Issue Four Summer 2020

NAHANT
MAGAZINE
Thank you
Johnson School
home health aids
essential workers Seaside Pizza
those who make masks for all in need
all veterans
private mail carriers
child care providers amazing sunsets creatives
2020 graduates Antonio Barletta
all caring neighbors that shop for others
all our supermarket employees GJ Towing
Nahant Fire Department Richland
our real estate agents for still showing up
artists to all our first responders
to all our physicians and nurses
Seasdide Variety teachers and home schoolers
to all parents that have to work and care for their families
Nahant Postal Service Coastal Herritage Bank
Dunkin Donuts Nahant Police Department
Cheerio
Tides
American Legion Council on Aging
1 | Nahant Magazine

together for a safe
All
healthy future
and
You Thank
Professionals
Healthcare
Responders
First
Teams
Sanitation
Store Clerks
Grocery
Carriers
Delivery
Workers
Restaurant
Caregivers
Workers
Utility
Collectors
Waste
Workers
Warehouse
Neighbors
Generous
and Helpers
Heroes
the community copes with COVID-19 , we would like to take a moment to show our
As
for everyone who is doing their part to keep our communities safe. Whether you
appreciation
on the front lines saving lives, keeping our grocery stores stocked and clean, or simply staying
are
to minimize the spread —we thank you.
home
And so many more
Team Harborside
#1 Sotheby's International Realty Team on the North Shore
Matt Dolan
Dick McKinley
Cynda Rohmer
Partner
Partner
Sales Associate
617.816.1909
617.763.0415
781.696.3646
matt.dolan@sothebysrealty.com
dick.mckinley@sothebysrealty.com
cynda.rohmer@sothebysrealty.com
teamharborside.com
Nahant Magazine | 2
© MMXIX Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC. All Rights Reserved. Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Office is
Independently Owned and Operated. Sotheby’s International Realty and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered (or unregistered) service marks licensed to Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC.

a charitable donation made on their behalf. Team Harborside
have
donate up to 30% of real estate commissions to our local heroes.
will
to Serving the
Committed
Community
Nahant
It means we’re all in this together.
Community.
the midst of the pandemic, Team Harborside remains
In
to safely assisting clients and supporting our
committed
Contact us to learn about buying or selling
communities.
home in the current environment and about our
your
donation program. We are here for you.
charitable
details, please contact Dick Mckinley at
For
or
dick.mckinley@sothebysrealty.com
note to Nahant residents...
A
Nahant residents who list or buy a home with us this summer will
All
3 | Nahant Magazine
617.763.0415.

Nahant Magazine | 4

WHAT’S INSIDE
6 Tending to the Spring Garden
If you’re new to gardening then NGC has
got your back with a step by step guide to
gardening from Deborah Vanderslice.
8 The Traditions of Memorial Day
Molly Conlin explains the importance of the
Memorial day wreath.
10 Making Memories
A virtual memorial parade for 2020 Bobbi-Jo
Blair tells us why.
12 House Tour
A brand new regular ‘house tour’ feature
from local tour guide Judi Moccia.
15 The Finishing Touch
Creative lifestyle advice from established floral
and events designer Andrew Anderson.
16 Basel, Geneva & Chiba
Our community is uniquely diverse to say
the least. Here’s three residents you might
have met before.
18 We Are Living History
A fascinating viewpoint on ‘modern day’
history in the making by Julie Tarmy.
21 The Election Section
Get to know all the candidates in the upcoming
election for Selectmen and Town clerk.
28 Nextdoor Teen Neuroscientist
A bright spark ignites the flame. Faith Innello
portrays her passion for medical science.
32 Glitter & Glue
‘Behind the mask’. Jessica Webster unravels the
essence of human nature in uncertain times.
Published by
Chief Editor
Craig Mewse
Photography
Dave Morin
Deborah Vanderslice
Bobbi-Jo Blair
Molly Conlin
Judi Moccia
Nancy Koury
Contributing Writers
Andrew Anderson
Faith Innello
Julie Tarmy
Jessica Webster
Brendan Ward
heyhey.media
332 Nahant Rd - Nahant, MA 01908 - 978 645 7133 - info@heyhey.media
5 | Nahant Magazine

Tending to the
By Deborah Vanderslice
Spring Garden
Nahant Garden Club
Oh, what an uncommon spring it has
been!
While we have sheltered in place, signs
of the vernal season have erupted all
around us. The mild winter has given
way to an unusually cold start to
spring, and yet Mother Nature is at it
again, transitioning from one season
to the next as the temperature rises.
The signs are evident: the dazzling
Daffodils and rainbow-colored Tulips
have come and gone, the Allium are
shyly beginning to display their round
spheres of purple, taut Peony stems
are jutting out of the nourishing dirt,
Azaleas are blooming, and the leaves
on the trees have awakened, creating
a vast green canvas as a back-drop to
spring’s glorious debut.
The sights to behold in our gardens offer
solace, inspiration and hope. The
new growth, burgeoning blossoms
and dazzling palettes that are slowly
emerging are a welcome sight after the
long, dark days of winter and the most
trying of springs. Ask any gardener,
and he or she would likely concur
with the words of American gardening
author Ruth Stout who said, “I love
spring anywhere, but if I could choose
I would always greet it in a garden.”
If you are new to gardening, it may
seem daunting to know where to start.
Just as a garden evolves with the passing
of days and months, if you break
down the garden into manageable
steps, you can ease into gardening in a
time-frame that suits you.
Just think of that “pot of gold at the
end of the rainbow.” Luscious plants,
colorful blooms, and picturesque
views are on the horizon.
Conduct a spring clean-up. Rid the
yard of any fallen branches and debris.
If any bulbs planted in seasons past
are covered with dead leaves, remove
them to avoid rot underneath. Cut
back ornamental grasses and perennials
from last season to encourage new
growth. Clean out dead annuals from
pots, and clean the pots with soapy water
in preparation for new plantings.
Assess the landscape. Before you can
consider what to plant, you need to
know where to plant, so that you may
determine what will thrive best in a
certain spot. Ask yourself how any
new plantings will impact the overall
landscape, complementing what you
might already have in place.
Or, if beginning a garden for the first
time, you can start out slowly, but keep
in the back of your mind how what
you are planting today will work with
your overall “to-be” vision.
Much like a jig-saw puzzle, you will
ultimately want all the pieces to fall in
place.
Assessing how much sun or shade a
certain spot gets will also factor into
what you will be able to plant and sustain.
Finally, living along the coast can
be challenging for the survival of some
vulnerable plantings, due to spray
from salt water and excessive wind.
Consider this in your assessment.
Prepare the land.
Clear the ground covering in the area
you wish to plant. The soil below may
be poor for various reasons, so you will
want to help transition it to becoming
more fertile, to increase your chances
Nahant Magazine | 6

of growing healthy plants. You may do
this by adding organic matter, such as
a couple inches of compost, dry grass
clippings or decayed leaves.
Select your plants.
This is the fun part! Remember that
vision you arrived at earlier? Now is
the time to begin to turn it into reality.
Think of each plant as part of an overall
composition, considering how its
height, color and form inter-play with
what is to be planted nearby.
Think about the colors and how they
will blend together in a cohesive
whole. Remember to consider which
plantings will thrive in the sun and
which do not, so you may choose wisely
(read plant tags or ask garden center
staff for recommendations).
In choosing, also consider how, as
some plants fade away after blooming,
other plants in the garden may bloom
later so as to help ensure a continual
stream of color, if that is your goal.
You may decide to choose perennials
because with proper care, they will return
every year, but you may also want
to supplement the perennials with annuals
which could bring you the immediate
pop of color you need at a given
time during the garden’s life-cycle.
Should bulbs enter the mix, they too
need to be planted in relation to the
other plants in terms of both location
and bloom-time.
Think about grouping the same type of
plant in multiples, as a single type of
flower or shrub will not always deliver
the impact that multiples together will.
If space allows, plant in groupings of
three or five.
If you are going to use a single plant or
shrub as a focal point, try to pick one
whose qualities are strong enough to
stand on its own merit while integrating
with the garden as a whole.
Finally, to promote sustainability and
biodiversity, consider purchasing native
plants. They require less maintenance
because they are native to the
area and therefore inherently acclimated
to the local growing conditions.
Native plants also attract and support
the all-important pollinators which
are always under constant threat from
habitat loss.
Plant, water, and maintain.
Gauge your watering based on how
dry the soil is a couple of inches below
the surface. Intense sun and wind
require daily watering, but rainy days
will do the job for you. Water slowly
and deeply, to minimize run-off. To
minimize evaporation from the sun’s
rays and to conserve water, water early
in the morning or later in the day.
To maintain your garden, weed it and
keep the soil moist. Eliminate destructive
insects by picking them off the
plants and dropping them into soapy
water, or hosing them off.
“Deadhead” the flowers on plants
which are known to bloom again in
the same season after having their
spent flowers removed.
Stake plants as necessary.
In summer, plant prudently, nourish
appropriately, and maintain diligently,
and you will be rewarded with the
fruits of your labors.
As the nineteenth century poetess
Minnie Aumonier wrote,
“When the world wearies and society
fails to satisfy, there is always the garden.”
Such appropriate words for our time!
7 | Nahant Magazine

The Traditions of Memorial Day
Continue in Nahant
When Richard Lombard,
the 2020 Memorial
Day parade
Grand Marshal,
United States Marine
Corps and Vietnam
Veteran, tossed the
wreath from the Nahant
Wharf into the
surrounding waters
to commemorate and
honor those who lost
their lives at sea in
service to our country,
he was carrying
on a long tradition of
Memorial Day in Nahant.
This year’s ceremonial
hand-made
wreath, donated by
the Nahant Garden
Club (made from Ivy,
Climbing Hydrangea,
and white and
red Geraniums), has
its own long history. In the 1970s a wreath was dropped
at the Wharf from a private airplane manned by Winthrop
Sears and pilot Lee Trenholm. At that time, the gun salute
was provided by the National Guard, firing 3 rounds from a
howitzer. (It was difficult to maintain a salute, standing at
attention, without jumping each time the cannon sounded!)
Around 1976, Richard Lombard arranged for a military helicopter,
manned by active duty pilots, to drop the wreath.
When given the signal from a fire truck at the Wharf, the
chopper took off from Bailey’s Hill to carry out its mission
in such a way as to cause nearby spectators to duck for cover!
The plane/helicopter wreath drop at the Wharf was discontinued
when air clearance was denied.
Nahant Magazine | 8
By Molly Conlin
This year, the restrictions brought about by the coronavirus
pandemic brought another change in the manner in
which Nahant observed Memorial Day. The Memorial Day
committee consulted with Town Administrator Tony Barletta,
Administrative
Assistant Bobbie-Jo
Blair, Public Health
Nurse Deborah
Murphy and Nahant
Police Chief Robert
Dwyer. The difficult
decision was made
to cancel the 133rd
Nahant Memorial
Day parade, for the
health and safety of
the Town residents.
However, the tradition
continues: each
of the following memorial
services were
conducted earlier in
May, pre-recorded
and aired on Nahant
TV and Facebook on
Memorial Day:
(a) the memorial
service at the Town
Wharf, (b) the memorial
service in the
Greenlawn Cemetery, including the recitation of the Gettysburg
Address and the reading of the names of the veterans
who have died this year, with the ringing of the bell after
each name, and (c) the conclusion of the events at the Nahant
Life Saving Station, where members of American Legion
Post 215 raised the American flag as the national anthem
played.
Not even a pandemic could interfere with the annual
wreath-dropping ceremony, and the other time-honored
traditions, which remain an integral part of Memorial Day
in Nahant.
Long-time Nahant resident Molly Conlin served as a Naval
Nurse in the United States Navy Reserve, and was on active
duty at the United Naval Reserve Medical Center San Diego
(informally referred to as Balboa Hospital) from 1966-1968.
She joined the Nahant American Legion Post 215 in the
1970s, and has served as a Past Commander

9 | Nahant Magazine

The display of community effort that
went into the making of the Nahant
Memorial Day 2020 video was astounding.
This is a behind the scenes
story about how a small Town took an
unprecedented time “to come together”
and help bridge this 133 year old
tradition.
The Town of Nahant worked closely
with the Memorial Day parade committee
to develop an alternative and
safe way to honor the brave men and
women who made the ultimate sacrifice
for our country.
With the leadership of long standing
Memorial Day parade committee
chair, Molly Conlin and Chief
Marshal Ed Manzano, plans to form
the base of this video with the essential
ceremonies, were put into place.
Days leading up to the filming, Dave
Wilson along with the Department of
Public Works prepared for the spotlight
at our beautiful Greenlawn Cemetery.
With the help of the American Legion
Auxiliary and Veteran’s Officer Jon Lazar,
the cemetery was decorated with
American flags to honor the Veteran’s
grave sites. Our Health Nurse, Deb
Murphy helped guide and confirm
that health & safety was of the upmost
Nahant Magazine | 10
importance throughout this entire
process. Due to the pandemic perimeters,
volunteer numbers were limited
& overwhelming appreciated. The
video starts with Town Administrator,
Tony Barletta giving an explanation
and purpose of this pre-recording. The
leadership that Tony has displayed
throughout this unprecedented time
has been nothing less than exceptional.
I am extremely grateful for his dedication
and service to our community.
The Sea Service Ceremony was the
first memorial to film and like generations
before me, this observance took
place at the Town Wharf. The Garden
Club graciously provided a completely
bio degradable hand-made wreath
that was surrendered into the ocean
by this year’s parade Grand Marshal
and US Marine Corp Veteran, Richard
Lombard.
US Marine Corp Veteran, Chris Dent
carried out 3 volleys followed by US
Air Force Veteran, Dave Conlin playing
Taps on the bugle. Post filming,
a pre-recording of RADM US Navy
Veteran, Clarke Orzalli, reciting the
Sea Service Prayer was added to this
ceremony. Next was the filming of
the Memorial Service at the cemetery.
Here, US Navy Veteran, Molly Conlin
read the names of local veterans who
passed away this year. US Army Veteran,
Wayne Noonan paired a bell ring
after each name was announced.
US Marine Corps, Chris Dent, carried
out 3 volleys followed by US Air Force
Veteran, Dave Conlin playing Taps on
the bugle. A pre-recording of US Army
Veteran, Toby Quirk, reciting the invocation
and benediction, was added
to this ceremony.
The final filming for day one ended at
the Life Saving Station with the raising
of the American flag led by American
Legion Post 215 members; Toby
Quirk, USNavy Veteran Tom Gallery,
US Navy Veteran Peter Pryzybcien
and US Army Veteran Ed Manzano.
With the passing caused by Covid-19
of Master Chief Maurice Poulin and
Francis Cullinan and due to the pandemic,
unprecedented restrictions
were put in place. This included proper
burial services being put on hold.
Within the video, we took an opportunity
to pay tribute to them.
The Johnson Elementary School
played an intricate role in bridging the
ceremonial tradition of a six grade stu-

Making Memories
Behind the scenes of the memorial day video
By Bobbie-Jo Blair
dent reciting the Gettysburg Address
at the cemetery. Due to the pandemic,
all educational schools were shut
down and canceled months ahead of
schedule. For weeks leading up to the
filming, the school staff and parents
did a flawless job in guiding students
to practice and compete for the honor
to recite the Gettysburg Address.
This challenge was accomplished
through video conferencing. Sixth
grade teacher Mrs. Tibbo, Principal
Andrews, and the Director of the Historical
Society, Julie Tarmy, listened in
and judged the performances.
The sixth graders put on a strong
competition with Wylie Roosein being
selected to represent her class.
At the filming of the sixth grade recitation
of the Gettysburg address, is
was a beautiful spring day with just
enough wind to keep the many American
flags briskly waving. The pride
that illuminated from Wylie’s parent’s
face was matched with the bright
comforting sun.
As a symbol of the Covid-19 pandemic
and to help document the
social distancing order, Wylie removed
her face mask and recited
the Gettysburg address amongst an
empty cemetery. It was awe-inspiring
to witness this young lady speak
with such conviction and pride.
It was at that moment, I realized I was
not only helping bridge a long standing
tradition with my community, but
that history itself was congruently developing
alongside it.
As the video traveled along the traditional
parade route, flashbacks of
20+ year old footage emerged. Our
talented Town Hall High School intern,
Bradley McDonough, amongst
other things, helped in converting our
Town Moderator, Dave Conlin’s Memorial
Day home videos.
The Nahant Police and Nahant Fire
Department, both added a special feature
to this video.
We are extremely grateful to our first
responders for putting their lives on
the line to keep us safe.
Also throughout the video, our Board
of Selectmen; Chairman Richard
Lombard, Mark Cullinan and Joshua
Antrim share some heartfelt words
to our community. Over the past 133
years, there has been no financial crisis
or storm that has prevented our
Memorial Day parade from marching
on. In the video, I particularly treasured
the consoling line said by Senator
Crighton, “While many aspects of
our life over the past few months have
been different, the significance of Memorial
Day and why it is so important,
have never changed”.
Our community showed perseverance,
strength and hope during an
uncertain time that will most certainly
go down in history. This is once again
astounding.
We should all be so proud.
11 | Nahant Magazine

HOUSE TOUR
“The story I am going
to tell you started many
years ago when I met my
husband, Joe. He was a
home builder from Nahant
and I lived in the city.
When we started dating,
Joe would come and pick
me up to take me out and
almost always, he would
ask, “On the way to dinner,
do you mind if we stop by
one of the homes that I am
building to check things out?” It usually wasn’t on the way,
but that was ok. Once we got to the job site, Joe would invite
me in to see what he was doing and I actually did enjoy
learning about building and houses. I also learned that I
needed to ditch my heels and carry a pair of flat shoes with me,
if this was going to last.
A few years later Joe and I got married. We started a family
and those days were very special. I have many happy memories
of the Johnson School, Little League, Soccer, Sallee’s
Dance & The Soap Box Derby. Nahant is a wonderful town
for children to grow up in. Many of our friends and family
would often come to visit us here. A highlight of their visits
was always for us to take them on a tour around the island
and visit Joe’s projects. We would all pile in the car and I
would give them the tour and talk about our beautiful town
and homes on our route. Later on when our children grew
up, I decided to put all this knowledge about homes, construction
and personal experience with our town to use and
become a real estate agent. It always has been so interesting
to me to learn about the history of a home.
When clients came into town, I would always take them
on one of my house tours and drive through the town explaining
everything I knew about Nahant and many of the
beautiful properties. I really enjoye going into detail about
many of the homes here. Clients would often come back
for another tour. Well, things have changed recently and I
probably won’t be giving another tour for a while, but from
my past experience I believe people really enjoyed listening
and learning about the history of Nahant and it’s beautiful
and unique homes. I have decided to start a new series in
the Nahant Magazine called “House Tour.” Many readers
will enjoy learning about the history of local homes as told
by their owners. Many homes here have had generations
of families grow up in them with great stories to share. So
many homes have been through renovations and many new
homes have been built. Big or small, new or old we will love
to listen and learn.
We have two fabulous homes to begin the house tour series.
I hope you enjoy this. “House Tour” will be an ongoing
series. For more information and maybe you are interested
in submitting your story for the fall issue of Nahant
Magazine please e-mail Judi at
judi019@aol.com or call 781.799.7777
Please inquire before July 30th.
339 Nahant Road
By Linda Jenkins
Nahant Magazine | 12
Images courtesy of the Nahant Historical Society

This stately home located at 339 Nahant Road is both rich in
history and period elegance. The Codman-Paige-Lawrence-
Fay-Jenkins estate is an example of Nahants early development
of Summer homes for Boston’s elite.
In January of 1829 Stephan Codman purchased 3 1/4 acres
from Daniel Breed. Codman conveyed a lot and cottage (351
Nahant Rd) to his son Henry, in 1839 the property was sold
in 1854 to James W Paige of Boston who was involved in
textile manufacturing. The house was altered and enlarged
in 1873-1874 by Nahant builder JT Wilson.
The family of Paige’s daughter and son in-law, Abbot Lawrence,
occupied the home until after 1896. By that time the
property had eight out buildings including a stable, a laundry
house and several dwellings.
In 1939 a wing of the main house was removed and converted
to a separate home (345 and 345R Nahant Rd) which
included the stable. The present owners, the Jenkins family
constructed an addition in 2009 which consists of a family
room, gourmet chef’s kitchen, dinette, pantry, master bedroom
suite with en suite bath, walk in closet, a balcony, a
widows walk and custom wine cellar.
The current owners restored the historic terraced gardens
using all the original materials of granite and stone. Through
the years there were many famous visitors to the home including
Daniel Webster. Though Webster never owned a
home in Nahant, Mr James Paige was his son’s father in-law.
Mr. Webster was given a reception at the home of Mr. Paige
following his failed attempt at the nomination for presidency.
All of the citizens of Nahant were invited to meet the distinguished
guest.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was also a frequent visitor to
the Paige home and frequently wrote about his visits in his
diary. Fanny Longfellow (Mrs Henry W) wrote to Emmeline
Wadsworth on July 19th, 1850 about a dinner in Nahant at
her father’s partner, James Paiges home ‘with a party of gentlemen’
‘the talk was chiefly of wines, Mr Paige producing
one kind choice than another’.
‘After dinner we strolled in the garden and some of the gentlemen
were rather lively from the effects of so much good
wine and sea air’.
In keeping with tradition the current owners entertain on
the same porch enjoying the company of friends and the
lovely sea air much the same as Longfellow, Paige and Webster
did so many years ago.
13 | Nahant Magazine

98 Little Nahant Rd
Memories by Chuck
I have always loved the sight, smell, and sounds of the sea.
Perhaps because of my Italian heritage and my fond memories
of family events being celebrated at the seashore.
The Nahant area became my favorite retreat during my
Somerville high school years when we discovered the tables
and fireplaces could be reserved in advance with just a
phone call. We had our favorite prime location most weekends
in close proximity to the old bathhouse where I enjoyed
my time at the beach with twenty five or thirty of my
closest friends.
Our favorite spot was located at the mid point of long beach,
and it was at one of these gatherings that I gazed up at the
point of Little Nahant and said aloud, “I’m going to live
there someday.” More than ten years later, I owned a business
in my home town of Cambridge. My wife and business
partner and I opened a second location in Lynn.
We decided to shop for a home on the North shore. It would
be a getaway from our busy schedule and a safe place to raise
a family. Our criteria was a water view, with a large enough
yard for a pool, three bedrooms on high ground. We looked
in Marblehead, Swampscott and Nahant for more than two
years. In the 70’s we didn’t have the Internet like we do today
and finding a home was much more time consuming.
We looked at dozens of homes for sale that advertised water
view and a large yard, only to find the water view was only
visible from the roof and the postage stamp sized yards were
too small for a pool. Some of the basements we saw had water
marks along the walls from when the sump pumps failed.
It seemed at that time, the only houses on the market in our
price range were problem properties with too many defects.
We were ready to settle for a waterfront condo in Boston,
when we saw an obscure ad in the Lynn Daily Item, placed
by an attorney selling what he called a “mini estate” for one
of his clients. I went to look at it with great hopes, but not
knowing what to expect, and for the most part I was disappointed.
It had ugly exterior stucco walls painted pink,
a broken garage door, old windows that didn’t shut tightly,
gaudy bright blue white shag carpet and was priced at more
than we wanted to spend, but the location was perfect.
In my high school days when I dreamed of living on this
hill I never imagined the amazing view I saw on that windy
spring day as the waves rolled in and crashed beneath us on
Long Beach. I could see Lynn and the Swampscott shoreline
with Marblehead across the bay from the backyard.
There was a clear view of egg rock, with miles of open ocean
beyond Big Nahant as well as the fabulous Boston skyline.
The air smelled clean and the sound of the waves crashing
against the rocks was mesmerizing. The full views of both
sunrise and sunset was an added bonus that we discovered
after spending our first evening in the house when the spectacular
sunset we witnessed was only bested by the incredible
sunrise the following morning.
We bought this house for the view and started remodeling it
that first month. We removed the ugly pink stucco, replacing
it with ceder shake shingles, we replaced the windows
and brought the home back to it’s original French cottage
style by removing some of the gaudy art deco changes made
by a former owner. In 2019, I created even more spectacular
views from inside the home, by adding windows in strategic
locations and opening the floor plan to allow unobstructed
views from all rooms.
Nahant Magazine | 14

I am Andrew Anderson, co-Owner and Creative Director
of Ilex Designs, a South Boston boutique floral and event
design studio. As a florist and event designer my daily life
revolves around people and their celebrations. To go from
planning, organizing and executing events one day to not
a single event for the next several months overnight, still
doesn’t quite register. Over the last several months as the
weather was yucky and we were all confined to our homes,
we turned to video conferencing to stay connected with our
friends and families. Now that the weather has turned for
the better I am looking to my outdoor space as I am sure a
lot of you are to embrace summer in our new reality. Since
we all will most likely be spending lots of time at our own
houses this summer, everyone is focused on the design of
their outdoor spaces. Here are a few of my current obsessions
in a variety of budgets that anyone can easily add to
their outdoor space to give it a design boost. Because you
need a comfy spot to perch in the sun or shade (whichever
is your preference) I am lusting after this Teakwarehouse
sofa, or this very curvy and comfy looking Crate and Barrel
number is also very cute and will add a great pop in
a smaller space. Of course no patio is complete without a
great space to eat and eventually entertain. I can’t wait to
get this great grey washed table from World Market, it seats
8 to 10 so there is plenty of room. The Ikea Sjalland table is
another option for a great price.
Pair either with a simple chair and you are ready for sunset
dining. To decorate the dining table I love a long low trough
planter by Tina Frey. My Emma Lanterns will also make an
appearance on the table to add a soft glow on the table as a
finishing touch. My garden is relegated to shades of white
and green but the planters are where the blooms (and colors)
live. For a more modern look, Geometric White pots
are a great option. Planters are available for special order
through Ilex Designs Garden Division Price on request.
Lighting is the key for intimate summer evenings outside.
I love fire and these modern torches from Blomus are so
much cooler than the traditional tiki torch. For a budget
friendly version check out Anywhere Fireplace Torches
from Lowes for an equally cool option. For a finishing
touch I will set the table with my favorite heavy linen napkins
by Libeco Home. Finally when you are ready to enjoy
your newly refreshed outdoor space you’re going to need an
equally great cocktail. Mine? My own special take on the
classic margarita. I love to serve it in a beautiful acrylic glass
that looks like crystal but is shatterproof.
15 | Nahant Magazine

Basel,
Geneva
& Chiba
Nahant Magazine | 16
By Nancy Koury
Dog lovers are everywhere, but perhaps there is a
larger concentration of dog lovers in Nahant. With
such wonderful natural resources, beautiful places
to walk, run, ride bikes, swim or play fetch on the
beach, living in Nahant is perfectly suited for dog
lovers and their companions.
Nahant became home a few years ago. We always
admired the beauty, nature and peacefulness of Nahant.
Looking for a home in a quiet neighborhood
with a yard for gardening and for our dogs, with decent
commute to Boston, we happened across our
home here. It was perfect for us and our three (3)
Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs.
Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs (“GSMD”) or Grosser
Schweizer Sennenhund, are known as Swissies.
Swissies, an ancient mastiff-style breed, were
all-purpose farm dogs for dairy farms in the Swiss
Alps. Many know their lovely, long-coated cousins,
Bernese Mountain Dogs. Classified by AKC as a
working breed, Swissies are gentle giants, big boned,
powerful dogs. Swissies thrive on training and like
a job to do. Males weigh 115 to 140 lbs. Females,
naturally smaller, range from 85 to 110 lbs. In the
Alps, they worked as draft dogs, pulling the farmer’s
wagon full of milk to the market.
Swissies were drovers, sentinels, loyal and steady,
watching over livestock. Swissies like to work and
play hard, but afterward, they’re experts at relaxation.
They love to lounge in front of the fireplace,
or nap in the sun in the yard. Living in Nahant,
we’re lucky to have 3 dogs that love to swim. Not all
Swissies love the water.
As working dogs, our Swissies have several “jobs”.
They perform in AKC events such as Conformation
(dog shows); Draft (pull carts or wagons); Agility,
Herding (sheep), Canine Good Citizens (CGC) and
Scent work (search and rescue skills). One of our
Swissies, Chiba, even competes in an AKC 100 yard
dash performance event called FastCat.
Dog shows are fun competition but also teach dogs
socialization skills. Basel, 12 years old and retired,
was our first Champion (“CH”) show dog. Chiba
is following in his footsteps as a Grand Champion
(“GCH”). Her claim to fame, was winning a ribbon
for Swissies (BOS) at the Westminster Kennel Club
Dog Show in New York City this year. Chiba pours
on the charm “working” the sidewalk.
She earned all three (3) Canine Good Citizen titles,
CGC, CGCA (Advanced/Community) and CGCU
(Urban). This requires demonstrating skills such as
being greeted by strangers, dogs and walking po-

litely on leash, followed by upping the stakes in more
challenging Community and Urban settings. Geneva,
9 years old, also earned this title.
Geneva is a sweet soul whose primary “job” is to watch
over the kitchen. She’s not much of a worker but makes
up for it with her gentle demeanor and “go anywhere”
skills. She is enjoying retirement, bird watching and
beach walks in Nahant. Chiba earned another fairly
unique title for dogs. She’s a true athlete. She was the
#2 fastest Swissy in the country for most of 2019, in
a 100 yard dash for dogs, called “FastCat”. Dogs are
timed as they run a track. The dogs earn points and
speed records. If there is running involved, she’s in.
Many Nahanters may know our dogs most by their
drafting/carting skills. Chiba pulls Basel in a red
American Flyer style wagon, as well as hauls leaf bags
to the compost. This summer, we look forward to her
bringing beach chairs and a picnic basket to doggie
beach. Chiba learned to draft from the best! Basel began
as a draft dog pulling a two-wheel cart full of puppies
(Geneva and litter mates)) at dog shows for fun.
As with many big dogs, Basel’s arthritis, makes it tough
for him to get around like he used to.
Thankfully, he passed his drafting skills to Chiba. Chiba
learned by example watching Basel with his wagon
here in Nahant. Now she takes Basel all over town in
his red wagon. Rides to the beach or the park are like
cruising in a convertible. Both absolutely love it.
Next time you see Chiba providing Uber-style services
to her senior friends, Basel or Geneva, around town,
you’ll know how hard she worked to learn this skill and
how much it means to her companions to keep exploring
Nahant and its beauty & natural resources!
17 | Nahant Magazine

We Are Living History
By Julie Tarmy
Photo by Karen Hosking, 2013 Smithsonian Magazine Finalist for “The American Experience”.
As the Executive Director of the Nahant Historical Society,
it’s my job to be aware of the events of history. All the time.
For me, history is important every day. Not just the public
pieces that everyone hears about, but also the moments that
we so often refer to as minutiae. The behind the scenes history.
So why write a story on it? If it’s not front-page news,
who wants to hear about it? I do... along with all the people
at the Nahant Historical Society.
Think about it. What you and I did on a Wednesday in January
of 2020 was probably not so different from what we did
in January of 2019. Maybe there was more snow. Maybe I
got together with friends around the conference table in the
Society’s resource library. I could have done the same thing
in both years. Now fast-forward to May of 2020. What we
did in May of 2019 is a lot different than what we are doing
now. Do I have a super memory like Calantha Sears, whose
ability to remember details is astounding? No. I just know
that in 2019, whatever I was doing here in the office I was
doing with an extraordinary group of volunteers. Not today.
For the past nine weeks, I have been working at the Society
(which has been closed to the public since March 19th) alone.
For those of you who have visited our museum, you know
this is not a small space. When you are alone, it is HUGE!!
Thankfully, there is another tenant here in the building with
whom I interact on occasion – the wonderful Jen Gubicza
of Zooguu Toys, who stopped production on her toy line to
concentrate on making masks for front-line workers.
(Jen is one of many talented people who have been cranking
out masks.) Being that we are basically the only two ‘full-timers’
in the building, we developed a system for taking the
trash and recycling out. She takes the barrels out on Thursday,
and I bring them in on Friday. Ordinarily, this small
task would be handled by the wonderful folks of the Nahant
Preservation Trust, but the building is closed and why expose
anyone needlessly to whatever might be in the air?
Truth be told, I am not totally
alone in the office. As a young
Cub Scout pointed out last
year, there are a lot of people
on the walls looking at me.
These would be the ancestral
portraits of some Nahant residents.
So far, I have refrained
from having conversations
with them, but I do occasionally
acknowledge their presence. I even included them in a
Zoom meeting, which brings me to the next piece of historic
importance. I have learned to Zoom and do other technological
things, some correctly... some still needing work. You
have to understand, I use a flip phone! COVID-19 has definitely
brought me closer to the 21st century.
One new thing I experienced this year with a group of Johnson
School sixth graders was judging the Gettysburg address
competition virtually. This is an event that I have been privileged
to be a part of for many years. Normally, this competition
would have been held in the Cafetorium of the Johnson
Nahant Magazine | 18

school with 4th, 5th and 6th-grade students observing and
learning. Other classroom teachers and distinguished guests
would be the judges. The audience would be completed
with proud parents looking on as their children vied for the
honor of delivering the Gettysburg Address at the Memorial
Day ceremony at Greenlawn Cemetery. Alas, not this
year. The five fantastic students were in the safety of their
homes delivering their speeches into a computer. Having
frozen half-way through my delivery in the 8th grade, I have
a keen respect for these young scholars. The tradition goes
on, but the final delivery will also be done virtually through
the dedication and talents of our Veterans, Town employees,
and incredible volunteers.
Gettysburg Address Competition, Johnson School
Incredible. According to Webster’s International Dictionary:
surpassing belief; too extraordinary to admit belief; fabulous.
This is a word I find myself using over and over these days.
Our incredible medical professionals, who courageously
walk into the fire of COVID-19; our incredible town workers,
who keep us functioning; our incredible residents, who
make masks, deliver meals, post inspiring messages on
wood, rocks, social media; the incredibly fun initiative of
putting stuffed animals in the windows for all to see and be
comforted by; and the incredible anonymous folks who do
what they can when they can. Which brings me to the point.
We Are Living History.
The Society’s initiative, We Are Living History, is the result
of being inspired by all the good that is being shared in Nahant,
which started with Seaside Pizza stepping in to keep
our valuable seniors fed when the COA temporarily lost the
use of their kitchen(and continuing to offer the general public
a change from the frozen or canned meals stocked up at
home). Then there is the Johnson School collaborating with
Anchor Food Pantry to keep our students fed with healthy
meals; the Council on Aging delivering meals and a bit of
socially distant social moments to our residents at home; and
on, and on.
In this time of uncertainty, of drastic changes to our personal
and professional lives, of some new-found chaos at home
with students out of school, and the unknown of how long
this will go on, we want to hear from you about how you are
getting through, coping, hanging-in. What kindnesses are
you witnessing around town? What do you want others to
know? What inspires you in this difficult time?
We might be the smallest municipality in the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts, but we have an amazingly large
spirit. Not too long into this pandemic, the brilliance of our
kindness star shone. The acts of kindness and generosity
flowed through the town. I have room to highlight only
some of the memorable history being made, but please know
that the Society is aware of all that is being done. Just ask
our volunteer, Jane Kirkman, who is sifting through reams of
information as she works at home.
With the leadership of our social media guru, Susanne
Macarelli, the Society began our initiative by highlighting
the remarkable heart of Nahant. Our first Facebook post
naturally included a photo of Seaside Pizza taken way before
COVID-19 made its appearance. This inspiring photo was
shot by Karen Hosking, 2013 Smithsonian Magazine Finalist
for “The American Experience.” Our goal with this project is
to learn about the good that residents are seeing during this
dark time. We want to know what people are experiencing;
how they are feeling and coping during the unique event.
The response so far has been wonderful. People are reaching
out with stories of encouragement, inspiration, simple
thoughts and quotes, and hope for all. In my experience,
the younger generation and the more mature folks often have
different perspectives during times like these but one aspect
of our ‘new normal’ registers strong across the board. We
miss being able to see our friends and family.
I reached out to the 3rd and 4th grade teachers at the Johnson
School to get a youthful perspective of what life in the
COVID-19 episode is like for their students. I even Zoomed
with Mrs. Durant’s 3rd grade students, some of whom had
very mature questions for me.
Julianne wanted to know if this
was the same type of pandemic
as the Spanish Flu pandemic
in 1918-1920. Alex asked
if the Spanish Flu started
the same way as COVID-19.
With social media, and right
now so much time at home,
these young students are very
well informed. Mrs. Durant and Mrs. Shanahan assigned a
Social Studies task and asked the students to address specific
questions about how they are feeling, what do they miss
most, what do the NOT miss, and how are they spending
their time. Their answers did not disappoint. You may have
guessed that the majority of the students do not miss having
19 | Nahant Magazine

to get up early for school. Surprisingly, quite a few actually
miss school, though they don’t miss homework. School is
such a big part of their daily life, and it was stripped away
virtually overnight. One student, Nikki, thought it would
be ‘cool’ to be out of school but now finds it ‘boring without
my teacher, Mrs. Shanahan’. Her sister Lilly remarked about
how living through a ‘situation like this’ would prepare her
for any similar events in the future. For Emma, it was her
birthday when school got cancelled. Who didn’t wish for
that as a kid?
None of the students likes the ‘new normal.’ Fiona doesn’t
like it because ‘it feels weird to see someone you love but
can not hug them.’ I feel the same way. Nathaniel feels ‘fortunate
because no one in my family is sick in any way.’ My
sentiments, exactly. Unfortunately, not all families in town
can say that. There have been several cases of the virus that
town residents have been fighting and recovering. Sadly, we
have lost, as of 5/20/20, six town residents to complications
of COVID-19. Our hearts and prayers go out to the families
and friends of these souls. We will not forget them.
The overwhelming common thread in all of the students’
comments, and in the comments from adults we have spoken
with, is how much we miss our friends. That all-important
physical contact with the people we care about. That
missing social piece of our well-being. The old adage of ‘you
don’t know what you have until it’s gone’ weighs in heavily
during this time. One can imagine that stronger friendships
and bonds will be forged by Nahanters going forward. We
encourage you all to let us know how you are doing. And we
send a big thank-you to all of the students who shared their
feelings!!
Please email me at julie@nahanthistory.org with your insights.
Or post your thoughts on Facebook and allow it to
be shared. Visit nahanthistory.org to read some of the stories
we have received from other folks. Stories that are longer
have been posted to our Memories site. Include photos if
you like. We are interested. We care. We are in this together.
WE ARE LIVING HISTORY, SO THAT THE FUTURE
MAY KNOW THE PAST.
Looking for something
different to read about Nahant?
We have Gerry Butler’s
newest book, Nahauntus!
From Thorwald, to mermaids, to
UFOs,
Nahant’s history has
something to offer.
Nahant
Historical Society
Check out our shop at
www.nahanthistory.org.
Nahant Magazine | 20

21 | Nahant Magazine

David Walsh
Candidate for Selectman
I am a homeowner and resident in our
town for 40 years. My wife Beth and son
Joe have lived here with me since 1986.
After a 30 plus year career in the telecommunication
business, I started a livery
business here in Nahant.
I have come to know and enjoy working
with many of you through my active engagement
as a volunteer on the following
committees and boards:
• The Golf Course Committee - 8 years.
• The Housing Authority -7 years.
• Emergency Management -5 years.
• Town Manager search and
selection committee -1 year.
• The Zoning Board of Appeals
-11 years and still active.
I decided to run for Selectman, because,
I think I can be a constructive
force in solutions for a number of issues
that are plaguing Nahant:
Flooding during mega storms has been
a serious problem for more than fifty
years in the Castle Rd, Fox Hill Rd, and
Ward Rd area. We all know that those
storms are becoming increasingly damaging,
lasting for several days with numerous
high tides.
It is only a matter of time before the intersection
of Nahant Road and Castle
Nahant Magazine | 22
Road will become impassable during
the storm high tides – a serious threat
to Public Safety. The $175,000 that was
appropriated by the town two years ago,
was just a down payment. We need an
engineering solution and I’m determined
to work to get that done.
The sewer system in town must be rebuilt.
Within the last two years, a break
in the pipe on the Lynnway cost Nahant
taxpayers more than $1 million, just to
remove the waste. Now we are moving
forward on the first phase of a $15 million
project to repair the entire sewer
system – an essential capital expenditure
for which the funds still need be
raised.
The taxpayers will see a significant increase
in trash removal fees and sewer
treatment fees over the next year. The
imposition of these costs will be coming
at the same time that the Town is
anticipating reductions in general local
aid, Chapter 70 school funding and
Mass. Lottery aid.
The percentage match of State dollars
for The Community Preservation Committee
could be in jeopardy of being
dramatically slashed this year.
Keeping in mind the expenses and reduced
funding noted above, let me
share with you my opinion on the Northeastern
University situation. NU has
owned the property at East Point since
February 23, 1966 and has continually
used the property for educational purposes.
Nahant and NU have had a long
relationship that has been quite harmonious.
I refer you to the letter written by Polly
Bradley, one of the founders of SWIM
in 1984. To quote from her letter to the
town, written in 2013, “SWIM has never
been accused of being nimby (“Not in
My Back Yard”) because Northeastern
scientists have made sure we always
had the scientific facts right. Nahant
is a cleaner, safer place because of its
40-year history of alliance with Northeastern.”
Again quoting from the final
paragraph of the Polly’s letter, “Northeastern
University Marine Science Center
professors and staff backed Nahant
in the long battle for secondary treatment
and a long outfall, and over the
years they have given SWIM and the
Town hours and days of free scientific
consultation that we could never have
afforded if they had demanded payment
as expert consultants. Northeastern has
been essential in protecting the environment
of Nahant.”
If there are private entities and/or private
individuals that want to purchase
a portion of the NU land and pay the
price and legal fees, that is their right
and privilege.
However, I am dead set against the
Town or any of its boards or non-profit
corporations spending taxpayers’
money to halt NU’s plans. If the Town,
through the Nahant Preservation Trust
(NPT), initiates an eminent domain action,
we, the residents of Nahant, will
have to bear the costs which are completely
unknown, and could amount to
many millions of dollars plus interest
and legal fees.
This is an expense that we the people
of Nahant cannot afford. It is incumbent
upon the Selectmen, the Town Manager
and other Boards and Committees
to work to resolve the impasse that
currently exists in a manner which is
beneficial to the Town, the taxpayers,
and the eco-system and to keep NU as
a good neighbor and benefactor to the
Town.
As your selectman, I will support the
recommendation of the Coast Guard
Housing Design Development Advisory
Committee to incorporate the former
Coast Guard housing property into the
Town’s tax base.
Thank you for taking the time to review
these issues. Please contact me if you
have any questions. I would appreciate
your vote on June 20th and the opportunity
to work for you.
David G Walsh
617-775-7075
dgwalsh44@verizon.net

Gene Canty
Candidate for Selectman
I have known and loved Nahant my
whole life. I spent my summers here
with my family up until I graduated
from Boston College when Karen and I
married and moved here full-time. We
bought our first home here and raised
three children, one of whom still lives
in Nahant. I really cannot imagine living
anywhere else. These are just a few reasons
of why I am driven to do my part
in continuing to make a positive impact
on our little town for today’s residents
and for generations to come. I’ve spent
my career in the corporate and retail
automobile sector, serving in roles that
have included General Manager, Dealer
Operations Manager, and CEO for some
of the largest and most profitable retail
dealerships, plus also spending a large
part of my career managing and consulting
at the corporate level.
To me, serving is a way to connect with
those around you. My main experience
includes: Zoning Board of Appeals (3
years), Conservation Commission (15
years, 10 as Chairman), School Committee
(8 years, 2 as Chaiman), Planning
Board (2 years, to present)
28 years of experience on these committees
makes me the most qualified
candidate to serve as Nahant’s next
Selectman. The knowledge of the inter-working
of town boards, as well as
the leadership positions held during
my years serving on these committees,
will be instrumental in continuing to
move Nahant forward, working with the
Town Administrator, Selectmen and various
boards and committees.
Having served on the Conservation
Commission for 15 years, I am dedicated
to Conservation and Open Space
protections. Lodge Park is what I am
most proud of. I served as Project Manager,
working with a small “de facto”
group (Mark Cullinan, Bill Mahoney,
Rick Kennedy, Linda Pivacek, Bob
Risch, and the driving force, Calantha
Sears), to convert what had become a
dumping ground at the site of the then
abandoned Nike Missile silos at East
Point, into a beautiful vista for all to
enjoy. I was also part of a town-wide
effort to preserve and prevent the Kelley
Greens Golf Course from being developed
into home sites and limiting its
use to Recreation and Open Space, after
the town voted to purchase this tract
of land. With the town only spanning
one-square mile, preserving limited
Open Space for the people of Nahant is
a cause to which I am dedicated.
There is a saying, “There’s no time like
the present.” I think that is particularly
true now in Nahant. The issues the
Town is facing are incredibly important
ones, including: infrastructure and the
need for a new, costly sewer system;
climate change and how it impacts our
fragile coast-line and its home-owners;
the eventual disposition of the Coast
Guard Housing; Senior and Low Income
Housing, and striking a balance between
Northeastern’s aspirations and
what is best for the town.
Ninety-seven percent of Nahant’s coastline
is surrounded by water. With anticipated
tidal increases in the foreseeable
future, we need to proactively address
preparedness and to outline a path to
protect the most vulnerable parts of
town. We need to understand the costs
of doing this and how we can pay for
this, including bringing in any grants
that may be available. We also need to
address costs related to the new sewer
system and a plan for repayment. My
background in cost control will help in
leading the charge, working with our
Town Administrator, the Board of Selectmen,
and relevant committee members.
As a long-time advocate for Open
Space and the preservation of Natural
Resource areas, my position is probably
quite similar to the many people who
signed an open letter to Northeastern
early on against expansion, and those
residents who more recently came out
to vote in a special election to uphold
Natural Resource protections by casting
87% of the vote in favor.
I am all for academic study of issues
confronting our fragile environment.
But I do not think Northeastern has to
pursue its Coastal Sustainability Institute
by placing a 55,000 square-foot
building atop the Murphy Bunker in a
Natural Resource District and adding
125-plus parking spaces to impervious
surfaces bordering Wetlands. Just
because the State’s Dover Amendment
gives educational institutions certain
building rights that the ordinary,
tax-paying land-owner does not have, it
does not mean that pursuing a destructive
path is the right thing to do.
I believe we can find mutually agreeable
ground, but it takes two to come to
the table. I am open to negotiating with
Northeastern, but in a way that is open
and objective.
In a democracy, differences of opinion
are to be expected (and respected).
There’s always going to be a healthy
dose of disagreement. We have a town
leadership that is transparent, open
minded, fact-based, and willing to listen.
They are now leading us through
these challenging times. The Council
on Aging has done an exemplary job
of tending to our seniors. People are
leaving painted rocks around town with
words of encouragement. Seaside Pizza
is offering free meals to senior citizens.
The Police and Fire Departments are
helping kids celebrate birthdays with
processions. Residents are being respectful
of town restrictions to promote
safety. We are Nahant Strong.
I ask you to vote for me, Gene Canty for
Nahant Selectman, on Saturday, June
20th. You can find me on FaceBook at
genecantyforselectman or visit www.
genecantyforselectman.com.
23 | Nahant Magazine

Lori Ballantine
Candidate for Town Clerk
What brought you to Nahant?
While scouting some Nahant properties
16 years ago my husband, Jack,
stopped at a local store. As he was
walking in, a group of kids was leaving.
One young man held the door
open for him and said, “Excuse me
sir”. We were both so impressed with
how neighborly people were. Sure,
Nahant’s natural beauty was the main
draw, but this encounter at the store
cemented our decision to buy a home
and start our family in Nahant.
What experience do you have that
would enable you to be a successful
Town Clerk?
My credentials include a Bachelor of
Science in History and Political Science,
seven years as an elected official
on the School Committee, nine
years on the 01908 Board of Directors,
12+ years customer service professional
experience, and 5+ years office
administrative professional experience.
Last fall I was hired as an election
worker for the town of Nahant.
Most of my customer service experience
was at Delta Air Lines as a
flight attendant. I worked briefly as
a personal assistant. For five years,
I worked in a construction company
Nahant Magazine | 24
office. In addition to daily operational
responsibilities at the construction
office, I handled property management,
advertising, preparation
and proofing documents such as
contracts, leases, and procurement
documents. Most of my years on the
School Committee have been served
as the vice chairman or chairman.
I represented the School Committee
on a subcommittee which negotiated
our current contract with Swampscott
Schools, a process that took a year. I
have also volunteered for many years
with local Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts.
I have a clear understanding of Massachusetts
policies, ethics, and laws
and proficiency constructing and analyzing
municipal budgets.
My diverse experience would serve
me well as the Town Clerk. Duties of
the Town Clerk include providing services
to the public as well as completing
a lengthy list of administrative
duties. I am fully capable of juggling
many things at once. I have managed
the full-time job of parenting alongside
volunteering and holding a job.
What challenges do you foresee for
the next Town Clerk?
The newly elected Town Clerk will
face the challenge of coordinating
and administering a federal and state
primary in September and a presidential
election this November. Given the
widespread concern for public safety
surrounding in-person voting, the
State and Federal governments are
evaluating options to authorize citizens
to vote by mail in some fashion.
States determine rules for administering
elections, and it remains to
be seen what Massachusetts will determine
to do. It is likely that if some
measure allowing for enhanced vote
by mail options are enacted, the state
government will look for additional
funds to pay for the added expenses.
The town of Nahant currently has not
allocated funds for this type of endeavor.
The current turmoil as a result of the
ongoing COVID-19 crisis is pushing
both the public and private sectors
to reevaluate how business is conducted.
The next Town Clerk will likely
face questions such as what business
must be done in person and what can
be accomplished remotely?
Many residents have shared that they
enjoy their visits to Town Hall to conduct
business. I pay my water and tax
bills in person rather than online because
I enjoy in-person visits as well.
However, for some, an online option
is the best or only option because of
their work and life demands. In the
best of times, modernization is a balancing
act of technology and the way
things have always been done. We
must embrace both in streamlining
the work of the Town Clerk’s office.
In closing, why should people vote
for you?
I am a positive person who believes
that, for every problem, there is a
solution. I have a proven record of following
procedures and policies professionally.
In my role on the School
Committee, I have always made myself
accessible to the public. I love
this town because of the people that
live here, and I am dedicated to serving
them. I have—and will continue
to—put Nahant first.
I respectfully ask for your vote at our
Annual Town Election on June 20.
Thank you for your consideration.
Read more at:
“Lori Balantine for Nahant Town Clerk”
*image courtesy of Heidi Fiore

Diane Dunfee
Candidate for Town Clerk
Born and raised in Nahant, there
is no place I would rather live.
Not only with my loving family and
friends, both lifelong and new, but
also because Nahant is filled with
charming traditions, opportunities
to enjoy life’s simple pleasures and
most importantly, our unique community
of young and old.As the Town
Clerk, working for Nahant’s wonderful
citizens would be a job I would thoroughly
enjoy.
Why Do I Want to Be Town Clerk?
I’ve had the privilege of working for
the Town of Nahant, on a part time
basis, for almost 12 years; primarily
in the Nahant Public schools as a
substitute teacher.
More recently, I worked at the Town
Hall assisting in the implementation
of a Massachusetts State Informational
Technology Grant to consolidate
and digitizing all permits and
architectural drawings into a new
Inspectional Services Software program.
Additionally, I assisted in the
Office of the Selectmen in various
capacities as needed. Working at the
Town Hall, interacting with both staff
and residents I realized I wanted to
be part of the team…. I was hooked.
This enriching experience, along with
my love for the Town of Nahant has
inspired me to run for the position of
Town Clerk.
How does your experience fit with the
Town Clerk’s set of responsibilities?
The Nahant Town Clerk is officially
the keeper of vital records and documents,
including the town census,
election returns and Town Meeting
warrants and actions. The Clerk must
assist and answer questions, be agile
in completing one’s own work during
many interruptions and have a genuine
interest in citizens and visitors
alike.
I believe my many career, personal
and work experiences have prepared
me to handle the multi-faceted set of
challenges required to be an effective
Town Clerk. For 20 + years, I worked
as the VP of Electrical Sales for a
manufacturer’s rep firm. I have also
worked as a substitute teacher, a
coach, a front desk manager and in
various positions at the Town Hall.
All jobs requiring my strong organizational
and communication skills, the
ability to work independently to define
and solve problems and to work
in a collaborative manner with various
constituencies.
Most important, is my ability to quickly
and easily build relationships with
people of all ages and backgrounds.
I take great pride in being a lifelong
member of our community. I welcome
the responsibility the office of Nahant
Town Clerk; to uphold the integrity of
the town and its vital records. I look
forward to assisting all residents and
visitors with respect a smile.
Any projects you’d like to take on as
a Town Clerk?
I am looking forward to building on
the 5year CPC funded effort, to preserve
and digitize the town’s records
for storage in the Clerk’s vault and to
update the main document index for
easy accessibility to Nahant’s rich
history.
Responsibilities that directly correlate
to the IT Grant project I successfully
completed for the Town of Nahant.
I’d also like to develop more informational
links between townspeople.
For example, a “Welcome Packet” for
new residents and possibly a “What’s
new in Nahant!” newsletter providing
key information to all residents.
It would be an honor and a pleasure
to work for you, Nahant, as the Town
Clerk.
“Diane’s interest in people, ability
to “solve puzzles” independently is
coupled with a focus in careful documentation
and successful results,
skills which equip her to handle the
multi-faceted challenges the role of
Town Clerk encompasses”
Pat McArdle, manager for Community
Compact IT Grant
I respectfully ask for your vote on June
20, 2020.
25 | Nahant Magazine

Bobbie-Jo Blair Candidate for Town Clerk
My exposure and knowledge of our
community and its local government
will help provide for a seamless transition.
My enthusiastic drive and determination
will build on top of this
well maintained department and help
elevate it to new heights.
My approachable demeanor and consistency
in tasks will help serve the
people of Nahant in trusting and relying
on their Town Clerk.
For those who would prefer to avoid a
potential large crowd on Annual Town
Election Day, the State has provided
an early voting by mail option. It’s not
too late to contact the Interim Town
Clerk, Carol Nelson and request an
application for an early voting by mail
ballot.
You can request an application for
an early voting by mail ballot up until
11:59am, the day before the Annual
Town Election.
Please note that you do not have to
mail-in your early voting by mail ballot.
You can submit your early voting
by mail ballot to the Town Clerk’s office,
during normal Town Clerk business
hours, up until the polls close on
election day; 8pm on June 20, 2020.
Interim Town Clerk:
Carol Nelson 781.581.0018 option #3 or
request an application for a mail-in ballot
vote via email to cnelson@nahant.org.
At the April 16, 2020 Board of Selectmen’s
meeting, Town Administrator,
Tony Barletta announced that the
Annual Town Election will be held
upstairs in the main hall of the Town
Hall. It was also mentioned that additional
health and safety measures
would be implemented at this year’s
Town Election.
Please vote Bobbie-Jo Blair for Town
Clerk at the Annual Town Election on
June 20, 2020.
Thank you!
MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT !
6/20/2020
SATURDAY
Nahant Magazine | 26
GOOD LUCK TO ALL CANDIDATES

Estate Planning Steps to Protect Yourself
and Your Loved Ones News about
the coronavirus is everywhere, and we
have all been affected by it in some
way, even if we are currently completely
healthy. There are steps we can
take now to protect ourselves and our
families financially. This is a great time
to pull out your estate planning documents
and take a close look to verify
that they still reflect your wishes and
are able to accomplish your goals. As
you review your documents, ask yourself
a few important questions:
Would your last will and testament and/
or revocable living trust still achieve
your goals?
In your will, you have specified how
you want your money and property
distributed to your loved ones. If you
have children, you probably named a
guardian in your will to care for them
if you cannot. In your revocable living
trust, you likely named a trusted person
to be your co-trustee or successor trustee
to step in to manage the money and
property held in the trust even during
your lifetime if you are unable to do it
yourself.
Lastly, you specified how the money
and property in the trust should be
distributed to beneficiaries you have
named in the trust once you pass away.
Important to review whether the people
you named to act as your personal
representative or trustee are still your
top choices. Even if you are still comfortable
with your choices (would they
take the actions you would – do they
share your goals?), are the individuals
you selected currently able to serve? Is
the person you chose to be the guardian
of your children still available and
willing to care for them? In the current
crisis, the person(s) you have selected
may be unavailable due to illness, quarantine,
or a stay-at-home order, and if
he or she lives out of state, may be subject
to travel restrictions.
Are you still comfortable with the people
you chose to be your agents under
your medical and financial powers of
attorney?
In your medical power of attorney,
you named a person you trust to make
medical decisions for you if unable to
communicate with doctors on your
own. In your power of attorney, you
designated an individual to make financial
and property decisions for you
should you become unable to manage
your own affairs. Make sure that you
are still comfortable with these choices
and that people you have chosen are
still capable of acting on your behalf.
Do you need to modify or update the
beneficiary designations of your retirement
accounts, investment/bank accounts
and insurance policies?
If you have already named beneficiaries,
now is the time to confirm those
choices and make any changes that are
necessary to reflect your current wishes.
Do you have a current list of all your
accounts and important documents?
The list should include bank and investment
accounts, titles to vehicles
and homes, digital accounts (e.g., Facebook,
LinkedIn, and Twitter) and passwords
which may be needed to manage
your property if you become ill, or to
settle your estate if you pass away.
If you have these documents in place,
you are well prepared! If your estate
plan needs updating or if you don’t
have an estate plan, this is something
you can do today to prepare for the future.
Brendan Ward is a Trust and Estate
attorney at Bradley Moore Primason
Cuffe & Weber, LLP in Lynn and
works predominately with people helping
them prepare for the future with
comprehensive estate planning, which
include Wills, Healthcare Proxies, Powers
of Attorney and Revocable Living
Trusts.
27 | Nahant Magazine

Nextdoor Teen
Neuroscientist
Faith Inello
Leader, Advocate, Innovator
Nahant Magazine | 28

When you are 11 years old, everything
feels like a big deal. Baseball championships
behind the Johnson School
and hanging out with friends by the
beach were both earth-shatteringly
momentous to me. Jumping off the
wharf for the very first time, then- a
rite of passage for most Nahant kidswas
a very big deal. Slowly, I stepped
towards the edge of the wooden slats,
unaware of my friends creeping up behind
me to push me over the edge. Ice
entombed my body as I suddenly realized
I was flying helplessly through the
air towards the frigid, unforgiving surface
of the ocean. My heart raced, my
eyes shut tight; I had no idea what lied
below the surface and my body seemed
to be rejecting the new and unfamiliar
experience.
Just as quickly as I had fallen into the
water, my head popped above the surface
of the tide, grinning wide in anticipation
of another jump in my newfound
favorite summer pastime. Yet,
that singular experience sparked a tidal
wave of questions for me about why
people think and feel the things they
do and how the human brain works.
Eventually, I found that I had experienced
some anxiety, and being the aspiring
scientist I was, figuring this out
led me to learn the intricacies behind
how and why our minds trick us into
intense moments of fear. As middle
school ended and high school began,
a fierce desire to help others with psychiatric
conditions blossomed into a
passion for neuroscience.
This passion stayed mostly passive until
last summer; adults always tell kids
that they can’t make real change until
they grow up, so getting good grades
at school and excelling there seemed
like the best way to ensure my future.
Attending the Congress of the National
Academy of Future Physicians and
Medical Scientists last June empowered
me to start pursuing my dreams in the
present. I began contacting doctors to
interview them for articles on teen mental
health because I wanted every opportunity
to learn about the brain and
how it is affected by different things.
I strive to be aware of others and what
they’re going through to increase the
quality of my relationships and the
quality of life of humanity as a whole.
As someone who has experienced
some anxiety and who has seen my
friends grapple with mental health issues,
I have witnessed firsthand the
effects that can have on someone and
it breaks my heart. My concern for
others frames the purpose behind my
career choice. I refuse to standby suffering
without taking action, and by
researching neuroscience and better
understanding the brain, I plan to
completely eradicate panic attacks and
even suicidal thoughts in adolescents
in my lifetime.
A year ago, I went through the motions
of school without a second thought,
my ambition simmering under the surface
of my drive and compassion for
others. I wanted to make a difference
and I wanted to do it in the here and
now, not ten years down the road after
I had earned a degree. At the same
time, I knew that I would have to develop
skills in business and science research
to be taken seriously by either
community. No one was going to hand
me the information; I had to learn how
to read a research paper, synthesize the
claims, and use the necessary software
for biomedical mapping all by myself.
When I heard about The Knowledge
Society, a human accelerator for teens
who want to change the world through
scientific discovery, it seemed like the
perfect opportunity to further my research
into the brain and its function-
29 | Nahant Magazine

ality around like-minded kids. As soon
as I was accepted into TKS, I got the
opportunity to learn about various
scientific fields ranging from quantum
computing to nanotechnology!
At first, I participated in business consulting
challenges for TechStars Boston
and Kidogo, a daycare franchise originating
from Kenya, where my team
has made it into the final pitch competition
for both businesses. Learning
the soft skills necessary to go deeper
in my own research, I doubled down
on studies on neuroscience. After looking
into so many different industries
relating to my passion, metabolomics
and the biological mechanisms behind
human behavior grabbed my attention
and would not let go.
As I looked further into neurochemistry,
I also continued researching
psychology, and began to dive deeper
into ACEs and their relation to chronic
inflammation. I brought my research
to events like MassChallenge and the
MIT Neurotech conference to learn
from adults with experience in biomedical
and scientific research. In
developing these new experiences, I
began to see the relationship between
effort and ability and figured out how
to maximize my potential.
I studied every day, vowing to read
research papers during my one hour
commute to school as a way of staying
up to date on the latest innovations in
the science community. Writing papers
and making videos about my work, I
soon began to earn different speaking
opportunities. Ultimately, I presented
my research into ACES and their
chemical basis to the Harvard Education
Alumni and received an invitation
to present further as one of the
youngest speakers on the Fantastic Future’s
panel at South by Southwest this
March. I shared my presentation virtually
and spoke about my experience
as a 15-year-old developing non-invasive
treatment options for neurological
conditions, based on my research in
mental health issues and brain-computer-interface
components.
In the coming months, I will continue
to develop my abilities in all areas of
life, whether as a speaker at this summer’s
virtual STEMpowerment conference,
or as a leader in a global Bossladies
initiative helping girls around the
world connect over a love of science
and personal growth. Lately, I have
even taken advantage of my extra time
in quarantine by publishing a short series
covering COVID-19, specifically
a piece on corruption in clinical drug
testing, in addition to a project on the
fundamentals of pandemics and US
pandemic response. Over the course of
the next few years, I will hopefully further
my research as a student at Dexter
Southfield in Brookline, Massachusetts
and as an activator at The Knowledge
Society.
I believe that achievement, whether
in the classroom, on the field, or on
the stage, is a balanced combination
of ability and effort. In large part,
my ability to excel in school and in
the STEM world is due to the great
amounts of effort I put into every single
thing I do. I am wholeheartedly
determined to give my best regardless
of the task or the obstacles. Many have
said that I am too young to be trying
to cure mental health issues, and I respond
by explaining how lucky I am to
have discovered my passion this early
and have had the opportunity to share
it with others my age.
I hope to leave a legacy of innovation,
and promote the idea to other young
STEM enthusiasts that you are never
too young to make a difference in the
world if you love learning and you are
consumed by a need to learn more. If
you put in the effort, you can unlock
abilities within yourself greater than
anything one could ever imagine.
If you are interested in learning more
about Faith’s work, email her at
faithinello@gmail.com and check out
her portfolio here:
https://tks.life/profile/faith.inello
Nahant Magazine | 30

31 | Nahant Magazine

Glitter & Glue
By Jessica Webster
Nahant Magazine | 32

I was in a meeting at Ozzie’s school
when the word about ‘The virus’
broke. We were in the principal’s office
when suddenly his direct line started
ringing off the hook, followed by the
sporadic buzzing of the team’s personal
mobile phones vibrating in unison. I
saw my son’s favorite teachers face faded
to gray. I knew something was very
wrong as they looked covertly at their
phones and then at me.
You see, I was a parent. I wasn’t supposed
to know this was happening until
the District announced the school
was closed because of a ‘Pandemic.’
The sentiment of that moment was
palpable. I could feel it in my belly,
whatever “this” was, it was big. It was
going to change everything.
The meeting abruptly ended. I walked
into the hallway to see the teachers, administrators,
and staff collected in and
near the office. I could sense and feel
their fear, and at that moment, for the
first time, I saw it:
The Glitter and Glue. While these educators
seemed very afraid, each would
smile warmly at our young ones and
push the impending trepidation away.
The world that I grew up in was transforming
right in front of me. I was witnessing
a phoenix’s song. These teachers
were both the Glitter that keeps
children innocent and the Glue that
holds them together.
My experience with this Pandemic has
been similar to the millions of Americans
in quarantine and following social
distancing guidelines. In a matter
of days, since that meeting: School
closed for my seven-year-old in first
grade. My three-year old’s daycare
closed; Followed by one work trip cancellation
after another.
Finally, when CDC made their recommendations
regarding a Stay at Home
order, I was notified that the company
I am a contact pilot for was belaying
the Aviation department in its entirety.
They were parking the jet. I had been
furloughed.
The earlier days passed in a bit of a
blur. Embracing my role as the primary
caregiver and home educator was
so brutal! I spent a ton of time setting
up a desk by a beautiful window with
school supplies a plenty! Markers,
crayons, pencils, an electronic pencil
sharpener, and purple transparent
clipboards. None of that stuck.
I eventually surrendered, and now we
do school Zooms on my bed! On the
daily. Everyone in my son’s class and
all his teachers know what my pillows
look like. Especially the favorite one.
You know that one? That’s so old and
grotty but utterly perfect for you. So
that’s fun.
The kids also broke my house two
weeks into the Pandemic. Someone
put a tiny hole in the bathtub. And yes,
stealthy water everywhere. Then mold.
I had a mold remediation team in full
safety gear with big fans and plastic
walls for a week. Oh my goodness, the
plastic walls. The Littles wouldn’t stop
trying to run through them like a Superhero.
Today, in my son’s room, he is missing
two feet of the wall from baseboard
up, along the entire length; With more
plastic covering it. So that’s awesome
too. Though, there is an “other” side to
all this. The side that might give pause
to share. Some fascinating truths: The
truth of not being able to understand
my first graders’ schoolwork! I have
degrees, Friends.
What’s a multi-syllabic word again?
What’s a Trick word? There’s the truth
of not being able to say, “Sit down,
please.” ONE more time before praying
to Mary, Jesus, and Joseph to save my
mind, which I’m about to lose. There’s
the truth of way too much family time;
having the silent temperature fight
with your partner: either with windows
or thermostat adjusting.
The truth of suddenly feeling like I
am not enough for anyone. I’m not
enough of a mom to keep these kids
happy. I’m not enough of a teacher to
help my children excel at home and the
truth of just not having enough in the
tank to continue. I’ve been shaken to
my core: Hugging my three-year-old
who misses “school” and her friends.
And crying quietly in the bathroom
because my son does not.
I know that I don’t sleep well anymore.
Neither do my Littles. I feel that fatigue
in my body. But also that: This
Too Shall Pass. I will accept the things
I cannot change and have the courage
to change the things I can. I’ve said the
Serenity Prayer almost daily. I believe
both have been true for me.
I know that this is not homeschooling.
My son’s therapist wisely framed it as
Crisis Education. That feels accurate.
There are many sides to my truth,
friends, throughout all of this.
While I endeavor to be the Glitter and
Glue to this family during quarantine,
I mean to impart my reverence and
thanks to my family, tribe, and son’s
teachers that held my hand throughout
this journey. I know that I miss you. I
miss people. In the early days, I bought
this T-shirt that says: “I was social distancing
before it was cool.” And I haven’t
worn it. I’m all for an irreverent
quip. Believe me. But it doesn’t feel
quite authentic. I do miss people.
I miss things. I’m grateful for the latenight
texts with my mom, sister, and
girlfriends just unbridled, letting it out.
I’m thankful for their love and truth.
That somedays, you just can’t “stay
positive.” Somedays, you just have to
say: Homeschool stinks. Work from
home is a joke. This is scary. I’m exhausted.
I quit!
I’m grateful for the therapists that have
helped frame our individual experiences.
Some of the most potent moments
throughout this journey have
come from a tearful zoom, with wifi
froze sobbed faces and a suggestion
that maybe I’m not failing at anything.
I’m not an educator or a Special Education
teacher. I’m just a Messenger,
doing my best to pass on the message.
I’m also not an OT, a PT, or a Special
Education Case Manager, an SPL, a
33 | Nahant Magazine

Therapist, or a BCBA, yet I have had
to fill out all those roles at home. That’s
gangster.
I cry more easily. And Laugh more liberally.
I know that we will be ok. My
heart breaks for people that are genuinely
suffering. We are all doing the
best we can. I still bury the measuring
stick every day and inevitably and irreverently,
on a bad day, dig it up and
start measuring.
I know that I am willing to sit in the
drive-through line at Starbucks for
over an hour to get an espresso I could
make at home, just to feel normal. I’ve
also learned that I tend to be a dedicated
rule follower, my friends. Because of
a line cutting incident, I’ll share with
you all another time, my partner now
calls me the Line Police. Yep. That was
not my best moment. I wasn’t the cutter..
and I was alone in the car. Kid free.
Just sayin’. I also know the joy of hiding
in that same car and sharing that experience
with one of my closest mates-
ALL of it.. and laughing until tears
came out. Happy ones. Those women
are my Glitter and Glue.
I’ve seen such acts of bravery at home.
My perception of the resilience of children
has changed so much. I’ve also
witnessed the collective Glitter and
Glue of many communities. Helping
each other. Being so brave. After all
this, I was starting to lose my perspective.
Then it hit me. We all have a choice in
this Pandemic. We are going to come
out of this eventually. In the meantime,
we will either muddle through or set
an intention to grow into and embrace
a new normal. One we may never have
imagined before. I’ve faced both!
I’m proud of everyone who’s keeping
this world turning. I’m trying not to
give in to fear and limiting my own
consumption of the news, staying in
the moment in front of me, where my
feet are. Despite the uncertainty and
change, I have found moments of clarity
and things to just embrace, no matter
how out of the norm they seem, opportunity,
and space to set an intention
for evolution.
We can do hard things!
And I most definitely know I’m getting
Botox when this is all over.
Nahant Magazine | 34

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37 | Nahant Magazine

NAHANT POLICE
198 Nahant Road tel: 781-581-1212
Emergency Dial 911
NAHANT FIRE
67 Flash Rd, tel: 781-581-1235
Emergency Dial 911
Nahant Magazine | 38

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