Andover artist paints live on 'The Tonight Show'
Andover artist Rob Surrette was on Jay Leno's "Tonight Show" on May 2, but if you left the room for a snack, you probably missed him.
Surrette, known as the "fastest portrait artist in the world," painted a 6-foot portrait of Albert Einstein in 60 seconds, live for the show.
Leno, an Andover native, was "very warm, very friendly," Surrette said. "He's very, very nice. A kind person."
Surrette chatted with Leno at length during rehearsal and breaks, swapping stories about Andover. He stayed an extra three and a half hours after the show because Leno's staff invited him to paint a portrait of Leno on the wall of his office as a surprise.
Surrette brings his live painting presentation, dubbed "Hero Art" to schools — including Leno's old elementary school, South — creating within minutes 6-foot-tall portraits Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King Jr., Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln and others.
— Bethany Bray
Mercedes may be cheaper than its gas
Someone in town could walk away this June with a fire engine red Mercedes for $100.
The Andover Historical Society is holding its 2008 Antique Auto Raffle, and on Sunday, June 15, will pull the winning ticket. This year's raffle car is a 1981 Mercedes Benz convertible. The car features automatic transmission, factory air conditioning, power steering, power brakes, and only 75,000 miles. A maximum of 250 tickets will be sold at $100 each.
Tickets can be purchased at the Historical Society, 97 Main St.; at Elm Street Auto, 9 Lupine Ave.; and through Historical Society Board members and friends. Ticket order forms can be downloaded from the Historical Society Web site at www.andoverhistorical.org.
Look for the raffle car at this year's Andover Day celebration, Saturday, May 31, at the Historical Society's booth. The car will also be parked on the grounds of the Historical Society on sunny Saturdays in May and June.
Town Meeting speed record?
Town Meeting got off to a brisk pace on April 30, as voters made it half way through the 57-article warrant just one hour and 15 minutes after Town Moderator Sheila Doherty called the first night's proeccedings to order.
Though nine out of the first 23 articles were withdrawn, the majority of articles considered on the first night were approved with little or no discussion.
That changed a bit to start May 1, as Town Meeting's second and final night had a few more lengthy discussions, including those about a sewer-maintenance vehicle, buying open space and appropriating money to the town's accumulated employee benefit account, which pays retiring employees for unused sick time.
— Brian Messenger
Radio appearance for businesswoman
Michelle Corey from Carina & Co in Andover has been invited to be a guest on talk radio 980AM WCAP. She will be discussing the "power of image," which will include color analysis, interviewing, and first impressions, on May 13 at 2:30 p.m.
At least they didn't blame global warming on him
In addition to receiving loads of praise, active town volunteer Don Robb also received a bit of tongue-in-cheek criticism when he was awarded the Virginia Cole Award for his many contributions at Town Meeting on May 1.
"Don is not chairing the Andover Days event," Selectman Brian Major told the crowd. "So, it should be a bright, sunshiney day."
Held in June, the event has been plagued by rainy weather during Robb's run as chairman of the event. This year's Andover Days is set for June 14 and 15. Time will soon tell if all that rain was Mother Nature's fault — or Don Robb's.
— Judy Wakefield
Samuels does an Arnold
Also at Town Meeting, former School Committee member David Samuels made it clear he plans to run for office again someday. After taking out papers for both School Committee and town moderator, Samuels decided not to run for either position this year.
"I'll be back. I love this town," Samuels announced after collecting a plaque for his service on the School Committee.
Preserving our buildings
In honor of Historic Preservation Month in Massachusetts, the Andover Preservation Commission in collaboration with the Andover Historical Society and the Ballard Vale Historic District Commission will recognize 11 outstanding examples of preservation effort within Andover. The efforts will be recognized at the 18th annual Preservation Award Ceremony on May 20, at 7 p.m. at Memorial Hall Library.
"We invite the community to discover and celebrate our neighbor's efforts in preserving Andover's rich architectural heritage. An exhibit highlighting the award winners will be on display at the library through June," said organizers in a release.
Golf tourney
The Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS) Charity Golf Tournament marks its 16th year, Monday, May 19, at the Georgetown Club on Andover Street.
Tournament organizers John and Shelly Champion of Andover and Brian and Teddi O'Keefe of Salem are parents of daughters with CdLS, a little-known genetic disorder that occurs in about 1 in 10,000 births. An estimated 20,000 people in the U.S. have CdLS but remain undiagnosed or without support services.
Although children with CdLS range from mildly to severely affected, most have similar physical characteristics: small hands and head, thin eyebrows that meet, long eyelashes, upturned nose, and thin, downturned lips. Children develop both physically and mentally much slower than their peers. Some have limb differences, missing limbs or partial joining of the toes. Common medical problems include reflux, bowel abnormalities, heart defects, seizures, and cleft palette.
The tournament has raised more than a quarter million dollars for the CdLS Foundation, a national family support organization based near Hartford, CT.
The tournament kicks off with lunch and registration at 11:30 a.m., followed by a shotgun start at 12:30 p.m.. Dinner is at 6 p.m. and a silent auction begins at 7 p.m. $175 per player includes greens fee, cart, box lunch, dinner, and prizes. For more information, call the O'Keefes at 978-745-7794 or the Champions at 978-474-8823.
Local teen plans cross-country bike ride
Peter Maher, 17, son of Tom and Nancy Maher, plans to bicycle from Washington state to Boston this summer, all to raise money for the Beverly School of Kenya.
The Beverly School is a privately-funded boarding school 90 minutes northwest of Nairobi that offers free tuition to underprivileged Kenyan children, many of them orphaned by AIDS.
Maher will leave Anacortes, Wash. on June 1 and journey with Brian Moses, a classmate of his from Kimball Union Academy in Meriden, N.H.
Their route will take them through 13 states, and into Canada twice — once in Del Bonita, Alberta, and once in Niagara Falls. They plan to finish in Boston on July 25, 55 days after their start.
Located in North Kinangop, Kenya, the Beverly School is slated to open this summer. Tom Maher has been instrumental in getting the school off the ground and is vice president and treasurer of the school's board of directors.
Maher and Moses' effort, called Bike For Kenya, has raised $10,000 so far for the nonprofit school; their goal is $500,000.
To donate, or for more information on Maher's ride, visit www.bikeforkenya.org, or e-mail pmaher@bikeforkenya.org. The duo is also inviting friends and family to bike with them for short lengths along their route.
For more information on the Beverly School, visit www.beverlyschoolofkenya.com.
— Bethany Bray
