Happenings

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 [...]

It was Sunday morning, March 15.  Although it was cold, the sun was brilliant – a typical day in mid-March, and reasonably favorable weather for the St. Patrick’s/Evacuation Day Parade.  But the Parade had been cancelled because of the feared depredations of the Coronavirus plague, which has turned into a pandemic.  And make no mistake.  This cancellation was justified, because Coronavirus is highly contagious and can be lethal, especially to older people.  Even so, South Boston’s spirit came through, and in our own quiet but hearty, heartwarming way, we celebrated our unique double holidays – St. Patrick’s Day and Evacuation Day (America’s first ever military victory). Vendors of Irish goods, which were emblazoned with Southie Irish insignia and even the word “Canceled”, installed temporary pop-up [...]

When Tom Tinlin joins you for breakfast, you can be sure that he’ll show up wreathed in smiles and ready to share a laugh (or laughs) with you.  That’s just the way Tom is, and the description applies to Tom no matter how early it is in the day – this interview took place while we both were still feeling the effects of that hour lost to Daylight Savings Time. Tom is to be deservedly honored with this year’s Joseph “Dodo” Nee “Champion” Award, which will be conferred upon him by the South Boston Neighborhood House (the SBNH) on Friday evening, March 27.  The occasion is the SBNH’s Annual Benefit & Auction; the locale will be the elegant Harborview Ballroom at the Seaport World Trade [...]

The South Boston Collaborative Center’s Annual Comedy Night is at hand.  It will take place on Friday evening, November 8, in Florian Hall at 55 Hallet Street, Dorchester.  And it will certainly be a Comedy Night.  The tentative arrangements for the comedians include Johnny P. and Artie “The Pharmacist” Januario, along with interludes of live music – please watch for postings in South Boston Online about the final roster of performers.  The November 8 Comedy Night promises to be an evening of enjoyment to remember. One of the Comedy Night’s high points will be the presentation of the 2019 Darlene Sheehan “Beacon of Hope” Award.  Darlene was one of those rare self-sacrificing individuals, who always placed the wellbeing of others above her own.  In response [...]

by Rick Winterson Willy Wilson, lovingly known  as “Mr. Hardware” of South Boston, experienced a true emergency at work, after he attended Grandparents Day at South Boston Catholic Academy.  His diabetic condition – first diagnosed when Willy had turned 30 - and the resulting neuropathy really flared up, making it necessary to amputate his left foot and part of his lower leg.  Willy is now in a wheelchair.  He has completed an arduous program at Spaulding Rehab in Charlestown.  In two weeks, he expects to be fitted with a prosthetic leg and foot.  His rehab will continue. And Willy also undergoes dialysis three times a week.  His daughter Kristen started a Facebook group seeking to find a compatible replacement kidney for him.  Tommy McGrath spotted [...]

Peggy Woods was born and raised in South Boston in an Irish-American family with deep cultural roots.  She and her sisters began dancing at an early age, and as a result of their hard work and determination, Peggy and Rose earned several awards at the regional and national level and hence developed their passion for Irish Dance.  Twenty five years ago, as young adults, Peggy and Roseann Woods launched their own Irish Dance School so they could preserve this strong aspect of Irish culture. They also knew that the lasting friendships, travel experiences and self-confidence that comes from Irish Dance were most valuable and wanted to share that with the South Boston community.  Always traveling alongside them was their mom, Mary and her sisters, offering [...]