P E A B O DY
ADVOCATE Vol. 2, No. 21
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Have a Safe and Happy Memorial Day Weekend
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Peabody’s finest educators honored at Legacy Awards
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Friday, May 26, 2017
City readies for Memorial Day
Peabody Police march along with veterans at the 2015 Memorial Day Parade. (Courtesy photo) City Councillors Tom Gould (far left) and David Gravel (2nd from right) with the Legacy Awards Class of 2017, from left: Lorraine Benoit, Elaine Marshall, June Kessel, Sister Christine Gubisch and Dr. Donna Costa.
By Melanie Higgins
L
ast week Peabody honored some of its greatest contributors to the cause of public education. Sister Christine Gubisch, Dr. Donna Costa, Elaine Marshall, June Kessel and Lorraine Benoit were bestowed with the George Peabody Legacy Award for their contributions to Peabody’s youths. The awardees ranged in background. Lorraine Benoit is a celebrated coach who played an instrumental role in bringing varsity teams to the
schools’ women’s sports. Dr. Donna Costa is a testament to the axiom “never give up,” after dropping out of school and later earning an advanced degree in education at Harvard. She is also a hero, using her skills as a CPR instructor to one time save a student’s life. Sister Christine Gubisch is a young children’s teacher who collaborated with her students to make an original CD and used proceeds of sales to benefit children’s schooling in poverty-stricken areas around the world. Elaine Marshall is a psychology teacher and educator with a strong
following. And June Kessel is an educator and champion of the Stage One Drama Club at Peabody High. The Peabody Education Foundation, which is made up of local officials, educators and other community members, helped bring the concept to life. Founded in 1985, the organization “provide[s] unique programs and advanced technology to thousands of students who might otherwise not enjoy such experiences due to budget con-
AWARDS| SEE PAGE 2
Tanners Baseball Senior Day
Dyland DiFillipo is shown with members of his family, Dickey and Jane Dooley and AJ DiFillipo at the PHS Tanners baseball Senior Day celebration. See more photo highlights on page 13. (Advocate photo by Greg Phipps)
By Melanie Higgins
O
n Monday, May 29th, Peabody will celebrate Memorial Day as it has every year, but this year is set to be extra special. Two very important events will take place: the awarding of the Massachusetts Medal of Liberty, and the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. The Medal of Liberty is a distinction awarded to the next of kin of fallen soldiers. It will be the first time families of Peabody’s fallen will be awarded the medal. Since its inception, the state has awarded 145 Medals of Liberty to families of fallen soldiers. The medal differs from the Purple Heart, which is also awarded to those injured or killed in action (KIA). Families of fallen service members are recognized as “Gold Star Families”. It is a tedious process to award the medal to fallen soldiers’ family members. First a community must identify those fallen, then they must send the family’s application for the medal to the state for approval. Once that is complete, the family receives the medal. The medal is purple, like the Purple Heart, but also features a gold star to honor the ‘Gold Star’ Families. Estimates put the number of those eligible for the medal across Massachusetts in the 10,000s. Any fallen solider since 1776, including those that perished in World War I, World War II, the Vietnam War, the Korean War, Gulf War, or Iraq and Afghanistan Wars are
eligible. This year, 10 fallen soldiers’ families identified will receive the medal at this year’s Memorial Day ceremony, at approximately 11:45am on the lawn of the city hall. Many local news outlets are expected to attend the event. “It was really a team effort that made the whole thing come together,” said Steve Patten, Director of Veterans Affairs and veteran himself. “This is set to be one of the bigger memorial days,” he went on. “It’s going to be really something special.” Patten also wanted readers to know that the committee is still looking for the families of two fallen Peabody soldiers, Ralph Maney and Richard Cotter. Anyone with any information about the pair’s families is encouraged to reach out so that their families might receive the medal. Festivities This year the Memorial Day activities will begin at 9:30am at the Cedar Grove Cemetery. Visitors will pay their respects and then move on to Washington Street to assemble for the parade. The mayor will present the medals on behalf of the Governor at 11:45am. Below is the itinerary of events courtesy of the Department of Veterans Affairs and Steve Patten, director: 8:30 AM – VFW bus will leave for services at Cedar Grove Cemetery (Pumping Station
MEMORIAL DAY| SEE PAGE 3