Newport Daily News – Cheers & Jeers
CHEERS to the organizers of Skate For Joy, a nonprofit organization that offers ice skating instruction to children who otherwise would not have the opportunity.
Carolyn Drumm, a former professional figure skater, was inspired by an Oprah Winfrey show that urged people to use their own special skills to help others. Initially, Drumm arranged for skating lessons at the outdoor skating rink in downtown Providence. Seven years later, the program has expanded to the Sovereign Family Skating Center in Newport and St. George’s School in Middletown.
It’s a luxury to give lessons indoors, Drumm said, and we imagine it is a real treat for underpriveleged children not only to learn how figure skate and play ice hockey — neither of which are cheap hobbies or sports — but to do so in as nice an arena as the Cabot/Harman Ice Center at St. George’s.
The program, which also incorporates “life-skills†speakers, such as Ryan Mulhern, the varsity boys hockey coach at St. George’s, will be holding a fundraiser on Sunday at 2 p.m. We hope local skaters will turn out in force to support such a good cause.
http://www.newportdailynews.com/articles/2009/01/19/editorial/doc49746e54e7012163650970.txt