If you check out the nation’s No. 1 movie at the box office this week, “The Social Network,” you might get a glimpse of a Linwood resident in the film’s rowing scenes.
Joe Carroll, 23, who was a varsity rower for Mainland Regional High School in Linwood and Northeastern University in Boston, worked for seven days on the David Fincher-directed movie about Facebook and its inventors, who were from Harvard University in Boston.
The filming took place last October on the Charles River in Boston. Carroll, who is now an account manager for Home Solutions in Somers Point, was chosen because the filmmakers were looking for experienced rowers. Since his NCAA eligibility was over in his fifth year at Northeastern, Carroll was recruited for the film because of his affiliation with the crew team and because he is a member of the college’s alumni rowing club.
Carroll said he had a blast on the set, despite work days that began before sunrise and ended after sunset. Even though the rowing scene was short, Carroll said he caught a glimpse of himself in the final cut.
“I’m not worried about face time,” Carroll said. “I had a great time doing it and I was paid very well to do it. We had to do some really hard things on the water like rowing very close together. It was almost like the work of a stunt man. Some of it was dangerous. It was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Short Stories
When Linwood’s Christina Castellani and Galloway Township’s Jeanne Chiaradio met six years ago as new Balsley Losco Real Estate employees, they bonded over a shared experience — both their mothers had passed away from Alzheimer’s disease. “We kind of commiserated together about how awful it was,” Castellani says. “Both of us were involved in the Memory Walks … and we were big advocates of the Alzheimer’s Association.” So when the Balsley Losco was considering additional fundraising opportunities last year, Castellani and Chiaradio jumped at the chance to make a difference. The two partnered with Mays Landing’s Madeline Leard and organized a home-cooked luncheon for coworkers for a suggested donation of $5 per person. This year, Castellani, Chiaradio and Leard held the luncheon for the second time. The trio’s efforts raised more than $1,300 for the Alzheimer’s Association, and they hope to make it an annual event. … Somers Point’s Greg Park is the new head squash professional at Greate Bay Racquet and Fitness in Somers Point. Park is an internationally renowned squash player, ranked No. 9 in the world and No. 2 in the United States by the International Doubles Association. A graduate of Drexel University in Philadelphia, Park coached the college’s squash team for two years. At Greate Bay Racquet and Fitness, Park will manage clinics and leagues for all levels of advanced squash and tennis players.
