Tag Archives for PawSox

Still getting the job done

Published in the Pawtucket Times on August 15, 2016

In 2010, when Michael Cassidy retired as Pawtucket’s Director of Planning & Redevelopment after working for the municipality for 40 years, he had no intentions of easing himself into full-time employment. While he was retiring to “retirement” he had every intention to remain active for the rest of his life. Cassidy instinctively knew that retirees, who stay active by playing sports, traveling or even volunteering, always seemed to live longer. His father was a good example of this belief, living to the ripe old age of 92. Before the nagenarian died he had worked part-time as realtor, also playing in an Golden Oldies softball league and umpiring three times a week.

Part-Time Job Gives Many Bennies

With Cassidy planning to retire at age 62 from the City of Pawtucket, he went to see PawSox President, Mike Tamburro, asking him, “Do you have a job for an old retired guy.”

Ultimately, he took the position as usher at the Pawtucket-based McCoy Stadium. He says, “the job keeps me on my feet four to five hours.” Each game he puts around 15,000 steps on his pedometer. But the job also allows him to interact with old friends and even gives him an opportunity to make new ones, too.

There are additional benefits of having a part-time job, besides just getting physically active and having an opportunity to mingle with people, says Cassidy. He now has more time to spend with his six grandchildren, travel with Jane-Ellen, his wife of 45 years, and to just putter around his home. Now he even serves as Chair of the Blackstone Valley National Heritage Corridor Organization, he says.

Like Cassidy, according to a new AARP released last Tuesday, older Americans are not choosing to retire, many are now seeking part-time jobs in their post retirement years, not full-time ones.

Work the New Retirement Activity

According to the findings in the 26 page AARP report, “AARP Post-Retirement Career Study,” work seems to be the “new retirement activity.” While many Americans state that they plan to retire between ages 65 and 70 (45 percent), the data indicates that the typical retirement may have changed. Thirty seven percent say they plan to work for pay in post retirement. Of these respondents, 73 percent desire a part-time job and almost half are looking to work in a new field (44 percent). Twenty three percent will stay in the same field, and 33 percent are undecided.

The researchers say that connecting with co-workers, interesting and challenging work, and the desire for a work-life balance are all stated as top reasons why work is enjoyable. Some are seeking to pursue their dream job or dream field in this next stage of life. Sports, hospitality, and education fields are frequently cited. Most are hoping that their new dream jobs will be part-time, flexible with work from home options, and allow time for travel and fun.

The findings also indicate the importance of job training for those who plan to work during their retirement years. Among those who plan to enter a new field, training is seen as even more crucial to succeeding on the job (46 percent vs. 36 percent among those staying in the same field).

Meanwhile, when asked about what they enjoyed most about their current career, most mentioned income, benefits, and the schedule/work-life balance.

According to the AARP survey, regardless of the field, respondents are hoping to work part-time (73 percent), with over half expecting to work for someone else (57 percent) vs. being a contractor (21 percent) or starting their own business (19 percent). Personal contacts and job listings are the primary avenues respondents say they use to find post-retirement work (49 percent and 43 percent, respectively). Professional networking is also a popular way people plan to find work, note the researchers.

When questioned about their dream job, many respondents talk about a profession, for others it may be a particular type of working lifestyle. Jobs in the sports, creative, hospitality and education fields are mentioned frequently by the respondents while those looking for lifestyle benefits seek flexibility, lucrative, opportunities to travel, and employment with a charitable aspect to it.

AARP’s efforts to look into how people spend time in their retirement years is the first survey of this kind and there are no comparative stats from previous years, says Kim Adler, AARP’s Work and Jobs Lead.

The findings suggest that there are major implications for employers, adds Adler. “Americans are living longer, healthier lives and we will see a continuation of the long term trend of working into retirement years. Nearly 19 percent of 65 and older workers are in the workplace and the percentages – as well as the actual numbers – are likely to continue to rise. This will give employers the opportunity to hire and retain experienced workers who look forward to the opportunities and challenges in the workplace,” she says.

According to Adler, “there are shortages of skilled workers in certain industries and many employers report difficulty filling jobs. For these jobs – and all others – employers and employees benefit from an intergenerational workforce that encourages mentoring and knowledge sharing.”

Great Wealth of Experience

“The survey gives us a better picture of what retirement looks like today and, likely, well into the future,” said AARP Rhode Island State Director Kathleen Connell. “But it also is a conversation starter about the value of older workers. Older Rhode Island workers represent a great wealth of experience and accomplishment at every level of the workforce.

“Employers should embrace the willingness of people to work part-time after 65 or 70 as a “golden’ opportunity, if you will. And this is especially true of startups, where wisdom is a critical success factor. Growing the Rhode Island economy might depend on synergies of young innovators guided by experienced leaders and managers.

Adds Charlie Fogarty, Director of the Rhode Island Division of Elderly Affairs, “Many older adults look at retirement as a transition period, and not a defined point in time in their lives.” He notes, “this population has a wealth of experience and knowledge that can be shared while working part-time, making for a more productive and richer work experience for all employees.”

“Our new research shows a fluid workplace, with many experienced workers looking for flexible part-time work in interesting and challenging positions to continue their careers,” said Kim Adler, AARP’s Work and Jobs lead. “The new website [AARP.org/Work] will help experienced workers control their careers and stay connected, competitive and current in the workplace,” Adler added.

This AARP survey, overseen by Gretchen Anderson, AARP Research, was fielded online from July 27 to Aug. 3, 2015 and conducted among adults age 50-64 who are currently employed full time. A total of number of 4,975 surveys were completed. The final data has been weighted to U.S. Census for analysis.

PawSox Fans Love Their Team and Its Owner

Published in Senior Digest on July 2004

Seventy-six-year-old Al Beaulieu worked as a manager at Standard Bolt in Cumberland for more than 30 years. He’s been a baseball fan longer than 30 years. He’s been a baseball fan longer than that, however, attending games at McCoy Stadium since the mid-1940s.

After retiring in 1991, the Lincoln resident and wife, Carolyn, 81, became Pawtucket red Sox ticket holders. During the first three and one-half years of attending local games way back when Beaulieu says he probably missed just a few match-ups. Over his 13 years of having season tickets, Beaulieu says that he’s probably missed upward to 30 games. “It’s due to a total knew replacement,” he points out, not because of a waning interest in the sport he loves.

Over the years, in addition to attending games at McCoy Stadium this Pawtucket Red Sox fan has traveled to Rochester and Syracuse, N.Y., and Scranton, Pa., to follow his team.

While Beaulieu’s loyalties lie with the Pawtucket Red Sox, he’s backed off from the Boston Red Sox. “I used to be a great Boston fan, but they broke my heart to many times. Now, I root for whatever time is in first place,” he quips.

When asked about the legacy of PawSox, owner Ben Mondor, the man who brought Triple-A baseball to Pawtucket and put the city on the map, Beaulieu responds, “The guy is an outstanding gentleman. He took a club down in the dumps and turned it into one of the top teams in the nation.”

As to the his favorite games, Beaulieu quickly talks about the time he watched Tomo Ohka pitch a no-hit shutout at McCoy on June 1, 2000. “He’s now a   starting pitcher for the Montreal Expos,” Beaulieu said.

Branson Arroyo, who now plays for the Boston Red Sox, also pitched a perfect game at McCoy.  According to the team’s media guide, the statistical bible for Beaulieu, on Aug. 10, 2003, Arroyo pitched the fourth perfect nine-inning game in the 128-year history of the International League when he beat Buffalo, 7-0.

Over the years, Michael Pappas, the former executive director of the Pawtucket Boys and Girls Club, will tell you that “Ben Mondo always did everything first class.”

Pappas, 78, who served as the public address announcer at local Pawtucket Rd Sox games in the mid-1960s and mid-1970s, remarked how Mondor “rolled out the red carpet for his fans, making McCoy Stadium family-oriented and keeping ticket prices affordable.”

Mondor’s legacy will be his community out-reach, especially to nonprofit groups, Pappas says.  According to Pappas, Mondor has supported the Boys & Girls Club for years.  That support has included sponsoring a trip to the World Series for two lucky participants in the club’s baseball program.

Ray Dalton, 79, worked for the East Providence-based Getty Oil CO. for 42 years. Residing in the Darlington section of the city for 78 years, Dalton attended baseball games at age 5 at the old Pawtucket High School field.

He played baseball in junior high school and in the Pawtucket Boys Club Summer League. With his father loving the game, Dalton caught the bug, too. Since the early ‘40s, Dalton traveled to McCoy Stadium to watch baseball and has been a season ticket holder for about 20 years.  Before that, he bought blocks of 50 tickets for the season to get the best seats available. At the beginning of each season, he would determine which games he wanted to see.

Over the years, Dalton and his son Ron, 43, have made friends with several players who were on the PawSox’s roster.

“And when they returned as members of opposing teams, we always go out of our way to welcome them back to McCoy stadium,” the elder Dalton said.

“I’ve known Ben Mondor and Michael Tamburro ever since they came on board,” Dalton said. “They are No. 1 in my book because they run the team as a family organization and have kept the prices affordable.”

Dalton said ballplayers have told him that if you can’t play in the American or National leagues, McCoy is the next best place to play. “It’s because of the way Ben and Michael treat them when they are at McCoy stadium,” Dalton said.

Dalton was at McCoy on April 18, 1981, for the start of Major League Baseball’s longest game and he watched it end when it resumed a couple of months later on June 23. While this is one of his most memorable games, Dalton likes every game he attends. “It’s the best entertainment in the state because they keep the prices affordable and create a family atmosphere. This is the philosophy of the Pawtucket Red Sox Family,” he says.

Nine of the 15 seats in the row where Dalton sits are taken by his sone, granddaughters, sister, brother-in-law and nephews. “It is really a family affair for us,” he said.