We’ve got the deals to make your Wednesday delicious! 🍕🦞

⭐ Today’s Specials:
🍕 Buy ANY 18″ Pizza & get an 18″ Cheese Pizza for just $5!
🍕 Buy ANY 16″ Pizza & get a 16″ Cheese Pizza for just $5!
🍕 16″ Pizzas are HALF OFF (Maximum of 2 half-price pizzas per order.)
🦞 Lobster Roll served with chips & pickles for $19.99 + tax

📍 Dine in • Takeout • Call ahead!

Specials cannot be combined.
Excludes gluten-free crusts.
Excludes online orders.

Tag your pizza crew and make it a Wicked Wednesday at Surfside! 🍕☀️🌊

I was recently on a bird photography tour in search of baby birds but it turned out that it was these Black Crown Night Herons that kind of stole the show with their feeding antics in Winchester. It’s a popular location to observe water birds hunting and feeding. Naturally there are some antics and interesting behaviors shown so it seemed reasonable that they get a post of their own. The Great Blue Heron showed up to assert some dominance though we didn’t actually see any of them get fish.

JUNE 15, 2026 ~ WELLSPRING HOUSE

Wellspring House Marks Historic Milestone as First Scholarship Cohort Graduates College

Wellspring House celebrated 18 scholarship recipients, many of whom are the first in their families to attend college, at its 2026 Scholarship Award Celebration last Thursday, June 11, 2026, marking a significant milestone for one of the organization’s signature education programs. For the first time, students from the inaugural cohort of the Cape Ann High School Graduates Fund graduated from college. 

2026 Cape Ann High School Graduate Fund Awardees

The celebration brought together scholarship recipients with their family and friends, Gloucester Public Schools representatives including Superintendent Ben Lummis, GHS Principal Dr. John Perella, Wellspring Staff, Board members and supporters, and community members to recognize students pursuing higher education, workforce training, and career advancement. The event also featured remarks from two alumni of the Cape Ann High School Graduates Fund, who reflected on their educational journeys and the support that helped them persist through college and into their careers. 

2026 Robert Clark Rogers Opportunity Fund Awardees

“Looking back, I realize success was never about having all the answers,” said scholarship alumnus Yahir Vasquez. “It came from community, being willing to make mistakes, and continuing to show up even when things felt difficult.” 

Recipients of two scholarships were honored during the event. The Cape Ann High School Graduates Fund awards up to $10,000 per academic year, and up to $40,000 per student, with the option to carry funding into a fifth year, to Gloucester residents graduating from Cape Ann high schools and pursuing a higher education degree. To be considered, students must be actively working with Wellspring or referred by a guidance counselor. The Robert Clark Rogers Opportunity Fund supports Wellspring program participants by covering education expenses that many scholarships overlook, including transportation, supplies, books, online resources, and computers. Together, the two scholarships help remove the financial barriers that can prevent students from achieving their educational and career goals. 

2022 Cape Ann High School Scholarship Fund recipient Yahir Vasquez and 2026 Scholarship recipient Anas Yousif

“Watching the first cohort of Cape Ann High School Graduates Fund students graduate from college is a moment we have worked toward for years, and it speaks to something deeper about how Wellspring works,” said Melissa Dimond, the organization’s President and Executive Director. “We meet people where they are, whether that’s a student who needs extra support navigating in their first semester or someone moving forward from a major family setback losing their housing, and we stay with them as they work toward stability and success. The long-term commitment is what makes the difference.” 

Scholarship Review Panel Members Krystal Williams, Katie O’Leary and Kristin Michel

The scholarship selection process is led by a special advisory committee made up of members of Wellspring’s staff and board of directors, and community partners. This year the committee reviewed over 35 applications, conducted interviews, and nominated the recipients based on a variety of factors, ranging but not limited to education and career goals, essays, personal statements, and financial need.  

“As a first-year Board Member at Wellspring House, I was honored to have the opportunity to serve on the Scholarship Committee. Meeting and interviewing the candidates was one of the most rewarding experiences of my time with Wellspring. Each student shared their unique passions, goals, and determination to further their education, and I was inspired by their drive and commitment to their future. “Knowing that I played a small part in helping support their educational journey is incredibly meaningful. Investing in students and their potential is truly an investment in our community’s future, and I am grateful to be involved in such an impactful program,” shared Krystal Williams, Wellspring House Board Member and AVP, Branch Manager Cape Ann Saving Bank.  

“At Wellspring, our commitment to students extends far beyond graduation. We are dedicated to supporting our participants throughout their educational journey and as they take their next steps toward career and personal success. This graduating class represents not only an important milestone, but also the beginning of new opportunities and achievements ahead. Through continued mentorship, resources, and community connections, we remain invested in helping each student reach their full potential,” said Andy Allen, Director of Education and Career Pathways, Wellspring House. 

Wellspring’s President Melissa Dimond 

These scholarships are part of Wellspring’s broader Education and Career Pathways programs, which equip adults and young adults with the credentials, skills, and confidence needed to pursue education, employment, and long-term economic mobility. For many recipients, particularly those who are the first in their families to attend college, the scholarships represent more than financial assistance. Through career advising, mentorship, scholarship support, and ongoing guidance, Wellspring helps students navigate the transition from high school to college and from college into careers, creating pathways to opportunity that extend well beyond graduation day. 

Many of this year’s scholarship recipients will continue their educational journeys at institutions including North Shore Community College and Salem State University, longstanding Wellspring partners that provide accessible paths to degree attainment for North Shore students.  

The celebration reflects the scale of Wellspring’s broader reach across Cape Ann, where demand for these programs continues to grow. During the past year, 135 adults enrolled in Wellspring’s ESOL program, 100 adults prepared for the High School Equivalency Test (HiSET), and 87 high school seniors and recent graduates received career advising and scholarship support services. Wellspring remains the only HiSET testing site on Cape Ann and recently expanded its ESOL programming to include digital literacy and career advising. 

2022 Cape Ann High School Scholarship Fund recipient Kaelyn Battle, and 2026 Scholarship recipient Kiara Olson

These outcomes are made possible by donors, partners, and advocates who believe that financial security should be within reach for every North Shore resident.  For more information or to support these critical programs, visit wellspringhouse.org. 

2026 Scholarship Awardees with special guests GHS Principal Dr. Perella and SuperintendentLummis 

2026 Robert Clark Rogers Opportunity Fund Recipients: Britney Aguilar, Yaira Baez, Lizy Erazo Jesika Gutierrez, Auraylia Lord, Kiara Olson, Evan Porter, Jazmin Saloj, Molly Taormina, Julia Tremblay

2026 Cape Ann Graduate Fund Recipients: Sean Abell, Jamani Belle, Ayden Curley, Alyssa Estime, Shyia-Rose Goodrich, Jennifer Magalhaes, Jaylen Severino, Anas Yousif

All Photo Credits: Kendra Dott Photography | Sharon’s Studio of Gloucester

While going through his papers I found roughly 40 letters written by fourth grade students at St. Ann School in Gloucester in 1967. They were sent to my dad while he was recovering at Chelsea Naval Hospital after being critically wounded in Vietnam. Many of the letters include the kids’ school photos. He kept every single one of them for the rest of his life.

Those kids would be in their late sixties now and most have no idea these letters still exist.

I’ve been working with someone at St. Ann’s to track them down but sixty years of maiden names and unlisted numbers makes it tough. I think one post on Good Morning Gloucester could do in a day what I haven’t been able to do in months.

Would you be willing to help?

Here’s the background on my dad’s story:

A son’s quest to detail dad’s bravery

Dave Jacobson

davejacobson77@hotmail.com

858-740-4926

California Dreamin’…

JUNE 13, 2026 BY ANGEL WINGS WELLNESS

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Kimberly Langdon, MD

New CBD sleep inducing soft gels by R and R Medicinals are in! Please come by for free samples! 

12 Rogers Street Friday and Saturdays 11-4 or call for a Free Wellness Consultation.  978-985-4592

angelwingscbd.com
Home Grown Tie Dye!
12 Rogers Street Friday and Saturday 11-4 or call for appointment

Treat yourself to a taste of summer at Surfside!

🦞 Lobster Roll Special
Only $13.99 + tax
Served with chips & pickles

🍕 BONUS SPECIALS FOR TODAY 🍕
⭐ Buy any 18″ Pizza, get an 18″ Cheese Pizza for just $5
⭐ Buy any 16″ Pizza, get a 16″ Cheese Pizza for just $5
⭐ 16″ Pizzas HALF OFF
*Maximum of 2 pizzas

Gather the family, soak up the sunshine, and enjoy some of the best pizza and lobster rolls on Long Beach! 🌊☀️

📍 Surfside
⏰ Open Daily 11am–9pm

*Excludes gluten-free crusts
*Pizza specials cannot be combined
*Excludes online orde

I’ve been wanting to get back to visit Stone Zoo in Stoneham so GMG Jim kindly drove us in last week. It’s a pretty easy ride and we have a membership we like to take advantage of. (* and I kind of love their flamingos). We arrived to find several school groups in attendance…naturally as the end of the school year is coming soon. We decided to embrace the inevitable chaos and enjoy our visit. Which we did, as always.

But as retired teachers, it added to our enjoyment to watch the various school groups manage their field trip to the zoo. You have the middle schoolers dragging themselves along behind eager adult chaperones while some of the teachers at the back of the line keep urging them on and encouraging them to actually look at the exhibits. Eye rolls were featured everywhere with those groups.

Then you had the younger students who were clearly more enthusiastic. Their teachers seemed as exhausted as the students were excitable. There was a lot of skipping, loud oohs and ahhs, and happy chattering (not unlike some of the animals). From our relaxed and retired unaccompanied by kids point of view….it was so much fun to watch. Anyway, here are a few of the animals we saw that warm June morning. (photo cred to GMG Jim on the otter photo)

Meet Noccio! This sweet 2 year old boy is a very genuine, down to earth cat. Noccio enjoys quiet company, soft pets, and watching the world go by at his own pace. Noccio that these soulful eyes and he often enjoys gazing out to see everything that is happening here at CAAA. He can be a little bit shy when first meeting new people, but he warms up pretty quickly! He loves to lounge around and request chin scratches as well as a quick snuggle. Once he knows you, he will truly develop a bond that will be for a lifetime!

Want to meet Noccio? You can send in an application to: capeannanimalaid.org/catapp

BreedDomestic Longhair/Mix Age2 years 1 month 16 days GenderMale SizeMedium ColorBlack Spayed/NeuteredDeclawedNo HousetrainedYes Adoption Price$175.00 

Thank you!

______________________________________
Cape Ann Animal Aid

Christopher Cutler Rich Animal Shelter
4 Paws Lane
Gloucester, MA 01930

(978) 283-6055

www.CapeAnnAnimalAid.org

www.facebook.com/CapeAnnAnimalAid

Viiiiiva!

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Legacy Bench…