SBOL_Jeanne

By: Tara Kerrigan Hayes I'm one of those people who tussles with the temptation of quitting Facebook. I struggle with intentions behind certain posts; the transparent boasting and silent competitions under the guise of something else. But I stick around for the positives, like the steady stream of comic relief we so desperately need lately, and for keeping up to date with family and friends from afar. Having lived in multiple cities and with family overseas, I have the gift of seeing photos of loved ones I might otherwise lose track of. More than anything, I remain to see the faces of their kids brighten my screen, as I witness their growth and triumphs over the years. One such kid appeared on my newsfeed a [...]

Brianne Fitzgerald RN, NP, MPH A mother never has a day off, whether you are a front line worker in a grocery store, EMT or emergency room doctor.  A mother never has a day off, whether you are managing a Zoom meeting from home trying to homeschool two children under the age of 12, and carving out extra time to trek to the grocery store.  A mother never has a day off, even if she sits alone and knits her anxieties away, worrying about her grown children and her grandchildren.  Add the vicissitudes of COVID- 19 to the mix, and many of us are left breathless. Today is a special Mother's Day.  There will be no Lilac tours at the Arboretum,  The 24th Annual Mother’s [...]

All of us realize these are unsettled times, and you know the reason why – the COVID-19 pandemic. One resulting problem is a “budget gap” encountered by South Boston’s Laboure Center at D and Broadway. Due to the pandemic, Laboure deferred its 38th Annual Spring Reception, which was originally planned for April 30, until Thursday evening, September 17 – over four full months from now. The Spring Reception is Laboure’s biggest single fundraiser, and their fiscal year begins in July, so there is an urgent need for funds to cover this “budget gap”.  The ingenious folks at Laboure have come up with a great idea to do this. They’ve arranged an auction, all of which will be held completely online for pandemic safety purposes, that [...]

   It was a memorable event Sunday morning.  Ottavio “Ott” Cerullo, 99 years of age, viewed a motorcade assembled to mark his birthday properly.  You may ask – also quite properly – “What about Social Distancing?”  Well, the South Boston friends of Ott fully recognized the need for Social Distancing.  They assembled in the unused parking lot by the Boston Teachers Union, proceeded along Day Boulevard, made a U-turn onto Columbia Road, and then drove by Compass on the Bay where Ott now lives.  All participants in the motorcade stayed in their cars as they drove by, honking and cheering Ott.    All of the Compass staff were arrayed at safe distances from Ott and his sister Yolanda, and of course they all wore masks.  [...]

In a recent Easter morning Facebook post, veteran newsmaker Dan Rather wrote “I think of grief, struggle and loss, but also a conviction that love and community can be fountains of hope for the future”. It stuck a cord, because love and community have always been at the heart of the mission at South Boston Community Health Center. We are used to supporting our community members through sickness and struggle and also by promoting ways to stay healthy and strong. What has been truly humbling is the community’s support of us in this time of great challenge and consequence. So we wanted to take a moment, in the middle of the insanity, to tell you how much your support has meant to all of us [...]