoisett, MA 02739, or e-mail your submissions to news@wanderer.com.
The deadline for nominations is Thursday, July 18 at 3:00 pm. Selected recipients will be announced in the July 25 edition.