Man About Canton: Don Rodman

Did you know …

A recent article in the Boston Globe by Paul Kandarian highlighted Donald Rodman, 84, of Canton, and his charity, “Rodman Ride for Kids.” Don founded Rodman Ford in Foxboro in 1961 and started Rodman Ride for Kids in 1991. According to the article, the charity has raised more than $100 million since its inception. In the first year under Rodman, the charity raised $30,000. Last year, it raised $12 million. This year’s goal is $13 million. All of the money raised goes to approximately 50 nonprofit organizations in and around Boston. Rodman also started the “Marilyn Rodman Theatre for Kids,” a charity in his late wife’s name; and he recently released his book, Rodman Ride for Kids and Other Stories of Giving, which chronicles his philanthropic journey and is being donated to area high schools and colleges to “plant the seed of how anyone can be philanthropic.” He is donating all profits from book sales to the Marilyn Rodman Theatre for Kids. The 25th Rodman Ride for Kids took place on September 26 in Foxboro with 25-, 50-, and 100-mile noncompetitive cycling events. For more information and to donate to “The Ride for Kids,” visit www.rodmanforkids.org.

In the good news department, home heating oil prices have plunged to their lowest levels in six years to an average of $2.49 a gallon. The average heating oil price last year at this time was $3.68 a gallon. Also, the price of gasoline in Massachusetts is now averaging $2.22 a gallon, down over $1 from a year ago. A typical household using 800 gallons of oil during the winter months could save nearly $1,000 this year.

The Massachusetts Division of Insurance is in the process of looking over evidence from the state’s insurance companies to justify the rate hikes of almost 9 percent in home insurance premiums. Insurance companies said they needed the higher premiums to recoup losses after paying large amounts in claims after this past year’s record snowfall, which resulted in ice dams, cracked roofs, and soaked interior walls. The winter storms of last year cost insurance companies $1.8 billion, with most of the claims coming from New England.

According to a 2014 study by the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research, almost half (49.1 percent) of high school seniors in the Class of 2014 had tried an illicit drug, with one in four having used drugs in the last 30 days. After alcohol and tobacco, marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug among high school students, with 44 percent of seniors reporting having used it at least once in their lifetime. After marijuana, prescription drugs are the most commonly abused by teenagers with about 18 percent of high school students taking drugs such as OxyContin, Vicodin, codeine, Ritalin, or Xanax without a doctor’s prescription one or more times during their lives.

The state Department of Public Health estimates 1,256 people died of unintentional opioid overdoses in Massachusetts during 2014. The city of Brockton has reported 69 suspected fatal heroin overdoses in the first seven months of 2015. A newly formed Brockton area opioid prevention collaborative committee stressed the need to treat addiction as a medical problems and not blame the sufferers, as well as the need to reduce the number of painkillers being prescribed to young people.

As of September 25, businesses will be prohibited from selling electronic cigarettes to anyone under 18 years old under a new regulation published by state Attorney General Maura Healey. “The growth of the e-cigarette market has posed a serious public health risk to Massachusetts residents and calls for strict oversight to protect our young people,” Healey said in a statement.

The JPM Development Company bought the old Emerson and Cuming building at 869 Washington Street for $1 million. The company’s original proposal calls for 58 condos at the property.

Former Cantonite and Patriots season ticketholder David Bowen was the fan who was handed Tom Brady’s 400th touchdown football by Patriot Danny Amendola in the end zone. Bowen returned the ball to Brady and received a signed football by Tom as a trade for the famous 400th touchdown pass football, which will be on display in the “The Hall” at Patriot’s Place.

Queen Anne’s breakfast and lunch restaurant on Route 138 has recently renovated the inside with new tables, new rugs, and new windows that make it much brighter than before, and it is still a great place to go in Canton for breakfast and lunch.

The ultimate truth of who you are is not that I am this or I am that, but I am.

This is all for now folks. See you next week.

Joe DeFelice can be reached at manaboutcanton@aol.com.

Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=31069

Posted by Joe DeFelice on Oct 8 2015. Filed under Featured Content, Man About Canton, Opinion. Both comments and pings are currently closed.