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MATV Shares Top Prize at Triple Threat Trivia

Ron Cox - On January 24th, I participated in the 10th Annual Triple Threat Trivia fundraiser for the Malden Public Library representing Malden Access Television. I was joined by MATV members and friends, Kevin Duffy, Barry Greenspan, Mary Hampton, Barbara Tolstrup, Mike Cherone, George and Lori Manfra and Eda Daniel as well as staff members, Anne D’Urso-Rose and Brian Biggie. We also had volunteer members, Paula Spizziri, Karen Yates and Karen Lynch taping the event for cablecast at a later date.

As usual, the affair was a night of fun and lively entertainment as the participants from all the tables decked out in costumes and decorations racked their brains to come up with some incredibly difficult answers to some very tricky questions. Each year there seems to be an increase in the amount of community organizations and businesses who battle for the much coveted trophy and many of the groups take this event quite seriously.

The event was hosted by Eleanor Cushing, who along with Paul Solano dressed in a judge’s robe and acting as the Trivia Master led the contest along its two and a half hour journey. The goal was to raise money for the restoration of the historic Converse Memorial building. It’s a wonderfully worthwhile cause and as is typical of this generous community, many local citizens banded together to raise almost $7,000.

After former Ward 1 Councillor Cushing announced the beginning of the game, Library staff members led by Library Director Dina Malgeri paraded into the function hall dressed as hippies singing and dancing their way in. They were laughing and clapping and full of frolic as they indeed set the tone for the evening which was one of merriment and joy. The excitement increased as each table filled out their answers in three rounds of trivia questions to seek the Trophy of Champions by accumulating the most points.

The individual rounds were hosted by various community leaders who have been involved with this fundraiser for many years. Round One was led by Rick Burns who gallantly asked some of the most difficult trivia questions that he was the first to admit he had no idea of the answer. Additional hosting duties were done by Neal Anderson who did Round Two and Peter Carroll who handled Round Three.

Besides the 36 questions that had to be answered there was a novelty bonus game that was actually a game of musical chairs. It was at this activity that I witnessed Chris DiPietro from the Mayor’s office table throw her hip against our teammate, Brian Biggie and knock him to the floor. It was another example of the extreme tactics that some of these enthusiastic participants resort to get another point added to their organization. I protested to the Challenge master, George Holland but withdrew when it was announced that we had to pay $20 to make the challenge and we weren’t guaranteed that we would be successful. Some battles just weren’t worth fighting for.

However, the prize for Best Dressed Table was something MATV put a lot of hard work into. Some of us wore cardboard TV’’s that we made and put over our heads while other members of our table wore headphones. We had lights and a sign saying “ON AIR”. We looked so cool and like a network production that we were convinced that we would win. However, the judge, Liz Hart had another opinion and awarded the table, “City Haulers” the trophy.

What impressed me about this wonderful event was that 21 teams had entered representing so many diverse community groups from various schools and synagogues to the community clubs like the Zonta Club and Kiwanis. There were former politicians like Ed Lucey and John Parcellin as well as our current Mayor, Richard Howard who each had a table filled with friends and workers as did the Malden Education Association, the Parade of Holiday Traditions and Ward One. Each team contributed to having a time filled with amusement, challenge and fun but most of all helped raise a significant amount of money for one of our City’s treasures, the Malden Public Library.

MATV was proud to not only participate in this fantastic event, but we were honored to have tied for first place with the Temple Tifereth Israel. We hope to have a run-off game event to resolve this issue of who has the claim to the “Triple Threat Trivia Trophy of Champions”, so stay tuned for an announcement of the upcoming event.

Malden is indeed a compassionate community who’s citizens come together to make things happen. Enjoying some fine food and spirits while having fun playing a game of trivia to raise some money for a great cause is what community is all about. MATV is honored to have participated for the fourth time and we are committed to winning that Best Dressed Table award next year.

Video Voice #15

Ron Cox - As many of you know, since I arrived back in Malden as the executive director of MATV, I’ve been writing this column which I enjoy very much. The mission of this “somewhat bi-weekly” blog is to share with my readers, updates that develop in the field of community media. Sometimes that means sharing what’s going on at Malden Access Television, “Malden’s Media Center” or reporting on the latest community event that MATV covered. Other times it’s me explaining the reasons for supporting public access centers and at other times, I’m celebrating the work our volunteer producers create. But each article is meant to inform, question or share the latest breakthroughs in the ever changing advances in technology.

My goal has always been to explain and promote how “access to the tools and resources of public media” can transform a community. When the citizens are given the means to talk to each other, they do and often appreciate the connections they make with each other. This is the heart and soul of community media and those opportunities are waiting for anyone that joins MATV.

This brings me to this week’s column and what I need to talk about. First of all, I am very thankful to the Malden Observer and especially editor, Amanda Mantone Linehan for giving me this forum to voice my opinions and exercise the power of the first amendment. The beauty of the forefathers of our beloved Constitution is that they not only saw the importance of freedom of speech, but they also incorporated within the same amendment the concept of “making no law respecting the establishment of a religion”. This doesn’t mean we can’t have churches, it means no one church is mandated by the state as the “true church”.

Some people have interpreted this to mean “separation of church and state” but no where does it talk about “separation of church and media”. In fact, witness the incredible growth of those “mega-churches” likes that of Joel Olstein, who broadcasts to millions of viewers every week. Since the early days of radio, evangelists like Billy Graham and Oral Roberts to the more recent, TV evangelists like Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell, preachers have always used the media to promote their religion.  Since the days of the printed brochure to radio, film, TV and now the Internet, religious leaders have been aware of the power of media to “spread the word”

In fact, MATV is part of this phenomenon as well. We have many programs in our schedule that share with the subscribers, various beliefs from a Haitian Baptist Church (Communication Evangelique) to Christian fundamentalist churches (A Finished Work and the House of Yahweh). Each production reaches out to the community and shares what they believe, sometimes with dance, often singing but mostly preaching a view of God.

America is great because we allow this exchange of spirit but don’t mandate any one belief over another. We are free to be a Christian, a Jew, a Muslim or even an Atheist. Our greatness, like no other nation, is our freedom to speak our mind and “share the spirit” Whatever you believe, you can speak your heart and promote your faith.

However, being inclusive doesn’t mean you believe in everything but you give everyone a chance to believe in something which brings me to the “power of prayer”.

My dear wife of 21 years, partner and life long friend, Patricia Galvin-Cox is currently hospitalized in the ICU unit at Massachusetts General Hospital. She is there because of a ruptured appendix and the complications brought on by the fact she has muscular dystrophy (MD)  I have been at her side since Friday, December 28th when I first brought her to the Melrose-Wakefield Hospital where she had the initial surgery.

Pat received excellent care from the staff of nurses there who were caring and highly skilled. I have a new respect for the work these wonderful healthcare professionals do day in and out. I will always be very grateful for their warm and thoughtful care they gave my wife. They actually showed me how to suction.

She was transferred on Saturday, January 5th to MGH, where she has a team of doctors who have been a part of her regular care for the last 6 years. It is also where she worked as a medical secretary for over 12 years before she was diagnosed with MD and had to leave because of the disability. This is one of the best hospitals in the country and I’m so glad she is there.

Now she has returned as a patient and is in need of healing and the prayers of friends, family and anyone who would like to put Pat in their thoughts. This week, my column is a plea for prayers…to give her strength, hope and the healing to get her through this difficult time. I am calling it, “peddling a prayer for Pat” and I’m asking for each and every one of you who read my column to send a prayer to my dear wife. In fact, I’m asking you to go up to someone you don’t even know and say, “Do you have a spare prayer to send?” This is a celestial petition to God, Jehovah, Allah or whoever you believe in, but it is the act of praying that is important.

You see, I believe in the power of prayer and when people come together there is power. A community that sends energy to any one place can achieve miracles and I’m asking you all to rally around my beloved Pat.

I am grateful for many things, my lovely wife, my daughter and grandson, this wonderful job at MATV and so many other things. But I would truly be thankful if during this first month of this brand New Year, as many people as possible participated in this humble plea for prayers. Put Pat in your thoughts and we can achieve a miracle…the healing of my wife and friend.

I remain eternally grateful to you all.