City Councilor Tom Gould is being honored by local nonprofit Bridgewell for his work with developmentally disabled children.
By ADAM SWIFT
PEABODY — Attend almost any charity event in Peabody, and odds are good you’ll hear a hearty thank you to Tom Gould.
The city councilor and owner of Treadwell’s Ice Cream has donated to countless causes through the years, many with a focus on helping children and adults with disabilities.
On Friday, Nov. 4, Gould will receive the Visionary Leadership Award at the Imagine the Possibilities Gala. The gala is hosted by Bridgewell, a local nonprofit dedicated to supporting and helping people with developmental disabilities and other life challenges.
“Through his advocacy and service, Tom has worked to create a community of inclusion and compassion for people with disabilities,” said Bob Stearns, Bridgewell’s president and CEO. “Many individuals in our care call him ‘coach’ for his work supporting local athletes in the Challenger League. We are excited to honor Tom for his ongoing effort to make a difference in the lives of those with a range of life challenges.”
In addition to his work running the Challenger League, which supports athletes ages 5 to 18 who have physical, developmental and intellectual disabilities, Gould is being honored for serving on Peabody’s Commission for Disability and providing a welcome space for children with disabilities at Treadwell’s.
“I’m extremely honored,” said Gould. “There are so many more people who are deserving. I am thrilled to be thought of in this way.”
Gould and his friend Neal Price brought the Challenger League to Peabody 27 years ago. “I was coaching Little League for my children’s team when someone came up from (Little League headquarters) Williamsport (Pennsylvania) talking about Challenger Baseball,” he said.
In the early years, there were about a dozen kids taking part in baseball several months out of the year. Now, Gould said, there are 30 to 50 kids taking part in baseball and basketball programs, making it a nearly year-round enterprise.
Gould said all that he does for the community, whether as a volunteer, business owner or elected official, wouldn’t be possible without the support of his family, especially his wife, Sharon. He said he makes it a point to try to help people the best he can every day, especially those with disabilities.
“I’m involved in a number of organizations, and they are all focused on helping people,” Gould said. “They get up every day and face a number of challenges, so I’m just trying to do what’s right.”
The 2016 Imagine the Possibilities Gala is at the Seaport Hotel in Boston on Friday, Nov. 4. In addition to Gould, Bridgewell is honoring Marylou Sudders, secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, with the Excellence in Service award.
Adam Swift can be reached at [email protected].