Volunteers recognized at Gaspee appreciation reception

Kelcy Dolan
Posted 5/21/15

Gaspee Days’ 50th Anniversary is finally here and the Gaspee Days Committee wanted to recognize everyone who has been a part of the celebration year after year.

On Tuesday night the committee …

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Volunteers recognized at Gaspee appreciation reception

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Gaspee Days’ 50th Anniversary is finally here and the Gaspee Days Committee wanted to recognize everyone who has been a part of the celebration year after year.

On Tuesday night the committee held an Appreciation Reception where 30 people were awarded medals for their tireless efforts in helping bring Gaspee Days together.

Committee president Erin Flynn said, “This is a powerful group of volunteers. For our 50th year we thought it was appropriate to thank everyone who has been such a big part of putting this on every year.”

And the list was long.

Carol Deming, co-chair of the 50th Anniversary Committee, said it takes a lot of people to put on the fair and parade and every year there are some volu nteers that can be depended on even though they aren’t on the committee.

“We may say thank you to the volunteers, but for the 50th year we thought it was really important to show them how appreciative we are of everything they do,” she said.

Mayor Scott Avedisian, who handed out the medals at Tuesday’s reception at the Aspray House, said it is important to recognize and honor those who do whatever they can to make sure we can continue the Gaspee Celebration every year even though they don’t have to.

He said, “When you are a full volunteer organization you find that these wonderful people come out of nowhere to help, and the ones here tonight have been doing that for years to make sure Gaspee Days happen.”

After all the names had been called and medals presented, Flynn had one more surprise. She said since it was the 50th year she could give out more than one Abraham Whipple Award, which goes to an “outstanding” member who goes above and beyond in their dedication the Gaspee Days.

Earlier this year Avedisian received the award at his own 50th birthday party.

Deming is the second recipient of the Whipple award this year

She said, “I’m very excited to have won, not a lot of people can say they have. Gaspee has been such a big part of my life and this means so much.”

Those honored at the Appreciation Reception:

Kathie & Russ Lacy as well as Tricia Phillips for decorating the reviewing stand, Bill Plumb for burning the Gaspee, Karen Jedson and Sue Folco from Warwick Tourism, Jim Siddall for electricity to the reviewing stand, Dave Martowski for bringing chairs and clearing the trash, Tom Yeaw for helping the road race, John Howell for the “Road Stripe” as well as efforts in the Beacon, Joseph DelGiudice and Philip McCafferty for the parade radio, Jerry Goldstein and Fred Connell for carrying the Mace, Jake and Chuck Holms for helping the Gaspee Feasts and other fundraisers, Bill Lagasse for helping rebuild the Arts & Crafts database, Mark Provost for the radios for Arts & Crafts Fair, Representative Joseph McNamara for the documentary, “In Search if the HMS Gaspee”, Janet Hartman for starting the Pawtuxet Rangers Fife & Drum Corp, John Chafee supporting the start of the Committee as governor, Laurie O’Rourke for the block party, Basta’s Alexander Guarino for his donation sales from pizza the day of, Dean Scanlon for past events and the Road Stripe Fundraiser, Karen Calkins for selling Gaspee items at Twice Told Tales and Father Gordon for giving the church service beforehand.

Charter members, Henry Brown, Jeanne Knowles, Pete Toy, Don Conlon and Eugene McCaffrey were also honored for their contributions. Gaspee Days continues this weekend with the Arts & Crafts Festival on Narragansett Parkway.

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