Kelly PatersonKelly graduated from Umass Dartmouth in 2007, with her B.A. in English. She continues to write frequently,
with an assortment of different genres and styles of writing. She also enjoys painting and photography.
Kelly currently resides in the town of Seekonk, Massachusetts.
A MAN and His MISSION
by Kelly Paterson
WARWICK Museum of Art
by Kelly Paterson
by Kelly Paterson
Rick Lindholm a Warwick, Rhode Island resident is trying to help find a cure for one of the many heartbreaking illnesses that takes so many lives every day. Leukemia is the number one disease killer of children ages 1-14 and the cause of death for about 50,000 people each year! Rick became a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS), after being misdiagnosed with Leukemia in 1986. The LLS is the world’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research. Their mission is “to cure Leukemia, Lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and Myeloma and to improve the quality of life for patients and their families.”
When Rick learned of his initial diagnosis, he was just a sophomore in college and had been experiencing a sharp pain in his ribs. He went to the hospital for numerous tests and blood work, and it was thought to be Leukemia. When he finally learned it was in fact not Leukemia, he was more than just relieved and realized that a lot of people don’t always get the same good news he did! One day after a doctor’s visit, Rick received a postcard in the mail about joining Team in Training. Team in Training is The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s charity sports training program, that raises money for blood cancer research. Rick went to one of their info meetings and signed up for the Phoenix Marathon and a week later his wife joined as well!
So far Rick has competed in five fundraising events all over the United States for LLS. From marathons to triathlons to bike riding, he’s been doing his part and reaching out to those with a more uncertain future. Last year Rick received the Society’s Triple Crown award, because he did three fundraising events in one year! He was also the team captain for three different events! And, not only does he plan on competing in three different events this year, but in one season nevertheless! On May 2nd 2010, Rick will be running a half marathon at the Cox Providence Road Races. On June 7th 2010, he will be cycling 100 miles at America’s Most Beautiful Bike Ride in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. And, on July 18th 2010, he will be swimming 1.5k, cycling in a 40k bike ride and running a 10k as part of the New York City Triathlon. Each event Rick is competing in, is for a different patient. Rick’s goal is to raise $15,000 for the LLS, but he says he wants to try and go beyond that range if he can.
Once a person joins Team in Training, they are given a training schedule and there is a coach for each sport. The team members meet at least once each week to do group training together. Rick says, he sometimes trains a few times a week with his teammates and there may even be days where he goes from one training session to another. He makes sure that his cycling team is his first priority, since he is the team captain! Rick puts in a lot of effort to Team in Training, but he couldn’t do it without his coaches and teammates, as he expresses he is ever so thankful to them!
This year Rick mailed a letter to all his family and friends asking for donations to help sponsor him for these events. He also has planned a fundraiser and has sent out notices to numerous businesses and restaurants in Rhode Island for raffle/silent auction items. He will charge an admission fee, and in turn those people will get a chance to win one of the many raffle items along with giving a helping hand to a great cause! Rick plans on calling his events The Season for a Reason. Anyone can show support for the LLS and assist Rick in his upcoming competitions, by going to his page at
http://pages.teamintraining.org/ri/ambbr10/lippy17 and making a donation. Like many of the diseases out there, there is no definite cure. However, there is a possibility that one day there will be. Rick expresses his feelings on what he is doing for the LLS, “Along the route there are thousands of people cheering you on and thanking you for saving lives. I became involved in the society to make a difference and I have to believe that I am.”
When Rick learned of his initial diagnosis, he was just a sophomore in college and had been experiencing a sharp pain in his ribs. He went to the hospital for numerous tests and blood work, and it was thought to be Leukemia. When he finally learned it was in fact not Leukemia, he was more than just relieved and realized that a lot of people don’t always get the same good news he did! One day after a doctor’s visit, Rick received a postcard in the mail about joining Team in Training. Team in Training is The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s charity sports training program, that raises money for blood cancer research. Rick went to one of their info meetings and signed up for the Phoenix Marathon and a week later his wife joined as well!
So far Rick has competed in five fundraising events all over the United States for LLS. From marathons to triathlons to bike riding, he’s been doing his part and reaching out to those with a more uncertain future. Last year Rick received the Society’s Triple Crown award, because he did three fundraising events in one year! He was also the team captain for three different events! And, not only does he plan on competing in three different events this year, but in one season nevertheless! On May 2nd 2010, Rick will be running a half marathon at the Cox Providence Road Races. On June 7th 2010, he will be cycling 100 miles at America’s Most Beautiful Bike Ride in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. And, on July 18th 2010, he will be swimming 1.5k, cycling in a 40k bike ride and running a 10k as part of the New York City Triathlon. Each event Rick is competing in, is for a different patient. Rick’s goal is to raise $15,000 for the LLS, but he says he wants to try and go beyond that range if he can.
Once a person joins Team in Training, they are given a training schedule and there is a coach for each sport. The team members meet at least once each week to do group training together. Rick says, he sometimes trains a few times a week with his teammates and there may even be days where he goes from one training session to another. He makes sure that his cycling team is his first priority, since he is the team captain! Rick puts in a lot of effort to Team in Training, but he couldn’t do it without his coaches and teammates, as he expresses he is ever so thankful to them!
This year Rick mailed a letter to all his family and friends asking for donations to help sponsor him for these events. He also has planned a fundraiser and has sent out notices to numerous businesses and restaurants in Rhode Island for raffle/silent auction items. He will charge an admission fee, and in turn those people will get a chance to win one of the many raffle items along with giving a helping hand to a great cause! Rick plans on calling his events The Season for a Reason. Anyone can show support for the LLS and assist Rick in his upcoming competitions, by going to his page at
http://pages.teamintraining.org/ri/ambbr10/lippy17 and making a donation. Like many of the diseases out there, there is no definite cure. However, there is a possibility that one day there will be. Rick expresses his feelings on what he is doing for the LLS, “Along the route there are thousands of people cheering you on and thanking you for saving lives. I became involved in the society to make a difference and I have to believe that I am.”
WARWICK Museum of Art
by Kelly Paterson
There’s not many places that a person can go to every month and experience something new and visually stimulating each time! The Warwick Museum of Art, happens to be one of those places! Rhode Islanders and people living in the surrounding areas, have a lot to gain by becoming acquainted with the museum. Plus, it never hurts to be a little more cultured and show some support towards your local community!
Patty Martucci, who is the museum’s Program Director, tells me the museum started off as an armory building built in 1912 and then was converted into a museum in 1976. She mentions during that time, there was a women’s group who got the idea for the museum as a Bicentennial Project, and since it was a historical building it suited the matter precisely. The Warwick Museum of Art is a non-profit organization run by a board of directors. They are located on Post Road in Warwick, RI, just two doors down from the Warwick City Hall in a beautiful area with a lot of history behind it!. There is no admission fee to get in to the museum, however, they do have a donation box at the museum and on there website www.warwickmuseum.org They gladly appreciate any donations made!
Patty explains about how the museum holds a assortment of fundraisers through the year, along with grants that they receive from a variety of sources to keep the museum up and running. They hold fundraisers, including a few juried shows such as the RI Open, which happened to be their 23rd year involved with this event in 2009. Each artist that submits their work has to pay a fee since it is being judged, and then the panel picks out the top three contenders who each receive a prize! The museum also has a classroom downstairs beneath the gallery, where they hold a summer art camp that runs for seven weeks for children ages 6-12. Every September, the museum has a wine tasting to help with funds. They also rent out the museum for different functions, such as open mic poetry readings, theatrical groups, and they even have an improv comedy group called “Unexpected Company” who perform every Thursday night at 8:00 p.m. This also was the museum’s first year for local artists to display their work at an affordable art show during the Christmas season. 55 artists presented their art ranging from photographs to paintings, to prints and high end crafts! The best part about the affordable art show is that all the items in the show are no more than $32.59, which also happens to be the museum’s address number; not to mention it‘s supporting something local and giving back to the community! Another new fundraiser they plan on holding during the month of March is a Mardi Gras Party! And, from what Patty tells me the museum is brimming with ideas for the new year!
The Warwick Museum of Art features a wide array of different types of artwork all year long. For any local artists who want to submit their work to the gallery, or even artists from other states, there is just one request the museum asks for and that is all work must be hand delivered and picked up. They very seldom have a solo show because they want to keep the production more community based. The museum usually posts on their own website or through other websites such as Craigslist. They also use email lists to inform their patrons of upcoming events, and call out for submissions of artwork. Patty expressed to me there is usually a theme with each show. For instance they had a show titled “Living Is Easy”, which was about what the summer season meant to each artist. And, another previous show was called “Pieces of Black and White” which presented all black and white artwork. Upcoming shows scheduled for the new year kicks off on Jan. 6th and runs through the 30th of the month, the gallery will feature work from Margaret Owen and Lance Gershenoff. They are both known for their whimsical and colorful take on art. The opening reception for this show is on Jan 8th from 7-9 p.m. In Feb. the museum will hold a show titled “Couplings” in which they are looking for artists who are real life couples! The opening reception for that will be on Feb. 12th from 7-9 p.m. and they plan on serving a fancy dessert along with some gourmet coffee creating a sort of romantic night out vibe! In March, the museum is working with the Aldrich Junior High School in Warwick, its students will have their art work on exhibit in the gallery and they will be putting on performances as well! In April, The RI Photo Safari Group’s photograph’s will be making an appearance that month. In May, there is something in the works with RISD students. And, in June, the gallery will be devoting a show to all things Rocky Point! Jason Mayo, who is the artist and author of “Tales of Rocky Point” will be there, along with other artists and Rocky Point enthusiasts!
The Museum’s gallery also went through a major renovation at the beginning of 2009. They received an $86,000 dollar grant from the Champlin Foundation and put in new hardwood floors, brick walls, gorgeous arched windows and a modernized hanging system! Patty boasts, that because of the new hanging system installed it only takes a little over 2 hours to put up a show, compared to the 4-6 hours it used to take them! She also exclaims, what a sheer joy it is to work at The Warwick Museum of Art because it looks so nice after all the renovations! Although, the gallery is small in size, it conveys a certain charm to it and the brick walls generate a warm and comfy atmosphere.
Since the dawning of a new year has come, the museum has a few goals it would like to achieve in 2010. They would like to extend there programming and perhaps offer classes to adults as well as children. They would also like to be able to have enough funds to keep the programming going. One way they plan on doing this is to have the museum rented out more frequently for non-profit events, birthday parties or even retirement parties. But, most importantly the museum’s major goal is to get exposed to as many people as possible and to be a cornerstone on the social calendar of the RI community. So, make sure to take time out and support this delightful, little gem bursting with loads of local talent!
Patty Martucci, who is the museum’s Program Director, tells me the museum started off as an armory building built in 1912 and then was converted into a museum in 1976. She mentions during that time, there was a women’s group who got the idea for the museum as a Bicentennial Project, and since it was a historical building it suited the matter precisely. The Warwick Museum of Art is a non-profit organization run by a board of directors. They are located on Post Road in Warwick, RI, just two doors down from the Warwick City Hall in a beautiful area with a lot of history behind it!. There is no admission fee to get in to the museum, however, they do have a donation box at the museum and on there website www.warwickmuseum.org They gladly appreciate any donations made!
Patty explains about how the museum holds a assortment of fundraisers through the year, along with grants that they receive from a variety of sources to keep the museum up and running. They hold fundraisers, including a few juried shows such as the RI Open, which happened to be their 23rd year involved with this event in 2009. Each artist that submits their work has to pay a fee since it is being judged, and then the panel picks out the top three contenders who each receive a prize! The museum also has a classroom downstairs beneath the gallery, where they hold a summer art camp that runs for seven weeks for children ages 6-12. Every September, the museum has a wine tasting to help with funds. They also rent out the museum for different functions, such as open mic poetry readings, theatrical groups, and they even have an improv comedy group called “Unexpected Company” who perform every Thursday night at 8:00 p.m. This also was the museum’s first year for local artists to display their work at an affordable art show during the Christmas season. 55 artists presented their art ranging from photographs to paintings, to prints and high end crafts! The best part about the affordable art show is that all the items in the show are no more than $32.59, which also happens to be the museum’s address number; not to mention it‘s supporting something local and giving back to the community! Another new fundraiser they plan on holding during the month of March is a Mardi Gras Party! And, from what Patty tells me the museum is brimming with ideas for the new year!
The Warwick Museum of Art features a wide array of different types of artwork all year long. For any local artists who want to submit their work to the gallery, or even artists from other states, there is just one request the museum asks for and that is all work must be hand delivered and picked up. They very seldom have a solo show because they want to keep the production more community based. The museum usually posts on their own website or through other websites such as Craigslist. They also use email lists to inform their patrons of upcoming events, and call out for submissions of artwork. Patty expressed to me there is usually a theme with each show. For instance they had a show titled “Living Is Easy”, which was about what the summer season meant to each artist. And, another previous show was called “Pieces of Black and White” which presented all black and white artwork. Upcoming shows scheduled for the new year kicks off on Jan. 6th and runs through the 30th of the month, the gallery will feature work from Margaret Owen and Lance Gershenoff. They are both known for their whimsical and colorful take on art. The opening reception for this show is on Jan 8th from 7-9 p.m. In Feb. the museum will hold a show titled “Couplings” in which they are looking for artists who are real life couples! The opening reception for that will be on Feb. 12th from 7-9 p.m. and they plan on serving a fancy dessert along with some gourmet coffee creating a sort of romantic night out vibe! In March, the museum is working with the Aldrich Junior High School in Warwick, its students will have their art work on exhibit in the gallery and they will be putting on performances as well! In April, The RI Photo Safari Group’s photograph’s will be making an appearance that month. In May, there is something in the works with RISD students. And, in June, the gallery will be devoting a show to all things Rocky Point! Jason Mayo, who is the artist and author of “Tales of Rocky Point” will be there, along with other artists and Rocky Point enthusiasts!
The Museum’s gallery also went through a major renovation at the beginning of 2009. They received an $86,000 dollar grant from the Champlin Foundation and put in new hardwood floors, brick walls, gorgeous arched windows and a modernized hanging system! Patty boasts, that because of the new hanging system installed it only takes a little over 2 hours to put up a show, compared to the 4-6 hours it used to take them! She also exclaims, what a sheer joy it is to work at The Warwick Museum of Art because it looks so nice after all the renovations! Although, the gallery is small in size, it conveys a certain charm to it and the brick walls generate a warm and comfy atmosphere.
Since the dawning of a new year has come, the museum has a few goals it would like to achieve in 2010. They would like to extend there programming and perhaps offer classes to adults as well as children. They would also like to be able to have enough funds to keep the programming going. One way they plan on doing this is to have the museum rented out more frequently for non-profit events, birthday parties or even retirement parties. But, most importantly the museum’s major goal is to get exposed to as many people as possible and to be a cornerstone on the social calendar of the RI community. So, make sure to take time out and support this delightful, little gem bursting with loads of local talent!
