SB_06_10_2021

THE PRINT EDITION

THURSDAY JUNE 10, 2021

VOLUME XIX- ISSUE 74

After 50 Years of Service, Anne Gordon Retires from Boys & Girls Club

By Ginger DeShaney “If you like your job, it’s not really work,” said Anne Gordon. “That’s been the way it’s been for me all along.”

So after reaching her goal of “working” for 50 years at the South Boston Boys & Girls Club, Anne is retiring on June 29, 2021, the 50th anniversary of her start date.

The 68-year-old Anne is currently the Arts Director and Summer Camp Director at the Edgerley Family South Boston Club but has held various titles throughout her tenure.

“That’s one of the reasons I stayed so long is because I can change jobs around,” she said. “Being able to have something different to do … has been very rewarding.”

As her retirement date nears, Anne acknowledges it doesn’t feel real yet. “I’ve been trying to tell people slowly, especially the kids

that I work with. That’s a difficult thing to have somebody leave and they have questions. I’d rather have them ask me while I’m still here.

“The kids have been really cute about it,” she added, noting one girl asked Anne to play a game Anne normally doesn’t play. The girl told her: “ ‘I want to make sure I spend time with you.’ That was really sweet.”

Anne is planning to be back in a volunteer capacity. “It’s hard for me, too, to have it all of a sudden end.”

A n ne’s hu sba nd, Joh n McDonagh, retired a few years ago from Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School.

He wanted her to retire as well, but he is “very considerate of me,” said Anne, who lives in Canton with her husband. “He knows how much I like my job. He just goes with the flow.”

How It All Started After finishing her freshman

Anne Gordon enjoying the ride with her Club Kids year at Massachusetts College of Art, where she was studying art education, Anne was recruited by the woman who started the Discovery Workshop arts program at what was then known as the Boys Club to work in the

summer program. (It became a Boys & Girls Club in 1981.) Anne had been working in a dry cleaning store and the minimum wage at the time was $1.75 an hour so she jumped at the

Continued on page 4

“ONE OF THE BEST RATES AROUND!” Home Equity Line of Credit

1.75%

APR* 1st 6 months then prime minus .75% for life

2.50%

Got Plans?

APR*

current fully-indexed rate

Apply Online, By Phone or By Appointment.

massbaycu.org

(617) 269-2700

SOUTH BOSTON – EVERETT – QUINCY – SEAPORT *APR= Annual Percentage Rate. 1.75% Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is an introductory rate for the first six months. After the introductory period, rate on the outstanding balances will revert to Prime Rate as published in the Wall Street Journal on the first day of the calendar month minus (-) 0.75%. Prime rate as of 4/1/2021 is 3.25%. The APR may vary monthly. Minimum rate 2.50% and maximum rate 18.00%. 10 year draw period. 15 year repayment period. Minimum $10,000 draw at closing and $1,000 advances thereafter. 80% combined LTV to $200,000 (</=70% LTV $300,000). Proof of adequate property insurance required and Flood Insurance may also be required. Subject to credit approval. Other terms and restrictions apply including 620 minimum credit score. Offer subject to change without notice. NMLS ID #615913

EQUAL HOUSING

OPPORTUNITY

2

THURSDAY JUNE 10, 2021

SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM

June Police Update

by Rick Winterson

T

he Neighborhood A d v i s o r y Commission (the NAC) met via ZOOM with BPD Station C-6. The NAC meets monthly with the Station’s Capt.

Joseph Boyle, Community Police Supervisor Steve McNeil, and various police officers. This is a brief update on the topics discussed.

It’s budget preparation time, so various pending police issues and budget requests were brought up. We noted three budget requests that seem significant: $50,000 to specifically cover augmented patrols on the beaches along Day Boulevard; $100,000 to cover patrols at MBTA Stations more thoroughly; $300,000 for gun violence prevention (the Mass/Cass situation was used as an example;

various gun shootings and there are also increasing cases of gun carrying along Dorchester Avenue).

The gate closing on the stretch of Day Boulevard that heads to Castle Island was brought up and discussed by Major Kiley of the State Police. Sully’s now closes at 8 p.m.; its cleanup takes place at 9. Two patrols then are made overnight all around Pleasure Bay. Several incidents of fighting were mentioned – in the Old Colony gas station, at the bus stop at I and Emerson, in Lucky’s Lounge nearby parking area. In answer to a question, loitering (unless it blocks a sidewalk) is not against the law.

Many hundreds of calls are being made to report loud, nonstop parties around South Boston, especially in City Point. A question was asked about a BPD patrol car

Senator Collins Secures Castle Island and Marine Park Funding

R

ecently, State Senator Nick Collins joined his colleagues in the Massachusetts State Senate in unanimously passing a $47.7 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22).

During the debate, Senator Collins championed amendments to directly benefit the First Suffolk District and was able to secure significant funding for the Castle Island and Marine Park areas in South Boston.

This funding totaling to $500,000 prioritizes Castle Island and Marine Park maintenance, staffing, and programming. Including funding for the Harry McDonough Sailing Center, which offers free youth summer camp opportunities for all residents. Thirdly, the funding provides DCR assets maintenance, staffing, programming across the city.

“Castle Island and Marine Park are essential green spaces and natural resources that need considerable investments, which is why I fought

hard in the Senate Budget to secure these critical investments” said Senator Nick Collins. “These green spaces are some of the most utilized assets in the State’s portfolio, drawing visitors from all over the region, and it’s imperative we continue make sure they are maintained for all to safely enjoy.”

Sponsored by Senator Collins, the Castle Island and Marine Park Trust was created and signed into law in 2018. As part of the legislation, revenue generated from the use of these assets get reinvested into them.

“It is critical that we find a sustainable funding method to deal with the wear and tear and staffing needs at Castle Island, Marine Park, Day Boulevard and our beaches,” said Senator Collins.

Senator Nick Collins and Representative David Biele also worked to secure additional public safety funding for Boston in the FY22 State Budget. That funding includes dedicated public safety and security at local state parks and beaches in the South Boston area.

being dedicated to “party patrol” during weekend hours. In a related issue, beach issues will be handled by specific patrols, both on foot and with bikes, with dispersal of any large groups down the beach to Carson being used. Marijuana use has been spotted; boats are also being reported as coming in.

Continuing issues include: Recent acts of gun violence.

Ongoing loud, endless parties.

Mass/Cass to Andrew Square “fall-out”.

Dogs not on leash, especially in and around parks and playgrounds.

is for

The next NAC Meeting tent at ively schedu led early in Spetember.

EDITOR’S NOTE:

Notification about a double shooting on Orton Marotta Way, near the Boston Housing Authority (BHA) office in the West Broadway Development, was reported early yesterday morning. This double shooting was a (very) serious crime. The homicide unit had to be called in because one of the two victims, although alive, could have been fatally wounded. Shootings all across Boston, including those that happen here, are another ongoing issue for the Boston Police Department this summer. In this case, we can report that the Police have detained three suspects

Excel High School Graduates Class of 2021

Valedictorian Yen Nhi Dang and Salutatorian Jimmy Tran at Fenway Park on Tuesday, June 8, 2021.

Commencement took place at Fenway Park on Tuesday, June 8. At 12:30, the class of 2021, clad in red caps and gowns filed into a reserved section of the bleachers to the tune of Pomp and Circumstance. Jimmy Tran, salutatorian led off the Pledge of Allegience. Serving as master of ceremonies was the new head of the school, Dr. Jerleen John. The valedictory address was presented

by Yen Nhi Dang. Born in Vietnam, she came to the United States and has excelled in her studies. Guest speaker was the previous head of the school, Dr. Renee McCall. Diplomas were presented to 113 graduates.

SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM

THURSDAY JUNE 10, 2021

3

Harbor Islands Endangered

A well-built, massive sea wall protects Castle Island at low tide (but note the washed-out rocks below).

by Rick Winterson

G

ood weather (even excessively hot, c le a r w e a t he r) is here. All sections of South Boston’s shoreline are open for fishing, beach recreation, and harbor-related businesses. But did know there is an alarming fate of our Harbor Islands – a fate that has become highly uncertain, unless serious steps are taken.

The cause of this concern was a report issued by the National Trust for Historic Preservation on June 3. Entitled “America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places – 2021 List UNVEILED”, this report is available to the public for the asking. We (strongly) suggest you read it, because it explicitly mentions the Boston Harbor Islands as one of “America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places …”. Page 3 of that “Most Endangered” Report contains

a paragraph describing the danger threatening the islands. South Boston Online will quote: “Storm surges … due to climate change and sea level rise … are causing accelerated coastal erosion …”.

Now, this is something we already know is happening – the flooding in Fort Point a few years ago, coupled with drainage issues on Moakley Park’s fields and continuing Morrissey Boulevard closures, make it obvious that all of Boston Harbor is threatened. The Harbor Islands are drumlins – “low ridges” dumped and left behind by glaciers, as they melted away more than 10,000 years ago. Our Harbor Islands are basically not much more than piles of rocks and dirt, subject to being washed into the ocean by increasingly higher tides, as well as by more storms of much greater intensity.

Perhaps this means that Spectacle Island could be the most vulnerable Harbor Island, because it was formed (in part) by earth and rock dumped there from the Big Dig. Even though it now has a seawall, Spectacle hasn’t had the time to settle and become fully compacted like our other Harbor Islands.

Local artists have already caught on to the environmental problems facing Boston Harbor (see two photos of Channel installations). “future Shoreline” by Carolina Aragon

An art installation by the Gillette parking lot, “future Shoreline” by Carolina Aragon, predicts new tidal levels and height of necessary berms around Fort Point graphically pictures the expected sea levels in Fort Point Channel with a blue, multi-level installation in the Channel itself. View this while standing among her four yellow installations on the edge of the Channel. These yellow installations physically demonstrate the heights of the berms that could become necessary 50 years in our future.

“Polarity”, a sculpture by Zy Baer that was recently floated between Summer and Congress Street Bridges, demonstrates the problem caused by severe storms and rising sea levels even more strikingly.

We know this is happening, so the question becomes, “What must we do about storms and rising sea levels?” Some solutions are already at hand. Electric cars, or those that burn hydrogen, have to take the place of vehicles that burn carbon-based fuels. In the case of electric

cars, we already have the technology and the actual electric cars. Let’s not wait. We have nuclear power know-how and many nuclear plants that safely deliver about 20% of our electric power in the U.S. Let’s expand this as rapidly as possible.

Properly designed nuclear energy sources will not increase global warming at all.

And 2021-2022 are election years in Boston and Massachusetts. Ask the candidates their thoughts on this issue; accept only concrete, workable answers from them. Remind them that the borders of South Boston, our hometown, are more than 80% salt water, so we need action from them. We are now 40 years behind in resolving the problems of global warming storms and sea level rise. We should insist upon immediate steps; the Boston Harbor Islands will be grateful to you.

MW Productions/SPOKE Invites South Boston to Its

20th Annual Turning the Wheel A Celebration of Art in Social Progress Thursday June 16, 6-7 pm A floating sculpture, “Polarity”

by Zy Baer, in Fort Point Channel between the Summer and Congress Street Bridges, pictures one unfortunate result of sea level rise.

https://mwponline.org/wordpress Featuring Work by Cushing House Youth Now On View at our New Spoke Gallery 840 Summer Street S. Boston, MA 02127

4

THURSDAY JUNE 10, 2021

SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM

Continued from Page 1

different found materials,” she said.

The first Earth Day was in the Anne Gordon early 1970s so recycling was becoming popular. “But for us it was a way to save money on supplies, but it also taught the kids that they can be creative with things they could find around the house,” Anne said. “I think that’s an important skill even now.”

Anne’s parents grew up in the 1920s and ’30s and lived through the Depression. “You used all the things you had around you to be creative,” Anne Gordon she said, noting her recycling ways chance to work in her chosen field. and being creative with what you have Her sa la r y w it h t he come from her childhood in Milton.

Club was $2.50 an hour! “It Said Pattie McCormick, was phenomenal,” she said. Associate Director of Development “I just thought I would work at the Edgerley Family South Boston here until I finished college and then Club, “Anne is a trailblazer with her go teach in a school,” Anne said. “But creative programming. Way before over the next few years I found myself it was cool to recycle, much of the art becoming attached to the atmosphere created at the Club was, and continues of the Boys & Girls Club, and the to be, from recycled goods. This is culture of what it is, the community. not only a cost-saving measure that “When I graduated, they delights Club directors, but a core wound up making it a fulltenet of Anne’s belief system. It teaches time job and I never left.” members to respect our earth, be While working at the Club during responsible citizens, and think outside college, Anne was learning classroom the box. Anne’s inventive projects show skills in school, but at the Club she was kids that they have the power to change getting real-life training, such as how things and make them better, whether to break up fights, clean up rooms, etc. it be a milk carton or the world.”

“I saw the very practical part of it and I “The fostering of the creativity saw the needs of the kids,” Anne said. is actually the most important thing that we’ve done over the years,” said Recycling Queen Anne, who became Arts Director in Anne implemented her recycling 1975 after serving as the Cultural program at the Club 50 years ago. “It Enrichment Director. “No matter what was a part-time arts program; there field a child goes into, being able to wasn’t any money for supplies,” she think outside the box and be creative is said. “So we started something I still do only going to help them in that career. I today, which is the recycling program.” always say, I don’t think I have the next They put the word out to families Picasso in my room, but maybe I have that they needed toilet paper rolls, somebody who can create a stapler that egg cartons, yarn, etc. They collected doesn’t break after 30 uses or someone things “and we were creative in who can fix the traffic problems we creating art projects with all these

have in the city of Boston. It takes creative thinking across the board.”

The Highlights Anne wishes she had kept notes on some of the funny things that happened over the years. “The kids are just hilarious,” she said. “We’ve just had lots of laughs over the years.”

Anne has fond memories of the thousands of children who have come through the Club’s doors -way too many to mention -- so she focused her highlights on Club trips.

From 1996-2011, Anne ran Club Council, which elected kids as mayor and councilors. At the end of the members’ two-year terms, Anne took them to Washington D.C., where they visited monuments and sights, such as Arlington National Cemetery. On one of those visits, Club members got to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

“I’ve been to D.C. at least 10 times,” Anne said. “It never got old for us. Those were very memorable.”

Another highlight was a trip she took with the music program to Grand Cayman Islands to do a

service project. The members ran a band camp for the kids there. “It was a really special trip with a very special group of kids,” Anne said.

Anne has been at the Club so long that she has children -- and maybe even grandchildren -- of former members. “It’s super fun to see the next generation,” she said.

As she heads toward retirement -- where she will garden, draw, knit, make quilts, travel, and yes, volunteer at the Club -- Anne has this hope for the members.

“I hope all the kids growing up now can have a job they like as much as I have enjoyed being at the Boys and Girls Club,” she said. “It’s meant a lot to me. From the time I came, I felt accepted by the South Boston community. I didn’t grow up here but I kind of feel like I did.

What fun I’ve had over the years, so many funny and interesting stories of things the kids have done here at the Club. I’ll take that all with me.”

To send Anne your well wishes, email her at AGordon@bgcb. org.

SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM

THURSDAY JUNE 10, 2021

5

New Interpretive Panels Share the History of The Reserved Channel Enhancing the public realm along Pappas Way, the signage highlights key points in the industrial, port and military history of Channel

O

xford Properties and Pappas Enterprises have unveiled new interpretative signage highlighting the history of The Reserved Channel in South Boston. Joined by representatives of Massport, local elected officials, historian and Suffolk professor Bob Allison, and community members, the team gathered on Friday, May 21, 2021 to view the series of eight interpretive panels, which provides details on the Channel’s evolution, and its unique role in industrial, port and military history.

“The Reserved Channel has always played an essential and unique role in the history of Boston’s waterfront,” said

Lisa Wieland, Chief Executive Officer of Massachusetts Port Authority; Senator Nick Collins; Tim Pappas, President of Pappas Enterprises; Mark McGowan, Vice President, Boston Head of Development at Oxford Properties Group; Representative David Biele; Councilor Michael Flaherty; and Councilor Ed Flynn Senator Nick Collins. “I thank and support the efforts of Oxford Properties and Pappas Enterprises to commemorate the history, and I look forward to aiding and participating in the Channel’s future.”

The panels are located along the Pappas Way Waterfront Path; established in 2012, the Path was part of a significant investment to improve the western seawall of The

AVAILABLE FOR NEW & USED PURCHASES LIMITED TIME - APPLY TODAY! CityofBostonCU.com

Reserved Channel. Visitors who walk along Pappas Way will learn the story behind the making of the Reserved Channel and its extensive development timeline, the reasoning of why the body of water is called the “reserved” channel, the history of South Boston being chosen as a World War I and World War II port, and the Reserved Channel as it stands today.

“Oxford and Pappas are

thrilled to be able to build on the investment along Pappas Way Waterfront Path with this new signage,” said Mark McGowan, Vice President, Boston Head of Development at Oxford Properties Group. “We are proud to bring the rich history of this area in South Boston to the public in an accessible way and look forward to being part of its next phase of evolution.”

As low as Up to

72 Months

*APR = Annual Percentage Rate. APR is based on member’s current credit rating. All loans are subject to credit approval. Monthly cost of $14.70 per $1,000 borrowed for 1.88% APR is based upon a credit score of 725+ and maximum term of 72 months. Maximum loan amount is $100,000. New vehicles have 5,000 miles or less. Not available to refinance existing City of Boston Credit Union vehicle loans. Available to refinance existing vehicle loans from other lenders.

Other guidelines may apply. APRs are accurate as of the date of printing and subject to change or be withdrawn at any time without prior notice. Must be eligible for City of Boston Credit Union membership to apply.

6

THURSDAY JUNE 10, 2021

SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM

Deb Putnam: A True Artist

Deb Putnam at work in her South Boston basement studio.

by Rick Winterson

D

eb Putnam is a f u ll-time a r tist, primarily in oil painting, who is originally from Ne w Ha mpshire.

She has lived here in South Boston for 40 years, currently in the neighborhood where Southie’s Bayside meets the Heights. Deb and her husband Fred have two grown children, Cale and Allison, who live locally (North Grafton, Jamaica Plain), and who have presented them with two grandchildren – Anthony and Willow respectively. Early in our interview, when asked about those who have most inf luenced her, Deb described Fred as her prime mentor and key supporter. Clearly, he’s also her professional marketing arm and chief cheerleader, which

“Mother and Child”, a portrait of Deb’s daughter-in-law Liz, holding Deb’s grandson Anthony.

enables Deb to paint full time, take part in exhibitions, and continue her artistic learning, training, and development.

For you see, Deb is an artist who (even now) is still taking time to grow.

She studied at Massachusetts College of Art and Design on Huntington Avenue, commonly called “MassArt” by every one of its students and almost all Bostonians. For three years at MassArt, Deb took a double major in Fine Arts and Art Education.

She ultimately got her BFA degree in her first love, Painting, but the teaching skills she had learned subsequently served South Boston students for an entire generation – at Gate of Heaven School and until last year, at the South Boston Catholic Academy. When asked what she taught her students, Deb replied, “Everything! All grades.

Drawing, painting, sculpture, poster design.

Everything.”

Yes, Deb is a true artist, who emphatically claims, “All types of art are important.”

You probably realize that artists inf luence each other, in part because they usually belong to various “schools of art”. Also, they create their works of art using certain media in identifiable ways, such as realistic, abstract, mixed media, 3-D, installations, photography, and so on. In discussing her

Do you recognize this oil sketch by Deb? She’s an ardent recorder of South Boston’s outdoor structures, especially their unique shapes and sunlit sites. inf luences during our interview, Deb mentioned Fairfield Porter’s use of shadows and George Nick from MassArt. David Hockney, an English artist who paints realistic “f lat” scenes, also came up. The writer believes that Deb’s art is similar to American Realism, a school that influenced much of Edward Hopper’s work (the iconic “Night Owls”?).

So, Deb has become a full-time fine artist – a really fine artist, who still devotes herself to developing further.

Right now, she paints jointly with a group in Quincy. Call it a school if you want, or perhaps it’s a “learning experience” for

A few of her paintings that hang in Deb’s living room – a group of six people, Copley Square, New York, an alcove at Gate of Heaven Church.

her, but she is constantly looking for ways to create better works of art. Deb confesses that she often thinks about the interaction between light (especially sunlight) and the shadows it creates. This leads her to “plein air” painting, which is done outdoors as much as possible. When asked about her decision to paint full time, she smiles and answers by stating, “You don’t decide to paint, painting chooses you.”

Despite her artistic drive, Deb does relax occasionally. She is designing a mini-park area, with mosaics, in her back yard and she’s a voracious reader of everything.

Yes, everything.

A recent portrait from Deb’s painting class in Quincy.

SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM

THURSDAY JUNE 10, 2021

7

USS Kearsarge Anchor to be Restored

By Dave Falvey

L

ast weekend, you might have noticed what looked like road construction along Day Boulevard at Marine Park.

Actually, a section of the Boulevard was shut down so a rigging crew from Shaughnessy could demount the USS Kearsarge anchor from its concrete base and bring it to Skylight Studios in Woburn. Skylight Studios has been commissioned to restore the anchor – they are the outfit who worked on South Boston’s World War II Memorial and recently completed the Shaw Memorial restoration on Boston Common, honoring the Massachusetts 54th Regiment.

After being restored, the anchor will be remounted on a newly crafted stone base at the same place where its existing concrete base is now located. That concrete base has become shabby, to say the least. The restoration, targeted

for completion in the fall, is being headed up by the South Boston Allied War Veterans Council (the SBAWVC), commanded by Dave Falvey. The SBAWVC is also responsible for our St. Patrick’s/ Evacuation Day Parade each year.

The USS Kearsarge anchor project was funded by a grant from the City

of Boston’s Community Preservation Act (the CPA), along with a matching grant from the Commonwealth’s Department of Conservation & Recreation (the DCR).

In the future, South Boston Online hopes that the restored USS Kearsarge anchor will become the nucleus of a World War I Memorial.

The United States fought in World War I just over a century ago, from April 6, 1916, until Armistice Day was declared on November 11, 1918.

We should not forget the 103 combat deaths suffered by soldiers from South Boston who fought in “The Great War” – also sometimes referred to as “The War to End All Wars”.

8

THURSDAY JUNE 10, 2021

SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM

South Boston’s Farmers Market Opens

by Rick Winterson

I

t was just ten days si nc e G ov.

B a k er had lifted almost all of the COV ID-19 protocols, procedures, and precautions off our backs (and faces). Markets, whether indoor or outdoor, could welcome customers in their usual ways – usual before the pandemic took hold, that is. And so the 2021 South Boston Farmers Market opened on Monday Permission was granted for our by-now traditional Farmers Market to return to its regular post on West Broadway at Perkins Square, in front of the wall that borders the Square’s parking lot.

This summer, it will be anchored

by Riverdale Farm from Groton.

The hours for the 2021 Farmers Market are from 12 noon until 6 p.m. every Monday through June, July, August, and September, and ending on the last Monday of October – October 25. Make it a point to shop there frequently, and watch the offerings change from early veggies to fruit to pumpkins and to squash.

The freshness is a real treat.

Customers were a lready lined up when Riverdale Farm’s

Counterman Sean Sullivan set out his baskets and boxes of produce Monday at noon. Their freshness was visible; their clean, cool scent was unmistakable.

The orange, green, and purple of the carrots, broccoli, and eggplant glowed. Carlisle honey was offered; this is finally back for sale in South Boston. Eggs (with brown shells, of course) and streaky pinto beans were among the other offerings. Sprouted plantings on sale – grow your

own at home – included peppers, tomatoes, and spices such as mint and basil. Massive f lower pots f illed with blossoming calibrachoa hung from the struts overhead. It was quite a sight.

The other vendor on hand last Monday, and for all the Mondays to come this season, is named “Humble Bones”. Humble Bones sells a variety of goodtasting granolas – Riwaj and Cynthia offered bags of f lavored gra nola labeled “pea nut ter

butter”, “cinnamon vanilla”, and “chocococo”. Granola was originally a breakfast cereal.

With various f lavorings, it also became a popular snack. It’s based upon rolled oats and sometimes has puffed rice added to it. After mixing with honey and brown sugar, it is baked brown while being stirred, so that it retains its granular form.

Spices can be added to taste.

Mond ay is (f a r me r s) market day in South Boston.

SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM

THURSDAY JUNE 10, 2021

9

The Boston Vet Center on Drydock

by Rick Winterson

T

his is an article about the Boston Vet Center, which is located in South Boston on Drydock Avenue.

The facility on Drydock is the local branch of a Federal agency that is part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The Vet Center program (Readjustment Counseling Service, or RCS) was first established by Congress in 1979 to aid Vietnam veterans in returning to a normal life. It turned 40 two years ago, and has been expanded to cover all veterans who had been deployed on, or in support of, a combat mission. Also, RCS counseling is available to veterans who have experienced sexual trauma on active duty, and to families of soldiers killed while on active duty.

The Boston Vet Center here serves veterans from all over Boston and Suffolk County, and from parts of Middlesex, Norfolk, and Essex Counties. Veterans can call for an appointment on weekdays from 8:00 to 4:30 at 1(857)203-6461. The local Center is very busy. Right now, there are 150 names on the client roster at the Boston Vet Center, resulting in roughly 50 “active case loads” at any given time. There’s an after-hours telephone call center service as well (1-877-927-8387), with operators who are trained in handling calls from veterans in need of counseling.

There are other Vet Centers in Massachusetts, located in Lowell, Brockton, Worcester, Springfield, New Bedford, and Hyannis.

The Boston Vet Center staff numbers seven (7) people. The Center Director is Marika Solhan, Ph.D., the individual interviewed

by South Boston Online for this article. Dr. Solhan is a licensed clinical psychologist who received her undergraduate degrees in psychology and business administration from Texas A&M, and then earned her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from University of Missouri. She first joined the Vet Center as a Counselor and became its Director last August; she now spends half her time on counseling and half on administrative tasks. Her prior experience is extensive and pertinent – she began working with dually addicted veterans here in Boston, as well as serving for eight years as the Director of Trust House for female veterans afflicted with PTSD. She teaches, too, and was an Assistant Professor at BU School of Medicine.

Two other members of the Boston Vet Center staff have served in the U.S. Army, then studied counseling in college programs, and thus became experienced in fields pertinent to the efforts at the Vet Center. Marriage and family therapy, and communications, round out the Center’s offerings.

The Boston Vet Center’s brochure headlines three qualities – “Connection, Camaraderie, Community”. At the conclusion of

The Center’s somber but striking sketch: “God Loves The Grunt”, George Skypeck.

our interview, Dr. Solhan asked us to emphasize that the Boston Vet Center is “a welcoming place”, which offers the support veterans require.

Dr. Solhan concluded by stating, “Veterans need connections - personal, intimate, and within small groups - like we provide at the Vet Center.”

A vets’ conference area that looks (and feels) like a living room.

The Center’s foyer salutes three combat theaters: Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam.

10

THURSDAY JUNE 10, 2021

T

SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM

South Boston Catholic Academy News Student Council News!

he first thing we all love about spring is that it is warmer and people can spend more time outside.

The Student Council took advantage of the warmer weather and being able to be outside, that they beautified the school grounds recently.

The students were eager to give back, and embrace the spring weather by cleaning the school yard play area and front lawn. They planted bushes and flowers, and worked together as

such a great team! It was a joy to see their huge smiles as they played in the dirt and found many wiggly worms.

The South Boston Catholic Academy Student Council, also, hosted a clothing drive to benefit Cradles to Crayons during this season of spring cleaning! What a great opportunity to support other Boston Families through a Boston based charity. Cradle to Crayons provides children from birth through age 12, living in homeless or low-income situations, with essential

items they need to thrive – at home, at school and at play. They supply these items free of charge by engaging and connecting communities. Their vision is that one day every child will have the essentials they need to feel safe, warm, be ready to learn and valued. Thank you, all our wonderful and generous families and friends, for their donations to this special drive.

As a special end of the school year treat, the Student Council organized a Carnival Day for all the students at

SBCA on Monday, June 7, 2021. As you can see from the photos, it was a sunny and fun fill day full of crafts to color and make and fun games to play!

A Big Thank You to our wonderful Student Council members and to Ms. Tynan, the Music Teacher, for her guidance, help and support with this year’s Student Council Members. We thank them for all their terrific and inspiring work throughout this very challenging year.

Great job SBCA Student Council!

SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM

THURSDAY JUNE 10, 2021

11

12

SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM

THURSDAY JUNE 10, 2021

Virtual Public Meeting

HarborOne Bank Opens New Branch in South Boston

601 Congress Street Monday, June 21 6:30 PM - 7:45 PM

Zoom Link: bit.ly/2SSHNcY Toll Free: (833) 568 - 8864 Meeting ID: 160 507 5360

Project Proponent: Biomed Realty LLC. Project Description: This will be a virtual meeting to discuss the Notice of Project Change (NPC) proposed at 601 Congress Street.

The Proponent has proposed a change from office to lab space. No other changes are proposed. mail to: Nick Carter Boston Planning & Development Agency One City Hall Square, 9th Floor Boston, MA 02201 phone: 617.918.5303 email: nick.carter@boston.gov BostonPlans.org

Close of Comment Period: 6/20/2021 @BostonPlans

Teresa Polhemus, Executive Director/Secretary

The Law Office of

Paul J. Gannon PC General Practice of Law

Criminal Defense Personal Injury Motor Vehicle Accidents Establishment of Corporations, LLCs Wills & Estate Planning Real Estate Litigation Probate No Charge for Initial Consultation

82 West Broadway South Boston, MA (617)269-1993 pgannon@paulgannonlaw.com

H

arborOne Bank President & COO Joe Casey and Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn join community leaders and HarborOne Bank employees to celebrate the opening of HarborOne Bank’s newest Branch located at 14 West Broadway Street, South Boston.

This is HarborOne Bank’s second location to open in the City of Boston.

The South Boston branch

features comprehensive retail and consumer banking services, a full suite of small business and commercial banking products and services, and an array of credit and lending products for both commercial and personal banking needs. Highly trained teams of employees will execute HarborOne’s unique partnership approach to fulfill all customer needs from loans and lines of credit to checking and savings accounts.

SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM

No parade, No problem

13

THURSDAY JUNE 10, 2021

USS Constitution Thanks Healthcare Workers and First Responders

On a very hot Dot Day, dedicated Committee Members and Volunteers took the campaign down the parade route in Support of Erin Murphy, Candidate for Boston City Council At-large

USS Constitution is scheduled to go underway from Charlestown Navy Yard, on Friday, June 11, at 10:00 a.m. to recognize and honor the service of healthcare workers and first responders during the Global pandemic of the Coronavirus (COVID-19 Approximately 200 healthcare workers and first responders from the Boston area will join USS Constitution for a three-hour cruise in Boston Harbor.

The guests will represent a number of local hospitals and emergency services including Massachusetts General Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston Medical Center and

Boston Emergency Medical Services.

USS Constitution will conduct a 21-gun salute at approximately 11:30 a.m. at Castle Island. USS Constitution will fire an additional 17-gun salute at approximately 12:30 p.m. as she passes U.S. Coast Guard Sector Boston, the former site of the Edmund Hartt’s Shipyard, where USS Constitution was built and launched on Oct. 21, 1797.

USS Constitution’s underway will be viewable from the Boston Harborwalk, Castle Island, and Charlestown Navy Yard.

USS Constitution is free Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Virtual Community Meeting

PLAN: Newmarket Wednesday, June 16 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Zoom Link: bit.ly/34A50De Toll Free: (833) 568 - 8864 Meeting ID: 160 864 8327

Event Description The Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) invites you to join the first community workshop for the PLAN: Newmarket planning initiative.

PLAN: Newmarket, The 21st Century Economy Initiative will look at the needs of an industrial neighborhood in the City of Boston. The Initiative will work closely with the community to develop a vision for the area that incorporates a strategy for job retention and growth. Identified by Imagine Boston 2030 as one of the expanded neighborhoods, focuses will include land use, jobs, climate resilience, transportation, public realm, and a social justice and equity impact analysis.

The Workshop will focus on defining 21st Century Industry uses and Jobs in Newmarket. An overview presentation will begin at 6:30 pm, followed by the community workshop activities.

Interpretation and Translated materials will be provided in Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Haitian, and Cape Verdean Creole.

Contact: Arreen Andrew Boston Planning & Development Agency One City Hall Square, 9th Floor Boston, MA 02201 617-918-4423 | arreen.l.andrew@boston.gov

bostonplans.org

@bostonplans

Teresa Polhemus, Executive Director/Secretary

SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM

THE PRINT EDITION

THURSDAY JUNE 10, 2021

Are you considering selling your ho1ne or condo?

Real Estate is Thriving in South Boston Knovv the True Value of Your Home Today With a Free Market Analysis Q

(j Facebook.corn/RooneyRealEstat e

Rooney Real Estate, LLC 700 East Broadway South Boston, MA 02127 Jackie@rooney-re.com

Over 30 years of professional service • Over 2,000 real estate transactions #I sales agent in South Boston for 25 of 30 years rooney-re.com • office: 617-269-1000 • cell: 617-645-5370