July 2010 PrimeTime

PrimeTMime e n i z a ag j u ly 2 0 1 0

rhode island

The Best Years of Your Life

Dog Days of

Summer

• Take me out to the ballgame • Bristol parade’s biggest patriot • Honoring America’s Greatest Generation

free

An importAnt messAge from medicAre

7KH OHVV , SD\ IRU SUHVFULSWLRQV WKH EHWWHU , IHHO 7KDQNV 0HGLFDUH I’m so glad my son told me about Extra Help from Medicare. It’s easier than ever for people with limited income to qualify. Now I pay just $2.50 for generics and $6.30 for brand name prescriptions.

I can make ends meet without having to go without my medications. That’s good for my health.

([WUD +HOS WR VWD \ KHDOWK\ For help in your community contact the Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP) at 1-401-462-4444 25 &21 7$&7 SocIal SEcurITy adMINISTraTIoN • 1-800-772-1213 • TTy: 1-800-325-0778 • www.SocIalSEcurITy.gov

J

uly is my favorite month of the year, which you might be surprised to find out, because I don’t like the beach and I hate being hot.

I would rather be cold than hot any day of the week. July has its charms, nonetheless.

It is the month of the best holiday of the year, and I’m not talking about my birthday, though I do fall under the sign of Cancer. It’s the Fourth of July. I’m obsessed with the Fourth of July.

Think about it; there’s no pressure to buy anyone presents, the main course consists of hot dogs and watermelon, and it’s not Independence Day unless you’re toasting this great nation with an ice cold beer.

PrimeTime agazine M

July 2010 1944 Warwick Ave. Warwick, RI 02889 401-732-3100 FAX 401-732-3110 Distribution Special Delivery PUBLISHERS Barry W. Fain, Richard G. Fleischer, John Howell EDITOR Meg Fraser megf@rhodybeat.com MARKETING DIRECTOR Donna Zarrella donnaz@rhodybeat.com Creative Director Linda Nadeau lindan@rhodybeat.com photo editor Darcie DiSaia darcied@rhodybeat.com WRITERS Susan Contreras, Don Fowler, Don D’Amato, Matt Holmes, Joan Retsinas, Colby Cremins, Mike Fink, Meg Chevalier, Cynthia Glinick, Joe Kernan ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Donna Zarrella – donnaz@rhodybeat.com

I love fireworks, I love fire pits, and navy blue is my favorite color. Break the Fourth down into telltale characteristics and I’m pretty sure I’ll love each and every one of them.

More than that, though, it’s one of the few times during the year where people really stop to pay homage to the people who made this country great; the people who made life as we know it possible. Rhode Island in particular has such a rich history and crucial role in the development of the United States that it’s hard not to get caught up in it.

Well, in this issue of PrimeTime, we get very caught up in it.

Meet a man named Tim Gray who has made his life honoring the “Greatest Generation” on the screen, so that younger generations can learn to appreciate what they have.

Then there are folks like Paul Borrelli - a familiar Rhode Island name - who is carrying on his own family’s legacy by keeping his father’s business alive and well. Dwayne Williams, on the other hand, isn’t even from this continent, but he lives the American values of hard work and kindness every day.

And if you really want to see Patriotism, read this month’s doer’s profile. Dick Devault is the chair of the Bristol Fourth of July parade, which is hands down the most iconic Independence Day celebration in the state.

If you’re up for some silly summer stuff, check out our feature on hot dogs. That’s right, hot dogs. We traveled around the state to find some of the best dog dishes in these parts, and talked to a few business owners who know a thing or two about the condiment conundrum.

July is all about having fun and kicking back. As the hottest month of the year in the northern hemisphere, we’d recommend taking it easy. But while you’re lounging in the shade or throwing back a cold one, make sure you take some time to think about the people and events that brought you to where you are. It sounds corny, but we all need to do it from time to time.

Meg Fraser editor

Carolann Soder, Lisa Mardenli, Janice Torilli, Suzanne Wendoloski, Gina Fugere Classified ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Nicole Egan – nicolee@rhodybeat.com Sue Howarth – sueh@rhodybeat.com PRODUCTION STAFF Matt Bower, Joseph Daniels, Brian Geary, Lisa Yuettner A Joint Publication of East Side Monthly and Beacon Communications.

PrimeTime Magazine is published monthly and is available at over 400 locations throughout Rhode Island. Letters to the editor are welcome. We will not print unsigned letters unless exceptional circumstances can be shown.

If you liked reading about all things All-American, you’ll love the August issue. We go super local next month with an entire edition dedicated to what we know best - Rhode Island!

all american IN THIS ISSUE Dog days of summer........................................4 Bite into Rhode Island with America’s backyard favorite Welcome to America........................................8 A foreign face feels right at home in Rhode Island Take me out to the ballgame.........................9 Bruce Guindon is living the dream working at a ball field Handbook for Americans............................. 10 Taking advantage of the U.S. of A The family business....................................... 11 Paul Borrelli carries tradition onward and upward Honoring America’s ‘Greatest Generation’.................................... 14 Tim Gray remembers dedication of WWII vets

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE SENIOR ISSUES Rhode Island tops in nursing home care..................................... 12 PEOPLE & PLACES Happy Birthday, Linden Place............................................................... 16 Music brings generations together................................................... 18 Glimpse of RI’s past...................................................................................... 22 Doer’s profile....................................................................................................... 24 A new kind of derby...................................................................................... 26 LIFESTYLES That’s Entertainment..................................................................................... 19 What do you Fink?.......................................................................................... 21 Gay & Gray............................................................................................................ 25 FOOD & DRINK Feeling the Flavor............................................................................................ 27

ON THE COVER: Hewtin’s Dogs on Hope Street in Providence (photo by Darcie DiSaia)

b y meg fraser

Dog Days of Summer Nothing says summer - or American fare - quite like a hot dog. At the ballpark or in your backyard, it’s the quintessential warm weather cuisine.

Here in Rhode Island, there are plenty of variations to keep your mouth watering, and we’ve touched upon just a few that top the list of menu must-haves.

Haven Brothers

It’s 2 a.m. and you’re closing out a late night of wining and dining with friends. The skimpy portions at the fancy restaurant didn’t seem to cut it. Where do you turn?

Late night cravings and the Haven Brothers truck go hand in hand.

The tradition at the aluminum cart was hardly the result of a booming college crowd, though. The Irish Haven family started a horse-drawn lunch wagon in 1893, and despite the change in transport and ownership, the idea is still the same.

Haven Brothers has won a barrage of awards for its delicious grub, of both the late night and lunchtime variety. Look for it downtown if you need a quick bite between appointments, or visit its Spruce Street stop for a midnight snack.

Oh, and don’t be afraid to go with a milkshake to wash it down.

4 | PrimeTime

July 2010

all american

Hewtin’s Dogs

Matt and Kristin Gennuso are best known as the owners of Chez Pascal, a French restaurant on the East Side that they believe makes foreign fare accessible. Not intimidating or pretentious, the restaurant has a welcome set of regulars, but none perhaps more loyal than those who prefer the Gennuso’s other business endeavor.

Across the street, in the grassy park on Hope Street, Hewtin’s Dogs is a far cry from French cuisine. It is, however, a great lunch spot, Monday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“I just think they’re really good hot dogs,” said Matt, wearing his chef’s uniform as he goes over the day’s menu.

“They’re all beef so it’s a good texture, and they use real wood for smoking. We certainly pay more for the hot dogs than we could, but the end result is that people like them and come back for more.”

Hewtin’s Dogs comes complete with homemade relish and chili, and all the fixings you could fancy.

“For me,” Kristen says, “it’s all about the condiments.”

“It’s the little extra steps that make a good hot dog even photos by

July 2010

Darcie DiSaia

PrimeTime | 5

b y meg fraser

Saugy’s It’s not exactly a hot dog, but it is the taste of Rhode Island. Saugy’s is the name of the product and the company, which has been around since 1869 - and no, that’s not a misprint. We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention Saugy’s, due in large part to the fact that my father will eat nothing else. If you’re at a backyard barbeque at the Fraser homestead, it’s saugies all the way.

“It’s been handed down from family to family, generation to generation,” said current owner Mary O’Brien, a descendent of the founders.

It’s a natural casing dog and is famous for the snap sound it makes when you dig in. There’s nothing else quite like it, and O’Brien is proud of that.

“They like the snap, the flavor and the tradition,” she says of her customers.

Enough to make them crave it from miles away. Saugy’s gets orders for shipments from all over the place, including Hawaii, Florida, Montana - and even Iraq.

If you need some advice on how to eat it, O’Brien says skip the meat sauce. For her, it’s best grilled, with Grey Poupon, onion and, of course, celery salt.

6 | PrimeTime

Little Rhody

When a company has been in the business for over a century, it’s hard not to take them seriously. Little Rhody, which is based out of Johnston, provides dogs to restaurants and companies all over the place, and serves them up in their own cafe as well.

“We’ve been making our fine tasting hot dogs for 102 years,” said owner Ed Robarsky, whose great grandparents started the company. The way he sees it, hot dogs are more than just what’s for dinner.

“It’s a whole tradition in Rhode Island, between wiener restaurants and cookouts,” he said.

Little Rhody Brand offers other menu selections, but don’t miss the dogs. And, if you’re extra hungry, we’d recommend the “mile long” hot dog, which, at nine inches, is sure to fill you up.

As for what Robarsky takes on his dog, he’s not picky.

“I can do it any way - any combination,” he said.

July 2010

all american

Olneyville New York System

You can’t find them in New York, or anywhere else for that matter. Legend has it they’re named after Greek immigrants who came to the Ocean State and wanted to pay homage to the state that welcomed them to America.

Either way, hot wieners are a Rhode Island staple, and Olneyville does it best.

Probably because they’ve been doing it for so long.

“We take great pride in what we do. Between a little luck and hard work and a good product, Olneyville New York System has become popular,” said owner Greg Stevens, who’s been working the counter since he was 14 years old.

The Stevens family got in the business in 1928, and in 1946, opened up their own restaurant. Back then, as is true now, they make their wieners “all the way” at their three locations, with steamed buns, mustard, onions, celery salt and meat sauce. Stevens likes it heavy on the salt.

Last month, a special visit from Food Network star Guy Fieri was aired for a segment of the show, “The Best Thing I Ever Ate.” The restaurant has also been featured on the Providence-based show “Brotherhood.”

“You never know who’s going to walk in the door,” Stevens said. “It’s amazing.” photos by

July 2010

Darcie DiSaia

PrimeTime | 7

all american

meg fraser bbyy patricia cook

I

t’s 7:30 a.m. and the URI instructional pool at the Tootell Aquatic Center has about 20 senior citizens walking and paddling around, and talking over the ’60s music coming from the boom box. Karen Hebb Piccolo, ARC instructor, leads the first class of the morning in stretching, cardio and water resistance weights. Stories of the previous weekend’s senior center trip to New Hampshire, dinner with the kids, new recipes, trips to the doctor are all discussed as they willingly complete jumping jacks.

Then the Jamaican voice of Dwayne Williams harmoniously carries across the pool, “Looking good, ladies!” Arms reach higher and smiles answer Dwayne’s admiring encouragement.

The 23-year-old’s energy spreads in the pool; old knees bend easier in the warm water and bad backs comfortably twist. Dwayne Williams’ smile is sincere and his willingness to converse and listen make him accessible to ageless exercisers, who are eager for relief.

Dwayne has been a welcome addition to the senior water aerobics classes since January. His internship was recommended by Phil Clark, professor of gerontology at URI. “This has been one terrific collaboration; we are just delighted with him,” said Hebb Piccolo, his supervisor at the pool.

During the hour of water aerobics, Dwayne sometimes leads the lesson and always completes the exercise. Often a conversation between Dwayne and a senior may be just an inquiring, “Hi, how are you doing today?” Or, depending on the need, Dwayne is a genial sounding board.

And the seniors are just as interested in his welfare as he is of theirs.

Classes are three times a week and Dwayne’s presence has become integral. His rare absence leaves an emptiness, maybe of youth, or maybe of a friend.

WELCOME – PAGE 28

W elcome to America Rhode Island seniors find solace with Jamaican student athlete

Find the Hot Dog for a Chance to Win A Summer Fun Golf Package from Modell’s!

actual size

mail entries to:

Beacon Communications 1944 Warwick Avenue, Warwick, RI 02889 attn: I Found It! or send an e-mail to: megf@rhodybeat.com Entry Deadline: July 31, 2010.

Name__________________________________________________________________________________ Address_ ______________________________________________________________________________ Phone#________________________________________________________________________________ e-mail__________________________________________________________________________________

8 | PrimeTime

July 2010

all american

b y PAT R I C K T R O U V E

Ta k e m e o ut t o the ballgame July, specifically July 4, is a time to celebrate the United States. In looking at the celebration of our country, it becomes obvious that few things personify the nation as much as the great, all-American pastime of baseball.

Lucky for us Rhode Islanders, we have a few outlets to satisfy our cravings for baseball. Not only do we have our championship caliber Boston Red Sox about an hour north of us to root for the majority of the year, but we also have the Pawtucket Red Sox in our own backyard to show us some quality baseball.

Although the players are typically the ones that get all the attention and credit for the team’s success, it is the unsung heroes of the organization that make the team truly great. Of these unsung heroes is longtime PawSox official scorer Bruce Guindon.

Guindon has served as official scorer for the Red Sox organization since 1995, including a sixyear stint in Boston. The passion he brings to his job is a testament to the kind of person Guindon is both in and out of the press box.

“My goal at the end of every day is to get it right as best as I possibly can,” he said.

The tasks Guindon is responsible for vary. He is in charge of validating the lineup to ensure accurate statistics, generating the box score for each game, determining scoring decisions that affect players’ stats, keeping track of when the first pitch is thrown and length of game, and even determining wind and weather conditions for each contest.

From the top of the first to the bottom of the ninth, there’s never a dull moment.

Guindon was born in Pawtucket in 1951 where his love of baseball bloomed from a very early age.

“Growing up as a kid, that’s all we really did,” he explained. “We’d go out and play after doing our homework and any chores we had to do. We’d play till the streetlights came on.”

One particular experience Guindon will always remember took place in 1966 when he was able to participate in a game for the Pawtucket Indians, the Cleveland Indians affiliate at the time.

His gym teacher in school went through the class looking for a student to manage one of the oldfashioned scoreboards that used to be fixtures at McCoy Stadium; Guindon volunteered.

July 2010

Life with the Pawsox, realizing a dream Sitting on just a wooden plank suspended next to the scoreboard, Guindon was responsible for documenting the score changes while putting his life in his own hands.

“

Every person who likes baseball – every baseball fan, even if you’re not a true baseball fan –knows (the sport) says a lot about life

”

“I had to dodge a few home runs out there,” Guindon said, laughing.

Guindon grew up participating in sports and, after a position as producer for the Rhode Island Reds radio broadcasts from 1972 to 1976, eventually landed a position as the penalty timekeeper for the Providence Bruins, a position he has served at since 1992. Eventually, in 1994, longtime scorer of the Sox Ed Lesiack passed away from cancer.

Guindon jumped at the chance to take up the position and was hired by the PawSox for the 1995 season.

Guindon served as the official scorer for the PawSox for three seasons until another enormous opportunity fell into his lap.

In 1998, Guindon received a call from Boston informing him that one of the men who typically did the official scoring for the Red Sox was ill and in need of a replacement.

Guindon immediately agreed to the position, receiving all the perks that came with it: the credentials, field access and full access to the Red Sox organization.

“Not only players get called up, but I got called up as official scorer,” said Guindon.

He might have been a little star struck as well.

“It was great. I would go up to the batting cages just to talk to these players,” he recalled.

Guindon served in Boston from 1998 until the 2003-2004 season when organizational changes forced him back to Pawtucket where he has, and continues to, remain overjoyed with the fulfillment he receives from going to work every day.

“Having some knowledge of sports and the rules of baseball, and being a huge Red Sox fan, it’s amazing to watch the things that come up over the course of a game,” he said. “Even being 59 [years old], it’s like being a kid again. To be able to sit in the dugout, and be on that field, and be part of the organization, it’s unimaginable.”

Guindon could not say enough about the type of relationship and warmth he has received in his 16-year history with the Red Sox organization.

“I’ve had a very good relationship with the front office people; it’s kind of like an extended family,” he said. “It’s like going to your mother or grandmother’s house. You’re welcomed with open arms” As for the sport of baseball itself, Guindon agrees that it embodies the spirit of America.

“Every person who likes baseball - every baseball fan, even if you’re not a true baseball fan—knows [the sport] says a lot about life,” commented Guindon. “We live in a society; we have to intermingle with people every day. In being on a baseball team, and being a part of that organization, you have to learn to socialize and mingle and learn to communicate with other people and deal with differing opinions.”

Guindon believes that the lessons taught from simply playing the game are indispensable, an element that truly makes baseball “America’s pastime.”

In that way, he said, it’s not just a game.

“There’s a lot of social benefit from a ball game and being a part of a team. It teaches you a lot about life’s offerings.” ■

PrimeTime | 9

The Handbook for Americans July 4th certainly is the most patriotic of our national holidays. American Flags, parades on Main Street and bursting fireworks provide a spirit of pride and celebration. It is also a time to reflect on the rights and responsibilities of American citizens. There is always room for our voices to be heard, and perhaps now more than ever, we need to join hands in taking the lead.

Hatherleigh Press recently released “The Handbook for Americans” to provide every citizen with an important reference for understanding their country and their rights to participate in shaping its future.

“The Handbook for Americans” calls for United States’ citizens to participate fully and without delay and offers 11 ways you can play an active role in building what President Franklin Delano Roosevelt called “a greater, a more stable and a more tolerant America.”

• Vote. By participating in elections at the local, state and national level, we make our opinions heard. Understand the issues. Learn as much as you can about the candidates. Vote responsibly.

• Use your time meaningfully and wisely. Help out at the local school or nursing home. Organize a neighborhood cleanup. Let’s all do what we can to support each other.

• Stay informed. Read newspapers, magazines, blogs. Talk to your friends, co-workers and neighbors. Go online and read current bills before Congress. An educated American is an empowered citizen.

• Reread our founding documents. The principles laid out in the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and the Bill of Rights are timeless and essential. This country’s founders envisioned a future we are living out today - and we can turn to these documents whenever our democratic institutions and expectations are challenged and need to be reinvigorated.

• Exercise your right to free speech. When we articulately and intelligently state our opinions, popular or not, we truly live up to the hopes and dreams of the Founding Fathers.

Freedom of speech is an extraordinary right.

• Support American businesses. When we buy products labeled “Made in USA,” we are supporting our economy and creating jobs for our fellow citizens.

• Support Americans in need. The Gulf oil disaster, flash floods - whatever the cause may be - our neighbors need us.

Help your fellow Americans. Donate your time, services or money to those less fortunate than you.

10 | PrimeTime

• Look to the past for perspective. Our nation’s history is rich with moments when strength and resilience transcended hardship and adversity.

Look to the lives of our great leaders, Presidents and citizens for inspiration.

• Teach the next generation. Like anything else, enlightened patriotism comes from education, not ignorance. Teach the children about the special rights and responsibilities we share as Americans, and how they can exercise those rights.

• Enjoy and protect America’s natural resources.

Conserve, recycle or help clean up a river or plant a tree. Our democracy deserves a home as beautiful as its ideals.

• Above all else: Bet on Good. Believe in America.

Believe that together we can forge a better future and better ways of doing things. Believe it, and then do it.

July 2010

all american

b y meg fraser

The family business

Paul Borrelli continues entertainment legacy Music runs in Paul Borrelli’s family. He grew up listening to his dad play saxophone in the Perry Borrelli Orchestra, turning passion into a profession.

Now, 85 years later, and Paul hasn’t missed a beat.

In the thirties and forties, Perry was a top orchestra leader, performing up and down the coast at hotels and venues before DJs became the order of the day. In 1980, when Perry passed away, Paul came forward to take over the family business.

“I didn’t want to see his business go down the drain,” he said. “We had worked with our dad for a long time.”

Back in the eighties, though, the Borrellis were used to dealing just with music.

Paul’s vision went further.

“I built it from there to what it is now. Little by little I started getting into amusements and then started getting into some catering,” he said, going through the timeline that led to Borrelli Event Services, which today includes a 7,000 square foot warehouse full of tents, tables, chairs, decorations, lighting and even inflatable rides. More recently, they’ve begun breaking into digital photography.

In other words, one-stop shopping for events.

Despite his roots in music, Paul enjoys the other end of the business.

Because he doesn’t farm anything out, he and his staff can focus on the details, whether it’s a house party or a corporate event, like the Stop and Shop openings he has been doing for the past four years.

Dotting the walls of Paul’s office, mixed among photos of bands and

singers he or his father had worked with, are letters of thanks and congratulations from the opening of the Convention Center, the Westin Hotel, Providence Place Mall and the Jamestown-Verrazano Bridge.

For all of these engagements, Paul says he treats each one as a priority.

“One of the most important things my father taught me is that the first impression is a lasting impression,” he said. “Every event is an audition.

You can never sit back and rest on your laurels.”

Especially not in this economy. Although business is good, everybody seems to be cutting back. Instead of lavish company parties, Paul sees more simple picnics, for example.

“People don’t have the money that they used to. They’re really conscious of how they’re spending their money, but we’re busy all the time.” he said.

Paul chalks it up to word of mouth, and some of the more public events such as the summer concerts at Garden City and South County Commons.

Paul has run the summer series in Cranston for 24 years.

“We’ve had some huge crowds,” he said. “One of the successes of concerts, especially at Garden City, is they’re different every week so it doesn’t get boring.”

And Paul is never bored. He’s got his hands full with the business.

As for his dad, Paul thinks the Perry Borrelli Orchestra would be impressed.

“He’d be amazed,” Paul said. “He would never think that the business would do what we’re doing now. Every day it’s something new.” ■

Where Heart & Home Come Together

SUMMER LINE-UP

Don’t miss these free outdoor concerts this summer, hitting the lawn from 6 to 8 p.m. for each show.

Garden City July 7: Paul Borrelli Band July 14: Rhythm Room July 21: World Premier July 28: Reminisce Aug. 4: Greg Abate & Mike Renzi Aug. 11: The Rebel Riders

Welcome to my home! I live with 84 wonderful seniors who also chose The Seasons as their home. Stop by for a visit.

Youʼll be glad you did. Tell them Boomer sent you.

• Studio, one and two bedroom apartments, including meals • Options for enhanced support • Respite stays • Program for Qualified Veterans • Separate Alzheimerʼs residence • Priority admission to quality nursing homes July 2010

South County Commons July 8: Image July 15: The Driftwoods July 22: The Nightlife Orchestra July 29: Rockin’ Soul Aug. 5: Paul Borrelli Band Aug. 18: Xiles

Five Saint Elizabeth Way East Greenwich, RI 401-884-9099 info@theseasons.org www.theseasons.org

PrimeTime | 11

ght business spotlion Come see what sets us apart! • Assisted Living since 1992 • Spacious one bedroom apartments • Priority admission to Scandinavian Home Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation

Scandinavian Assisted Living Retirement Center 50 Warwick Avenue Cranston, RI 02905

Call for details or arrange for a tour

401-461-1444

Email: TSodipo@ScandinavianHome.com A non-profit organization A CareLink Member

SPECIALIZING IN MEMORY CARE The most caring and dedicated staff...just ask our residents

t /FXMZ SFOPWBUFE t "MM UIF DPNGPSUT PG IPNF t ɨSFF IPNF DPPLFE NFBMT EBJMZ t "EVMU EBZ DBSF QSPHSBN t 4FDVSF MJWJOH FOWJSPONFOU t .BOZ SFDSFBUJPOBM BDUJWJUJFT 0BLMBXO "WF $SBOTUPO 3* t www.PacificaVictoriaCourt.com Lic #ALR01454

Spotlight your business $150.00 a month*

Includes your Ad and 1 Story & Photograph! *5 month commitment

Call Donna today to reserve your space

(401) 732-3100 x216

12 | PrimeTime

b y kerry park

i

s e n i o r

s

s

u

e

s

Rhode Island tops in nursing home care My InnerView, a national research firm that conducts satisfaction surveys of health care entities nationwide, recently released the list of 2009 Excellence in Action award winners. Twenty-five Rhode Island skilled nursing facilities received the award, which recognizes superior customer and workforce satisfaction in nursing homes. Rhode Island placed number one among all U.S. states in customer satisfaction with 29 percent of all facilities achieving this coveted award. Over 5,000 nursing homes in the country participated in the 2009 satisfaction survey.

The award, which is presented annually, recognizes only those providers that performed in the top 10 percent of all nursing homes surveyed. Specifically, criteria included completion of a customer satisfaction survey in 2009 with a minimum 30 percent response rate, and a score in the top 10 percent of qualifying facilities on the question, “What is your recommendation of this facility to others?� in terms of the percentage of respondents rating the facility as “excellent.� “Despite a precarious funding stream, our providers manage to deliver top quality health care to Rhode Island’s nursing home residents,� said Virginia Burke, CEO and President of the Rhode Island Health Care Association, the state’s largest non-profit trade association of skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities. “Rhode Island’s providers are extremely proactive in implementing quality initiatives that promote the best quality of life possible for those living in our facilities.�

Award winners can be seen on the My InnerView website at www. myinnerview.com/resource_center/excellence_in_action or on the Rhode Island Health Care Association website at www.rihca.com. â–

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

C A• L E •N D A• R • O F • E V• E N•T S •

•

•

•

•

Back in the Courtyard The Villa at Saint Antoine, a 76-apartment assisted living community in North Smithfield, is continuing its annual tradition of Concerts in the Courtyard. The series begins on July 13 with the Providence Brigade Band, and continues on July 27 with Frank Castle & the Dixie Kings. All concerts begin at 7 p.m. and are free to the public, though patrons are asked to bring folding chairs. For more information, go to www.stantoine.net or call Jean Larkin at 767-2574.

Raise a glass “A Toast for Life� to benefit the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Foundation will take place on Friday, July 16 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Ocean House, which is located at 1 Bluff Avenue in Watch Hill. The evening will include a wine tasting. Visit www.gloriagemma.org for details.

For the French and friends The Alliance Francaise will celebrate Bastille Day at Colt State Park on Sunday, July 18 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Colt State Park is located in Bristol, and the event will take place in the picnic area. The Alliance will be cooking hot dogs and hamburgers and soft drinks will be available. Visitors are invited to pack a picnic and enjoy the variety of games, including kite flying and fishing. To sit at the “Revolutionnaires� table, e-mail afprovidence@ cox.net or call 272-6243.

July 2010

all american

Gil Botelho, George Furtado, Bill Dias, Jack Hunt, Anthony “Pal” DaSilva and Henry Beckett, lifelong friends from the East Providence/Foxpoint area, reunited recently to welcome Dias in for his annual visit to Rhode Island.

★ ★★

★

July 2010

Pictured are Gil Botelho and Bill Dias. Drafted into the United States Army in Rhode Island in 1951, they trained together at Camp Polk in Los Angeles, and then sailed together to Japan to serve in the Korean War. This was their first meeting since leaving the Army in late 1952.

PrimeTime | 13

b y patrick trouve

Honoring America’s Although over 60 years have passed since World War II, one Rhode Island man dares to continue telling the emotional stories of those involved.

Tim Gray, president of Tim Gray Media, has received serious praise for his work in producing Emmy Award winning war documentaries.

“These films are something I’m very passionate about, they’re something I’ve always wanted to do,” said Gray. “This is my dream job.”

Gray was not always the renowned producer of World War II documentaries, however. Graduating with a degree in journalism from the University of Rhode Island, Gray began his professional career as a sports reporter and news anchor for over 17 years, bringing him across the country to places such as Michigan, Washington State, Florida, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and, of course, Rhode Island where he worked for Channel 10 in Providence for five years.

In 2005, Gray was looking for a change in his professional direction. With his interest in World War II, an interest instilled since childhood, coupled with a visit to Normandy in 2005, where he witnessed that 99 Rhode Islanders were buried at the beaches there, Gray decided that telling the stories of the veterans involved in the conflict was what he needed to do.

“The timing was right,” Gray explained. “I really felt like this was something I really wanted to do.”

Gray said that 1,000 World War II veterans are passing away each day and only 2 million of the original 16 million that made up the U.S armed forces during the war are left.

“We’re losing these men and women at an incredible pace, and with that you’re losing history,” said Gray.

Essentially racing against the clock, Gray established Tim Gray Media in 2005 and immediately began planning for his first movie, his eventual Emmy Award winning documentary “D-day: The Price of Freedom.” Receiving funding for this film, particularly as a brand new company, was not easy.

“You had to go out and knock on a lot of doors and for every 100 doors you knock on, you may get one or two to open,” Gray said. “It wasn’t easy, but we did it. I think people realized that what we were doing was important.”

The film debuted in 2006 to a barrage of praise.

Gray explained that it’s the individuals involved in the war that make his job of telling their stories so fulfilling and successful.

“It’s the personal stories,” said Gray. “It was a dramatic time in the history of the world. There was a clear definition between good and evil. [The war] was a way that people came together unlike anything we’ve ever seen since.”

“Every veteran has their own individual story of what they did in World War II,” Gray added. “Some guys’ stories are more dramatic than others, but

Lock in your price for one year!

150 NOW GET OVER

chaNNEls

29

$

99 mo.

FoR 12 months

the CHoICE™ package After rebate

local channels included*

And many more of your favorite independent channels in select markets.

FREE

For a limited time get: FOR 3 mONThS^

Get 21 movie channels!

12 Channels

9 Channels

2 FREE

Models may vary.

UPGRADES

HD DVR & HD RECEIVER $

FREE

PRO INSTALL

In up to 4 Rooms

298

Value!

over $70 Value!

With activation of CHOICE XTRA™ package or higher.

And many more!

With activation of CHOICE XTRA™ package or higher. With agreement.°

Custom installation extra. Handling and delivery fee $19.95.

Lease fee of $5/mo. for 2nd & each additional receiver.

Prices include a $24 bill credit for 12 months after rebate, plus an additional $5 with online rebate and consent to email alerts. With agreement.^ Offers extended to 7/21/10. Credit card required (except in MA & PA). New approved customers only (lease required, must maintain programming, DVR and HD Access). Hardware available separately. Applicable use tax adjustment may apply on the retail value of the installation.

Switch today! 1-877-679-3892 °INSTANT REBATE: Second advanced receiver offer for qualified customers only who select an HD DVR or HD Receiver as the first free receiver upgrade. Advanced receiver instant rebate requires activation of the CHOICE XTRA package or above; MAS ULTRA or above (or for DVR receiver, OPTIMO MÁS Package or above); Jadeworld; or any qualifying international service bundle, which shall include the PREFERRED CHOICE programming package (valued at $38.99/mo.). DVR service ($7/mo.) required for DVR and HD DVR lease. HD Access fee ($10/mo.) required for HD and HD DVR lease. LIMIT TWO ADVANCED RECEIVER REBATES PER DIRECTV ACCOUNT. INSTALLATION: Standard professional installation only. Custom installation extra. SYSTEM LEASE: Purchase of 24 consecutive months of any DIRECTV base programming package ($29.99/mo. or above) or qualifying international services bundle required. FAILURE TO ACTIVATE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE EQUIPMENT LEASE ADDENDUM MAY RESULT IN A CHARGE OF $150 PER RECEIVER. IF SERVICE IS TERMINATED BEFORE THE END OF AGREEMENT, A CANCELLATION FEE OF $20/MONTH REMAINING WILL APPLY. ALL EQUIPMENT IS LEASED AND MUST BE RETURNED TO DIRECTV UPON CANCELLATION, OR UNRETURNED EQUIPMENT FEES APPLY. VISIT directv.com OR CALL 1-800-DIRECTV FOR DETAILS. ^BILL CREDIT/PROGRAMMING OFFER: Free SHOWTIME for 3 months, a value of $38.97. Free Starz and SHOWTIME for 3 months, a value of $72. LIMIT ONE PROGRAMMING OFFER PER ACCOUNT. Featured package names and prices: CHOICE $58.99/ mo.; CHOICE XTRA $63.99/mo.; ÓPTIMO MÁS $47.99/mo. Upon DIRECTV System activation, customer will receive redemption instructions (included in customer’s first DIRECTV bill, a separate mailing, or, in the state of New York, from retailer) and must comply with the terms of the instructions. In order to receive full $29 credit ($23 for ÓPTIMO MÁS) in first 12 months, customer must submit rebate online and consent to email alerts prior to rebate redemption. Online redemption requires valid email address. Rebate begins 6-8 weeks after receipt of rebate form online or by mail. Timing of promotional price depends on redemption date. Account must be in “good standing,” as determined by DIRECTV in its sole discretion, to remain eligible. DIRECTV is not responsible for late, lost, illegible, mutilated, incomplete, misdirected or postage-due mail. IF BY THE END OF PROMOTIONAL PRICE PERIOD(S) CUSTOMER DOES NOT CONTACT DIRECTV TO CHANGE SERVICE THEN ALL SERVICES WILL AUTOMATICALLY CONTINUE AT THE THEN-PREVAILING RATES INCLUDING THE $5/MO. LEASE FEE FOR THE 2ND AND EACH ADDITIONAL RECEIVER. DIRECTV System has a feature which restricts access to channels. In certain markets, programming/pricing may vary. *Eligibility for local channels based on service address. Programming, pricing, terms and conditions subject to change at any time. Pricing residential. Taxes not included. Receipt of DIRECTV programming subject to DIRECTV Customer Agreement; copy provided at directv.com/legal and in first bill. ©2010 DIRECTV, Inc. DIRECTV and the Cyclone Design logo, CHOICE, CHOICE XTRA, ÓPTIMO MÁS and DIRECTV Más are trademarks of DIRECTV, Inc. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.

14 | PrimeTime

July 2010

all american

Greatest Generation

Make a $25 tax deductible donation to The Rocky Point Foundation and get a bright blue t-shirt to show your support to save this Rhode Island treasure.

G et

the

t

e

The Rocky Point Tee

G

Show Your Colors

th

rg

everyone who served in the war has an individual story; no two stories are ever the same.�

Gray’s most recent film, one still in the production stage, aims to tell the story of the Band of Brothers, Easy Company paratroopers who dropped into Normandy at the start of the European campaign, void of the Hollywood feel the popular HBO series might have alluded to; it focuses on the members of Easy Company that did not receive a lot of attention in the series. “It’s their time to get some recognition,� Gray said.

The film, “We Who Are Alive and Remain,� based on Marcus Brotherton’s New York Times bestseller of the same name, tells the untold stories of sacrifice and bravery the men involved displayed to do their job as soldiers.

Gray explained, “Anytime you go back to a place like Normandy and see what these men had to go through, there’s a respect that what they went through was the most impossible to accomplish, but yet they did.�

Gray believes that working with World War II veterans brings a sort of fulfillment that truly allows him to be so passionate about his work. “There’s a satisfaction that I’ve interviewed people who are humble, who did their job, rebuilt America, and didn’t complain,� he said.

Although the group is known as the “greatest generation,� Gray calls them the most humble generation.

The inspiration behind Gray’s work is undoubtedly the attitudes of the veterans he has the pleasure to work with in his documentaries, attitudes he believes we can all learn from. “They came out of the depression, they went and did a job, and they came home and rebuilt the country. They leave a lesson for anybody to follow that you do your job, you don’t complain, and you do it as well as you can,â€? said Gray. “They’re examples of how we should live our lives today.â€? â–

.o e p o i nt

point G e tT

heP

o in t.

o rg

Get Your T-Shirt Stop in, make a donation and get your t-shirt - or - send a check made payable to The Rocky Point Foundation (be sure to specify t-shirt size)

Get the

;OL YLÂťZ T

U [ O L HPY P

J P

\Z

Beacon Communications 1944 Warwick Avenue Warwick, RI 02889 401-732-3100

:\TTLY *VUJLY[ :LYPLZ >LKULZKH`Z 1\S` œ (\N\Z[ [O œ WT H[ [OL .HaLIV 5DLQGDWH LV 7KXUVGD\V 3OHDVH EULQJ D GRQDWLRQ RI SHDQXW EXWWHU RU WXQD ðVK IRU WKH 5, )RRG %DQN &DOO RU YLVLW ZZZ JDUGHQFLW\FHQWHU FRP 5RXWH á &UDQVWRQ 5, á

SPONSORED BY

point

G e t T h e P o i n t . o rg

Work with the Rocky Point Foundation to...

Get The Point

the rocky point foundation c/o beacon communications | 1944 warwick avenue | warwick | rhode island 02889

July 2010

PrimeTime | 15

b y meg fraser

Happy Birthday Linden Place Every July, the lawn of the Linden Place Mansion fills with visitors and locals as the annual parade marches by on Main Street.

This year, the celebrations will continue long after the fireworks have ended.

Linden Place is celebrating its 200th birthday, and each month brings different events and programs to honor the museum’s rich history.

“We have a lot going on,” said Executive Director James Burke Connell, as a group of visitors tours the sprawling estate.

The white columned building stands apart from its neighbors, even on Bristol’s picturesque main drag. George DeWolf built the home, featured in the film “The Great Gatsby,” in 1810.

It boasts a four-story, free standing spiral staircase and a chandelier from Buckingham Palace.

Aside from its physical beauty - what Connell calls an “architectural crown jewel” - the home has a history all its own. photos by

Darcie DiSaia

16 | PrimeTime

July 2010

If the walls could talk, they would relay stories of excess and entertainment.

Leading a tour one Friday afternoon, guide Roberta Remington went through the home’s timeline, touching upon multiple generations of DeWolfs who misspent their fortunes and damaged their reputations in the process.

“They entertained themselves silly,” she said. “Those DeWolf guys were real scoundrels.”

Still, Linden Place attracts many visitors, including wedding guests. In the past seven years, wedding income has

July 2010

P EO P LE AN D P LACES increased by 400 percent for the facility.

“That’s our bread and butter,” Connell said, explaining that the two-acre property hosts as many as 50 weddings each year.

Linden Place is also very involved in the community, working with the Bristol Art Museum and area non-profits.

Connell encourages passersby to stop in to the mansion or stroll through the grounds, which LINDEN – PAGE 28

PrimeTime | 17

Enjoy Some

Hot Dog History “Hot dog! Get your hot dog here!” Such is the shout heard at sports stadiums across the country. Hot dogs are portable, inexpensive and easy to prepare, not to mention tasty. It’s no surprise that they are eaten most often between Memorial Day and Labor Day, and that they are an ideal treat to eat while watching your favorite sporting event.

Beef up on your hot-dog trivia in honor of National Hot Dog Month, courtesy of the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council.

Where did the name “hot dog” come from?

Legend says that cartoonist Tad Dorgan saw a vendor selling “hot dachshund sausages” at a baseball game at the New York Polo Grounds. He shouted, “Get your red-hot dachshund sausages!” In his cartoon, Dorgan drew a dachshund dog, resting in a bun. But he didn’t know how to spell dachshund, so he gave the cartoon the caption, “Get your hot dogs.” However, no one has ever found a copy of this cartoon. Others say the name was a joke about German immigrants being small, long, thin dogs. And some say that students at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, referred to the wagons outside their dorms that sold hot sausages, as “dog wagons.” That name soon became “hot dog.” Indeed, the exact origin of the term is unknown.

When was the first hot dog served with a roll?

That question is under debate. However, since the sausage culture is German, these folks most likely introduced Americans to the practice of eating hot dogs in buns. Still others say it was introduced at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in 1904. A concessionaire loaned white gloves to his patrons so they could hold the hot treat. When he ran low on gloves, he asked his brother-in-law, a baker, for help. The baker created the bun out of long soft buns.

What is in a hot dog?

Hot dogs are cured and cooked sausages that consist of mainly pork, beef, chicken and turkey, or a combination of meat and poultry. Other ingredients include water, curing agents, and spices such as garlic, salt, sugar, ground mustard, nutmeg, coriander and white pepper. If other meats are used in the hot dog, federal law mandates that they be listed on the package.

Which baseball stadium attendees eat the most hot dogs?

Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles is predicted to be the top hot-dog eating stadium for 2005 at 1, 674,400.

How many hot dogs do Americans eat each year?

It is estimated that Americans consume 20 billion hot dogs a year, or about 70 hot dogs per person each year. Hot dogs are served in 95 percent of homes in the United States.

What is the most popular condiment for a hot dog?

For adults, mustard is the most popular condiment for a hot dog, but for children, it is ketchup. Topping preferences do vary by region. In New York, hot dogs are often served with a light mustard and steamed onions. In Chicago, hot dogs are served with mustard, relish, onions and tomato slices. ■

18 | PrimeTime

July 2010

that’s entertainment!

p

r

i

m

e

t

i

m

e

l i f e s t y l e s

b y don fowler

Bassett’s Inn – A Warwick Institution I can’t tell a lie - it was a warm Sunday evening and we were headed for Oakland Beach and some of Iggy’s seafood. The line was longer than I’ve ever seen it, so we opted for something else.

Then I remembered Bassett’s Inn, down the road at 2227 West Shore Rd. Basset’s, like the Fowlers, have been in the same location for over 40 years. Friends had told us about it. We heard it was a great family restaurant, and yet we had never eaten there (So many restaurants, so little time).

The parking lot was full and there was a 10minute wait, just enough time to check the menu and see if there was something we wanted.

No problem. Many items on the menu enticed us.

Our friendly waitress quickly brought the breadbasket, and suggested a few items, making us feel like regulars on our first visit, while appearing to know everyone else in the room.

With seafood still on our minds, and attracted to the smaller appetite menu (That usually is a nicer name for senior citizens’ portion) we settled

on two wonderful, and plentiful, dishes from that category.

I ordered the baked stuffed haddock with scallops ($10.95), which came piping hot, lightly topped with cheese, and a side of angel hair pasta.

The blend of the two ocean delights was perfect.

Joyce chose the broiled sea scallops ($9.95), also cooked to perfection, with a side of linguini.

The meal included a delicious cup of chicken soup.

We’ll be back to try the Chef’s specials, which include veal sorrentino ($17.95) and clams zuppa ($14.95) that the folks at an adjoining table were thoroughly enjoying.

In addition to an extensive seafood menu, with an average cost of $16.95, Bassett’s is known for their steaks and Italian food. One of the Sunday specials was an old favorite, Yankee pot roast ($13.95).

The restaurant is family friendly, with three dining areas and a separate bar area, where you can also order food. Children’s meals run from

grilled cheese with French fries ($3.95) to the familiar chicken fingers and fries ($5.95).

They also have an attractive salad bar.

I was told to watch for the lobster specials. For only $21.95, Bassett’s serves twin boiled lobsters, a lobster/steamer combo, or lobster sauté, all of which include potato, corn on the cob, and chowder.

Now that we have finally discovered Bassett’s after 40 years, we’ll be back.

They are open for lunch and dinner. For further information, check out their web ite at www. bassettsinn.com, or call them at 737-6073. ■

You’ll Feel Welcome at Davenport’s We like to catch a movie at the Seekonk Showcase 1-10 in the late afternoon, and then go out to dinner.

Having done this for years, we have eaten at all of the restaurants along Route 6 on the Seekonk/East Providence border, including Chili’s, Applebee’s, TGI Friday’s, Bugaboo Creek and the new 5 Guys hamburger joint (We’ll try that one more time before reviewing it).

We decided to head toward Route 44 and see what we could find. Lo and behold, we found a friendly, reasonable family-style restaurant at 1925 Pawtucket Ave, in East Providence, where the Red Lobster used to be.

Davenport’s in East Providence is the second of the family owned establishments, the first being in Cumberland. The restaurant is large, with a number of dining rooms, neighborhood bar and function room.

On Monday and Tuesday they have a dinner special. When you order from a good variety of specials, you also get a soup or salad, beverage, including beer or wine and dessert.

I ordered the shepherd’s pie, and it was the best I have ever had, served hot in a huge bowl, and filled with potato, ground beef and corn.

The soup special was Portuguese. And it was filled with sausage and veggies, and had a nice bite to it.

July 2010

Joyce was attracted to a pear and Gorgonzola salad that was also large and very tasty, with fresh greens, walnuts, red onion, seedless grapes and grilled chicken, with a raspberry vinaigrette dressing that complemented the other ingredients.

I took home my large piece of fresh blueberry pie (Notice, I keep saying “large”).

The next day I couldn’t find my credit card. A call to Davenport’s found it safely secured, which meant we had to return the following Sunday. The special on Sundays is an all-you-can-eat chicken, macaroni and French fry dinner served family style for “$10.99.

Looking over the menu, we had a difficult time choosing among the many burger varieties, pizza and dinners.

Joyce chose a small deep-dish pizza with sausage and mushrooms, loved it, and took half of it home for the next day.

I started with their award-winning seafood chowder - three years in a row at the Newport Chowder Cookoff - at $2.99 a cup. The taste was fabulous, but the chef scooped up more potato than seafood in my case.

I chose the baked scrod, which came with my choice of fresh spinach and curly fries.

The fish had a tasty topping and just a touch of cheese sauce. The fish is at market price, and the price was a bit high at $14.95, but well worth it. The

manager was quite concerned that a light bulb had blown over our table. We hadn’t even noticed, but assured him it was OK. It was our waitress’s first day, and she was charmingly attentive.

On our first visit, we had a veteran who seemed to know most of the people around us, including a man who told me that I made the right choice on the shepherd’s pie, and needed to try the chicken pot pie ($9.45).

Davenport’s is open daily for lunch and dinner. You can check out their complete menu, specials and frequent visitor discount card online (Just Google Davenport’s Restaurant), or call them at 438-3381. ■

PrimeTime | 19

GOT MEDICARE? Po w e r

We’re looking for new members . . .

You May Qualify For A

W e can make it easier for you to use your Medicare benefit to help you get the mobility you need!

Korean War Veterans

Medicare could cover the cost of your powerchair. W e check your eligibility for FR E E and it only takes a few minutes!

That means the mobility you need could cost you little to nothing!

C all FR E E today to check your eligibility!

1-888-545-1295

Korean Service Veterans

You Deserve To Have Your Freedom!

• W e can offer you our guaranteed LOW EST PRICES • W e have many different models and brands available to fit your needs • W e have FINANCING AVAILABLE & will have DELIVERY W ITHIN 5 DAYS!

Meetings held 2nd Wednesday of every Month

• W e’re confident that you’ll find the right power chair or scooter at an affordable price for you or your loved one!

Chepachet Senior Center Rte. 44 1210 Putnam Pike, Chepachet

If You’ve Been Denied Through Medicare C all:

1-877-907-8775

Call Frank 231-3736 or Gil 831-3301 For More Information

Freedom Scooters & Chairs Can Help You!

KWVA – Chapter 3

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

C A• L E •N D A• R • O F • E V• E N•T S •

Summer keeps jamming It’s not quite August, but on the first of the month, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band will present a contemporary approach to traditional New Orleans sound at the Newport Folk Festival. This is just one program offered through the Festival, however, so visit their office at 22 Broadway in Newport, visit www. ticketmaster.com or call 848-5055 to get a full listing of events.

Pirates and Scoundrels and Criminals, oh my!

The Museum & Shop at Brick Market hosts the Pirates & Scoundrels walking history tour in Newport for just $12 per person. The trip leaves at 11:30 a.m. and lasts for approximately 75 minutes.

Reservations are suggested, as space is limited.

20 | PrimeTime

Chair!

•

•

•

•

Walk on the bright side Pack a lunch and head over to Burnside Park at 2 Kennedy Plaza in Providence in order to listen to a variety of musical performers from Celtic to folk. The shows take place from 12 to 1 p.m. near the park’s fountain. Visit www.kennedyplaza.org for a full schedule of each Wednesday’s performer.

Catch the trolley All throughout the months of July and August, catch an old-fashioned trolley on Wednesdays at 10 a.m. and cruise through Narragansett with a historical narrative by Ted Wright. Excursion groups meet at the Towers, which are located at 35 Ocean Road. For information, call 782-2597 or visit www.thetowersri.com.

July 2010

what do you fink? b y mike fink

T

p

r

i

m

e

t

i

m

e

l i f e s t y l e s

but with the stockings drooping a bit, on our brick stairs. Oh, there are also a few of the very first dwelling our folks had near Roger Williams Park but among those I am nothing more than a stroller with a package of infancy blanketed within it. We weren’t really a proper threesome until we had moved to the blocks where once the French troops had camped. History is a jumble like a broken piled heap of mismatched prints and envelopes of negatives to sort out. I offer only that one summer day, and the rest is word, memory, anecdote.

I have to move on from those dark pages that begin the tale of three toward the events that separated us from one another, making each of us a unique personality.

As the first, and the product of the glittering decade of the ’20s before the great depression hit, Ed had the best and freshest outfits to wear, and the grandest grandparent

he parents started out their collection of candids with a black book in a leather cover, holding thick ebony pages barnacled by those little square brackets for snapshots. It was the album of images of the Three Little Fink Boys, born in 1928, 1932, and 1933, at play in front of the houses or posing beside the cars.

Empty spaces began to appear, almost at the very start of the gallery, as a picture might be removed for one reason or another. To cut out a detail and then fit it inside the tiny frame of a locket, perhaps. A dear tiny face to show off. To join another folder or collage.

Or even to get rid of somebody else who had fallen from favor. There was so little left of the phantom show, with its commentary penned by mom or dad in gold ink, that the whole volume was replaced by putting each picture into another, looser collection. You could find what you might seek (to show off your past

The Three Little Fink Boys

to a pretty girl, or only a lost and found cousin) in the mahogany drawer of a buffet in the dining room.

The three little Fink boys, each in his due or overdue time, grew up and away and started new families and homesteads. But those few first black and white souvenirs took on, of course, archetypical status.

My mother painted her memory of the trio of us on an unfinished canvas. She based the composition on a single official photograph. I, the youngest, stand on a chair above my elder brothers with a hand on the shoulder of each. You can always read the character of each by the nature of the smile and the look in the eyes. Ed, the eldest, has an ironic and direct stare at the camera.

Chick, the second in command, looks a bit away and above. I, the last-born, squint through spectacles, head tilted to one side, the final puppy in a litter.

But I keep one single favorite, my choice and selection, as a bookmark. It travels from dictionary to thesaurus or the latest best-seller. It’s a very early, relaxed gathering of the triple clan, taken on a July afternoon at a magically tiny cottage we had at the Rhode Island shore. The grass grows tall and wild. I crouch and look curiously at the scene before and beside me. My oldest brother points a toy gun at Dad, who holds an ancient camera, with a

July 2010

bellows. My middle brother dreams, beyond the moment.

I like the way I look, cheerful and happy, before the troubles take over in the great world and in my wee world. Maybe it was my Curious George phase.

There are a few others that capture my early days in a snug family with a safe house to stay in.

With my mess of sandy-colored hair and knobby knees in shorts in our first east side Providence house. The dirt pile we explore is presently about to be lost to a new house.

I go on to stand, a bit more dressed up, in formal knickers with eton collar and cap,

gifts throughout the landmarks of his progress. I remember, among my lonely explorations in the attic, coming upon his birthday present shaving kit, with its mirror and brush, and the portrait of - believe it or not - Jean Arthur in a suit.

Chick and I were “the kids.” We wore the blue suit purchased for Ed’s long-pants entry into adolescence, each in turn, and, far from resenting wearing hand-me-downs, we were proud to carry on a tradition. Besides, thrift and elegance, as in France in its postwar periods, fused with each other in a sort of mirror image of opposites. It was chic to recycle!

I have to fast forward the saga of the three little Fink boys. You always outgrow the romance of boyhood and leave behind its innocence and its aristocracy of nostalgia. Ed had his own room, wherever we went. Chick and I always shared.

That was simply a fact of life. And, on some level, we knew that it was not an unmixed blessing to be the biggest. He had to put up with the authority of Dad, while we could hide from it.

There emerged, as in all families, a sort of royal hierarchy. Yes, Ed, as prince of wales, got fancier photographic studio portraits kept in better frames. But he paid for it in responsibilities. He was born with that wry semi-grin: and he always had a troop of loyal and listening friends and certainly never lacked for pretty dates.

FINK – Page 28

PrimeTime | 21

a glimpse of rhode island’s past h i s t o r y w i t h don d ’ amato

P EO P LE AN D P LACES

Innovator in Textiles Sprague Family, Part III The man usually given credit for developing the textile industry in Rhode Island is William Sprague II (1773-1836), the miller. To say that he was an outstanding man in many respects is definitely an understatement according to Harold M. Taylor, who wrote about Sprague in an article published by the Cranston Herald in 1966. Taylor is quoted as saying that William Sprague, “... combined a powerful physique with bluff generosity.”

Taylor explains this by relating the following incident: “Having driven his ox-team to deliver oak planking...he met some ‘solid citizens’ discussing the financial straits of Sam Slater (pioneer cotton manufacturer). After listening a long time, he broke out: ‘Gentlemen, these expressions of sympathy are well enough, but what Slater needs, if I understand it right, is cash. I sympathize with him $10,000 worth.”

Taylor goes on to say that Sprague advanced the money to Slater and most likely saved the latter from bankruptcy.

The Benevolent Baptist Society Sprague was an innovator in both religious and financial areas. We are told that in 1806 William Sprague was a petitioner to form the “Benevolent Baptist Society in Cranston.” He contributed to the building of the Meeting House, which still stands at 67 Phenix Avenue. According to the Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commission Report (1980), it is the oldest public building in Cranston. It is known as the Knightsville-Franklin Church and has a long history of serving both civic and religious purposes.

Banking and Politics In addition to helping the church build a meetinghouse, Sprague sponsored the organization of the Cranston Savings Bank in 1818 and became active in politics. This led the way for later Spragues to establish five banks and for his son and grandson to become governors of the state.

From gristmill to cotton mill William Sprague, however, is best remembered for the events that made the Sprague family the textile giants of New England. As early as 1808, he converted the gristmill he inherited from his father into a cotton mill for carding and spinning cotton yarn. At first, it was a very simple operation that produced a coarse yarn. This product was “let out” to the wives and daughters of the farmers in the Cranston area. The women came to the mill, picked up the mill’s material, and returned to their homes to weave the yarn into cloth on their handlooms.

The first bleachery According to Cranston historian Gladys W. Brayton’s history of the Spragues, when the cloth was returned to the mill, small loops were sewn along the edges and the material was taken to a nearby sunny meadow. Here it was pegged down, leaving just enough room between the pieces for a person to walk through and dampen the cloth, thereby helping the sun bleach or whiten the fabric. This was the beginning of the Sprague Bleachery, which later, as the Cranston Print Works, would receive worldwide recognition.

Even when adversity struck, William Sprague was not overwhelmed and often went on to greater achievements. Harold Taylor tells us that in 1813, his small cotton mill was destroyed by fire. Influential friends, including Nehemiah Knight who later became governor, offered financial assistance. He is reported as telling Knight, his former schoolmate at the Knightsville School, “If a man falls down and is helped up by others, he cannot walk alone afterwards.” Sprague went on to rebuild the mill from his own resources and began extending the business.

Sprague made sure that the younger generations were included in his plans and were trained to carry on the family business. According to Taylor, he sent his son-in-law, Obadiah Mathewson, who had married his daughter Susanna, to Baltimore “to open a commission house for the disposal of cotton goods.” His son Amasa, who had a talent for the monetary concerns of the business, was sent to Poquonnoc Village, Groton, Conn., to run a store and to “let out” more yarn in that neighborhood. ■

Nails on Call

are you or a loved one unable to get to your local salon due to many obstacles...

• Pain & Fear of Falling While Walking • Inclement Weather• • Difficulty with Transportation • Recent Surgery •

let us CoMe to you

It’s more affordable naIls on Call provides: than you think! ~ Pedicures with Polish Application ~ Manicures with Polish Application Call ~ Fingernails Clipped, Shaped and Buffed 286-1192 or 828-8958 ~ Toenails Clipped, Shaped and Buffed We Make House Calls!

We travel throughout R.I. Ideal foR Men too!

22 | PrimeTime

We carry a full line of age reversIng hand treatements specifically targeting mature skin.

These treatements help reduce age spots, fine lines & skin damage resulting from a thinning of the skin, sun and exposure to the elements.

July 2010

A Lifetime of Achievement Demands Protection

The most important decision of your life may be about your death.

It’s a subject few people enjoy talking about– especially when you’re young and healthy.

Your Will

A comparatively simple, legally binding document, that ensures your assets go directly to the people you choose, and the people you care about.

797 BALD HILL RD. WARWICK, RI

(401) 821-1330 Serving The People For Over 25 Years The Rhode Island Supreme Court licenses all lawyers in the general practice of law. The Court does not license or certify any lawyer as an expert or specialist in any field of practice.

July 2010

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

CALE N DAR O F • EVE• NTS • • • • • • •

•

•

•

•

A Mile of History The John Brown House Museum in Providence sets the stage for the Benefit Street walking tour, which brings guests through the historic urban center of the city. The tours are sponsored in part by AAA of Southern New England and Parkside Rotisserie & Bar. Admission is $12, or $10 for seniors, and $6 for the grandkids - 12 and under.

The secret garden Theatre By the Sea welcomes visitors on complimentary garden tours on Saturdays, July 10 and 31.

The tours last for about 40 minutes and begin at 10 a.m. Each week will feature a new topic on gardening.

Participants should meet in the newly designed gazebo area adjacent to the theater, located at 364 Cards Pond Road in Matunuck.

The water’s edge On Tuesdays through Aug. 3, at 7 p.m., enjoy a Big Band and contemporary music on the town dock in Wickford, which is located on Brown Street. For more information, call 294-3331 ext. 241 or visit www. nkartscouncil.org.

CLUES ACROSS 1. Said blessing before a meal 7. A wheel furrow 10. Removed wrinkles 12. Cold Adriatic wind 13. Double braids 14. Indigenous South Americans 15. Claremone Landscape Garden city 16. Expanse of a surface 17. Schedule (abbr.)

18. Nuclear near reach weapon 19. Flower stalk 21. Ed MurrowÕs network 22. Serious injury 27. Atomic #67 (abbr.)

28. IBMÕs home town 33. Undergraduate degree 34. Small cutlery for fluids 36. Non commercial network 37. ScarlettÕs home 38. Mother of Hermes 39. A young woman 40. 13-19 41. White garden snail genus 44. Network of Russian prison camps 45. Insane females 48. Northeast by North (abbr.)

49. Figures with triangular faces 50. N. American republic (abbr.)

51. Old Faithful CLUES DOWN 1. Painter Vincent Van ____ 2. Memorization 3. Essential oil from flowers 4. 22nd Greek letter

5. Snakelike fish 6. Tooth caregiver 7 .ÒAir MusicÓ composer 8. Lord of Searing Flames 9. The bill in a restaurant 10. Rainbows and ranges 11. Misunderstand speech 12. Cutting remarks 14. Bottles for corrosives 17. Very fast airplane 18. Neutral middle vowel 20. Not inclined to speak 23. Thronging 24. Squash bug genus 25. Bangladesh currency (abbr.)

26. Emmet 29. Poet ___ Cummings 30. Make a choice 31. Highway foundation 32. Citizens of Seoul 35. Grab 36. Panegyric 38. Peach _____, dessert 40. Weekday (abbr.)

41. Ò_____ the night before

ChristmasÓ 42. Family residence 43. Muslim ruler title 44. Large African antelope 45. Gas usage measurement 46. Yes vote 47. Not wet

PrimeTime | 23

P EO P LE AN D P LACES

DOER’S PROFILE

by J OAN R ETS I NAS

Bristol’s biggest Patriot This July, for the thousands of fans camped out on Bristol’s Main Street, the stream of flats, bands, drum and bugle corps, politicians and clowns marks the beginning of a stupendous two-and-a-half-mile parade, a chance to savor small-town Americana in an age of cyberspace. For the crowds, the parade begins at 10:30 and ends at 2:30.

For Dick Devault and his cohort of organizers (roughly 115 volunteers), the July parade marks the end of a year-long process.

Dick is the chair of the parade and the vice chairman of the Bristol Fourth of July Committee. For months, the committee has negotiated the details behind the parade: which groups to invite, which floats to include, which drum and bugle corps to welcome and what street performers to hire. The planning for the Fourth of July celebration in 2011 will start in 2010, soon after this year’s paraphernalia is packed away.

Bristol residents have grown accustomed to the fundraising clam boils, macaroni suppers and Valentine’s Day celebrations – all geared to the July celebration.

Dick is not new to small town Americana. He grew up Wayne, Maine, population 200 (too small to mount a mega Fourth of July parade). He went to a larger town – Winthrop (population 2,400) for high school, then to the University of Maine at Gorham to train as a teacher. For two years he taught junior high school English in Kittery, Maine.

“

Settling here (Bristol) was finding paradise, a chunk of small town USA

”

The U.S. Navy whisked him away from smalltown life. He joined the Navy in 1966, was commissioned an officer, and set off on a career as an administrator with the Naval Reserves. Over the years he traveled throughout the East Coast and the Midwest, including Ohio, Brooklyn and Virginia.

One stop along the Navy route was Newport’s Naval War College. In 1976 Dick and his wife settled in Bristol.

“It was affordable; it was near Newport; the Dick Devault schools were good, the community was friendly,” he reasoned.

The two liked it so much they wanted to stay. Dick describes Bristol as a “briar patch.” It stuck to him.

He and his wife bought a house and raised their son and daughter there. Both children graduated from Bristol High School. For 14 years he traveled with the Navy, but Bristol remained home. In 1998, after 32 years with the Navy, Dick retired – and returned to live in Bristol full-time.

“Settling here was finding paradise,” he said, “a chunk of small town USA.” Buoyed by enthusiasm over Bristol, Dick and his wife opened a bed and breakfast in their home. Over the years they have welcomed guests from as far as Tasmania, Europe and California. From the start, the Bristol parade became a beloved, much-anticipated family event. He, his wife, and children would join the onlookers.

In 2003, Dick decided, “It was time to get involved.”

Initially he coordinated the military divisions that were marching. He chaired Flag Tag Day. He was a member of the Souvenir Committee. He coordinated the ship’s visit from the Navy. Last fall he became vice chair of the celebration and parade chairman.

Dick, who had retired years ago, explained that his new job is “donating back.” The Navy, moreover, was great training.

“I spent my career in the Navy making things happen,” he said.

With this parade, he is again making something happen.

For the 2010 parade he will be joining committee members at 6:30 a.m. At 8 a.m. the crowds will line the sidewalks.

And soon afterward, Dick will be watching with his wife, his children, and his four grandchildren – an annual tradition for him, and for the state. ■

24 | PrimeTime

July 2010

gay & gray b y cynthia glinick

p

r

i

m

e

t

i

m

e

l i f e s t y l e s

Opening Farewell: A hospice homily I try not to think about it in Franklinesque terms, it being inevitable like taxes, or act with sterile dispassion. If I can, I prefer to regard the end of life as a poignant passage from a tender melody. Sometimes the snippets of someone else’s words or images are far more poetic and perhaps more apt.

The words of Jackson Browne surfaced.

“And the angels are older…they look over my shoulder at the maps and the drawings of the journey I’ve begun…moving farther on.”

I’m not alone. Home and Hospice Care of Rhode Island, people who know far more about it than I, have created a very special place worthy of something lyrical, hence my humble opus here.

Light. The lobbies greet one with cheerful photographs of colorful spring flowers and a calming wall of gently, trickling water. There is the feel of natural sunlight, even away from the windows and the architecturally pleasing corridors connect the levels in interesting and capacious ways.

The western patio roof is laced with moonstones, which act as a natural insulator and give it a mellifluous and earthen feel, while the adjoining four seasons room has a hilly skyline prospect which could be at odds with the bustling urban thoroughfare of Providence’s North Main Street, but feels integrated. Every angle to the ceilings and walls, every lighting fixture, every chair or sofa was chosen for its harmony and economy while designed to soothe. It’s no surprise that they garnered the coveted Gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certification.

July 2010

Open. With as many as 450 families in hospice care at any given time, people often choose their own home, but the in-patient facility offers 24 private rooms where the ease and comfort of the patient and family are paramount.

There is a children’s playroom; a dining facility with a kitchenette where family meals can be prepared; a portable spa; a non-denominational chapel; several quiet rooms to sit and be with one’s thoughts and feelings or meet with a grief counselor. Experienced volunteers are always available with a wide range of services, even after one leaves hospice care.

Warm. Unlike the beehive quality that hospitals and nursing homes can often generate, there is quietude here and everyone I met or even had a passing glance with, was smiling and friendly. From President and CEO Diane Franchitto to Pam Taylor, director of communications, to Chief Medical Officer Dr. Edward Martin, I felt that they truly enjoy their profession and love sharing it with others. Diane summed it up beautifully in saying, “We work as a team here and all the physicians, nurses, social workers and volunteers alike have that commitment. It is like a ministry. You’re drawn to do this work and find it fulfilling every single day.”

Welcoming. When Lyman decided that he would not fight his lung cancer, Ruth knew that a hospice setting was necessary for her stepfather. She and Jodi, her partner of 30 years, looked into several places and settled on Home and Hospice Care of Rhode Island, the only not-for-profit hospice in Rhode Island, also with 30 years experience of getting it right. “There was never any discomfort with our lifestyle. They knew from the moment they stepped in that we were a couple making decisions together and our family was treated with perfect dignity,” said Ruth.

Lyman was treated at his home in the beginning and his round-the-clock nurses and volunteers were exemplary. Some even had a Rehoboth connection, which is where he was born and raised. Everything just seemed to click.

The disease progressed quickly, however, and when he fell and hurt himself a few months later, Lyman wanted to be placed in the North Main St. facility.

Even here, Ruth and Jodi found that the staff was down to earth, straight talking, with no BS, no drama.

“They really help you make the decisions in a dignified and safe way,” said Jodi.

“That’s right,” Ruth agreed wholeheartedly. “Everyone really listened to us, to the whole family and we actually had some great moments together. They work for the dying patient who is the boss of the process while making sure everything was just right for us, too.”

“I kept thinking I’d run into people in bad moods, you know?” added Jodi, “like a nurse having a miserable day, but it never happened. Not once. It was kind of amazing that way.”

Pets, especially dogs, are always welcome. Chelsea the “speagle” and Lyman had something of a love affair going so she was encouraged to visit in his waning days. Lyman’s end of life journey was six months from beginning to end and every step along the way, all the people who were involved made the experience something that Ruth and Jodi will always regard as special and significant.

Ironically, if Lyman were here today, he would no doubt agree with his accustomed, silent nod of the head.

“There’s a world, you know. There’s a way to go and soon you’ll be gone - that’s just as well. This is my opening farewell.” ■

PrimeTime | 25

P EO P LE AN D P LACES

b y don fowler

A New Kind of Derby My mother, who was a very gentle soul, would sit in front of her black and white television and watch violent women skating around a raised track, sending opponents flying over the rails, biting, scratching and occasionally hitting them over the head with a folding chair.

I sat alongside a flat track at the Rhode Island Convention Center recently, watching the Rhode Island Riveters against the New York Suburban Brawl in a roller derby “bout” with strict rules that included no contact with the opposing skaters, except for body checks from the hips up.

Announcer Diamond Dan White told the audience of nearly a thousand that, “This is not your parents’ Roller Derby.”

That was an understatement. Today’s roller derby athletes are skilled skaters from all walks of life. Their

26 | PrimeTime

biggest vice is the selection of their names.

I sat with Hellcat Lucy, aka Donna Lee Gennaro, marketing director at Perishable Theatre, who patiently explained the rules of the game, and gave me an insight into the local players.

“They are all from Rhode Island,” she said. “They love to skate, and enjoy the game.”

“Road Kill” is a dog trainer. “Crazy Dukes,” unquestionably the star player on the team, is a YMCA athletic director. There’s an architect, a designer of baby products and a couple of teachers.

They have one thing in common - a love for the sport.

And a legitimate sport it is, with teams starting up all across the country, and enough good teams in the New England/New York area to play a full weekend schedule.

The game is fast, and occasion-

ally players are bumped off the track and into “crash zones,” where daring fans sit at their own risk, facing the possibility of a skater ending up in their lap.

Skaters wear knee and elbow pads, mouth guards and helmets. Five skaters on each team are on the track at a time for a two-minute “jam,” while seven referees, each with a specific task, control the action, call fouls and keep score. There are also three EMTs on hand, just in case.

The pivots wear striped helmets and serve as the last line of defense, controlling the pack. Then there are the blockers, who try to prevent the jammers from scoring. The jammers are the key to scoring. There is one in every jam, and they wear a star on their helmet. The goal is for the jammer to get out ahead of the pack and pass the opposing players, while the blockers block and the pivots pivot.

If all this seems a bit overwhelming, don’t worry. The announcers explain the bout rules and procedures and the teams run through a jam at slow speed so the neophytes - and there were a number in the audience - quickly catch on.

As the opposing players are introduced, there were a few boos in the crowd. The announcer, The Rev. Al Mighty, explained that there is no booing in Roller Derby. While it is a competitive match, the players show respect for each other. The highlight of the evening is the After Party, where opposing team members and fans gather at a local pub (Luxe Burger Bar that night) for fun, fellowship and a chance to check out their bruises.

“It’s tough on the hips,” Donna Lee said. “The game was really meant for women. There is a serious movement to form men’s leagues, but they don’t have the hips we do.”

Saturday night was a big one for the Riveters, as they won easily over a bigger New York team. Gennaro emphasized that speed and skill are the important elements of the game.

A little hip action helps, also.

Gennaro wore number 814 in an exhibition bout between “The Swarm” and “The Hive,” sections of Rhode Island’s up and coming Killah Bees, with colorful players like Leonardo Decapitator, Axe A. Dental, and Cruella Da’Kill. There’s a story behind every name.

The derby is set up as a not-forprofit organization, and the women help raise money for a variety of charities. Last month was Girls Rock!

R.I., whose mission is to help girls and women empower themselves through the development of musical skills. They have also helped build a house for Habitat for Humanity and assisted in blood drives.

Every member of the team also is responsible for other tasks, such as selling merchandise, promotions, etc.

Matches are usually held in the huge Convention Center auditoriums, while the downtown skating rink is used for local events.

Tickets are reasonably priced at $10, if you purchase online at www. arttixri.com. They are $13 at the door, and kids 12 and under are $5.

The 2010 season continues on July 10, Aug. 14 and 27, Oct. 2, and Nov. 6. Bout times and locations vary, so check out the website for details and tickets at www.providencerollerderby.com. ■

July 2010

f o o d

feeling the flavor

&

d r i n k

b y matt holmes

A Glutton’s Guide to a New Leaf B

y the time the world reads this column, my dreaded visit to the doctor will have come and gone. I’ve been putting off the visit for years, even canceling a few times, under the guise of being too busy. I’m only in my mid-thirties but the questionable partying habits of my 20’s combined with the more than “healthy” appetite of a chef have come to a head.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not morbidly obese or suffering any health issues of note. But I’m no fool either. It will be a miracle of biblical proportions if I leave that doctors appointment without a stern lecture on healthy eating and some alarming test result numbers like cholesterol.... yikes.

But, fortunately, I do know how to eat healthier and rather enjoy a good, fresh, healthy meal. The problem for me will be convenience, time restraints and money. My life, like most of us, is very fast paced and grabbing one of my usual unhealthy comfort foods is usually

Miracle-Ear, The #1 Choice for Hearing Aids Rediscover the Life You’ve Been Missing!

FREE Miracle-Ear Hearing Test!*

®

Use this coupon for a comprehensive hearing test with a Local Specialist Satisfaction guaranteed and FREE lifetime care**

State-of-the-art technology for clear, crisp sound

No cost and no obligation. This coupon is good for one FREE comprehensive hearing test at a Miracle-Ear location. This coupon is only valid for hearing tests scheduled over the phone.

Call to schedule your FREE hearing test now!

Patrick Duffy, Actor

easier, faster and cheaper. But trust me, in the weeks leading up to my appointment I will consume more bacon than I am comfortable admitting.

So here I sit, considering turning over a new leaf. The thought alone, of eliminating certain foods from my life, saddens me like the loss of an old friend.... But wait! It’s not that dramatic. Like everything else in this world, I can eat the foods I love in moderation. Every once and a while I can splurge, but I’ll need to discipline myself to take the time to eat healthier in general.

One of my first strategies will be to get back to basics, eating fresh fruit and produce - as is. This will limit extra salt and fat from my diet and increase the quantity of more valuable nutrients usually lost through cooking. In my daily haste to combine and cook fresh ingredients to make new and wonderful things, I stopped simply eating a whole apple or raw pear. I usually taste a slice or taste each ingredient as part of a whole dish, but have neglected simplicity.

Eating more greens with fresh dressings made without oil will be another change. I’m not a huge fan of standard salad mixes, mesclun or traditional leafy greens on their own. But I do enjoy lettuces that are crisp and have more moisture, probably because they seem filling to me. I also enjoy specific greens with interesting flavors like arugula, sorrel, spinach and swiss chard. All of these can be eaten raw, but we can also lightly wilt them with citrus or a bit of vinegar, the flavor is outstanding. As far as salad dressings go, most people don’t realize this, but we can make or own dressing without oil by using fresh produce with high water contents as a base, like tomatoes. Simply liquefy the tomatoes in your food processor, add some shallots or onion, garlic, some herbs or capers and your choice of vinegars to taste. The moisture replaces the need for oil. You’ll have a guilt free and delicious fresh dressing.

A final and important piece of my recovery from a bad diet will be to limit, as much as possible, unnatural foods. By this I mainly mean preservatives. The advancement of food by science, though sometimes tasty, is not what we are supposed to eat. Our digestive system doesn’t know how to process most of it, so it is stored as fat or discarded. Frankly, the hour after eating fast food isn’t that enjoyable for me. The recent push to eat locally is great for my new philosophy.

I may even sign up for one of those “scratch farms,” but what will I do with 50 pounds of cabbage?

The bottom line for me is if I intend to love food as much as I do, for the rest of my life, then I’ll need to pace myself. Eating healthier doesn’t mean not feeling the flavor, just a bit more self-control. ■

1-888-898-4645

*Hearing tests are always free. Not a medical exam. Audiometric test to determine proper amplification needs only. Good only from participating Miracle-Ear representatives. **3-Year Warranty on all models. See store for complete warranty details. Adjustments, check-ups, cleaning and demos are always free. Hearing aids do not restore natural hearing. Individual experiences vary depending on severity of hearing loss, accuracy of evaluation, proper fit and ability to adapt to amplification.

July 2010

PrimeTime | 27

FINK Chick inherited a talent for drawing and a certain courage in learning and in playing. He was a popular pupil who won prizes both for his good-natured and sportsmanlike participation and for his intelligence, wit and talent.

As the final filial figure, I had to come through with school achievements, mostly in the persuasive arts. I brought home fine report cards, a few prizes, won a couple of elections for extroverted endeavors and offered a certain pathos of attraction, with my eyeglasses and my affection for people, a collector of their stories and a good guest and host...perhaps unlike my brothers? I was willing to kiss grandma, while they might shirk the duty.

Oh, you can glimpse all these things without words, just from a swift look at the accidental images that pop up. One by one each of us took a wife and a flat and maybe dug a few well-chosen glossy prints from that warped bottom drawer to show off to a new friend or in-law or visiting relative. If you are embarrassed by a particular shot, you cut it up or stuff it into the wastebasket on the eve of garbage pick-up.

The past rewrites itself, sometimes finding its narrative in the process. Maybe the dark notebookjournal keeping tabs on our progress turned into an abandoned nest from which the fledglings have flown and migrated. You think

your story is unique. It’s not. It’s just like everybody else’s.

Ed now has three grown children and seven grandchildren. Chick has a daughter and a granddaughter. I have three, two girls and a boy, and, so far, two granddaughters. The story of the marriages of each of us is, of course, a long and involved epic, worthy of a novel by the late Daphne DuMaurier. Ed married a sort-of cousin. Oh, you know what I mean. Not a blood cousin. Her uncle had married our aunt. That made us sort-of cousins.

Chick wed a Pembroke girl, in the period when he and I had returned to town and to our boyhood shared bedroom. We entertained the senior class at Brown University and along came Judy.

“She looked like the Biblical heroine Rebecca, at the well, watering the camel of the servant of Isaac,” noted a friendly neighbor when she came to share a drink at one of our receptions. My brother’s martini, not my bottle of Loire white.

And I? I found a girl one street away, who babysat my brother’s child. We had our nuptials in this very house where many of our early photographs had been taken. We live there now. And, when we get together with my brothers, we pose for images of the Three Fink Boys as they have turned into Three Grandfathers.

The End! ■

LINDEN were landscaped by one of the same designers who worked on New York City’s Central Park.

“It is very much a public space. We work hard to keep that up,” Connell said.

Linden Place is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., or by appointment.

Guides are available for tours, or literature is available to help visitors on a self-guided tour.

With the bicentennial celebration, it’s more than tours that guests can look forward to. In addition to the Independence Day Parade and Picnic, July will bring a reunion for all students from Colt Memorial School, and Bristol Theatre Company will perform Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Two Men from Verona on July 11, 18 and 25, respectively.

For August, the mansion will host a special event for children and another reunion, this time for descendants of the DeWolf and Colt families who occupied the home. The Bristol Garden Club Flower Show visits in September, as well as a concert by Richard Blanchard, and entertainment continues in October with a continuation of the Barrymore Film Festival in honor of the famous

28 | PrimeTime

WELCOME John Vallante, a retired educator and a water aerobics enthusiast, has a great deal of respect for Dwayne. He notes his “personal caring” and encouragement to the elderly. He, too, is aware of Dwayne’s maturity; this isn’t most young men’s choice of internships. He has an old-soul gentility that makes him approachable.

On one beautiful spring day inside the Student Memorial Union, Dwayne sits at a quiet table to talk more. He doesn’t have difficulty expressing himself, but sometimes his Jamaican lilt hinders the listener’s understanding. With his laptop bag on the floor, intense eyes and unassuming presence, Dwayne earnestly searches for the response that relays his feelings about working with senior citizens.

He calls the internship a “valuable opportunity” for him to make “connections with people” outside of his normal range; it challenges him to re-evaluate his routine, make better choices and gives him life-knowledge he couldn’t get elsewhere.

Dwayne Williams was born in West Moreland, Jamaica.

“I grew up in a nurturing community,” he explained.

He had the opportunity to travel with the Jamaican National Soccer team and it was Gareth Elliott who convinced Dwayne to come to URI on a soccer scholarship. During these three years, in addition to performing scholastically - making the Dean’s List in 2009 - Dwayne has been voted Most Valuable Player, Defensive Player of the Year (‘09), and All American-Atlantic 10.

His dream is to play professional soccer in the U.S., and has one more season at URI to showcase his talent. He hopes to graduate next January with a degree in human development and family studies and with minors in physical education and psychology.

Living in a foreign country has its drawbacks, but Dwayne doesn’t dwell or enumerate their influence on his life.

The way he sees it, he’s “mindful, resilient, and optimistic.”

Music and poetry are two mediums that invigorate his soul, whether it’s mellow or upbeat he’s seeking. “[Music] is a reflection of what you see and experience,” he said.

Still, it hasn’t been easy living 1,600 miles from home. He has made a few return trips to Jamaica. He misses his mom and dad, three brothers and four sisters, who encourage him with his academic and athletic activities.

Marcia Muir, a vice-principal from his high school, Godfrey Stewart High, continues to inspire Dwayne to “keep his spiritual side going” and to stay focused on his goals.

With teammates and soccer coach John O’Connor in almost daily contact, Dwayne has a support system that urges him to stay positive and strive for the best.

Doing that, he said, can be easier than the swimming. ■

family of the screen who once lived there. Also in October, History Kids will host a Halloween Party.

Another open house and musical event will be held on Nov. 12, and the final installment of the Barrymore Film Festival on the 26.

When the yearlong celebration wraps up in December, Connell said the Friends of Linden Place will help pull out all the stops.

“December is going to be huge,” he said.

Christmas at Linden Place opens on Dec. 4, and on the weekend of Dec. 10, there will be a concert

by Michael DiMucci and the Homes for the Holidays annual tour on Saturday and Sunday.

Connell’s excitement over the events is tangible, and he said visitors can expect the same from Linden Place staff and neighbors.

“To Bristolians, this is such an enormous pride and joy for them,” he said. “We all have a sense of ownership of it.”

For more information on upcoming Linden Place events, call 253-0390 or visit www.lindenplace.org. ■

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

CALE N DAR O F • EVE• NTS • • • • • •

•

•

•

•

Down at the park Another great free opportunity takes place on Mondays through Aug. 2 at Marina Park in South Kingstown. The Wakefield Concert Band performs each week from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., under the direction of Barry Liebermann. Call 789-9301 for details.

Sitting at the dock of the bay On Tuesdays all the way until Aug. 31, there will be live outdoor music on the Village Green on Bay Street in Watch Hill. There is free admission and parking, and rain dates are held on the following Thursdays. The website, www.watchhillvillage.com, has more information.

July 2010

letters PrimeTime values the opinions of its readers and wants your feedback -positive and negative. Whether you want to drop a line of thanks to one of our writers or you disagree with something in the magazine, we want to hear from you.

Letters, comments or questions can be sent directly to the editor at MegF@rhodybeat.com or by mail to 1944 Warwick Avenue, Warwick, RI, 02889 I look forward to talking to you soon!

Meg Fraser

July 2010

to the editor

Editor’s note: This short story was submitted by reader Rosetta Desrosiers.

Nana had a way with words

By Rosetta Desrosiers

Although my maternal grandmother arrived here from Belfast around age 12, she retained her Irish brogue and colorful phraseology until the end of her days.

I remember that whenever my many cousins and I became too bothersome, she would shoo us away by saying, “be gone with ye!”

Because we had been taught to respect our elders, we did not reply with another phrase we learned from her. “Divil of a food will I go!” But we often used it toward each other.

On holidays, Nana would prepare big meals for us and when our mothers would urge her to “come sit down and eat,” she would politely decline with another memorable expression: “I’ll eat while I’m going through the floor,” and she would continue to walk back and forth between her kitchen and dining room with platters of food for us. On less important days, she could

often be heard singing “The Rocky Road to Dublin,” or “I’m Headin’ for the Last Roundup.”

Years passed and I became a teenager who knew absolutely everything that was to be known in this world. I would wince when she would say, rather condescendingly, “Sure, and the Protestants be as good as we be.”

“Nana! You sound like you are tolerating them,” I’d object. “When you tolerate someone, you don’t really think he is your equal.”

“Awk, Lord, child,” she’d reply, “I can’t see anything wrong with what I said.”

Now that I have matured, I have to agree with her. Tolerance, and even condescension, would be great substitutes for hatred, suspicion, guns, bombs and ethnic cleansing, whether it be in Belfast, Bosnia or Burundi.

We asked our readers,

“What EXTRAordinary results have you gotten from The Classifieds?”

They answered.

“I cleaned out my garage & advertised several items for sale in PrimeTime Magazine.

I made over $600.00!”

- Mike Appleton Call or email Nicole or Sue 732-3100

nicolee@rhodybeat.com

PrimeTime | 29

30 | PrimeTime

July 2010

advertise to

savvy seniors Looking to promote your products or services to a growing group of Baby Boomers and senior citizens? Look no further than PrimeTime Magazine, where you can advertise alongside informative features on topics that range from finance to health to retirement communities and beyond.

PrimeTime agazine M

To find out more about this valuable advertising opportunity, Call Donna

401-732-3100