* Death of a Lobster

Gloucester, MA (more details to follow on the death of this clawed crustacean)

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* Pine Ridge Cemetery: "It's a pet cemetery. It's a people business."

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November 21, 2007 - Started in 1907, Pine Ridge Cemetery in Dedham claims to be “the oldest operating pet cemetery in the country that is owned and operated by an animal welfare agency.” The cemetery is a service provided by the Animal Rescue League of Boston and has hundreds of pets buried in it. Photograph by Whitney J. Fox.

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November 21, 2007 - At the Pine Ridge Pet Cemetery in Dedham, Linda Crist (left) carefully rests the lifeless head of her black Labrador, Spencer (center), while caretaker Mike Thomas (right) gently squeezes his front paws to fully fit Spencer in the burial box. Spencer, that died suddenly from an undetected tumor in his heart, will remain buried at Pine Ridge, along with two cats, Lolly and Meredith, and another dog, Brandy, in the same grave. “In this one,” Crist says looking down at the plot, “We had a multiple burial only because we had multiple deaths this year and they all came around the same time, so he [Thomas] was kind enough to do it all at once.” She explains, “If you cremate them you can fit tons of them in there,” but warns, “Every time you open the plot up you have to pay an opening fee and you have to pay a casket fee, so it’s nice today that I was able to do it all at once. If it had happened over the [Thanksgiving] holiday, it’s very hard to keep a large animal like Spencer [frozen].” In the colder months of the year, Crist says, “Sometimes what I have to do if the ground is truly frozen - it’s all ice and everything, -I bring the animal up here, he [Thomas] puts it into a casket and they have a storage area in the garage that stays very cold, and then I come back in the spring and they dig the grave and he calls me and sets up an appointment.” Thomas is sensitive to Crist’s needs. “He allows me to view the animal in the casket, ‘cause I need that for closure,” she says with a laugh. “Then he does the burial just as he did the burial today.” Pine Ridge, in which hundreds of pets have been buried in since it began in 1907, claims to be “the oldest operating pet cemetery in the country that is owned and operated by an animal welfare agency.” Photograph by Whitney J. Fox.

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November 21, 2007 - Caretaker Mike Thomas hoists and lowers the $50, 35-inch long and 17-inch wide pine and plywood burial box containing Spencer, a black Labrador that died suddenly from an undetected tumor in his heart, who will remain buried at Pine Ridge Cemetery in Dedham, along with two cats, Lolly and Meredith, and another dog, Brandy, in the same grave. Thomas, who began working at Pine Ridge in 1970, buries people’s pets every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday morning, reaching as many as 300 annual burials. “Next month we’ll be doing it five days a week. What we do is just before the ground freezes is we take several rows of graves that are side by side and behind each other and we put a big cover on them. Then we put a foot of hay on top of the cover and then another tarp on top of that - that keeps it from freezing all year long, all winter long. If you need a grave, we have a grave. If you have a grave and it’s frozen, we have to hold your pet until the spring. It eliminates probably two-thirds of the burials that we would have to hold over the [winter]. If you bought one just to have one, we’d give you the option “do you want to swap that one there for the one over there?”…You can wait until the spring and use that grave or we can schedule it for you in two days. Pine Ridge, in which hundreds of pets have been buried in since it began in 1907, claims to be “the oldest operating pet cemetery in the country that is owned and operated by an animal welfare agency.” Photograph by Whitney J. Fox.

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November 21, 2007 - At Pine Ridge Cemetery in Dedham, Linda Crist, from Millis, watches tearfully as caretaker Mike Thomas shovels soil back over the grave of her dog, Brandy, two cats, Lolly and Meredith, and black Labrador, Spencer, that died suddenly from an undetected tumor in his heart. “I feel this is the last step, this is my closure that I can at least do this for them. To put them in a protected area where it’s beautiful, where they’ll be surrounded by the souls of the other animals and that I can come and I can visit. If I sell my house, it’s never going to be disturbed. They’re here just as humans are as long as this cemetery is in existence, well taken care of, and their last resting place will be well taken care of.” Crist says cremation is not her. “I feel that I need to be here when they’re buried, just participate in the burial and I feel that a cremation doesn’t give you the closure, because you hand the body over to someone else and you don’t see them again until they’re ashes, so I need to see them go into the ground.” Pine Ridge, in which hundreds of pets have been buried in since it began in 1907, claims to be “the oldest operating pet cemetery in the country that is owned and operated by an animal welfare agency.” Photograph by Whitney J. Fox.

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November 21, 2007 - At the Pine Ridge Pet Cemetery in Dedham, a small, identifying plate “B838” marks the new mass grave where Linda Crist, from Millis, just laid to rest in pine and plywood burial boxes, her dog, Brandy, two cats, Lolly and Meredith, and black Labrador, Spencer, that died suddenly from an undetected tumor in his heart. Crist believes a cemetery provides closure for her compared to cremation. She feels a cemetery also allows her pets to be at peace. “Yes and for their souls to rest and for them to play at night. When the moon comes out and the clouds come out, they can go visit other friends and be together with them,” her voice quivers as she fights back tears. Crist manages a laugh and smile through the tears admitting, “I know it sounds silly but…” Pine Ridge, in which hundreds of pets have been buried in since it began in 1907, claims to be “the oldest operating pet cemetery in the country that is owned and operated by an animal welfare agency.” Photograph by Whitney J. Fox.

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November 21, 2007 - At the Pine Ridge Pet Cemetery in Dedham, Linda Crist, from Millis, sheds a single tear as she looks down upon the new mass grave where she just laid to rest in pine and plywood burial boxes, her dog, Brandy, two cats, Lolly and Meredith, and black Labrador, Spencer, that died suddenly from an undetected tumor in his heart. Crist started Paradise Pet Shelter, Inc. in 1985 and has used Pine Ridge as the final resting place for all her animals - a minimum of 40 burial plots. “We built an addition onto our home and the veterinarians in the area contact us and let us know if there are animals that don’t really need to be put to sleep, they just need extra special care or if someone is going into a nursing home, we’re contacted, but we’re a private shelter, and we don’t accept donations. We do everything out of our own pocket and then that way we can do things the way we want to do it and we don’t have to answer to anyone…It’s a private community of veterinarians who know about us and alert us and social workers who work with the elderly and the disabled, and we just never adopt them out. We did the beginning and I found I couldn’t deal with it. I’d miss them. I’d worry about them. I was always checking up on them, driving the adoptive parents crazy,” she says with a smile. “So I decided it’s just best I keep them. That’s my passion in life, and I didn’t know it. When I was younger I had no clue.” Crist has help from her boyfriend, friends, and volunteers, but says, “I’m the one driving force through this whole thing. I just stay, and I’m home 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I haven’t had a vacation in 30 years,” she says while laughing. “Wouldn’t leave my babies with anyone. I just really love what I’m doing and that’s the key in life is to do what you’re absolutely passionate about, that you would do for free, like I do for free.” Crist’s passion will hopefully live on for she is terminally ill with cancer. She thinks she may have found a suitable animal devotee to take over Paradise Pet Shelter, but says the woman, “Doesn’t know I’m going to put her in my will, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed that they come up with something to treat me ‘cause I’ve gone through the chemo and I’m on medications and I’m on injections and I’m hoping to be here for a long time. It started out as breast cancer and just spread and then as a result of all the treatments I’ve gone through I’ve developed rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia, and they said that the chemo sometimes, you know, some kind of trauma to your body will bring on those kinds of diseases.” Crist’s amazingly strong spirit prevails even in the face of death. “But I’m like this, girl, I’m an optimist. Nobody’s going to outlive me,” she says laughing. Pine Ridge, in which hundreds of pets have been buried in since it began in 1907, claims to be “the oldest operating pet cemetery in the country that is owned and operated by an animal welfare agency.” Photograph by Whitney J. Fox.

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November 21, 2007 - Pine Ridge Cemetery in Dedham, in which hundreds of pets have been buried in since it began in 1907, claims to be “the oldest operating pet cemetery in the country that is owned and operated by an animal welfare agency.” It is a service managed by the Animal Rescue League of Boston. Many “famous” pets are buried there, including Lizzy Bordon’s three dogs. Caretaker at Pine Ridge Cemetery in Dedham, Mike Thomas, has worked at Pine Ridge since 1970 and says he needs to speak to customers directly, asserting, “This is not an e-mail business. They have to hear your voice.” He says of the most special part of his job, “It’s the people. I’m gonna tell you the same thing I tell everybody. It’s a pet cemetery. It’s a people business. There’s nothing I do for your pets when I get them, except treat them the way I hope you’d treat mine should we swap places. That’s as good as it gets. I can’t make them come back, you know, I can’t make your 18-year-old cat 12 or 8.” Thomas says pet cemetery burial is a need, not a want, for people. “People aren’t up here having to give their pet up. They’re cause they need to be, not cause they want to be. It’s because they need to be. They need to bring their pet to the cemetery…They want to see me, but they need to be here…’I need to get my pet to the cemetery, whether it’s cremated or buried.’ They need to do it, and then you know from there it goes to want and comfortable and a ‘I have to get this done.’ It’s closure.” Thomas says, “We have people that come back and visit almost every day still, you know, years later. Then we have people come back once a month, once every other couple of months, twice a year, once a year, never.” Regardless, the cemetery is a necessary means to an end for many people. Photograph by Whitney J. Fox.

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November 21, 2007 - In his office, caretaker at Pine Ridge Cemetery in Dedham, Mike Thomas, counts a minimum of 40 burial plots for customer Linda Crist, from Millis, who runs the privately-owned Paradise Pet Shelter, Inc. Thomas has worked at Pine Ridge since 1970 and says he needs to speak to customers directly, asserting, “This is not an e-mail business. They have to hear your voice.” He says of the most special part of his job, “It’s the people. I’m gonna tell you the same thing I tell everybody. It’s a pet cemetery. It’s a people business. There’s nothing I do for your pets when I get them, except treat them the way I hope you’d treat mine should we swap places. That’s as good as it gets. I can’t make them come back, you know, I can’t make your 18-year-old cat 12 or 8.” Thomas says pet cemetery burial is a need, not a want, for people. “People aren’t up here having to give their pet up. They’re cause they need to be, not cause they want to be. It’s because they need to be. They need to bring their pet to the cemetery…They want to see me, but they need to be here…’I need to get my pet to the cemetery, whether it’s cremated or buried.’ They need to do it, and then you know from there it goes to want and comfortable and a ‘I have to get this done.’ It’s closure.” Thomas says, “We have people that come back and visit almost every day still, you know, years later. Then we have people come back once a month, once every other couple of months, twice a year, once a year, never.” Regardless, the cemetery is a necessary means to an end for many people. Pine Ridge, in which hundreds of pets have been buried in since it began in 1907, claims to be “the oldest operating pet cemetery in the country that is owned and operated by an animal welfare agency.” Photograph by Whitney J. Fox.

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November 21, 2007 - Caretaker at Pine Ridge Cemetery in Dedham, Mike Thomas, has worked at Pine Ridge since 1970 and says he needs to speak to customers directly, asserting, “This is not an e-mail business. They have to hear your voice.” He says of the most special part of his job, “It’s the people. I’m gonna tell you the same thing I tell everybody. It’s a pet cemetery. It’s a people business. There’s nothing I do for your pets when I get them, except treat them the way I hope you’d treat mine should we swap places. That’s as good as it gets. I can’t make them come back, you know, I can’t make your 18-year-old cat 12 or 8.” Thomas says pet cemetery burial is a need, not a want, for people. “People aren’t up here having to give their pet up. They’re cause they need to be, not cause they want to be. It’s because they need to be. They need to bring their pet to the cemetery…They want to see me, but they need to be here…’I need to get my pet to the cemetery, whether it’s cremated or buried.’ They need to do it, and then you know from there it goes to want and comfortable and a ‘I have to get this done.’ It’s closure.” Thomas says, “We have people that come back and visit almost every day still, you know, years later. Then we have people come back once a month, once every other couple of months, twice a year, once a year, never.” Regardless, the cemetery is a necessary means to an end for many people. Pine Ridge, in which hundreds of pets have been buried in since it began in 1907, claims to be “the oldest operating pet cemetery in the country that is owned and operated by an animal welfare agency.” Photograph by Whitney J. Fox.

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* Libby's Day at Doggie Day

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November 6, 2007 - Libby Oates, a cockapoo (cocker spaniel and poodle), getting a bath at Doggie Day’s s’Poochies Spa in Boston’s South End on Tuesday. Photography by Whitney J. Fox.

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November 6, 2007 - Rover Ref Shelly Finnegan of Medford at Doggie Day’s Playcenter in Boston’s South End teases Libby Oates (center), a cockapoo (cocker spaniel and poodle), with a red and pink toy while (from left) Bella, a puggle (pug and beagle mix), Bonnie Bell, a wire-haired pointer, and Digger, a dachshund look on. “She’s got hair like me. She’s got the curly hair,” Finnegan says with a smile. “I think that’s the sweetest thing.” Photography by Whitney J. Fox.

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November 6, 2007 - Libby Oates (right), a cockapoo (cocker spaniel and poodle), watches comfortably from a chair as her playmates greet Snickers, a beagle, to Doggie Day’s Playcenter in Boston’s South End on Tuesday. Rover Ref Shelly Finnegan (center) of Medford, who ushers Snickers in, says “She’s very sweet. She’s very pleasant and she gets along with every dog in the room. Any room you ever put her in, she’s never aggressive. She’s very, very sweet. Her temperament is very mild and she’s probably a perfect dog if anyone wants a lap dog. She doesn’t bark that much.” Finnegan jokes, “What’s funny about her is when she sits in certain positions on the couch. She looks like she’s posing for a picture.” Photograph by Whitney J. Fox.

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November 6, 2007 - Libby Oates (right), a cockapoo (cocker spaniel and poodle), sneaks a kiss on Bella (left), a German shepherd mix, at Doggie Day’s Playcenter in Boston’s South End on Tuesday. Photograph by Whitney J. Fox.

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November 6, 2007 - Libby Oates, a cockapoo (cocker spaniel and poodle), tastes the soapy water during her bathing at Doggie Day’s s’Poochies Spa in Boston’s South End on Tuesday. Spa Manager Leigha Scoudan of Winchester used an Ultra Clean cleanser for this part of the shower and then an Evening Primrose Moisturizing and Conditioning cleanser for both the skin and hair. Photograph by Whitney J. Fox.

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November 6, 2007 - Libby Oates (right), a cockapoo (cocker spaniel and poodle), is blow dried with a high-power hand dryer after her bathing at Doggie Day’s s’Poochies Spa in Boston’s South End on Tuesday by Spa Manager Leigha Scoudan (left) of Winchester. This is appeared to be Libby’s least favorite part of the day. Photograph by Whitney J. Fox.

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November 6, 2007 - Libby Oates (left), a cockapoo (cocker spaniel and poodle), and Tiger (right), a boxer, sit in the dryer after their bathing at Doggie Day’s s’Poochies Spa in Boston’s South End on Tuesday by Spa Manager Leigha Scoudan of Winchester. Libby’s drying took about 45 minutes and appeared to be her least favorite part of the day. Photograph by Whitney J. Fox.

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November 6, 2007 - Libby Oates, a cockapoo (cocker spaniel and poodle), watches the pouring rain with Rover Ref Shelly Finnegan of Medford during her walk from Doggie Day’s Playcenter in Boston’s South End on Tuesday. The rain put a damper on Libby’s usual walk around the neighborhood. “It’s funny when she’s wicked happy. She’s got a little nubby tail and it goes fifty million miles per hour and it just wags,” Finnegan says. “She’s very sweet… If I could take her home I would.” Photograph by Whitney J. Fox.

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November 6, 2007 - Libby Oates, a cockapoo (cocker spaniel and poodle) shakes off the rain after a short walk with Rover Ref Shelly Finnegan of Medford from Doggie Day in Boston’s South End on Tuesday. Rob Galeski, the owner of Doggie Day, says, “She’s just a cute, cute dog and gets along well with everybody. She’s very sweet. She’s very well behaved. Her mom took time in training her, which some owners don’t do. She’s just very well trained and just a sweet dog in general.” Photograph by Whitney J. Fox.

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* A Sound Portrait

October 28, 2007 - At Cambridge’s Lizard Lounge on Sunday, sound mixer Stewart Adam of Plymouth prepares a camera for recording sound during a shoot of the independent film collaboration, “12”, that includes twelve ten-minute shorts directed by Boston-area filmmakers. A sound mixer for 29 years, Adam started his career in the music industry and has worked with numerous artists for almost three decades, including B.B. King, Hank Jones Trio, and Aerosmith, but became interested in the film industry in 1980, getting his start with Fedco Audio. Adam is founder of Creative Audio Works based in Plymouth, which specializes in the restoration and archive of audio material. Photograph © 2007 Whitney J. Fox.

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October 28, 2007 - At Cambridge’s Lizard Lounge on Sunday, sound mixer Stewart Adam of Plymouth concentrates and listens carefully during a sound check of the band acting in the independent film collaboration, “12”, that includes twelve ten-minute shorts directed by Boston-area filmmakers. He says the simple set-up he uses in this bag is about $15,000 worth of sound equipment and weighs between 15 and 20 pounds. Of working in the film industry he says, “At times there is a bit of a rush, like when the sun is going down and you only have a very short time to get the shot. A lot of times you only get 1 or 2 take’s and you have to get it right each time. When we recorded the band that day I could have used a few more mic’s and another 10 minutes to get a better sound but considering what I got, I thought it came out pretty good. In film sound you don’t get the privilege of doing it many times over.” A sound mixer for 29 years, Adam started his career in the music industry and has worked with numerous artists for almost three decades, including B.B. King, Hank Jones Trio, and Aerosmith, but became interested in the film industry in 1980, getting his start with Fedco Audio. Adam is founder of Creative Audio Works based in Plymouth, which specializes in the restoration and archive of audio material. Photograph © 2007 Whitney J. Fox.

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October 28, 2007 - At Cambridge’s Lizard Lounge on Sunday, sound mixer Stewart Adam of Plymouth prepares his equipment for the next scene shoot of the independent film collaboration, “12”, that includes twelve ten-minute shorts directed by Boston-area filmmakers. Adam almost pursued working for the BBC in England when he was younger and writes in an email, “I thought about it when I first started. I think I was young and insecure about moving to another country. Now I am middle age and pretty secure in my ways. The BBC has always been on the cutting edge of technology. It would have been nice to spend some time in another country.” A sound mixer for 29 years, Adam started his career in the music industry and has worked with numerous artists for almost three decades, including B.B. King, Hank Jones Trio, and Aerosmith, but became interested in the film industry in 1980, getting his start with Fedco Audio. Adam is founder of Creative Audio Works based in Plymouth, which specializes in the restoration and archive of audio material. Photograph © 2007 Whitney J. Fox.

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October 28, 2007 - At Cambridge’s Lizard Lounge on Sunday, sound mixer Stewart Adam of Plymouth prepares his equipment for the next scene shoot of the independent film collaboration, “12”, that includes twelve ten-minute shorts directed by Boston-area filmmakers. Of working in the film industry he says, “At times there is a bit of a rush, like when the sun is going down and you only have a very short time to get the shot. A lot of times you only get 1 or 2 take’s and you have to get it right each time.” He points out, “In film sound you don’t get the privilege of doing it many times over.” A sound mixer for 29 years, Adam started his career in the music industry and has worked with numerous artists for almost three decades, including B.B. King, Hank Jones Trio, and Aerosmith, but became interested in the film industry in 1980, getting his start with Fedco Audio. Adam is founder of Creative Audio Works based in Plymouth, which specializes in the restoration and archive of audio material. Photograph © 2007 Whitney J. Fox.

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October 28, 2007 - At Cambridge’s Lizard Lounge on Sunday, sound mixer Stewart Adam of Plymouth breaks between a scene shoot of the independent film collaboration, “12”, that includes twelve ten-minute shorts directed by Boston-area filmmakers. Adam is amidst building his own sound studio. “I have been acquiring equipment for the past year or two. I have about half of what I need, and you always need more because the technology changes all the time. The biggest single expense is construction, air conditioning and electricity. Hopefully by the end of 2008 I should start working on it, maybe sooner. I want to have a studio so I can diversify and get more into post production mixing, audio restoration and do more music mixing.” A sound mixer for 29 years, Adam started his career in the music industry and has worked with numerous artists for almost three decades, including B.B. King, Hank Jones Trio, and Aerosmith, but became interested in the film industry in 1980, getting his start with Fedco Audio. Adam is founder of Creative Audio Works based in Plymouth, which specializes in the restoration and archive of audio material. Photograph © 2007 Whitney J. Fox.

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October 28, 2007 - At Cambridge’s Lizard Lounge on Sunday, sound mixer Stewart Adam of Plymouth prepares his equipment for the next scene shoot of the independent film collaboration, “12”, that includes twelve ten-minute shorts directed by Boston-area filmmakers. Of working in the film industry he says, “At times there is a bit of a rush, like when the sun is going down and you only have a very short time to get the shot. A lot of times you only get 1 or 2 take’s and you have to get it right each time.” He points out, “In film sound you don’t get the privilege of doing it many times over.” A sound mixer for 29 years, Adam started his career in the music industry and has worked with numerous artists for almost three decades, including B.B. King, Hank Jones Trio, and Aerosmith, but became interested in the film industry in 1980, getting his start with Fedco Audio. Adam is founder of Creative Audio Works based in Plymouth, which specializes in the restoration and archive of audio material. Photograph © 2007 Whitney J. Fox.

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* Head of The Charles Regatta: Teaches Success

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October 21, 2007 - Alex Jones, a junior at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School waits at the Cambridge Boat Club to race in the 43rd Head of The Charles Regatta on Sunday morning. Photography by Whitney J. Fox.

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October 20, 2007 - From left, Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (CRLS) rowing team members, junior Lina Huo, senior Paula Nistal, and senior Bailey Potter display their cut and calloused hands caused by their sport. During the Pasta Party held Saturday at Boston’s 43rd Head of The Charles Regatta (HOCR) weekend, Potter says, “They’re recovering. You should have gotten them two weeks ago – blood spatters, raw skin, yeah it was pretty bad.” Huo, who wears latex gloves in the shower if her cuts are severe, says, “Everyone wants to be here because they work hard. It is such a demanding sport, you really have to like it to do it.” Nistal says, “My freshman year, I think fifteen of my friends, we all joined, and by the end of the second season only two of us came back and that’s it.” Nistal and Potter, both captains of the girl’s varsity CRLS crew, on Sunday morning in a four-person boat. Because CRLS rows out the Cambridge Boat Club, the main organizers of the HOCR, the crew volunters to organize the Pasta Party and sell race programs, amongst other tasks, which guarantees them one boat entry into the world’s largest rowing regatta. Photography by Whitney J. Fox.

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October 21, 2007 - Prior to the 10:26 a.m. race start on Sunday for their crew during the 43rd Head of The Charles Regatta in Boston (HOCR), the girl’s varsity Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (CRLS) prepares their four-person boat with bow number H21 at the Cambridge Boat Club (CBC), which is their home club they row out of. The CBC organizes the HOCR, the world’s largest rowing regatta, which race officials say more than 8,000 rowers raced. “We row out of the Cambridge Boat Club and so the CBC is involved in organizing, it’s run from the Cambridge Boat Club,” says coach Dale Wickenheiser. “It’s our race as well, I mean, it’s a home race for us, and so as a home club, the home team, we help do it, we help in any way that we can with, you know, putting it on. To me it was simple that we got involved. Yeah, it was natural.” The crew helps with a variety of taks throughout the week to prepare for the race, including organizing the Pasta Party, selling programs, and setting up sound equipment. Photography by Whitney J. Fox.

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October 21, 2007 - Girl’s varsity rowing coach of seven years at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (CRLS), Dale Wickenheiser, of Somerville, accepts mints from coxswain Olivia Rutter, a junior, as crew members Paula Nistal (left), a senior, Lily Bouvier-Devine (top of head), a junior, and Bailey Potter, a senior, look on before the start of their race on Sunday morning at the 43rd Head of The Charles Regatta. Wickenheiser says the school has a nickname, “Can’t Do High,” but getting parents involved creates a successful, collaborative rowing program that gets them past the nickname. “Everything has been ‘we can’t, we can’t, we can’t, we can’t,’ and we’ve been hammering it into these guys that ‘yes you can, yes you can, yes you can,’ and the parents are starting to catch on with that and that has been a big part - is getting the parents and trying to get them to change their attitude,” Wickenheiser says. He says having family support is particularly important with rowing. “Rowing takes up so much time from the family. We practice every weekday. We practice on the weekend. Then we race on the weekends. We travel so the kids have to go, the parents have to go. It takes food and money and time and it’s a huge family thing, and it’s the type of thing that when we tell the kids ‘it’s your family that’s doing this.’ Everybody’s involved and this is part of it. I think they see their kids doing something that they’re having fun, and they want to be a part of that. They want to let their kids know that they’re supporting, and it’s an easy thing to do.” Photograph by Whitney J. Fox.

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October 21, 2007 - Before their race start at the 43rd Head of The Charles (HOCR) on Sunday morning, Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (CRLS) sophomore and coxswain Olivia Rutter helps stretch senior and captain Paula Nistal at their home club and race headquarters, the Cambridge Boat Club (CBC), which organizes the HOCR, the world’s largest rowing regatta. Nistal says, “I think it’s fun. This is a fun time. It’s really nice, especially senior year. This is going to be the last year I row in the Charles.” CRLS, which is a public high school that requires all students to be residents of Cambridge and has had a varsity rowing program for the past seven years, is coached by Dale Wickenheiser of Somerville. He says the program teaches valuable lessons for life. “When we go to practice we try to make it very positive and say the sort of things, ‘You are responsible for this. You have to be here at practice on time, take care of the equipment’ as a coaching staff. And we’ve really gotten the parents involved as well. The kids have to be responsible for things, and I think like anybody, if you give them responsibility and define the terms of it, then people will step up and they’re happy to feel productive, feel successful. You have to define success in a way that people can understand and that is actually tangible. Success is not about winning or losing. It’s about really trying hard and doing a lot of other things well - we take care of the equipment well, we know how to run drills well. I think when you start putting those little pieces together, then winning - it kind of happens as a result, because everybody does their job and they’re self motivated to row well, to train hard, because the end result they’ve seen the product.” Photograph by Whitney J. Fox.

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October 21, 2007 - Parents of rowers at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (CRLS), Lisa DiLima (left) and Sarah Jones (right) take photographs of the girl’s crew after their race in Boston’s 43rd Head of The Charles Regatta on Sunday, the world’s largest rowing regatta. DeLima says of the race, “It’s a fun event. It’s a fantastic event and great for our school.” Parents are extremely involved with the CRLS program. “My function is not of your mother exactly at this point. My function is to represent all the rowers and make them happy about what they’re doing, so they can share it with grandma,” Jones tells her daughter Alex, who raced, of taking photographs. Jones says, “I’m doing it for the team.” Jones says, “I think crew in general is just such a graceful, civil, and gorgeous sport. I mean, past the fact of how really intense and beautiful a workout these kids get and how they’re just, really, adding to their overall health in such a gorgeous manner, it’s just beautiful to watch. This isn’t hockey. This isn’t baseball. People don’t bring guns, going ‘my boat was better than your kid’s boat’ you know? We’re all civil with each other. We’re more than civil – friendly – and we’re just here to cheer on our kids.” Photograph by Whitney J. Fox.

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October 21, 2007 - After their race of a four-person boat at the 43rd Head of The Charles Regatta (HOCR), placing 33rd out of 53 teams in their division, crew members of the girl’s varsity rowing team at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (CRLS), (from left) senior Alex Jones plays with sophomore and coxswain Olivia Rutter, as senior Paula Nistal, coach Dale Wickenheiser, and junior Lily Bouvier-Devine are entertained. “There are people at the high school who don’t even know we have a team,” Wickenheiser says. Learning how to be successful, he says, is what drives the CRLS rowing program, and the HOCR helps facilitate that. “Why do we do it? Because it’s important for the kids to see this and be a part of this because the rowing world is so huge and this is such an amazing event that we come in and do it because, one, it is fun and if we weren’t a part of this, they would never come down to watch. They wouldn’t come down and check all this stuff out on their own, no, cause they wouldn’t do it. It’d be that ‘whatever that thing is down on the river’ that’s going on. It’s important that we at least race in it as best we can. Eventually it becomes important to them personally, like ‘we would like to do well,’ and it is a big deal, because they start to recognize the value of it.” Photograph by Whitney J. Fox.

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October 21, 2007 - The Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (CRLS) girl’s varsity crew after their race in the women’s youth four division at Boston’s 43rd Head of The Charles Regatta on Sunday. From left, junior Alex Jones, junior Lily Bouvier-Devine,senior and captain Paula Nistal, and senior and captain Bailey Potter, hide their coxswain, sophomore Olivia Rutter, who sits in the stern of the boat to navigate the crew during the race on the Charles River. The crew placed 33rd out of 53 teams in their division. Photograph by Whitney J. Fox.

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