The U.S. Navy has presented Rockport Navy Committee member Sharon Grandmaison with a "Certificate of Appreciation" for her efforts in advance of and during the Navy's visit to Rockport last month.
The ceremony took place during the Rockport Navy Committee's meeting at the Rockport Police Station on Wednesday night and came as a complete surprise to Grandmaison.
Navy Lt. Cmdr. Paul Brawley, who has helped the navy committee immensely throughout the planning stages of the 2007 and 2008 port visits, was at the meeting to present the citation, which read in part, "For your dedicated support of the USS John L. Hall port visit to Rockport, which stands as a testament to your unwavering sense of patriotism, devotion to country and support for the United States Naval service. Your tireless efforts in developing a robust schedule of events ensured the port visit was all inclusive for the township as well as the (crew)."
Grandmaison operates "Sharon's Serendipity," a child-care business, out of her apartment on Paradis Circle, but faces losing the business Dec. 1 unless she can find a new apartment in Rockport whose landlord will allow her to operate the business.
O' Christmas tree, where art thou?
The Department of Public Works is not panicking quite yet, but public property foreman Chuck Osmond is getting a little nervous about the annual tree lighting ceremony as no one has stepped forward to donate a viable tree for Dock Square.
Osmond is seeking a donation of a 30- to 35-foot Christmas tree, but also cautions he "cannot accept blue spruces, however pretty they are, but other types would be appreciated."
People who would like to donate a tree should call the Department of Public Works office at 978-546-3525.
Quick hits
The Unitarian Universalist Society of Rockport is inviting the public to view an art exhibition featuring paintings by well known Cape Ann artists of distinction. The art was donated by members of the congregation for a silent art auction as part of a fundraising campaign for the church.
Oil paintings, watercolors, lithographs and pen and wash sketches by familiar deceased artists such as William Beal, Ken Gore, Gordon Grant, and Stow Wengenroth will be up for auction along with other more contemporary paintings and photographs by well known local artists Betty Lou Schlemm, Chuck Francis, Jennifer Beal Ober, Judy Metcalfe, Robert William Streeter, and Marilyn Swift.
The exhibition will remain on display, open to silent bidding, until Wednesday, Dec. 10 when the auction closes. All of the artwork can be viewed online at www.uusr.org. The public is invited to view the work in person by coming to the church weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Bids can be placed in person or will also be accepted over the phone by calling 978-546-2989.
Be sure to look high in the west, southwest sky today at 5:34 p.m. to catch a two-minute glimpse of the International Space Station as it orbits above Cape Ann. If you miss it tonight, you'll have another chance tomorrow at 6:01 p.m. a little lower in the west, northwest sky.
People in the news
Last Sunday, Mariah Dunn received a Gold Award from the Girls Scouts. The Gold Award is the highest honor a Girl Scout can achieve. Selectmen Chairwoman Sarah Wilkinson, a former Girl Scout herself, was invited to the ceremony to honor Dunn and several other Rockport Girl Scouts who earned Silver Awards.
"I told the large crowd gathered that hopefully we were not looking at a group of girls who were just leaders in Girl Scouts, but hopefully future leaders in town," Wilkinson states on her latest blog entry.
Sharon Chace's book "An Artistic Approach to New Testament Literature" has been picked up by The Lutterworth Press in Cambridge, England, for European distribution. The book is published in the United States by Wipf and Stock Publishers of Eugene, Ore.
Bridge club
Saturday, Nov. 15: First, Lester Stockman and Pat Sylvia, 501âÑ2; second, Milt and Helen Lauenstein, 50; third, Bill and Kate Holloway, 421âÑ2.
Tuesday, Nov. 18: First, Milt and Helen Lauenstein, 511âÑ2; second, Greg Hannifan and Muriel Davis, 501âÑ2; third, Bill Parsons and Gus Lawson, 49.
Thursday, Nov. 20: First, Bill and Kate Holloway, 36; second, Gus Lawson and Greg Hannifan, 331âÑ2.
Rockport Ramblings is compiled each week by reporter Jonathan L'Ecuyer. If you have an item for Ramblings, call L'Ecuyer at 978-283-7000, ext. 3451, or e-mail jlecuyer@gloucestertimes.com.
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