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Rhodies know their chowda and quahogs Local residents win spot on calendar to benefit cancer patients By Vickie Goff / The Westerly Sun (Created: Wednesday, July 9, 2008 12:01 PM EDT) |
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| Coffee milk , quahogs and the Rhode Island
Red are authentic markings of the Ocean State's culture, but what makes a
"Real Rhode Islander"? Westerly resident Yvonne Perez, 34, and Spogga
Hashway, 35, of Wood River Junction, know. They were chosen recently with 28 other Rhode Islanders to pose for a calendar to benefit the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation. Two calendars — one with the male winners and another with females — will be available for purchase in October, which is breast cancer awareness month. According to the calendar’s Web site, realrhodeislander.com, an authentic Ocean State native is "an extraordinary person who lives in the Ocean State, who portrays success, has a positive impact on the community, and is beautiful inside and out." Hashway and Perez were finalists among nearly 100 contestants competing for the title of "Real Rhode Islander." Stacey Caputi, who initiated the calendar idea, said contestants answered such Rhode Island trivia questions as, what does it mean for a hot wiener to be "all the way?" [For those who don't know, a wiener made "all the way" includes yellow mustard, meat sauce, onions and celery salt. And the official state drink to wash it down with? Coffee milk.] Hashway, a musician, said that although he enjoys traveling, he loves living in Rhode Island, where he can visit the beach, kayak or go to Providence. Originally from Cumberland, he said he once lived at AS220, a nonprofit community arts venue in Providence that was born in the 1980s —self-proclaimed as an "antiinstitutional institution." Hashway said he has also been a "fire dancer" at WaterFire Providence. As part of his routine, he swings two flaming objects. He said he plans to donate proceeds of a DVD of his WaterFire performance, as well as a CD of his music, to the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Research Foundation and to Rhode Island-based artists who don't have insurance. Hashway said his brother, who died of cancer last year, has been an inspiration for the projects. Perez credits her mother's work of caring for a friend suffering from breast cancer with why she led two walks to benefit breast cancer research. The walks,held in Westerly, benefited the Texas-based M.D. Anderson Cancer Center’s research on post-operative care for women diagnosed with breast cancer. "My mom kind of took care of this woman until the end," she said. "I saw what my mom went through. It was very touching." Perez also volunteers with Big Sisters of Rhode Island and received an "Excellence in Mentoring" award from the state Department of the Attorney General in January. As to why she’s a "Real Rhode Islander," Perez noted her part-Italian heritage and love for the beach, ocean, clam "chowda," and Del's. "I like staying in Westerly, and not traveling too far out," she added. vgoff@thewesterlysun.com |
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| http://www.thewesterlysun.com/articles/2008/07/11/news/local/doc4874bc5cd3af2820459847.txt | |