WARWICK — You didn’t see these events televised in Rio.
The century-old Warwick Old Home Days took place over the weekend, wrapping up with the Warwick Fire Department’s Muster, a satellite dish toss and the third annual “Corregatta” on Sunday.
The Firemen’s Muster, at Fellows Memorial Field, pitted local firefighters against one another in timed tasks, such as unrolling hoses and shooting water at targets, related to their training. The Vernon (Vt.) Fire Department won, with Colrain coming in second.
Dozens of people showed up to see the Corregatta, a cardboard boat race held at the town beach at Moore’s Pond. The race got its name from corrugated cardboard — the material used to make the watercraft. A New England Patriots-themed boat won the children’s and adult races — with siblings Abbey and Nicholas Halloran piloting the first event and mother Carina Halloran teaming with Diane Ellis for the second. Sierra York’s boat was voted as the fan favorite.
The Corregatta was Ellis’ brainchild, having pitched the idea more than three years ago. She said the event is popular due to its lightheartedness.
“It’s silly and fun, and we pretend to be competitive but we’re all voting for each other,” she said.
York said she loves the Corregatta because “I get to be with my friends and family.”
The boat that sinks first is given the “Sinker Award.” Fourteen rules govern the race, including that the entire boat hull and seating must be made out of cardboard, without tape or plastic wrapping. For safety, all entrants will wear life vests and must be able to swim.
Earlier in the afternoon, dozens of children and adults gathered behind Warwick Town Hall for the satellite dish toss.
“It used to be if you wanted anything approaching high-speed internet, you needed to have satellite,” organizer David Young said. “Anyone who tried to do business, or much of anything off the satellite, hated it.”
Warwick’s Clyde Perkins Jr. shocked the crowd with toss of 61 feet, 6 inches. That’s a foot longer than the distance between home plate and the pitcher’s rubber in a Major League Baseball game.
Participants got their pick of satellite dishes and had to chuck them as far as they could, while keeping the projectiles as close as possible to a vertical line of yellow tape on the ground. Everyone was rewarded with free T-shirts.
You can reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com
or: 413-772-0261, ext. 258
On Twitter: @DomenicPoli