U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton. Item File Photo
By Gayla Cawley
LYNN — On the 15th anniversary of the attacks of Sept. 11, a National Day of Service, U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) will name the winner of the inaugural Peter J. Gomes Service Award.
The ceremony will take place on Sunday at 9 a.m. in the Lynn English High School auditorium and will be followed by a Day of Service, in coordination with local nonprofits and AmeriCorps and City Year members.
During the day of service, volunteers will serve at Raw Art Works, The Food Project, the Backpack Program and Tech SkillsUSA. At RAW, volunteers will create a service-themed mural. They’ll build and maintain gardens at the Food Project, assemble backpack care packages and will make care packages for first responders at Tech SkillsUSA.
Moulton announced the establishment of the award last month, which starting on Sunday, will be given annually to a 6th District resident who best epitomizes the qualities of integrity, compassion and commitment to community and service that represent the teachings of the late Rev. professor Gomes.
Gomes was a Christian minister who served for almost 40 years at Memorial Church of Harvard University, a space built to honor the Harvard public servants who died in World War I.
Six finalists, including two people from Lynn, have been selected and one winner will be announced.
“I’m proud to honor a resident of the 6th District who exemplifies what it means to make a life, not just a living,” said Moulton in a statement. “Establishing the Peter J. Gomes Service Award has been a meaningful way for me to recognize my college mentor and friend, Rev. professor Gomes, who inspired me to serve in the Marines and later as a member of Congress.”
Selecting the winner with the other judges was not an easy task, Moulton said, as all six finalists have displayed extraordinary commitment to serving the community.
“On what is a day of national remembrance and service, I’m looking forward to uniting in Lynn to pay tribute to all those impacted by Sept. 11, celebrating service and volunteering with fellow members of our community,” he added.
Kit Jenkins, a Lynn resident and executive director of RAW and one of the founders, was described in her nomination as epitomizing community service. RAW started in 1994 with a goal to keep kids out of trouble after school by getting them involved in self-expression through art, according to her nomination. Last year, every RAW student graduated from high school.
Rev. Art McDonald, of Lynn, is a minister at the First Universalist Church of Essex. His nominator wrote that he has inspired and challenged people to act on their consciences, organized voting drives on raising minimum wage and other social action causes. He had worked with Essex County Community Organizers in Lynn and as an adjunct professor at Salem State University, where he taught community organizing.
Other finalists include Lou Cimaglia, director of veterans services in Wilmington, and Andrew DeFranza, of Beverly, who serves as executive director of Haborlight Community Partners, which offers low-income housing. Kristi Hale, of North Andover, is described as the ultimate volunteer and Maggie and Joe Rosa, of Gloucester, are called civic leaders.
Gayla Cawley can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @GaylaCawley.