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FREE PRESORTED The STANDARD U.S. Postage PAID Rochester, MA .com 02770 - permit #14 Volume 30,Wanderer Issue 29 - Number 1474 Serving the Tri-Town Since 1992 July 22, 2021 2 The Wanderer July 22, 2021 www.wanderer.com Time Capsule Memories capsule, let’s walk a little further down Memory Lane to By Marilou Newell how this landmark, situated on the banks of Mattapoisett Fifty years ago, John DeCosta Jr. was a little Harbor, came to be. boy whose father was deeply involved in all things As the history goes, the 1938 hurricane took local. As a selectman and member of various clubs out the original bandstand on the southwest corner and organizations, DeCosta Senior was there lending of Shipyard Park, necessitating the rebuilding of that support. What his son witnessed was the importance of structure. After all, the town band, under the leadership community involvement. of Bandmaster John Pandolfi, needed a place to play, When DeCosta Junior became selectman in 2020, and the popularity of square dancing still held its charm one of the fun things he had hoped to assist with was the with many people flocking to the bandstand during long opening of a time capsule planted during the construction summer evenings to dance and watch others twirl to live of what is now known as the gazebo but to longtime music. residents more affectionally known as the bandstand. The laying of the time capsule capped a year-long labor of love that would manifest itself into a new, far more visually appealing bandstand in 1971. DeCosta passed away in April, thus never seeing the time capsule opening Mattapoisett Special Town Election that took place at 7:30 pm on July 17, 2021. Tuesday, July 27, 8am-8pm But before we get to the opening of the time Old Hammondtown School, Shaw Street Bruce Rocha Sr. holds up a list of names of the donors who gave In This Issue of their materials, money or labor in Birthdays ....................................................... 62 order to build the Classified Advertisements .......................... 54 current bandstand at Crossword & Horoscope ............................. 50 Shipyard Park. The Happenings .......................................... 46 & 48 year-long effort was Legal Advertising ......................................... 52 completed in 1971, and the list planted in Local Tide Listings ....................................... 66 the time capsule was Marion Selectmen’s Meeting ...................... 16 unearthed by Ross Mattapoisett Selectmen’s Meeting ............. 20 Kessler, left, on Sat- Movies & Entertainment ............................. 44 urday night during Obituaries ...................................................... 42 the Mattapoisett Lions Club’s Harbor ORCTV Schedule ......................................... 40 Days festival. Photo Police Log ...................................................... 43 by Ryan Feeney Real Estate Transactions .............................. 65 On the Cover: Ross Kessler, the king lion of the Mattapoisett Regional Lunch Menus ............................... 45 Lions Club, displays the brass cap on the time capsule that was Rochester Selectmen’s Meeting .................. 22 planted under the bandstand at Shipyard Park 50 years ago. Check out the latest and what’s happening daily at: The unearthing of the time capsule was held on Saturday night www.wanderertoday.com, you can have today’s news during the Lions Club’s annual Harbor Days festival. Photo by Ryan Feeney and events sent right to your email. We want to hear from you and include your photos & ideas in The Wanderer - stay in touch! PHOTOS & STORY IDEAS LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIED & LEGAL ADVERTISING Please send photos and story ideas to Send Letters to the Editor to Classifieds can be placed through our [email protected] [email protected], include your name website www.wanderer.com or in our office NEWS & PRESS RELEASES and phone number for verification. at 55 County Road in Mattapoisett. For Send completed press releases with The Wanderer does not run unsigned more informtion contact us at 508-758-9055 date, time, location, and phone number to letters. Deadline is Tuesday at 10am or email [email protected] [email protected] DISPLAY ADVERTISING Deadline is Tuesday at 10am Deadline is Tuesday at 10am Contact our office at 508-758-9055 for Legal Advertisements can be placed in our OBITUARIES questions about Display Advertising. More office at 55 County Road in Mattapoisett. There is no cost to run an obituary. details can also be found on our website For more informtion contact us at 508-758- Send to [email protected], for www.wanderer.com in the Frequently Asked 9055 or email [email protected] questions call 508-758-9055 Questions. Deadline is Friday at 3pm Deadline is Tuesday at 10am www.wanderer.com July 22, 2021 The Wanderer 3 But the replacement bandstand, which looked something like a raised deck, would eventually also need replacing. Armed with a conceptual design created by John Doran, Bruce Rocha Sr. brought that concept to the Hours: OPEN Mon.-Sat 7-6 band and the Lions Club. Soon the concept began to take Closed Sunday & Major Holidays shape. In November 1969, the Bandstand Committee was formed. Along with Rocha, committee members were FRESH PRODUCE • GOURMET CHEESE AND CRACKERS Paul Alves, Jr., Mrs. Louis Corey, George King, Archibald FROZEN FOODS • DRY GOODS • PHARMACEUTICALS Lammey, Donald Finley, and Mrs. Alden Kinney. *NEW TOY CORNER* Rocha was appointed as clerk of works and spent time researching design concepts. The group Full Butcher would eventually accept a design by Doran. Fundraising became a critical activity and would ultimately raise the & $6,000 needed Deli Services for the project. The committee members Ask Angela for custom reached out to platters, charcuterie, local businesses gift baskets, and salads. for support and also sold ceramic plaques and director chairs that helped to generate interest and the much- needed cash. Rocha recently confirmed, “The town didn’t pay a dime; it was all through Mattapoisett donations.” Presto Press coverage of the year-long effort was frequently published. The Presto Press would become an Chiropractic integral part of the final story. “In an effort to gain public support for the proposed new bandstand for Shipyard Park, members gave unanimous approval to the suggestion that an invitation be extended to each leader of a local civic Jeffrey G. Swift, D.C., D.A.B.C.N. organization to meet with the Mattapoisett Band Committee for a discussion,“ The Presto Press reported • Post Graduate Faculty, University of Bridgeport, Connecticut • Board Certified Diplomate of the American College of Chiropractic Neurology • Member North American Spine Society 109 Fairhaven Rd • Suite D, Mattapoisett, MA 508-758-3666 535 Faunce Corner Road, N. Dartmouth 508-985-0007 4 The Wanderer July 22, 2021 www.wanderer.com MIKE’S APPLIANCE Sales and Service• Experienced with all brands. THE PLUMBERS Also available evenings, weekends and holidays formerly known as Mike Healy 508-748-2557 HEATH in 1970. One group stepping up to meet the financing challenge was the Mattapoisett Woman’s Club. This organization alone donated $1,000, reports recorded. A meeting with Pandolfi in the early weeks after GARDE the committee was established was reported by The Presto Plumbing & Heating Press this way: “Pandolfi presented his view, necessary requirements such as proper acoustics and floor space Residential & Commercial for some 50 players … also present was Mr. Winfield Jenney, president of the Square Dance Association, 508-758-2455 and Mr. Samuel Bertram, president of the Mattapoisett Repairs • Remodels • New Construction Improvement Association.” Volunteers of all stripes helped to make the Time to schedule Seasonal Projects & dream of a new “gazebo-like” structure possible, a place where the town band could hold concerts and where Upgrade Your Gas Heating System the community could gather for various events. From fundraising to donating labor and equipment, Rocha recalls, “The community came together. “It wasn’t just one person,” he reminisced, “everyone stepped up to the plate.” Of the people who donated their time and or money to the community project, Rocha said, “They worked nights and weekends Master Plumber #15669 - Licensed Men Did your insurance company tell you to Did they say they won’t guarantee the use a repair shop you don’t know? repairs unless you go to their referred In Massachusetts you have the right to go to shop? any licensed & bonded auto body repair shop. That simply isn’t true (or legal)! Collision Services of Marion works with every All our work is guaranteed. insurance company at their approved hourly rate. Collision Specialists | Auto Rental Services Glass Replacement |Expert Painting Frame Straightening Family Owned Since 1978 www.wanderer.com July 22, 2021 The Wanderer 5 willingly.” The Presto Press reported in June 1971 that Rocha DG Service Company Maintains stated, “Progress on the build is going well after a wet winter and spring. Electric was been installed.” As Elite Status! clerk of the works, Rocha reported the progress to the committee saying, “Nineteen months of hard drive on the part of not only the committee members but also that of the numerous volunteer townspeople, fund collectors and workers at the site…” Completion was a mere few weeks away at that point. The idea of placing a time capsule under the completed bandstand became a reality when Dr. Donald Nahigyan donated a copper capsule into which notable items were placed and then buried under the structure. When recently asked what was inside the soon-to- be-opened time capsule, Rocha said, “Mostly paper,” but without stating what kind or why. The secret remained well-guarded until the opening. Back to John DeCosta Jr. – he wanted the capsule opened on the 50th anniversary of its placement. To honor his memory, the Lions Club did just that. With an eager crowd of onlookers cheering him on, current Lions Club President Ross Kessler descended into the murky pit where the capsule had lain these five decades. Rocha accepted the contents and read from several pages of The Presto Press.