Well, it is back again! Another edition of the "Pell News". Yes, it indeed has been awhile, but remember, I did say it would be an occasional posting. Since the last posting, there have been some items of note.
Bits and Pieces of News
Pell Grants
- President Obama has mentioned the legislative fight to save the Pell Grants. Rhode Island's two US Senators Reed and Whitehouse have been engaged in battling back against the "cut the Pell Grant crowd".
Mrs. Pell
- Mrs. Pell had a little health situation back in November, but she is now fine - up and running around like always.
Videos
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The Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy at Salve Regina University has interesting information including videos of the various lectures that have taken place at the Center. You can find the link to the videos on the left side of the Center's homepage.
Housekeeping
- The self-appointed archivist of the Pell email list (i.e. Dennis Riley) is looking for some email addresses of former staffers. The addresses of the following keep bouncing back as unknown - Ann Young Orr, Richard Dietrick, Joanne Legg Sheehan. If you have an address for these people, please send it to me and I will correct the master email list.
Ah, yes, about email addresses. Several people have asked for a copy of the Pell email list (PEL) and I have not supplied it. To be up front, I have copied it once and that was to the Pell Center at Salve for the release party associated with the the biography on the Senator,
An Uncommon Man. After sending it, I did feel a bit troubled. Lots of people, including some on the PEL, wish to maintain whatever control they can over their email. We all know that is very difficult, and I don't want to make it more so by posting or sending it out all over the place. I do have a solution for those who might want to contact someone who they think is on the PEL. I will be more than happy to forward your email to that staffer. If the requested staffer is not on the PEL, then I will promptly let you know. How does that sound?
From Warwick to Hollywood
Here is a nice article about one of us from the not too distant past.
EMMY’S AND CONFETTI: Colleen Sands, at left, stands with friend Mary Egan Callahan at the 2011 Emmy Awards. Sands is the co-executive producer of “Project Runway,” which was nominated for the Emmy for “Best Reality Series.” Both women are originally from Warwick.
Career path takes Colleen Sands to red carpet at Emmys
Former Warwick resident (and Pell staffer) Colleen Sands walked the red carpet Sept. 18 and took her seat among Hollywood's elite at the 2011 Emmy Awards.
Sands, who attended Warwick Vets and then went on to URI, is now co-executive producer for the Lifetime series "Project Runway," which stars supermodel Heidi Klum and fashion consultant Tim Gunn.But Sands didn’t always have dreams of the bright lights of Hollywood. During her time at URI she was a political science major, and interned at Warwick’s City Hall. After college, she landed a job with Senator Pell as a legislative correspondent. Once Pell retired, she moved over to the Congressional side, and stayed in Washington, D.C. for another two years.
After her three years in D.C., Sands decided to come back to her home state, and worked on a project with Lifespan.......
Since season six, Sands has been a producer on the show, serving first as a supervising producer, and then as a co-executive producer.
The premise of “Project Runway” is to give budding designers from across the United States a chance to display their collection at New York’s Fashion Week. Heidi Klum and a panel of judges eliminate the designers one by one, until three are left. The top three show their line in New York, and an ultimate winner is chosen. Along the way, fashion expert Tim Gunn coaches the designers. (read the rest of Colleen’s adventure by clicking on the link below:)
A Pell in the White House
On September 11, 2001, Scott MacKay, in his “On Politics” blog published the following:
“Clay Pell, grandson of the late Sen. Claiborne Pell and Nuala Pell, has been appointed to a prestigious White House Fellowship. The White House Fellows program is a highly competitive leadership and public service fellowship. WH fellows usually serve a one-year tenure working full-time with top ranking federal government officials.
Pell is a lieutenant in the U.S. Coast Guard (Claiborne Pell also served in the Coast Guard) who is a Harvard graduate. He also has a law degree from Georgetown and has worked for the CIA, the State Department and practiced international law. Clay is fluent in Chinese, Spanish and Arabic. In Rhode Island, Clay Pell has supported Progreso Latino, the International Institute and the China Working Group in a campaign to instruct foreign languages in local schools and help new immigrants. He considered running for U.S. House from Rhode Island in 2010, but ultimately decided against it.
Clay was assigned to the White House.
His grandfather would be obviously be very proud.”
The program began in 1964 and has an august history that the White House references here:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/fellows
Clay was quoted in the release as saying: "Two of the aspects I am really excited about are the other fellows, whom I look forward to learning from over the next year, and community service, our first project of which we are beginning in about an hour. Finally, you can read a bit more about my incredible colleagues in a press release the White House has just put out:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/fellows/2011-2012
Thank you again for your confidence in me. I will do my very best".
Memorials and Milestones
Knowing that most Pell List people do not read the local RI papers, I thought it might be useful to set up this Milestones and Memorials (M&M's) section. Please, let me know (driley2468@me.com) of any of your M&M's and I will post them here.
Since the passing of the Senator (1/1/09), to the best of my recollection we have lost three former Pell Staffers. Here are their published obituaries:
John Lewis
Lewis, John L., age 97, (d. 11-16-2010) a former Administrative Assistant to the late Sen. Claiborne Pell, died on Nov. 16th at Waterview Villa after having lived a wonderful and productive life. He was surrounded by his loving family.
He was the son of the late Joseph and Mary (Peters) Lewis. He was the husband of the late Maria Julia (Marques) for 61 years. He was the father of John (Jack) and his wife Gail of Longs, SC and Patricia Tirocchi and her husband Gerald of East Providence. He leaves 6 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild. He was predeceased by 11 siblings; Joseph, Anthony, Alfred, Frank, Charles, George, Marguerite, Virginia Pelosi, Rose Silva, Leonora Sousa and Delphine Currier.
A lifelong resident of East Providence, he was known as "Mr. Democrat." He was a member of the United States Steelworkers of America. He played, sponsored and managed local amateur baseball teams throughout the years and was a staunch "Yankee" fan.
He served in the House of Representatives from 1948-1956. He served as Highway Superintendent in East Providence for 8 years. He was elected to the last Town Council in 1956. Mr. Lewis gained prominence by successfully managing the late Sen. Pell's primary and election campaigns in 1960, and humbly accepted the appointment as his Administrative Assistant, which he held until his retirement. His passion for politics led him to a career of helping and counseling many Rhode Islanders without seeking credit.
He was a delegate to the democratic Convention in 1964, and alternate delegate in 1968. He was a member of the State Democratic Committee. He was also a member of the East Providence Democratic City Committee for many years. He was a former member of the RI Legislators Association.
He held a membership card with the Holy Ghost beneficial Brotherhood Association for close to 70 years and was a Life Member of the Portuguese-American Athletic Club. He was a member of AARP, RSVP, FACT, PAPA, The E.P. Sr. Center, The Veterans Monument Committee and The Charter Commission. He was honored by the Seven Castles Club in 1972. In 1997, he was inducted into the East Providence Hall of Fame.
Because of his generosity and commitment to his community, the "John L. Lewis" Park was dedicated in his honor. Upon his retirement, he enjoyed vacationing in Florida, family functions, gardening, woodworking, photography and taking senior trips.
Mr. Lewis was a traditionalist who believed that Faith, Family and Friends were of the utmost importance and instilled in everyone that, "Everyday was truly a blessing!"
His funeral will begin on Saturday at 9 AM from the REBELLO FUNERAL HOME, 901 Broadway, East Providence, RI, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 AM in St. Martha's Church, 2595 Pawtucket Ave., East Providence. Burial will be in Mt. St. Mary Cemetery. Calling hours will be on Friday from 5-8 PM. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in his memory may be made to the American Diabetes Association,, Memorial and Honor Program, 222 Richmond Street Ste 204, Providence, RI 02903-4226 or American Heart Association, PO Box 3049, Syracuse, NY 13220-3049 would be greatly appreciated. (funeral home write-up)
Paul Goulding
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Paul E. Goulding, 76, who teamed early on with Claiborne Pell and later led Pell's 1972 campaign to victory over John H. Chafee in the race for U.S. Senate, died March 6 (2011) in George Washington Hospital, Washington, D.C. Goulding was one of the first to volunteer to work on Pell's first run for Senate, in 1960, which Pell began as a political unknown. Pell became the first candidate in Rhode Island to win a statewide nomination without party endorsement and ended up succeeding Sen. Theodore Francis Green. Goulding said later that as Pell's Senate administrative assistant and chief of staff, he did "everything but vote." In the 1972 campaign against Chafee, the former governor and U.S. secretary of the Navy, Goulding led 15,000 volunteers and was credited with lifting Pell from a 3-to-1 underdog position to winner of the race. "Paul was the classic smiling and joking, Irish-cigar-smoking Democratic leader loved by all," Keven McKenna, a Rhode Island lawyer who ran unsuccessfully for attorney general last fall, said Thursday. "He did more to aid small Rhode Island businesses in Washington than any other staff person in the Congressional delegation that I had met when I served as Pell's legislative aide from 1968-73." McKenna described Goulding as "Rhode Island's Tip O'Neill, in appearance and in spirit." He worked on several presidential campaigns, for the late Robert F. Kennedy in 1968, and, after Kennedy's assassination, for Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey later that year. In 1976, when Sen. John O. Pastore announced he would not seek reelection, Goulding entered the race, running what he termed a "serious but woefully underfunded" campaign. He was credited however with being the first candidate for public office to walk through every city and town in Rhode Island. In 1978, Goulding became the deputy administrator for the U.S. General Services Administration. He had served with the agency, which acts as the business manager of the federal government, since the previous year. As the GSA's director of congressional and intergovernmental affairs, he met weekly with senior White House staff members, and, occasionally, with the president. (Projo)
Ray Church
SLATERSVILLE- Raymond C. Church 64, of Main St. Slatersville, died Thursday (d. 05-25-2011) at the RI Veteran's Hospital. He was the husband of Carol (DeVaudreuil) Church.
Born in Pawtucket a son of Mary (Sherman) Church of Providence and the late Chester Church, he moved to North Smithfield in 1976.
He was the Executive Director of the RI Society of Certified Public Accountants for many years. He was the elected North Smithfield Town Administrator from 1987-1989, a member of the North Smithfield Democratic Town Committee, a member of the Finance Committee for RI House of Representatives from 2004-2008 as the State Representative from District 48. Raymond graduated from Bryant College with a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting. He was an avid golfer and former member of the Lincoln Country Club where he served as treasurer, he enjoyed skiing, skating, reading and going to the movies. Raymond was a Vietnam War Army veteran.
Besides his wife and mother he is survived by one daughter, Jennifer Hawes and her husband Scott of Slatersville, one grandson Max, and another grandchild on the way, two brothers David Church and Paul Church both of Pawtucket, a brother -in -law Armand DeVaudreuil and his wife Susan of Slatersville, several nephews and nieces including Amy, Lori, and Julie, and three grand nieces.
His funeral will be held Monday at 9:00 AM from the Fournier & Fournier Funeral Home, 463 South Main St. Woonsocket with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 AM in St. John's Church, Church St. Slatersville followed by Military Honors. (Woonsocket Call)
Fred Hashway
HASHWAY, FRED S. JR. age 56 of Pawtucket, passed away on Monday (d. 02-27-12) at Miriam Hospital. He was the beloved husband for 22 years of Jenna Wims Hashway. Born in 1955, he was the son of the late Fred S. Hashway and Elaine Samra Wilbur, and stepson of the late Russell Wilbur. He was the brother of Mark Hashway and brother-in-law of Sheila White Hashway, of East Greenwich, and the brother of Kevin P. Hashway of Pascoag. Fred also leaves behind many cherished nieces, nephews, and Godchildren. Fred was the U.S. Director of Business Development for WindMade, a global wind energy advocacy organization. Fred had a long and distinguished career in finance, business and economic development, having previously served as Director of Government Affairs for the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation. A graduate of Georgetown University, he previously served as policy aide to the late U.S. Senator Claiborne Pell. An animated and skillful raconteur, Fred will be forever remembered for his remarkable spirit, whip-smart intellect, infectious humor, and insatiable optimism. As manager of the 1940s troupe For Sentimental Reasons, Fred shared his leadership abilities and love of music with his closest friends. Visitation will be held TODAY from 4:00 to 8:00 pm in the Russell J. Boyle & Son Funeral Home 142 Centerville Rd., Warwick. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday at 10 am in St. Sebastian Church, 67 Cole Ave., Providence. Interment will follow in Swan Point Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, Fred's family kindly requests donations be made in his honor to Inspiring Minds, 763 Westminster St., Providence, RI 02903. (Boyle's Funeral Home)
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Fred and two other members of 1978 Re-Elect Pell campaign staff sadly have passed away.
Colleen Newth died back on September 26, 2006. After the campaign she worked at the FEC and the National Credit Union Administration.
Justine Sprague Sherburne who passed away on April 1, 2011. Justine had been teaching for 30 years in the Warwick (RI) School System when she died.
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Condolences also go out to Jan Demers who lost her mother, Helen Demers, on April 19, 2011; and to Jane Jellison who's father, Reverend Frederick Jellison died on October 11, 2011.
Miscellaneous
PEOPLE, I need some Milestones from you. Give me some good news or information about some activity you are involved in that might interest your former colleagues.
Cool before cool was cool.
