Overnights of Hospitality prepare 4th season

The Overnights of Hospitality, Plymouth's emergency sheltering program for single men, will begin its fourth season on Oct. 28 and needs volunteers to serve as chaperones and meal providers.
“As in the past, we will be looking for volunteers,” said Connie Melahoures, president of the Plymouth Taskforce for the Homeless which runs the cold weather program. “We need two volunteers per night for the week -- which could be two men or one man and one woman. We also need volunteers to prepare and serve a meal.”
There will be a training workshop for all new and returning volunteers at 7 p.m., Wed., Oct. 17 in the Parish Hall of the First Parish Unitarian, Town Square. For anyone wishing to volunteer but who can't make that meeting, there will be other on-site training days. “And we always pair new volunteers with someone who has had experience,” Melahoures said.
The first week will be at Christ Church Episcopal, 149 Court St., Plymouth. Christ Church — and five other congregations on a rotating week-by-week basis — will welcome the men in from the cold to have a hot meal and stay warm for the night.
In addition to Christ Church, sheltering congregations are Zion Lutheran Church, First Parish Unitarian, Congregation Beth Jacob, Church of the Pilgrimage, and First Baptist Church. Last year’s 140 volunteers also came from Second Congregational Church in Manomet, Christian Science Church, United Methodist Church, New Testament Church, Salvation Army and Parish of St. Peter.
For further information and/or to volunteer, please contact Connie Melahoures at 508-746-3805 or e-mail conmel@aol.com.

Sunset cruise an overwhelming success

The weather was sunny and in the upper 70s as guests began lining up at 4:30 p.m. to board the Capt. John & Son party boat at Plymouth Town Pier on Saturday, Sept. 8. It was the beginning of a very special evening for more than 100 guests of the Plymouth Taskforce for the Homeless. There were lovely snacks, from shrimp to stuffed mushrooms to skewered beef to bacon-wrapped water chestnuts to pizza to veggies for dipping and assorted cheeses -- wow! Not the place for a dieter!

The David James Duo were fantastic -- two guys on guitar who not only sang delightfully but supplemented their sound by handing bystanders rhythm instruments. The music attracted some passengers away from the food and silent auction items (not to mention the scenery) to the dance floor at the forward end of the immaculate main salon.

After a trip out towards the Gurnet lighthouse, the vessel leisurely turned around for the trip back. As the sunset hour of 7:07 p.m. approached, the captain slowed the vessel and pointed it toward the setting sun.

There was a considerable breeze (small craft warnings, in fact) which made for interesting viewing of several sizable sailboats trying to sail into the southwest breeze and still get in the Plymouth Harbor channel.

The best part is that the generosity of Capt. John Boats owner Stanley Tavares meant that the three-hour cruise netted approximately $4,000 for the Taskforce.
Now -- that's a big success!

Plymouth Bay Sunset cruise fundraiser plans

The generosity of the Capt John Boats Company will give supporters of the Taskforce for the Homeless a chance also to be generous while enjoying a cruise during the sunset on Sept. 8.
The trip will be complete with delicious snacks, live entertainment, raffles and sports tickets auctions.
Guests boarding one of the Capt John excursion boats at 4:30 p.m. will enjoy a lavish spread of hot and cold delectables and a cash bar in the well-appointed salon as the vessel leaves the dock to head down the channel, traveling out of Plymouth Harbor into Plymouth Bay.
Soft rock by the David James Duo could set some toes tapping — dancing is a distinct possibility!
As the raffles and auctions conclude, the Capt. John Boat will turn in toward the 7:07 p.m. sunset, returning the happy sailors to the dock by 7:30 p.m.
Only 125 tickets at $35 are available. Taskforce board members will gladly supply tickets: Connie Melahoures, board president; Jan Palmer-Taxbox, clerk; Judy Erikson, treasurer; Jack Ryan, John Malloy, Amy Palmer, David Tassinari, Doris Johnson, Rick Pecorella, Pamela Daihk, Jeff Chute and Carol Tagg. For more information, contact Connie at 508.367.0516.
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Who/what is Plymouth Taskforce for the Homeless?

The Plymouth Taskforce for the Homeless began in October 2004 with a small group setting up an "Overnights of Hospitality" program, based on similar programs successful on Cape Cod and across the country. Starting with the function rooms of four congregations, homeless men were provided with a hot meal and a clean bed every night, October through April.
Along the way, a five-bedroom residence — the "Next Step House" — was established for homeless sober men; Taskforce allies include Plymouth County Housing Alliance and Mainspring/Father Bill's Place.
The "Overnights" program requires very little cash since 200+ volunteers provide the hot meals, do the laundry, serve as overnight hosts and provide transportation. The weekly rotation of function rooms now includes seven congregations: Christ Episcopal Parish, Beth Jacob Synagogue, First Parish Unitarian, St. Mary Catholic Church, Zion Lutheran, Church of the Pilgrimage UCC, and First Baptist Church; volunteers also represent Second Church Congregational of Manomet, New Testament Church, Holy Family Church of Duxbury, St. Peter Parish, the Rotaract Club of Plymouth South High School and members of other civic groups.

Golf = fun and funding

The Taskforce experimented a bit with its second annual golf tournament fundraiser by choosing to hold it on a weekday instead of last year's weekend day. The result: lots of fun and another $5,000 in our treasury.
The total revenue was less than last year's bottom line due to fewer golfers. But the day was glorious, the Souther's Marsh Golf Club course was in fabulous condition, the staff was unfailingly helpful and the food delicious.
Some of the highlights came during the post-golf festivities: the buffet dinner, the silent auction, the raffles, etc. The golf team that turned in the best score was led by last year's winner: Vinnie Brown, assisted by Scott Ferguson, Dr. Bob Olson and Joe Fellini.
There has been discussion about returning to a weekend day for next year's tournament — feedback from prospective golfers will be gratefully received. E-mail dorisj31@gmail.com to file your opinion.

Bank, local philanthropist each donate $10,000

Two gracious givers presented donations and encouragement to the Taskforce for the Homeless.
Laura B. Kruzrok, executive director of the Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation, hand-carried the $10,000 check from the foundation’s Lynn headquarters. She commented that the taskforce’s goal of purchasing the Next Step House – currently being leased – was a good fit with Eastern’s charitable guidelines. For the actual award, Kurzrok passed the check to Lorraine Wrenn, assistant vice president managing Eastern Bank’s Plymouth Center branch, who turned over the check to Constance Melahoures, Taskforce president.
Melahoures, expressing the Taskforce’s gratitude to Eastern Bank, said that while the cold weather Overnights program has virtually no expenses thanks to its strong corps of volunteers, the Next Step House has expenses that the formerly homeless low-income tenants could not meet alone
The second donation of $10,000 came from the Rev. Dr. Peter J. Gomes in his typically low-keyed way: delivered by ordinary USPS mail. From Taskforce beginnings, the Rev. Dr. Gomes has taken an interest in the Taskforce and signed up as a volunteer early on.
Both generous donations have been placed in the “house purchase” account. An earlier donation from an anonymous local foundation of $5,000, revenue from the May golfing benefit of over $6,000, smaller gifts and membership dues, plus rent paid by tenants, are keeping ahead of ordinary household expenses.