Lifestyle

by Richard Campbell At noon this past Friday opening ceremonies for Sail Boston took place under the rotunda at the Boston Harbor Hotel, with a series of fitting tributes by stakeholders as well as presentation of the colors by different regimental outfits, and speeches by distinguished guests. The US Coast Guard Band played the national anthem and patriotic songs, as dignitaries from around the world saluted Boston. Maria Stephanos was the MC for the event, providing humorous anecdotes along with gracious introductions. After an opening salutation and prayers, the Vicar of the Old North Church, Reverend Stephen Ayres, gave his blessing of the ships and included an urgent plea to protect us from our enemies that gave a momentary solemnity to the occasion. Michael Mooney [...]

By Rick Winterson Last Saturday was memorable beyond imagining. “Sail Boston” began with a day-long “Parade of Sail”. It brought back the other Tall Ships events, even as far back as America’s 200th Birthday in 1976. The viewing location covered by this article is Boston Harbor’s North Jetty, part of Massport. Another major viewing point in South Boston was set on Castle Island. Despite a late start (due to the fog) and a generally cloudy day, it was an absolutely spectacular display of majestic sailing ships – 54 in number – as they proceeded from Broad Sound, around Deer Island, onto the President Roads, and into the Inner Harbor. The arrangements – especially security – deserve mention. Shuttle buses whisked spectators from around South Boston [...]

by Rick Winterson South Boston Online was honored to receive an invitation to the 2017 Knight’s Battalion Award Ceremony last Wednesday afternoon, May 31. It was an occasion filled with military courtesy, vivid colors, and achievement. Most especially, it was an afternoon devoted to honoring the JROTC Cadets, who have demonstrated their devotion to this program at Excel High School. The contingent of which all of South Boston’s EXCEL High School Cadets are members is formally named the South Boston Army JROTC Knights Battalion. “JROTC” stands for Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps; “Knights” refers to the historic name of students and their teams at EXCEL High School. The cadre of the JROTC Program at EXCEL includes Lt. Col. Anthony Hinson (USA, Ret.) and Sgt. 1C [...]

by Richard Campbell When we peek in upon the crazy world of Abby and Marilyn who find themselves roommates at the Bristol Place Senior Center, South Boston native Pulitzer prize winning playwright David Lindsey Abaire, brings genuine funny to the Calderwood Center, tinted with empathetic poignancy for his character’s dilemmas. The device is a series of revenge plots inspired by a mutual bet to win room rights; by manipulating the Senior Center staff, and relatives into off site episodes that reveal devilish, and sometimes shocking episodes, punctuated by a bevy of crackly one liners, amusing choreography, the story presents a heart rending cultural commentary on aging.  Nancy Carroll as Abby the sardonic, sarcastic, and understated wit brings verve and control to her embittered character whose [...]

Billy Higgins of South Boston returned from Ire-land recently warmed by the wonderful reception he re-ceived in County Donegal where he presented a check for $20,000 to the Patient Social Fund of the Ballaghderg Pre-School for children with special needs including moderate to severe intellectual disabilities and complex care needs. The check was given on behalf of the Southhill Children’s Fund of Boston which Billy founded in the early 1980s to help students in Southill, Limerick, Ireland. A major portion of this donation was raised at a fundrais-ing event held at the Boston Irish Social Club in honor of Oran Nibbs who recently passed away. Mr. Higgins met with the Nibbs Family while in Donegal, also making a spe-cial presentation to them. The $20K donation [...]

by Rick Winterson Certainly, it’s a bit of an exaggeration to call the waters off of South Boston “seas”. And they are most emphatically not the South Seas – they’re much colder. But unlike other Boston neighborhoods, we do have seven beaches, and they stretch for more than three divine miles along our shores. Now, admittedly South Boston is an urban neighborhood. It is firmly connected to Boston, a diverse, world-class city of 640,000 people. So, it’s easy to forget that South Boston is actually a maritime community; the boundaries of South Boston are over 80% salt water. Take a look at any map of South Boston – from the Fort Point Channel, to the Waterfront and the Reserved Channel, around Castle Island and Pleasure [...]

By Richard Campbell As summer officially begins South Boston Online wanted to check in anew with Thompson Island Outward Bound to give interested students in the area an update on the programs available this summer to rising 7th and 8th graders enrolled in the Boston Public Schools. There are a variety of program offerings, from full immersion to short trips. The Summer Expeditions program has five-day backpacking and climbing programs beginning in July 1, 15, August 4, August 16, August 24. The more water oriented Summer Expedition is the seven-day Kayaking Expeditions where ten crews of two learn boat basics, capsize and rescue procedures, navigation skills, and weather forecasting. This offers a chance to explore marine environments in detail, to get a fresh perspective on [...]