The Wareham Village Association is looking for public input as it begins to plan the 2012 Swan Festival (As posted on Wareham Village Soup)

What have you particularly liked about the festival? What would you like to see improved? What would you like to see added to the festival? What do you think of the location? The time it is held?

Any and all feedback is welcomed and will be considered, according to interim Village Association President Anthi Frangiadis. “The festivals have morphed and changed each year in response to feedback the organization has received,” she said. “This year is no different."

For the uninitiated, the Swan Festival is an annual celebration, now in its 16th year, designed to showcase local businesses, talent, and resources of downtown Wareham along the Wareham River. For one day in the summer, Merchants Way – running along the Wareham River behind Main Street – is lined with crafters’ booths, food vendors, children’s activities, informational booths from area businesses and organizations, and live entertainment. Main Street businesses offer specials and hold open houses.

Comments on the festival and suggestions for the 2012 edition should be sent to wva2012@gmail.com or P.O. Box 484, Wareham, MA 02671.

While comments, feedback, opinions, suggestions are all welcome, Frangiadis stressed that it is the willingness to step up and volunteer that makes it all happen.

In addition to seeking suggestions, the Village Association is looking for people interested in helping to plan the festival and/or volunteering to help with its operation. For more information or to volunteer, contact the association at the above addresses by January 26.

Gateway Chamber of Commerce honors volunteer

Gateway Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Patricia Muraco presents Jackie Lindsey with a plaque honoring her for her volunteer work.

By Jaime Rebhan | Jan 10, 2012

Though only a couple months old, the Gateway Chamber of Commerce knows a dedicated volunteer when it sees one.

The Chamber honored Jackie Lindsey for her volunteer work throughout town over the years, especially with the Wareham Village Association, and thanked her and the association for helping with the Chamber's first Festival of Trees event, which took place in conjunction with the Village Association's Christmas parade and celebration.

"We all know that [the Festival of Trees] would never have happened without the Wareham Village Association and Jackie behind us," said Gateway Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Patricia Muraco during a Chamber meeting on Tuesday at the Plymouth County Teachers Federal Credit Union in West Wareham.

Chamber board members and meeting attendees alike echoed that sentiment and added their own kudos to the mix.

"Jackie is always one of those people who is giving herself to the community," said board member Bernie Sohn.

Mary Lou Payton, previous president of the Onset Bay Association who now serves on its board, noted that she's known Lindsey for the past 10 years and "it seems like we're always working on something together."

"I've always admired [Lindsey's] tenacity, her willingness to jump right in," Payton said.

The Gateway Chamber of Commerce then presented a humbled Lindsey with a plaque thanking her for her service

Thank you to all who took part in Christmas on Main Street

I want to publicly acknowledge all the wonderful folks who helped make Christmas on Main Street such a wonderful event, and all the citizens of our town who came out to take part.

With the scavenger hunt, parade, tree lighting, caroling with Santa Claus, cookies and cocoa, and a performance by Toe Jam Puppet Band, there was so much going on, yet things went off smoothly and I’ve heard a lot of great feedback from town officials and citizens. There were hundreds of people all throughout the downtown area, which shows the spirit in our community.

Thank you to the Gateway Chamber of Commerce for their work on the first of what will be the annual Festival of Trees. Thank you to the many great local businesses for their beautiful entries. Turning Point was thrilled to receive $400 to help with the needs of many going through a difficult time especially during the holidays.

Thank you to Wareham Week publisher Anne Eisenmenger and Lori Benson of Jack Conway Real Estate for serving as judges for our parade entrants. With so many great floats and participants, their job was not easy!

Thanks to all who participated in the parade, including the trophy winners. In the Most Creative category, the winners were Jacks Are Wild (first), the Boys and Girls Club (second), and Lindsey’s Restaurant (third); in the Most Spirit, it was Gateway Youth Hockey (first), the Wareham Tigers (second) and the Jr. OBA (third); and in Most Fitting the Theme of “Christmas Through a Child’s Eyes,” it was Daisy Troop 80648 (first), Baker School of Dance (second), and the Old Company Store and Tihonet Village Market (third).

Thank you to Tim Weisberg, for his invaluable help to bring us the biggest and best Christmas parade in years; Chris Consoletti and John Dillen for ensuring it went off without a hitch; Demetrios and George Kalkanas of Minerva’s for generously giving away 1,000 slices of pizza; South Shore Generator; Morse Lumber; J&R Towing; Cox Candy; Dunkin’ Donuts; TD Bank; Eastern Bank; Gallery Consignment; Sail Away Studio; the U.S. Post Office; Old Company Store; Little People’s College; Tihonet Village Market; Shirt Shack; Shaw’s Supermarket; Stop & Shop; Linda Gay; Karen Tamagini; Amy and Jonathan Lanczycki; Margaret Phillips; Laurina Luppino; Norma Bloxson; Larry Gaines; Bob White; Sharon Boyer; Dr. Barry Rabinovitch; Principal Scott Palladino; Henry St. Julien; Susan and David Green; Susan and Bernie Sohn; Patricia Muraco; Eleanor Martin and the Jr. Onset Bay Association; Wareham Community Television; Tom Monaghan; the Municipal Maintenance Department, including Mark Gifford, Joe Edwards, Frank Bergamasco and all the guys who did a fabulous job getting Town Hall ready for our event; the Wareham Police Department and Honor Guard; the Wareham Fire Department and Honor Guard; the Onset Fire Department; Rep. Susan Williams Gifford; Mark Andrews; Walter Cruz; Cara Winslow; Steve Holmes; Myles Burke; Kevin Walsh; Teddy Mathews and Livin’ On a Bad Name for rocking the parade; Pebbles and the JAM’N 94.5 promotions staff; and finally to the Toe Jam Puppet Band for a wonderful performance,

The Wareham Village Association will debut a retooled website in January (www.warehamvillageassociation.com) which will include a version specifically designed for the latest technology with smart phones and tablets.  We also invite you to “Like” us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter (@warehamvillage).  We hope this will keep you updated with events and increase the revenue of our local merchants in Wareham Village.

It has been my pleasure working with each and every one of you.

Cheers to 2012!

Jackie Lindsey

Polar Swan Express a success

The Wareham Village Association is a nonprofit organization whose intent is to enhance a sense of community and character in downtown Wareham.

The WVA’s largest fundraiser is the annual Polar Swan Express. This family event brings more than 2,400 ticket-holders to downtown Wareham to experience the advantages of the town. It highlights the cooperation and partnership among various town businesses and departments.

The fourth annual Polar Swan Express, held in November, was a resounding success and could not have been possible without the help of the following:

• Ready, Kiernan & McNally for their continued sponsorship
• The Cape Cod Central Railroad for their courteous service and friendly staff who added to the spirit of the event
• The Showstoppers and elves who heightened the train experience
• Anne Ames and Rose Berry, the spirited readers of the Polar Express story
• Francis Gay for providing the Brockton/Plymouth trolley to transport our guests throughout the town
• The full support of the Municipal Maintenance department at all venues
• The Wareham Police Department for friendly traffic and crowd control in keeping with the spirit of the weekend
• Dale Evans of EMS for providing emergency lighting
• Steve Ruiz of WCTV for the sound system and continuous music
• Ronald Dunham and Donald Heselton for their respective talents constructing the sleigh and group of presents at the Town Green
• Saba of Nessralla Farm for the "Yule tree"
• The Historical Society for the use of the property
• Joan Chipman for giving the children the joy of seeing her unusual animals
• Tihonet Village Market for providing the supplies for the hot chocolate for our guests
• EncorENTERTAINMENT for the ambassador of good cheer
• Eastern Bank for the supplies for the ever-popular face-painting
• The more than 100 volunteers who gave of their time and talents over the many hours of this event. Folks from Eastern Bank, Mayflower Bank, and TD Bank, from area schools and organizations, from Massachusetts Maritime Academy, and friends of friends and relatives. You were the heart of this success with your camaraderie and unwavering spirit!
• The more than 2,400 parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles who purchased the tickets to make this happy kick-off to the holiday season possible
• Last but definitely not least, the 2011 Polar Express Committee. You had a vision and proceeded to make it happen, ignoring adversity and setbacks. The accolades of the many positive e-mails and feedback from the participants belong to you. A job well done!!!

Thank you to all and mark your calendars for the fifth annual Polar Swan Express, scheduled for November 24 and 25, 2012.

Phyllis A. Decas
Chairman, WVA Polar Swan Express

Wareham Woman of the Year: Dedicated to improving the town

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Wareham's Woman of the Year, Jackie Lindsey, stands by the river that runs alongside Merchants Way, where the Swan Festival is held.

By CAITLIN RUSSELL

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

December 31, 2011 12:00 AM

WAREHAM — Hanging up her hat after 16 years with the Wareham Village Association, Jackie Lindsey is leaving behind a lasting legacy: a town made better through her efforts.

Lindsey and other members of the Village Association had their work cut out for them when they first began meeting to think of ways to beautify and boost Wareham. Like many small towns, it was struggling against a tide of big box stores and a diminishing sense of community.

Lindsey was determined to chart a more positive course.

"Back then, we had a great group of enthusiastic local businessmen and women that got together in September of 1995 at the old Plymouth Savings Bank on Main Street," she recalled. "We met on a regular basis, brainstorming on how we could improve our village and bring business to our merchants. "» As a jumping-off point, we all wrote down a couple of things we thought would add character to Main Street."

Those original ideas and others that ensued are reflected in the nonprofit Wareham Village Association's website, warehamvillageassociation.com, an at-your-fingertips resource of what's going on in town. It also speaks to the Wareham Village Association's philosophy: "Our strength is in the unity of our efforts and ideas."

Lindsey has been a key player in the cause, especially valued for her ability to bring people together to work toward a common goal; thus she is being honored as The Standard-Times 2011 Wareham Woman of the Year. Nominations for the award came from the community and members of the newspaper staff. Recipients were selected by a newsroom committee.

"She is so dedicated to improving our town like no other I have met or seen," said Larry Gaines, a mainstay of Friends of Wareham's Elderly. "My personal experience with her from day one was disbelief in how she so wonderfully responded to (his concerns) ... how, who and where to get help for my interests in town, which has been the seniors in need.

"She is giving, concerned, helpful, informative and caring."

Such traits have helped Lindsey in a variety of endeavors, not the least of which has been bringing the Swan Festival to Wareham.

Along the way, there have been challenges. The Swan Festival has had years that included skateboard ramps, bands and numerous vendors, but it's had Spartan years, as well.

"In 2007, we were down to a Swan Picnic in Besse Park with a band, no vendors and the banks passing out bottled water and key chains," she said. "So in 2008, I took on the challenge of bringing the Swan Festival back."

Lindsey has helped revive the Swan Festival by "always keeping my eye on the bottom line, taking into consideration our overhead costs and trying to make us financially sound through grants, sponsorships and fundraisers," she said.

"Making each year better than the year before and profitable at the same time" is critical, she said. But so is making the event fun. "I wanted something for everyone to enjoy, young and old alike," she said.

Now that she has retired from the Wareham Village Association, Lindsey will have the time to slow down a little and focus on her other passions. "My daughter has been after me to pursue my photography, painting and design work in my retirement. Who knows? Maybe I'll start up a small business," she said.

It wouldn't be a stretch. Lindsey once designed greeting cards for Marion Heath Greeting Cards and still designs cards for her friends.

Whatever she does, they are sure of one thing: She'll do it with the same zest and optimism that has helped improve the town of Wareham