Letter to the Editor

Caring and committed community

To the Editor,

On behalf of the Charlestown Tenants Task Force, it is with deep gratitude that I acknowledge all those that made this the best and merriest Christmas ever in the Bunker Hill housing development.  With the help and generosity of our friends and neighbors we distributed almost 1600 toys to many happy Charlestown boys and girls.  This is 3 times last year’s total and has set a new bar for years to come.

The list of Santa’s helpers is filled with those that genuinely care for the children who live here and who make the effort to show it.  First, thanks to Joe and Jen Corcoran of Corcoran-Jennison for their generous financial contribution to the toy drive and especially to Jen for joining in the mad toy buying expedition and for taking the time to help so many children choose that special toy.  We are grateful to Sun-Cal whose equally generous contribution also helped stock our toy shelves.

Teamsters Local 25 were truly the Santa’s elves of all elves this year.  They delivered an incredible bounty of toys over several visits.  We were overwhelmed by their generosity.  Special thanks to Local 25 president Sean O’Brien, Joe Conti and Tom Nasson.  We would never have had this record-breaking year without you.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Laura Carroll and the Charlestown Mothers Association once again showed their love and generosity.  We are forever grateful for its members continued commitment to the families of Bunker Hill and their recognition that they are all our children.

Our favorite City Councilor Sal Lamattina contributed to the cause and was on hand to share in the heart-warming toy give-away.  And l can’t forget the other Sal close to our hearts, State Senator Sal DiDominico, who brought some of the first toys for the  stockpile.  We thank both of them  for always being there for us.

Thank you to the BHA and our great friend Bill McGonagle.   We can always count on him and the rest of the BHA staff to lend a hand when we need them.   In addition, Mayor Marty Walsh sent his elves to deliver toys and we thank him as well.

And to our friends and neighbors, the McCarthy Brothers, who have been with us since the beginning and once again this year, a very big thank you.  And thank you to our newest neighbors, NEW Health Charlestown for their contribution to making this holiday tradition that much merrier.

A special thanks to more of Santa’s helpers—Peggy Carolan-Bolognese for her constant support and generously giving of her precious time.  We couldn’t do what we do without her.  And Doug MacDonald who has never forgotten where he came from.  We love you, Dougie, and are eternally grateful for your steadfast commitment to our residents of all ages.

And last but not least, many thanks to our community friends and Task Force members who contributed toys, checks, time shopping with us or spent hours in the toy room helping our littlest ones find just the toy they wanted.  It was a great team effort all around.  We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

In this season of giving and celebrating its important to acknowledge the generosity of our friends and neighbors.  We are blessed to have such a caring and committed community.  As I always say, and once again it’s proven, we are one Charlestown.

Betty “Big Mama” Carrington

President, Charlestown Tenants Task Force

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