By All Hands
With a sign posted last week at Grant Circle, and now an e-mail to friends and supporters, former Gloucester fisherman Jimmy Tarantino has been thanking residents for their votes to try to land him on the hit CBS Reality TV show "Survivor."
He's also making it clear he's "still being considered" for a spot as one of the show's "castaways" for what will be its 21st season.
Tarantino, who is active in organizing and competing in Gloucester's international dory races, was one of hundreds of contestants who submitted a personal video that was played on the "Survivor" Web site. And show officials indicated the video contestants who drew the most support from online "voters" would earn the chance to be invited to Los Angeles to audition for the actual show.
It's not clear how many candidates earned audition invitations. With the online voting now over, Tarantino's indication that he's still in contention suggests he's made the audition level — but neither he nor Survivor officials would confirm that.
"I have no way of knowing whether or not I'll be an actual castaway until the decision is made by the network in June," he wrote. "Even then, as now, I cannot talk about the process or I will be eliminated from consideration.
"That being said," he added, "there are so many of you who need to be thanked for your hard work and perseverance in keeping me involved thus far, I can't even try. Please know that, in three sleepless weeks of watching this process, I know who you are and I'm forever grateful."
The show — which swept the nation in its early seasons and, among other things, spawned the pop-culture term of someone being "voted off the island" — has generally run two full series a year for the last decade. And it allows cast members to compete for a $1 million prize by outwitting their colleagues.
Not-so-good answers
Gloucester got another bit of national TV exposure this week — even if it also suggests the city could use some better literary marketing.
During Wednesday's telecast of the popular game show "Jeopardy," the game-changing "Final Jeopardy" question asked the three contestants to name the fishing port that was the setting of the film "Captains Courageous," and sits nearby "The Wreck of the Hesperus."
The question came up under the category "United States in Literature," and the correct answer, of course was Gloucester. Sadly, none of the contestants knew it.
One listed Cape Cod, another responded Boston, and the third said San Francisco.
The snub seemed especially ironic given that the seARTS organization presented a Captains Courageous Festival, with readings and a number of other events at downtown Gloucester sites, last weekend.
Calling all mural artists
The Gloucester Education Foundation is seeking one or two artists to create murals depicting the inventive spirits of two of Gloucester's well-known inventors — Clarence Birdseye and John Hays Hammond Jr.
The murals, to be a maximum 40-by-48 inches, will hang in the new Birdseye-Hammond Science, Technology and Engineering Center at O'Maley Middle School with the purpose of providing inspiration to the students, according to GEF volunteer Executive Director Maggie Rosa.
Interested artists should submit a proposal in which they give information about their portfolio, thoughts on how they would visually approach the project and plans for involving students. The artist may propose to do one or both murals. The winner(s) will each receive $1,250, which includes the cost of materials.
Deadline for submission of the proposal is next Friday, March 19. Proposals will be reviewed by a panel comprising GEF and GPS personnel. For additional information please contact emailus@thinkthebest.org.
Hospital to help fill The Open Door pantry
Addison Gilbert Hospital will take part in Feinstein's Million Dollar Challenge. For the 13th straight year, Alan Shawn Feinstein, a Rhode Island philanthropist, will divide $1 million among hunger-fighting agencies nationwide.
The more food contributed to The Open Door's food pantry between March 1 and April 30, the larger the share of Mr. Feinstein's gift to The Open Door. Your donation now will help the growing number of families and individuals turning to The Open Door for food assistance in these troubled economic times. Food donations will be counted at $1 per pound.
Friends who would like to donate are welcome to drop off nonperishable items at Telecommunications, inside the main lobby at Addison Gilbert Hospital, 298 Washington St. Suggested items include healthy canned soups, pasta, rice, boxed spaghetti, spaghetti sauce, canned fruit and vegetables, canned baked beans, juice boxes, cereal, canned tuna, stew, etc.
Honored veterans
The flag at the Veterans' Center will fly this week in honor of World War I veteran John E. Riley.
Born Nov. 26, 1887, he entered the U.S. Army in 1910. The corporal served with Company K 18th Infantry, 1st Division, "Fighting 16."
Riley was awarded the Purple Heart Medal with Oak Leaf Clusters for the many wounds that he received.
He was discharged in 1918, and died March 17, 1958.
The flag will also fly this week in honor of World War II veteran Peter Paul Dunsky. Born March 9, 1924, he entered the U.S. Army on June 19, 1942. A rifleman and paratrooper, the technician fifth grade served with the Headquarters 3rd Battalion Paratroop Infantry Regiment. He served in Normandy, Rhineland, Ardennes and Central Europe.
Dunsky was awarded the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Ribbon with Bronze Arrowhead, the Good Conduct Medal, the Distinguished Unit Badge with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Bronze Star Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal.
He was discharged Sept. 21, 1945, and died Jan. 25, 1968.
The flag will also fly this week in honor of World War II veteran Augustus Ernest Dunsky. Born July 5, 1886, he entered the U.S. Coast Guard on Dec. 15, 1942. The chief boatswain's mate served with the Gloucester Harbor Patrol, Base Boston.
He was discharged Feb. 24, 1943, and died May 4, 1948.
The flag was requested to fly in their honor by their niece and great-niece, Barbara Newmark.
Anyone wishing to fly a flag in honor of a deceased veteran can call the Office of Veterans' Services at 978-281-9740.
