Lifestyle

By Ginger DeShaney After pivoting to online events for the last two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the South Boston Neighborhood House’s benefit and auction will be held in person for a night of food, drinks, silent and live auctions, and dancing.  “This year we are super excited to be back in person,” said Kathy Lafferty, executive director of the Neighborhood House, also known as the Ollie. The House is Where the Heart Is gala will be held on Friday, April 8, in the Plaza Ballroom (with access to outdoor space) at the Seaport Hotel, starting at 6 p.m. Tickets are $125.  Because the online events were so popular, the gala will incorporate some virtual components this year. For example, the silent auction will [...]

Fort Point residents Rocco Giuliano and Philip Manna are working to save the 39 honey locust trees slated to be bulldozed on the site of Related Beal’s proposed ChannelSide development. Incorporating signs with tree facts, banners, and prayer flags, the duo from the 249 A Street Visual Artists Cooperative is raising awareness and fighting for the trees, which are tabbed to come down for the new development at 244-284 A Street. “Phil and I love those trees,” Giuliano said. “They are very beautiful trees.” In discussions with Stephen Faber, the executive vice president of Related Beal, and landscape developer Robert Adams of Halvorson, “it became apparent to us … that they intended to just destroy all these trees,” Giuliano said.  Giuliano told them the trees [...]

By Ginger DeShaney Cheryl Itri had a dream to create a Diaper Depot and the community came together to make it a reality. Itri, director of early education & care programs at South Boston Neighborhood House, envisioned a place where families could access what they need for their babies without barriers and without judgment.  The Ollie Diaper Depot’s grand opening will be held Saturday, Feb. 12 at noon at 1187 Columbia Road, the Ollie’s preschool. “We’re so excited about the Diaper Depot,” said Kathy Lafferty, executive director of SBNH. “Everyone really worked together and came together to make it happen.” The Depot will be open the second Wednesday of each month from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the fourth Wednesday of each month from [...]

By Ginger DeShaney The Department of Conservation and Recreation and BSC Design Group held a public meeting Wednesday night to present their design – inspired by neighborhood kids – for improvements to the Michael Joyce Memorial Playground at Marine Park.  Residents and elected officials expressed concern that the meeting was not widely advertised, therefore many people didn’t know about it. DCR officials pledged to improve outreach and notification for the next public meeting in March. Danielle Mellett, a landscape architect for DCR, said they have been working with the McGrath family in memory of their son, Colin, through the Colin’s Joy Project and the Colin’s Creativity Squad to renovate the playground in a more inclusive and accessible footprint.  South Boston schoolchildren were involved in creating [...]