Grand Opening, June 12th!

At age 69 and after competing in 1000 races Dick Hoyt has new plans; he will soon be the new owner of Fenders. Here an email from the former owners of Fenders, Richard and Shirley Marcin, to the Holland Blog:

We are so happy to have a person of Mr. Hoyt's character and celebrity buy Fenders. My husband and I are committed in helping Dick to get ready for the opening day of "Team Hoyt's finish line" on Friday, June 12th. We are happy to tell you that the items on the Fenders menu will be the same........good quality food and premium ice cream.

Customers will see new faces working there and some familiar faces too. Below is an email that I sent to our family members and close friends in recent days.

To our Family and Friends:
Richard and I would like you to click on the link below, and watch this video of this dedicated father who would not do what convention told him to do concerning his disabled son. It is a heartwarming video, to say the least.
Richard and I are proud to announce that we have signed a purchase and sale agreement with Dick Hoyt to buy Fenders Drive In Restaurant. The closing is slated to be on June 10th, and the new Team Hoyt Finish Line will be open on Friday, June 12th.
Part of the agreement is that Richard and I will be assisting him in setting up the new "Team Hoyt Finish Line" He wants to keep the business exactly as we were operating it.
Dick Hoyt spoke to Richard last year about the possibility of buying Fenders, but he was busy with his speaking and racing commitments. He contacted Richard several weeks ago and had a renewed interest. We are so proud that we are selling our "baby", which we built from scratch, to this wonderful man, whose notoriety comes from the loyalty to his disabled son, Rick. What a man!
A gala opening is in the works, about three weeks after opening, where the Chamber of Commerce and elected political dignitaries will be invited. We wish them the best..........but Dick Hoyt doesn't need it, he is already a winner in our book!
Richard and Shirley Marcin

Click here to see the video.

The old “Fenders” sign is gone on 154 Mashapaug Rd and the new “Team Hoyt's FINISH LINE” sign is already up.

Dick and Rick, the Team Hoyt, are father and son and have overcome disabilities to compete world wide in triathlons, Ironmans, marathons and road races. They have competed in the Boston Marathon 27 times and did the Ironman Triathlon six times; last October the Team Hoyt was introduced into the Ironman Hall of Fame. They also have motivational speak engagements and educate the public about disability awareness. Dick and Rick wrote a book with the title “It’s only a Mountain.” The book tells the father son story through the year 2000. The Hoyt’s will publish a second book that picks up where the first book ended.

The Google search query “Team Hoyt” produces 176,000 hits.

Rick, now 47 years old, has cerebral palsy, caused by loss of oxygen to his brain at birth because his umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck. In 1974, Rick was given a computer built at Tufts University. With the help of this computer, 12 year old Rick had a way to communicate with his parents for the first time. Using movements of his head, he typed his first words which were, “Go Bruins!” His parents learned that Rick was a sports fan. Three years later they entered their first race. Rick graduated with a degree of Special Education from the University of Boston.

Here some pictures by Dana Manning taken during a triathlon Sunday 22, 2008 on Webster lake:

Start of the swimming contest on Webster Lake

Dick Hoyt pulling the raft with his son Rick on Webster lake

The Team Hoyt at the finish line on Webster Lake

The YouTube query “Team Hoyt” produces 437 videos, watched by literally millions of people. The Team Hoyt has a web page, click here to get there!

When Rick was asked once what he wished he could give his father, his reply was: "The thing I'd most like is that my dad would sit in the chair and I would push him once."

The Holland Blog wishes the “ Team Hoyt” that a lot of customers will come to the finish line to see the true winners in life.

The Magazine “Worcester Living” published an extensive article about the “Team Hoyt,” to read the article click here!

June 6, 2009, Peter Frei