THE PRINT EDITION
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020
VOLUME XIX- ISSUE 74
Shop Locally
Staying Safe During the Holiday Season By: Mayor Martin J. Walsh
I
want to wish everyone a very happy holiday season, and hope that the remainder of this year brings you the opportunity to reflect on this year, and take time to prioritize your health and wellness. We know that this is a very different holiday season. This is usually the time for traditions and gathering with friends and family, and many people will be hoping for some normalcy. But, as we all know, this isn’t a normal year. That’s why this holiday season has to look different. We must continue to stay focused, and follow all the public health precautions, to keep our families, our communities, and ourselves safe. That means continuing to wear a mask, wash your hands on a regular basis, disinfect frequently touched surfaces, stay six feet apart
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from others, and avoid gatherings — especially indoor gatherings. This vigilance is needed now more than ever. Since Thanksgiving, we’ve seen significant spikes in coronavirus cases, both in Boston and across Massachusetts, on a daily basis. We are also seeing more patients admitted to our hospitals. A big source of transmission is coming from indoor, private gatherings. That is something we can all avoid, and that responsibility sits on all of our shoulders. So, like we did before Thanksgiving, we are urging everyone to only celebrate with the people you live with. There should be no holiday parties — that means no family gatherings or assemblies of more than 10 people who aren’t a part of your household. And we are strongly encouraging all Boston residents not
South Boston has its own branch of the worldwide Chamber of Commerce. Part of our Chamber’s local mission is encouraging you to patronize South Boston businesses during the 2020 Holiday Season. Chamber members Karen Stanley, Donna Brown, and Don Wilson wish you, your family, and your friends a Merry Christmas.
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020 SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM
Continued from Page 2
Be Safe to travel. Travel increases the chance of getting and spreading COVID-19. I know that we are all tired of living with this virus, after nine long months of patience and sacrifices. Many of us look to the holiday season as a break from this pandemic, but we cannot let our guard down. This may lead to some difficult conversations with our families about what to expect this year, and the stakes are too high to take chances. But just because you can’t gather in person, doesn’t mean you can’t come together in other ways. Consider making these connections virtually. This is a time to be creative, and keep the holiday spirit alive. When you are doing your holiday shopping, we encourage you to shop locally. Our small businesses are the backbone of our neighborhoods, and they have been struggling during this difficult time. We are encouraging people to find safe ways to support neighborhood businesses. As a reminder, we
offer free, two-hour parking on Saturdays at all parking meters across the City, and this will be available until the end of the year. I also ask everyone to think about the families who are struggling to make ends meet. With the needs in our communities greater than ever this year, collecting toys will be a challenge for families who can’t afford it. We have Toys for Tots donation boxes all across the City: at City Hall, firehouses, stand-alone BCYF centers, and City of Boston Credit Unions. If you can, please donate new, unwrapped toys to help Toys for Tots meet their goals, and help ensure every child and family can experience the joy of the holiday season. So as you are making your holiday plans this year, I hope you will keep these points in mind. We are all in this together. Let’s do our part to have a safe holiday season, so we can get back to seeing the ones we love in the new year. Thank you, and I wish you and your families a safe, healthy, and happy holiday season.
Msgr. Thomas J McDonnell and Frank Kelley Christmas Dinner Update Please call 617-586-5824 if you would like a meal delivered to your home. Meals will be delivered on December 24th between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. (Safety protocols in place). We will not be able to gather in person or accept food donations this year. Our greatest need for support is drivers to deliver meals to our neighbors. Volunteers should meet at Florian Hall, 55 Hallet StBoston, MA 02124 @ 10:45 a.m. on December 24th. Any Questions Email: manning.danielr@gmail.com
Checks can be made payable to: South Boston Seaport Collaborative (memo: Holiday Dinner) Please mail or deliver checks to: Deja Brew 704 East Broadway South Boston, MA 02127
Special thanks to the Boston Firefighters Local 718 IAFF
Kickin’ it with Santa BY GINGER DeSHANEY Sporting their best holiday garb, teams had a blast playing in Social Boston Sports’ Kickin’ It With Santa Kickball tournament at Moakley Park Saturday, Dec. 12. Festive music played in the background while players danced on the field. The constant rain didn’t dampen anyone’s spirit, though it did make for some slippery play.
SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020
Update: Toys for Tots, 2020
Staff Sergeant Howard Brown, USMC, is the Coordinator of Toys for Tots this year.
by Rick Winterson
O
ver the years, South Boston’s Innovation and Design Building (the IDB) that stretches a quarter mile along Drydock Avenue has been the location of many highly varied enterprises. This began with its conversion nearly 50 years ago from what was originally the Boston Army Base. You might have been surprised, however, the first time you were told that Toys for Tots in the Greater Boston area is located on the eighth floor of the IDB, at 21 Drydock. As you walk into the entrance of Toys for Tots, you’ll immediately sense that this place is “all business”. You will of course be checked for any contact or history regarding COVID-19 (it’s still the pandemic year of 2020, after all), and your temperature will be taken. Right after that, you’ll notice a goodnatured, “hustle/bustle” atmosphere among the people who work there, all of whom are volunteers. And you’ll notice the immense stacks and piles of toys and games, which are carefully classified by age groups, 0-3 years on up. These toys and games fill every aisle from floor to ceiling inside the Toys for Tots warehousing space. That’s 22,000 square feet – over half an acre – of toys that will all be distributed by Christmas to children who wouldn’t receive any gifts otherwise. Not only is this a warm-hearted effort, it’s also an immense, highly organized community service project. It was South Boston Online’s privilege to interview Staff Sergeant Howard Brown, USMC, who was assigned to be the USMC Coordinator
of this year’s Toys for Tots program at the IDB. Originally from Jamaica, SSgt. Brown grew up in Orlando. Now 27, he is completing his second fouryear enlistment in the Marines and will soon re-enlist for a third term of active duty. His ambition is impressive. He transferred from Marine Corps Logistics into Cyber-Security and is working toward a Master’s degree in that field of study from Western Governors University. He is also considering whether to seek an Officer’s Commission in the Marines. SSgt. Brown’s key spare time activity, in his own words, is “helping others”, much of which he does as a member of Granite United Church. He’s also a musician, who plays trumpet and other brass instruments in an improvisational jazz context. At present, SSgt. Brown’s duty station is Fort Devens. We can only give you a brief summary of Toys for Tots. It was founded 73 years ago (1947) in Los Angeles by Major William Hendricks, USMCR. He collected 5,000 toys to distribute; the first toy was a handmade rag doll – shades of Raggedy Ann! One year later, The U.S. Marine Corps officially adopted Toys for Tots, and then expanded it nationwide. By 2000, the turn of the century, Toys for Tots distributed more than 15 million (15,000,000) toys to more than 6 million (6,000,000) children. Since then, despite global terrorism, conflicts in the Middle East, and the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic, Toys for Tots has continued to grow. This year, SSgt. Brown expects to distribute something between 100,000 and 200,000 toys to children in the Greater Boston area. Merry Christmas to everyone involved with Toys for Tots.
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020 SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM
Popping up! Camden Hydes Owner Organizes Local Shopping Events
By Ginger DeShaney
W
hen C ol le en Howa rd wa s starting out with her business, Camden Hydes, she was welcomed by other women-owned small businesses in South Boston, the holiday popups being a particular favorite. Now, she’s returning the favor. “It’s nice to do the same for other womenowned small businesses,” she said. Colleen has organized several pop-ups this year but has had to get creative because of COVID-19. “I’m trying to make the best of a difficult situation,” she said. “Normally, we’d have so many opportunities for people to shop in person at local pop-ups.” The group couldn’t plan on the usual indoor pop-ups as in years past inside local restaurants or function spaces, so Colleen had to think outside the box. She reached out to the owners of Roza Lyons and The Playwright. “They are always really great; they were both so quick to give back to the community.” Roza Lyons offered its outdoor dining space on East Broadway and The Playwright set up the popups in the outdoor winter lodge it built behind the restaurant. These venues allowed participants to be outside and socially distanced. “They know how tough it is right now,” Colleen said of the two restaurants. “They support small businesses. We are grateful for the businesses who have supported us.” People have really enjoyed the popups, asking when the next ones will be.
“People want to see and touch things,” Colleen said. “It’s nice to have a physical presence. It gets people in the spirit.” And these pop-ups promote shopping locally, which is more important than ever in the era of COVID-19. Colleen said these women business owners have formed a great community. At the shopping events, they’ll help each other set up or cover each other’s booths if someone has to step away. “A lot of us don’t have big teams; it’s like an extension of our own brands to be able to join together. It’s a sisterhood of sorts, supporting each other.” The Black Friday event at Roza Lyons featured Camden Hydes, Wolfie’s All Natural Treats, Lazy Jack, 4103 Designs, Southie’s Own, Deirfiur Home, and Habit. The Playwright pop-up during the first night of the South Boston Chamber of Commerce’s Thursday Holiday Shopping Spree featured Camden Hydes, Caroline Elizabeth, Christina Caren, Deirfiur Home, Fleur to Door, Lazy Jack, Ma Plume Calligraphy, Sky Candle Co., Wolfie’s All Natural Treats, and 4103 Designs. “It’s a great community,” Colleen said. “I love being able to put together these events, to bring everyone together. “It’s a great group of women; it’s like our holiday family.”
About Camden Hydes Colleen, who was born and raised in the Boston area, is an interior designer by trade. She started her own interior design firm when she was living out of state, but when she moved back to the Boston area nearly six years ago, she changed her focus from strictly interior design to better suit her life as a mother with young children. So instead of a traditional interior design firm, she created Camden Hydes, a furniture and accessory company inspired by and named for her two boys, Cameron, 6, and Alden, 8. “It started with designing one-of-a-kind custom furniture pieces for customers and has been a fun and interesting journey to get where I am today, making hats, bags, and now even masks.” Colleen’s boys help her out.
Colleen and her sons Cameron and Alden helped her with the pop-up at The Playwright. “They love to take part in the popups. They model hats for me and give me feedback and they never hold back when it comes to their opinion.” Colleen reminds them that the company is named after them. “It’s a family business. It’s cool for them to see, firsthand, Mom creating a business and what goes into it.” According to her website, “Camden Hydes is all about impeccably designed, luxuriously unique, and perfectly practical conversation pieces. From fine furnishings that inject elevated style into any living space to stunning accessories (totes, clutches, wallets) that become the fashionable focal point of any ensemble, each piece is as singular as the hide that covers it.” Colleen uses her interior design background to design/curate all of the pieces that she creates or locally sources and sells. Many of the pieces that Camden Hydes sells are fun because they are one-of-a-kind. For example, the patch beanie has a removable and interchangeable patch. Customers can order personalized patches or get the very popular SOUTHIE or 02127 versions. Similarly, the Camden Hydes winter hats have interchangeable pom poms that snap on and off. Colleen has an office at home where all her pieces are organized. She’s basically a one-woman show,
with help from the kids. She also does some interior design work on the side. The South Boston womenowned shop Love Child carries select products from the Camden Hydes brand. Colleen also relies on social media, word of mouth, and of course, her personal favorite, the pop-ups. “It’s a hustle with small businesses,” Colleen said. “A lot of work goes into it. The goods people are selling are more unique. Each has a story behind it.”
Instagram: @camdenhydes Website: https://www. camdenhydes.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook. com/camdenhydes
SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020
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But First, Coffee!
Olga’s Kafe owner brings her love of java to West Broadway
By Ginger DeShaney
O
lga Markos still remembers t he coffee percolator her mom had so many years ago. She can envision it sitting on the stove. It had a glass knob so she could see the magic brewing inside. Her mom would let young Olga take sips of coffee. “I love coffee,” Olga said. “I’ve always loved coffee.” In her late teens, she attended a bridal shower and had her first flavored coffee: chocolate raspberry decaf. From that point on, “I was in love with flavored coffee.” Olga turned that passion for coffee into a successful business in Boston’s Financial District, where Olga’s Kafe thrived for 23 years at 99 Summer Street, before the building’s owner wanted to go in a new direction. That shop closed on Jan. 31, 2018. Now, Olga is bringing her java love to a new South Boston location of Olga’s Kafe, set to open any day now -- after the final health department walkthrough -- at 206 West Broadway. Olga will carry a variety of coffees, from regular to flavored to Greek. Olga uses flavored beans, not flavored syrups, for her brews. (She does use syrups for lattes.) She will have several hot brews and several iced coffees every day: “I see young people loving iced coffee all year round.” At her Summer Street location, snickerdoodle coffee was the most popular, with peanut butter cup, strawberry shortcake, and chocolate mint close runners-up.
She figures that may be the case in her Southie shop, too. Olga’s also will be offering breakfast sandwiches and a variety of pastries for breakfast. Her light lunch menu will include a mac and cheese bar, grilled cheese, and more. Olga, who grew up in Southie and still lives here, is 100 percent Greek and will feature several items imported from Greece, such as drinks and juices; the iced Greek coffee she’ll be serving (known as Greek frappe) consists of instant coffee from Greece. She will also offer the Greek delight loukoumades, or fried dough bites, with toppings. The Southie shop will be open seven days a week and Olga plans to be there every day. She may hire two to three people, but they MUST love coffee. The development of apartments at 206 West Broadway earmarked space for a coffee shop. Olga signed the lease in April 2019, but the residential part of the building wasn’t done until August 2019. By then, contractors were so busy with other jobs that she couldn’t nail one down to work on the shop for quite a while. Then COVID19 hit and pushed things back even more. All the work on the shop was performed by union workers. Now she’s one health department walkthrough away from being open. The inviting space has a garage door that can be opened. Olga plans to have tables and chairs on the sidewalk during warm weather. Coffee has run through Olga’s veins since her early teens. At 13, she got a job at Joneseez Clothing Store and would walk past 541 East Broadway on her way to work. She would think to herself: “This would be perfect for a coffee shop.” When that location actually became a coffee shop, the Java House, one of her friends started working there and told Olga the owner was looking for more help. So Olga got a job at the Java House, working there in the morning and at Joneseez in the afternoon.
Olga Markos She had worked at Java House for a couple of years when the owner opened a second location in downtown Boston and offered Olga a manager job there. “Four years later, I was the place,” Olga said, noting she was the one who opened, ordered, cleaned, and did everything in between. That owner eventually sold the shop to Olga and she renamed it Olga’s Kafe. In 2000, Olga opened a second cafe, at 89 South Street in Southie, running both shops at the same time. But when many of the building’s nonprofit renters left after 9/11 and she became pregnant with her first child in 2003, she decided to shut down the tiny shop. When the owners of 99 Summer Street decided to go in another direction, Olga was devastated. “That was my whole life.” Regulars from that location still reach out to her. “I’m still
close to so many people. I made so many relationships there.” “I loved my job for 23 years,” Olga added. “I never said, ‘I’m not going to work today.’ I loved being at work.” She said she feels like a bartender sometimes: “People talk more during coffee. They want to talk.” And Olga is always there to listen, which would explain her dedicated following at 99 Summer. She is easy to talk to, easy to share a laugh with, easy to like. She looks forward to creating new relationships and rekindling old ones. “I like knowing there will be new beginnings … and seeing old friends. “I can’t wait to see who comes in,” she said. “I know so many people. This neighborhood … everyone wants to welcome me here.” Olga’s Kafe will be open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020 SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM
Councilors Flynn, Flaherty, and Breadon File Resolution Commemorating the 175th Anniversary of the Great Famine (Gaelic: An Gorta Mor)
B
oston City Councilors Ed Flynn, Michael Flaherty, and Liz Breadon are sponsoring a resolution at this week’s Council meeting to commemorate the 175th anniversary of the Great Famine, also known as the Irish Potato Famine, or An Gorta Mor in Gaelic. The Great Famine was a main reason for many Irish to flee as refugees to the United States during the mid-1800s. From 1845 to 1849, Ireland experienced a potato blight that devastated the country, when its potato crops were destroyed by a strain of water mold. This led to massive starvation and suffering, and it was estimated that one million died from starvation and malnutrition-related diseases, and another million left as refugees. Even prior to the potato blight, many Irish faced discrimination and socioeconimc hardship at home, as
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they were prohibited from owning or leasing land, as well as voting or holding elected office because of their Catholic faith. Tenant farmers were also forced to pay rent to the landowners and export large quantities of food to Great Britain. On account of these issues, many Irish refugees fled Ireland to the United States on overcrowded and poorly-provisioned “coffin ships” to cities such as Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, and many were suffering from famine-induced illnesses such as cholera, measles, tuberculosis, and other respiratory infections. Between 1841 and 1850, it was estimated that almost 50% of the total immigrants to the United States were Irish, and by 1850, the Irish had made up a quarter of the population in these cities. More than 175 years after the Great Famine, food insecurity
unfortunately remains a critical issue in our country, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. In an October report published by Feeding America, Massachusetts has seen the highest increase in the percentage of residents facing food insecurity of all states, with more than one million people who are struggling to get enough to eat. Children, immigrant families, as well as many in the Latinx, Black and Asian communities are disportionately impacted. With this resolution commemorating the 175th anniversary of the Great Famine, we must not only remember the hardship that many Irish immigrants had to endure during the famine and living in poverty in America, but to also recommit ourselves as a city and country to those who are currently facing hunger during the public health and economic crises of today. “The Great Famine remains
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a painful and stark reminder of how hunger can bring suffering to so many, and it is important that we recognize how food access continues to be a critical issue for many families and neighbors in need,” said Councilor Flynn. “On this 175th anniversary, let us reflect on how the Great Famine impacted millions of Irish people, and use this reminder of our past to recommit ourselves to supporting families and people struggling with food security during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.” [Councilor Flaherty quote] “We have seen nearunprecedented food insecurity across the country as our nation has struggled to deal with the COVID19 pandemic,” said Councilor Flaherty. “As both the pandemic and the Irish Potato Famine remind us, events beyond our control can arise at any moment, and we need to ensure our systems of public support are strong enough to provide meaningful and timely aid to all those in need.” “The lesson I take a way from reflecting on the tragedy of the Great Hunger in Ireland in the 1840s is that government action in a crisis has consequences,” said Councilor Breadon. “One million people died of starvation or disease, millions more were displaced or migrated out of sheer desperation in order to survive. It was a disaster that was compounded by the indifference and inaction of the British Government of the day. Ireland was a net exporter of food while millions starved. Sadly tenant farmers around the world face similar problems today due to displacement and climate change. Our collective action can impact the lives of so many people, we need to help our food insecure neighbors and we need to work together to address the global challenge of climate change.” For more information, please contact Councilor Flynn’s office at 617-635-3203 and Ed.Flynn@Boston.gov.
SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020
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Gifts from Artists for Humanity by Rick Winterson
Y
ou are familiar with South Boston’s Artists for Humanity (sometimes abbreviated as A for H or AfH), which is a South Boston-based, non-profit organization. It’s located in their recently expanded EpiCenter building, which
now boasts more than an acre under roof at 100 West Second Street on the corner of A. At any given time, hundreds of young artists are not only creating, but also becoming self-sufficient through paid, well-earned employment in the arts. AfH’s central program is called “The Youth-Run Arts Micro-Enterprise”, a year-round, after-school program for hundreds of inner city teens, who
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learn to design, create, and market art. Well, the young artists of AfH have now opened their own pop-up art enterprise in South Boston’s Seaport District. Specifically, their shop is located within the WS “Boston Seaport” Development, at 85E Seaport Boulevard on the corner of WS’s green area walkway. All of the art you’ll see during a visit there was created by the teen artists
of Artists for Humanity. And you’ll see the AfH philosophy in action: The creative process is a powerful force for social change; creative entrepreneurship is a productive and life-changing opportunity for young people. And every single work of art in the AfH pop-up on Seaport Boulevard is completely original and totally unique – a great gift.
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020 SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM
South Boston Catholic Academy News
F
rom our 3r Grade Teacher, Mr. Cole Stautberg…Recently, in 3rd grade, students have been learning about the indigenous populations that lived in this region prior to Europeans arriving in the early 17th century. They have specifically studied the Wampanoag tribe and their way of life. Students have explored the culture, the survival skills, and the crafting skills that the Wampanoags needed in order to prosper in the region. The class thoroughly enjoyed molding pinch pots and painting them with patterns and petroglyphs--a small glimpse of what one chore might have been for a citizen of the Wampanoag tribe. They have also learned some of the games that Wampanoag children would play not only to have fun, but to also practice necessary life skills, such as hunting. The 3rd grade class has also been observing the Advent season.
3rd Grade News
Each week, students have «lit a new flame» in their Advent Wreath. As each week begins, students have been discussing what Hope, Love, Peace, and Joy mean to them. They are critically thinking about how they already do employ those values into their lives, and how they can allow them to have a stronger presence in their everyday actions. Students have seemed to enjoy expanding their worldview and learning about spreading light to all those who may find themselves in darkness during this difficult time in our world. On Wednesday, December 10, 2020, we had a school Mass and the 3rd grade class did a great job participating at this Mass. While the 3rd graders and their teacher were at church, the rest of the students and faculty were able to watch this Mass livestreamed on the Parish Website in their own individual classrooms.
SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020
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The Third Week of Advent in South Boston
The perfectly proportioned Christmas tree in Perkins Square by the parking lot.
by Rick Winterson
S
outh Boston is well into the 2020 Christmas Season. We’ll mention some things that are taking place around here in the ol’ hometown, but a central message of this article will be our request that you shop locally in South Boston. Whether you look for your Christmas gifts along East/West Broadway, Seaport Boulevard, or our many lettered cross streets, keep it local. Please! Last Sunday, often referred to as Gaudete Sunday, the churches in South Boston lit the
The plump, densely branched Christmas tree on the Library’s front walk.
third candles on their Advent wreaths – thus beginning Week #3 in the 2020 Christmas Season with more candlelight. The Advent wreaths are filled with symbolism, especially the colors used for those candles. The rose-pink color of the third candle on the Advent wreath is joyful; the word “Gaudete” mea ns “Rejoice” in L atin. As part of your enjoyment of this third week during Advent a nd t he whole Christ ma s Sea son, remember that the number three is important to the Christmas story. It recurs frequently. Christmas is the birth of the second “Person” of the three-member Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In addition, at the end of their journey to Bet hlehem, t he Holy Family became a family of three – Jesus, Mar y, and Joseph – inside a nearby stable The South Boston Chamber of Commerce just erected three tall, beautifully lit Christmas trees a long East and West Broadway – at M Street/Medal of Honor Park, in front of the South Boston Branch Library, and by the municipal parking lot in Perkins Square. It’s been cold, and (as this is being written) we are facing a storm. But the three trees will light your way after dark, and cheer you up. Go for a 30-minute walk, stopping along your way to take a good long look at each of the three of them. They are quite a sight. This issue of South Boston Online hits the internet on Thursday, the 17th, which marks the third Thursday shopping spree sponsored by the South Boston Chamber of Commerce (“Shop, Dine, Support!”). The f irst t wo such T hursdays, December 3rd and 10th, were ver y succe ssf u l. Weat her permitting, ta ke a wa lk on Thursday, the17 th, through our potentially W hite Christmas, a nd t hen stop at Boston
An Advent wreath (courtesy of Fourth Church); three candles are lit. Police Station C-6 (110 West Broadway) to see gifts being given out by our local police officers between 4 and 6 p.m. As a final “Note of Three”, please recall that there were three groups present at the Birth in Bethlehem – angels, shepherds, and the Three Wise Men “from the East”. Actually, Matthew’s Gospel doesn’t say there were Three Wise Men; he only states that they brought three gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh with them to greet the newborn King. Our modern tradition of Christmas gift-giving stems almost completely from these three gifts of the Wise Men. But South Boston Online asks you to remember something about these Wise Men and their gifts. Their gifts came from the places where they lived. Melchior from Arabia brought gold; Ca spa r from Sheba brought frank incense; Balthazar from Egypt brought
myrrh. They bought none of these gifts “somewhere else, while traveling to Bethlehem.” So please follow the example of the Wise Men: Shop Locally.
Thank you, and Merry Christmas.
The Christmas tree at the entrance to M Street/Medal of Honor Park.
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020 SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM
Councilors Flynn Files Resolution in Support of Revere Hotel Workers & Statewide “Right to Recall”
B
oston City Councilor Ed Flynn is filing a resolution at this week’s Council meeting to support Revere Hotel workers, many of whom are being laid off with little severance after decades of service. Moreover, Councilor Flynn is calling for statewide “Right to Recall” legislation that would allow for workers to be recalled
to their job within a two year period of being laid off. This is the third resolution that Councilor Flynn has filed in support of hotel workers being laid off, the first one being in June in support of the Four Seasons Hotel workers, and the second one in November for Marriott Copley Place workers. Last week, it was reported that the Revere Hotel would permanently lay off more than 100 furloughed employees, offering little severance for decades of service in some instances. The hospitality industry is the third largest in the city, which employs tens of thousands of local residents. These hospitality jobs provide good pay, benefits, and a path to the middle class for many Black and Brown Boston hotel workers, including immigrants and women. These jobs have allowed many residents to achieve first generational wealth, buy a home,
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raise a family, and stay in the city. The Revere Hotel layoffs came after the Four Seasons Hotel layoffs back in May, and the Marriott Copley Place layoffs in November. These hotel layoffs are likely to happen again in the months to come and, without government intervention, COVID-19 could potentially be used as a reason for employers to enact a massive campaign of dislocation of black and brown residents from their jobs. In the fight for racial justice, there must be a pathway for secure jobs and wealth creation for our communities of color. This resolution offers support for the Revere Hotel workers in their demand for a better severance package, as well as calling for a statewide “Right to Recall” legislation that would allow employees to be recalled to their jobs within two years of being laid off when new positions are available. “During this Christmas
and holiday season, it is especially disheartening to learn that the Revere Hotel has laid off its furloughed workers amidst this difficult time for so many of our working families in our city, many of whom are black, brown, immigrants and women with decades of service to the company,” said Councilor Flynn. “Our hotel workers are an indispensable part of Boston’s economy, and I’m proud to stand with them. We need to ensure these good hospitality jobs continue to provide a path to the middle class, and it is critical that we also continue to advocate for a’ Right to Recall’ for our workers. I want to thank UNITE HERE Local 26 and the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance for their work to support our hotel workers, and I look forward to working together on this issue.” For more information, please contact Councilor Flynn’s office at 617635-3203 and Ed.Flynn@Boston.gov.
SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020
Boston Children’s Museum to Temporarily Close and Will Reopen in January In response to the current resurgence in COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts and to ensure the continued wellbeing of its relatively small staff along with the continued safety of visitors during the holidays, Boston Children’s Museum has announced the decision to voluntarily close to the public through January 7. The closure is effective beginning Monday, December 14. All advance ticket purchases affected by this temporary closure will be refunded. Since reopening in July, the Museum has been extremely safe for visitors and staff and has had no Museum-based COVID-19 transmission and takes this step as a precautionary measure. “While disheartening during this time when the Museum normally welcomes thousands of children to enjoy festive exhibits and programs, we are confident that this step is in the best interest of our staff and visitors,” said Carole Charnow, President & CEO. As when it closed earlier this year, the Museum is not presently closing the building or shutting down Museum operations. Museum business will continue with staff working remotely and some socially distanced in the building. With the short-term closure, staff will be working on virtual programming, grant-based project work, and staying connected with the many community endeavors the Museum is a part of. The Museum will update any changes to its plans on its website and social media channels. For additional information, please visit www. BostonChildrensMuseum.org About Boston Children’s Museum Boston Children’s Museum engages children and families in joyful discovery experiences that instill an appreciation of our world, develop foundational skills, and spark a lifelong love of learning. More information about Boston Children’s Museum can be found at www.BostonChildrensMuseum.org. Become a fan of the Museum on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
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Dorothy Morris: Volume Three
South Boston’s Dorothy E. Morris entitled her third volume of poems “Poetry for All Seasons”; she has just published it. This collection is a notably strong follow-up to her two prior volumes, which she called “God Lights His Candles” and “A Thousand Miles”. In addition to her South Boston roots, Dorothy is a seasoned traveler, who has been published in the Aurorean and the South Boston Literary Gazette. Her poem “Memories” was included in an anthology by McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Thanks go to Joanne McDevitt and Bill Frew for this information. You can purchase “Poetry for All Seasons” at https:// www.amazon.com/dp/B08KTSGKN/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_ dp_x_5nM0FbEABSQFC
SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020 THE PRINT EDITION