News Briefs

MVES Partners with Action Ambulance to Streamline Communication with Meals on Wheels

 (Nearly 2,000 consumers in 11 cities and towns rely on Mystic Valley Elder Services (MVES) for Meals on Wheels home delivery, with close to 3,000 meals provided each day. Especially for frail, homebound elders, the nutrition services provided by MVES can be a lifeline. However, what happens when a new pandemic or inclement winter weather interferes with Meals on Wheels delivery?

To address these challenges, MVES has partnered with Action Ambulance to unroll a revolutionary phone communication system to ensure consumers are alerted in a timely fashion to changes, cancellations or delays in their Meals on Wheels service. As soon as MVES becomes aware of a situation that will interfere with the Meals on Wheels delivery, they alert Action Ambulance and in turn Action Ambulance sends out automated calls through a state-of-the-art phone system that enables the agency to reach up to 2,500 consumers in less than one hour. The pre-recorded calls come from a MVES nutrition program phone number, ensuring that consumers know the calls are legitimate and not from telemarketers. The messages feature the voice of a Nutrition Services team member.

According to Angie Fitzgerald, MVES Nutrition Director, the partnership with Action Ambulance—which has been in place for six years—has ensured seamless communication between the MVES nutrition program and its many consumers. She points out that Action Ambulance provides the phone alert system free of charge to MVES. “They are always just a call away when we need their assistance,” she stresses. “I simply send our list of active consumers to Action Ambulance and they ensure the calls are made.

“Working with Action Ambulance has streamlined our communication process and made it more instantaneous,” continues Fitzgerald. “It truly is such a great partnership and has helped us send out reassuring messages to our consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Michael Woronka, CEO of Action Ambulance, shares, “Action Ambulance recognizes the critical need Mystic Valley fills by providing a range of support services to the disadvantaged and frail within the community. These services allow for as many people as possible to remain in their homes or group setting while keeping their independence. We are proud to support an organization such as Mystic Valley Elder Services especially during these uncertain times.”

“Our Meals on Wheels program offers much more than just a meal. It’s a friendly face at the door, a warm exchange. I am very proud of what we do. Seeing firsthand why the service is essential and who is being served is such a privilege,” concludes Fitzgerald.

To learn more about Meals on Wheels, visit www.mves.org or call 781-324-7705.

Boston Teachers Union Local 66 Endorses Joe Gravellese for State Rep.

The Boston Teachers Union Local 66 has endorsed Joe Gravellese for State Representative in the 16th Suffolk District (Revere, Chelsea, Saugus). Gravellese is a candidate in the Democratic primary election on September 1.

The BTU represents over 10,000 teachers, school nurses, guidance counselors, and other public education professionals.

“The Boston Teachers Union is proud to endorse Joe Gravellese to represent Suffolk’s 16th,” said Jessica Tang, President of the Boston Teachers Union.

“Joe has demonstrated a commitment to ensuring every child has access to a well-rounded, high-quality public education, and tackling the inequities that prevent many students from reaching their full potential. He understands that top-down policies and privatization harm those they are supposed to help.”

“I’m grateful for the support of the hard working educators of the Boston Teachers Union,” said Gravellese, a 2006 graduate of Revere High School.

“In my campaign, I’ve advocated for policies our students and educators need to thrive. Alongside the BTU, we’ll fight to ensure funding for arts, music, and the humanities; break down inequities in access to education; and invest in the future of all students.”

Voters can learn more about the campaign, including its platform for education, at www.joegrav.com. 

Teamsters Local 25 Endorses Revere City Councilor At-Large Jessica Giannino for State rep.

On Tuesday, the Teamsters Local Union 25 endorsed Revere City Councilor At-Large Jessica Giannino for State Representative, 16thSuffolk District.  Giannino officially claimed a spot on the September 1stballot after submitting the required certified signatures to the Secretary of State’s office last month.

“As a life-long resident of Revere, Jessica grew up in a family that understood the importance of community and public service,” said Sean O’Brien, Local 25 President. â€œJessica has been a strong advocate on issues that are important to working families while serving on the Revere City Council and we have no doubt that she will bring the same sense of community and working-class values to Beacon Hill.”

Teamsters Local 25 represents nearly 12,000 members in the Greater Boston area, including 900 active and retired members that live and work in Chelsea, Revere and Saugus.

“I come from a long line of dedicated public servants and union members, so having the endorsement from Teamsters Local 25 is an honor to say the least,” said Giannino. â€œThis race will be a hard fought one. I am sure that nobody will work harder or smarter than me and my team, and having support from the Teamsters will allow us to reach even more voters across the district at a time when it is needed most.”

Jessica began her career in politics as a City Councilor At-Large for the City of Revere in 2012. In that time, she has worked on countless issues that impact the daily lives of the citizens of Revere, as well as ordinances that will impact generations to follow. In 2013 her inclusive style and strong leadership qualities prompted her colleagues to elect her Vice President of the Council.  In 2016 and 2018, Jessica had the honor of serving as City Council President. During that time, she worked to ensure the agenda maintained a balance between protecting and growing the city’s economic base, without compromising the quality of city services to residents. Jessica believes it is her responsibility to ensure that Revere’s government is accountable to the people, financially responsible and forward thinking.

Endicott College Announces Dean’s List

Endicott College, the first college in the U.S. to require internships of its students, is pleased to announce its Fall 2019 Dean’s List students. In order to qualify for the Dean’s List, a student must obtain a minimum grade point average of 3.5, receive no letter grade below “C,” have no withdrawal grades, and be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credits for the semester.

The following students have met these requirements:

Kelly Arango, Business Management, daughter of Piedad Arango

Ally Ciano, Graphic Design, daughter of Corinne Ciano and Anthony Ciano

Kiana Napolitano, Accounting, daughter of Michelle Napolitano and Nicholas Napolitano

Mahoney on Spring Dean’s List at UW-Madison

The University of Wisconsin-Madison has recognized Revere resident Erin Mahoney, of College of Letters and Science was named to the Dean’s List for the spring semester of the 2019-2020 academic year.

Students who achieve at a high level academically are recognized by the dean at the close of each semester. To be eligible for the Dean’s List, students must complete a minimum of 12 graded degree credits in that semester. Each university school or college sets its own GPA requirements for students to be eligible to receive the distinction. Most call the honor “dean’s list”, but some grant the “Dean’s Honor List” and “Dean’s High Honor List.”

Here are the students from your circulation area who have received this honor:

Erin Mahoney

Hinojosa Earns Degree from Assumption

Ally Hinojosa, of Revere, was one of 522 individuals to earn a degree from Assumption at the culmination of the 2019-20 academic year. Hinojosa received a bachelor’s degree in Marketing.

On Sunday, May 10, the day on which the Class of 2020 was originally scheduled to receive their degrees at the College’s 103rd Commencement, Assumption virtually celebrated the candidates for graduation and their years of commitment to academic programs. Assumption President Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D., was joined by Provost and Academic Vice President Greg Wiener, Ph.D., and Vice President for Mission Father Richard Lamoureux, A.A. ‘64 for a Conferral of Degrees ceremony that was livestreamed from the Chapel of the Holy Spirit. The ceremony was followed by a Mass which included candidates for graduation who pre-recorded hymns and readings.

Assumption has rescheduled its annual commencement ceremony during which it will formally honor the graduates of the Class of 2020 for August 23.

When addressing the graduates virtually, President Cesareo acknowledged the unprecedented challenges the Class of 2020 faced in their final semester, namely making a swift shift to remote learning due to the global pandemic. “You have come to the end of your studies at Assumption under extraordinary circumstances. This has certainly been a difficult and challenging semester for your class. You have had to confront adversity and the unexpected,” he said. “You should be proud of the way in which you adapted to this situation, how you showed your resilience, strength, and ability to overcome challenging times.”

He added that while the COVID-19 pandemic has created many challenges for the Class of 2020, their Assumption education has and will help them thrive rather than simply endure. “Because of your education, you are able to view challenges as obstacles to overcome rather than a crisis to be endured,” he explained.

“Assumption has provided you with an education that prepared you to confront and to make sense of these personal and societal challenges. This pandemic has made the unique value of a Catholic liberal education like the one Assumption provides even more evident. The most important challenges our society faces in both overcoming and understanding this crisis involve more than technical problems, although those are an important part of an Assumption education, too. The essential issues are the deepest questions of the human heart, which transcend time and place,” he said, adding that ancient and modern thinkers have explored the questions regarding the meaning of life and human suffering.

Saint Augustine reminds us that these questions are ‘ever ancient, ever new.’ The Assumption education you received has prepared you for a changing world. Many institutions have forgotten these enduring questions. Assumption never has, and you have benefitted from this. A Catholic liberal education engages these questions has prepared you to live out your vocations and to be lifelong learners. It has provided you with the wisdom and courage to confront the challenges we face at this time and that you will face throughout your life.”

Before closing, President Cesareo said he hoped that the disruptive nature of the last several months had taught the graduates some important lessons: take the time to say ‘I love you,’ to stop harboring resentment, thinking that forgiveness can always wait for another day, to cease pretending that little annoying things matter so much, to pick up your heads to look at the beauty of the world, to examine your beliefs about what truly matters in life, to mend relationships, and to take time to pray,” he said.

“I am not going to say goodbye, but rather arrivederci, since it is my hope to see you in August,” he said.

The ceremony was complemented by the playing of a newly composed hymn based, “Shelter Me,” a prayer song in the time of COVID-19, by Jan Michael Joncas based on Psalm 23. After the conferral of undergraduate, continuing education, and graduate degrees, Adam Duval ‘20, William Goliger ‘20, Arianna Pereschino ‘20, and led by Brad Dumont, sang the Alma Mater, “Long Live the Blue and White,” via video conference.