Alexis Ann, editor & publisher, the Resident, celebrates Farmer John “Whit” Davis’s 86th birthday with his wife, Velora, at the Mermaid Cafe, Westerly on August 4th.
by Alexis Ann
First and foremost… A salute to WWII Veteran, submariner and CT Veteran Hall of Famer, Ernie Plantz of Gales Ferry. Congressman Joe Courtney presented an award to Ernie on August 2nd here.
Hats off to the Groton Sportsmen’s Club, Stonington, for collecting the most money ever to benefit various charities in our region. See Mike Riley, club president, presenting a $500 donation to Vicki Anderson, executive director of the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center here.
Here, R.B. Kent, Groton Rotary Club president, picking the lucky winner of the boat raffle. Congrats to Doug Crandall for winning and to Thomas Kelley for donating the Sundancer.
The cannons are back and looking spiffy! Take a trip to Stonington Boro here. Meet James deKay, author, The Battle of Stonington and get the scoop on the mystery surrounding the circumstances of the Battle.
Al Restivo, Groton, is the recipient of the 2010 Jacqueline B. Nixon Community Service Award for his many years of “Giving Back to the Community.” The award was presented to Al at the annual City of Groton Day Celebration. Groton Utilities created this award in 2004 during its 100th Birthday. Meet Al here.
Thanks for reading the Resident, the Good News that Rocks! Please remember to patronize our advertisers as they’re helping to make the “good news” happen.
I am standing on the top floor of the Custom House Maritime Museum in New London where Bill LaRoue, head docent at the museum, is just finishing his talk about the role New London played in the well-known Amistad adventure.
“Before you leave New London,” Bill tells me pointing out the window, “you really should tour the tall ship “Peacemaker.”
There she sits tied up to the Custom House Pier with brightly colored flags blowing in the breeze. She looks so inviting.
Two days later, I am there eager to board her and look around.
“Welcome Aboard the Tall Ship ‘Peacemaker’” reads the sign. “Flagship of the Twelve Tribes. 150’ length overall. Beam 33’. Draft 14’. Mast Height 126’ above waterline. Sail 10,000 square feet.”
I walk up the gangplank and enter through the open door. Soft music is being piped throughout the ship and peace enfolds me immediately.
I enter the large galley room where the Captain’s wife, Chris Philips, greets me. “Feel free to walk around and tour the rooms,” she urges. “In the main room you can listen to a slide show about the history of this ship.”
Chris stands behind a long curving counter on top of which is spread an array of blue and white pottery. “ I make this pottery myself on the boat and sell pieces to help with finances,” she explains. “In port, I sit outside on the deck with my potters wheel. This is how I get to meet the people in port.”
Who are these people? Where do they come from? Where are they going? What is their purpose? What are the Twelve Tribes?
Chris introduces me to her husband Captain Lee Philips. “We are a religious community called the Twelve Tribes,” Lee states. “There are several thousands of us around the world living in small housing communities. We try to live in a style that is described in the Book of Acts in the Bible. We own nothing. We share everything. No one is poor among us. We strive to worship God and live in peace and unity.”
“In addition, our purpose is to provide training opportunities for our youth in rigging, sail making, sailing, navigation, marine mechanics and carpentry. We learn to live and work together in harmony. It is my greatest joy to teach our young crew skills they need and to see them light up with pleasure as they apply what they learn.”
Out of their five children, Netuyah, 11, and Meyashenet, 13, are with them now. It takes about twelve crew members to work the ship.
The “Peacemaker” was built in Brazil 1989. Lee worked about nine years restoring the boat before he set sail with his family and crew two years ago.
“We sail up and down the eastern coast,” said Lee. “From here we head towards Boston.”
Check out the website: www.peacemakermarine.com to find out more about this beautiful ship and the vision and hope it carries.
“Firefighters are innately qualified to assist burn victims as they face life beyond the burn incident,” says Bridget Yuknat, President, New London Firefighters Burn Foundation.
by Angela Olsen
The New London Firefighters Burn Foundation needs your help! Established in 2003 to help Connecticut burn victims and their families recover and cope with the devastation of burns and fires, they have been able thus far, to assist eight burn individuals’ families. A fundraising golf tournament will be held at the New London Country Club on September 2, 2010 to raise money for this worthy cause. Please join them!
The Burn Foundation is composed of firefighters, and the secretary to the Fire Department. These selfless volunteers have already helped raise and distribute over $19,700 to families in need in addition to equipment to operate the burn camp. Apart from raising money, they donate their time as camp councilors at the summer and winter camps and provide maintenance on the infrastructure of the camps. The commitment of the Burn Foundation is to assist all burn victims with any help needed, regardless of age.
At present, there is a family in Ledyard, where the sole bread winner was burned in March of this year. Also, a four year old child from Clinton who was burned on June 18th. They truly need all of our help. If you are unable to play in the tournament, but would like to make a donation, please contact Michael Leonard, New London Firefighters Burn Foundation at 860.625.0808.
On July 31, sailors assigned to the Virginia-class attack submarine USS Missouri (SSN 780) attended the commissioning ceremony at the Naval Submarine Base New London. More than 3,000 people from across the nation arrived to show their patriotism at the ceremony. The bright, new submarine gave off a certain pureness to the crew and visitors who came to see it.
During the commissioning, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, said, in regards to the Navy’s defense program, “For every dollar we don’t spend correctly, that’s one less we have to defend the country.”
At 377-feet long and over 8,000 tons, the USS Missouri is able to dive up to depths greater than 800 feet and can exceed 25 knots while submerged. The USS Missouri is a multipurpose vessel built for anti-submarine warfare; anti-ship warfare; strike warfare; special operations; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; irregular warfare; and mine warfare missions in both the world’s shallow littoral regions and deep waters.
The construction on Missouri began in December 2004; the submarine’s keel was authenticated during a ceremony on Sept. 27, 2008 at the Electric Boat facility in North Kingstown, RI; and, she was christened during a late morning ceremony at Electric Boat on Dec. 5, 2009.
The USS Missouri is named in honor of the people of the “Show Me State.” The last USS Missouri, the legendary battleship, was the site where Fleet Adm. Chester Nimitz, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, and many other U.S. and Allied officers accepted the unconditional surrender of the Japanese at the end of World War II on Sept. 2, 1945.
(l-r) Dodie Milardo, author of “Penelope’s Cruise,”greets Frank and Barbara Burke and Bill and Amber Daoust at the signing of her first novel.
story & photo by Angela Olsen
Historic Downtown Essex was abuzz with foot traffic on a picture-perfect Sunday afternoon on August 1st. Amidst the friendly vendors welcoming visitors was Susan McCann, owner of Essex Books, hosting a signing of Dodie Milardo’s first novel, Penelope’s Cruise. In an age of websites like Amazon.com, it’s refreshing to see that shops like Susan’s are not obsolete. She personally greeted every passer-by with a warm smile, and urged them to stop and meet Dodie, who donates 90% of the net profits of the sale of “Penelope’s Cruise” to charities!
Dodie never imagined that she would pen a novel; she was a math major, and worked for one of the nation’s largest financial firms. Several coincidences took place, one after another, and as Dodie told some of her co-workers about them, they encouraged her to write them down in a book.
In 2006, Dodie decided to start writing her novel, and at the same time, she and her husband found themselves in a secure enough financial position, where she was able to leave her job and focus on the writing. She notes that they are not affluent, rather that living within their means, and differentiating between wanting and needing another dress is the key to financial peace.
“The words spilled out of me! I couldn’t type them fast enough on my computer.” In fact, Dodie was actually invited to a book signing before the book even went to press by the Killingworth Women’s Organization. She used an on-demand publisher and is now living her dream giving love to those in need.
Eager to meet Dodie was 18-year-old Amber Daoust of Cromwell, a pretty, slender, soft-spoken girl who looks to Dodie as a mentor and female role model of sorts. She traveled all the way from Cromwell with her grandfather and their rescue dog, Chuck, a pit-bull/boxer mix, whose previous owners burned the pads on his paws with cigarettes! Chuck travels everywhere with them.
Amber learned of a contest Dodie was having, where the best romance stories would all be published in a book. I looked at the youngster and said, “Romance?!” It turns out that although Amber’s story is not a steamy anecdote, she has lived well beyond her 18 years, raised by her grandfather, and, well, has a tale of survival much like Chuck. Writing is her passion, and Dodie was blown away by her remarkable story and gift for the written word. She is now in the process of applying to college!
For people who love to give, but prefer not to read romance, Dodie Milardo will donate the $15 for Penelope’s Cruise to the charity of the buyer’s choice, and send the book to military personnel. For more information please visit: www.togiveisdivine.com.
