A Cause to Re-Connect

This past Friday afternoon I joined about 150 family members & friends at Tunxis Plantation Golf Course in Connecticut for the 21st annual Chris Kelly Open. The yearly golf tournament is in memory of my cousin Chris who we lost to a rare form of cancer when he was just 28. Over the years it has always been a real "family" tournament with no major sponsors; just caring members of a circle of friends & family that has been part of this tournament since its inception. Through their generosity well over $125,000 has been donated in the memory of Chris and his mother, my late, lovely aunt Lorraine to the UCONN Medical Center in Farmington, Ct and the George Bray Cancer Center at the Hospital of Central Ct. in my home town of New Britain. However, that's only part of what this tournament has become over the last 21 years. As valuable a resource as it has been for those two wonderful research centers, the tournament is also a valuable resource of another kind. It gives all of us who participate each year a chance to re-connect with each other. Cousins, uncles, aunts, brothers, sisters & friends who don't see one another nearly enough as the years pass by and we live our lives. But for that day, and in some cases even just for a few moments, we remember those days gone by when we all were much younger & we lived, played, laughed....and sometimes even cried together. The fight against cancer is one of the noblest of fights...and when you can fight that fight in the atmosphere of The Chris Kelly Open each year.....cancer patients are never forgotten.....and with a smile, you realize neither are those faces that have been part of that fight for more than 20 years.

All Things Must Pass

Rich and I were the kind of friends that you become as you grow older & your lives take you in different directions. The kind of friends that knew the other was there doing what he does to make a living. For Rich it meant being a national voice talent....and a very good one at that. I remember when he left Connecticut (where we worked together) to study to become a voice over talent. He wasn't sure how it would work out at the time, but as it turns out it worked well for him. Rich spent 10 years in Atlanta as the off camera voice of the Weather Channel & HGTV and did countless ads for products as varied as Chrysler and Carnival Cruise lines. He ended up with a home studio on Pawley's Island South Carolina and enjoyed being close to the beach. It had been over a year since I talked with him last & so went to his website this morning to drop him a quick "hello" by email. We'd always follow that up with a phone call....but that wouldn't happen this time. On his website this was all I found:

About Rich Bartholomew:

Rich was trained as a voice talent in New York, spent ten years in Atlanta, and maintained an in-office studio close to the beaches of South Carolina. Well respected in the industry and working with clients throughout the U.S., Rich received a heavy repeat business for his voice talent.

Rich passed away in December 2009. This site is retained as a memorial to his work.

My heart nearly stopped as I read those words. I had no idea that Rich was gone. None of you knew Rich, but my guess is you all have someone that you really care about that you only see or hear from once or twice a year. Do yourself a favor and make that connection more frequently because you may be reminded like I was that one day you may not have the chance.

Yes, Rich Bartholomew was a great talent.....but to me he was also a guy who just liked to laugh about our early days in radio & the characters that we had met during that time....and The Beatles. Only Rich seemed to be as big a fan of them as I am.......and George Harrison was his favorite. And so in memory of Rich Bartholomew I close this post with a few lines from his favorite Beatle:

All things must pass
None of life's strings can last
So, I must be on my way
And face another day

Now the darkness only stays the night-time
In the morning it will fade away
Daylight is good at arriving at the right time
It's not always going to be this grey

All things must pass
All things must pass away

.....Now go make your phone call

A Cheer For The Cheerleaders!

I don't seem to get the chance to post a message here very often lately & I'm angry at myself for not acknowledging before today the State Championship won by the Rutland High Cheerleaders . On February 20th the squad traveled to Vergennes High School to compete in this years state championship. Rutland was nearly perfect in winning for the fourth time in five years. The Raiders received a score of 198 out of a possible 220 points from the panel of judges. As the dad of a former Rutland High cheerleader myself I know the level of commitment that these kids put into their practices & routines on a daily basis. It rivals the practice schedules of every sport at Rutland High.
Cara Austin was the cheerleading coach for Rutland on February 20th, and she was the coach seven years ago when my daughter Taryn was on her squad. I recall how hard those girls (and guys) worked that year to put themselves in the position to go up against Essex with a very good chance of winning it all....and that they did. It was an exciting night for Rutland because unlike recent history, that year was the first time in several that Rutland won the state championship. I haven't followed the cheerleading...or any other sport at Rutland as closely as the days that my kids were students there, but I still feel a sense of pride when the Red Raiders come out winners. I hope the team savors the victory.......they'll be amazed on how quickly it becomes just a memory.....but one that will always deserve a cheer for the 2010 Cheerleaders of Rutland High.

Who Dat? Now We All Know!

Congratulations to the New Orleans Saints on their Superbowl XLIV victory. One of the best Superbowls I've seen since The Patriots' back to back wins in Superbowls XXXVIII & XXXIX. Yes, Superbowl XLII was a great one too, but too heartbreaking to remember for a Pats fan! Everyone's talking about the great commercials too, but that I didn't get out of the night. There were a couple of clever ones (Like Punxatawny Polamalu) but none that really floored me. The only thing that I really laughed out load at was the CBS promo for Late Night With David Letterman.....now THAT was funny!

Purifying Haiti's Water Supply

It's been awhile since I posted a new message but now I feel it's important to remind you of, or introduce you to, Pure Water For The World. The purpose of this organization is to provide clean water to the poorest areas of the world where none can be found. One of the places that they have been most active is in Haiti providing purified water to thousands of school children & their families. They do this through expensive filtration systems connected to area schools. As you can imagine their network of purifying the Haitian water supply was severely crippled when the earthquake hit destroying most of the 750 or so schools that they provide to. Like most of you, I felt the need to do something to help. I was surprised to learn that with all the wonderful work that PWFTW does in this world they are headquartered right here in Rutland. It just reminds you again of what a small community like ours is capable of. Their commitment to the areas they are helping is long term. As badly needed as the provisions are today to end what seems to be an insurmountable task in Haiti, Water For The World will be there when everyone else has gone. That's why I am asking you to make a donation to this very important part of Haiti's long term health & survival. Thankfully the job of supplying immediate need to the people of Haiti is getting done. But that is just the beginning.....without a supply of drinkable, clean water for the long term the burden of this unimaginable increase in Haiti's suffering will not end. Click the Pure Water For The World logo like the one above on the main page of our website. Read about PWFTW....and then PLEASE make a donation....The survival of an entire country may depend on it.

Happy New Year!

Well, for most of us this morning means back to business as usual as we begin 2010. Just a quick note to say that I hope everyone enjoyed a great New Year's Eve & a relaxing New Year's Day. I certainly did! Here's a wish for a spectacular 2010 for you all.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Christmas Season vs. Christmas Reason

In these final couple of days before Christmas it struck me how far from the reason for this holiday we have come. Remember when the magic of Christmas included midnight mass & the singing of Silent Night & Adeste Fideles? In years past going to church on Christmas eve or Christmas morning was as important as opening gifts. Today that seems to be further down the Christmas day "to do list" than it has ever been. It's sad how Christmas has become more associated with department store sales & endless TV specials than anything closely resembling the Prince of Peace. I hope as you & I go through this Christmas season and enjoy wonderful times with family & friends that we take a moment to remember why Christmas is the special day it is. Santa, trees & presents are all wonderful parts of the season....so enjoy that...for it is truly magical, but also remember why we began celebrating this special time of year to begin with. The world would be far better off celebrating the reason for Christmas...instead of just the season of Christmas. And so in the spirit of the season....and remembering the reason....Merry Christmas!