DECEMBER 29, 2013
Of course we can’t include everybody, but here are a few other heroes who should be congratulated for their dedication to the community.
■ Leon McCarthy, Marblehead: Named one of the “8 Coolest Kids We Met in 2013” by Scholastic News, the 12-year-old was born without fingers on his left hand. He used a 3-D printer to create a prosthetic hand that allows him to hold a pencil and draw pictures. He hopes to continue designing prosthetics.
■ Sabrina Boggio, Lawrence: The Merrimack College senior began the mobile nonprofit Women’s Path to Employment, which helps provide work-appropriate apparel for job interviews. She is working toward a major in business administration.
■ Alan Papert, Newburyport: The retired engineer and South African native is dedicating to teaching children computer literacy and philosophy. Most notably, he is a board member of the local nonprofit Small Solutions Big Ideas, which funds educational programs and helps provide computers to children in developing countries through One Laptop Per Child.
■ Anne-Marie Bisson, Lowell: She founded the Dracut-based Catie’s Closet, which provides clothes and basic necessities to local homeless students so they can better focus on their education. Named in honor of Bisson’s daughter, who died from a heart ailment in 2010, the organization stages several clothing and toiletry drives, and hosts 15 in-school “stores” in Lowell and Hudson, N.H.
■ Joseph Dever, Marblehead: Former first justice of Lynn District Court, he was recently granted the Judicial Excellence Award by the Massachusetts Judges Conference. He received the Anti-Defamation League of the North Shore’s 2008 Community Service Award, and volunteers for Healing Abuse Working for Change, a nonprofit for victims of domestic violence, as well as his town’s Council on Aging and Rotary Club.
■ Bob Hildreth, Melrose native: The founder of Boston-based FUEL Education, the philanthropist and human-rights activist was recognized as a Social Justice Champion of 2013 by the community nonprofit The Chelsea Collaborative. He founded FUEL in 2009; the organization helps first-generation-to-college families prepare for the process through curriculum, savings, and connection to community agencies.
■ Jennah Dieter, Newburyport: The chiropractor, nutritionist, and owner of Healthcare Complete holds an annual food drive, “Cans for Care,” to benefit The Pettengill House. The Salisbury-based nonprofit social agency helps provide education, case management, and basic needs to at-risk individuals, children, and families.
■ Joan Dean and Shirley Samson, Melrose: Coordinators of A Servant’s Heart Food Pantry at Faith Evangelical Church. Founded in 1996, it serves more than 150 families on a regular basis, holds monthly community dinners, and distributes more than 70 holiday baskets.
■ Justin Merced, Lawrence: The Northern Essex Community College student previously served as an Army medic, doing tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. With plans to become a doctor, he now boasts a 4.0 GPA and serves on NECC’s Student Senate; is a representative on the All College Assembly advisory board to the president; and resurrected NECC’s veterans club and organized the school’s veterans appreciation day luncheon. Among other achievements, he is also a big brother with Big Friends Little Friends.
■ Deborah Fallon, Malden: Former city councilor and mayoral contender, she founded Portal to Hope, which offers emergency shelter, legal aid, job placement, housing assistance, and youth programs to victims of domestic violence. In 2010, Fallon was named an Unsung Heroine by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women.
■ Shannon Siviski’s fifth-grade class at High Plain Elementary School, Andover: Students decorated and sold wooden spoons for the annual Holiday Spoons Contest benefiting the statewide anti-hunger organization Project Bread.
Leon McCarthy shows off the prosthetic hand he created with a 3-D printer. (Reuters)
TARYN PLUMB
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