Man About Canton: Fourth of July Events

Did you know …

Canton Recreation Director Liz Francis, her assistant Andrea Berardi, and the Recreation Commission are busy putting together Canton’s July 4th celebration.

This year‘s event will once again be held at the Irish Cultural Centre off Route 138 on New Boston Drive. MAC met with Director Francis, who said that the festivities will begin at 6 p.m. with free activities including inflatables, face painting, and airbrush tattoos. Food and beverages will be available for purchase at the ICC pub throughout the evening. A live performance by the popular band Classic Trax will begin at 7 p.m. The July 4th fireworks display is scheduled to start at 9 p.m. and is billed as one of the largest on the south shore. Please be prepared for a bag check upon arrival. Coolers are prohibited.

Additionally, plans and preparations are underway for the 51st annual July 4th Fun Run and 5-Mile Road Race. The races, which generally attract approximately 150 local runners, will once again begin and end at the Canton Town Club on Bailey Street. The race will start at 9 a.m. (a new start time), and for the 51st consecutive year, MAC has the honor and privilege of being the official race starter.

Individual sponsors who will again supply the trophies and other provisions include Attorney Glen Hannington, state Representative Bill Galvin, Canton Town Club, Attorney Dick Staiti, Bank of Canton, Canton Co-operative Bank, and all five selectmen: Kevin Feeney, Mark Porter, John Connolly, Chris Connolly, and Tom Theodore. The PADCO Countertop Company is once again sponsoring the over-40 and over-50 division winners.

In addition to the Canton July 4th fireworks display, Boston, Stoughton, Sharon, and other area towns will be celebrating our nation’s independence with fireworks. You can also display the United States flag at your home as a show of national pride and respect, especially with our troops presently serving overseas.

MAC congratulates and is very proud of his twin granddaughters, Brooke and Taylor Alessi, 14, as they were the only freshmen to receive a varsity letter in tennis at Archbishop Williams High School. The twins led the Bishops (15-6) to the Division 3 South tennis tournament semifinals. Brooke and Taylor also made the Central Catholic All-Star Team and finished the tennis season with impressive records of 17-4.

A bill before the state legislature would allow lottery winners to refuse to have their name, address, or other identifying information released to the public. Current state law requires lottery winners to comply with all of the above conditions.

Forty-nine percent of Americans use at least one drug every 30 days.

The Canton Council on Aging is sponsoring a Newport Rail Tour on Wednesday, July 11. Participants will enjoy a scenic Newport rail excursion along the Narragansett Bay while having lunch in the scenic dining car. After that, they will visit the Brick Marketplace in Newport. The cost is $89 per person; checks should be made payable to “Fox Tours.” For further information, call 781-828-1323.

St. Gerard’s church is sponsoring a Mystic Schooner Cruise on Monday, July 16. Passengers will enjoy a two-hour cruise, lunch, and then browsing on your own in Mystic, CT. Transportation will be provided by Deluxe Motor Coach. The cost is $65 per person. For information and reservations, call Janet Walrod at 781-575-1491.

The Canton Council on Aging is seeking a friendly visitor who can speak fluent Spanish. This would be a great opportunity to improve your Spanish-speaking skills and give back to your community at the same time. If interested, please call Robin Tobin, COA outreach worker, at 781-828-1323.

The town plans to spend $2 million on the construction of modular classrooms at the Kennedy School.

Fantastic news as the Canton Historical Society has been awarded a matching grant of $50,000 for Phase I preservation work at the Tilden House. The grant was awarded by the Massachusetts Historical Commission. So far, more than $410,000 has been raised for this project, and pending Board of Selectmen approval, work will begin later this summer.

Over the past month, former President Barack Obama has cashed in on his presidency. He signed a $50 million contract with Netflix to produce films, television shows, and educational videos. In addition, he signed a whopping $65 million deal with Penguin Random House for a series of family books. Last year, Obama was paid $400,000 to give the keynote address at a healthcare conference sponsored by the Wall Street investment firm of Cantor Fitzgerald. He is now a multimillionaire.

Talking about U.S. presidents, in 1886, President Grover Cleveland, 49, married Frances Folsom, 21, in the blue room of the White House. He is the only president to marry in the executive mansion.

Frank LaBollita recently retired as the Canton deputy emergency management director after 14 years. LaBollita was replaced by Paul Clark at the recommendation of Canton Fire Chief Charlie Doody.

And finally, MAC is celebrating his 48th anniversary of the Man About Canton column. A lot has happened since June 23, 1970, when MAC (Joe DeFelice) first picked up his pen, and he anticipates a lot more to report before he calls it a day. Wow, 48 years is hard to believe.

When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic but creatures of emotions.

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=39238

Posted by Joe DeFelice on Jun 30 2018. Filed under Man About Canton, Opinion. Both comments and pings are currently closed.