This interview posted above is from SDPB's daily public-affairs show, In the Moment, hosted by Lori Walsh.
Dale Swenson was born and raised in Woonsocket. When he became a father, he and his wife decided to return to the community so they could raise their family in his hometown.
The community of Woonsocket matters to Swenson and throughout his adult life, he has made time to give back – volunteering his time to Meals on Wheels, putting up the holiday nativity on a small island in the middle of Lake Prior and helping organize the community’s annual Water Festival.
The Woonsocket Water Festival has been a community tradition for more than 100 years.
Swenson shares his childhood memories of the Water Festival and his reasons for giving back.
“If you are able to do it, you gotta do it. Someone’s gotta do it. Might as well be you.
Well, we have a town with a beautiful lake and, it started in the early 1900s having this Water Festival. And they have all kinds of stuff going on at the lake – big slides and stuff. Even had boats that ferried people on the lake. It's not a very big lake but I can still remember little boats. Motorboats would pull skiers on the lake. Usually little kids, 50-to-60 pounders at the max.
Anyway, that is what I remember as a kid.
So, the people who ran it in 1983, there was no money left and all that, so they just walked away. A person put an ad in the paper and said, “let’s keep going.”
I went to that first meeting and went for 30 years.
Well, when I was on the Water Festival committee, that first year, and even the year before there was not much going on around the lake. Well, this is the Water Festival. So, I suggested we have canoe races – I had a canoe. So, I got the canoe races running and I did that for 30 years.
So, then they started doing other things, like water tank races, water golf…you name it.
It brings in people from all over the county and even surrounding areas. We had 58 campers in town last Fourth of July. Lots of people. Kids all over.
I think it betters the town. And I actually figure it makes me younger. Makes me feel younger. Keeps me in better health. I am 73 years old. I’m not terribly old. I’m in pretty good shape. I want to keep it that way. I figure if I am in good shape, I’d better use it to do some good.”
