Champions in the Community Winners

The Dale & Holley Show has selected and chosen to recognize the following champions of our community:

Week #16: December 3, 2009 (submitted by Paula Madeira of Dartmouth, MA)
Nominee: Carlos Taveira
Carlos is a dedicated New Bedford Police Officer for the last 10 years. Carlos has dedicated his life on helping kids get off the mean streets of New Bedford.  Carlos has been a Scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 3 New Bedford.  Carlos has helped boys ages 6-18 to give back to the  community with programs like Scouting For Food.  A program which he Co chairs in his district for many years. The scouts go door to door on a local food drive to help restock the local pantries.  Carlos also after having his scouts collect the food has his troop also serve food at the local soup kitchen in New Bedford.  Carlos has coordinated events like clean the park day which coordinated troops in the community to go to a local park and pick up trash, a Crime prevention course that taught scouts how to prevent them from being easy victims. A flag retirement ceremony teaching scouts the proper way to retire the American Flag.    Carlos wanting to help young ladies as well in the community has founded a brand new Venture Crew. Crew 246 is a boy scout Coed prgram for boys and girls ages 14-21. 
 
Week #15 - November 30, 2009 (submitted by Mike Ashley of Everett, MA)
Nominee: Anonymous Shriner 
My nomination of an anonymous person might defeat the spirit  of "Champions In The Community," but in reading this you may appreciate why I've chosen to do so.This man is a survivor of the U.S.S. Indianapolis, the ship which delivered the components of the first atomic bomb to Tinian in 1945.  The ship was sunk by a Japanese submarine four days later.  Of 1,196 crewmen, he was one of only 316 sailors to survive. He, like many Shriners, volunteer their time at the Boston Shriners Burn Institute.  I don't need to tell you about the wonderful work and miracles provided by their hospitals across the country.  He is unable to talk in detail about his ordeal after the ship was sunk.  Thankful to have survived, and as such, he has dedicated his life by giving of himself to those who are more needy than he.  In memory of those who did not survive and the second chance he was given, this giving of himself is especially true every year on Thanksgiving Day.  He has asked that if ever I repeated his story that his name not be mentioned, and that he be referred to as only an anonymous Shriner, one of the many Shriners who dedicate their lives for the sake of children. He reminded me that Thanksgiving is made up of two words.  We should all be thankful of the chance to give.To me, this man is worthy of being at least nominated, if even in anonymity, for his dedication to children and as a hero who helped bring World War II to an end. Please excuse the cheap plug, (It is not intended to be.) but if you or your listeners care to read it, I have posted his story at the following blog address:http://obwarstories.blogspot.com/2009/11/thanksgiving-eyes-of-survivor.html
To me, this man is a Champion of the Community.

Week #14 - November 19, 2009 (submitted by Jesse Rampsi of Halifax, MA)
Nominee: Tony St. Pierre 
Tony St. Pierre is an immigrant born & raised in the impoverished nation of Haiti. Despite poor schooling he taught himself math and English and has relocated his family to Brockton Massachusetts. Here, he tutors calculus and math at Massasoit Community college.  That is just the tip of his efforts to better the lives of others. His effort and compassion is influential and inspiring to those around him. Every day, after work, he offers tutoring sessions in his living room/classroom to those in his community. He rewards good effort with coaching in both soccer and basketball. He gives money and provides free daycare to other parents in his community.  Tony has also been raising money to buy school supplies to send back to his native Haiti. These efforts of charity listed on paper are only a fraction of the kindness meeting Tony provides to others. His constant smile and incessant optimism rub off on all of those who meet him.

Week #13 - November 12, 2009 (submitted by Jerry Fuller of Worcester, MA)
Nominee: Pastor Will Bard 
Pastor Will has taken a 12 person church and turned it into 1500 strong. He has started a program called Dreams and Whishes. With the donation of new unwrapped toys, board games, and bicycles for children, age 0-18, the program assists families in celebrating Christmas in such a way that most only dream of. In its first year it gave away some 400-500 toy's. Two years aga it gave away a toy to every forster kid int the state that wanted one. The program orginally started in worcester now has addtional programs in boston and brockton and will give away thousands of toys to intercity youths. During the holiday season and in our current finacial crisis I ma sure you can see how this program impacts a community and why I am nominating my Pastor will Bard. Info on his program can be seen at http://www.nedreamcenter.com/

Winner #12 - November 5, 2009 (submitted by Janice McLaughlin of Bridgewater, MA)
Nominee: Marine Captain Kyle Van De Giesen
Kyle Van De Giesen died in the line of duty this past Monday while serving his country in Afghanistan as a Marine Helicopter Pilot.  Capt. Van De Giesen is a graduate of St. Anselm College, where he served as the school's first quarterback after a 58 year absence of the game at St. Anselm.  I, too, graduated from Saint Anselm College, and am proud and saddened at the sudden loss of a hero who was to return home next week for the birth of his second child.

Winner #11 - October 29, 2009 (submitted by Lola Duclos of Cumberland, RI) 
Nominee: Susan LaFortune 
Sue Lafortune is an extremely compassionate 2nd grade teacher at Amvet Elementary School in North Attleboro Mass. Last year, while researching destinations for an upcoming trip with her husband , she came across a television documentary about the Havasupai Indian tribe that lives on the "bottom" of the Grand Canyon.  She instantly  became drawn to the school-aged children of the impoverished  area. She knew she needed to do something to help. Realizing this could be an educational opportunity for herself as well as her class, she developed a "pen-pal" program" that has only grown to this day.  She then started collecting books and other items desperately needed by the school for the Havasupai children.  Last April she made her first trek deep down into the Grand Canyon to visit the children that "stole her heart".   Mind you ...this trek was not easy....the village is located 8 miles down into the bowels of the canyon.  The 3 hour hike proved worthwhile, as the reward was seeing "in person" the faces of the 90+ school aged children.  For the rest of the week she taught the different lesson plans she brought ...and introduced them to new ideas and concepts...After her week was done, she left the Grand Canyon with a nagging feeling that she needed to do more.  Immediately on her return , she began telling her tale to anyone that would listen and started planning for another visit.  Her energy was so contagious that she has now enlisted 2 other teachers to join her on her next mission.  In April , on school vacation week, a week most people would rather spend with their families....she will be making a return trip to the area, armed with more books, more lesson plans, and more love!  On Saturday 10/24 ...she will be hosting a fundraiser at Showcase Live (at Patriot Place) 3:30 to 5:30pm....see attached article from 10/14 Sun Chronicle: http://www.thesunchronicle.com/articles/2009/10/14/news/6237557.txt
 

Winner #10 - October 23, 2009 (submitted by David Moretti of Westbrook, CT)
Nominee: Mattia Mikan 
This comes from a very personal situation but none-the-less a story of a true champion.While our nephew Alex Convertito laid in the road on a CT highway after being thrown from his car 25 ft. as a reesult of a drunk driver, Mattia Mikan ran to his side while waiting for paramedics to arrive. A senior sociology major at Fairfield University, Ms. Mikan is hearing impaired and six months pregnant. But that did not stop her from running across a highway to come to the aid of our nephew. Alex remains in ICU with the likelyhood of never walking again. Most of his injuries were to his spinal cord. If nothing else keep him in your prayers.Ms. Mikan deserves recognition to be a one to one community hero.
 
Winner #9 - October 16, 2009 (submitted by Brad Mullane  of New Hampshire)
Nominee: Jaimie Cates 
MONT VERNON, N.H. (AP) — Police say it was the 11-year-old girl who survived a nighttime attack that killed her mother in Mont Vernon who called 911 Milford Police Sgt. Kevin Furlong says the first thing he did after arriving at the home of Kimberly Gates and her daughter Jaime at about 4:20 Sunday morning was to get the girl out of the house. Mont Vernon Police Chief Kyle Aspinwall tells the New Hampshire Union Leader Furlong didn't know if the attackers were still in the house. Jaime is now recovering in a Boston hospital from the attack that killed her mother. Two teenagers are in jail facing first degree murder charges. Two others are facing burglary charges. The state says the four chose the house at random and planned to kill the occupants.
 
Winner #8 - October 8, 2009 (submitted by Robert Bubencik of Foxboro, MA)

Nominee: Rachel Calabrese
Rachel has been very active in our community especially in regards to an organization called Birthday wishes. She started with this organization a few years ago as a volunteer at a Birthday Party and now has set up a local office in Foxboro which handles over 25 homeless shelters in Southeastern Mass. Birthday Wishes is an organization that puts on birthday parties for children who are currently in a homeless shelters. Rachel's philosophy is that a birthday party is essential part of growing up and just because a child happens to be in a homeless shelter they are just as deserving of a birthday party with all the fixings as anyone. Since she has started with Birthday Wishes she is now been active in seeking support from local businesses to help support this very worthwhile cause. If you talk with her she will tell you that all the effort is more than worth it when you see the children smiling and enjoying their special day! Check it out at www.birthdaywishes.org
Winner #7 - May 22, 2009 (submitted by Lindsey Paiva of Fall River, MA)

Nominee: Brian M Martins
Brian served in the Navy and during the last two wars and when he came back, started teaching children for free how to play musical instruments.  He has done this to use music education to develop the children in his program to be well rounded citizens by teaching them essentials like responsibility, leadership, dedication, and commitment to oneself, family, and community.  He has dug out of his pocket to help purchase several instruments and to purchase various Red Sox and Patriots tickets to hold raffle to help parents and guardians to purchase instruments for the children, without being asked to.  Brian probably teached well over 30 children currently and sent out a letter to all the parents involved in his program indicating that he will be moving into a bigger facility to teach more children and to recruit more musicians to help his lead.  He has also recently been deemed an authorized dealer for a particular manufacturer of musical instruments, helping parents, guardians, and schools obtain the needed instruments to provide music education at a reduced cost.  Brian has dedicated all this time and his own money to helping the youth in Fall River and Massachusetts while recieving no help from either city, providing the lessons in his own apartment. Brian is an example of what a true American hero is, a war hero and a community leader!!

 
Winner #6 - May 15, 2009 (submitted by Jennifer Shepley of New Bedford, MA)
Nominee: Dr. Lester W. Cory
Dr. Lester W. Cory has worked for decades as an engineer helping adults and children with disabilities received free computer hardware and software to help them communicate- with a blink of an eye for those who cannot speak or voice recognition software for those who cannot type. His nonprofit foundation is called SHARE - the Society for Human Advancement through Rehabilitation Engineering. He helped my brother after his car accident in 1978 left him quadriplegic. Via the computer, my brother Jamie could do fundraising for spinal cord research using Ebay to sell donated items. Though retired, Dr. Cory works at the SHARE offices at UMASS Dartmouth three to five days a week. They have engineers and students from UMASS working to deliver, update, and repair equipment- all for FREE. They recycle donated computer hardware and accept donations at SHARE, UMD Center for Rehabilitiation Engineering, 285 Old Westport Rd, N Dartmouth, MA 02747. Phone (508) 999-8482.

Winner #5 - May 8, 2009 (submitted by Bill Larkin of Stoughton, MA)
Nominees:  Girls for the help
I am nominating a group of girls in my neighborhood, one of which is my daughter. These girls one day decided it would be a good idea to go house-to-house collecting food for the homeless. They started one Thursday when they had a half of day at school. They take a cart and when they knock on the doors they have a poem asking for those people to donate canned goods. Below is an article written about them in the local newspaper. Since the time of the article below they have also done a bake sale (similar to a lemonade stand) and collected over $100. They then bought canned goods with the money and donated all of them to the food for the homeless. I am very proud of all of them and I think they should be acknowledged for there efforts especially. Read More.

 
Winner #4 - May 1, 2009 (submitted by Richard Scafati of Franklin, MA)

Nominee: JOSEPH GRANADA
I can't say enough about Joe.  His recent email below says it all (below).  Joe happily gives up his time to help those who are "very" desperate. Joe has experienced some personal set-backs of his own in recent months yet give up his time and spearheads a cause to help human beings, Fathers, Mothers, Children, babies and animals who are in a desperate situation.  What Joe does is outlined below:
"On behalf of the men, women, children and pets that are all currently living in what is being called Hope City in Providence (under the Crawford St. overpass) I want to express their gratitude - as well as mine - to all of you for your generous, kind and thoughtful donations to those less fortunate.On Monday, March 23rd I made the first delivery of clothing and provisions that we have been collecting since the early part of the month to the tent city. During this visit I was interviewed by Mr. Paul Davis of the Providence Journal who had been on assignment for approximately two weeks chronicling the lives of the people living in the tents under the bridge. He introduced himself to me and asked me what I was doing there. I went on to explain to him about the involvement and concern of everyone at Samsonite/American Tourister to try to help and support the needs of the homeless living in the tent community. Attached is a copy of the article that he wrote which appeared in the Providence Sunday Journal on March 29th. Also, this past Wednesday, I attended a meeting of the Warwick JFK Council #5701 of the Knights of Columbus whereby I explained my efforts and those of our company to provide support to the homeless in Rhode Island. I am very pleased to let you know that the Council wrote me a check for $300.00 to purchase additional items and provisions for the homeless in this situation or in other shelters that can use some assistance. I deliver all the items (photos attached), that again, you have been so kind to donate to this cause. Needless to say, I am proud to be a member of an organization that even during our own trying times will rally like this and show so much compassion for those in need.  Thank you all so very much!

Winner #3 - April 24, 2009 (submitted by Robert Frank of Providence, RI)

Nominee: Rich Morra
Rich is the Director of The Artists' Exchange Black Box Theatre in Cranston, RI.  For the past 5 years Rich and the Artist's Exchange have been working with developmentally challenged people, as well as, professional actors and members of the community to produce Professional Level Theatrical Performances.  Many of the "Clients" of the Artists' Exchange work with Rich and develope characters that are dynamic, truthful and entertaining.  Many of the first time patrons are surprised to find out that our performers are of special needs, and always walk out impressed with the performances.  Through Rich's efforts, The Black Box is changing popular opinion about the abilities of these amazing people.(This is the mission of the Artist's Exchange) We recently finished Twilight: Los Angeles 1992 by Anna Devere Smith, a true account from many people involved and effected by the L.A. Riots.  Through Rich's hard work and dediction to his students, The Show was a success, infact, we over-book every show and are considering adding another perofrmance at a later date. The productins performed at the Black Box are as good as, if not better than many other local theatres and the show produced there including A Christmas Carol, Twilight, The Laramie Project, ETC. are challenging, exciting, and fun, all thankS to Rich. Rich Morra is, to me, A TRUE CHAMPION IN THE COMMUNITY!

Winner #2 - April 17, 2009 (submitted by Lisa Berube of Westfield, MA)

Nominee: Steven Berube
My husband Steve started and has run the Unified Sports Program(USP) for the last 2 years.  Steve has been out of work after a drunk driver drove him into a building on the way home from his job as a systems analyst 12 years ago.  Considering he hasn't had a drink since he was 19, the accident was very ironic.  He has had 3 brain surgeries and now has epilepsy but it has allowed him to put all his energy into USP.  The program's motto is Social Inclusion Through Sports.  They take kids with special needs and their more typical peers and teaches them sports together.  Steve loves to stress that whether you are fat or skinny, tall or short, girl or boy, have Down’s Syndrome or is a superstar young athlete - they can all enjoy playing sports together.  Steve organizes the events, runs the Website, recruits kids to join, does allot of the fund raising.  It kills him physically but helps him emotionally get beyond the pain he is in every day.  USP's website is www.unifiedsportsprogram.com - please check it out and consider him for your program.  Any PR that USP gets will help get the word out to more kids. 

Winner #1 - April 10, 2009 (submitted by John Lund of Canadia, NH)

Nominee: Ken Therrien
Ken has been been involved and grown a program that greatly impacts the communities around New England. Ken lives in Litchfield, NH.  Ken's organization: WorkcampNE involves high school and college age youth who for two weeks a year gather in one location and give of their time and money to improve the lives of the eldery, handicapped and disadvantaged by doing such things as painting, yard clean up, roofing, deck replacement, wheelchair ramp building.  Each year his group picks a community in a state in New England.  This summer July 12th through the 25th they will be improving lives in Hanson, Ma.  The group of young adults involved has grown to over 300 and brings kids back each summer of their own accord from around the country.  His organization has developed itself into a non-profit organization with a newly developed web site of www.workcampne.com