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To the editor:
On July 30 – the International Day of Friendship - Marblehead Harbor Rotary hosted eight 16- and 17-year-old Friends Forever International participants from Northern Ireland for a day in Marblehead. FFI (https://www.ff.international) is an empathy-based leadership program that develops the skills young people can use to help overcome challenges in their communities.
Throughout our 22-year relationship with FFI, Harbor Rotary has been deeply grateful to the citizens and purveyors of Marblehead for their rich history, public spaces and amenities that contribute to making the FFI Day in Marblehead so very special and memorable.
Our gratitude is extensive – it truly does “take a village.”
Since FFI’s first visit to Marblehead in 2004, the Mentuck family has generously hosted a cruise around Marblehead Harbor aboard the Elizabeth M, a tradition first captained by Mike Mentuck and now by his son Doug. Marblehead Yacht Club provided the gathering location and was prepared to provide the space for a Plan B in case of inclement weather.
This year, we thank Marblehead town historian and Rotarian Don Doliber for sharing highlights of Marblehead’s history and landmarks and Rotarian Linda Doliber for describing the traditions and lore of harbor seals Winslow II and Andre at the Beverly Benson Seaman sculpture in Crocker Park.
Louise Moore catered a beautiful lunch buffet at the Philanthropic Lodge.
FFI likes to complete a service project in each community they visit. Marblehead native Joy Doliber Schmelzer, a board member of the Chemo Bag Project, arranged for the group to prepare 30 backpacks filled with supplies to provide comfort for those undergoing chemotherapy; the bags each contained water bottles, socks, knit caps, lip balm and more.
The group then went to Marblehead Little Theatre where Alma Mahon Paige, the theatre’s youth program director, provided improv prompts to reinforce the group’s spirit of teamwork, creativity, humor and confidence.
We thank Katherine Koch and Tim Doane for accompanying the FFI group from place to place with a cooler filled with snacks and beverages. And we thank past club president Amy Hart’s family and friends – Bella, Joey and Walden – for representing American young people and their perspectives.
To conclude the day, two FFI participants shared their personal life experiences and the projects they will undertake to benefit their communities upon returning home. Harbor Rotary president Marguerite Frank-Peper presented each FFI participant with a small baby-seal stuffy with the hope that they will return to Marblehead – just as Andre did.
As Harbor Rotary has begun planning its annual Holiday Pops concert, we thank our Pops sponsors and patrons for their support. Proceeds from Pops benefit projects like the FFI Day in Marblehead, as well as scholarships and contributions supporting the work of many area non-profits and charitable organizations.
Indeed, how grateful Harbor Rotary is to Marblehead and the Marblehead community.
With great appreciation,
Marblehead Harbor Rotary
Jessica DH Barnett
Humphrey Street
