This Side Up

A community gift brightly wrapped

By John Howell
Posted 6/28/16

What’s a gift without it being wrapped?

I suppose it’s like going to a restaurant, ordering a sumptuous meal, and having it served out of the pan. Presentation is so much a part of the gift. …

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This Side Up

A community gift brightly wrapped

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What’s a gift without it being wrapped?

I suppose it’s like going to a restaurant, ordering a sumptuous meal, and having it served out of the pan. Presentation is so much a part of the gift. My daughter in-law, Jen, and daughter, Diana, are masters at it. Christmas and birthday gifts are jewel boxes, brightly accented with colorful ribbons and, if you’re lucky, piled one box on top of another. They know how to heighten a kid’s excitement, not that it doesn’t work adults, and more than one box does it.

No question there’s an art to gift-wrapping. My mother took it seriously, carefully folding paper corners so they were uniform and, if she could, not using Scotch tape. Somehow tape was cheating and when I gave her a gift, I consciously used it sparingly if I had to at all.

Of course, presentation is just a part of it. If the entrée lives up to a spectacular presentation, then the meal is truly a success.

Naturally, whether it is a meal in a gourmet restaurant or Christmas morning, there’s a level of expectation that something good is coming your way.

I found myself thinking of the importance of gifts following the Rocky Point 5K Saturday morning. The event is the brainchild of Lauren Slocum, president and CEO of the Central Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce. This is the fourth year of the race/walk and its biggest so far. Nearly 600 registered.

5Ks have become increasingly popular. They are often fundraisers and like the Gaspee Days race on the day of the parade have become a staple on the community calendar. I expect the Rocky Point race will likewise become a tradition. It’s headed that way.

In a sense Lauren has gift-wrapped this race for the community and the park that is its focal point. Working with Veterans High School, students designed posters for the 5K, with the top three being picked by a local group of judges for cash awards. The posters were then enlarged to become race mile markers. Local artist Frank Galasso designed T-shirts and tote bags with gifts for the registrants.

Lauren’s attention to detail didn’t stop there. She involved chiropractors Bobby Sedlor and his wife of McArdle Chiropractic to lead participants through stretches and limbering up prior to the starting gun, which Mayor Scott Avedisian fired. Aaron Guckian, who is more accustomed to opera and has the voice for it, sang the national anthem. The event, presented in concert with CVS Health Charity Classic, benefits three local non-profits – Kent County YMCA, The Trudeau Center, and Cornerstone Adult Services – all of which provided assistance in the form of volunteers and shuttle buses to get people back to their cars that were parked inside the gates at Rocky Point.

As I’ve written in this column, Lauren also initiated and continues to run summer movie nights at Rocky Point. She has lined up sponsors to make that happen.

The presentation from the mile markers to the balloon archway near the starting line made for a special 5K Saturday morning. It was a community gift. I was also surprised by a gift.

I spotted Lori DeGregorio after the race started. She was on her bike and in another 15 minutes planning to cover the course and report back. With the runners off, I was thinking of getting pictures as they passed the Rocky Point arch. I would need to rush if I hoped to get the leader.

Lori suggested I use her bike. What a gift. I would be certain to get there in time.

Then she added the wrapping. She unclipped her helmet and handed it over.

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