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Brian Barr — Recognition for students often overlooked
Brian Barr, a social worker who lives in Westmere, speaks in this week’s podcast in what he calls the “afterglow of an incredible experience.” Thirty-six years ago, Barr, who directed the clinical program at the LaSalle School, came up with an idea for his Rotary Club, which, like other community organizations, had been showering awards on the high school students who were “the cream of the crop.” It struck him that children in the foster-care system, who are overcoming myriad difficulties, are rarely recognized for their achievements. So an annual luncheon was set up where each of the local child-care agencies — St. Catherine’s Center for Children; Northern Rivers, formerly Parsons; the LaSalle School; St. Anne Institute; Community Maternity Services; and Equinox — could nominate a student to be recognized for their courage, perseverance, and achievements. Because of the pandemic, this year’s luncheon was held virtually. Barr decided, despite the difficulties, to push on because the kids wouldn’t get another year to be recognized.
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Daughter and mother coach dragon-boat paddlers
31:33Anna Judge and Louisa Matthew realize they live in an ageist and sexist society — but, with generous spirits, they are paddling against the current. The mother-daughter duo together coach a crew of dragon boat paddlers. Matthew, the mother, is an art professor at Union College. Judge, her daughter, is a certified personal trainer who led her mother into the sport. “A dragon boat is a 40-foot long, very narrow racing boat,” explains Matthew in this week’s Enterprise podcast. “That became standardized in the 20th Century but it’s based on a thousands-year-old Chinese tradition of racing the big rivers in China.” A dragon boat has 20 paddlers, two to a seat, with a person in the stern who steers and a person in the bow signaling directions, traditionally by drumming. “It’s the national sport of China,” said Judge “so it’s quite big in Asia and has subsequently spread to Australia, New Zealand, and Europe.” It came to the United States through Canada, she said, citing the work of a doctor in British Columbia who changed prevailing medical opinion on exercise for breast-cancer survivors.
Angelica Sofia Parker and Elca Hubbard prepare for a pageant while supporting each other
27:03https://altamontenterprise.com/07242023/angelica-sofia-parker-and-elca-hubbard-prepare-pageant-while-supporting-each-other
