Some days it just isn’t possible to concentrate long enough to write a 350-word blog. Sunday was one of those days. However, a lot of wonderful things have been happening on the South Coast of Massachusetts and beyond that caught my attention.
THE WORLD CUP
If you are a regular reader of this blog, you will know that my father’s family came from Croatia (yes, they were immigrants!). Croatia’s performance in the 2018 World Cup has been thrilling for Mekjavichs on three continents, so it was sad today to see our team lose, even though they played well. I am consoled by a reminder from my Croatian cousin Victor, who was born and raised in Argentina: “The really important thing is not winning. Croatia is an example of work and sacrifice on and off the field of play.”
LIGHTING THE WAY: HISTORIC WOMEN OF THE SOUTH COAST
My friend Christina Bascom and several other women got together and developed Lighting the Way, an educational program that explores the historical impact of women from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds who shaped their South Coast communities, the nation and the world. The launch of the Lighting the Way Walking Trail was on July 12 at the New Bedford Whaling Museum and included a bus tour of the residences of those women as well as a Lighting the Way Trail Map, a Mobile App and the introduction of the program’s website. In 2019-2020 the program will provide participating local schools with new ways to engage students in a more inclusive (women’s roles!) telling of history.
BUZZARDS BAY MUSIC FESTIVAL
This past week brought the 22nd Annual Buzzards Bay MusicFest to our small town of Marion, Massachusetts. A total of five concerts, free to the public, were held at Tabor Academy’s Fireman Performing Arts Center. Concerts included classical pieces by a full orchestra, chamber music and an evening devoted to “The Great American Songbook” performed by a swing band. Local families have the opportunity to host musicians in their homes, a system that makes for a community-wide experience for musicians and residents alike.
Photo credits, all via Unsplash:Soccer ball: slava-keyzman; Lantern: conner-carruthers; Musicians: kale-bloom
