A letter to the Editor

Dear Editor:

As I write this it's announced that United States just passed one million people determined to have died from the pandemic and yet still as deeply divided a country as ever. I lost personally lost five friends and chances are good you too reader suffered a loss. 

December of last year it was a struggle to decide whether to go forward with Ramble number 37 in the wake of all that loss. 

It wasn’t just the financial burden of lacking a major sponsor for several years and thus personally putting it all on the line to pay costs not borne by entry fees and modest business support.  It was also with the knowledge that we could yet experience another surge and then be canceled for a third year.

Call it self-therapy for the race director, or perhaps hubris, we decided to proceed.

Through the years we’ve worked shoulder to shoulder with very solid community people in Dedham for this road race conceit of ours. Some of them, are no longer with us and  we reflect on that with more than a just a little sadness this past April. 

If you recall it was cool, but perfect for some of the best masters athletes from across the country to compete in the American USATF 10 Km Championship and all told us that they enjoyed  the hospitality of Dedham residents and volunteers on Ramble Race Weekend. 

We promote fitness for older Americans in a nation impacted by serious health issues caused by obesity and sentient lifesyles.

We are a proponent of living and doing business in Dedham, a coming together as a community, no matter one’s political stripe with a record of working across the board with all.

We’ll stand with Amnesty International for the defense of human rights here and in distant lands and recognize that books great and small remain important to the development of western civilization. 

From an impetuous 1984 pub race to an internationally recognized running event, the Ramble only flourishes as a homegrown organic effort. Again, hundreds of Dedhamites of all ages and abilities were involved in the 10 km, the Northstar Children’s Ramble and the highly successful Dana-Farber Cancer Institute fundraising success of the Dedham Savings’ “Take A Walk” under the steady and proud stewardship and familial love of the Stanley family. 

The bedrock of our event like so many other civic events are the scores of volunteers, the kindness of neighbors that tolerate with good humor the inconvenience, the homeowners on the course who improvise water tables, the fine dedicated people who work at agencies such as the Department of Public Works, The Norfolk County Sheriff’s Department, Dedham Police, Parks & Recreation, Dedham Fire, Fallon Ambulance and the New England office of USA Track & Field and of course our many actors and theatre students from Noble & Greenough and the scores of student volunteers from Ursuline Academy and Dedham High School.

Allow us to allow us to express deep appreciation to Showcase Cinemas, A Tent for Rent, Blue Ribbon Barbeque, The Stafford Family, Noble & Greenough School, Hertz Rentals, Dedham Savings , Poland Springs, Get Fused, Visi-Flash, Thirsty Irish Running Club, Jack’s Abby Brewing, The Publick House, Dedham Times, Doctor Hong Wu, Walley Insurance Co., Cocktails, Inc. The Total Image, KTK Sound, Saint Paul’s Church, Dedham Country Day School, Blue Bunny Bookstore, Dedham Square Circle, East Dedham Dunkin, the Gustin Family and the Boston Athletic Association.

Recognize please the organizational acumen of the Ramble Organizing Committee: Administrator Denise Nolan and Nancy Samya, supported by Neil Shelly, Lou Falcone, Henry Gough, Jonathan Niles, Sheila & Kevin Longval, Dan Hart, Janet Reynolds, Steve Vaitones, Bob Stanley, Nick Spada, and esteemed Art Director shirt designer Richard Sullivan and so many others whose names we didn’t catch on the day.

Planning is already underway in anticipation of the James Joyce Ramble’s 38th anniversary on April 30, 2023 and hope even more of you might play a part.

We’re always open to your suggestions and comments by phone 781.329.9744 or email, jjramble@gmail.com. You can also find us on Facebook all year round of course. (we do so hope you will “like” us as they say that’s so very, very important).

“Every life is in many days, day after day. We walk through ourselves, meeting robbers, ghosts, giants, old men, young men, wives, widows, brothers-in-love. But always meeting ourselves.

~ James Joyce.

Love,

Martin Hanley

Managing Director/Curator

James Joyce Ramble