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While many Ashaway families are busy with holiday activities, a group of local volunteers is focused on filling empty show boxes with school supplies, toys, hygiene items and notes of encouragement for needy kids overseas. Ashaway families are participating in the world’s largest Christmas project of its kind – Operation Christmas Child – an effort that has hand-delivered 86 million gifts to kids worldwide since 1993.

This year-round project of Samaritan’s Purse is coming to its peak as local businesses, churches and schools prepare to collect gift-filled shoe boxes during National Collection Week, Nov. 14-21. Volunteers can drop off their shoe box gifts at the newest drop off location in the area to help kids in 100 countries know they are loved and not forgotten. Ashaway Baptist Church is serving as a drop-off location in Ashaway for Operation Christmas Child – the World’s Largest Christmas Project of its kind. Right now, local volunteers are busy preparing collection sites around the city to receive some 6,100 gift-filled show boxes, packed by caring Ashaway residents with toys, school supplies and necessity items.

LOCAL COLLECTION SITES: First Seventh Day Baptist Church of Hopkinton 8A Church Street Ashaway, RI, 02804. Operating Hours: Monday 9am – 1pm. Tuesday 5pm-8pm. Wednesday 9am – 1pm. Thursday 5pm – 8pm. Friday 9am – 1pm. Saturday 2pm – 5pm. Sunday 1pm – 5pm.

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By: Christopher Annino

Ellison Myers Brown aka Tarzan Brown was born in Rhode Island and was a direct descendant of the royal family of the Narragansett Indian Tribe.  Tarzan Brown competed in the 1936 and 1940 Summer Olympics, and won the Boston Marathon in 1936 and 1939.

2011 marked the 37th annual Tarzan Brown Race.  Sadly, this achievement was dulled by the passing of a great pillar in both the running world and local community John Kelley.  ”This is a wonderful day we have a great turnout and it’s a good way to honor two great running legends who were form this area Tarzan Brown and John Kelley,” said Molly Evak, Director of Sports and Wellness at the Ocean Community YMCA.  The 5.5 mile course itself starts on Pearl Street in downtown Mystic and loops around River Road and comes back to the original starting point on Pearl Street. This year 19-year-old Andrew Hill won it with a time of 28:48. “This year’s race was sad for the running community John Kelley was a great person and amazing runner,” said Andrew Hill who attends Central Connecticut State University.

Local running legend and Fitch Senior high School Track Coach Wayne Jacobs was in attendance that day. “John was my coach and him not being here anymore has effected my life.”

Jim Roy and many of John Kelley’s students from both his years as a teacher at Fitch Senior High School to the everyday people who he interacted on the street with is trying to construct a life-size statue of Johnny Kelley.  Their goal is to get $100,000. For more information on donations go to www.johnkelley.org.

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By: Anna Trusky

What started as family chats around the kitchen table at the home of Richard Wallace has taken the form of a new book, Maria! – a loving tribute to his Italian grandmother Maria Cocolicchio.  It all came about in an amazing way.

“I decided it was important to put the story down on paper for my son and grandson, so they would know about our roots,” Richard explains.  ”I started talking with my aunt in Florida and other family members, and I thought, ‘Let me put this in a book and see what happens.’”

What happened is that Richard sent his manuscript to be copyrighted at the Library of Congress.  Four years later, he was thrilled to receive a call from an editor at Dorrance Publishing Co., Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

“The editor said they felt the book was educational and they wanted to publish it! They sent me a proof in June and asked me to read it to make sure everything was okay and all the pictures were in the right spots.  The artist did a beautiful job designing the cover.  I am very happy with the way it turned out.”  Richard decided to use the pseudonym “RoW” because he liked the way it sounded.  Presently semi-retired, he is an ordained minister.

The book traces the life of Maria Filaci Cocolicchio from her birth in Calabria, Italy in 1890 to her chance encounter with Saturnino Cocolicchio, a shoe-repairman who became her beloved husband.  Maria fulfilled her duties as a loving and caring wife and mother, experiencing ups and downs and heartbreaks – including the Nazi invasion, which drove the family to come to the United States and settle in New York City, and the loss of a child.  Although in many ways her life was typical for Italian immigrants to the United States during that time period, Maria had the unique quality of being a prayer healer.  In 1957, Saturnino died, and Maria cam to live in Norwich to finish out her rich life.

“My father had moved from New York to Norwich to take a job at EB,” Richard explains.  ”There have always been four generations living in our house – and still are today.”  He says its wonderful to sit down to dinner every night with his parents, his long-time partner, his son and daughter-in-law, and his grandson, to whom he dedicated Maria!

“I taught my son about our heritage and now he’s teaching his son.  Family should always be together.  We have our ups and downs, good times and bad times, but we sit down together and have dinner each night.  That is what my grandmother taught us.  She was the heart of our family,” Richard says.  Maria would be proud!

For more information go to www.dorrancebookstore.com.

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By: Bob Davis

Sails Up 4 Cancer held their season wrap up luncheon at the Dog Watch Cafe in Stonington at which time a photo session was held with the Board of Directors displaying a check for $10,000 made out to their beneficiary, Stand Up 2 Cancer, where Sails Up 4 Cancer is an official team member.  The Board gave each other kudos for a job well done in making their first year a success.  Plans were discussed for additional events in the spring of 2012 plus long-term planning and expansion to other communities throughout the country.  In addition to fund raising with Stand Up 2 Cancer as the principal beneficiary, SU4C is also reviewing ways in which they can help those in our own community who are dealing with cancer and are in need of assistance.  SU4C will be holding their second annual Regatta in June of 2012.

SU4C held their ECSA sanctioned Premier Regatta in Mystic on June 26, 2011 at the Mystic Shipyard, sponsored by the Mystic River Yacht Club.  They also held their first Complimentary Alternative Medicine Expo hosted by Dr. Megan Marco of Stonington.  The event was attended by 200 people.

Sails Up 4 Cancer is a newly formed charity based in Mystic and dedicated to education, prevention and research for all types of cancer through the art and enjoyment of sailing.

For more information contact Bob Davis at Rdavis@su4c.org or visit the Sails Up 4 Cancer website at su4c.org. For additional information on Stand Up 2 Cancer please visit their website at su2c.org.

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