Month: May 2012

             Ten individuals have been chosen to receive the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church’s “Gloucester Citizenship Awards” for 2012, for the contributions they make to their community and their neighbors through volunteer efforts, carried out quietly and persistently, without thought of remuneration or recognition.

            The seven women and three men were selected by the church’s Social Justice Committee from more than 40 nominations submitted by members of the congregation and the public.

            The awards will be presented at a public ceremony at the church on Sunday, May 20, starting at 7:00 p.m. 

            The Gloucester Citizenship Awards were begun in 2006 as part of the celebration of the bicentennial of the iconic Universalist Meetinghouse, the oldest standing church in Gloucester and home of the first Universalist church in America.  The congregation is a member of the Unitarian Universalist Association.

            The awards have been continued as a way this congregation can recognize contributions to the community that actions embody the best of the spirit that guides Unitarian Universalism: open-hearted giving to others, solely for what those gifts mean, for no pay, and often with no public notice.

            This year’s ceremony is being made possible in part through sponsorship by the Cape Ann Savings Bank, the First National Bank of Ipswich, and the Rockport National Bank.  We thank them for their generous support.

            The public is invited to attend. Along with the recipients and their families and friends, scores of friends of the church also are also being invited to help celebrate the good works that these people do.  Dress is informal.

            The women and men who will be honored this year are:

Patti Amaral – A founder of the Clean City Initiative, constant and relentless coordination of  citywide cleanup days, and longtime leader of the Gloucester Clean City Commission  and instigator of that commission’s Carry In/Carry Out policy at city beaches.

Marie Blanding – For her management in the 1980s of an urgent effort to preserve the tower of the Universalist Meeting House, saving one of the city’s most important historic buildings for the enjoyment of others for generations to come, and for many other community contributions.

Barbara Kaplan – A constant force for justice on Cape Ann through the Essex County Community Organization, an essential supporter in the founding of the “Chill Zone” program serving at-risk youth in Gloucester, and an unflagging advocate on behalf of affordable housing in our community.

Lucille LePage – A true friend to many in ways almost too numerous to express, including visits to those who may be lonely or need a lift, a willingness to do errands for those who cannot do so for themselves, and always, a supportive voice ready to offer a thoughtful observation that can improve their lives.

John John Nicastro – For the formation and management of the JJ Nicastro Foundation, which provides support to college-bound students, young athletes, and promising actresses and actors; for financial help that enables young men and women to take part in school sports, and numerous other contributions to the community.

Micaela O’Connor – For exemplary service to fellow students at Gloucester High School through her active peer support for fellow students in the classroom, and for her leadership in Students Against Destructive Decisions, the GHS Gay/Straight Alliance, and other organizations,

Margaret “Peg” O’Malley – As founder and leader of Partners for Addison Gilbert Hospital, an unflinching force for preserving essential health care services for Cape Ann residents. For 16 years, as the health care landscape has undergone wrenching changes, Peg and Partners have “kept the heat on” to ensure that Gloucester’s hospital would not forget its purpose and its roots.

John Prybot – For selfless dedication to helping others – through his work with various health programs, in Pride Stride, and at Action, Inc.; for ensuring that papers of the poet Charles Olson would be preserved for use of all; from his position at the Sawyer Free Library, the extraordinary help he offers Spanish-speakers in Gloucester – and much, much more.

Bob Quinn – With persistent dedication, Bob for more than a decade has been taping events in Gloucester for broadcast on Cape Ann Cable Television. the Gloucester Lyceum and the Gloucester Museum to public board meetings, his service is invaluable to those unable to attend in person and provides an important archive for the future.

 

Maud Warren – Through her leadership in the Cape Ann Interfaith Commission, Maud has worked to alleviate homelessness, hunger and isolation – including through the founding of Harvest Meals and, separately, a program that delivers sandwiches daily to others in need.

http://www.goodmorninggloucester.com Do you get it?

From My Window

 

From my window I see the canvas on the easel

ready for the artist to spread her vibrant hues throughout

the day, bringing life to the gray-dawned morning

and color to the lightly sketched scene that sprawls  before me.

 

Throughout the morning she works on the greens and yellows

of the trees across the river, bursting with young spring

life and the promise of a full summer of cool shade

and comforting shelter from sudden soaking showers.

 

Next, she takes her brush to the foreground to highlight

the new delicate leaves of the closer trees that hint

of the color they will wear when the air turns cool

in autumn, as a newborn’s dependency foretells old age.

 

Finally, as the day wears on and the tide floods the flats,

the artist applies her blues to the sky and the river,

covering the brown mud and shrinking the island,

like a child who hasn’t learned to color within the lines.

 

Marty Luster