On a clear fall afternoon, people from all around the community gathered at Warren's Harborview Restaurant and Marina to celebrate the "retirement" of long time Select Board member Alan Slavin.

The event took place Tuesday, Oct. 15 and while it was the first taste the town got of Warren's Harborview, celebrating Slavin for his many years of public service was the reason so many people got together.

Not only did Slavin spend 12 years on the Select Board, but he also spent many years serving on a variety of different boards including the Capital Planning Committee and the now defunct Wareham Marine Resources Committee.

Despite the event being a "retirement" party, Slavin is not done with public service as he is currently a member of the Finance Committee.

During his time of public service, Slavin was able to get many things done but the accomplishment he is most proud of is being a part of hiring current Town Administrator Derek Sullivan.

"The board at that time was afraid [Sullivan] wasn't ready," said Slavin. "It finally got to the point where myself and Peter Teitelbaum said you know lets give Derek a shot. He's young, he's not messed up, he knows the good and the bad and he's fiscally responsible so we turned around and hired him. It was the best thing I ever did."

At the event were two people who Slavin has helped during his time in public service. One being Harborview owner Danny Warren and the other being Oak Grove Cape Verdean Cultural Center President Yvonne Vieira-Cardoza.

According to Warren, without the help he received from Slavin, the Harborview project would never have been a reality. Warren explained Slavin helped him find a way to invest his money in a way that could benefit the town. This investment eventually became what is now the Harborview Restaurant and Marina.

"I want Alan to realize I would have never done this without him," said Warren. "It was a tough thing to do this because no bank in the world would touch it. I want him to realize that he was a visionary and he knew that this was the right real estate."

Slavin also played a crucial part in ensuring the Oak Grove Cape Verdean Cultural Center had a building that they could call their own.

"He's done so much," said Cardoza. "He's gotten us support from other organizations and he puts us in touch with the right people to get things done."

Slavin explained volunteering and giving back to his community is something that has been ingrained in him for a very long time.

"When I was in college my grandmother was getting ready to pass away unfortunately and she made me promise I'd give back and that's what I've done," said Slavin.